A $6 Billion Question: Progress of the California Stem Cell Agency
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Internet and throughout the world.
rare headline that sounds a harshly different note:
one form or another, a request/question posed last month by an
anonymous reader of the California Stem Cell Report. The comment came
on an item about the California stem cell agency's $70 million plan
to establish a network of “Alpha” stem cell clinics in
California.
“It would be nice to have an overall
update on how much as been spent on California's stem cell research
project and what progress has been made.”
agency has given away $1.8 billion. The agency says it has made
tremendous progress and expects to make even more with the about $600
million it has left. The prestigious Institute of Medicine has said the
agency has “achieved many notable results.”
evaluation has been made of the details of the agency's scientific
contributions, specific grant awards or its impact on the field of
regenerative medicine. No one has attempted to genuinely assess
whether the work of the agency is or will be worth the roughly $6
billion(including interest) that California taxpayers will have paid
for the agency's ambitious efforts.
towards what?” Is the progress to be measured against the promises
of the 2004 ballot campaign that resulted in creation of the stem
cell agency or more modest goals that eschew the hype of the
campaign?
created a sort of contract with voters. They were led to
believe nine years ago that the cures for diseases that the campaign said afflict nearly
one-half of all California families were, in fact, right around the corner. Few,
if any California stem cell researchers were publicly warning that a
hard and long, long slog remained before therapies reached patients.
British newspapers, The Guardian and Observer, shed some light on the
early, rosy promises of stem cell science compared to the world as it exists
today.
“(B)iomedical engineer Professor
Michael Sefton declared that within 10 years, scientists would have
grown an entire heart, fit for transplant. 'We're shooting big,' he
said. 'Our vision is that we'll be able to pop out a damaged heart
and replace it as easily as you would replace a carburetor in a car.'“Fifteen years on, however, we've had
some liver cells, eye cells, even a lab-grown
burger, but no whole human organs. We could be forgiven for
asking: where's our heart? It does seem strange that a field stoking
so much excitement could be so far off the mark. Speaking last week
about the vision that he and his colleagues outlined in 1998, Sefton
said they had been 'hopelessly naïve.' As time plodded on and an
understanding of the biological complexity increased, the task seemed
bigger and bigger. Even now, a cacophony of headlines later, we are
not much further ahead.
“Chris Mason is a professor of
regenerative medicine at University College London and believes that
concentrating on organ regeneration is missing a trick. 'These organs
are immensely complex,' he said. 'They've got nerves, blood vessels,
in the case of the liver, a bile system – there are huge degrees of
complexity. These things take a long time to grow in humans, let
alone in the lab without all the natural cues that occur in the
growing embryo.'"
said,
“There's a tension in medical
research between the glory of the big discovery and the
assiduous commitment to real application. 'We're hoping the scope and
possibilities of this project will catch the public's imagination,'
Sefton concluded in 1998. It did, but perhaps the public's
imagination isn't always what science should be vying for.”
stem cell agency has made a significant contribution to stem cell
science, although the size of that contribution – beyond dollars –
remains to be measured. For now, the key for the agency and the
public is to focus on activities that will generate the greatest value over the
next few years and advance the science that has already been financed
by the agency.
report said,
“The challenge of moving its research
programs closer to the clinic and California’s large biotechnology
sector is certainly on CIRM’s agenda, but substantial achievements
in this arena remain to be made.”
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/uqpFc/~3/O78NzUdZE88/a-6-billion-question-progress-of.html
Stem Cell Therapy
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August 18th, 2013
Duane Roth: Ecumenical Innovator for San Diego and Biotech
By Dr. Matthew Watson
a sterling look at the contributions that Duane Roth, co-vice
chairman of the California stem cell agency, made before his untimely
death as the result of a bicycle accident.
a host of comments concerning Roth's involvement in the San Diego
community, ranging from biotech to action sports companies. The
headline on the piece read, “The Connector Who Wired up a Regional
Innovation Economy.”
