I recently did a Q&A interview with NeoStem CEO Dr. Robin Smith. I posted Part 1 of that interview a few days ago here. Now we have part two focused on VSEL, ES cells, and iPS cells. PK: I frequently have readers of my blog ask questions about VSEL. They seem puzzled and unsure of …
Interview with NeoStem CEO Robin Smith Part 2: VSEL, ES cells, and iPS cells Read More »
I’ve been running a poll on just how similar iPS cells are to ES cells. Most respondents do not think iPS cells are functionally identical to ES cells as only 18% said they were identical. Double that number say unequivocally that iPS cells are not functionally the same as ES cells. The greatest number of …
Results of stem cell poll: only 18% say iPS cells are functionally identical to ES cells Read More »
The Vatican is still interested in stem cells and after its own debacle with a stem cell meeting planned for 2012 that turned into a scandal for them. For that original 2012 meeting they had wisely invited a full spectrum of stem cell researchers including those working on embryonic stem cells, to have great discussions. …
Vatican reboots stem cell meeting for 2013, boots ES cell researchers Read More »
Qu’est-ce que les cellules souches? French Qu’est-ce que les cellules souches? Le corps humain est composé de centaines de différentes populations de cellules, lesquelles permettent à notre corps de fonctionner correctement et ainsi, elles sont essentielles dans le maintient d’une bonne santé. Par exemple, les cellules forment nos organes et donc permettent à notre cœur …
Today, an authoritative article was published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) that included some of the most comprehensive polling of attitudes in the U.S. and around the world on embryonic stem cell (ESC) research. Their findings indicate very widespread and deep support for ESC research around the globe including in the U.S. and …
What the heck happened to The New Scientist? An anti-embryonic stem cell piece they just recently published was an exercise in weird, moral obfuscation. Quite a few scientists and policy makers are fairly regular readers of The New Scientist. They might start reconsidering how they want to spend that $99/year. Why not use it to …
The New Scientist goes after ES cells with strange opinion piece Read More »
This past week a paper came out in Nature that reported the successful production of human ES cells using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technology. It is no exaggeration to say that this paper generated massive international media coverage, in part because of the links between this technology and the potential for human cloning, both …
Why all the fuss about SCNT-derived ES cell paper? Read More »
New human ES cell lines have been made using the technique of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The new ES cells lines are genetically abnormal in that they have three sets of chromosomes instead of two. Two experts, Bob Lanza of ACT and Miodrag Stojkovic of University of Kragujevac in Serbia both are quoted by Nature News …
Take our poll on the new triploid SCNT-derived ES cells Read More »
Texas Republican Governor, an opponent of Embryonic Stem (ES) cell research, has reportedly undergone an experimental procedure on his spine involving autologous transplantation of adult stem cells taken from his hip. The procedure, which is not FDA approved and costs tens of thousands of dollars, has no proven track record of success according to The …
Tex Guv Perry Gets Stem Cell Treatment: what if ES cells were his only hope? Read More »