Doctor Wise Young in Hong Kong on February 22, 2012. Young, a leading researcher in spinal cord injuries, says China could hold the key to a cure that he has been searching for since he met late actor Christopher Reeve in the 1990s. AFP pic

US-based Doctor Wise Young first used the word cure in relation to his work after a conversation with Reeve, the Superman hero who became quadriplegic in an equestrian accident in 1995.

Reeve contacted him looking for help and the two became close friends. The actor died of heart failure in 2004 at the age of 52, having devoted his life to raising awareness about spinal cord injuries and stem-cell research.

But it was a star of a different sort, Chinese gymnast Sang Lan, who set Young on the path he believes has brought a cure closer than ever, thanks to ground-breaking clinical trials of stem-cell therapy he is conducting in China.

Everybody assumed that Im doing this in China because I wanted to escape George W. Bush, but thats not the case at all, Young said in an interview, recalling the former US presidents 2001 decision to effectively stop Federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

I started the clinical trials in 2005 here in Hong Kong ... mainly because of a promise that I made to a young woman. Her name is Sang Lan.

Sang crushed her spine during a routine warm-up exercise at the Goodwill Games in New York in 1998. She met Young as she underwent treatment and rehabilitation in the United States over the next 12 months.

Her parents came to me and asked whether or not there would ever be a cure for her, and I said were working very hard on it, recalled Young, who was by then one of the leading US experts on spinal cord injuries.

When she went back to China after doing her rehabilitation in New York she cried and asked how would therapies go from the United States to China.

In those days China was still relatively poor and backward so she didnt think that any therapy would be coming from China. So I started in 1999 to talk to all the spinal cord doctors in China.

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Doctor looks to China for spinal injury ‘cure’

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Doctor looks to China for spinal injury ‘cure’ | March 13th, 2012

Public release date: 13-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: David Sampson ajpmedia@elsevier.com 215-239-3171 Elsevier Health Sciences

Philadelphia, PA, March 13, 2012 A new study suggests that administering FTY720, an oral drug that has shown promise in trials for human multiple sclerosis, significantly improves locomotor recovery in mice with spinal cord injury (SCI). The research suggests a possible new avenue to counteract the degeneration of the spinal cord in human SCI. The study will be published in the April 2012 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

Beyond the initial tissue damage, much of the degradation of the spinal cord in SCI is due to a cascade of secondary injuries, including neuronal and glial apoptosis, inflammation, glial scar formation, local edema and ischemia, and oxidative stress. The aim of current SCI treatment is to counteract the mechanisms of secondary injury and prevent their pathological consequences, because central nervous system (CNS) neurons have very limited capacity to self-repair and regenerate.

Researchers from the Jichi Medical University School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Tokyo had previously shown that the concentration of the lysophospholipid mediator, sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), was significantly increased in the location of a contusion injury, triggering the migration of neural progenitor/stem cells to the site of the injury. They hypothesized that targeting S1P receptors may become a candidate therapy for various refractory central nervous system disorders, including SCI.

FTY720 acts as a broad S1P receptor modulator. Its efficacy in central nervous system disorders is believed to derive from immunomodulation. Researchers found that orally administering FTY720 to mice shortly after contusion SCI significantly improved motor function recovery. Importantly, they found that the therapeutic effects of FTY720 were not solely dependent on immune modulation. The administration of FTY720 induced lymphopenia, clearing lymphocytes from the blood, and reduced T-cell infiltration in the spinal cord. But it did not affect the early infiltration of neutrophils and activation of microglia, and it did not reduce plasma levels and mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines in the spinal cord. Tests in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID mice) with SCI found that FTY720 significantly improved recovery of hind limb motor function.

"These data clearly indicate the importance of immune-independent functions of FTY720 in the amelioration of functional deficits after SCI in mice," explains lead investigator Yoichi Sakata, MD, PhD, Research Division of Cell and Molecular Medicine, Center for Molecular Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine.

Dr. Sakata notes that S1P receptors exist in many types of cells and play a role in many cellular processes. "We observed that FTY720 decreased vascular permeability and astrocyte accumulation in injured spinal cord. These changes were also noted in SCID mice, suggesting they are not dependent on lymphocyte function. Increased vascular permeability can lead to destruction of the blood-brain barrier in spinal cord, and astrocyte accumulation is the main cellular component of glial scar after CNS injury. FTY720 might counteract these secondary injuries and thereby prevent their pathological consequences."

"Our data suggest that targeting S1P receptors with FTY720 is an attractive therapeutic approach for SCI," Dr. Sakata concludes. "However, further evaluation utilizing larger animals such as non-human primates will be necessary to confirm its efficacy in treating SCI. Further, strategies targeted at modulating the SIP concentration in injured CNS may lead to new therapeutic approaches towards repairing various CNS disorders."

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Research suggests new therapeutic approach for spinal cord injury

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Research suggests new therapeutic approach for spinal cord injury | March 13th, 2012

OKLAHOMA -- An Oklahoma House subcommittee recently approved a bill that would provide state funding for an umbilical cord blood bank. Doctors say the cord blood provides a source of stem cells without causing harm to an unborn child.

Oklahoma State Representative John Enns nearly lost his life after the Tracker he was driving rolled over, breaking his back in 3 places and leaving him paralyzed.

"Before my accident which was in 2004, I was a microbiology professor I taught about these stemcells and I taught the difference between embryonic and adult stem cells, which is huge," Enns said. "My accident happened and then I got even more involved in because this is something that may help a paralyzed person in the future with spinal cord injuries help them to actually get up and walk."

Enns now spends most his time in a wheelchair but continues to research the benefits of umbilical cord blood. He recently authored a bill that would fund a public umbilical cord blood bank for the state.

"What we will do with that is because it is pretty expensive to get it started, we will increase the amount that you pay when you get a birth certificate by $5. This will have a 5 year sunset on it which means in 5 years it will go away," Enns said.

"After the baby is delivered and the placenta is about to be thrown a way the cells can save the life of someone who has luekemia or a genetic problem where replacing their existing bone marrow is important to their cure."

OBI's president, Dr. John Armitage, says the benefits of having an umbilical cord blood bank greatly outweighs its cost..

"There is this future benefit that cant be underestimated," Armitage said. "These cells are going to eventually be used by biotechnology firms to do amazing things in terms of new tissue generation and repairing anything from hearts to any tissue in the body."

