Paul Knoepfler
@stemcells.bsky.social
Professor at UC Davis studying cancer & stem cell epigenomics. I also do outreach and blog The Niche http://ipscell.com Also stem cell YouTube channel http://cutt.ly/vcsev4J STAT column https://www.statnews.com/category/lab-dish-paul-knoepfler/
Pinned
Paul Knoepfler
@stemcells.bsky.social
· Jun 11
Top UC Davis Graduate Aims To Transform Experience of Aging
Only on annual visits to India was Avantika Gokulnatha able to help care for her now late grandfather as his health failed. But the San Jose resident endeavored to help others near her.Gokulnatha did ...
www.ucdavis.edu
Congrats to my student Avantika Gokulnatha on receiving @ucdavis.bsky.social the UC Davis University Medal as the top graduating senior this year. Out of something like 8000+ seniors! She's done some great research on H3.3 mutant glioma www.ucdavis.edu/news/top-uc-... Very proud of her
One of the key additional points about this paper at the bigger picture level (ipscell.com/2025/11/week...) that I wrote about is that there is no solid scientific rationale for why an infusion of MSCs would help heart failure, yet the paper reports a supposed huge benefit.
November 12, 2025 at 9:42 PM
One of the key additional points about this paper at the bigger picture level (ipscell.com/2025/11/week...) that I wrote about is that there is no solid scientific rationale for why an infusion of MSCs would help heart failure, yet the paper reports a supposed huge benefit.
More red flags on peptides even as softening of FDA oversight could happen soon under RFK Jr. ipscell.com/2025/11/more... #stemcells #MAHA pharmacy compounding plays a complex but interesting role here too
More red flags on peptides even as softening of FDA oversight could happen soon under RFK Jr. - The Niche
Stem cell biologist discusses how Peptides are the next big scam unfolding now in the regenerative medicine and alternative medicine arenas.
ipscell.com
November 12, 2025 at 8:41 PM
More red flags on peptides even as softening of FDA oversight could happen soon under RFK Jr. ipscell.com/2025/11/more... #stemcells #MAHA pharmacy compounding plays a complex but interesting role here too
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
This is the message. 👇🏽
McGovern: He would rather appeal to the highest court in the land to starve people than simply provide them with the food assistance that he is legally obligated to do. That is the Republican policy position. We will give you your food if you let us take away your health care.
November 12, 2025 at 12:10 AM
This is the message. 👇🏽
ICYMI: Weekly #stemcell & regenerative reads: new BMJ MSCs for heart disease pub already under major fire & some call for possible retraction, Google’s new tweaked h-index, Tidmarsh under investigation & out at FDA, alleged cord blood banking scam, more ipscell.com/2025/11/week... #stemcells
Weekly reads: new MSCs for heart disease pub already under fire, Google's new h-index, Tidmarsh out, alleged cord blood banking scam - The Niche
Professor discusses the week's news including how a new BMJ MSCs for heart paper quickly seems in major trouble, & Google's new h-index.
ipscell.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:21 PM
ICYMI: Weekly #stemcell & regenerative reads: new BMJ MSCs for heart disease pub already under major fire & some call for possible retraction, Google’s new tweaked h-index, Tidmarsh under investigation & out at FDA, alleged cord blood banking scam, more ipscell.com/2025/11/week... #stemcells
What do you consider a peptide vs. a small protein? Where's the cutoff? 40aa? 50aa? 100aa? While I haven't ever heard of a scientific cutoff regulators do have one.
November 10, 2025 at 8:17 PM
What do you consider a peptide vs. a small protein? Where's the cutoff? 40aa? 50aa? 100aa? While I haven't ever heard of a scientific cutoff regulators do have one.