63, Roth was CEO of Connect, a nonprofit organization that supported
technology and innovation and one that he was credited with reviving.
Bigelow also wrote,
“Once California voters approved a
2004 ballot proposition that authorized the issuance of $3 billion in
grants for stem cell R&D, (Mary) Walshok (associate vice
chancellor for public programs at UC San Diego) said Roth also played
a key role in bringing together UCSD, Scripps, Salk, and
Sanford-Burnham to create the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative
Medicine. In fact, Walshok doubts whether anyone but Duane Roth could
have brought the four major research centers together.”
services Friday attended by about 1,000 persons was Bill Walton, the
former UCLA and NBA great, who grew up in San Diego.
“Walton, the NBA Hall of Famer who
has led San Diego Sports Innovators as a division of Connect since
2010, said Roth became a business mentor to him. In his comments
Friday afternoon, Walton said Roth inspired him to be a better
person, and he counted Roth among the people who had the biggest
influence on his life—a list that included his own father, UCLA
coach John Wooden, sportscaster Chick Hearn, author David Halberstam,
and Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.”
and pragmatic advocate for innovation who could work with persons who
did not always agree with him on all issues. He was a conservative
and active Republican, but his co-vice chair at at the stem cell
agency, Art Torres, former chairman of the state Democratic Party, on
more than one occasion has lauded Roth's ability to work together.
Friday by Don Rosenberg, an executive vice president and general
counsel at Qualcomm.
“'Duane and I were as different as
two people can be,' Rosenberg said during his eulogy at the Church of
the Immaculata. 'Duane was born in Iowa, baptized in the Mennonite
church, a Republican. And me, raised in Brooklyn, Jewish, a Democrat.
We quickly learned we had more in common. We were kindred spirits. We
liked the same things: Bikes, biking, cars, and people.'”
Source:Stem Cell Therapy
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August 18th, 2013
Stem Cell Agency’s Duane Roth Eulogized at Memorial Services
By Dr. Matthew Watson
services last week for Duane Roth, co-vice chairman of the California
stem cell agency, who died at the age of 63 following a bicycle
accident.
“A Who’s
Who of San Diego’s technology, business and civic community
gathered Friday to bid farewell to Duane Roth.
The biotech entrepreneur, community leader and director of Connect
died last weekend of injuries sustained in a cycling accident.
“Among
attendees were Gayle and former Gov. Pete
Wilson, who had just celebrated his upcoming 80th birthday
with former colleagues and friends in Sacramento, county
Supervisor Ron Roberts, former
Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, Chamber
head Jerry Sanders, Preuss School
benefactors Peggy and Peter
Preuss, SDG&E CEO Jessie Knight,
and many biotech and high-tech leaders. These included Irwin
Jacobs, Ted Waitt and Denny
Sanford.”
Source:Stem Cell Therapy
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August 18th, 2013
‘Paradigm Shift’ — Researchers as Patient Advocates?
By Dr. Matthew Watson
scientist to break into “print” in that bastion of American
capitalism, Forbes magazine. Much less one from that perceived
antithesis of free enterprise, Reed College.
Davis has done just that.
Friday in the wake of the announcement Knoepfler will be honored with
a “national advocacy” award by the Genetics Policy Institute.
 |
| Paul Knoepfler -- Advocate for a "new ethos" UC Davis photo |
English literature from Reed in 1989, is being recognized for his
activities as a stem cell blogger since 2009.
an email,
“With many stumbles, face plants,
land mines, and even a few threats of litigation and career
retaliation along the way for the last three and half a years, I
turned my crazy idea into a reality.”
“But it was only possible,
(Knoepfler) added, with guidance from many patient advocates and
bloggers in other fields who generously helped him learn the ropes of
blogging.
“'I see this award as a validation of
the notion that advocacy by scientists has become a valued part of
the stem cell field,' he said.
“'My hope is to catalyze a continuing
paradigm shift whereby stem cell scientists and biomedical scientists
more generally have a new ethos that not just accepts, but also
deeply values advocacy.'”