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Oklahoma bill proposes umbilical cord blood bank

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Oklahoma bill proposes umbilical cord blood bank | March 8th, 2012

MissionIR would like to highlight Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE AMEX: CUR). The company'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. In addition to ALS, Neuralstem is also targeting major central nervous system conditions with its cell therapy platform, including spinal cord injury, ischemic spastic paraplegia, chronic stroke, and Huntington's disease.

In the company's news yesterday,

Neuralstem reported dosing of the fourteenth patient in its ongoing Phase I clinical trialing of the companys spinal cord neural stem cells in ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrigs disease), marking the second patient to receive cells in the cervical (upper back) region of the spine and the trials first female patient. This is the first FDA-approved neural stem cell trial for the treatment of ALS.

This treatment is designed to help remediate breathing function loss associated with progressive ALS, and the transplantation of stem cells observed in the trial will be keenly watched for safety/efficacy of spinal cord neural stem cells, as well as the intraspinal transplantation method. The first twelve patients received lumbar (lower back) transplants and the trial has now been underway since January of 2010.

Having begun with non-ambulatory patients and progressing to patients able to walk, this trial has now entered into the final six patients, all of whom will receive cervical transplants, with trial conclusion projected for six months after the final surgery is complete. The proprietary CUR spinal cord delivery platform with floating cannula has helped tremendously in making this dream a possibility and represents a true breakthrough in the field, making the first ever intraspinal injections feasible.

Chairman and CSO of CUR, Karl Johe, PhD., was proud to be breaking new ground with this latest cohort of patients, as it represents a major milestone for the trial, with direct implantation of cells into the gray matter of the spinal cord in the cervical region. Dr. Johe was especially proud of the potential these successful surgeries represent for the numerous patients who suffer from significant quality of life impairment due to ALS. With the 14th successful transplant notched into their belts, CUR is confident that the demonstration of safety in this novel procedure is going quite well.

This is a huge coup for CUR which is also making significant advancements towards developing a robust cell therapy platform capable of addressing a wide range of major central nervous system conditions, ranging from spinal cord injuries and chronic stroke, to ischemic spastic paraplegia and other crippling conditions. The company has an IND submitted to FDA for Phase I safety trials in chronic spinal cord injury.

The company is also well-positioned to service systematic screening needs in the large chemical library space. With proprietary screening technology and the ability to generate appropriate human neural stem cell lines, CUR is ready to leverage discovered/patented compounds that help to stimulate brain activity and neuron regeneration. The potential exists to even reverse debilitating CNS conditions.

The company has also received FDA clearance to conduct a Phase Ib safety trial for their first small molecule compound, NSI-189, for treatment of MDD (major depressive disorder); technology that could easily pan out into schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and Alzheimers offerings.

About MissionIR

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Neuralstem Shows Solid Progress in Spinal Cord Neural Stem Cell Trial for ALS

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Neuralstem Shows Solid Progress in Spinal Cord Neural Stem Cell Trial for ALS | March 8th, 2012

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE Amex: CUR) announced that the second patient to receive stem cells in the cervical (upper back) region of the spine was dosed on February 29th in the ongoing Phase I trial of its spinal cord neural stem cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease). Patient 14 is also the first woman to be treated in the trial. Stem cell transplantation into the cervical region of the spinal cord couldsupport breathing, a key function that is lost as ALS progresses. The first twelve patients in the trial received stem cell transplants in the lumbar (lower back) region of the spinal cord only.

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

"This cohort of patients represents another first for our trial, as we transplant cells directly into the gray matter of the spinal cord in the cervical region," said Karl Johe, PhD, Neuralstem's Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer. "We are delighted that the surgeries are progressing in a region that could have a significant impact on the quality of life for ALS patients. With the safe transplantation of our 14th patient, we are well are on our way to demonstrating the safety of our novel procedure."

About the Trial The Phase I trial to assess the safety of Neuralstem's spinal cord neural stem cells and intraspinal transplantation method in ALS patients has been underway since January 2010. The trial is designed to enroll up to 18 patients. The first 12 patients were each transplanted in the lumbar (lower back) region of the spine, beginning with non-ambulatory and advancing to ambulatory cohorts. The trial has now progressed to the final six patients. Each is in the cervical (upper back) region of the spine. The entire 18-patient trial concludes six months after the final surgery.

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 and 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, 2010 and the quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2011.

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Fourteenth Patient Dosed in Neuralstem ALS Stem Cell Trial

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Fourteenth Patient Dosed in Neuralstem ALS Stem Cell Trial | March 7th, 2012

by Stephen Coates

HONG KONG, March 7, 2012 (AFP) - One of the world's leading researchers into spinal cord injuries says China could hold the key to a cure that he has been searching for since he met late actor Christopher Reeve in the 1990s.

US-based Doctor Wise Young first used the word "cure" in relation to his work after a conversation with Reeve, the "Superman" hero who became quadriplegic in an equestrian accident in 1995.

Reeve contacted him looking for help and the two became close friends. The actor died of heart failure in 2004 at the age of 52, having devoted his life to raising awareness about spinal cord injuries and stem-cell research.

But it was a star of a different sort, Chinese gymnast Sang Lan, who set Young on the path he believes has brought a cure closer than ever, thanks to ground-breaking clinical trials of stem-cell therapy he is conducting in China.

"Everybody assumed that I'm doing this in China because I wanted to escape George W. Bush, but that's not the case at all," Young told AFP in an interview, recalling the former US president's 2001 decision to effectively stop Federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

"I started the clinical trials in 2005 here in Hong Kong ... mainly because of a promise that I made to a young woman. Her name is Sang Lan."

Sang crushed her spine during a routine warm-up exercise at the Goodwill Games in New York in 1998. She met Young as she underwent treatment and rehabilitation in the United States over the next 12 months.

"Her parents came to me and asked whether or not there would ever be a cure for her, and I said we're working very hard on it," recalled Young, who was by then one of the leading US experts on spinal cord injuries.

"When she went back to China after doing her rehabilitation in New York she cried and asked how would therapies go from the United States to China.

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Doctor looks to China for spinal injury 'cure'

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Doctor looks to China for spinal injury 'cure' | March 7th, 2012

One of the world's leading researchers into spinal cord injuries says China could hold the key to a cure that he has been searching for since he met late actor Christopher Reeve in the 1990s.