ICYMI: Deja ewe or eww: expansive animal cloning raises some difficult questions ipscell.com/2025/09/deja... Viagen Colossal
Deja ewe or eww: expansive animal cloning raises some difficult questions - The Niche
Stem cell biologist discusses animal cloning, how it is used, why it has become so popular, and how it relates to possible human cloning.
ipscell.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:40 PM
ICYMI: Deja ewe or eww: expansive animal cloning raises some difficult questions ipscell.com/2025/09/deja... Viagen Colossal
The anti-aging nonsense is pretty universal
Delusional thinking about healthspan and longevity, now from China
"In 5 to 10 years nobody will get cancer."
"Living to 150 is definitely realistic. In a few years this will be the reality."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
"In 5 to 10 years nobody will get cancer."
"Living to 150 is definitely realistic. In a few years this will be the reality."
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/08/w...
In China, the Dream of Outrunning Time
www.nytimes.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:44 PM
The anti-aging nonsense is pretty universal
Amazing pair of phainopepla calling to each other during the sunrise
November 9, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Amazing pair of phainopepla calling to each other during the sunrise
Weekly The Niche reads: new MSCs for heart disease pub already under fire, Google’s new h-index, Tidmarsh out, alleged cord blood banking scam ipscell.com/2025/11/week... #stemcells #stemcell
Weekly reads: new MSCs for heart disease pub already under fire, Google's new h-index, Tidmarsh out, alleged cord blood banking scam - The Niche
Professor discusses the week's news including how a new BMJ MSCs for heart paper quickly seems in major trouble, & Google's new h-index.
ipscell.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Weekly The Niche reads: new MSCs for heart disease pub already under fire, Google’s new h-index, Tidmarsh out, alleged cord blood banking scam ipscell.com/2025/11/week... #stemcells #stemcell
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Kash Patel's private-jet problem is getting worse. The FBI director has taken the government jet to Nashville, his country-singer girlfriend's home city, even more than has been publicly reported.
My latest newsletter for @thebulwark.com: www.thebulwark.com/p/kash-patel...
My latest newsletter for @thebulwark.com: www.thebulwark.com/p/kash-patel...
Kash Patel’s Private Jet Problem Is Even Worse Than It Looks
This dude can’t stop flying to Nashville.
www.thebulwark.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Kash Patel's private-jet problem is getting worse. The FBI director has taken the government jet to Nashville, his country-singer girlfriend's home city, even more than has been publicly reported.
My latest newsletter for @thebulwark.com: www.thebulwark.com/p/kash-patel...
My latest newsletter for @thebulwark.com: www.thebulwark.com/p/kash-patel...
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
I reported this to @pnas.org in 2021 and 2022. So far I don't see that anything has happened.
Non-profit publishers sometimes seem just as disinterested in cleaning up past problems as for-profit publishers. YMMV.
pubpeer.com/publications...
Non-profit publishers sometimes seem just as disinterested in cleaning up past problems as for-profit publishers. YMMV.
pubpeer.com/publications...
November 8, 2025 at 2:19 AM
I reported this to @pnas.org in 2021 and 2022. So far I don't see that anything has happened.
Non-profit publishers sometimes seem just as disinterested in cleaning up past problems as for-profit publishers. YMMV.
pubpeer.com/publications...
Non-profit publishers sometimes seem just as disinterested in cleaning up past problems as for-profit publishers. YMMV.
pubpeer.com/publications...
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Rosalind Franklin died at 37 of ovarian cancer attributed to radiation exposure from the methods she & her assistant used to photograph a cross-section of the DNA double helix.
Meanwhile, Watson won a Nobel off that work & survived to the ripe old age of 97 by simply: stealing those notes!
Meanwhile, Watson won a Nobel off that work & survived to the ripe old age of 97 by simply: stealing those notes!
Hey folks, as news of Watson's demise spreads, please don't set aside his weighty legacy of misogyny and racism. He was truly among the worst of us. www.vox.com/2019/1/15/18...
DNA scientist James Watson has a remarkably long history of sexist, racist public comments
“People say it would be terrible if we made all girls pretty,” he said in 2003. “I think it would be great.”
www.vox.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Rosalind Franklin died at 37 of ovarian cancer attributed to radiation exposure from the methods she & her assistant used to photograph a cross-section of the DNA double helix.
