Michelle Ly
Michelle graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Science in Cell Biology and Genetics. She is currently working at the BC Cancer Research Centre in Vancouver, BC while pursuing interests in computer science, science outreach and education, and writing. Her diverse background includes stints at Celator Pharmaceuticals, the Cowan Vertebrate Museum, the Vancouver Aquarium, and UBC’s Centre for Blood Research. Follow Michelle on Twitter @AlbinoMouse
Posts by: Michelle
Shades of grey matter: using iPSC to unravel the mysteries of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Chances are you know someone with autism spectrum disorder, or have, at the very least, been exposed to it in the media. Films like I am Sam, Rain Main, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and well-publicized stories such as that of Hollywood starlet Jenny McCarthy and her fight for her autistic son all show different sides…Read more
ISCT meeting: a balance of business and academia that works
With rain, rain and more rain in the forecast, I was more than happy to escape wet and dreary Vancouver and attend the 18th International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) annual meeting, which took place in Seattle, Washington last month. The weather was (slightly) drier and there was plenty of stem cell eye candy to…Read more
Tiny zebrafish shows how kidney regeneration could be achieved
Renal disease threatens approximately 2 million Canadians nationwide. The Kidney Foundation of Canada estimates that each day, an average of 14 Canadians learn that their kidneys have failed. Most diseases of the kidneys affect the nephrons, the functional unit of the kidney. Nephrons fulfill a variety of functions including regulating blood volume, filtering the blood,…Read more
It’s a matter of attraction: homing and mobility in the blood system
In previous posts, I discussed the use of cell therapy, specifically the application of allogenic or autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), as a way to repopulate blood cell lineages to normal levels post-treatment in patients suffering from certain types of blood-related cancers. These therapies would not be successful if not for the ability of stem…Read more
Trending topics in hematology: summary of the 2010 American Society of Hematology conference
Stem cells were high on the list of hot topics at this year’s American Society of Hematology conference in Orlando, Florida, particularly regarding the uses and effects of stem cells in the treatment of disease. The Ham-Wasserman lecture, named for two past ASH presidents, was presented by Tsvee Lapidot, from the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel. His lecture…Read more
Science 2.0: Time to throw open the laboratory doors?
Almost three years ago, Scientific American asked if we were entering an age of Science 2.0. Would science now be conducted in the open access realm –- freely publishing data, drafts and even whole papers? The economic cost of academic publishing has long been considered unsustainable. As well, the lack of freely accessible papers and…Read more