US-based Doctor Wise Young first used the word "cure" in relation to his work after a conversation with Reeve, the Superman hero who became a quadriplegic in an equestrian accident in 1995.

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Reeve contacted him looking for help and the two became close friends. The actor died of heart failure in 2004 at the age of 52, having devoted his life to raising awareness about spinal cord injuries and stem-cell research.

But it was a star of a different sort, Chinese gymnast Sang Lan, who set Young on the path he believes has brought a cure closer than ever, thanks to ground-breaking clinical trials of stem-cell therapy he is conducting in China.

"Everybody assumed that I'm doing this in China because I wanted to escape George W. Bush, but that's not the case at all," Young told AFP, recalling the former US president's 2001 decision to effectively stop federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

"I started the clinical trials in 2005 here in Hong Kong . . . mainly because of a promise that I made to a young woman. Her name is Sang Lan."

Sang crushed her spine during a routine warm-up exercise at the Goodwill Games in New York in 1998. She met Young as she underwent treatment and rehabilitation in the US over the next 12 months.

"Her parents came to me and asked whether or not there would ever be a cure for her, and I said we're working very hard on it," said Young, who was by then one of the leading US experts on spinal cord injuries.

"When she went back to China after doing her rehabilitation in New York she cried and asked how would therapies go from the United States to China.

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Young aims for spinal injury 'cure'

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Young aims for spinal injury 'cure' | March 7th, 2012

3/7/2012 5:12 AM ET (RTTNews) - Stem cells have set the scientific world agog because it has been proposed as candidates to treat a myriad of diseases ranging from alzheimer's to arthritis, blindness, burns, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, liver disorders, multiple sclerosis, parkinson's, spinal cord injury and stroke.

Engaged in the development of novel stem cell therapeutics targeting diseases of the central nervous system and liver is clinical-stage company StemCells Inc. (STEM: News ).

For readers who are new to this Palo Alto, California-based company, here's what to expect in the coming months...

StemCells' lead product candidate is HuCNS-SC cells, a highly purified composition of human neural stem cells, currently in clinical development for spinal cord injury and for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease, or PMD, a fatal myelination disorder in children.

A phase I/II clinical trial of HuCNS-SC cells in chronic spinal cord injury was initiated by the company last March. The trial, which is the world's first neural stem cell trial in spinal cord injury, is designed to enroll patients with thoracic (chest-level) neurological injuries with progressively decreasing severity of injury in three sequential cohorts.

The first patient in the trial was successfully transplanted with the company's proprietary HuCNS-SC adult neural stem cells last September, and enrollment in the first cohort of the spinal cord injury trial was completed last December. Following transplantation, the patients are being evaluated regularly over a 12-month period in order to monitor and evaluate the safety and tolerability of the HuCNS-SC cells.

The trial, which is currently open for enrollment for the remaining cohorts, is being conducted in Switzerland at the Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich.

In November 2011, Geron Corp. (GERN), the first company to get FDA approval for a clinical trial of an embryonic stem cell-based therapy, abandoned its phase I stem cell trial in patients paralyzed by spinal cord injuries - largely because of financial reasons.

The difference between the spinal cord injury trials of StemCells and Geron lies in the type of stem cells being evaluated. While Geron used human embryonic stem cells to treat spinal cord injuries in its trial, StemCells is using tissue-derived "adult" (non-embryonic) stem cells in its trials.

Yet another trial of StemCells that is underway is a phase I trial evaluating the safety and preliminary efficacy of HuCNS-SC cells as a treatment for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease that primarily affects infants and young children.

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Will StemCells Walk The Talk?

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Will StemCells Walk The Talk? | March 7th, 2012

Repeated injections of human umbilical cord blood cells improved motor neuron survival, delayed disease progression and increased lifespan

Oldsmar, FL (PRWEB) March 06, 2012

Dr. Julie G. Allickson, PhD. Vice President of Laboratory Operations and R&D, stated This groundbreaking study demonstrates the amazing capacity of cord blood stem cells to potentially treat a devastating neurodegenerative disease through the secretion of trophic factors that resulted in neuroprotection in the ALS mouse model. The data certainly justifies additional pre-clinical investigations using umbilical cord blood stem cells. This source of cells has mainly been used in hematopoietic and immune diseases in more than 25,000 transplants to date.

Cryo- Cell is excited about the results of the research Saneron CCEL Therapeutics has completed and proud of the progress Saneron has made in the treatment for ALS. The investment community does not appreciate the value of Cryo-Cells holdings in Saneron and its world-class research initiatives, commented David Portnoy, Cryo-Cells Chairman and CEO.

Given the delay between the onset of symptoms and the actual diagnosis of ALS, the data obtained from this study was critically important to show that multiple low-doses of cord blood cells started after the symptomatic disease stage in the ALS mouse model could benefit disease outcomes, said co-author Nicole Kuzmin-Nichols, President and COO of Saneron CCEL Therapeutics, Inc. Our continuing studies are aimed at translating the preclinical data into future clinical studies.

About Cryo-Cell International, Inc.

Cryo-Cell International, Inc. was founded in 1989 and was the worlds first private cord blood bank to separate and store stem cells in 1992. Today, Cryo-Cell has over 240,000 clients worldwide from 87 countries. Cryo-Cells mission is to provide our clients with the premier stem cell cryopreservation service and to support the advancement of regenerative medicine.

Cryo-Cell operates in a state-of-the-art Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Tissue Practice (cGMP/cGTP)-compliant facility, is ISO 9001:2008 certified and accredited by the AABB. Cryo-Cell is a publicly traded company. OTC:QB Markets Group Symbol: CCEL. Expectant parents or healthcare professionals may call 1-800-STOR-CELL (1-800-786-7235) or visit http://www.cryo-cell.com.

About Saneron CCEL Therapeutics, Inc.

Saneron CCEL Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology R&D company, focused on neurological and cardiac cell therapy for the early intervention and treatment of several devastating or deadly diseases, which lack adequate treatment options. Saneron, a University of South Florida spin-out company is located at the Tampa Bay Technology Incubator. An affiliate of Cryo-Cell International, Inc., Saneron is committed to providing readily available, noncontroversial stem cells for cellular therapies and has patented and patent-pending technology relating to our platform technology of umbilical cord blood and Sertoli cells.

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Cryo-Cell's Affiliate, Saneron CCEL Therapeutics, Releases Pre-clinical Data Indicating That Cord Blood Stem Cells ...

