This morning on day two of the World Stem Cell Summit here in Pasadena, Rudy Jaenisch of the Whitehead Institute gave the scientific keynote address. It was a fabulous talk. Jaenisch, accurately described by Bernie Siegel as a true giant of the stem cell field, outlined the key issues facing the field of highly pluripotent …
Jaenisch’s 5 key action items for the ES and iPS cell field Read More »
Today was the first day of the World Stem Cell Summit here in Pasadena. There is an excitement and energy here that is inspiring and unique, not something one typically finds at a traditional all-science, tunnel vision kind of conference. Here, thinking outside the box in terms of finding ways to advance stem cell research …
Inspiring first day of World Stem Cell Summit: my thoughts Read More »
Texas Governor and GOP presidential nominee wannabe, Rick Perry, seems to have stepped in it again when it comes to stem cells. It seems he put the cart before the horse on a grand scale, getting what appears to be an unlawful treatment and only now pleading for it to be legalized after the fact …
Rick Perry’s first stem cell rodeo: it ain’t pretty Read More »
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nWsanSmAxw The stem cell field is exciting and the technology powerful. Not surprisingly there is a great deal of intense behind the scenes rumors about various hard to believe developments and news stories that also seem incredible. One such line of gossip was that the FBI was poised to crack down much more severely on …
Periodically we do updates on the iPS cell field and now seems like a good time. Where do things stand? Here’s my top 5 list of action items for the iPS cell field in the coming year. 5.) Methods on the brain. A significant fraction, some would argue too high a fraction, of iPS cell papers …
As much as so many were excited yesterday about the enrollment of the first patient in a CIRM-funded clinical trial, I did not see a mention of a very important element. The patient. Our excitement about the clinical trial moving forward is understandable, but we also need to keep a sober perspective on the fact …
The news of CIRM and clinical trial: don’t forget the patient Read More »
Today marked a major milestone as the Geron spinal cord injury clinical trial, supported by CIRM funding, using human embryonic stem cell-derived oligodendrocyte precursor cells enrolled its first patient in California supported. CIRM funding = clinical trials progressing and patients treated. Many major media outlets covered the story including the North County Times in this …
Some perspectives on CIRM funding for first clinical trial patient Read More »
Drs. James Sherley and Theresa Deisher are the two adult stem cell researchers who sued the federal government over federal funding of ESC research. They claimed that NIH funding of ESC research violated the law and also was unfair to them. This case has been bouncing around in various courts over the last couple years …
Stem cell opponents appeal federal ruling: what does this mean? Read More »
Some of the smartest people I have ever met in my life were scientists. But some of these same people made the dumbest mistakes I have ever seen in my life. Why? Their raw brainpower and knowledge of science is amazing, but they seemed to lack common sense and what I would call “science street …
Science street smarts: how to succeed in science in the real world Read More »
Another sports stars has been publicly “outed” as having received a non-FDA approved stem cell therapy in a foreign country. First, the big news earlier this year in June was that NY Yankees Pitcher Bartolo Colon had received a stem cell treatment. Then we all heard that Texas Governor and, at the moment, leading GOP …
Sports stars, Rick Perry, stem cells: how many more people will die? Read More »