Source:Stem Cell Therapy
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August 18th, 2013
Stem Cell Therapy Treatment for Congenital Muscular Dystrophy by Dr Alok Sharma, Mumbai, India. – Video
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Stem Cell Therapy Treatment for Congenital Muscular Dystrophy by Dr Alok Sharma, Mumbai, India.
Improvement seen in just 5 day after Stem Cell Therapy Treatment for Congenital Muscular Dystrophy by Dr Alok Sharma, Mumbai, India. After Stem Cell Therapy ...
By: Neurogen Brain and Spine Institute
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August 15th, 2013
Laser And Optical Tweezers Insert DNA Into Cell ‘Like A Golfer Sinking An Easy … – Headlines & Global News
By Dr. Matthew Watson
 Headlines & Global News | Laser And Optical Tweezers Insert DNA Into Cell 'Like A Golfer Sinking An Easy ... Headlines & Global News (Photo : Optical Society). Scientists have created an ultra-precise way to inject DNA into a cell. Genetic engineering is used for a large number of applications, but the methods are extremely shaky, an Optical Society press release reported. Share ... New high-tech laser method allows DNA to be inserted 'gently' into living cellsNanowerk New high-tech laser technique allows DNA to be inserted 'gently' into cellsScience Recorder |
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August 11th, 2013
Spending time with the godmother of plant biotechnology – Triangle Business Journal (blog)
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Spending time with the godmother of plant biotechnology Triangle Business Journal (blog) “I don't usually sit in the lab, I stand,” she says, hands in pockets, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. She is Mary-Dell Chilton, and this is her home, a lab at Syngenta Biotechnology's Research Triangle Park campus. We — myself, Publisher ... |
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August 11th, 2013
Manufacturers urged to ’embrace’ biotechnology – E&T magazine
By Dr. Matthew Watson
 E&T magazine | Manufacturers urged to 'embrace' biotechnology E&T magazine Leading manufacturers and the Industrial Biotechnology Leadership Forum are promoting the varied applications of biotechnology at an exhibition in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon ... |
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August 11th, 2013
Time to reap the biotechnology harvest – Hindustan Times
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Time to reap the biotechnology harvest Hindustan Times Biotechnology is one such area. The past decades have seen ground-breaking research in this field that has transformed agriculture in much of the world. India has had to play catch up, and despite having one of the most robust regulatory frameworks ... Biotechnology: A key platform for sustainable economic growth (2)The Guardian Nigeria |
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August 11th, 2013
California Stem Cell Agency on Lacks: Informed Consent Cannot Remove All Questions
By Dr. Matthew Watson
 |
| (Photo and caption from the stem cell agency blog item this morning.) |
agency today weighed in on the Henrietta Lacks-NIH arrangement
restricting the use of her cell lines in research.
Lomax, the agency's senior officer for its standards group, noted
that the DNA sequence of her cell line was published without the
knowledge of her descendants. Lomax said,
“The family was understandably upset
by the lack of consultation and in response the research team removed
the genome data from public access.”
“CIRM has benefited from these
efforts. We are currently supporting an initiative to collect tissue
samples from thousands of people with a range of incurable diseases
and create reprogrammed iPS cells from those tissues (here's
more about that initiative). These cells will be a resource for
scientists worldwide working to understand and treat diseases. Part
of this initiative includes a consent process to make sure people who
donate fully understand how their cells will be used. (This process
is formally called informed consent.)
“The informed
consent process includes a form that identifies the purposes of the
research and describes the way cells will be used. We are also
developing education materials that will help potential donors
quickly and easily understand the basic aspects of research that will
be conducted with those cells. The end result of this collaboration
with our grantees will be a process that is truly informative to
donors.
“The informed consent process can’t entirely
eliminate all future questions on the part of the donor, but it does
ensure that donors have a chance to understand how their cells will
be used and what information will be made public—something
Henrietta Lacks and her family never had.”