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Cryo-Cell's Affiliate, Saneron CCEL Therapeutics, Releases Pre-clinical Data Indicating That Cord Blood Stem Cells … | March 6th, 2012

Stem cell therapy is poised to become the next big thing in the treatment of major diseases. Even those extracted from dental pulp can be preserved for future use

Watching his five-year-old pull at his loose tooth, dad Shekar remembered something he had read in a dental clinic. Stem cells from teeth, called dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) could be preserved and retrieved to treat his son if he had a major ailment in future. Stemade, a private company, would arrange to collect DPSCs through its Smile Clinics and store them in state-of-the-art labs in several cities across the country. His thought: Stem cell technology is the next big step in medical treatment. Banking SCs is medical bio-insurance for his kid.

Stem cell therapy didn't jump out of a box yesterday. We've heard of it being used in treating leukaemia. Patients with spinal cord injury have spent huge sums on it hoping to get up and walk. Some ask: If a house lizard can grow back its tail, why can't we get our systems to re-start with a million multiplying stem cells?

Kinds of cells

The best cells for banking are embryonic cells which are programmed to develop and grow. But harvesting these is banned. Ethical issues, you know. Adult SCs beyond the embryonic stage are classified as haematopoietic (from umbilical cord blood and bone marrow) and mesenchymal (tissues and organs). While haematopoietic cells are used in the treatment of blood-related diseases such as haemophilia, blood cancer and skin troubles, tissue cells are tried on all problems other than these. HSCs are collected only from the umbilical cord and bone marrow. Tissue cells are taken from many body sources such as bone marrow, placenta, menstrual blood, cornea, outer layer of the heart, liposuction waste and teeth pulp.

Among these DPSCs are perhaps the best option, says Shailesh Gadre, MD, Stemade Biotech. We all lose our milk teeth and cell extraction here is almost painless. As for the permanent teeth, we can harvest the pulp when people have to lose them for orthodontic (cosmetic) reasons, as when braces are fixed or teeth are extracted because of poor positioning. Of course, they need to be free of caries and other dental infections.

But as we age, our cells age too, so DPSCs are best extracted and preserved when we're very young, when the cells are virile and robust. DPSCs have extraordinary doubling properties that give them a huge advantage over other stem cells, says Dr. Julian Deepak, Medical Advisor, Stemade. They are derived from the same source as nerve cells, with the same capacity as neuron cells, making them a better option for treating Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and muscular dystrophy. Work is on to see their effectiveness in curing diabetes.

Back to the kid's tooth. After the dad's call, a dentist from Stemade will check if Milan's tooth is free of disease. At a Smile Clinic he will extract it and take a blood sample. The dentist will then place the tooth in a specially-designed vial of antibiotic solution. The vial will be packed in ice-gel to keep the temperature low during transport. At their lab (which I visited) in suburban Chennai, a visual inspection is done, the tooth is flooded with anti-bacterial solution and broken open. The pulp is extracted, divided into parts for quality control and sterility (aerobic/anaerobic) tests. The processing is done in zero-contamination conditions and the cells are put in 5 different vials and placed in the vapour phase of liquid nitrogen for cryo-preservation. It is complete, patented technology. The cells are stored in raw format and can be retrieved when needed. Shekar gets a certificate and a CR Management number which will be part of his son's medical records.

These are your own (autologous) cells and will need no matching should you need them for treatment of tissue-and-organ-related diseases such as spinal cord/bone/liver/cartilage regeneration, diabetes, eye-care, etc., says Shailesh. Adds Dr. Julian, Now for most diseases we just do maintenance therapy. With their regenerative property, stem cells will cure diseases in the future.

Fine, but for a few details. One, is the banking fee? Yes, you have to pay for the banking facility, but we can help you with EMIs, says Shailesh. Subsidies are given to the poor as part of CSR. We want to reach as many households as possible. Others are the right to will it and fool-proof identification of the cells. We may store DPSCs at six and may need them at sixty.

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It's not pulp fiction

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on It's not pulp fiction | March 4th, 2012

SEATTLE, Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Omeros Corporation (NASDAQ: OMER - News) today announced that it has identified compounds that functionally interact with each of the following six orphan G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs): GPR17, GPR153, CCRL2, LGR4, LGR6 and OPN5. Without compounds that functionally interact with orphan GPCRs, developing drugs targeting those receptors is extremely difficult. Omeros has now unlocked 33 of them, representing over 40 percent of the Class A orphan GPCRs. There are approximately 120 orphan GPCRs and Omeros expects to unlock a large percentage of them, focusing first on Class A orphan GPCRs.

GPR17 is a novel target tied to multiple sclerosis. GPR153 is associated with schizophrenia, and CCRL2 is connected to immunological disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis. LGR4 is linked to cancer stem cells and the self-renewal and maintenance of adult stem cells. LGR4 is also tied to bone disorders, such as osteoporosis. LGR6 is expressed in the hair follicle stem cells and is involved in long-term wound repair, including the formation of new hair follicles. OPN5 is a recently discovered photoreceptor for ultraviolet light, but its physiological role is currently unknown. Omeros is in the process of filing broad patent applications around its unlocked orphan GPCRs and compound optimization efforts are in progress.

"We continue to advance rapidly through the Class A orphans and, by the end of 2012, we plan to have screened them all using our proprietary Cellular Redistribution Assay," said Gregory A. Demopulos, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer of Omeros. "For each of these receptors, the compounds uniquely identified by Omeros represent keys to drug development, and we believe that Omeros exclusively controls those keys. In parallel with our successful screening efforts, we are building our patent position for each of our unlocked orphans with the goal of protecting and capitalizing on our discoveries."

