Two Different Fat Graft Techniques Have Similar Effects on Facial Skin
By Dr. Matthew Watson
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Newswise March 30, 2015 Two approaches to fat graftinginjection of fat cells versus fat-derived stem cellshave similar effects in reversing the cellular-level signs of aging skin, reports a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
Since the facial rejuvenation results are the same, the simpler approach using fat cells plus the "stromal vascular fraction" has advantages over the more time-consuming stem cell fat technique. Dr. Gino Rigotti of Clinica San Francesco, Verona, Italy, directed a research team consisting of Luiz Charles-de-S and Natale Ferreira Gontijo-de-Amorim from Clinica Performa, Rio de Janeiro; and Andrea Sbarbati, Donatella Benati, and Paolo Bernardi from the Anatomy and Histology Institute, University of Verona.
Fat Grafts vs Stem Cells for Facial Rejuvenation The experimental study compared the two approaches to fat grafting for regeneration of the facial skin. In these procedures, a small amount of the patient's own fat is obtained by liposuction from another part of the body, such as the abdomen. After processing, the fat is grafted (transplanted) to the treated area, such as the face.
The study included six middle-aged patients who were candidates for facelift surgery. All underwent fat grafting to a small area in front of the ear.
One group of patients received fat-derived stem cells. Isolated and grown from the patients' fat, these specialized cells have the potential to develop into several different types of tissue. The other group underwent injection of fat cells along with the stromal vascular fraction (SVF)a rich mix of cell types, including stem cells.
Before and three months after fat grafting, samples of skin from the treated area were obtained for in-depth examination, including electron microscopy for ultrastructural-level detail.
After injection of fat cells plus SVF, the skin samples showed reduced degeneration of the skin's elastic fiber network, or "elastosis"a key characteristic of aging skin. These findings were confirmed by ultrastructural examination, which demonstrated the reabsorption of the elastosis and the development of relatively "young" elastic fibers.
In patients undergoing stem cell injection, the skin changes were essentially identical. "This result seems to suggest that the effect of a fat graft is, at least in part, due to its stem cell component," Dr Rigotti and coauthors write.
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Two Different Fat Graft Techniques Have Similar Effects on Facial Skin
Center of Regenerative Orthopedics in South Florida Now Offering Stem Cell Therapy to Help Avoid Hip and Knee …
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Pompano Beach, Florida (PRWEB) March 30, 2015
The top stem cell therapy practice in South Florida, Center of Regenerative Orthopedics, is now offering procedures to help patients avoid the need for hip and knee replacement. The procedures are partially covered by insurance and are offered by a highly skilled, Board Certified Orthopedic doctor in an outpatient setting. Call (954) 399-6945 for more information and scheduling.
Stem cell procedures for joint arthritis and pain are now mainstream and represent a cutting edge option for patients. Most nonoperative joint treatments do not actually alter the course of the disease, rather, simply act as a proverbial bandaid for relief. Stem cells, on the other hand, have the capacity to actually repair and regenerate damaged tissue such as cartilage, tendon and ligament.
Degenerative and rheumatoid arthritis affects tens of millions of Americans. Stem cell procedures have been showing excellent results for pain relief and functional improvements in small studies. By having the procedures partially covered by insurance, it makes them convenient for the general public to obtain the cutting edge option.
Joint replacement should be considered a last resort option for treatment. While typically successful, there are potential complications and they are not meant to last forever. In addition, there is minimal downtime after the stem cell procedures. Joint replacements take months to recover from afterwards.
Center of Regenerative Orthopedics is located in Pompano Beach, and sees patients throughout South Florida as well as from all over the United States. Call (954) 399-6945 to schedule with the top stem cell clinic in South Florida.
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I dont have time for glamour Aminah Sagoe
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Aminah Sagoe
Aminah Sagoe recently developed a skincare range called Emmaus. She opens up on why she set up the brand
Q: How did you delve into skincare treatment?
A: The inspiration came about while I was trying to treat my skin condition called keratosis pilaris, aka chicken skin. It is a common skin condition that causes rough patches and small, acne-like bumps, usually on the arms, thighs, cheeks and buttocks. The bumps are usually white, sometimes red, and generally do not hurt or itch. The condition can be frustrating because it is difficult to treat. In my quest to find a cure, I developed a skin care range to treat the condition. I have always been a product junkie.
Q: How long did this take?
