There have been many other interesting scientific and specifically regenerative medicine developments and papers this past week including with CIRM and exciting CIRM funding to UC Davis so read on, but first a somewhat random question: are you more of a cat person or dog person? I’d say I’m both. But our big dog is …
Weekly reads: cats, COVID, Muse cells, cancer stem cells, MS Read More »
Retraction Watch broke the news that Haruko Obokata of the STAP cell train wreck now has a 4th paper retraction. The publication related to the controversial idea that adult tissues have pluripotent potential or actual pluripotent stem cells in them so it was kind of foundational for the debunked STAP cell idea. It also reminds …
4th Obokata retraction after Harvard investigation: STAP saga finally over? Read More »
The stem cell universe is populated by sometimes mysterious acronyms (see an image of a whole alphabet stem cell acronym soup), many of which refer to specific kinds of stem cells including one nebulous type called MUSE cells. I’m not convinced that MUSE cells exist, but oddly there appear to be four clinical trials ongoing …
Dubious MUSE cells are in 4 Japanese stem cell trials Read More »
Once upon a time this blog and major outlets around the world were regularly writing about a Japanese stem cell researcher named Haruko Obokata (小保方 晴子). Whatever happened to Obokata and the other folks directly involved in STAP cell research? First, a bit of background because maybe still a few people never heard of STAP cells …
Whatever happened to the STAP cell scientists including Haruko Obokata? Read More »
When I was a kid there was this commercial on TV for Chiffon margarine (fake butter) with the slogan, “It’s not nice to fool mother nature!” As a kid I thought it was dumb but kind of funny. A modified version of that mother nature advertising slogan has become a cultural tagline. Don’t mess with …
Don’t mess with (mother) Nature: why risk taking on a powerhouse journal? Read More »
Something very strange just happened at the journal Nature related to what’s called Muse cells. Kudos to them for dealing with it quickly though. They published an unreviewed research “article” on controversial (perhaps non-existent) stem cells called “Muse cells” that was actually a paid advertisement. After I communicated with the Nature team eventually they ended up …
Nature yanks article that was actually advertisement on controversial stem cells Read More »
STAP is back? Really? No, I don’t believe so, but there’s an interesting development and twist on the STAP cell front. Just a few days ago on January 4, 2017 Dr. Charles Vacanti, the originator of the STAP cells concept, submitted a declaration to the USPTO affirming the belief that STAP cells are real and requesting that …
STAP cells (stap細胞) are real deal says new Vacanti patent declaration Read More »
Each year around this time I check up on my past year’s predictions for the stem cell field. For 2015 I made 20 predictions. You can see past 10 predictions lists for 2013 and 2014. It’s pretty interesting to look back at where the focus was in past years and what my crystal ball yielded …
How did my 20 stem cell predictions for 2015 fare? Read More »
Each year towards the end of December I make predictions for the coming year as I did for 2015. In the past I usually make a top 10 prediction list, but for this year I made 20 predictions. Admittedly some of them may have been more hopes than predictions. At mid-year today on June 30th, …
How are my 20 stem cell predictions for 2015 doing? Read More »
The annual ISSCR meeting has started in Stockholm. This is always a great annual meeting both for the science and for connecting with people including new friends and colleagues as well as old friends. Another element to the meeting is the insider conversations in the halls, restaurants, and bars that tell a behind the scenes …
Insider Trends on Stem Cells to Look Out for at ISSCR 2015 Stockholm Read More »