Disease Focus: Vision Loss


Stem cell based treatment strategy for Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Retinal degeneration represents a group of blinding diseases that are increasingly impacting the health and well being of Californians. It is estimated that by 2020, over 450,000 Californians will suffer from vision loss or blindness due to the age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of retinal degeneration diseases in the elderly. AMD is […]

Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Retinitis Pigmentosa: Rosie’s Story

Rosie Barrero has been steadily losing her vision since childhood due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP), an inherited, incurable disease. In 2016, she volunteered for a CIRM-funded clinical trial testing the use of stem cells to restore her vision. In this video, Rosie tells her RP story. SeeĀ our Disease Fact Sheet on blindness for more information […]

Eyeing Stem Cell Therapies for Vision Loss

Stem Cells in Your Face, Episode 3: Eyeing Stem Cell Therapies for Vision Loss. Written and narrated by Kevin McCormack. Directed and edited by Todd Dubnicoff. Eye anatomy animations by InfoShots.com. Additional graphics by Todd Dubnicoff. More than seven million people in the US struggle to see. While most are not completely blind, they have […]

Masayo Takahashi – 2015 Winner of Ogawa-Yamanaka Stem Cell Prize

Dr Masayo Takahashi from the RIKEN center in Japan received the prestigious 2015 Ogawa-Yamanaka Prize for developing a human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell therapy to treat a debilitating eye disease called macular degeneration. The Prize was presented by the Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco.

A Stem Cell-Based Clinical Trial for Retinitis Pigmentosa: Henry Klassen, UC Irvine

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetic disease that gradually destroys the light sensing nerve cells, called photoreceptors, located in the retina at the back of the eye. In this video, UC-Irvine professor Henry Klassen describes a CIRM-funded project that aims to begin a stem cell-based clinical trial for RP in early 2015. See our fact […]

A Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Retinitis Pigmentosa: The Patient’s Perspective

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a genetic disease that gradually destroys the light sensing nerve cells, called photoreceptors, located in the retina at the back of the eye. In this video, Rosalinda and German Barrero speak about the devastating impact of RP on their lives and their excitement about a soon to begin CIRM-funded stem cell-based […]

Hossein Nazari, USC – CIRM Stem Cell #SciencePitch

Jacqueline Ward, UCSD – CIRM Stem Cell #SciencePitch

Mark Humayun, USC – CIRM Stem Cell #SciencePitch

Produced by the University of Southern California

Webinar: Focus on the Eye

Presentations from FDA and Leading Experts May 2, 2012 The Webinar was held on May 2, 2012 Click here to watch and listen to a recording of the webinar. Click here for the presenters’ slides as well as background information. Moderator: Ellen Feigal, MD, Senior Vice President of Research and Development, CIRM Speakers: Samuel Barone, […]