Technavio has been monitoring the global amniotic membrane market since 2019 and the market is poised to grow by USD 1.48 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of more than 13% during the forecast period. Request a free sample report

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Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled global amniotic membrane market 2020-2024 (Graphic: Business Wire)

Read the 145-page report with TOC on "Amniotic Membrane Market Analysis Report by Geography (Asia, Europe, North America, and ROW), Type (Cryopreserved amniotic membrane and Dehydrated amniotic membrane), and the Segment Forecasts, 2020-2024".

https://www.technavio.com/report/amniotic-membrane-market-industry-analysis

The market is driven by the rising demand for biocompatible scaffolds. In addition, the rise in the development of new applications through research is anticipated to boost the growth of the amniotic membrane market.

The rising need for naturally derived materials in tissue scaffolding is increasing the demand for amniotic membranes. This is due to the specialized structure of amniotic membranes that exhibit high biological viability, making them ideal for creating bio-scaffolds. Moreover, the epithelial cells in amniotic membranes have the advantages of stem cells which provide a native environment of cell seeding. Bio-scaffolds are widely used in regenerative therapies for the treatment of bone, cartilage, skin, vascular tissues, and skeletal muscles. With growing geriatric population, the demand for such orthopaedic regenerative therapies is expected to increase significantly during the forecast period. This will have a positive impact on the demand for amniotic membranes.

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Major Five Amniotic Membrane Market Companies:

Celularity Inc.

Celularity Inc. operates its business through the Unified Business Segment. BIOVANCE is the key offering of the company. It offers a decellularized, dehydrated human amniotic membrane allograft that contains natural extracellular matrix (ECM) that helps in wound regeneration and tissue restoration.

Human Regenerative Technologies LLC

Human Regenerative Technologies LLC operates the business across segments such as Flowable and Membrane. HydraTek amniotic membrane products, is the key offering of the company. It includes thin and thick dehydrated amniotic membranes used in covering and protecting the recipient's tissue.

Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corp.

Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corp. operates its business across segments such as Codman Specialty Surgical, and Orthopedics and Tissue Technologies. The company offers a wide range of amniotic membrane products. Some of the key offerings include AmnioExcel Amniotic Allograft Membrane, BioDDryFlex Amniotic Tissue Membrane, BioDOptix Amniotic Extracellular Membrane, and Integra BioFix Amniotic Membrane Allograft.

Katena Products Inc.

Katena Products Inc. operates the business across segments such as Instruments, Biologics, Plugs, Lenses, Devices, and Blink Medical. Amniotic Membrane Surgical and Amniotic Membrane Clinic are some of the key offerings of the company.

Story continues

MiMedx Group Inc.

MiMedx Group Inc. operates the business in the Regenerative biomaterial products and bioimplants segment. The company offers a wide range of amniotic membrane products. AmnioFix, EpiFix, and EpiBurn are the key offerings of the company.

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Being jam-packed with various essential nutrients like folate, Vitamin A, beta carotene, etc., carrot and ginger can offer you both health and beauty benefits. These kitchen companions can help diabetics to control their blood sugar level and have many more medicinal uses. These vegetables are known to treat ailments like cough and cold, nausea, anxiety, etc. From strengthening your immune system to protecting your against cancer and boosting collagen production, carrot ginger juice can do it all for you. Below, we give you more than one reason to add this juice to your daily diet.

Being a rich source of vitamin A, carrot ginger juice helps in strengthening your immune response. This nutrient is required to form white blood cells in the bone marrow stem cells. Notably, WBC is a significant component of your bodys defence system. So, it is advised to drink this juice on a daily basis. You can add oranges in the juice to make it a bit tasty.

For a healthy skin texture and tone, vitamin C and E are needed. Carrot ginger juice is a rich source of both nutrients. Your skin requires collagen for better elasticity, texture, and strength. Vitamin C helps in the synthesis of this protein and holds the body together. Even if you have a skin wound, you can have this drink and get rid of the problem soon. On the other hand, vitamin E protects your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays.

Carrot ginger juice is a detox drink that is jam-packed with vitamin C, a nutrient that is already linked to providing protection against cancer. The juice contains a compound called gingerol, that can potentially reduce your risk of developing breast, ovarian, and stomach cancers. This is what research published in the European Journal of Pharmacology reveals.

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Want to Rev up Your Immunity And Improve Skin Health? Consume Carrot Ginger Juice - India.com

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Want to Rev up Your Immunity And Improve Skin Health? Consume Carrot Ginger Juice – India.com | January 5th, 2020

3 January 2020

Victoria Beckham aims to "create a brand of the future" with Victoria Beckham Beauty.

Victoria Beckham

The former Spice Girl launched her eponymous beauty brand last year, later expanding her label to include skincare, and the 45-year-old fashion designer says her intention was to create products that are sustainable and not made from toxic formulas, whilst being "inclusive" for all skin tones.

