Stem Cell Clinical Trial for Heart Failure: Eduardo Marbán – CIRM Spotlight on Disease

CIRM has funded a $5.5 million Disease Team to develop a follow-on cardiac stem cell clinical trial that uses a patient’s own heart stem cells to regenerate scarred tissue damaged by a heart attack. The team is led by Eduardo Marbán, MD, PhD, Director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute. Marbán presented the team’s latest progress at the December 8th, 2011 CIRM Governing Board meeting. Fred Lesikar, a participant in a current trial, also spoke to Board and described the dramatic improvement he’s experienced since receiving his heart stem cells two years ago.

The speakers were introduced by Shlomo Melmed, MD, and Jonathan Thomas, PhD, JD. Melmed is a CIRM Governing Board member and Senior Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Medical Faculty at Cedars-Sinai. Thomas is Chair of the CIRM Governing Board.