NEWARK, Calif., May 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEM - News) today announced completion of the first planned interim safety review of the Company's Phase I/II spinal cord injury clinical trial, which indicated that the surgery, immunosuppression and the cell transplants have been well-tolerated. The trial, which is designed to evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of the Company's proprietary HuCNS-SC(R) cells (purified human neural stem cells), represents the first time that neural stem cells have been transplanted as a potential therapeutic agent for spinal cord injury. A summary of the data will be presented by Armin Curt, M.D., principal investigator for the clinical trial, at the Interdependence 2012 Global SCI Conference, which is being held in Vancouver, British Columbia, from May 15 to 17, 2012.

The interim data is from the first cohort of patients, all of whom suffered a complete spinal cord injury in which there is no neurological function below the level of the injury. All patients enrolled were transplanted with a dose of 20 million cells at the site of injury in the thoracic spinal cord. There were no abnormal clinical, electrophysiological or radiological responses to the cells, and all the patients were neurologically stable through the first four months following transplantation of the cells. Changes in sensitivity to touch were observed in two of the patients. The data from multiple evaluations of the patients during this four month period have been reviewed by an independent Data Safety Monitoring Committee, which has recommended that the study advance to enrollment of patients with incomplete neurological injury. Enrollment is now underway and is open to patients in Europe, the United States and Canada with incomplete spinal cord injury. The trial, which is being conducted at Balgrist University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland, is the only ongoing clinical trial evaluating neural stem cell transplantation in spinal cord injury.

"We are very encouraged by the interim safety outcomes for the first cohort," said Dr. Curt, who is Professor and Chairman of the Spinal Cord Injury Center at the University of Zurich, and Medical Director of the Paraplegic Center at Balgrist University Hospital. "The patients in the trial are being closely monitored and undergo frequent clinical examinations, radiological assessments by MRI and sophisticated electrophysiology testing of spinal cord function. The comprehensive battery of tests provides important safety data and is very reassuring as we progress to the next stage of the trial."

The Interdependence 2012 Global SCI Conference is intended to bring together international healthcare and research facilities to showcase their work through presentations, workshops and exhibits and to discuss how to advance research, implement new best practices and shape the next generation of spinal cord injury research. Interdependence 2012 is jointly organized by the Rick Hansen Institute, a Canadian not-for-profit organization committed to accelerating the translation of discoveries and best practices into improved treatments for people with spinal cord injuries, and the Rick Hansen Foundation.

About the Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Trial

The Phase I/II clinical trial of StemCells, Inc.'s HuCNS-SC(R) purified human adult neural stem cells is designed to assess both safety and preliminary efficacy. Twelve patients with thoracic (chest-level) neurological injuries at the T2-T11 level are planned for enrollment. The Company has dosed the first three patients all of whom have injuries classified as AIS A, in which there is no neurological function below the injury level. The second and third cohorts will be patients classified as AIS B and AIS C, those with less severe injury, in which there is some preservation of sensory or motor function. The injuries are classified according to the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS). In addition to assessing safety, the trial will assess preliminary efficacy based on defined clinical endpoints, such as changes in sensation, motor and bowel/bladder function.

All patients will receive HuCNS-SC cells through direct transplantation into the spinal cord and will be temporarily immunosuppressed. Patients will be evaluated regularly in the post-transplant period in order to monitor and assess the safety of the HuCNS-SC cells, the surgery and the immunosuppression, as well as to measure any recovery of neurological function below the injury site. The Company intends to follow the effects of this therapy long-term, and a separate four-year observational study will be initiated at the conclusion of this trial.

The trial is being conducted at Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, a world leading medical center for spinal cord injury and rehabilitation, and is open for enrollment to patients in Europe, Canada and the United States. If you believe you may qualify and are interested in participating in the study, please contact the study nurse either by phone at +41 44 386 39 01 or by email at stemcells.pz@balgrist.ch.

Additional information about the Company's spinal cord injury program can be found on the StemCells, Inc. website at http://www.stemcellsinc.com/Therapeutic-Programs/Clinical-Trials.htm and at http://www.stemcellsinc.com/Therapeutic-Programs/Spinal-Cord-Injury.htm, including video interviews with Company executives and independent collaborators.

About Balgrist University Hospital

Read the original here:
StemCells, Inc. Reports Positive Interim Safety Data From Spinal Cord Injury Trial

Thirty Percent of Patients Show Improved Functioning after Stem Cell Therapy

Philadelphia, Pa. (May 17, 2012) One of the first long-term studies of stem cell treatment for spinal cord injury shows significant functional and other improvements in three out of ten patients, reports a study in the May issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

The results support the safety of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from the patient's own bone marrow, showing "continuous and gradual motor improvement" in at least some patients with disability caused by spinal cord injury. The lead author of the new study was Dr. Sang Ryong Jeon of University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.

Evidence of Improved Function after MSC Treatment for Spinal Cord Injury The researchers performed MSC transplantation in ten patients with permanent motor (movement) deficits or paralysis (paraplegia or quadriplegia) after spinal cord injury. Mesenchymal stem cells are a type of "multipotent" cell that can be cultured from adult bone marrow and induced to develop into many different types of cells.

The cultured MSCs were injected directly into the injured spinal cord and the surrounding (intradural) space. Additional cells were injected after another four and eight weeks. The results were assessed by measuring improvement in the patients' ability to move their arms and hands and to perform key activities of daily living. Imaging scans and tests of muscle activity were performed as well.

During the first six months after MSC transplantation, six of the ten patients showed improvement in motor power of the arms and hands. Of these, three patients had gradual improvement in the ability to perform daily activitiesfor example, preparing meals and typing on a keyboard.

These three patients also showed significant changes on MRI scans of the spinal cord, including evidence of healing around the injured area of the spine. They also had improvement in electrophysiologic studies of muscle electrical activity.

No Long-Term Safety Problems of MSC Transplant None of the ten patients had any permanent complications related to MSC transplantation. This helps to alleviate concerns that MSC injection could lead to later problems like the development of tumors or calcifications.