A: It took 22 months of research to come up with these products. It has been very hectic but we kept going with the flow. It can be used by both sexes and it is the first natural skincare line in this part of the world to mix plant stem cells with natural ingredients. It can be used by people with eczema, psoriasis, scaly skin and uneven skin tone but it doesnt bleach. The ingredients are extremely healthy and safe for the skin. The three step range consists of the pampering smiling beads body wash, touch of love mini towels and a soothing softness bliss body lotion that nourishes and protects the skin
Q: What does Emmaus mean?
A: It is a biblical word and signifies a rebirth or a new beginning. I am a convert; I was born a Muslim but I am now a Christian. I got converted after I got married to my husband who is a Christian. I was in my late 20s when I picked up the Bible, read it and believed. Believing in Christ has brought me so much joy, peace and clarity.
Q: What are some of the challenges you faced while developing the products?
A: The formulation took so long to be formulated because it is made up of natural products and preservatives. At some point, we had issues where one product will interact with another and that took a lot of time to fix. The products do not bleach or alter your skin colour. The process took 15 months to complete.
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I dont have time for glamour Aminah Sagoe
UCI team gets $5 million to create stem cell treatment for Huntington's disease
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Irvine, Calif., March 26, 2015 -- Leslie Thompson of the Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center at UC Irvine has been awarded $5 million by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to continue her CIRM-funded effort to develop stem cell treatments for Huntington's disease.
The grant supports her next step: identifying and testing stem cell-based treatments for HD, an inherited, incurable and fatal neurodegenerative disorder. In this project, Thompson and her colleagues will establish an HD therapy employing human embryonic stem cells that can be evaluated in clinical trials.
Over the past seven years, Thompson, a UCI professor of psychiatry & human behavior and neurobiology & behavior, and her team have used CIRM funding to produce stem cell lines "reprogrammed" from the skin cells of individuals carrying the Huntington's genetic mutation in order to study the disease. In addition, they conducted basic and early-stage transitional studies to develop a stem cell-based technique to treat areas of the brain susceptible to HD.
"These stem cells offer a possible long-term treatment approach that could relieve the tremendous suffering experienced by HD patients and their families," said Thompson, who's also affiliated with UCI's Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND). "We appreciate CIRM and the millions of people in the state of California for generously supporting breakthrough stem cell research."
With this award, CIRM has granted Thompson $10.3 million for her HD work. Overall, UCI has received $105 million from the state-funded agency.
Thompson said that her group has identified a highly promising neural stem cell line that shows disease-modifying activity in HD mice. These neural stem cells were grown from human embryonic stem cells at UC Davis. The researchers also will conduct essential preclinical efficacy and safety studies in HD mice with these cells.
Over the span of the 2-year grant, Thompson said, the goal is to finalize work that will lead to a pre-investigational-new-drug meeting with the Food & Drug Administration and a path forward for clinical trials with the neural stem cells.
"This investment will let us further test the early promise shown by these projects," said Jonathan Thomas, chair of the CIRM governing board. "Preclinical work is vital in examining the feasibility, potential effectiveness and safety of a therapy before we try it on people. These projects all showed compelling evidence that they could be tremendously beneficial to patients. We want to help them build on that earlier research and move the projects to the next level."
HD is a devastating degenerative brain disorder with no disease-modifying treatment or cure. Current approaches only address certain symptoms of HD and do not change its course.
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UCI team gets $5 million to create stem cell treatment for Huntington's disease
On stem cell therapy, benefits
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Bobby Chia (Foto by Allan Defensor)
THERE is a lot of hype going on in some circles about stem cell therapy: Is it a cure-all? Is it the elusive fountain of youth?
Wikipedia definesstem cell therapy as the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition.The process involves the administration of live whole cells or maturation of a specific cell population in a patient for the treatment of the disease as has been done in bone marrow transplants.
Bobby Chia, a Thai national who was in Cebu for a brief visit, said that stem cell therapy has been done in Villa Medica, Germany, since the 1960s. He learned about it 10 years ago when his mother had cancer and he looked around for the best medical care for her and found it in Villa Medica. It made her so much better (she can even play tennis now) that four years ago, Chia bought the clinic being run by Dr. Geoffrey Huertgen, a third generation doctor of that clinic.
The stem cell can be taken from the patient himself, but Chia says this stem source is naturally as old as the patient himself. Villa Medica chooses to use stem cells from fetuses of sheep (he said that stem cells from any mammal would be the same, but sheep stem cells are the ones more readily available). The process for Villa Medica, says Chia, involves the designing of a cocktail of stem cells to address whatever needs correction. If the eyes are not good, we choose the eyes. If the ears are not good, we choose the ears. If the heart is not good, we choose the heart. The procedure has been known to treat diseases and ailments like Parkinsons, diabetes, hypertension, migraine, allergies etc.
