Search Results for: human embryo

How risky are stem cell trials for Parkinson’s beginning in China?

February 1, 2021 / By / 16 Comments
Brain-PET-scan, stem cells

New human clinical trials using derivatives of pluripotent stem cells in China for Parkinson’s Disease (PD) have raised expectations and some eyebrows. PD is a neurodegenerative condition, sometimes diagnosed or followed by PET scans such as the one at left, characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons leading to severe and sometimes life-threatening symptoms. Pluripotent stem …

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GOP reps to Trump: fire NIH Director Collins for stem cell research support

February 1, 2021 / By / 13 Comments
Gallup-Poll-embryonic-stem-cells

Should there be a religious or moral litmus test for the NIH Director? A few dozen super conservative Republican members of Congress have written a letter to President Trump saying he should fire NIH Director Francis Collins. Why? Because they claim that Collins is not conservative enough for their taste and in particular they don’t …

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7 cool new stem cell research papers

February 1, 2021 / By / 6 Comments
Yang-et-al-graphical-abstract

As a stem cell biologist it’s fun to read new papers on the latest cutting edge research. In that spirit, here is a list of 7 recent stem cell and regenerative medicine papers that caught my eye as particularly notable and that have sparked discussion. From PLoS Biology: Manipulating the Germinal Activity of the Brain From Nature …

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Japan IPS cell trial for vision to start in new incarnation

December 22, 2023 / By / 13 Comments
Masayo-Takahashi

It’s been a long road, but the first ever IPS cell clinical study in humans is starting up again in a new incarnation. You might say it has been regenerated in a novel form. Masayo Takahashi (高橋 政代) first started the pioneering IPS cell study a few years back in 2014, but it ended up …

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Good stem cell news on trials, FDA, cool new papers & more

February 1, 2021 / By / 2 Comments
Pericyte-paper

In the whirlwind that is the stem cell and regenerative medicine world, there are many concerning things that need attention, but also good stuff happens too and this post focuses on the positive. The Asterias spinal cord injury clinical trial, a phase 1/2a trial called SCiStar, continues to make encouraging news with a clean safety profile …

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Tom Price & MiMedx: a stem cell connection?

June 6, 2022 / By / 5 Comments
Tom-Price-HHS-Senate

What’s the deal with Trump’s HHS Secretary pick Rep. Tom Price (now testifying before the Senate) and the amniotic tissue/stem cell company MiMedx that’s caused some buzz in the last 48 hours? I’ve been following MiMedx for a few years since it received an untitled letter from the FDA and I noted its claim of one its …

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First 3-person IVF baby born via “rogue” experiment at Mexico clinic?

February 1, 2021 / By / 5 Comments
John-Zhang-with-3-person-IVF-baby

Today we got the first report of a baby being born via so-called “3-person IVF”, sometimes called 3-parent IVF, in which the DNA of three people contribute to an offspring. Before discussing this further I have to emphasize that we need proof that this is indeed really a 3-person IVF baby via genetic testing. Until that …

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Stem cell news bites: chimeras, Australian clinics, organoids & more

February 1, 2021 / By
brain-organoids

Some recent developments in the stem cell world are worth a look. I’ve posted the headlines verbatim and the links to some of these stem cell news bites below. NIH Plans To Lift Ban On Research Funds For Part-Human, Part-Animal Embryos. NIH may allow funding of human-animal chimeras in certain cases. Stem cell ‘tourists’ flock to …

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