Source:Stem Cell Therapy
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August 11th, 2013
Californians Top List of Stem Cell Honorees
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Diego this December.
Knoepfler, a stem cell scientist at UC Davis, and Roman Reed, the San Francisco Bay Area stem cell activist and son of another stem cell advocate, Don Reed. Both are among the 2013 Stem Cell Action Award honorees for this
year.
philanthropist whose name now adorns the Sanford-Burnham Institute in
La Jolla, and Malin Burnham, who is also linked to the institute.
Also being honored is Mary Ann Liebert, whose firm publishes
peer-reviewed journals in science and biomedical research.
joined with an anonymous donor in 1996 to contribute $10 million to
the La Jolla Cancer Foundation. It was renamed to reflect that
contribution. In 2010, Sanford pledged $50 million to the
organization, and it was renamed again.
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/uqpFc/~3/1ThJSyU8BBU/californians-top-list-of-stem-cell.html
The Henrietta Lacks Story and Eggs, Money and Motherhood
By Dr. Matthew Watson
again today in a piece in the New York Times that should
resonate among stem cell researchers and within the stem cell
industry.
California legislation to permit women to sell their eggs for the
purposes of scientific research – a bill that is now on the desk of
Gov. Jerry Brown.
cells, trafficking in them and informed consent, all of which surface in one form or another in the state legislation.
Lacks. She was an African-American woman who died in 1951 of cervical
cancer at the age of 31. Shortly before her death, physicians removed
some of her tumor cells, and, as recounted in today's NYTimes article
by Carl Zimmer,
“They later discovered that the cells
could thrive in a lab, a feat no human cells had achieved before.
"Soon the cells — nicknamed HeLa cells
— were being shipped from Baltimore around the world. In the 62
years since — twice as long as Ms. Lacks’s own brief life — her
cells have been the subject of more than 74,000 studies, many of
which have yielded profound insights into cell biology, vaccines, in
vitro fertilization and cancer.”
being studied, a situation not uncommon at the time, nor did her
family know about the situation until 1973. The complete story was
chronicled in 2010 in a best-selling book, “The Immortal Life of
Henrietta Lacks," by Rebecca Skloot.
“For 62 years, (Lacks') family has
been left out of the decision-making about that research. Now, over
the past four months, the National
Institutes of Health has come to an agreement with the Lacks
family to grant them control over how Henrietta Lacks’s genome is
used.”
are in Zimmer's story. But the article implicitly raises anew
questions that make many scientists uncomfortable. Often they contend
that the situation involving Lacks could not occur today because of
higher ethical standards. Standards ARE higher today. But problems
continue to arise in the scientific community, including the sale a few years ago of willed body parts at UCLA for $1.5 million to private medical companies.
stem cells promises even greater rewards, with billion-dollar
blockbuster therapies not out of the range of possibilities. Profit
and the desire to record a stunning research triumph are powerful
motivators. They can lead to short cuts and dubious practices, such
as seen in the Korean stem cell scandals of 2006.
their eggs for stem cell research can give truly informed consent
when they surrender all rights to whatever products may result from
parts of their bodies, as is common on such consent agreements. Or
for that matter, what about the men who give up adult cells for
reprogramming to a pluripotent state? Can they really understand the
likelihood of a billion dollar product being generated with the help
of their contribution? On the other hand, can the donors also truly
understand that they are probably more likely to be struck by
lightning than have their body parts result in a medical blockbuster?
insignificant to some in science. But to grasp their full
implications, one only has to read a few of the nearly 200 reader
comments today on Zimmer's article today. Here is a sample.
Connecticut:
“(T)the Lacks family was robbed.
Scores of companies profited to the tune of tens of millions of
dollars from products they made derived from Henrietta Lacks'
cancerous cells. Maybe this will provide some impetus to a wider
consideration of the rights patients are entitled to when their
tissues are cloned and disseminated to other researchers and
ultimately put to use in profit-making ventures.”
