stem cells

Scientist in the Garden: lessons for stem cells & science

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Here’s another edition of my posts over the years in my series ‘The Scientist in the Garden’. Can gardening teach us some important things about stem cells and about doing science more generally? Regular readers of this blog know that I am really into gardening and especially during the last 5 or so years I’ve been …

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Bioquark “reawaken” the dead with stem cells plan just zombie fodder?

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A company called Bioquark reportedly claims it intends to bring back the dead, as in deceased people or at least brain dead people, with stem cells. Or at least awaken their brains. If it works, would those people be like zombies? Is it ethical to experiment in this way on dead people? We first met …

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Honoring stem cell advocate Ted Harada, $2,000 donation to Emory ALS Center

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The late Ted Harada, who was my 2016 Stem Cell Person of the Year, was a powerful patient advocate for stem cells and for ALS patients. Each year I give out a Stem Cell Person of the Year Award including a $2,000 prize that I provide myself to the winner, and Ted won that last …

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Stem cell fake news driving biotech investors or vice versa…or what?

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Is there a proliferating stem cell fake news problem in the biotech world? More broadly, the SEC is cracking down on the mess that is fake biotech news, but what about fake news on stem cell biotechs more specifically? Already in the past year I’ve seen examples of possible stem cell fake news. Hyped press releases (PR) …

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Stem cells on Memorial Day: 5 concrete ways they may help troops

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Stem cells and regenerative medicine are going to have big future impact across a broad spectrum of health problems, but there are specific ways they may be of particular positive impact for our men and women in service. Here on Memorial Day I’ve focused on 5 main areas where I predict that stem cells and …

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Brief update from Bob Lanza on Astellas stem cell program

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Late in 2015, one of the pioneering stem cell and regenerative medicine biotechs, Ocata Therapeutics (fka as ACT or Advanced Cell Technology) was acquired by Astellas Pharma. At the time of purchase, Ocata had a number of areas of focus, but was most closely followed for its development of human embryonic stem cell-based retinal pigmented epithelial …

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Battle over Texas stem cell legislation flares as it nears end

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Will Texas go it alone by giving stem cell clinics free rein or will it break new ground by passing laws that promote reasonable stem cell clinical practices with safeguards? Some middle ground? It’s a dramatic moment for the stem cell field as legislation under consideration in Texas could have big impact on stem cell businesses …

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Ongoing story on stem cell fake news: send me your tips

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I’m working on an investigative story on fake news in the stem cell and regenerative medicine arena. Is there a growing stem cell fake news problem in the biotech world? More broadly, the SEC is cracking down on the mess that is fake biotech news, but what about publicly-traded stem cell biotechs more specifically? Already in the past …

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GOP reps to Trump: fire NIH Director Collins for stem cell research support

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Should there be a religious or moral litmus test for the NIH Director? A few dozen super conservative Republican members of Congress have written a letter to President Trump saying he should fire NIH Director Francis Collins. Why? Because they claim that Collins is not conservative enough for their taste and in particular they don’t …

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