For those of us conducting stem cell research, especially human stem cell research, I don’t have to tell you how expensive it is. Even just doing pre-clinical or basic science research costs a fortune. When you start talking about the kind of pre-clinical research specifically designed to get in the near future to a Phase …
The valley of death: stem cells, biotechs, and money Read More »
What are the top stem cell websites and blogs in the world? Who decides? Americans and people all over the world are inexorably changing how they get their information. While newspapers and the nightly news used to spoon-feed us the “top stories” in the news, their heyday is over and now most people get their …
A new approach to promoting stem cell research on the Internet Read More »
CIRM announced two sets of awards today that both should make major impact including its first clinical trial via Geron and $38 million for 27 basic biology studies. First Clinical Trial. Today CIRM awarded $25 million to support Geron’s FDA-approved clinical trial for spinal cord injury. This is CIRM’s first award to a for-profit company …
CIRM funds $25 million for Geron trial, $38 million for basic biology Read More »
A Federal Appeals Court ruled 2-1 today to overturn Judge Lamberth’s injunction against federal funding of ES cell research. Great news! You can read the decision here (warning: big pdf). A key part of the ruling was the following: “the plaintiffs are unlikely to prevail because Dickey-Wicker is ambiguous and the NIH seems reasonably to …
Victory for science and patients: what the appeals court ES cell ruling means (UPDATE) Read More »
For many of us in the biomedical research field, we have always wanted to be a professor and run our own research lab even if it meant the gauntlet of the dreaded academic job search. For some it is fair to say that that goal is really a passion, a dream. However, to achieve …
What’s going on with legislation on ES cell research in Minnesota? I blogged before about how Oklahoma legislators were heading toward passing legislation that would make it a crime to do ES cell research. Unfortunately, that legislation just passed. As if that were not bad enough, now potentially life saving research in Minnesota is starting …
Opponents of ES cell research launch stealth attack in Minnesota Read More »
What’s going on these days with biotech companies working on stem cell-based products? Geron’s and Advanced Cell Technology (ACT)’s FDA-approved trials presumably continue. As expected, no news yet. It’s too soon. Two important questions regarding both these companies are (1) did they apply for CIRM funding and (2) if so, how did the review process …
Stem cell biotech updates: Geron, ACT, Neuralstem, Pfizer Read More »
Today is New Year’s Day for the Chinese New Year. Happy New Year! On the Chinese Calendar it is year 4708 instead of 2011. I hope year 4708 is a good one for you and your family. Today being Chinese New Year has got me thinking about how the Chinese view stem cell research. My …
Happy Chinese New Year, Year 4708. China and Stem Cells Read More »
What is the best way to get new stem cell-based therapies to the millions of patients who need help? I would argue that this is the key question in the field of stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Sometimes I think it is easy for folks to lose sight of that and fall into traps. …
From Point A to Point Z: thinking outside the box about stem cells Read More »
It has been a rollercoaster few months between the anti-hESC court cases as well as Geron and Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) receiving the OK from the FDA to proceed with initial clinical trials of stem cell treatments. It’s OK to be excited about the clinical trials and I for one am, but we have to …
Challenges translating stem cell treatments to patients Read More »