“At the very least, this family needs
to be financially compensated for the anguish of their discovery and
for the time and energy they've put into pursuing their rights. In my
opinion, they also deserve a portion of any commercial gain that's
been made using the HeLa cells. It is only through having to give
away money that the powerful learn manners.”
“It is absolutely true that
scientists have had a blind spot when it came to the human element of
the HeLa cells.”
now before Gov. Brown requires informed consent from those who
provide eggs. Opponents of the measure, however, argue that truly
informed consent from some women could be actually impossible because
of economic pressures felt by the women. Writing in The Sacramento Bee last month, Diane Tober and Nancy Scheper-Hughes said,
“Allowing a market in eggs for
research would reach beyond the current pool to target women who may
be motivated by dire need. How many low-income women might consider
selling their eggs, multiple times, to feed their children or pay the
rent?”
sponsoring the legislation acknowledges that informed consent can be
problematic. A 2012 news release from the American Society for
Reproductive Medicine said,
“Prospective egg donors must
assimilate a great deal of information in the informed consent
process, yet it remains difficult to determine the extent of their
actual understanding of egg donation and its potential risks.”
Lacks and her descendants is a poor commentary on science and
medicine. Yet it resonates with the public, which is keenly sensitive
to scientific and medical abuses, even in situations that did not
appear to be abuses at the time.
particular moral and religious baggage. With
commercialization of new, pluripotent stem cell therapies coming ever
closer, the last thing the field needs is contemporary version of the
Lacks affair. It would behoove researchers and the stem cell industry
to walk with more than normal care as they manipulate products that
are tied inextricably to visions of both motherhood and money.
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/uqpFc/~3/oncdCzO4V18/the-henrietta-lacks-story-and-eggs.html
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August 11th, 2013
Skloots, Collins and More on Henrietta Lacks’ Cell Line Deal
By Dr. Matthew Watson
arrangement involving Henrietta Lacks' cell line emerged today in a
wide range of publications, including a Nature journal piece that
said it was not a precedent.
Collins, head of the NIH, and Kathy Hudson, deputy director for
science, outreach and policy at the NIH.
“It is important to note, however,
that we are responding to an extraordinary situation here, not
setting a precedent for research with previously stored,
de-identified specimens. The approach we have developed through
working with the Lacks family is unique because HeLa cells were taken
and used without consent, and gave rise to the most widely used human
cell line in the world, and because the family members are known by
name to millions of people.”
lines came about after a flap erupted about their recent use without
the knowledge of her descendants. (The California Stem Cell Report carried a commentary on it yesterday.) Rebecca Skloots, author of the
best-seller, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” wrote about
the controversy in a March 23 op-ed piece in the New York Times. She
said,
“Imagine if someone secretly sent
samples of your DNA to one of many companies that promise to tell you
what your genes say about you. That report would list the good news
(you’ll probably live to be 100) and the not-so-good news (you’ll
most likely develop Alzheimer’s, bipolar disorder and maybe
alcoholism). Now imagine they posted your genetic information online,
with your name on it. Some people may not mind. But I assure you,
many do: genetic information can be stigmatizing, and while it’s
illegal for employers or health insurance providers to discriminate
based on that information, this is not true for life insurance,
disability coverage or long-term care.
“'That is private family
information,” said Jeri Lacks-Whye, Lacks’s granddaughter. “It
shouldn’t have been published without our consent.'”
“This has wrapped in it science,
scientific history, ethical concerns, the bringing together of people
of very different cultures, a family with all the complications that
families have.”
morning, Ron Winslow described the arrangement with the NIH like
this.
“Under the pact, two descendants of
Ms. Lacks will serve on a six-member panel with scientists to review
proposals from researchers seeking to sequence the DNA of cell lines
derived from her tumor or to use DNA profiles of such cells in their
research. That gives family members a highly unusual voice in who
gets access to personal health information.
Terms call for controlled access to the
genomic data and credit to the Lacks family in papers and scientific
presentations based on the research done with the DNA data.”