Ongoing GPCR Program

Omeros is screening orphan GPCRs against its small-molecule chemical libraries using its proprietary, high-throughput cellular redistribution assay (CRA). The CRA detects receptor antagonists, agonists and inverse agonists. Omeros has announced that it has identified and confirmed sets of compounds that interact selectively with 33 orphan receptors linked to metastatic melanoma (GPR19), esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and obesity-related type-2 diabetes (GPR39), hepatocellular carcinoma (GPR80), squamous cell carcinoma (GPR87), pancreatic cancer (GPR182), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (P2Y8/P2RY8), ovarian and prostate cancer (OGR1), arterial stiffness (GPR25), sleep disorders (OPN4), cognitive disorders (GPR12), torpor or "suspended animation" (GPR50), anxiety disorders (GPR31), schizophrenia (GPR52, GPR153), bipolar disorder and schizophrenia (GPR78), psychotic and metabolic disorders (GPR27, GPR85, GPR173), cognitive impairments (MAS1), inflammatory responses (GPR32), obesity and diabetes (GPR21), appetite control (GPR101), immunological disorders (CCRL2), rheumatoid arthritis and HIV-mediated enteropathy (GPR15), respiratory and immune disorders (GPR141), multiple sclerosis (GPR17), motor control (GPR139), congenital cataracts and birth defects of the brain and spinal cord (GPR161), cancer stem cells and the self-renewal and maintenance of adult stem cells (LGR4) and long-term wound repair, including the formation of new hair follicles (LGR6). In addition, Omeros has unlocked GPR20, GPR135 and OPN5, which have not yet been tied to any indications but are expressed preferentially in the gastrointestinal tract (GPR20), brain (GPR135) and eye, brain, testes and spinal cord (OPN5).

About G Protein-Coupled Receptors

GPCRs, which mediate key physiological processes in the body, are one of the most valuable families of drug targets. According to Insight Pharma Reports, GPCR-targeting drugs represent 30 to 40 percent of marketed pharmaceuticals. Examples include Claritin (allergy), Zantac (ulcers and reflux), OxyContin (pain), Lopressor (high blood pressure), Imitrex (migraine headache), Reglan (nausea) and Abilify (schizophrenia, bipolar disease and depression) as well as all other antihistamines, opioids, alpha and beta blockers, serotonergics and dopaminergics.

The industry focuses its GPCR drug discovery efforts mostly on non-sensory GPCRs. Of the 363 total non-sensory GPCRs, approximately 240 have known ligands (molecules that bind the receptors) with nearly half of those targeted either by marketed drugs (46 GPCRs) or by drugs in development (about 70 GPCRs). There are approximately 120 GPCRs with no known ligands, which are termed "orphan GPCRs." Without a known ligand, drug development for a given receptor is extremely difficult.

Omeros uses its proprietary high-throughput CRA to identify small-molecule agonists and antagonists for orphan GPCRs, unlocking them to drug development. Omeros believes that it is the first to possess the capability to unlock orphan GPCRs in high-throughput, and that currently there is no other comparable technology. Unlocking these receptors could lead to the development of drugs that act at these new targets. There is a broad range of indications linked to orphan GPCRs including cardiovascular disease, asthma, diabetes, pain, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, learning and cognitive disorders, autism, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and several forms of cancer.

About Omeros Corporation

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Adding Six More, Omeros Now Has a Total of 33 Unlocked Orphan GPCRs in its Portfolio

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Adding Six More, Omeros Now Has a Total of 33 Unlocked Orphan GPCRs in its Portfolio | February 29th, 2012

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Posted February 23, 2012

WASHINGTON -- The Stem Cell Action Coalition opposes Virginia House Bill No.1, the so-called Virginia "personhood bill." The Virginia Senate Committee on Education and Health is scheduled to take the matter up this week.

The language of the personhood bill states, in part, that the laws of Virginia "shall be interpreted and construed to acknowledge on behalf of unborn children at every stage of development all of the rights, privileges and immunities available to other persons, citizens and residents." The bill further states "unborn children shall include the offspring of human beings from the moment of conception until birth at every stage of biological development."

HB 1 arguably would apply to every aspect of Virginia law thus profoundly impacting inheritance, adoption, guardianship, civil and criminal liability by according the same rights as adults and children to a single cell.

The personhood bill would surely interfere with reproductive and related rights of women and couples along several fronts. These interferences include making it exceedingly difficult for couples in Virginia to seek in vitro fertilization as a means of creating families and donating for research IVF-created embryos not needed for implantation or not sufficiently healthy for implantation. Moreover, the law would prevent the pursuit of medical research in Virginia that utilizes human embryonic stem cells.

In this twisted new world, Virginia researchers deriving embryonic stem cells from donated embryos might be charged with capital crimes, even murder. Couples donating embryos to research might be designated as accessories to these crimes. Microscopic embryos, consisting of a few cells in lab dishes or frozen in IVF clinics might be designated as wards of the state and by mandate have legal guardians appointed on their behalf.

Human embryonic stem cell research has been described by scientists as the "gold standard" for those seeking to develop cures based on stem cell technology for many diseases and maladies such as Parkinson's, ALS, diabetes, MS, macular degeneration and other causes of blindness, spinal cord injuries, and other medical conditions for which there is no known cure.

Bernard Siegel, J.D., spokesperson for the Coalition and executive director of the Genetics Policy Institute commented, "It is a sad day indeed when the Commonwealth of Virginia should become an outpost for extremism by impeding potentially lifesaving scientific research. Thomas Jefferson would be appalled. The wise voters of Colorado (twice) and Mississippi overwhelmingly rejected personhood amendments to their state constitutions.

The profound implications of the personhood bill cannot be wished away by its sponsors. Passage of this bill would be an affront to couples trying to avail themselves of modern infertility treatments, stem cell researchers targeting cures and to all Virginians suffering from chronic and life threatening disease. Passage of HB 1 is akin to crushing hope.

Human embryonic stem cell research holds the promise of discovering the root causes of disease, serves as a tool for drug discovery, and will surely lead to regenerative medicines and cell therapies for repairing or replacing damaged tissues and organs.

Microscopic cells in a lab dish, that by a couples' decision, will never be implanted in a womb, should not be defined as 'people'," Siegel continued.

HB 1 represents a concerted move by opponents of all forms of early termination of pregnancy and medical research involving human embryos to attempt to pass laws to define "person" as the being that comes into existence at conception. In addition to Virginia, similar efforts to pass "personhood" legislation are underway in Oklahoma, Mississippi and in other states.

The Stem Cell Action Coalition has 75 nonprofit affiliated organizations including patient groups, medical philanthropies, scientific and medical societies and public interest organizations all dedicated to advancing scientifically meritorious and ethically responsible research.

The Stem Cell Action Coalition serves as an engine to unite the pro-cures community. It recognizes that human embryonic stem cell research must be a national public health priority at all branches and levels of government, not only as a matter of the medical health of the individuals who comprise the United States, but also as a matter of national financial health. The Coalition sponsors a web site http://www.stemcellaction.org and can be found on Twitter @StemCellAction and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/stemcellaction.

