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Paul Knoepfler

@stemcells.bsky.social
3.5K followers 922 following 780 posts

Professor at UC Davis studying cancer & stem cell epigenomics. I also do outreach and blog The Niche ipscell.com Also stem cell YouTube channel cutt.ly/vcsev4J STAT column www.statnews.com/category/lab-dish-…

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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Rita Strack @ritastrack.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
We've had a wave of source data corrections lately across the Nature Portfolio. We wrote an editorial about the importance of bookkeeping and QC when preparing manuscripts. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Source data under scrutiny - Nature Biomedical Engineering
The source data underlying results and figures in our manuscripts can be critical for assessing the rigour of our studies and for reproducibility. Ensuring the quality and provenance of these data dur...
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 9h
What to think about those mice with half-human brains from the Pasca Lab www.statnews.com/2026/09/30/x... My latest @statnews.com Stem cells grew human brain organoids, implanted in mice. Some surprises! Challenging ethics questions. Should more research have real-time ethics review?
statnews.com
What to think about those mice with half-human brains
New research involving giving mice a human cell-based cortex brings to mind “Flowers for Algernon” and “Pinky and the Brain,” writes STAT Lab Dish columnist Paul Knoepfler.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Weekly #stemcell & #regenerative reads: $100B NIH budget dream, Sholto David on YouTube, Jun Takahashi award, Muse cell developments ipscell.com/2026/09/week... #stemcells
ipscell.com
Weekly reads: $100B NIH budget dream, Sholto David on YouTube, Jun Takahashi award, Muse cell developments - The Niche
What should the NIH budget be these days? Certainly higher than it is, but what would the ideal level be? One of my weekly reads is a proposal for $100B in NIH  funding. All things considered, that seems reasonable to me. NIH is a massive engine of innovation for our country that generates huge numbers […]
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Only 4 days left to try to win $200 in our iPS cell 20th anniversary contest. Almost anyone can enter including faculty (even Yamanaka) ipscell.com/2026/09/cele... #stemcells #stemcell
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Benoit Bruneau @benoitbruneau.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
really important article. Are we feeding our discoveries (unpublished) to AI companies? Featuring our @gladstoneinst.bsky.social colleague Seth Shipman.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Average Dad 🌻 Beer League Hockeyist @davetheaveragedad.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
How is this not a Hatch Act violation?
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Only 4 days left to try to win $200 in our iPS cell 20th anniversary contest. Almost anyone can enter including faculty (even Yamanaka) ipscell.com/2026/09/cele... #stemcells #stemcell
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Weekly #stemcell & #regenerative reads: $100B NIH budget dream, Sholto David on YouTube, Jun Takahashi award, Muse cell developments ipscell.com/2026/09/week... #stemcells
ipscell.com
Weekly reads: $100B NIH budget dream, Sholto David on YouTube, Jun Takahashi award, Muse cell developments - The Niche
What should the NIH budget be these days? Certainly higher than it is, but what would the ideal level be? One of my weekly reads is a proposal for $100B in NIH  funding. All things considered, that seems reasonable to me. NIH is a massive engine of innovation for our country that generates huge numbers […]
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
ICYMI: Mitochondrial transfer or "mitotherapy" for disease & longevity: how much real hope vs. hype? What does the FDA think? ipscell.com/2026/09/mito... #stemcell #mitochondria
ipscell.com
Mitochondrial transfer or "mitotherapy" for disease & longevity: how much real hope vs. hype? - The Niche
Biologist discusses mitochondrial transfer for disease & longevity including how much is real vs. illusion given the hype?
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Early morning birding at Putah Creek Riparian @ucdavis.bsky.social got a lifer. Chestnut-sided warbler. Very unusual bird for this area. Hanging out with about a dozen other warblers
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Thought for TGIF: Wouldn't it be funny (and kinda great) if "lowly" fibroblasts were the key to many human diseases and aging too?
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
AI hacked into Australian government site successfully without prompting www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/t... Gift link
nytimes.com
OpenAI’s A.I. Tried Breaching Four Other Targets, With No Prompting (Gift Article)
In each incident, the technology appeared to be conducting mundane data collection and resorted to hacking techniques to get it, researchers said.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Mitochondrial transfer or "mitotherapy" for disease & longevity: how much real hope vs. hype? What does the FDA think? ipscell.com/2026/09/mito... #stemcells #mitochondria
ipscell.com
Mitochondrial transfer or "mitotherapy" for disease & longevity: how much real hope vs. hype? - The Niche
Biologist discusses mitochondrial transfer for disease & longevity including how much is real vs. illusion given the hype?
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Mitochondrial transfer or "mitotherapy" for disease & longevity: how much real hope vs. hype? What does the FDA think? ipscell.com/2026/09/mito... #stemcells #mitochondria
ipscell.com
Mitochondrial transfer or "mitotherapy" for disease & longevity: how much real hope vs. hype? - The Niche
Biologist discusses mitochondrial transfer for disease & longevity including how much is real vs. illusion given the hype?