Previous studies have shown promising results with MSC transplantation in animals and humans with spinal cord injury. Mesenchymal cells have some important potential advantages for stem cell therapy, as they are a relatively easily accessible source of the patient's own cells. The ten patients treated by Dr. Jeon and colleagues represent the first attempt at direct spinal injection of MSCs for the treatment of spinal cord injury in humans.

Following up on a previous study reporting initial improvement in six patients, the new paper describes continued improvementincluding meaningful gains in the ability to perform everyday functional tasksin three patients. Dr. Jeon and colleagues note that all three patients with progressive improvement had some "residual neurological function." They write, "Therefore, MSC treatment is more likely to enhance the remaining neurological function rather than rengeneration." They call for further studies to understand the mechanism of improvement after MSC treatment and to clarify which patients with spinal cord injury are most likely to benefit.

Original post:
Stem Cells for Spinal Cord Injury: Some Patients Have Long-Term Improvement

By Jason Napodano, CFA

We are initiating coverage of Neuralstem Inc. (CUR) with an Outperform rating and $3.00 price target. We believe the companys dual-technology platform focused on cell therapy and traditional pharmaceutical products provides investors with the best of both worlds an early-stage investment in a potentially revolutionary pipeline in regenerative medicine and an attractive and under-valued small molecule pipeline sure to attract interest from larger pharmaceutical partners given the novel mechanism of action and broadapplication potential into multiple indications.

Neuralstems cell therapy technology enables the isolation and large-scale expansion of human neural stem cells from all areas of the developing human brain and spinal cord. Neuralstems technology was created to assist the body in producing new cells to replace malfunctioning or dead cells as a way to treat disease and injury. The companys preclinical research shows these cells both help create new circuitry (neurogenesis) and express factors that protect existing cells (neuroprotective). We believe this platform may be useful in treating many diseases and conditions of the central nervous system (CNS) and neurodegenerative disorders. The lead development programs are currently focused on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal cord injuries (SCI).

Preliminary data from the companys phase 1 clinical trial in ALS (abstract / poster) shows encouraging trends in both safety and efficacy. In this trial, the company is injecting human spinal stem cells (HSSC) directly into the gray matter of the spinal cord. This is no easy task. Management licensed a floating injection platform technology from the Cleveland Clinic that allows the injection of the cells into the spinal cord without risk of trauma. Neuralstems Spinal Cord Delivery Platform and Floating Cannula are being utilized in the current phase 1 ALS program, but have the potential for use in additional clinical applications where injection directly into the cord is needed or advantageous, including spinal cord injury. We believe the Floating Cannula technology alone nearly supports the current market value of only $55 million. Now that safety and feasibility have been demonstrated, if Neuralstem were to spin-out this technology into a separate company, we think given the potential to out-license or commercialize with other companies looking to do direct injections into the spine, it would be worth $25 to $50 million in value.

The phase 1 trial is now progressing into the next six patients, all of which will have direct injections into the cervical spine. The previous twelve patients all had injections into the lumbar spine. The FDA wanted to make sure that the safety and adverse event profile was acceptable before progressing into areas of the spine that affect breathing and upper limb function. So far, three patients have been dosed in the cervical spine with no serious complications. We are excited to see the first efficacy data points in approximately six months.

Neuralstem and the FDA are currently in discussions on potentially expanding the phase 1 program, right now capped at 18 patients, into an additional 9 patients bringing the total to 27 that will include reinjecting patients from previous cohorts and increasing the number of cells per injection from 100,000 to 200,000 or 300,000. We think the more data the company can amass from this phase 1 / 2 program, the better chance the FDA will allow movement into a registration program in 2014. The FDA has already granted Neuralstem Orphan Drug designation for ALS. The FDA allowing Neuralstem to move into phase 3 in 2014 is comparable to Fast Track development status. We see the ALS market as wide open. If successful, Neuralstems HSSC for ALS would be a very attractive treatment option for patients with little hope to date.

We have built a sales model for HSSC in ALS that assumes a U.S. filing in 2016 and approval in 2017. Depending on the magnitude of the efficacy, we think Neuralstems HSSC could capture 15% to 20% market share of the vastly underserved 30,000 U.S. ALS population. We think as many as 50% of these patients could be eligible for Neuralstems HSSC treatment. Our model assumes that Neuralstem commercializes HSSC on its own at a price of approximately $100,000 per treatment. With 20% market share, we see the opportunity for Neuralstem at approximately $300 million (30,000 x 50% x 20% x $100,000).

Given the current market capitalization at only $55 million, we think there is little to no value being assigned to the companys novel oral small molecule platform. Neuralstem has developed the ability to screen and test small molecules on living human neurons in vitro. The companys research into hippocampal atrophy as it relates to neurodegenerative diseases such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and Alzheimers disease (AD) has allowed the company to be granted patents on four first-in-class chemical entities.

The first of these oral small molecule compounds to enter human clinical testing is NSI-189. Preclinical data suggests that NSI-189 significantly stimulates the generation of new neurons (neurogenesis) in vitro and in animal models. The data demonstrates clear evidence of increased hippocampal volume in animals with a model of depression. Neuralstem believes NSI-189 has the potential to reverse the hippocampal atrophy associated with major depressive disorder and other related disorders, and to restore fundamental brain physiology. NSI-189 has the potential to address directly the pathology of the disease itself. This is a major paradigm shift from the traditional oral serotonin or norepinephrine molecules currently approved to treat depression and bipolar disorder.

We think if positive, Neuralstem will seek to strike a development and commercialization partnership on NSI-189 in 2013. We believe that management will be seeking enough cash from partnering NSI-189, and additional hippocampal neurogenesis / neuroprotectant molecules can be brought into the clinic. We expect that milestones on the development of NSI-189 will help fund the pivotal registration trials in ALS or SCI in the companys stem cell pipeline. This is a unique opportunity that many of Neuralstems competitors are lacking the ability to self-fund a potentially revolutionary breakthrough in stem cell technology through the advancement of a traditional small molecule platform.

Read the rest here:
CUR - Initiating Coverage of Neuralstem, Inc.