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Stem Cell Action Coalition Opposes Virginia Personhood Bill

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Stem Cell Action Coalition Opposes Virginia Personhood Bill | February 24th, 2012

22-02-2012 02:19 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Buddhist Tzu-Chi Medical Center, Hualien, Taiwan, speaking on "Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells support prolonged expansion of human embryonic stem cells without tumorigenesis" at the International Conference of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine for Neurodegenerative Diseases to be held at the Tzu-Chi Hospital in Hualien, Taiwan on April 22-24, 2010.

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Dah-Ching Ding, "Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells support prolonged expansion of... - Video

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Dah-Ching Ding, "Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells support prolonged expansion of… – Video | February 23rd, 2012

22-02-2012 04:19 Osamu Honmou, Sapporo Medical University, Sapporo, "Transplantation of bone marrow stem cells" at the International Conference of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine for Neurodegenerative Diseases to be held at the Tzu-Chi Hospital in Hualien, Taiwan on April 22-24, 2010.

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Osamu Honmou, "Transplantation of bone marrow stem cells" - Video

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Osamu Honmou, "Transplantation of bone marrow stem cells" – Video | February 23rd, 2012

Bioethicists debate how to remain impartial as a bioethics journal editor joins a company that peddles unproven stem cell therapies.

By Sabrina Richards | February 22, 2012

Bioethicists are debating how, or even whether, one can remain impartial when working for industry as Glenn McGee, founder and editor of the American Journal of Bioethics, joins CellTex, a company that banks patients’ cells for untested stem cell therapies, reported Nature. McGee, who joined CellTex in December of last year and will step down from AJOB on March 1, says he hopes to bring ethical standards to CellTex’s stem cell trials.

CellTex licenses therapies from RNL Bio, a South Korea-based company that converts patients’ fat cells into patient-specific mesenchymal stem cells, which the company claims can be reinjected to treat conditions like spinal cord injury. To date, no clinical trials have been completed that back these claims.

Though criticism has been leveled at McGee for joining CellTex while remaining at AJOB, observers also wonder whether bioethicists can work in industry at all. McGee has argued that bioethicists have a place in industry, thereby helping bioethics to have a practical purpose. Others, such as Insoo Hyun, a stem-cell bioethicist at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, are doubtful. Hyun developed patient consent procedure for egg donation for Woo Suk Hwang, the infamous Korean stem cell researcher whose claims of human cloning later proved fraudulent.

“I know firsthand how difficult it is to separate conflict of interest—to maintain the role of bioethicist,” Hyun told Nature. “I know you need to not be too chummy with enterprises trying to speed ahead in stem cells.”

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Bioethics Backlash

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Bioethics Backlash | February 23rd, 2012

22-02-2012 05:16 Waisan Poon, Chinese U, Hong Kong, speaking on, "Clinical trial of umbilical cord blood stem cells in spinal cord injury" at the International Conference of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine for Neurodegenerative Diseases to be held at the Tzu-Chi Hospital in Hualien, Taiwan on April 22-24, 2010.

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Waisan Poon, "Clinical trial of umbilical cord blood stem cells in spinal cord injury" - Video

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Waisan Poon, "Clinical trial of umbilical cord blood stem cells in spinal cord injury" – Video | February 23rd, 2012

Research on the potential of stem cells in preventing ovarian cancer, obesity-related diseases and other serious illnesses affecting people in Qatar and the region is to be presented by three Qatari graduate students at the Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy next week.
The conference is organised by Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) and James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy.
It will provide an international platform to discuss the latest discoveries in stem cell research and collaborate on new therapeutic approaches for the use of stem cells, within an acceptable ethics, cultural and religious framework.
The students are part of QF’s Qatar Science Leadership Programme (QSLP), and their participation in the conference is considered an important part of their training. 
With more than 400 registered participants, including key ethicists and scientists in stem cell research, the conference provides students invaluable opportunities for exchanging knowledge and building relationships with top figures and leading regional and international institutions in the field.
QSLP, aims to equip rising Qatari generations for leading roles in the country’s scientific and research endeavours, with stem cell research as a national priority.
Qatari QSLP trainee and PhD student from Paris XI University, Dr Hamda al-Thawadi, will present at the conference a poster about her research on ovarian cancer.
She explained that this is an important area specifically for Qatar, as there is a high prevalence of thrombotic diseases which affect patients with cancer.
“My project will help in detecting a powerful tool for the assessment of thrombosis risk factors in patients with cancer as well as healthy individuals, which should help develop preventative measures,” she said.
Dr Halema Alfarsi, another student on QSLP’s scientific track, is also presenting her research on ovarian cancer at the conference. Her work explores the potential application of stem cells in making cells and tissues for medical therapies.
She pointed out that currently, donated tissues and organs are often used to replace those that are diseased or destroyed. Stem cells offer a viable source of replacement cells to treat diseases and can potentially reduce the morbidity and mortality for those awaiting transplants for Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, severe burns, diabetes and arthritis.
“In Qatar we have many cases of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. Stem cells offer hope for effective treatment or perhaps even reversal of the disease,” added Dr Alfarsi.
The recently published Heba al-Siddiqi, another QSLP student, will present her research on preventing chronic obesity-related diseases through tissue engineering and organ regeneration. This research was recently featured in the leading international scientific journal Nature.
“Tackling obesity-related diseases such as coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes through developing stem cell technology is very important as these diseases are increasingly common in Qatar,” observed al-Siddiqi.
“I am excited about the potential of creating cell-based therapies to treat and prevent chronic diseases in Qatar for future generations,” she added.
The three student presenters will be joined at the conference by their fellow QSLP members, Sarah Ali Abdulla and Abeer al-Shammari. 
Abdulla, who is pursuing her PhD in stem cell science and neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, will serve as master of ceremonies over the conference’s four days.
“The Qatar conference on stem cells supports our students’ scientific development by including them in the country’s stem cell research community and connecting them with leading figures in the field. We hope it will inspire young people in Qatar and the region to pursue studies in stem cell science,” said QF’s head of Research Training and Development, Dr Ayman Bassil.
The Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy opens on February 27, 2012 at the Qatar National Convention Centre. 
More information about the conference can be found at http://www.qf-research-division.org/stemcell2012

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Qatari students to present research on stem cells

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Qatari students to present research on stem cells | February 21st, 2012

A Panamanian-led, multidisciplinary research team has published the first description of non-expanded fat stem cells in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis patients. "Autologous Stromal Vascular Fraction Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rationale and Clinical Safety," which appears in the January publication of the International Archives of Medicine, followed 13 rheumatoid arthritis patients who were treated with their own fat-derived stem cells.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) February 21, 2012

A Panamanian-led, multidisciplinary research team has published the first description of non-expanded fat stem cells in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis patients. "Autologous Stromal Vascular Fraction Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rationale and Clinical Safety," which appears in the January publication of the International Archives of Medicine, followed 13 rheumatoid arthritis patients who were treated with their own fat-derived stem cells.

