When I started blogging in 2010 the stem cell arena was a very different place including the fact I could count the number of US stem cell clinics on one hand. This blog, called The Niche for many years, was just “Knoepfler Stem Cell Blog” back then. Also, back then the hot topic was the […]
Stem cell clinics, FDA, & giant, unapproved for-profit human experiments Read More »
The Niche is the top, most authoritative stem cell and regenerative medicine blog on the web and the only one to our knowledge written by a professor. It is mainly written by Professor Paul Knoepfler of UC Davis School of Medicine, an internationally respected stem cell biologist and educator. Knoepfler is an advocate of rigorous
About Us, The Niche and Knoepfler Lab Read More »
Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal, 28, is following in the dubious footsteps of many sports stars turning to questionable stem cell “treatments” to relieve what ails them and potentially extend their careers. Nadal (pictured at right in image from Wikipedia) will receive what appears to be a laboratory-grown stem cell product from Dr. Angel Ruiz-Cotorro. ESPN
Tennis Star Nadal to Get Dubious Stem Cell Treatment Read More »
Ted Harada is a wonderful patient advocate for the stem cell field and for the development of safe and effective stem cell products to treat ALS. Ted has ALS and received stem cell-based treatments for it with surprising, very encouraging results. The Harada family is pictured at left with Ted, his wife Michelle as well as
Ted Harada Interview Part 1: Stem Cells for ALS, More Read More »
Stem cells just splashed onto the stage at the World Cup in Brazil as injured Argentine soccer star Angel Di Maria got a sketchy stem cell treatment. He will not be able to play in the World Cup semifinal game this week, but apparently he is taking every possible measure to hope to be able to
World Cup Star Turns to Mystery Stem Cell Treatment Read More »
One of the most concerning new trends in the stem cell arena is the explosive growth of chains of for-profit stem cell clinics in the US including Stem MD. This kind of franchising of stem cell for-profit operations deeply concerns me in terms of its potential risks to increasing numbers of patients and to the
Claims of Stem Cell Cures by Clinic Chain, Stem MD Read More »
Stem Cells & Football is an interesting combination. I’m rooting on my hometown Seattle Seahawks (4-0) against the Indianapolis Colts this morning. What an amazing game so far. You might think that a stem-o-phile (someone who is a fan of stem cells) can connect anything to stem cells. And someone who is a fan of
Stem Cells & Football on Sunday Read More »
Baseball’s superstar A-Rod reportedly is deeply ensnared in a scandal involving a small-time anti-aging clinic in Florida, Biogenesis, which helped numerous MLB players dope. Anti-aging is big business. Some anti-aging clinics push performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), while a growing number of others pitch stem cells. Many sell both. Star athletes are flocking to unproven stem
A-Rod BioGenesis Performance Enhancing Drug Use & Stem Cell Therapies Read More »
Sometimes it can get bewildering to try to understand all the different kinds of stem cells. What’s the difference? What makes embryonic stem cells different than adult stem cells than induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells? I can give you technical definitions and you can learn more here in my post “What are stem cells?”, but
The Stem Cell Olympics: a fun way to understand different kinds of stem cells Read More »
Last year then NY Yankees pitcher, Bartolo Colon, received a dubious stem cell treatment in his home Dominican Republic. Colon seemed to bounce back from an injury after the stem cell treatment and some attributed this to his stem cell treatment. Other famous athletes including other pitchers and NFL players have since then also gotten similar