By Andrew Beam abeam@troyrecord.com Twitter.com/beam_record

Ryan Gilbert, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and G.E. Washington, visiting assistant professor of art at The College of Saint Rose, stand under an inflated sculpture of a ganglion knot created as a result of their unique collaboration inside RPIs Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies in Troy Friday. (J.S. Carras/The Record)

TROY A professor and scientist from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a visiting professor of art from the College of Saint Rose were both taken out of their comfort zones to create artistic and educational works based on research being conducted into stem cell technologies and the repair of spinal cord injuries.

The exhibit, titled A Walk Through the Nervous System: Artists View of Nerves and Spinal Cord Injury opened Friday with the hope of making it easier for the community at large to better comprehend not only how nerves work but also how injures affect the spinal cord.

Dr. Ryan Gilbert, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at RPI, received a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, $10,000 to $20,000 of which is earmarked for community awareness and outreach. The remainder of the grant funds the research Gilbert and his colleagues are conducting in the departments laboratories.

Gilbert said the department is working with biomaterials on both a nano and micro scale, and in the future hopes to implant them into the spinal cord to regenerate it. Currently, Gilbert explained, when someone injures his or her spinal cord, there is not only the potential for paralysis, but also for permanent damage, as no cure exists yet.

To show exactly what materials Gilbert and his colleagues are working with, department head Deepak Vashishth reached out to Washington, a visiting assistant professor of art at the College of Saint Rose, and his colleagues to help create pieces of art to represent them.

Washington said he spoke with Gilbert about the project. After listening to Gilbert explain some of the materials he was working with and realizing the interest he had in what he was doing, Washington himself became more interested in the project.

Its very interesting and sexy work, Washington said.

Go here to see the original:
Scientist, artist collaborate on exhibit about spinal cord injuries

ROCKVILLE, Md., May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuralstem, Inc. (CUR) today reported its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and provided a business and clinical update.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20061221/DCTH007LOGO )

"In the first Quarter of 2012, we entered the final cohort of our Phase I clinical trial in ALS at Emory University Hospital. We are encouraged with the recent approval by the FDA to amend the trial protocol to bring back previously transplanted patients for additional dosing. These patients, who have each received ten lumbar injections earlier in the trial, may now receive an additional five cervical injections. These three patients in our ALS Phase I trial will become the first patients to receive neural stem cell injections up the full length of the spinal cord," said Karl Johe, PhD, chairman of the board and chief scientific officer of Neuralstem, Inc. "These patients are currently 15 to 17 months out from their original surgeries, so we are further encouraged by the fact that their disease progression has been slow enough that they can still be considered for these additional cervical injections. These segments of the spinal cord control breathing, and we believe that multiple injections in the cervical region may be the most effective way to help ALS patients. In order to be eligible, these three patients must meet the same inclusion criteria as new patients into the trial both before and at the time of surgery."

Dr. Johe continued, "This year will also see the start and finish of our neuroregenerative small molecule NSI-189 Phase Ib trial to treat major depressive disorder. This is a novel orally active drug that stimulates new neuron growth in the hippocampus which we believe can help patients with major depressive disorder. We are finalizing the preparations for the first of three cohorts of eight patients each that are scheduled to demonstrate the safety of escalating doses of daily administration of NSI-189 during a 28-day cycle. Dr. Maurizio Fava of Harvard University and Massachusetts General helped to design the trial and we thank him for his efforts.

"Internationally, we expect to commence a combined Phase I/II/III clinical trial for chronic motor disorders from stroke at BaYi Brain Hospital in Beijing through our wholly owned subsidiary, Neuralstem China later in the year. We are currently engaged in test runs at our facility in Suzhou, China where we will manufacture the neural stem cells for the trial," concluded Dr. Johe.

Neuralstem's President and CEO Richard Garr added, "This New Year has seen us actively engaged in licensing discussions for our proprietary surgical device, invented by our ALS surgeon, Dr. Nicholas M. Boulis, with both the industry and Academia. We believe it will be the industry standard for such intraspinal procedures.

"We continue to work with our partner Sumitomo's Summit Pharmaceuticals International Corporation with the goal of licensing NSI-189 to a Japanese pharmaceutical company for development of the Japanese market this year," Mr. Garr continued. "We also continue to see strong interest in co-development opportunities for our preclinical library of additional patented novel neuroregenerative compounds. The company is committed to finding the right partner to move these preclinical compounds forward."

Clinical Program and Business Highlights

Cellular Therapy: Phase I Clinical Trial in ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease) at Emory University Hospital

Corporate News

Follow this link:
Neuralstem Reports First Quarter Financial Results And Provides Business And Clinical Update

NEWARK Stem cells might repair damage in a spinal cord, regenerating tissue currently considered irreparable. Electrical implants are already allowing a quadriplegic to control a robotic hand with their thoughts. And scientists are working on protein therapy that would keep a bad injury from becoming catastrophic .

These were just some of the advances in treating spinal cord injuries that were heralded at a symposium Wednesday at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. It was the second annual meeting of national scientists and researchers coming together in Newark to sharing their expertise.

The presentations show further advances since last years inaugural event, according to the experts.

"Everything Im seeing here is completely different than what I learned as a medical student 25 years ago," said Robert Heary, a UMDNJ neurosurgeon, the co-director of the Reynolds Family Spine Laboratory at the Spine Center of New Jersey, and the organizer of the event.

Stem cell implantation in a dozen spinal-cord patients is underway in Switzerland, according to Aileen Anderson, an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of California-Irvine who has been involved in the work. She said the human clinical trial involving multipotent cells at the University of Zurich will be going through 2015 at least but stem cells advances have been moving relatively quickly.

"Cholesterol drugs took 30 years to get to market," Anderson said. "Stem cells as potential therapeutics have moved pretty quickly."

Some of the work presented variations upon a microscopic theme.

A UMDNJ team presented work in which an immune-system protein is suppressed to reduce inflammation allowing better recovery after catastrophic injury in mice. Michele Basso, a professor at the Ohio State University College of Medicine, presented work that showed rodents walking was dramatically improved after the another protein was suppressed, and they got exercise.

"We begin to see a gain of function that we wouldnt normally see," said Basso.