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Elizabeth Jacobs, PhD @elizabethjacobs.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Athletes are among the most susceptible to snake oil in my experience. Tom Brady is a prime example in American football.
theguardian.com
‘It’s bordering on exploitation’: how pseudoscience is duping football
Cryotherapy chambers and other practices in the elite game have little evidence behind them, says Dr Claire-Marie Roberts, a top performance director
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Colossal Biosciences won The Niche's The Screamers Science Hype Award last year for their direwolf de-extinction claims (ipscell.com/2025/12/colo...) Any nominees for this year's award?
ipscell.com
Colossal Biosciences wins 2025 The Screamers Award for science hype on dire wolf de-extinction claim - The Niche
Biologist awards Colossal Biosciences as the winner of the 2025 The Screamers science hype award for their dire wolf de-extinction claims.
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
ICYMI: Weekly #regenerative reads: Longeveron MSC trial misses primary endpoint, cool CRISPR ancestor VIPR, FDA staffing woes, more ipscell.com/2026/09/week... #stemcell
ipscell.com
Weekly reads: Longeveron MSC trial disappoints, CRISPR ancestor VIPR, distinct human brain progenitors, FDA staffing woes - The Niche
Biologist discusses Weekly regenerative news including Longeveron trial disappoints, CRISPR ancestor VIPR, distinct human brain progenitors.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Weekly #regenerative reads: Longeveron MSC trial misses primary endpoint, CRISPR ancestor VIPR, distinct human brain progenitors, FDA staffing woes ipscell.com/2026/09/week... #stemcells
ipscell.com
Weekly reads: Longeveron MSC trial disappoints, CRISPR ancestor VIPR, distinct human brain progenitors, FDA staffing woes - The Niche
Biologist discusses Weekly regenerative news including Longeveron trial disappoints, CRISPR ancestor VIPR, distinct human brain progenitors.
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Weekly #regenerative reads: Longeveron MSC trial misses primary endpoint, CRISPR ancestor VIPR, distinct human brain progenitors, FDA staffing woes ipscell.com/2026/09/week... #stemcells
ipscell.com
Weekly reads: Longeveron MSC trial disappoints, CRISPR ancestor VIPR, distinct human brain progenitors, FDA staffing woes - The Niche
Biologist discusses Weekly regenerative news including Longeveron trial disappoints, CRISPR ancestor VIPR, distinct human brain progenitors.
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
FYI: Multipotent and totipotent vs pluripotent stem cells ipscell.com/2021/03/mult... What's the difference? #stemcells
ipscell.com
Multipotent and totipotent vs pluripotent stem cells - The Niche
Professor discusses the difference between multipotent, totipotent, and pluripotent stem cells? What is the best type of stem cells?
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
ICYMI: my call for Japan to do more to stop its huge & growing unproven stem cell/regenerative clinic industry after some patient deaths and many adverse events ipscell.com/2026/09/amid... #stemcellls #bioethics
ipscell.com
Amid patient deaths and adverse events Japan needs to tackle its unproven regenerative clinics - The Niche
Biologist discusses how Japan stem cell clinic oversight changes could be coming after patient harms including deaths.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Katya Zimmer @katarinazimmer.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Your body can get better at handling heat. Scientists have been looking into ways of acclimating vulnerable populations so they can better handle increasingly severe and frequent heatwaves, I report for @sciencenews.bsky.social: www.sciencenews.org/article/how-...
sciencenews.org
How the body adapts to extreme heat
As heatwaves become more frequent and severe, scientists are studying whether heat acclimation can help protect vulnerable populations.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Jonathan Howard @joho.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
"For science to work, you have to have an open exchange of ideas...lf you're going to make an argument that something is misinformation, you should provide an actual argument. You can't just take it down and say, 'Oh, it's misinformation' without actually giving a reason...Let's hear the argument, let's see the evidence that YouTube used to decide it was misinformation. Let's have a debate.
Science works best when we have an open debate," said
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Amid patient deaths and adverse events Japan needs to tackle its unproven regenerative clinics ipscell.com/2026/09/amid... #stemcells #stemcell Some researchers there are rightly pushing for change
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Timothy Caulfield @caulfieldtim.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
The perplexing promotion of #peptides garyschwitzer.substack.com/p/the-perple... Puts the "entire public & patient safety system at risk." @stemcells.bsky.social: “It seems RFK Jr. stacked the committee. To me, the elephant in the room was the potential profit motive tied to peptide compounding.”
garyschwitzer.substack.com
The perplexing promotion of peptides
I’m overdue for an update on some troubling developments concerning peptides..