Treating arthritis with fat-derived stem cells has become commonplace in veterinary medicine over the past five years with over 7,000 horses and dogs treated by publication contributor Vet-Stem, a San Diego-based company. The objective of the joint Panamanian-US study was to determine feasibility of translating Vet-Stem's successful animal results into human patients.

Observing no treatment associated adverse reactions after one year, the team concluded that its protocol should be studied further to determine efficacy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Their publication details the rationale for the use of fat derived stem cells in treatment of autoimmune conditions and is freely available at: http://www.intarchmed.com/content/pdf/1755-7682-5-5.pdf

“Key to advancement of any medical protocol is transparent disclosure of rationale, treatment procedures and outcomes to the research community in a peer-reviewed and IRB-compliant manner,” said Dr. Jorge Paz Rodriguez, Medical Director of the Stem Cell Institute and research team leader. “While we have previously published case studies on the use of fat stem cells in multiple sclerosis patients, and one rheumatoid arthritis patient, this is the first time that comprehensive follow-up has been completed for a larger cohort of patients,” he added.

An important distinction that separates this particular approach from those which are being explored by several international investigators is that the fat stem cells were not grown in a laboratory, affording a substantially higher level of safety and protocol practicality.

“This work signifies Panama's emergence into the burgeoning field of translational medicine,” commented Dr. Ruben Berrocal Timmons, the Panamanian Secretary of Science and publication co-author. “We are proud to have attracted and collaborated with internationally-renowned stem cell clinical researchers such as Dr. Michael Murphy and Dr. Keith March from the Indiana University School of Medicine Center for Vascular Biology and Medicine, Dr. Boris Minev from the University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center, Dr. Chien Shing Chen from Loma Linda University Behavioral Medicine Center and Dr. Bob Harman from Vet-Stem. By leveraging their vast, collective clinical experience with Panamanian scientific infrastructure and know-how, we are striving to develop effective, internationally recognized stem cell procedures that will be accepted the world over.”

The treatment procedure involves a mini-liposuction, collection of the fat's cellular component, processing to obtain a population of cells that includes stem cells, freezing the cells in preparation for quality control, and subsequent re-administration of the cells into patients.

The Panamanian-US group has previously shown that there is a specific type of T cell, called the T regulatory cell, associated with fat stem cells, which is capable of suppressing pathological immunity. Their current theory, which is described in detail in the publication: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20537320, is that the T regulatory component of the fat is capable of slowing down or suppressing the “autoimmune” reaction, while the stem cell component causes formation of new tissue to replace the damaged joints.

About the Stem Cell Institute

Founded in 2006 on the principles of providing unbiased, scientifically-sound treatment options, the Stem Cell Institute has matured into the world’s leading adult stem cell therapy and research center. In close collaboration with universities and physicians world-wide, the institute’s doctors treat carefully selected patients with spinal cord injury, osteoarthritis, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. Doctors at The Stem Cell Institute have treated over 1000 patients to-date.

For more information on stem cell therapy:

Stem Cell Institute Web Site: http://www.cellmedicine.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stemcellinstitute

Blogger: http://www.adult-stem-cell-therapy.blogspot.com

Stem Cell Institute

Via Israel & Calle 66

Pacifica Plaza Office #2A

San Francisco, Panama

Republic of Panama

Phone: +1 800 980-STEM (7836) (USA Toll-free) +1 954 636-3390 (from outside USA)

Fax: +1 866 775-3951 (USA Toll-free) +1 775 887-1194 (from outside USA)

###

Jay Lenner
jdlenner@cellmedicine.com
1-800-980-7836
Email Information

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Panamanian-US Scientific Research Supports Using Fat Stem Cells to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Panamanian-US Scientific Research Supports Using Fat Stem Cells to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis | February 21st, 2012

The day – Valentine’s Day, as it happened – began in a whirl of coffee cups, bustling dogs and homework, then a brisk walk around the block – in other words, business as usual for a UC Irvine couple who are a high-profile science team engaged in cutting-edge stem-cell research.

Brian Cummings and Aileen Anderson, whose stem-cell treatment for spinal cord injury is being tested on patients in Switzerland, say their office – only a short walk from their home on the UCI campus – has a family feel as well.

At UCI’s recently constructed Stem Cell Research Center, they supervise a crew of young students and technicians whose bond with their mentors is so close that they call themselves the “Andermings.”

“I suppose it’s like having an orphanage,” Cummings joked as he prepared for the day ahead.

It would include a lengthy meeting with the Andermings on how best to grow human embryonic stem cells without animal-cell contamination, a critique of a doctoral candidate’s presentation of potentially significant new findings and a session with Alzheimer’s researchers at an institute called UCI MIND.

But first, Cummings, Anderson and their two dogs – Chesapeake and Indiana – had to get the couple’s 6-year-old daughter, Camryn, to school.

After Camryn finished her homework (completed strategically a day in advance, leaving more time for afternoon play), they took the long way round to the Montessori school, also easy walking distance from their home.

Along the way, they encountered another faculty couple, from the German department, and their dog. They stopped with Camryn, giggling as the dogs rolled and tumbled on a neighbor’s lawn.

•••

Cummings, 47, and Anderson, 45, together since they were both undergrads at the University of Illinois, say living and working with each other comes naturally.

“People say, ‘Do I need a break from her?’ ” Cummings said as he wrangled the dogs.

“More people say, ‘Do you need a break from him?’ ” Anderson replied.

Later, the conversation transitions into a science meeting as the two take the 20-minute walk past UCI’s Ecological Preserve and into the Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center. The energy-efficient building, with an open design to encourage chance meetings among scientists, houses a roster of high-powered researchers as well as their experimental subjects: rodents.

The center was seeded by $27 million in state stem-cell funding and $10 million from donors Bill and Sue Gross. The building was completed in 2010.

