Does the Vatican view the American pro-lifers as a bunch of wacky extremists? An article today certainly suggest this. What’s going on? The Vatican, Catholics more generally, and “pro-lifers”, as designated by the Catholic website CatholicCulture.org are still apparently very much at odds over a now cancelled Vatican conference on stem cells that would have included …
Why aren’t there are super pygmy vertebrates? For most vertebrate animals, their early embryonic development unfolds in extremely congruent fashions. Embryo growth is stem cell-dependent and in large part, despite different gestational periods, the molecular and cellular machinery that controls vertebrate development is almost perfectly conserved. Yet at maturity vertebrates end up with a range …
I am currently researching an article on the “discovery” of stem cells and the earliest stem cell research. Stay tuned for that. As I’ve been educating myself on the early history of stem cells I became familiar with a scientist that I had not previously heard of during my career who played a key role …
Dr. Florence Sabin, Great American Scientist and Trailblazer for Women in Science Read More »
If you ever had a really bad day, March 13, 2012 might have been just such a bad day for one Dr. Steven Victor, aka “Dr LookGood”, because he received an official warning letter from the FDA. Why? Dr. Victor, who reportedly greets each patient with the catch phrase “You look so much more beautiful than your picture”, is …
Dr Lookgood, dermatologist to the stars, gets FDA warning letter Read More »
What does the FDA define as “minimally manipulated” when it comes to biologics such as stem cells? You will be shocked to find out, but they include irradiation and treatment with the super toxin/carcinogen, ethylene oxide. In a recent post I discussed the issue of an apparent “minimal manipulation” exception (some might even call it a …
The Vatican pulled the plug on its 2012 stem cell meeting this week because some of the very speakers it had itself invited were deemed too controversial. Why? Because these speakers work on or support embryonic stem cell research and for lack of a better way to put it, the Vatican was afraid these scientists …
Vatican in damage control mode on conference scandal Read More »
These days when we think of the words “scientific” and “sin”, we might conjure up an image of a stem cell scientist being called a sinner by extremist anti-stem cell activists. As you know, I think that is bogus. In this article that’s not the kind of scientific sin I’m talking about. Rather, I’m talking …
Seven sins of scientists: starting with failure to cite Read More »
Each month or so, the leadership of CIRM, also know as the Board or the ICOC, meets to discuss CIRM issues of business, policies, grants, and so forth. Today the ICOC is having such a meeting here in Sacramento and I went to half the meeting. I would have gone to the whole thing, but …
What’s it like inside of a CIRM Board meeting? Impressive! Read More »
What does the future hold for the California Stem Cell Agency, CIRM? AP Science Writer, Alicia Chang, weighs in with a new piece, quoting a number of scientists including me. As much as others are considering the future of CIRM, CIRM itself is thinking about this key question itself about halfway through its originally charted …
I recently did a post on the top 10 cancer myths out there and got some great feedback including some readers pointing out additional important myths. Here are some additional cancer myths. 1) The government and/or big pharma have cures for cancer, but they are hiding them from us so they can make more money …