It (stem cell therapy) does not make you 18 years old all over again but it energizes you; from not being able to walk to walking again. It gives you a better quality of life. It is not a quick cure, but for a lot of people it is. We offer a choice for people who have no hope, Chia shares. But my main target is people who are not sick, Chia states, referring to athletes, models, professionals who want to have a better quality of life.
Chia says there are four doctors in Villa Medica. Since the cell therapy is patient-specific, the patient needs to stay four days and four nights at the clinic: for a detox program, for physical check-up, for interview, for determining the cocktail of stem cells to be used and how. The result, Chia says,is not immediate. It may take six weeks or even longer for the stem cells to do their work.
Chia says he has had about 150 patients coming from Cebu. Leaf through the pages of the local papers, one of them might just be there!
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on March 27, 2015.
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On stem cell therapy, benefits
Researchers greatly increase precision of new genome editing tool
By Dr. Matthew Watson
CRISPR-Cas9 is a powerful new tool for editing the genome. For researchers around the world, the CRISPR-Cas9 technique is an exciting innovation because it is faster and cheaper than previous methods. Now, using a molecular trick, Dr. Van Trung Chu and Professor Klaus Rajewsky of the Max Delbrck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch and Dr. Ralf Khn, MDC and Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), have found a solution to considerably increase the efficiency of precise genetic modifications by up to eightfold.
"What we used to do in years, we can now achieve in months," said gene researcher and immunologist Klaus Rajewsky, indicating the power of this new genome-editing technology. CRISPR-Cas9 not only speeds up research considerably - at the same time it is much more efficient, cheaper and also easier to handle than the methods used so far.
The CRISPR-Cas9 technology allows researchers to transiently introduce DNA double-strand breaks into the genome of cells or model organisms at genes of choice. In these artificially produced strand breaks, they can insert or cut out genes and change the genetic coding according to their needs.
Mammalian cells are able to repair DNA damage in their cells using two different repair mechanisms. The homology-directed repair (HDR) pathway enables the insertion of preplanned genetic modifications using engineered DNA molecules that share identical sequence regions with the targeted gene and which are recognized as a repair template. Thus, HDR repair is very precise but occurs only at low frequency in mammalian cells.
The other repair system, called non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) is more efficient in nature but less precise, since it readily reconnects free DNA ends without repair template, thereby frequently deleting short sequences from the genome. Therefore, NHEJ repair can only be used to create short genomic deletions, but does not support precise gene modification or the insertion and replacement of gene segments.
Many researchers, including Van Trung Chu, Klaus Rajewsky and Ralf Khn, are seeking to promote the HDR repair pathway to make gene modification in the laboratory more precise in order to avoid editing errors and to increase efficiency. The MDC researchers succeeded in increasing the efficiency of the more precisely working HDR repair system by temporarily inhibiting the most dominant repair protein of NHEJ, the enzyme DNA Ligase IV. In their approach they used various inhibitors such as proteins and small molecules.
"But we also used a trick of nature and blocked Ligase IV with the proteins of adeno viruses. Thus we were able to increase the efficiency of the CRISPR-Cas9 technology up to eightfold," Ralf Khn explained. For example, they succeeded in inserting a gene into a predefined position in the genome (knock-in) in more than 60 per cent of all manipulated mouse cells. Khn has just recently joined the MDC and is head of the research group for "iPS cell based disease modeling." Before coming to the MDC, he was on the research staff of Helmholtz Zentrum Mnchen. "The expertise of Ralf Khn is very important for gene research at MDC and especially for my research group," Klaus Rajewsky said.
Concurrent with the publication of the article by the MDC researchers, Nature Biotechnology published another, related paper on CRISPR-Cas9 technology. It comes from the laboratory of Hidde Ploegh of the Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, MA, USA.
Somatic gene therapy with CRISPR-Cas9 is a goal
The new CRISPR-Cas9 technology, developed in 2012, is already used in the laboratory to correct genetic defects in mice. Researchers also plan to modify the genetic set up of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS), which can be differentiated into specialized cell types or tissues. That is, researchers are able to use the new tool to introduce patient-derived mutations into the genome of iPS cells for studying the onset of human diseases. "Another future goal, however, is to use CRISPR-Cas9 for somatic gene therapy in humans with severe diseases," Klaus Rajewsky pointed out.