Still others focused on the technologies that being used to currently treat patients.

See the article here:
UMDNJ symposium heralds advances in treating spinal cord injuries

NEWARK, Calif., May 9, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEM - News) today announced that Armin Curt, MD, FRCPC, Professor and Chairman, Spinal Cord Injury Center at the University of Zurich, and Medical Director of the Paraplegic Center at the Balgrist University Hospital and principal investigator for the Company's Phase I/II clinical trial in chronic spinal cord injury, will provide a progress report on the trial on Thursday, May 17 at the Interdependence 2012 Global SCI Conference. Interdependence 2012, which is being held in Vancouver, British Columbia on May 15-17, 2012, is jointly organized by the Rick Hansen Institute, a Canadian not-for-profit organization committed to accelerating the translation of discoveries and best practices into improved treatments for people with spinal cord injuries, and the Rick Hansen Foundation.

In addition, on Thursday, May 17, Stephen Huhn, MD, FACS, FAAP, Vice President and Head of the CNS Program at StemCells, Inc., will make a presentation on neural stem cell transplantation in neurological disorders. Dr. Huhn will describe the scientific and preclinical rationale for the Company's extensive clinical development program which encompasses all three elements of the central nervous system -- spinal cord, brain, and eye. StemCells was the first company to receive authorizations from the US Food and Drug Administration and Swissmedic to conduct clinical trials to evaluate purified human neural stem cells as potential therapeutic agents.

The goal of Interdependence 2012 is to bring together international healthcare and research facilities to showcase their work through presentations, workshops and exhibits and discuss how to advance research, implement new best practices and shape the next generation of spinal cord injury research.

About the Spinal Cord Injury Clinical Trial

The Phase I/II clinical trial of StemCells, Inc.'s HuCNS-SC(R) purified human adult neural stem cells is designed to assess both safety and preliminary efficacy. Twelve patients with thoracic (chest-level) neurological injuries at the T2-T11 level are planned for enrollment. The Company has dosed the first three patients all of whom have injuries classified as AIS A, in which there is no neurological function below the injury level. The second and third cohorts will be patients classified as AIS B and AIS C, those with less severe injury, in which there is some preservation of sensory or motor function. In addition to assessing safety, the trial will assess preliminary efficacy based on defined clinical endpoints, such as changes in sensation, motor and bowel/bladder function.

All patients will receive HuCNS-SC cells through direct transplantation into the spinal cord and will be temporarily immunosuppressed. Patients will be evaluated regularly in the post-transplant period in order to monitor and assess the safety of the HuCNS-SC cells, the surgery and the immunosuppression, as well as to measure any recovery of neurological function below the injury site. The Company intends to follow the effects of this therapy long-term, and a separate four-year observational study will be initiated at the conclusion of this trial.

The trial is being conducted at Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, a world leading medical center for spinal cord injury and rehabilitation, and is open for enrollment to patients in Europe, Canada and the United States. For information on patient enrollment, interested parties may contact the study nurse either by phone at +41 44 386 39 01, or by email at stemcells.pz@balgrist.ch.

Additional information about the Company's spinal cord injury program can be found on the StemCells, Inc. website at http://www.stemcellsinc.com/Therapeutic-Programs/Clinical-Trials.htm and at http://www.stemcellsinc.com/Therapeutic-Programs/Spinal-Cord-Injury.htm, including video interviews with Company executives and independent collaborators.

About Balgrist University Hospital

Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich is recognized worldwide as a highly specialized center of excellence providing examination, treatment and rehabilitation opportunities to patients with serious musculoskeletal conditions. The clinic owes its leading international reputation to its unique combination of specialized medical services. The hospital's carefully-balanced, interdisciplinary network brings together under one roof medical specialties including orthopedics, paraplegiology, radiology, anesthesiology, rheumatology, and physical medicine. More information about Balgrist University Hospital is available at http://www.balgrist.ch.

The rest is here:
StemCells, Inc. to Provide Progress Report on Spinal Cord Injury Trial at the Interdependence 2012 Global SCI ...

University of Michigan Hospital (Credit: UM.edu)

ANN ARBOR Three patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis will be permitted to receive a second dose of stem cells delivered directly to the spinal cord, in a clinical trial being led by the University of Michigans Eva Feldman, M.D.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the second treatment after a review concluded that the patients showed no adverse effects from their first implantation surgeries.

All have ALS, the inevitably fatal degenerative disease of the nervous system that many call Lou Gehrigs disease. They received injections directly into the lumbar, or lower, area of the spinal cord.

None of the patients experienced any long-term complications related to either the surgical procedure or the implantation of stem cells, or showed signs of rejecting the cells. And in the months following the surgery to inject the cells, none showed evidence that their ALS progression was accelerating.

These patients will receive a second implantation to the cervical, or upper, region of the spine where the nerves that control breathing reside. Most ALS patients die of respiratory failure as these nerves die or are damaged by the disease.

We believe that the cells and the route of administration are safe, said Feldman, principal investigator of the trial and the director of the UMs A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute. The FDA go-ahead to bring these three patients back for re-dosing is a further validation of that.

The trial is funded by Neuralstem, to which Feldman is an unpaid consultant.

This Phase 1 safety trial, which is taking place at Emory University in Atlanta, began in January 2010. After reviewing safety data from the first 12 patients, the FDA granted approval for the trial to advance the cervical injections. Three patients so far have received injections to that area. Those to be re-dosed will come from the first cohort of 12.

Results from that cohort recently were featured in the peer-reviewed journal Stem Cells in an article authored by Feldman and her colleagues at Emory, including neurologist Jonathan Glass, M.D. and neurosurgeon Nick Boulis, M.D., who performed the implantation surgeries. Boulis, an adjunct professor at UMs Medical School and a Taubman Scholar, also developed the device used to inject the stem cells into the spinal cord, which received a notice of patent allowance from U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in October.

See the article here:
ALS Patients Approved For More Stem Cells

Nature | Health

Regenerative medicine gets a cash boost from the nation's health ministry, but stricter regulations are needed to ensure safety

May 1, 2012

By Soo Bin Park of Nature magazine

Seoul, South Korea

The South Korean health ministry announced last month that research into stem cells and regenerative medicine will receive a funding boost of 33 billion won (US$29 million) in 2012, four times that given in 2011. Overall, six different ministries will invest 100 billion won in stem-cell research this year.