Skloots, who was involved in the Lacks-NIH negotiations, said the
Lacks family asked for her participation.
“The only reason I was involved in
this is because scientists did this without the family’s consent
and then it got all of this press coverage, and no one asked the
question, 'Did the family give consent?' So I sort of waded back
in.”
“That OpEd that I
wrote was the first time I’d ever publicly expressed an opinion,
which was, 'Really?!? Are we going to continue to not ask the Lacks
family questions?' I was kind of shocked in a sense that nobody
thought to raise that issue.”
Source:Stem Cell Therapy
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August 11th, 2013
Memorial Services Friday for Duane Roth, Co-vice chairman of the California Stem Cell Agency
By Dr. Matthew Watson
co-vice chairman of the California stem cell agency, will be held
Friday at 11 a.m. at Immaculata Church at the University of San
Diego.
suffered in an accident last month while bicycling in the mountains
east of San Diego. He was 63.
tributes in the wake of Roth's death for his contributions to the
community in the life sciences, philanthropic and technology areas.
He had served on the stem cell agency board since 2006 and had been
scheduled to become of chairman of the Sanford-Burnham Institute this
fall. He was CEO of Connect, a non-profit organization aimed at
support entrepreneurship in the technology field.
was the one they called upon in their later years. He was a lifelong
mentor and friend to his brothers, someone that was always there to
share in life’s experiences."
"Duane was captivated by the possibilities that innovation provides in improving the world in which we live."
family has
suggested that in lieu of flowers that donations be made to the Otterson Fund at Connect, Challenged Athletes Foundation or the Copley-Price Family YMCA.
articles on Roth: San Diego U-T (see here and here), La Jolla Patch,
La Jolla Light.
Source:Stem Cell Therapy
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August 11th, 2013
CIRM’s Roth Dies Following Bike Accident
By Dr. Matthew Watson
California stem cell agency, died yesterday from brain injuries
suffered in a bicycle accident two weeks ago.
 |
| Duane Roth, Connect photo |
organization aimed at fostering technology entrepreneurship,
succumbed yesterday afternoon at the UC San Diego Medical Center, the
San Diego U-T reported. He was 63.
while biking in the mountains east of San Diego July 21. Roth hit an
outcropping and his helmet was broken in the accident.
29-person governing board of the $3 billion California stem cell
agency and was a strong advocate for industry. He chaired the
agency's loan task force, was vice chair of the Intellectual Property
and Industry Engagement Subcommittee and a member of the executive
committee.
agency, released the following statement this morning.
“On behalf of all the CIRM family, we
mourn the loss of our colleague and dear friend Duane Roth.
Throughout his tenure with us, he was one of the true stewards of the
mission, offering countless insights on the role of industry in the
world of regenerative medicine and how best and efficiently to drive
therapies through to patients. He was unfailingly a voice of
reason and optimism and always sought to find ways to make things
happen, refusing to take 'no' for an answer. Though one of 29
Board members, his extensive participation as co-Vice Chair of the
Board, co-chair of Intellectual Property and Industry Engagement
Subcommittee and a member of our Executive Committee gave Duane a
singularly important and resonant voice in our organization.
His passing will be deeply felt by all of us as well as by the many
patients and other CIRM stakeholders whom he touched over the years.
We send our deepest sympathies to Renee, Duane's brothers and the
rest of the Roth family.”
funds for cancer, and reporter Bradley Fikes wrote in the San Diego
U-T,
“Contributions in Roth’s name can
be made to Pedal
the Cause, a fund-raiser for cancer research that Roth supported.
More than $10,000 has been raised since Roth's accident."