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Researchers greatly increase precision of new genome editing tool
Cleveland Clinic Researchers First to Demonstrate Significant Blocking of Opioid Tolerance With Mesenchymal Stem Cell …
By Dr. Matthew Watson
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Newswise March 24, 2015, NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation reduced opioid tolerance and opioid-induced hyperalgesia caused by daily morphine injections in rats, according to new research. The results could herald stem cell transplantation as an innovative, safe, efficacious and cost-effective therapy to treat pain and opioid tolerance, said researchers, who presented results in a Plenary Research Highlight session at the 31st Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine.
Not only was opioid tolerance prevented when the rats were transplanted with MSC before repeated morphine injections, but tolerance was reversed when the rats were treated after opioid tolerance had developed, results demonstrated.
MSCs have a remarkable anti-inflammatory effect and a powerful anti-tolerance effect, said the studys principal investigator, Jianguo Cheng, M.D., Ph.D., who led the research team from the Cleveland Clinic, in Ohio. Although clinical trials are still three to five years away, he said, eventually, The results may apply to millions of patients with a wide range of pain states, including cancer pain and other intractable chronic pain that requires long-term opioid therapy.
Furthermore, Cheng characterized the procedure as practical, in light of readily available sources of stem cells, reliable stem cell technology, the simplicity of transplantation procedures and the fact that clinical trials are already underway involving autoimmune and other diseases.
The Institute of Medicine report on pain in America documented millions who suffer with chronic pain (Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research. National Academies Press [US]; 2011). Opioid therapy is a cornerstone component of pain management for many people with severe, ongoing pain; however, side effects such as tolerance and the risks posed by abuse, addiction and drug overdose limit its utility. Tolerance, a physiologic process in which the patients body adjusts to a dose and no longer achieves pain relief, is a common limitation with opioid therapy. The higher doses that result can limit effectiveness and compromise safety.
Glial cells are of growing interest in pain research and have been implicated in the development of tolerance. Glial cell activity also produces pain through the release of products that excite the nervous system, playing an important role in the spinal cord during nerve injury. Furthermore, the opioids used to treat pain, also can induce glial activity, causing pain relief to drop and unwanted opioid effects, including tolerance, dependence, reward and decreased breathing, to grow. A focus of research, then, is to separate the desired effect of pain relief from the unwanted opioid effects (Watkins et al, Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 2009;30(11): 581-91).
Interest in transplant of stem cells is another maturing research avenue (Hsu et al, Cell Transplant 2007;16(2):133-50). MSCs can differentiate into a variety of cell types and have been investigated for potential repair of damaged neural cells and for calming inflammation in the immune system to promote recovery after traumatic brain injury (Zhang et al, J Neuroinflammation 2013;10(1):106).
Following this line of research, the study investigators wondered whether they could create an anti-tolerance therapy by transplanting MSCs into the intrathecal space surrounding the spinal cord. With approval by the Cleveland Clinic Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and funding through the Department of Defenses Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, they compared the withdrawal thresholds of the hind paws in response to painful mechanical and thermal stimuli in two groups of rats that received daily morphine injections. The first group was treated with MSC transplantation and the control group with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS).
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Stem cell treatment for knee arthritis shows promising results
By Dr. Matthew Watson
FREDERICK, Md., March 23, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Recent studies employing adult stem cells obtained from bone marrow and fat have been used in patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee. Results have indicated not only symptomatic improvement but also suggest that cartilage healing and regeneration may be taking place.
According to Director, Dr. Nathan Wei of the Arthritis Treatment Center, "Osteoarthritis options in the past have been limited to symptom relief. We are now entering an era where we have therapies that may also rebuild lost cartilage."
Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee affects more than 20 million Americans. It is a disease due to loss of cartilage, the gristle that caps the ends of long bones and provides cushioning and shock absorption.
He goes on to say, "by administering adult stem cells, in a certain fashion, we may be able to restore lost cartilage. While this action has been demonstrated in multiple animal models, it has only been described in anecdotal reports in humans. Fortunately, we are now conducting clinical studies that are much better controlled and more scientifically valid."
Dr. Wei adds, "The positive effect on arthritis is not only due to multiplication, division, and transformation of the stem cell into cartilage, but it is also due to the fact the stem cell releases proteins that attract other reparative cells to the area. This is called the 'paracrine' effect."
"We are excited about the early results of our investigation and hope the results will continue to be positive. If so, I hope that knee replacement surgery might become a thing of the past," he concludes.
Dr. Wei is a board-certified rheumatologist and regenerative medicine expert. He is director of the Arthritis Treatment Center located in Frederick, Maryland.
