Reversing Autism in the Lab with help from Stem Cells and the Tooth Fairy For more information about autism research funded by California's Stem Cell Agency, visit our fact sheet: http://www.cirm.ca.gov/autism. People with autism h... By: California Institute for Regenerative Medicine … Continue reading →

Autism and Stem Cells: A Mom's Perspective Jen, a mother of 10 year-old Milo who has a severe form of autism describes the impact of the disorder on her family and shares her thoughts about stem cell ... By: California Institute for Regenerative Medicine … Continue reading →

Stem cell research is caught up in controversy once more, but it is too early for gloom about this promising field WE SAID it had a distinctly "too good to be true" feel about it. Now research describing a simple way of producing embryonic-like stem cells is being investigated over "inconsistencies". It is too soon to say whether two papers reporting the results will have to be retracted (doi.org/r3t; Nature, doi.org/r3v). But for stem cell research there is a sense of dj vu. This is far from the first time that promising results have fallen under a cloud of suspicion. What is it that makes stem cell work so prone to problems? Arguably, it is because the potential commercial and medical gains are greater than in almost any other field. And therefore, so is the pressure to publish. But ask any scientist and they'll tell you that pressure is a way of life. To get an idea of the stresses that stem cell researchers face, New Scientist asked 1000 of them to fill in an anonymous online survey. By the time we went to press, 112 had replied (see "Stem cell scientists reveal 'unethical' work culture"). The survey is small, … Continue reading →

From "paradigm changer" to "sloppy and irresponsible". In just two months, two papers revealing a simple way to turn adult cells into embryonic-like stem cells went from being heralded as ground-breaking to being investigated over their credibility. Stem cell research is touted as the way to a medical revolution, but all too often accusations of poor practice arise. To glean some insight into why, New Scientist asked 1000 stem cell researchers from around the world to answer an anonymous survey about the pressures of their work. More than 110 replied. Some admitted to faked results, others told of unethical behaviour from superiors, and several placed the blame on high-profile journals. Just over half believe stem cell research is under greater scrutiny than other biomedical fields. "It is because the implications for therapeutics are greater than in other areas," said one researcher. Almost a fifth said this affects their work. Some said it made them more rigorous, while others said they feel forced to find clinical applications too soon. Sixteen per cent said they have felt pressure to submit a paper that was incomplete or contained unverified information. "There is a tremendous pressure to publish, in order to receive funding. Shortcuts … Continue reading →