Until last year, public investment in stem cells in South Korea was relatively low and targeted mainly at basic research. But the country's Ministry of Health and Welfare is now expanding its support for clinical research on stem cells, with the money being used to link basic research to intermediate or clinical studies. The aim is to commercialize the research at an early stage.

"From the current research atmosphere and infrastructure, the government has judged that stem-cell studies are now maturing," says Hyung Min Chung, president of Seoul-based biotechnology firm Cha Bio and Diostech and an adviser on the budget plan. He adds that his company is particularly pleased that government investment decisions on developing stem-cell therapies will be made more quickly.

Target market

The government money will be allocated to two areas: rare or incurable diseases for which there is little incentive for private investment, such as spinal cord damage; and common chronic conditions, such as arthritis, for which the aim is to help South Korean companies to capture part of the large potential market for treatments.

Read more:
South Korea Steps Up Stem-Cell Work

When a person suffers a heart attack, scar tissue forms over the damaged areas of the heart, reducing the organs function. However, in a recent study, scientists successfully turned this scar tissue into working heart muscle without the use of stem cells.

Duke University researchers used molecules called microRNAs to convert scar tissue (called fibroblasts) into heart muscle cells in a living mouse, improving the hearts ability to pump blood.

According to the scientists, this process is much simpler than stem cell transplants and has none of the ethical concerns, making it a potential turning point in the science of tissue regeneration.

Right now, theres no good evidence stem cells can do the job, senior author Dr. Victor Dzau, a James B. Duke professor of medicine and chancellor of health affairs at Duke University, told FoxNews.com.

Scientists believe embryonic stem cells are the best to use for tissue regeneration because they are pluripotentmeaning they can become any type of cell in the body. However, Dzau said there have not been enough experiments done to prove how functional the stem cells are in regenerating tissues and whether or not they may form deadly tumors.

Additionally, there are ethical concerns about using cells derived from a human embryo, he said.

Meanwhile, adult stem cells avoid the controversy surrounding embryonic stem cells but have a limited capacity to form other types of cells. The results of using these adult stem cells for tissue regeneration are not as satisfying as one would like, Dzau said.

Rather than stem cells, the new method developed by Dzaus team uses microRNA moleculeswhich typically control gene activityand delivers them into the scar tissue that develops after a heart attack. The microRNAs are able to reprogram, or trick, the scar tissue into becoming heart muscle again instead.

Testing is still in its early stages, but so far, the method appears to be relatively easy, and the data looks very promising, according to the researchers.

Its a much simplified, feasible way of causing regeneration; very easy to use as therapy, Dzau said. With stem cells, you have to take them from the embryo or tissue in the body, grow them in culture, and re-inject themand then there can be technical and biological problems.

Go here to see the original:
Repairing the heart without using stem cells

Public release date: 24-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Paul Scotti scotti.paul@mayo.edu 904-953-2299 Mayo Clinic

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. A single gene that promotes initial development of the most common form of lung cancer and its lethal metastases has been identified by researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida. Their study suggests other forms of cancer may also be driven by this gene, matrix metalloproteinase-10 (MMP-10).

The study, published in the journal PLoS ONE on April 24, shows that MMP-10 is a growth factor secreted and then used by cancer stem-like cells to keep themselves vital. These cells then drive lung cancer and its spread, and are notoriously immune to conventional treatment.

The findings raise hope for a possible treatment for non-small cell lung cancer, the leading cause of U.S. cancer deaths. Researchers discovered that by shutting down MMP-10, lung cancer stem cells lose their ability to develop tumors. When the gene is given back to the cells, they can form tumors again.

The power of this gene is extraordinary, says senior investigator Alan Fields, Ph.D., the Monica Flynn Jacoby Professor of Cancer Research within the Department of Cancer Biology at Mayo Clinic in Florida.

"Our data provides evidence that MMP-10 plays a dual role in cancer. It stimulates the growth of cancer stem cells and stimulates their metastatic potential,'' he says. "This helps explain an observation that has been seen in cancer stem cells from many tumor types, namely that cancer stem cells appear to be not only the cells that initiate tumors, but also the cells that give rise to metastases."

Dr. Fields says the findings were unexpected, for several reasons.

The first is that the cancer stem cells express MMP-10 themselves, and use it for their own growth. Most of the known members of the matrix metalloproteinase genes are expressed in the tumor's microenvironment, the cells and tissue that surround a tumor, he says. The enzymes produced by these genes are involved in breaking down the microenvironment that keeps a tumor in place, allowing cancer cells to spread, which is why other genes in this family have been linked to cancer metastasis.

"The fact that a gene like MMP-10, which codes for a matrix metalloproteinase that has been linked to metastasis, is actually required for the growth and maintenance of cancer stem cells is very surprising. One would not have predicted that such a gene would be involved in this process," Dr. Fields says.

More here:
Mayo Clinic identifies gene critical to development and spread of lung cancer

ROCKVILLE, Md., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Neuralstem, Inc. (CUR) announced that Karl Johe, PhD, Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer, will present at the Fourth International Spinal Cord Injury Treatments and Trials Symposium, in Xi'an, China on Friday, May 4, at 1:00 PM (http://iscitt.org/iscitt4/). Dr. Johe's talk, entitled "Human spinal cord-derived neural stem cells (HSSC) for treatment of neurological diseases," willreview the readiness of Neuralstem's cells to enter clinical trials in China, as well as provide an overview of the US clinical programs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) and in spinal cord injury. Neuralstem has an ongoing FDA-approved Phase I trial testing the safety of its cells in the treatment of ALS and has submitted an IND (Investigational New Drug) to the FDA to initiate trials with its cells in chronic spinal cord injury. Neuralstem's wholly-owned subsidiary in China, Neuralstem China(Suzhou Neuralstem Biopharmaceutical Company Ltd.), is developing cell therapy treatments for chronic motor disorder from stroke in collaboration with BaYi Brain Hospital in Beijing.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20061221/DCTH007LOGO )

About Neuralstem

Neuralstem's patented technology enables the ability to produce neural stem cells of the human brain and spinal cord in commercial quantities, and the ability to control the differentiation of these cells constitutively into mature, physiologically relevant human neurons and glia. Neuralstem is in an FDA-approved Phase I safety clinical trial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, and has been awarded orphan status designation by the FDA.

