Something very unusual and positive just happened at this year’s ISSCR meeting. Every year in December I give out an award for the Stem Cell Person of the Year to the individual with the strongest positive impact in the stem cell field generated specifically from outside-the-box thinking and actions. Dr. Jeanne Loring was the recipient in […]
At ISSCR 2016, $2,000 donation to Summit For Stem Cell patient group Read More »
ISSCR 2016’s first plenary session is focused on stem cells & cancer. I was really excited about this one even before the meeting as this topic is a major focus of my own lab. Here’s the lineup for this plenary with great expertise in stem cells & cancer from across the globe: President’s Address: Sean Morrison, Children’s
Austin Smith talk at ISSCR 2016: a ground state inhibitor pathway Read More »
An elderly woman in Australia reportedly died shortly after receiving a fat stem cell transplant. Sheila Drysdale passed away hours after getting an adipose stem cell treatment a few days before Christmas in 2013. That death is now being investigated by the coroner there. Not only is this death in Sydney distressing in it of
Woman’s death after “no big deal” fat stem cell therapy: coroner investigating Read More »
Stem cell studies continue to make big news with a mixed bag of trends including for stem cell biotech, and some good stem cell news and others not so much. Mesoblast ($MESO) had its stock suspended for quite so time recently in anticipation of a big announcement. When that news came today it was discouraging in
Stem cell biotech bites: Mesoblast, BioTime, MS, FDA Warning, & More Read More »
Here are some headlines & articles worth a look and some thought on stem cell and biomedical science more generally. Gallup finds in a new poll that 60% of Americans surveyed find human embryonic stem celsl research “largely acceptable”. On the other hand human reproductive cloning is highly frowned upon, sandwiched in the “highly unacceptable
Weekend reads: ES cell research polls well, Gordie Howe, MS, IPS cells, and more Read More »
Some good news today as the pioneering induced pluripotent stem (IPS) cell trial led by Dr. Masayo Takahashi will resume. This clinical study with a focus on macular degeneration has been on hold for quite some time due to regulatory changes in Japan. There had also been concerns over mutations in the 2nd patient’s IPS
Good stem cell news as Masayo Takahashi IPS Cell Trial to Resume Read More »
I wrote yesterday about two cases of science media hype on CRISPR and on stem cells for strokes. The latter case on stem cell hype stirred the most discussion and even some harsh words in the comments. As this stem cell stroke story on an encouraging but very small, preliminary study has unfolded across the
Stem cells for stroke hype analysis: 9 very different headlines Read More »
Science hype deserves negative attention for the harm it does including both to science itself and to patients. I’ve seen two really egregious examples of hype lately in science headlines. First from the Washington Post comes a stem cell story with a very hype-ful title: Stanford researchers ‘stunned’ by stem cell experiment that helped stroke
2 Recent Science Hype Awards on CRISPR & Stem Cells Read More »
The REGROW Act would drastically weaken FDA regulation of experimental stem cell therapies. I’ve criticized it in numerous posts (see those here) for its radical ideas that would put patients and the stem cell field at risk. I’m not the only one concerned about it as both ARM and ISSCR oppose it too. Now 10 top patient advocacy
Ten patient groups oppose REGROW Act that would gut stem cell oversight Read More »
A sad, but not surprising day for the stem cell field as the biotech StemCells, Inc. announced that it is winding down its operations after terminating its spinal cord injury trial called the Pathway Study. The data generated so far did not justify continuing the trial. StemCells, Inc. (stock symbol STEM) has struggled financially for
End of line for StemCells Inc., pioneering & controversial stem cell biotech Read More »