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Amid patient deaths and adverse events Japan needs to tackle its unproven regenerative clinics ipscell.com/2026/09/amid... #stemcells #stemcell Some researchers there are rightly pushing for change
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Nothing to see there, right? www.wsj.com/world/russia...
wsj.com
Russian Businessman Financed Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Celebrations
Umar Kremlev paid for two nights of celebration after the wedding, Donald Trump Jr. and his wife confirmed.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Weekly #regenerative & #stemcell reads: suite of reprogramming news, cancer trial reform, zombie retracted papers ipscell.com/2026/09/week... #stemcells #epigenetics
ipscell.com
Weekly reads: suite of reprogramming news, cancer trial reform, zombie retracted papers - The Niche
Professor's weekly regenerative reads: suite of reprogramming news, obstacle to cancer cures, zombie retracted papers.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Dr. SkySkull @drskyskull.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Still possibly the greatest rhetorical murder of all time
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Weekly #regenerative & #stemcell reads: suite of reprogramming news, cancer trial reform, zombie retracted papers ipscell.com/2026/09/week... #stemcells #epigenetics
ipscell.com
Weekly reads: suite of reprogramming news, cancer trial reform, zombie retracted papers - The Niche
Professor's weekly regenerative reads: suite of reprogramming news, obstacle to cancer cures, zombie retracted papers.
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
TGIF. Enter our $200 #stemcell contest inspired by the 20th anniversary of iPS cells ipscell.com/2026/09/cele... #stemcells
ipscell.com
Celebrating 20 years of iPS cells with a $200 contest - The Niche
Stem cell biologist talks about Celebrating 20 years of iPS cells: with a $200 contest that readers can enter related to stem cells.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Sonya Neal @neal-lab.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Come be my colleague!! 🎉 We’re hiring an Assistant Professor in Developmental Biology at UCSD! If you’re doing exciting work in development or regeneration, come join us!! Please spread the word and apply! apol-recruit.ucsd.edu/JPF04591
apol-recruit.ucsd.edu
Assistant Professor of Developmental Biology
University of California, San Diego is hiring. Apply now!
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Jeremy Snyder @jsnyder.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
@leighturner.bsky.social & I show how problematic journal articles can keep shambling along after retraction. These zombie articles continue to appear without notice of their status on publishers' websites, other publications, promotional materials, and, now, AI search results.
academic.oup.com
Why retracted articles can have an influential afterlife—and what to do about it
Abstract. Retractions of published journal articles are an increasingly common means by which the research community ensures the quality and integrity of p
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Quick perspectives on Karim Mikhail as new permanent CBER director ipscell.com/2026/09/quic... Tough time to be the biologics branch leader. He has some support among FDA folks #stemcells
ipscell.com
Quick perspectives on Karim Mikhail as new permanent CBER director - The Niche
Biologist discusses weekly reads: Karim Mikhail permanent CBER director, cancer tx obstacles, AI vs. aging drug trial data.
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Quick perspectives on Karim Mikhail as new permanent CBER director ipscell.com/2026/09/quic... Tough time to be the biologics branch leader. He has some support among FDA folks #stemcells
ipscell.com
Quick perspectives on Karim Mikhail as new permanent CBER director - The Niche
Biologist discusses weekly reads: Karim Mikhail permanent CBER director, cancer tx obstacles, AI vs. aging drug trial data.
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
My lab here @ucdavis.bsky.social & @ucdaviscancer.bsky.social is doing a fundraiser for @alexslemonade.bsky.social for children's cancer research by walking/running/cycling. Please help out! www.alexslemonade.org/2026/labturt... Thanks! #dipg #stemcells Donations are doubled starting today!
alexslemonade.org
Fundraise for Paul Knoepfler
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
LizW @cave-malum.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
@stemcells.bsky.social @leighturner.bsky.social @forbetterscience.bsky.social She lost her sight. Her billionaire father bet on a daring new treatment.
archive.ph
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Weekly #regenerative reads: Stanford prof Mike Snyder plugging peptide cream, microglia aged out & replace, #CRISPR dogs, cool instrumented organoids ipscell.com/2026/09/week... #stemcells #GHK
ipscell.com
Weekly reads: Stanford prof Mike Snyder & peptide cream, microglia aged out, CRISPR dogs, instrumented organoids - The Niche
Professor's Weekly reads: Mike Snyder boosts peptide cream, microglia get replaced with age, CRISPR dogs, instrumented organoids.
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
Weekly #regenerative reads: Stanford prof Mike Snyder plugging peptide cream, microglia aged out & replace, #CRISPR dogs, cool instrumented organoids ipscell.com/2026/09/week... #stemcells #GHK
ipscell.com
Weekly reads: Stanford prof Mike Snyder & peptide cream, microglia aged out, CRISPR dogs, instrumented organoids - The Niche
Professor's Weekly reads: Mike Snyder boosts peptide cream, microglia get replaced with age, CRISPR dogs, instrumented organoids.
