I just heard some very good news on the regenerative medicine front, a new Regenerative Medicine Bill. US Senators Barbara Boxer and Mark Kirk today introduced The Regenerative Medicine Promotion Act, which would keep track of and promote regenerative medicine efforts. This is really exciting and provides hope. One of the neat things about this […]
Great News: Senators Boxer & Kirk Introduce Regen Med Bill Read More »
Why is CRISPR Cas9 gene editing such a big deal? Imagine being able to make mutations in any gene you wanted say in stem cells in a relatively simple, quick and affordable fashion? Sounds exciting, huh? Every so often a new kind of technology comes along in the biomedical sciences that is a true game
CRISPR Cas9 Gene Editing Tech Will Revolutionize Biology Read More »
I’m hearing from multiple sources that momentum is building in Japan and even inside RIKEN itself for retraction of the STAP cell papers. This whole situation is a tragedy on so many levels and has become a no-win situation, but is it so bad at this point that retraction could possibly be the least terrible
Momentum for STAP paper retraction building Read More »
An FDA committee began a meeting yesterday that continues today to consider permitting new assisted reproduction-based “3-parent” technology that could address mitochondrial disorders, a serious human health problem. The technology also raises complex health issues of its own and invokes ethical questions. The goal of the FDA meeting is articulated this way: “the committee will
Why the FDA should not green-light 3-parent reproduction Read More »
The STAP stem cell saga is like something out of a soap opera. Maybe we should call it “As the Stem Cell World Turns”. See the little green STAP spheres at right and imagine them turning like little worlds. One of the best pieces I’ve read on STAP was today’s article by Cynthia Fox at
Excerpts of BioSciTech STAP article Read More »
People have been taking a long look over the last 24 hours or so at the STAP stem cell patent application filed by Charles Vacanti, his brother, Obokata, and others. Any reactions? I don’t know much about patents so I’d be curious of your impressions. New STAP paper troubles? I’m hearing through the stem grapevine
STAP 3.0: Patent, New Paper Problems, & Poll Plummet Read More »
If you’ve been paying attention to the stem cell world, you’ll remember Woo Suk Hwang, who nearly derailed the future of stem cell research by very publically proclaiming that he had made human embryonic stem cells by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). No, this has nothing to do with Shoukhrat Mitalipov’s report of successful generation
Jeanne Loring on Woo Suk Hwang Approved Patent of SCNT ESCs Read More »
What does the future hold for CIRM? I asked former CIRM Board Chair and Prop 71 leader, Robert Klein, about that and more in the interview below. He also says some particularly exciting clinical trial and other developments in the stem cell field are coming soon. What got you excited for the very first time
Interview with Robert Klein on CIRM’s Future Read More »
This is a crowdsource page for people who want to post their findings on their attempts to validate the STAP stem cell ( ＳＴＡＰ細胞) method. I’m going to color successful or even moderately encouraging reports green and failures/discouraging results in red. *For those with longer attention spans, see some additional important considerations for this crowdsourcing effort at
What are Splashy Papers in science? I spend some hours each week reading and thinking about the recent scientific literature and I’m sure many of you do the same thing, but do we gravitate towards hyped “holy crap” papers? Every so often, a new paper erupts on the scene. It makes a big splash with
The ‘Holy Crap’ Effect: Reflecting on Splashy Papers Read More »