Six months ago, I published a Top 10 list of questions and predictions for the stem cell field. How did I do? A mixed bag. Below are the questions and predictions from October 2010 (in blue), along with an update as to how my predictions fared. 1) How will Geron’s Phase I Clinical Trial go? […]
Stem Cell Questions & Predictions: how did I do? Read More »
What are iPS cells? We talk about iPS cells all the time. We are very excited about them. Heck, the web address for this blog is ipscell.com. But what are iPSCs, really? iPS cells definition A simple definition of iPSCs is the following: Embryonic stem cell-like cells that are made from non-stem cells in a
An insider’s guide: what are iPS cells? Read More »
Stem Cell Tools CIRM CIRM TV CSHL Expert Chats on Stem Cells (very cool) Stem cell wiki European Stem Cell Portal Stem cells NIH Stem Cell NY Times article collection ISSCR Cell Stem Cell — the journal Stem Cells — the journal Stem cell video Stem Cell Chromatin info Recommended Stem Cell Blogs
UC Davis has a very large number of shared resources providing outstanding opportunities to advance stem cell research and very useful core facilities. Below is a list of those resources. UC Davis Stem Cell Program Home Page UC Davis Stem Cell News Jan Nolta Lab Webpage Institute for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine (IPRM) CTSC
UCD Stem Resources Read More »
Someone once said that in any war there is going to be propaganda, but what about stem cell propaganda? The same seems to be true for war that extreme right-wing conservatives are waging against stem cell research and researchers. A prime example is an article today in the National Review by David Klinghoffer entitled “The
The Anti-Stem Cell Propaganda Machine Read More »
I have been thinking for a long time that the stem cell research field needs a high profile advocate. Star search time? Several readers have recently suggested the same thing including the idea of Lady Gaga. The ideal advocate, our “stem cell star” ,would be known to most Americans. A famous actor. A famous
Stem Cell Star Search: Contest Read More »
What is RNA-based iPS cell research? It was only six months ago that the stem cell field was aflutter over the report by the Rossi group that they could reprogram iPS cells with an astonishingly high efficiency using just RNAs. This completely non-genetic, high-efficiency approach seemed like a revolution for the iPS cell field. It
Is RNA-based iPS cell production a flash in the pan/tissue culture dish? Read More »
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 »
How are things looking for the stem cell field for Spring 2011? Issue One. Getting to the clinic. At this point, Geron and ACT have their FDA-approved clinical trials underway using derivatives of human embryonic stem cells. As expected no news has leaked out on how things are going and it may well be Fall
Update on the stem cell field: Spring 2011 Read More »
A group of researchers led by Evan Snyder (paper discussed here) published a paper in PNAS on a new type of neural stem-like cell whose pluripotency can be turned ON or OFF by turning the v-myc gene ON or OFF using a conditional system of expression, called a “Tet-ON” system. In this system, tetracycline or its
“Alternative” to IPS cells, ICSP, are very cool, but for now a no-go for the FDA Read More »