I know. I know. Scientists are not supposed to publicly talk about the question of when life begins and about death, but these are kind of important things to talk about and think about, don’t you think? I do. So here goes…. It’s been a very intense, crazy few weeks for me and for many […]
Some thoughts on life, death, and stem cells Read More »
Is it worth it to do stem cell banking? When I was a kid I remember hearing about people having themselves frozen or even just their heads frozen shortly after death. The idea was to cheat mortality by preserving oneself or critical parts of oneself until some future date when scientists and doctors would have
Cryogenics to stem cell banking: time for deposit? Read More »
Where do things stand on the potential of stem cell treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS)? MS is an often devastating autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own nervous system. More info can be found at the National MS website here. MS is a very serious health problem globally as about 400,000 people
Stem cell treatments for multiple sclerosis: where do things stand? Read More »
I recently asked Celltex if they had definitely convinced the FDA their product was not a drug (i.e. the FDA confirmed their product was not a drug) or rather they had tried and hoped they had. It appears the latter is correct from the Celltex response below: Dear Dr. Knoepfler, Thank you for your interest
Celltex unsure if FDA agrees product isn’t a drug, but expects 2nd FDA visit soon Read More »
Could Usain Bolt’s doctor be treating athletes with unproven stem cell treatments? The idea is not so far-fetched, I was surprised to learn. Read on. Bolt is an amazing sprinter. He’s a joy to watch. During the 2012 Olympics I’ve watched a few of his races and he has had almost super-human speed. The winner
Usain Bolt’s doctor giving athletes unproven stem cell treatments? Read More »
How does Texas stem cell clinic Celltex make their stem cell drug? This is a very key question as the answers will help the stem cell field evaluate this drug’s potential safety and efficacy. I’m calling it a “drug” because the FDA called Celltex a “drug manufacturer” and by all past FDA precedent as well
My ongoing Q&A with Celltex on their stem cell drug production methods Read More »
Today there is an editorial piece in the WSJ about the recent court ruling giving the FDA authority to regulate stem cells grown in culture as drugs. As a stem cell scientist, I read this opinion piece with interest. Unfortunately it is behind a paywall, but I have outlined and discussed the key issues below.
WSJ editorial on issue of stem cells as drugs misses the boat Read More »
Are we ready to start using iPS cells in patients in the near future? Say in just a couple years? Are they ready for primetime? I think the answer is clearly “no”. I believe that iPS cells, a new type of stem cells, are one of the most exciting and important developments in biomedical sciences
iPS cells not quite ready for primetime? Read More »
What would a Romney victory mean for MS patients? Not good news I believe. As we’ve sort of, kinda gotten to know the Romney’s as potential President and First Lady, we’ve all learned some interesting things about them. I, for one, do not feel as though I know them very well still. Like many Americans,
Why a Romney victory would equal a big defeat for MS patients Read More »
I’ve been blogging about the darker side of science in a seven part series on what I call scientific sinning or the “seven sins of scientists”. You can see the first 5 posts here as a group, which have generated a ton of interest and many thousands of reads each. The first five posts are specifically
Seven sins of scientists part 6: quid pro quo Read More »