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Stem cell treatment for knee arthritis shows promising results
Bone Cancer – Chondrosarcoma 3 weeks after Surgery – Video
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Bone Cancer - Chondrosarcoma 3 weeks after Surgery
stem cell india, stem cell therapy india, stem cell in india, stem cell therapy in india, india stem cell, india stem cell therapy, Chondrosarcoma, Bone Cancer.
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Bone Cancer - Chondrosarcoma 3 weeks after Surgery - Video
Stem cell clinics under govt scanner
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Those hospitals and medical institutions advertising treatment of incurable diseases with stems cells are now under scanner of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The ministry has already processed complaints against at least 23 website advertisements.
The National Apex Committee for Stem Cell Research and Therapy (NACSCRT), under the Indian Council of Medical Research, has looped in Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) to monitor advertisements that claim to fully cure patients with stem cell based therapies.
Several clinics and organisations advertise stem cell therapies whose safety and efficacy are not proven, to attract vulnerable patients. As per the National Guidelines for Stem Cell Research 2013, stem cell therapy has not been proven effective other than in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) for haematological disorders (disorders which primarily affect the blood).
NAC-SCRT has observed that several clinicians, companies, hospitals advertise stem cell based therapies other than haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for haematological disorders on their websites. Officials clearly say that these therapies are currently investigational and must be conducted only within the scope of clinical trials.
Dr. Alok Srivastava, Chairman, NAC-SCRT said, "Advertisements claiming to offer stem cell-based therapies other than Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantations for blood diseases are in violation of the clause 10.3.1 of the National Guidelines for Stem Cell Research-2013."
"Use of stem cells for any other purpose outside the ambit of clinical trials will be against these guidelines and is hence not permissible. We have asked ASCI to review such advertisements and are happy that action has been initiated against 23 such websites. It is necessary that such misleading advertisements be removed and action be taken against the defaulters unless they are suitably modified to clarify the unproven nature of these therapies and are only offered within approved clinical trials. The NAC-SCRT will be reviewing the developments in the field and modifying its position with regard to proven therapies from time to time," he added.
As stem cell-based therapies are currently experimental, advertising these for results not approved by regulatory authorities is in violation of Chapter III of the ASCI code for Self-Regulation of Advertisements. "The code requires that advertisements should not propagate products or services, the use of which is banned under the law," said Narendra Ambwani, Chairman, ASCI.
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Stem cell clinics under govt scanner
stem cell therapy di indonesia Jakarta tangerang serpong bsd bintaro – Video
By Dr. Matthew Watson
stem cell therapy di indonesia Jakarta tangerang serpong bsd bintaro
http://youtu.be/3c259RtpzpE.
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stem cell therapy di indonesia Jakarta tangerang serpong bsd bintaro - Video
Scientists grow 'mini-lungs' to aid study of cystic fibrosis
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have successfully created 'mini-lungs' using stem cells derived from skin cells of patients with cystic fibrosis, and have shown that these can be used to test potential new drugs for this debilitating lung disease.
The research is one of a number of studies that have used stem cells -- the body's master cells -- to grow 'organoids', 3D clusters of cells that mimic the behaviour and function of specific organs within the body. Other recent examples have been 'mini-brains' to study Alzheimer's disease and 'mini-livers' to model liver disease. Scientists use the technique to model how diseases occur and to screen for potential drugs; they are an alternative to the use of animals in research.
Cystic fibrosis is a monogenic condition -- in other words, it is caused by a single genetic mutation in patients, though in some cases the mutation responsible may differ between patients. One of the main features of cystic fibrosis is the lungs become overwhelmed with thickened mucus causing difficulty breathing and increasing the incidence of respiratory infection. Although patients have a shorter than average lifespan, advances in treatment mean the outlook has improved significantly in recent years.
Researchers at the Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute used skin cells from patients with the most common form of cystic fibrosis caused by a mutation in the CFTR gene referred to as the delta-F508 mutation. Approximately three in four cystic fibrosis patients in the UK have this particular mutation. They then reprogrammed the skin cells to an induced pluripotent state, the state at which the cells can develop into any type of cell within the body.
Using these cells -- known as induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells -- the researchers were able to recreate embryonic lung development in the lab by activating a process known as gastrulation, in which the cells form distinct layers including the endoderm and then the foregut, from which the lung 'grows', and then pushed these cells further to develop into distal airway tissue. The distal airway is the part of the lung responsible for gas exchange and is often implicated in disease, such as cystic fibrosis, some forms of lung cancer and emphysema.
The results of the study are published in the journal Stem Cells and Development.
"In a sense, what we've created are 'mini-lungs'," explains Dr Nick Hannan, who led the study. "While they only represent the distal part of lung tissue, they are grown from human cells and so can be more reliable than using traditional animal models, such as mice. We can use them to learn more about key aspects of serious diseases -- in our case, cystic fibrosis."
