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 also seemed like what we …
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 …
A growing body of evidence has convincingly argued that iPS cells contain numerous abnormalities at the genetic and epigenetic levels. Often these changes have links to the machinery in cells that is responsible for cancer. As a result, many in the stem cell field have raised the notion that iPS cells may never be able …
New papers support growing serious safety concerns about iPS cells Read More »
The U.S. House of Representatives may vote as early as tomorrow on a Continuing Resolution (CR) that includes a swath of cuts across the federal budget including a 5+% cut for NIH. Such a cut would have devastating consequences for not only research generally and the U.S. economy, but also specifically for stem cell research. …
Action needed: US House to vote tomorrow on CR to slash research funding Read More »
Part of the Republican’s so-called “Pledge to America” was to cut $100 billion from the federal budget. Even though fiscal year 2011 is already almost half over, Republicans driven by Tea Party Mad Hatters have proposed to cut $100 billion from the budget for this year, increasing their proposed cuts of many programs including deeper …
Each year brings more evidence that what causes many cancers is a case of biological betrayal on the part of stem cells via cancer stem cells. I have blogged before about the potential for stem cell-based regenerative medicine therapies to aid cancer patients. I have also written before about my own experiences as a cancer …
Everyone has been understandably stressed about how the ongoing federal legislative process might effect funding for research including stem cell research. Particularly worrisome was the proposal from the new Republican-controlled House of Representatives to cut $100 billion from the budget. Today brought news (reported at one of my favorite blogs, The Great Beyond) that in …
Great news: Initial GOP list of proposed cuts mostly spares NIH! Read More »
What’s going on these days with biotech companies working on stem cell-based products? Geron’s and Advanced Cell Technology (ACT)’s FDA-approved trials presumably continue. As expected, no news yet. It’s too soon. Two important questions regarding both these companies are (1) did they apply for CIRM funding and (2) if so, how did the review process …
Stem cell biotech updates: Geron, ACT, Neuralstem, Pfizer Read More »
It’s been more than 4 years since Shinya Yamanaka published the remarkable finding that his lab could transform or “reprogram” regular cells called fibroblasts into a very unique state that was quite similar to that of embryonic stem cells (ESC). Yamanaka called these new cells “iPS cells” for induced pluripotent stem cells. Since that time, …