Guest post on Research Misconduct. By Zubin Master Scientist Yoshiki Sasai, age 52, committed suicide and was found dead on August 5, 2014. Sasai was deputy director of the Center for Developmental Biology (CDB) at RIKEN in Kobe, Japan, and coauthor on two recently retracted Nature papers about a reportedly easier way to make induced […]
Type 1 Diabetes is a huge global problem. Where are the solutions that would compliment or replace insulin therapy for diabetics? There haven’t been too many that have gotten very far, which makes the news of a potential stem cell-based therapy moving along in the pipeline all the more exciting. ViaCyte (see more posts here,
Great News: FDA Nod For ViaCyte IND of Diabetes Stem Cell-Based Product Read More »
Stem cell-based Regenerative Medicine has huge power for good in the clinic and at the same time great potential for economic development. Those two things go hand in hand. As I argued in my stem cell book, biotech commercialization of stem cells is not a bad thing, but rather if it is done responsibly it
Reflecting on Regenerative Medicine As A Brand Read More »
What might be some natural stem cell boosts? How might we all increase the number or helpful activities of our own stem cells? If possible isn’t that a better, simpler, & safer idea than getting a transplant of stem cells? Think of it as preventative medicine via stem cells. Note that this post was updated
Five possible natural stem cell boosts (but do your homework) Read More »
ISSCR and I held a short essay contest for a free registration to ISSCR 2014 in Vancouver. The winning piece was written by student Mohamed Gatie, but there was a great 2nd place essay by Sherry Hikita that deserved acknowledgment. I’m publishing that essay below and Sherry will be receiving a free signed copy of my book and a free stem cell
Great 2nd Place ISSCR Essay Related to Vision and Stem Cells Read More »
Stem cells on TV? About six weeks ago I had my head shaved to raise funds for childhood cancer research via the awesome St. Baldrick’s Foundation. It was an exciting week because by chance, I also was invited to be the guest on a Sacramento PBS TV discussion show called Studio Sacramento hosted by Scott
Dishing on stems cell on TV Read More »
It was intriguing last week to read about another advance in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)-based therapeutic cloning of human embryonic stem cells (hESC). The first such work was published last year by Mitalipov’s group from OHSU. This second paper to produce so-called nuclear transfer hESC (NT-hESC) made the important advance to show that it could
The main challenges for SCNT cloning of human embryonic stem cells Read More »
The California Stem Cell Agency, CIRM, has a new board member. Actress, writer, and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) advocate Lauren Miller recently joined the ICOC Board of CIRM via an appointment by Governor Jerry Brown. Miller and her husband, Seth Rogen, have both been active as AD advocates and formed an amazing organization to boost AD
Interview with Actress, Writer, Advocate and New CIRM Board Member Lauren Miller Read More »
This blog is having a stem cell image contest. Submit your favorite, original photomicrographs of stem cells. Prizes include a $100 gift card, cool stem cell logo t-shirts (see at left), and signed copies of my book, Stem Cells: An Insider’s Guide. First place wins one each of the above, while second and third place
Stem cell image contest: $100 & other great prizes Read More »
A host of problems have emerged related to the two Nature papers on STAP cells and other publications by some of the same authors. It’s only been just shy of 6 weeks since these papers came out, but doesn’t it feel like about 5 years? Where will this all end? (update in 2020: closer to
Beginning of End for STAP Cell Story? Possible Outcomes Read More »