Search Results for: Doug Melton

Movers & Shakers in Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Field

stem-cell-movers-and-shakers

Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine field researchers move around to different places fairly often. It is interesting to note trends and also see who received what kinds of awards and such. Below is a list of some recent movers and shakers. George Daley got the ISSCR Public Service Award (you can see other ISSCR Awards here). …

Movers & Shakers in Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Field Read More »

Perspectives on Vatican Stem Cell Meeting: CIRM, Embryonic & Adult Stem Cells

Vatican-stem-cell-meeting

Over the years, the Vatican has expressed interest and even invested money in the adult stem cell field. Not surprisingly, they’ve also been critical of embryonic stem cell research. Interestingly their own stem cell meetings have at times stimulated heated debate for various reasons and one was even cancelled with at least part of the reason related to …

Perspectives on Vatican Stem Cell Meeting: CIRM, Embryonic & Adult Stem Cells Read More »

Biotech Talks #ISSCR2015: StemCells Inc, Semma, ViaCyte, & Le Blanc

Katarina-Le-Blanc

The path to the clinic is a slow and arduous activity, frustrating not only to the researcher and patient, but investors and biotech companies. Successful clinical translation of technologies requires a balance of science, streamlined translation and funding. To develop fantastic science and then realise the most important components cannot be adapted to the clinical …

Biotech Talks #ISSCR2015: StemCells Inc, Semma, ViaCyte, & Le Blanc Read More »

New biotech Semma Therapeutics stem cell diabetes arena

Semma_05-4065

A new biotech startup, Semma Therapeutics, announced that it seeks to fight diabetes via translating technology from the lab of Doug Melton at Harvard to the clinic. Update: Note that the firm was recently acquired by Vertex. Another major player in cell therapy-based arena for Diabetes is most likely good news for patients. Quoted in the Boston …

New biotech Semma Therapeutics stem cell diabetes arena Read More »

The Betatrophin Blues after Harvard Diabetes pub

Betatrophin

All the recent high-profile papers that are having troubles are bumming me out, with the latest example being the “Betatrophin” Diabetes paper from Harvard last year. Yesterday it was called into major doubt by a new Cell paper from a group led by Jesper Gromada at Regeneron. The authors of the original 2013 Betatrophin paper–Doug Melton’s team at Harvard– indicated …

The Betatrophin Blues after Harvard Diabetes pub Read More »

Takeaways From Harvard Stem Cells for Diabetes Paper

Harvard-stem-cells-Diabetes

The idea of using stem cells for treat Type I Diabetes is very promising and could have huge practical impact. Real progress has been achieved toward this goal over the last decade. In perhaps another decade there might be a validated treatment. A new stem cell paper has just come out in Cell from Harvard in this …

Takeaways From Harvard Stem Cells for Diabetes Paper Read More »

Stem cell journal club: dishing on Nature paper on making iPS cells inside mice

What if you could reprogram cells inside of an organism to a different fate and, for instance, make IPS cells? We can, right? But when most of us think about making induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, we imagine it all happening in a little plastic dish in our labs or in our colleague’s labs, not …

Stem cell journal club: dishing on Nature paper on making iPS cells inside mice Read More »

Delightful overview of ISSCR 2013 by guest blogger Dr. Susan Lim

By Dr. Susan Lim A record 4100 delegates attended the 11th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), held at the Convention and Exhibition Center in Boston from 12-15 June 2013. Co-sponsored by the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, the Meeting featured 7 Plenary sessions including a Presidential Symposium, 20 concurrent scientific …

Delightful overview of ISSCR 2013 by guest blogger Dr. Susan Lim Read More »

Jeanne Loring interview: optimism on clinical translation of IPS cells

Loring-in-lab-1

One of my favorite stem cell scientists is Jeanne Loring of Scripps. She does great science and when you ask her questions, she frankly states her opinions and is clearly a gifted educator at heart too. Below is a Q&A interview I did with Jeanne on key issues of clinical translation of iPS cells. You …

Jeanne Loring interview: optimism on clinical translation of IPS cells Read More »

What is Betatrophin & why is Harvard so excited about it?

Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) is making a big announcement today about stems, the biggest they say in their almost decade-long existence. Last night I speculated/predicted some possible announcements. Today I’m betting they will announce the discovery of a novel factor called Betatrophin. More on Betatrophin in a minute, but first why do I think …

What is Betatrophin & why is Harvard so excited about it? Read More »