In addition to ALS, the company is also targeting major central nervous system conditions with its cell therapy platform, including spinal cord injury, ischemic spastic paraplegia and chronic stroke. The company has submitted an IND (Investigational New Drug) application to the FDA for a Phase I safety trial in chronic spinal cord injury.

Neuralstem also has the ability to generate stable human neural stem cell lines suitable for the systematic screening of large chemical libraries. Through this proprietary screening technology, Neuralstem has discovered and patented compounds that may stimulate the brain's capacity to generate new neurons, possibly reversing the pathologies of some central nervous system conditions. The company has received approval from the FDA to conduct a Phase Ib safety trial evaluating NSI-189, its first small molecule compound, for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Additional indications could include schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and bipolar disorder.

For more information, please visit http://www.neuralstem.com or connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Information

This news release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements in this press release regarding potential applications of Neuralstem's technologies constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and commercialization of potential products, uncertainty of clinical trial results or regulatory approvals or clearances, need for future capital, dependence upon collaborators and maintenance of our intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Additional information on potential factors that could affect our results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in Neuralstem's periodic reports, including the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

Read more:
Neuralstem Chief Scientific Officer To Present At Spinal Cord Injury Conference In China

Dublin - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bac5f5c5/strategic_developm) has announced the addition of the "Strategic Development of Neural Stem & Progenitor Cell Products" report to their offering.

Overview: Neurogenesis is the process by which neurons are created. This process is most active during pre-natal development when neurogenesis is responsible for populating the growing brain. Neural stem cells (NSCs) are the self-renewing, multipotent cells that differentiate into the main phenotypes of the nervous system. These cell types include neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. Neural progenitor cells (NPCs) are the progeny of stem cell division that normally undergo a limited number of replication cycles in vivo.

The terms neuronal and neural also need to be defined. Technically speaking, neuronal means pertaining to neurons, and neural means pertaining to nerves, which are the cordlike bundles of fibers made up of neurons. Since both terms ultimately are descriptive of neurons, the scientific community uses the terms "neuronal" and "neural" interchangeably. The complexity of this issue is explored from a marketing perspective within this report.

In 1992, Reynolds and Weiss were the first to isolate neural stem cells from the striatal tissue of adult mice brain tissue, including the subventricular zone, which is a neurogenic area. Since then, neural progenitor and stem cells have been isolated from various areas of the adult brain, including non-neurogenic areas like the spinal cord, and from other species, including humans. During the development of the nervous system, neural progenitor cells can either stay in the pool of proliferating undifferentiated cells or exit the cell cycle and differentiate.

This market report focuses on recent advances in NSC research applications, explores research priorities by market segment, highlights individual labs and end-users of neuronal stem cell research products, explores the competitive environment for NSC research products, and provides 5-year growth and trend analysis. It provides detailed guidance for companies that wish to offer strategically positioned NSC research products, including cells, kits, assays, and related media and reagents.

This Market Report Includes:

- Recent advances in NSC research applications

- Research priorities by market segment

- Competitive analysis of NSC research supply companies

- Segmentation of existing NSC products

Read the rest here:
Research and Markets: Strategic Development of Neural Stem & Progenitor Cell Products

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE Amex: CUR) announced that safety results from the first 12 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) to receive its stem cells were reported online in the peer-reviewed publication, STEM CELLS, on March 13th. "Lumbar Intraspinal Injection of Neural Stem Cells in Patients with ALS: Results of a Phase I Trial in 12 Patients" (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22415942.1) reports that one patient has shown improvement in his clinical status, even though researchers caution that the study was not designed to show efficacy. Additionally, there was no evidence of accelerated disease progression due to the intervention in any of the 12 patients, who were followed from 6-18 months after they were transplanted with the cells. All of the patients, who received transplants in the lumbar (lower back) region, tolerated the treatment without any long-term complications related to either the surgery or the cells.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20061221/DCTH007LOGO )

The 12 patients, part of the ongoing Phase I trial to evaluate the safety of Neuralstem's stem cells and transplantation procedure in patients with ALS, were the first in the world to receive intraspinal stem cell injections. Results from these patients were also were reported at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting last September.

Based on a positive safety assessment, the trial has now been approved by the FDA to progress to transplanting ALS patients in the cervical (upper back) region of the spine, where the goal is to protect the motor neurons which affect respiratory function, and possibly prolong life. The fourteenth patient was transplanted earlier this month. All patients were treated at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.

"For these first 12 patients, we have met the objective of the Phase I trial, demonstrating safety for both the procedure of intraspinal injection and the presence of the neural stem cells in the spinal cords of ALS patients," said Jonathan Glass, MD, lead author of the publication. "We are encouraged by these results and have now advanced our trial to injections into the cervical spinal cord, targeting the motor neurons that control respiratory function." Dr. Glass is Professor of Neurology and Pathology at Emory University School of Medicine, as well as the Director of the Emory ALS Center.

"This important peer-reviewed publication reinforces our belief that we have demonstrated a safe, reproducible and robust route of administration into the spine for these spinal cord neural stem cells," said Eva Feldman, MD, PhD, Director of the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute and Director of Research of the ALS Clinic at the University of Michigan Health System. "The publication covers data up to 18 months out from the original surgery. However, we must be cautious in interpreting this data, as this trial was neither designed nor statistically powered to study efficacy." Dr. Feldman is senior author on the study, principal investigator (PI) of the ALS trial and serves as a consultant to Neuralstem as part of her University of Michigan activities.

"As this article points out, our experience in the lumbar spinal cord has been overwhelmingly positive," commented Karl Johe, PhD, study author and Neuralstem Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer. "We have already transplanted two patients in the cervical spinal cord, where we believe we can affect patients' lives the most by improving their breathing. We are in active discussions with the FDA to increase the number of cells and the number of injections as well."