Now, researchers working there cultivate lines of human embryonic stem cells that can grow into a variety of cell types, from brain cells to liver and heart cells.

The ability to coax stem cells into many forms – and with it the potential to treat Alzheimer’s, paralysis and a long list of diseases – is fueling an explosion of research around the nation and across the state.

Anderson and Cummings showed that their stem-cell treatment, using cells derived from aborted fetuses, allowed partially paralyzed rats to walk again. The rat’s recovery was revealed in a dramatic before-and-after video.

So far, the human trial of the treatment in Switzerland is showing no ill effects on patients, Cummings said.

But stem-cell research is buffeted by political controversy, funding uncertainties and, sometimes, attacks by stem-cell research opponents.

The trial of the treatment developed by Cummings and Anderson with their collaborators, StemCells Inc., was the first of its kind in the world when it was announced in 2010.

In some ways, that made the family – and their team – a target.

Concerns about possible intruders prompted the couple to place a camera at their front door. Cummings’ tires have been slashed, he said, though he doesn’t know if that was the work of people who oppose the harvesting of human embryonic stem cells, animal-rights activists (angered by experiments on rodents) or perhaps a disgruntled student.

At the moment, Cummings and Anderson are running five research programs and leading 17 researchers. All of it is funded by $2.2 million in grants, much of it from California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, or CIRM.

Created by voter initiative – Proposition 71 in 2004 – CIRM is California’s $3 billion answer to federal restrictions on funding for stem-cell research. Those restrictions were started by the Bush administration and eased, but not eliminated, under President Obama.

Cummings said opposition to their research is based, in part, on incorrect assumptions.

A big one is that the research involves the destruction of embryos. In reality, they work with balls of cells created at an earlier stage of human development, called blastocysts – a distinction many opponents do not draw.

“Embryonic stem cells don’t come from embryos,” he said. “And they never have.”

The raw material comes from fertility clinics and otherwise would be discarded.

Cummings says those who say that such research is immoral have it wrong.

“The argument is backward,” he said. “It’s immoral to throw away this stuff and not use it to help someone.”

••

During their meeting with the Andermings, project leader Hal Nguyen described the group’s plan to grow a series of stem-cell cultures and check a compelling question: Is some of a stem cell’s transformation guided by the microscopic environment in which it dwells, or is it entirely dictated by the cell’s internal workings?

“The plan is in the email,” Nguyen told Anderson.

“Dude, I have 400 emails,” Anderson said.

The group’s task was meant to answer a classic nature-nurture question, Anderson said. In this case, “nature” is the DNA coding in the stem cell itself, while “nurture” is the cellular environment, with all its floating nutrients and chemical signals.

“Will that environment, the extrinsic factor, trump anything the cell can do?” Anderson had wondered earlier. “Or is the intrinsic programming of the cell the principal determinant? Is that the main driving factor?”

Cummings stood by in the tiny meeting room while the researchers batted around their questions and answers. He said Anderson, a spinal cord specialist, was the expert in this arena, though he couldn’t help piping in during a discussion of the medium in which the cells would be grown.

“You’re comparing two different medias, too?” Cummings asked.

“We all know what we’re talking about,” Anderson told him. “Don’t interrupt.”

Then it was on to a larger, mostly empty meeting room where Sheri Peterson, a doctoral candidate, wanted to test her presentation on Cummings and Anderson.

Her eventual target is an advancement committee that will determine her future. The presentation will be crucial in her quest for a Ph.D.

Peterson ran through an array of slides projected on a large screen to reveal her findings. Inflammation of damaged tissue being regenerated in rats, she said, might be eased or worsened simply by manipulating proteins surrounding the regenerating cells.

Again, the topic was in Anderson’s wheelhouse.

“My notes said, ‘Nicely done,’ ” Cummings told Peterson.

“He’s not an aficionado,” Anderson said.

The husband-and-wife researchers then provided her with a detailed, slide-by-slide critique.

•••

Cummings’ expertise centers on traumatic brain injury. But he also is an expert at the complex task of marshaling grant funding. On his office wall, a whiteboard densely covered with writing tells the story: Cummings must police incoming and outgoing grants like an air traffic controller, timing the grants and the work they fund to match years of employment for graduate students and staff members.

The grants come and go over months and years, and so do the students and staff. Get the timing wrong, and you might have funding with no researchers, or researchers with nothing to do.

“At UCI, I’m like a small-business owner,” Cummings said.

Over a hasty lunch in his office (cold sandwiches grabbed during a trip, with Anderson, to a nearby campus snack shop), Cummings spoke of the merging of home and office life.

Writing up grant requests takes up both researchers’ time. Often, as they write, Camryn is playing in the background, whether at home or at the office. And research collaborators can show up wanting to conduct interviews at any time, holidays included.

“I did draw a line in the sand at Christmas Eve,” Anderson said.

Cummings knows such stress has driven other husband-and-wife teams into open conflict. But that just isn’t his and Anderson’s style. In fact, he said, keeping a scientific perspective, even at home, might help keep things calm.

“There’s no need to be yelling and shouting at each other because we don’t think that way,” he said. “You’re supposed to believe nothing until you prove it.”

That doesn’t mean they don’t differ, sometimes strongly, over scientific details.

“They don’t always agree with each other, and that’s good,” said Brittany Greer, an intern in their lab and an Anderming.

Nurturing the students and young scientists is part of the pleasure of doing science for both halves of the research couple, Anderson said.

“You start to look at this crowd of people as your second family,” she said. “They’re your kids. That is fun and rewarding for sure.”

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Stem-cell scientists find right chemistry

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Stem-cell scientists find right chemistry | February 19th, 2012

ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE Amex: CUR) announced today that it has closed on its previously announced registered direct placement of 5,200,000 shares of common stock at a price of $1.00 per share, and 5,200,000 warrants each with an exercise price of $1.02 per share and exercisable starting six months from the issuance date for a term of five years. The company received aggregate gross proceeds of $5,200,000, which will be used for general corporate purposes, including ongoing U.S. clinical trials.

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

T.R. Winston & Company, LLC acted as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.

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, chronic stroke, and Huntington's disease. 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 and 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, 2010 and the  quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2011.

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Neuralstem Announces Closing of $5.2-Million Registered Direct Offering

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Neuralstem Announces Closing of $5.2-Million Registered Direct Offering | February 15th, 2012