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 …
I have in the past posted advice to new faculty and also top 10 advice list for the academic job hunt, but today I wanted to specifically talk about mentoring. Also, stay tuned for a special post later this week with an autobiographical section from Irv Weissman on his early career and who his key …
With the bewildering amount of news about stem cells, how do we tell the difference between hype and hope? Although the words “hype” and “hope” only differ by one letter, sometimes it is hard to tell them apart in real life, but of course they are very different things. So how do we know when …
Stem Cell Tourism is a blanket term now used to refer to patients receiving non-FDA approved stem cell treatments either by traveling here within the U.S. or more often outside the U.S. Clinics are sprouting up all over the world offering treatments based on stem cells. The science behind these is often non-existent. Most stem …
Stem cell tourism disaster coming: my case for caution Read More »
At last year’s ISSCR 2010 Meeting in San Francisco, President Irv Weissman talked about the dangers of unvalidated stem cell treatments. He talked about the responsibility of stem cell scientists to stand against these and the importance for scientists not to endorse or serve on advisory committees of companies peddling such products and “therapies”. As …
Stem cell tourism: from bad to worse from 2010-2011 Read More »
There has been a lot of publicity about the reported stem cell treatment of NY Yankees pitcher Bartolo Colon. According to several sources, Colon received his treatment in his native Dominican Republic. Major League Baseball reportedly seems most concerned about this case, at least publicly, because human growth hormone (hGH) might have been used in …
Stem cell sports medicine: trying to win the World Series during Spring training Read More »
Last week I posted a stem cell treatment poll. I was curious about people’s experiences and attitudes toward non-FDA approved stem cell treatments. During my time as a stem cell scientist and educator, I have met many people, some of whom have told me about their experiences with stem cell treatments. The results of the …
Stem cell research is a truly global endeavor. How will America’s role evolve in this field and other areas of biomedical research? Because of politic, legal, and budgetary reasons, there are growing concerns that the U.S. may find itself 2nd rate for stem cell research and perhaps also for other fields of science as well. …