Meanwhile, Watson won a Nobel off that work & survived to the ripe old age of 97 by simply: stealing those notes!
Meanwhile, Watson won a Nobel off that work & survived to the ripe old age of 97 by simply: stealing those notes!
What will be born of the marriage of de-extinction firm Colossal and animal cloning biotech Viagen? www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/c... My new STAT News column goes over this new intersection of de-extinction and cloning #biotech firms #stemcells Where does Tom Brady's cloned pitbull fit in?
What will be born of the marriage of de-extinction firm Colossal and animal cloning biotech Viagen?
Colossal Biosciences hopes to go from cloning Tom Brady’s dead pit bull to reviving the woolly mammoth.
www.statnews.com
November 7, 2025 at 6:15 PM
What will be born of the marriage of de-extinction firm Colossal and animal cloning biotech Viagen? www.statnews.com/2025/11/07/c... My new STAT News column goes over this new intersection of de-extinction and cloning #biotech firms #stemcells Where does Tom Brady's cloned pitbull fit in?
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
SCOOP: Alexander Smirnov, the FBI informant convicted of lying about a fake bribery scheme involving the Bidens has been quietly released from prison just months into a six-year sentence—raising concern he could be pardoned by Trump any moment.
jacquelinesweet.substack.com/p/fbi-inform...
jacquelinesweet.substack.com/p/fbi-inform...
FBI Informant Who Lied About Bidens Quietly Released From Jail Sparking Trump Pardon Fears
Alexander Smirnov was quietly furloughed from prison months ago.
jacquelinesweet.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 4:38 PM
SCOOP: Alexander Smirnov, the FBI informant convicted of lying about a fake bribery scheme involving the Bidens has been quietly released from prison just months into a six-year sentence—raising concern he could be pardoned by Trump any moment.
jacquelinesweet.substack.com/p/fbi-inform...
jacquelinesweet.substack.com/p/fbi-inform...
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
We built a targeted protein degradation–based system to mimic reproductive age-related aneuploidy in young eggs - revealing how chromosome errors associated with female infertility arise with age. 🧬✨
With @jiyeonleem.bsky.social and our team at Yale MCDB.
Read: www.nature.com/articles/s43...
With @jiyeonleem.bsky.social and our team at Yale MCDB.
Read: www.nature.com/articles/s43...
A versatile cohesion manipulation system probes female reproductive age-related egg aneuploidy - Nature Aging
To study pathways that lead to aneuploidy during aging, the authors provide a system that enables cohesion protein depletion in mouse oocytes, mimicking effects that occur during aging. They uncover a...
www.nature.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:17 PM
We built a targeted protein degradation–based system to mimic reproductive age-related aneuploidy in young eggs - revealing how chromosome errors associated with female infertility arise with age. 🧬✨
With @jiyeonleem.bsky.social and our team at Yale MCDB.
Read: www.nature.com/articles/s43...
With @jiyeonleem.bsky.social and our team at Yale MCDB.
Read: www.nature.com/articles/s43...
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
JS: Hope and hype for stem cell interventions for autism spectrum disorder Despite considerable research, there is little evidence to support stem cell interventions as a treatment for autism spectrum disorder. Cites article by @stemcells.bsky.social #TMM2025
Why hype for autism stem cell therapies continues despite dead ends
After numerous tests, there is still no evidence that these experimental treatments help, so now is not the time to expand access to them.
www.thetransmitter.org
November 4, 2025 at 2:29 PM
JS: Hope and hype for stem cell interventions for autism spectrum disorder Despite considerable research, there is little evidence to support stem cell interventions as a treatment for autism spectrum disorder. Cites article by @stemcells.bsky.social #TMM2025
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Why does the President have zero clue about one of the most corrupt pardons he's made so far?
Donald Trump is a crook, whether he knows it or not.
Donald Trump is a crook, whether he knows it or not.
O'DONNELL: Why did you pardon Changpeng Zhao?