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BWJones @bwjones.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
People at some point will realize how harmful to democracy and civil society the Heritage Foundation have been over the last 20 years.
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PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 05/09/2026
This Community Page from @thomasmock.bsky.social &co presents the 100 Diatom Genomes Project, which aims to sequence 100 diverse diatom species. This resource will support understanding #diatom biodiversity, ecology and evolution, and potential use in biotechnology. 🧪 #AcademicSky plos.io/3SrpFGi
Microscopy image of diatoms, showing their diverse morphology.
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
My latest column over @statnews.com highlights some rare good news at the FDA under RFK Jr., this in the stem cell arena. "A surprising bright spot at the FDA on regulating unproven stem cells" www.statnews.com/2026/09/03/s... #stemcells
statnews.com
A surprising bright spot at the FDA on regulating unproven stem cells
“These successes are surprising, worth discussing, and even celebrating a bit,” STAT Lab Dish columnist Paul Knoepfler writes of the FDA and stem cells.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Celebrating 20 years of iPS cells with a $200 contest ipscell.com/2026/09/cele... Please re-post #stemcells #stemcells
ipscell.com
Celebrating 20 years of iPS cells with a $200 contest - The Niche
Stem cell biologist talks about Celebrating 20 years of iPS cells: with a $200 contest that readers can enter related to stem cells.
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
My latest column over @statnews.com highlights some rare good news at the FDA under RFK Jr., this in the stem cell arena. "A surprising bright spot at the FDA on regulating unproven stem cells" www.statnews.com/2026/09/03/s... #stemcells
statnews.com
A surprising bright spot at the FDA on regulating unproven stem cells
“These successes are surprising, worth discussing, and even celebrating a bit,” STAT Lab Dish columnist Paul Knoepfler writes of the FDA and stem cells.
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Celebrating 20 years of iPS cells with a $200 contest ipscell.com/2026/09/cele... Please re-post #stemcells #stemcells
ipscell.com
Celebrating 20 years of iPS cells with a $200 contest - The Niche
Stem cell biologist talks about Celebrating 20 years of iPS cells: with a $200 contest that readers can enter related to stem cells.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Weekly #regenerative & #stemcell reads: aging clocks under the gun, more on R3 Stem warning, Capricor update, FDA perinatal tissue setback ipscell.com/2026/08/week... #stemcells #longevity
ipscell.com
Weekly reads: aging clocks under the gun, more on R3 Stem warning, Capricor update, FDA perinatal tissue setback - The Niche
Biologist discusses weekly reads in the field: aging clocks under the gun, more on R3 Stem warning, ISSCR, FDA set back.
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Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
ICYMI: FDA victory on stem cell clinics: permanent injunction against Cell Surgical Network, et al. (chain of clinics) ipscell.com/2026/08/key-... What happens now? Implications for the stem cell clinic arena & future of the FDA #stemcells @leighturner.bsky.social @caulfieldtim.bsky.social
ipscell.com
Key FDA victory on stem cell clinics: permanent injunction against Cell Surgical Network, et al. - The Niche
Biologist discusses how the FDA prevails with permanent injunction against California Stem Cell Treatment Center, Cell Surgical Network.
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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
This time of year, songbirds that are about to migrate experience "Zugunruhe," a German word for a migratory restlessness or longing to go, move, LEAVE. Perhaps you have experienced the same. www.allaboutbirds.org/news/birdwor...
allaboutbirds.org
Birdword: An Illustrated Guide to Some Tongue-Twisting Ornithological Terms
Birdword is a recurring feature in Living Bird magazine. Subscribe now. They're sometimes called technical terms, eight-dollar-words, jargon, or just plain gobbledygook. But hidden inside those mul...
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
ICYMI: FDA victory on stem cell clinics: permanent injunction against Cell Surgical Network, et al. (chain of clinics) ipscell.com/2026/08/key-... What happens now? Implications for the stem cell clinic arena & future of the FDA #stemcells @leighturner.bsky.social @caulfieldtim.bsky.social
ipscell.com
Key FDA victory on stem cell clinics: permanent injunction against Cell Surgical Network, et al. - The Niche
Biologist discusses how the FDA prevails with permanent injunction against California Stem Cell Treatment Center, Cell Surgical Network.
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Paul Knoepfler @stemcells.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Weekly #regenerative & #stemcell reads: aging clocks under the gun, more on R3 Stem warning, Capricor update, FDA perinatal tissue setback ipscell.com/2026/08/week... #stemcells #longevity
ipscell.com
Weekly reads: aging clocks under the gun, more on R3 Stem warning, Capricor update, FDA perinatal tissue setback - The Niche
Biologist discusses weekly reads in the field: aging clocks under the gun, more on R3 Stem warning, ISSCR, FDA set back.
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