Decibel Therapeutics Just Received $52M in Funding

Not if Trump has something to say about it. That man thinks he's God and he can do whatever he wants.

Stem cell research is under the loupe, literally.

http://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2017/02/stem-cell-research-must-remain-in-foreground

Thank you Americans who voted for this wise guy as your supreme leader to lead you all in the new... isolationist state. Good luck with making America great again and all that!

 

Sorry I forgot to put the link up. See the edit.

 

No, but yeah... let's wait and hope. Fingers crossed! The man leads upside down politics and it's difficult to convince him otherwise once he sets up his mind on something. He's difficult to deal with.

Here's one about the complain on the immigration ban that relates directly to Decimal Tx:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/875545

I think there are a lot of reasons for concern. It's not without reason that scientists are planning a march on Washington DC. It would not surprise me if Trump decided to ban all kinds of stem cell research. If he does, well so be it! I invite biotech companies and researchers to move to Europe! Everyone is welcome in Europe. We have a strong scientific expertise here, and excellent facilities. We can continue the work here. He can have his America for himself.

 

That's good! So he finally asked him to stay. It was uncertain if Francis would stay.

Yes, it is high politics but it affects all the people living with a disease or disability in the US and abroad in more than one way. If you had that kind of politics in the past Decibel Therapeutics would simply never had happened and we would not have had much to cheer for and a company to put our hope in.

Do you have any official info on Trump's stance on stem cell research? I think I know where this is going, but I want to hear it from the man himself.

What about abortions? Will he defund Planned Parenthood?

I can see he kept Tom Price as director of HHS. But I can also see why.

Whatever... meanwhile in Japan, Masayo Takahashi is preparing a second in-human trial for treating macular degeneration using Yamanaka's so called iPS cells.

 

Respect, yes. It is what it is, and I accept that. But that doesn't mean I have to nod my head and agree about everything by default and not be concerned. Though you won't see me taking the discussion to the streets, smashing cars, burning and plundering stores. That's for the uncivilized.

Yes, and I agree. But I wouldn't want to see another 4 year delay because of politics. When it comes to hearing disorders the most promising work is being done in the US.

My guess is that even if you give your consent to have your own adult skin cells taken and turned back into pluripotent stem cells they will deem it "playing God" and oppose it.

I am not sure what approach specifically you refer to, but embryonic stem cells as well as iPS have been used in mouse models so far. Also, human embryonic stems cells as well as human iPS are being used in labs to turn them into hair cells. Dr. Heller has been doing it for almost a decade now. But in treatment they will likely use iPS, not embryonic. Either way, at least exploring embryonic stem cells in the lab should be allowed.

The potential of iPS as a treatment option or as an alternative source for experimental stem cells is a great addition to the scientific toolbox. I personally think iPS is one of the best hacks of the 21st century! Yamanaka completely blew the ethical issues of stem cells out of the picture! But what if the embryonic stem cells turn out to be more potent than iPS and having a higher success rate? Well... at least we have something... I hope they let us play with and use iPS in treatments. Maybe someone will come up with even a better method for hacking the religious fanatics.

Yes, it's unfortunate that you are offered only two choices. And what two choices! I honestly don't know who I would have voted for. You are either team red or blue, nothing in-between. Just like AMD and Intel!

I can totally understand that! Change is sometimes needed to shake things up a bit. I just hope Trump doesn't tip the boat over!

He's a republican?

Millions of women are helped by it? Yet he wouldn't fund it? Why not? He would defund it "because of the abortion factor"? He doesn't know what percentage? Someone told him it's 3%? Yet he would defund it? What is this man saying?...

Trump undecided on embryonic stem cell research:

Well he's no longer a businessman. He's the president! He better make up his mind now. He had more than 4 years to do so. The quote is from 2011.

He may not be, but those who voted on him may be?... I don't think you have to be very religious to have an opinion about abortion (and by extension embryonic stem cell research). People can have all kinds of opinions and make uninformed decisions. That doesn't matter, everyone has the right to vote.

Why would he have done it? Was he super religious?

Well he said he is pro-life. I don't know if he was thinking of others or of himself and his own life.

From republican platform:

Since they don't want tax dollars to go to stem cell research, maybe Trump will be willing to donate or invest some of his wealth into stem cell research companies? Have him invest in Decimal Therapeutics. That would be great! Let's make America great again!..

Human cloning?... who is cloning humans? Where? I want to know more.

So they support adult stem cell research, which is good. They even want to restore the placental stem cell bank created by Bush senior. Interesting though how they bash the other party instead of presenting their own program and leaving the judgment call to the voter. They don't mention what Bush junior did. Nor do they say what Clinton had replaced the placental stem cell bank with.

Thank you Shinya Yamanaka!

Republicans go on to say:

I don't know... but it seems to me like they want to eat the cake and still have the cake...

I am not familiar with Peter Thiel. Who is he? Some kind of miracle worker? We don't ask for elixir of immortality. We simply ask that science and scientists be given the funding and be allowed to do what they do best, so that they may one day find cures and devise treatments for diseases and disabilities to ease human suffering. This should be the interest of everyone, regardless of their political affiliation.

Obama said it best: "Medical miracles do not happen simply by accident. They result from painstaking and costly research … and from a government willing to support that work."

Let's wait, hope and see what happens. Knowing that Trump is a businessman first and president second, the dollar argument of this industry might outweigh the ethical and religious arguments. He would be a fool not to seize the opportunity, now that he's the boss and can have it his way. He wouldn't want Europe, Japan or Cheyna to ruin his plan of making America great again. Not to mention Mexico... (no disrespect Mexicanos!)