The genetic mutation delta-F508 causes the CFTR protein found in distal airway tissue to misfold and malfunction, meaning it is not appropriately expressed on the surface of the cell, where its purpose is to facilitate the movement of chloride in and out of the cells. This in turn reduces the movement of water to the inside of the lung; as a consequence, the mucus becomes particular thick and prone to bacterial infection, which over time leads to scarring -- the 'fibrosis' in the disease's name.
Using a fluorescent dye that is sensitive to the presence of chloride, the researchers were able to see whether the 'mini-lungs' were functioning correctly. If they were, they would allow passage of the chloride and hence changes in fluorescence; malfunctioning cells from cystic fibrosis patients would not allow such passage and the fluorescence would not change. This technique allowed the researchers to show that the 'mini-lungs' could be used in principle to test potential new drugs: when a small molecule currently the subject of clinical trials was added to the cystic fibrosis 'mini lungs', the fluorescence changed -- a sign that the cells were now functioning when compared to the same cells not treated with the small molecule.
"We're confident this process could be scaled up to enable us to screen tens of thousands of compounds and develop mini-lungs with other diseases such as lung cancer and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis," adds Dr Hannan. "This is far more practical, should provide more reliable data and is also more ethical than using large numbers of mice for such research."
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Scientists grow 'mini-lungs' to aid study of cystic fibrosis
Stem cell therapy may help treat type 2 diabetes
By Dr. Matthew Watson
A human embryonic stem cell line derived at Stanford University.(REUTERS/Julie Baker/Stanford University School of Medicine/California Institute for Regenerative Medicine/Handout)
Type 2 diabetes is marked by insulin resistance, or the bodys inability to store sugar and convert it into carbohydrates for energy. Overcoming that resistance is the main hurdle scientists face in creating new treatment for the condition, but researchers in Canada have found a promising means for doing so: combining stem cell therapy and antidiabetic medication.
Type 2 diabetes accounts for nearly 95 percent of the 400 million diabetes cases worldwide. Current treatment often involves imprecise insulin injection, and can produce side effects like unwanted weight gain, gastrointestinal issues and low blood glucose levels. Eighty percent of Type 2 diabetes patients are overweight.
In the study, published Thursday in the journal Stem Cell Reports, scientists observed that transplanting pancreatic stem cells derived from human stem cells into mice with Type 2 diabetes symptoms, then administering common antidiabetic drugs, improved the mices glucose metabolism, body weight and insulin sensitivity three hallmark problems associated with the condition.
There have been similar reports looking at treatment of type 1 diabetes by stem cell-based replacement, and there are many people around the world who are interested in that, lead study author Timothy J. Kieffer, a molecular and cellular medicine professor at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, told FoxNews.com. Until this point, nobody to our knowledge had tested such a stem cell-based transplant study in a Type 2 diabetes model.
Many people have predicted this approach to fail because one of the characteristics of Type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance and so it was generally thought that simply replacing insulin wouldn't be effective, Kieffer added.
Researchers fed four separate groups of immunosuppressed mice a different diet to try to emulate humans diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. One group of mice received a 45 percent fat diet; one a 60 percent fat diet; one a high-fat, Western diet; and the last a low-fat diet. No single group of mice developed a phenotype that exactly mimicked a Type 2 diabetes human patient, but all three high-fat groups ended up exhibiting characteristics that mirrored the hallmark features of the condition.
Study authors transplanted human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived pancreatic progenitor cells into the mice after they began exhibiting symptoms. These cells are programmed to expand and differentiate when transplanted and to subsequently secrete insulin.
To transplant the human stem cells, researchers used a macroencapsulation device, a mechanism that is meant to prevent the body from detecting nonnative material as foreign and subsequently rejecting it. Because the mice were immunosuppressed, the device wasnt necessary, but Kieffer said his team used it so their findings would be more relevant for future clinical trials, wherein the patients would not be immunosuppressed. Researchers opted to induce Type 2 diabetes symptoms in immunosuppressed mice with diet instead of using the mice model genetically engineered to assume Type 2 diabetes for that same reason.
The hope in the field is that some sort of device will eliminate the need for immunosuppression when cells are transplanted, Kieffer said.
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Stem cell therapy may help treat type 2 diabetes
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics to Present at 3rd Annual Regen Med Investor Day on March 25 in New York
By Dr. Matthew Watson
HACKENSACK, N.J.and PETACH TIKVAH, Israel, March 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: BCLI), a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies for neurodegenerative diseases, announced today that CEO Tony Fiorino, MD, PhD, will present at the 3rd Annual Regen Med Investor Day to be held Wednesday, March 25, 2015 in New York City.
