Stemblog » 2007

Some Say He Is Moving Too Fast to a Cure?!?!

Category: General, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injury — By: Karen M on August 31, 2007

I am pleased to report that the Seventh Annual Research for Cure Dinner was a huge success, due to 1. Dr. Keirstead’s presentation plus his easy manner of cruising through the attendees, allowing everyone an opportunity to speak to him about their own concerns. 2. The efforts of a growing number of volunteers.

Below is a brief synopsis of Dr. Keirstead’s stem cell research presentation. It lacks the details and the excitement that Dr. Keirstead has for this work, which is quite contagious.

Keirstead worked with Dr. Thomas Lane at UCI, whose interest is multiple sclerosis, to develop a means of reducing the inflammatory response immediately after trauma or injury to the nervous system. Together they developed a treatment for multiple sclerosis, which Dr. Keirstead’s group then adapted for use in acute SCI. (Read on …)

Who Do They Think They Are?

Category: General, Diabetes, Legislation, Cancer — By: edsbrooklyn on August 16, 2007

Last evening I went to a memorial service for a friend — a 44 year old woman with a loving husband and two small children, one of whom has type 1 diabetes. She died of a brain tumor just three months after diagnosis.

As I do every few weeks, yesterday morning I went with my son to his appointment at a children’s cancer and hematology clinic, where we spent the day hanging out with kids with cancer, leukemia, sickle cell and other diseases, and their families.

Another young friend died of pancreatic cancer on May 24, leaving his wonderful wife and their lovely 12 year old daughter behind.

Carnacki did a wonderful but terrifying Cancer Roll Call diary back on March 28 and we learned that virtually everyone at Daily Kos has been touched by cancer personally, often intimately.

Can you guess where I’m going with this?

(Read on …)

Comment on CIRM Funding vs NJ Stem Cell Funding

Category: General, Spinal Cord Injury, Legislation, Cure Paralysis, Cure Paralysis Now, state stem cell research — By: Faye on August 10, 2007

Jeff Eisen commented on the CIRM funding in the comment section of the previous blog entry. He said:

According to the CIRM in California, the breakdown of grants to date is as follows:

1. $37.5 million for training, supporting 169 pre- and post-doctoral fellows at 16 different institutions.
2. $50 million for facilities; research labs shared by 17 institutions
3. $46 million for 76 different “Seed Grants”
4. $76.6 million for “Comprehensive Grants”; 4-year studies, 29 different investigators

(Read on …)

Patients Helping Patients and a Hobby of Hope

Category: General, Multiple Sclerosis, SCAN, Stem Cell Page — By: Jeff Eisen on August 3, 2007

Back in 2003, a national study was conducted to determine the degree of interest among IVF patients in donating their excess embryos for stem cell research. The result was both appalling and paltry at less than three percent.

New studies indicate differently.

Newsweek is reporting the results of a revamped version of that four year old study with a different slant. It turns out that back in 2003 the subjects of the surveys were personnel at IVF clinics. They were asked to estimate what their patients thought about donating excess embryos for research. But nobody, it seems, ever thought to ask the patients directly.

So, in this new and improved 2007 version, the IVF staffers were bypassed in favor of direct questioning of the patients – (Read on …)