Source:Smart policies will foster biotechnology revolution – San Antonio Express
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Smart policies will foster biotechnology revolution San Antonio Express In both these instances, the proposed reforms would distort the biotechnology market and leave firms less able to invest in tomorrow's medical breakthroughs. To ensure that the biopharmaceutical sector continues to flourish in Texas, leaders in ... |
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August 11th, 2013
Nanodrug targeting breast cancer cells from the inside adds weapon: Immune … – Medical Xpress
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Nanodrug targeting breast cancer cells from the inside adds weapon: Immune ... Medical Xpress Ljubimova led the study with Manuel Penichet, MD, PhD, associate professor of surgery, microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine. Ljubimova said the UCLA collaborators ... |
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August 11th, 2013
Late PCD diagnosis means Kylie needs constant physio – BBC News
By Dr. Matthew Watson
 BBC News | Late PCD diagnosis means Kylie needs constant physio BBC News The symptoms of PCD can start soon after birth and become very serious if not treated quickly. Dr Hannah Mitchison, senior lecturer in molecular genetics at the Institute of Child Health, says children can face a lifetime of recurrent chest and ear ... |
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August 10th, 2013
Stem Cell Therapy Treatment for Stroke by Dr Alok Sharma, Mumbai, India. – Video
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Stem Cell Therapy Treatment for Stroke by Dr Alok Sharma, Mumbai, India.
Improvement seen in just 5 day after Stem Cell Therapy Treatment for Stroke by Dr Alok Sharma, Mumbai, India. After Stem Cell Therapy 1. Voluntary control of...
By: Neurogen Brain and Spine Institute
Read more from the original source:
Stem Cell Therapy Treatment for Stroke by Dr Alok Sharma, Mumbai, India. - Video
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August 10th, 2013
Stem cell therapy shows promise in repairing brain damage
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Stem cell therapy shows promise in repairing brain damage even hours after stroke occurs
Durham, NC Stroke is a major health concern and is a leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Center for Disease Control. Despite significant research efforts, developing treatments that ensure complete recovery for stroke patients poses an extreme challenge, especially when more than a few hours have passed between onset of the stroke and administration of treatment.
However, a new study released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine indicates that endothelial precursor cells, which are found in the bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, and as very rare cells in peripheral blood, could make a significant difference for these patients recovery even in the later stages of stroke. In animal studies, the treatment minimized the initial brain injury and helped repair the stroke damage.
Previous studies indicated that stem/progenitor cells derived from human umbilical cord blood (hUCB) improved functional recovery in stroke models, noted Branislava Janic, Ph.D., a member of Henry Ford Health Systems Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory in Detroit and lead author of the study. We wanted to examine the effect of hUCB-derived AC133+ endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) on stroke development and resolution in rats.
Dr. Janic and his team injected rats that had suffered strokes with the stem cells. When they later examined the animals using MRI, they found that the transplanted cells had selectively migrated to the injured area and that the stem cells stopped the tissue damage from spreading, instigated regeneration, and also affected the time course for stroke resolution. A significant decrease in lesion size also was observed, at a dose of 10 million cells, as early as seven days after the strokes onset.
This led us to conclude that cord blood-derived EPCs can significantly contribute to developing more effective treatments that allow broader time period for intervention, minimize the initial brain injury and help repair the damage in later post-stroke phases, Dr. Janic said.
The early signs of stroke are often unrecognized, and many patients cannot take advantage of clot-busting treatments within the required few hours after stroke onset, said Anthony Atala, M.D., editor of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine and director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. In this animal study, a combination of stem cells shows promise for healing stroke damage when administered 24 hours after the stroke.
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The full article, Intravenous administration of human umbilical cord blood derived AC133+ endothelial progenitor cells in rat stroke model reduces infarct volume magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological findings, can be accessed at http://www.stemcellstm.com.
About STEM CELLS Translational Medicine: STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE (SCTM), published by AlphaMed Press, is a monthly peer-reviewed publication dedicated to significantly advancing the clinical utilization of stem cell molecular and cellular biology. By bridging stem cell research and clinical trials, SCTM will help move applications of these critical investigations closer to accepted best practices.
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Stem cell therapy shows promise in repairing brain damage
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August 10th, 2013