Organized by the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) and co-hosted with Piper Jaffray, this one-day investor meeting provides institutional, strategic and venture investors with unique insight into the financing hypothesis for advanced therapies-based treatment and tools. The program includes clinical and commercial experts who are on-hand to address specific questions regarding the outlook for these products, as well as offer insight into how advanced therapies could impact the standard of care in key therapeutic areas. In addition to presentations by more than 30 leading companies from across the globe, the event includes dynamic, interactive panels featuring research analysts covering the space, key clinical opinion leaders and top company CEOs. These discussions will explore themes specific to cell and gene therapy such as commercialization, market access and pricing for breakthrough technologies, gene therapy delivery and upcoming milestones in the adoptive T-cell therapy space.
The following are specific details regarding BrainStorm's presentation:
Event:
ARM's Regen Med Investor Day
Date:
March 25, 2015
Time:
4:20 PM EST
Location:
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BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics to Present at 3rd Annual Regen Med Investor Day on March 25 in New York
Jeremy’s Stem cell therapy journey – Video
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Jeremy #39;s Stem cell therapy journey
This is a video about stem cells and stem cell therapy. Created by #39;Vivienne Armstrong #39;.-- Created using PowToon -- Free sign up at http://www.powtoon.com/join -- Create animated videos and...
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Jeremy's Stem cell therapy journey - Video
Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute Now Offering Stem Cell Therapy for Nonoperative Shoulder Labral Tears
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Beverly Hills, California (PRWEB) March 17, 2015
Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute is now offering stem cell procedures for the nonoperative treatment of shoulder labral tears. The procedures are outpatient, low risk, and very effective at helping patients avoid the need for surgery. Call Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute at (310) 247-0466 for more information and scheduling.
Injuries to the shoulder may involve rotator cuff tendonitis, tears or labral injury. Stem cell therapy is typically effective for all of these conditions, and Dr. Raj has been having significant success with labral tears. Conventional treatment for labral tears is often unsuccessful, as they typically do not have sufficient blood supply.
Treatment with regenerative medicine offers the potential to avoid surgery and heal the tissues. The stem cell therapy includes either bone marrow or amniotic derived treatment. Both of these are outpatient and very low risk. Small studies have shown the effectiveness of stem cell treatment for joint arthritis, tendonitis, tendon tears, cartilage defects and labral tears.
The treating physician, Dr. Raj, is a Double Board Certified orthopedic surgeon Beverly Hills trusts, and excels in treating all kinds of sports injuries and arthritic conditions. He also serves as a Medical Correspondent for ABC News, along with receiving numerous LA TOP DOC and Top Doctors Southern California Awards.
To receive the best stem cell therapy in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, call the Institute today at (310) 247-0466.
David Harewood Launches Appeal For Black Stem Cell Donors
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Former Homeland Star David Harewood Has Written An Online Article Urging Black U.k. Residents To Sign Up To The Stem Cell Donor Register.
The actor has teamed up with stem cell charity Anthony Nolan and the African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT) to launch an appeal encouraging young, black Brits to donate bone marrow so leukaemia sufferers in ethnic minorities have a better chance of receiving pioneering stem cell treatment.
Harewood has written an online article for Independent.co.uk in which he details the stem cell donation process for the African-Caribbean community, and encourages them to take part.
He writes, "The black population is badly underrepresented on the bone marrow register compiled by the blood cancer charity Anthony Nolan. In fact, there are 30 times more white people than African-Caribbean people willing to donate their stem cells in this country.
"The result of this? If you're black and have leukaemia then you have less than a 20 per cent chance of finding the best possible match when your last hope of survival is a lifesaving transplant from a stranger. We are literally dying, not because a matching donor isn't out there somewhere - but because that person never joined the register.
"This isn't right, and it urgently needs to change. It's horrible to think that if my daughters needed a transplant they would be at a disadvantage because there aren't enough black and mixed race donors on the register."
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David Harewood Launches Appeal For Black Stem Cell Donors
Media portray unrealistic timelines for stem cell therapies
By Dr. Matthew Watson
A new study by University of Alberta law researchers reveals sometimes overly optimistic news coverage of clinical translation of stem cell therapies--and as spokespeople, scientists need to be mindful of harnessing public expectations.