TRUMP: Are you ready? I don't know who he is
O'DONNELL: His crypto exchange Binance helped facilitate a $2b purchase of World Liberty Financial's stablecoin. And they you pardoned him.
TRUMP: Here's the thing -- I know nothing about it
TRUMP: Are you ready? I don't know who he is
O'DONNELL: His crypto exchange Binance helped facilitate a $2b purchase of World Liberty Financial's stablecoin. And they you pardoned him.
TRUMP: Here's the thing -- I know nothing about it
November 3, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Why does the President have zero clue about one of the most corrupt pardons he's made so far?
Donald Trump is a crook, whether he knows it or not.
Donald Trump is a crook, whether he knows it or not.
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
it's time for journos to start asking Johnson meta questions
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
November 3, 2025 at 3:36 PM
it's time for journos to start asking Johnson meta questions
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
"Speaker, on 5 occasions last week you said 'I haven't seen it' when asked about news events w/big implications for public policy. Do you ever read the news, and do you agree it's problematic for the Speaker to be so woefully uninformed?"
Recommended #stem cell & regenerative reads: Valentina Greco, CRISPR trials halted on safety, JAX acquisition, Prasad vs. CBER ipscell.com/2025/11/reco... #stemcells
Recommended reads: Valentina Greco, CRISPR trials halted on safety, JAX acquisition, Prasad vs. CBER - The Niche
Stem cell biologist talks about the week's news including reports of chaos inside the FDA's biologics branch CBER led by Vinay Prasad.
ipscell.com
November 3, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Recommended #stem cell & regenerative reads: Valentina Greco, CRISPR trials halted on safety, JAX acquisition, Prasad vs. CBER ipscell.com/2025/11/reco... #stemcells
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
FDA’s top drug regulator placed on leave amid investigation
CDER Director George Tidmarsh is accused of seeking to use authority to inflict financial harm on former associate
www.statnews.com/2025/11/02/f...
CDER Director George Tidmarsh is accused of seeking to use authority to inflict financial harm on former associate
www.statnews.com/2025/11/02/f...
FDA’s top drug regulator placed on leave amid investigation
George Tidmarsh, the FDA's top drug regulator, has been placed on leave after being accused of abusing his regulatory authority, STAT has learned.
www.statnews.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:52 PM
FDA’s top drug regulator placed on leave amid investigation
CDER Director George Tidmarsh is accused of seeking to use authority to inflict financial harm on former associate
www.statnews.com/2025/11/02/f...
CDER Director George Tidmarsh is accused of seeking to use authority to inflict financial harm on former associate
www.statnews.com/2025/11/02/f...
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
someone invited people magazine to the kitchen and they brought their own knives
November 2, 2025 at 6:00 PM
someone invited people magazine to the kitchen and they brought their own knives
Recommended #stemcell & regenerative reads: Valentina Greco optimistic vision for field, CRISPR trials halted on safety, JAX acquisition of NYSCF, Prasad vs. CBER veterans continues at FDA ipscell.com/2025/11/reco... #stemcells
Recommended reads: Valentina Greco, CRISPR trials halted on safety, JAX acquisition, Prasad vs. CBER - The Niche
Stem cell biologist talks about the week's news including reports of chaos inside the FDA's biologics branch CBER led by Vinay Prasad.
ipscell.com
November 2, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Recommended #stemcell & regenerative reads: Valentina Greco optimistic vision for field, CRISPR trials halted on safety, JAX acquisition of NYSCF, Prasad vs. CBER veterans continues at FDA ipscell.com/2025/11/reco... #stemcells
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Reposted by Paul Knoepfler
Happy Halloween
October 31, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Happy Halloween
The cover of the Korean edition of my and my daughter's How to Build a Dragon book looks cool #CRISPR #stemcells www.amazon.com/How-Build-Dr...
October 31, 2025 at 6:43 PM
The cover of the Korean edition of my and my daughter's How to Build a Dragon book looks cool #CRISPR #stemcells www.amazon.com/How-Build-Dr...