I’ve been doing polling on people’s views about STAP stem cells. You can see the week 1 poll results here. I’ve just closed the week 2 polling and the results are above. In week 1 while there was a significant split between respondents, the polling leaned clearly toward people being more positive about STAP stem …
STAP stem cells week 2 poll results: more uncertainty Read More »
Acid-induced pluripotent or even totipotent stem cells, called STAP stem cells, have thrown the stem cell field for a bit of a loop. For more background see my interview with the key public face of STAP, Dr. Charles Vacanti, as well as my review of their paper, my top 5 reasons for skepticism, and some other thoughts. Do you believe in …
Latest developments and scoops on STAP stem cells Read More »
I’m interested in tracking potential dynamic changes in people’s view of STAP stem cells. So about once a week I’m going to start a new poll on the extent to which you readers believe in them. Below is week two’s STAP poll. So if you’ve voted in the previous poll (which garnered more than 500 responses) you …
Do you believe in STAP stem cells new poll: week two Read More »
If you take an ordinary cucumber and soak it in a mild acid solution of vinegar for a few weeks you get a pickle, which is where we find STAP stem cells. Recently, some scientists reported in Nature that if you take ordinary cells and soak them in a mild acid solution for 30 minutes, …
In a pickle over STAP stem cells: main reasons for skepticism Read More »
A new article in the major Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun, just came out suggest major intellectual property (IP) and patent issues related to stem cells including the new stress induced STAP stem cells. The piece is entitled provocatively enough “Global patent war looms with epoch-making discovery of STAP cells“. That’s strong language. The article begins …
Big patent & IP implications or even ‘war’ from STAP stem cells? Read More »
There’s a tremendous buzz about STAP cells (see more here and here). The buzz runs the gamut from true believers to complete non-believers and everything in between. What do you think? Take our poll below.
Here are some cool science reads to enjoy this weekend. Lab-grown sperm made from stem cells can’t swim, but are able to fertilize eggs, reports Eric Boodman over at STAT. Mouse-human neural crest chimeras: Not only a matter of black and white. Clever title. Antonio Regalado writes about a DNA App Store coming soon to a …
Weekend reads: sperm, stem cells, chimeras, STAP, DNA Apps Read More »
What’s the biggest stem cell story of the year so far? I did a poll asking just that and the result so far overwhelmingly indicate that respondents believe the STAP cell scandal to be the top stem cell story of 2014 about half way through the year. You can see the results from the 210+ …
Poll indicates that STAP cells are stem cell story of 2014 so far Read More »
The recent publication of two Nature papers by a team in part led by Dr. Charles Vacanti on acid treatment produced stem cells (so-called STAP stem cells) has been a blockbuster story in the stem cell field and has grabbed major global media attention as well. For background my review of the paper here and more thoughts here. Many …
Interview with Charles Vacanti on STAP Cells: Link to Spore Stem Cells & More Read More »
When a vendor of important reagents like antibody supplier Abcam charges big money, those high Abcam prices could negatively impact research in the long run. Some of the prices are so high that buying just a few antibodies could take up a small but meaningful slice of an entire R01 grant. Sky-high Abcam prices I’ve …
Weekly reads: abundant Abcam prices, speedy aging & cancer, stemmy CAR-T, more on STAP Read More »