"As the dominant voice in respect to timelines for stem cell therapies, the scientists quoted in these stories need to be more aware of the importance of communicating realistic timelines to the press," said researcher Kalina Kamenova, who co-authored the study with professor Timothy Caulfield in the University of Alberta's Health Law Institute, based in the Faculty of Law.
Their analysis of media coverage showed that most news reports were highly optimistic about the future of stem cell therapies and forecasted unrealistic timelines for clinical use. The study, published in the latest issue of Science Translational Medicine, examined 307 news reports covering translational stem cell research in major daily newspapers in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom between 2010 and 2013.
While the field of stem cell research holds tremendous promise, "it has also been surrounded by tremendous hype, and we wanted to quantify that in some degree," Caulfield said. "Pop culture representations have an impact on how the public perceives the readiness of stem cell research, and that in turn feeds into stem cell tourism, marketing of unproven therapies and even the public's trust in research. We wanted to provide findings that would help inform the issue."
Their study found that 69 per cent of all news stories citing timelines predicted that therapies would be available within five to 10 years or even sooner. At the same time, the press overlooked challenges and failures in therapy translation, such as the discontinuation of the first FDA-approved clinical trial of an embryonic stem cell-derived therapy for spinal cord injuries in 2011. The biotech company conducting the trial was a leader in embryonic stem cell therapies and its decision to stop its work on stem cells was considered a significant setback for the field.
As well, ethical concerns about the use of human embryonic stem cells were displaced from the forefront of news coverage, while the clinical translation of stem cell therapies and new discoveries, such as hockey star Gordie Howe's recent treatment, grabbed the headlines instead.
"Our findings showed that many scientists have often provided either by implication or direct quotes, authoritative statements regarding unrealistic timelines for stem cell therapies and media hype can foster unrealistic public expectations about clinical translation and increased patient demand for unproven stem cell therapies," Caulfield noted.
While stem cell therapy research is progressing and has seen a dramatic increase in the past decade of clinical trials for treatments, the vast majority of these studies are still in the safety-testing stage and involve a limited number of participants, Kamenova noted.
"The approval process for new treatments is long and complicated, and only a few of all drugs that enter pre-clinical testing are approved for human clinical trials. It takes on average 12 years to get a new drug from the lab to the market, and additional 11 to 14 years of post-market surveillance," she added.
The science world is under pressure to come up with cures for what ails us, but "care needs to be taken by the media and the research community so that advances in research and therapy are portrayed in a realistic manner," Caulfield said.
See the article here:
Media portray unrealistic timelines for stem cell therapies
The tiny grow-bag that could mend a heart damaged by disease
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Coronary heart disease is the countrys leading cause of death A new treatment was designed to treat damaged heart muscle The capsule contains stem cells derived from the patients bone marrow
By Roger Dobson for the Daily Mail
Published: 17:33 EST, 9 March 2015 | Updated: 18:07 EST, 9 March 2015
A new treatment using a tiny grow-bag has been designed to treat damaged heart muscle
A tiny grow-bag could be a new way to mend hearts damaged by disease or heart attack.
The capsule, which is pea-sized, contains stem cells that trigger the growth of new cells.
An estimated 2.3 million people in Britain have coronary heart disease the countrys leading cause of death.
It occurs when the arteries supplying the heart become blocked by fatty substances, reducing the flow of blood.
If a bit of this fatty substance breaks off, it can trigger a blood clot, which in turn cuts off the blood supply to heart muscle, causing it to die off. This is what triggers a heart attack.
Heart disease and heart attacks can also lead to heart failure, where the heart becomes too weak to pump blood around the body properly.
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The tiny grow-bag that could mend a heart damaged by disease
MS stem cell treatment hailed 'miraculous' as patients make dramatic recovery
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Pioneering treatment has allowed wheelchair-bound patients to run again Patient given high dose of chemotherapy to wipe out faulty immune system Therapy then uses person's own stem cells to fight the devastating disease It may be the first ever treatment tosuccessfullyreverse symptoms of MS
By Fiona Macrae for the Daily Mail
Published: 13:27 EST, 1 March 2015 | Updated: 02:54 EST, 2 March 2015
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Britons left wheelchair-bound by multiple sclerosis can walk, run and even dance again after being given a pioneering stem cell treatment.
Doctors have described the recoveries as miraculous, while patients say they have been given their lives back.
The treatment uses a patients own stem cells the bodys master cells to fight the disease.
Recovery: MS sufferer Holly Drewerybecame wheelchair-bound after the birth of daughter Isla, but thanks tothe stem cell transplant shecan dance, run and chase after Isla in the park
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MS stem cell treatment hailed 'miraculous' as patients make dramatic recovery