"We wish to thank the teams at Michigan and Emory for the tireless efforts required to refine this breakthrough method of administration of our neural stem cells. We'd also like to thank the patients and families involved in the trial," said Richard Garr, Neuralstem CEO and President. "The progress we have made to date is both substantial, and a true team effort."

About the Study

Safety results were reported on the first 12 patients in an ongoing Phase I study to evaluate the safety of Neuralstem's spinal cord stem cells (HSSC's), as well as the transplantation technique, in the treatment of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease).

Read more from the original source:
Neuralstem ALS Stem Cell Trial Interim Results Reported in the Journal, STEM CELLS

From being unable to move the majority of his body in 2008 to taking steps with leg braces today, Mount Shastas Corben Brooks is proving that a spinal cord injury isnt the end of the world.

Three and a half years after a high school football injury left him a quadriplegic, Mount Shastas Corben Brooks is focused on recovery while in New Delhi, India, where hes receiving a third round of stem cell treatments not yet available in the United States.

The ever-optimistic 20 year old can now stand with minimal assistance, take steps with leg braces, wiggle his toes, partially close his hands and feel the majority of his legs.

Corben said hes looking forward to Labor Day Weekend, when his family will host Thunder in the Park in Mount Shasta, an event which will include the raffle drawing for a custom built motorcycle dubbed Corbens Ride, as well as live music, a chili cookoff, pancake breakfast and a poker run. Thunder in the Park will coincide with the Mount Shasta Police Departments Show & Shine car show in attempt to keep visitors in Mount Shasta the entire weekend.

Without the support of our community and countless other people I wouldn't be where I am today, Corben said via email from India last week. I can honestly say that without the help from my family, friends, this wonderful community and all who have so generously gone out of their way to help me, I would not be in the remarkable position that I am today. Thank you is nowhere near an adequate enough word to express my thanks.

Though he knows stem cell treatments are controversial, Corben said after each treatment he sees more function and sensation in his body for up to nine months after returning home.

So far on this trip I have gained new sensation and feeling in the back of my legs and hamstrings and additional feeling on my left foot, Corben said.

The results of a recent MRI also showed encouraging results, said Corben.

What we saw was the stem cells have been reducing the amount of scar tissue in my spinal cord at the injury site, Corben said. With the scar tissue being reduced, my nerves are given the opportunity to reestablish a connection. And we believe that is why I have been seeing continual recovery during and after these treatments.

Since his last visit in 2011, Corben said his walking has improved greatly, thanks to the help of his trainer back at home, Lisa Pigoni.

Read more:
Corben Brooks continues on road to recovery

Published on Mar 25, 2012

(KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - A joint research team from South Korea and Germany said on Friday they have created stem cells that have the potential to help treat people suffering from dementia and spinal cord trauma.

Scientists from Konkuk University and the Max Planck Institute said they have successfully used somatic cells from mice to create so-called induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) that can be cultivated for over a year under laboratory conditions.

The iNSCs have also been injected into the brains of mice and differentiated into various nerve cells without growing into malignant tumors.

'The discovery marks the first time ordinary somatic cells have been artificially engineered to become adult stem cells,' said Prof Han Dong Wook, a professor of stem cell biology at Konkuk, who led the research.

Read the original here:
Scientists develop stem cells that may help treat dementia

The Gairdner Foundation announced today that Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers Thomas M. Jessell and Michael Rosbash are recipients of the prestigious 2012 Canada Gairdner International Awards in recognition of their contributions to medical science.

The awards, which are presented annually, recognize scientists responsible for some of the worlds most significant medical discoveries. Jessell, who became an HHMI investigator at Columbia University in 1985, was honored for discovering basic principles of communication within the nervous system. The Foundation states that Jessells work has been instrumental in revealing important steps in the process that guides the early development of neurons, as they establish the precise connections between the spinal cord and muscles.

Rosbash, who became an HHMI investigator at Brandeis University in 1989, was highlighted for discoveries that have revealed the genetic underpinnings of the circadian clock. Circadian clocks are active throughout the bodys cells, where they use a common genetic mechanism to control the rhythmic activities of various tissues. Rosbash, Jeffrey C. Hall, emeritus professor of biology at Brandeis University, and Michael W. Young of the Laboratory of Genetics at The Rockefeller University, were honored by the Gairdner Foundation for pioneering discoveries concerning the biological clock responsible for circadian rhythms.

The Canada Gairdner Awards will be presented at a dinner in Toronto in October as part of the Gairdner National Program, a month-long lecture series given by Canada Gairdner Award winners at 21 universities from St Johns to Vancouver.

Thomas M. Jessell, Ph.D.

For the past two decades, Thomas Jessell has worked to understand how nerve cells in the developing spinal cord assemble into functional circuits that control sensory perception and motor actions. Ultimately, his research may provide a more thorough understanding of how the central nervous system is constructed and suggest new ways to repair diseased or damaged neurons in the human brain and spinal cord.

There is increasingly persuasive evidence to suggest that many neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disordersfrom motor neuron diseases to autism and schizophreniaresult from defects in the initial assembly of connections in the developing brain, says Jessell. By understanding the cellular and molecular processes that control the normal wiring pattern of these connections, we may eventually be able to design more rational and effective strategies for repairing the defects that underlie brain disorders.

Jessell's work has revealed the details of a molecular pathway that converts nave progenitor cells in the early neural tube into the many different classes of motor neurons and interneurons that assemble together to form functional locomotor circuits. This molecular pathway involves critical environmental signaling molecules such as Sonic hedgehog, and a delicate interplay of nuclear transcription factors that interpret Sonic hedgehog signals to generate diverse neuronal classes.

The principles that have emerged from Jessell's studies in the spinal cord have been found to apply to many other regions of the central nervous system, thus establishing a basic ground plan for brain development. His work has also defined many of the key steps that permit newly generated neurons to form selective connections with their target cells.

One potential strategy for brain repair involves the use of stem cells, and Jessell and his colleagues have demonstrated that mouse embryonic stem cells can be converted into functional motor neurons in a simple procedure that recapitulates the normal molecular program of motor neuron differentiation. Remarkably, these stem cell-derived motor neurons can integrate into the spinal cord in vivo and contribute to functional motor circuits. This work may uncover additional aspects of the basic program of motor neuron development, as well as pointing the way to new cell and drug-based therapies for motor neuron disease and spinal cord injury.

Read more:
2012 Gairdner Awards Go to Jessell, Rosbash

MCKINNEY (CBSDFW.COM) - If you have ever dealt with back pain, then you know how quickly it can take over your life. But some North Texans are discovering that tiny cells in their own bodies could be key to long-lasting relief.

A simple walk on a beautiful day is not something that Kim Ferracioli takes for granted, as the McKinney resident has been dealing with debilitating back pain for years due to a bad disk in her lower spine. It was so painful, she said. Everytime I would stand up or sit too long, it was just a horrible pinching feeling.

When steroid injections, physical therapy and a minimally-invasive surgery actually made the pain worse, Ferracioli decided to try a new therapy that is revolutionizing the way that doctors treat spinal injuries.

Were using your stem cells, which decreases the rate for complications, explained Dr. Rob Dickerman, a neurosurgeon and one of a few doctors in the country using a patients own stem cells to actually grow new bones from scratch. We can remove a disk and put them between the bones of the spine, and itll stimulate a fusion.

Dickerman removes stem cells from a patients hip and places them in a disk-like carrier. Once implanted into the patients spine, within three months, the stem cells begin to grow into new bone where the damaged disk was removed.

There was an automatic difference, said Ferracioli about the procedure. I could get up out of chairs. I didnt need the cane anymore.

Dickerman said that the success of these procedures are just the first steps for stem cell use in the spine. He hopes that they will soon be able to treat more serious injuries. If we can tweak these cells, Dickerman explained, to make it beneficial to these patients that for the most part have irreparable injuries, that would just be a huge advance in science.

Research is already underway in several labs around the world, transplanting a patients own stem cells to repair spinal cord injuries and even traumatic brain injuries. Dickerman hopes to see these treatments hit the mainstream within the next few years.

In the meantime, Ferracioli said that this new procedure is the only thing that gave her life back. I had to literally pull this back leg up the stairs, Ferracioli recalled. Now, I can just go no pain!

Also Check Out:

Go here to see the original:
Stem Cells Could Be Key To Back Pain Relief

Newswise MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Research from a Kansas State University professor may make it easier to recover after spinal cord injury or to study neurological disorders.

Mark Weiss, professor of anatomy and physiology, is researching genetic models for spinal cord injury or diseases such as Parkinson's disease. He is developing technology that can advance cellular therapy and regenerative medicine -- a type of research that can greatly improve animal and human health.

"We're trying to build tools, trying to build models that will have broad applications," Weiss said. "So if you're interested in neural differentiation or if you're interested in response after an injury, we're trying to come up with cell lines that will teach us, help us to solve a medical mystery."

Weiss' research team has perfected a technique to use stem cells to study targeted genetic modifications. They are among a handful of laboratories in the world using these types of models for disease. The research is an important step in the field of functional genomics, which focuses on understanding the functions and roles of these genes in disease.

The researchers are creating several tools to study functional genomics. One such tool involves developing new ways to use fluorescent transporters, which make it easier to study proteins and their functions. These fluorescent transporters can be especially helpful when studying neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, stroke and spinal cord injury.

"People who have spinal cord injury do not experience a lot of regeneration," Weiss said. "It is one of the problems of the nervous system -- it is not great at regenerating itself like other tissues."

The researchers want to discover a way to help this regenerative process kick in. By studying signals from fluorescing cells, they can understand how neural stem cells are reactivated.

"We want to try and make these genetic markers, and then we can test different kinds of treatment to see how they assist in the regenerative process," Weiss said.

Weiss' stem cell research has appeared in two recent journals: Stem Cells and Development and the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and university funds, including the Johnson Cancer Research Center.

Weiss' seven-member research team includes a visiting professor, two full-time researchers, a graduate student and three undergraduates. He has also been collaborating with researchers from the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Follow this link:
Anatomy of Success: Genetic Research Develops Tools for Studying Diseases, Improving Regenerative Treatment

ScienceDaily (Mar. 19, 2012) Research from a Kansas State University professor may make it easier to recover after spinal cord injury or to study neurological disorders.

Mark Weiss, professor of anatomy and physiology, is researching genetic models for spinal cord injury or diseases such as Parkinson's disease. He is developing technology that can advance cellular therapy and regenerative medicine -- a type of research that can greatly improve animal and human health.

"We're trying to build tools, trying to build models that will have broad applications," Weiss said. "So if you're interested in neural differentiation or if you're interested in response after an injury, we're trying to come up with cell lines that will teach us, help us to solve a medical mystery."

Weiss' research team has perfected a technique to use stem cells to study targeted genetic modifications. They are among a handful of laboratories in the world using these types of models for disease. The research is an important step in the field of functional genomics, which focuses on understanding the functions and roles of these genes in disease.

The researchers are creating several tools to study functional genomics. One such tool involves developing new ways to use fluorescent transporters, which make it easier to study proteins and their functions. These fluorescent transporters can be especially helpful when studying neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, stroke and spinal cord injury.

"People who have spinal cord injury do not experience a lot of regeneration," Weiss said. "It is one of the problems of the nervous system -- it is not great at regenerating itself like other tissues."

The researchers want to discover a way to help this regenerative process kick in. By studying signals from fluorescing cells, they can understand how neural stem cells are reactivated.

"We want to try and make these genetic markers, and then we can test different kinds of treatment to see how they assist in the regenerative process," Weiss said.

Weiss' stem cell research has appeared in two recent journals: Stem Cells and Development and the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and university funds, including the Johnson Cancer Research Center.

Weiss' seven-member research team includes a visiting professor, two full-time researchers, a graduate student and three undergraduates. He has also been collaborating with researchers from the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Original post:
Genetic research develops tools for studying diseases, improving regenerative treatment