The mother-of-four told the February issue of Harper's Bazaar UK: "I've been obsessed with make-up and skincare and wellness for longer than I can remember.

"But I couldn't find what I wanted - clean beauty.

"What is that, even? It's a real grey area.

"I wanted to create a brand of the future - focusing on what's in the formulas but then also sustainability.

"The other thing that was key was making sure it was very inclusive - whether it's make-up or skincare, this is for every skin type and tone, and for both women and men."

In November, Victoria - who has Brooklyn, 20, Romeo, 17, Cruz, 14 and Harper, eight, with retired soccer star husband David Beckham - released her Cell Rejuvenating Priming Moisturiser in collaboration with Professor Augustinus Bader, the German stem-cell scientist behind The Cream, which was named as one of 2019's most popular skincare products.

Bader's product features a patented Trigger Factor Complex that works to jumpstart your skin's repair and renewal functions to heal skin faster and in turn, improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and as a fan of the cream herself, Victoria was thrilled to work with the scientist.

She said: "It's been a dream to develop, with Augustinus, a priming moisturiser that works to improve the health of my skin and gives me that fresh, natural glow that I love."

The priming moisturiser is a hybrid product that combines primer with moisturiser, and is inspired by Victoria's own skincare routine.

Victoria's product implements Bader's Trigger Factor Complex technology, as well as the lipids, vitamins, and amino acids found in his original cream, but with the added benefit of also smoothing skin so it's prepped for make-up application.

Bader explained: "It's the first priming moisturiser of its kind to care for your skin cells while also preparing your skin for makeup application."

The cream has a lightweight texture that can be work alone to give skin a radiant finish or under make-up, which according to Victoria, "will enhance your products."

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Victoria Beckham wants her beauty line to be 'brand of the future' - FemaleFirst.co.uk

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Its not easy to choose the right skin creams! There are so many new products on the market, beckoning us to buy them. With fancy campaigns and big budgets, who knows which ones are the best?

While we like to think we actually getbetterwith age, we totally understand that there might be some pesky skin changes you want to address as the years pass. Its difficult to pinpoint exactlywhen to startincorporating anti-aging products into your routine, so we chatted with one of our favorite celebrity experts, Nicole Baca, who createdOverdoseto get the scoop on the best approach to wrinkle creams.

Not only is Baca an award-winning leading independent skincare specialist in the U.S, who produced the top-selling product Overdose,but she is also a well-known advisor and specialist in elite Hollywood circles, and in todays current market, that means everything!

While different age groups require different routines, the best anti-aging product issunblock, which Baca recommends be applied to the face daily as young as possible! In individuals with dry skin,a daily moisturizer,serum, andeye creamshould be started in the early 20s, says Baca.

If the individual has oily skin, traditional anti-aging products can start in their 30s, but most likely they will be using aretinol product to combat acne breakouts, so they are already using preventative measures.

When comparing products, opt for ones with retinol,hyaluronic acid,plant-based stem cells,resveratrol, andglycolic acid. Exfoliation is essential! Baca says.

Armed with that info, we set out to research and find the right anti-aging creams that fight wrinkles. Our list (of course) includes J.Nicoles Overdose.

Ready to find the best wrinkle cream for you? Read on to learn more about our top picks.

Body Merry Retinol Surge Moisturizer $22.98 SHOP NOW

Wildly Popular Aretinol creamcanmakeyourskin appear more youthfulover time, and this is our favorite one at a budget-friendly price. Wed expect to pay more for resultsthislegit, but this steal fromBody Merry truly works to improve aging skin.

TheRetinol Surge Moisturizer addresses wrinkles and uneven skin tone, providing the kind of results youd expect from a professional product.

ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Marine Cream $120.47-$96.00 (20% off) SHOP NOW

Feels Amazing This silky, moisturizing cream not only feels amazing on your skin, but it contains a mix of powerful ingredients like Mediterranean algae, gingko biloba, chlorella, mimosa, and rose that work to visibly reduce fine lines and wrinkles in just 14 days. Fewer linesandplump skin? Yes, please!

OVERDOSE Bio-Hybrid Technology $95.00 SHOP NOW

Skin Care Essentials J.Nicole uses patent-pending formula to combine seven separate skin care products into one easy to use formula. Their unique serum utilizes the high oleic acid found within specially-bred hybrid sunflowers, delivering a super-saturated boost of skin care essentials deep into your skin without any irritation. Simply apply once a day after cleansing for instantly clearer, brighter, and youthful skin.

Rodial Dragons Blood Hyaluronic Night Cream $72.00-$58.50 (19% off) SHOP NOW

Potent Ingredients Rodials Dragons Blood Hyaluronic Night Cream offers potent ingredients in a light, buttery cream that smells divine. This anti-aging cream contains time-released retinol, penetrating deep into the skin as you sleep to help reduce lines and wrinkles. It also contains hyaluronic acid to pump long-lasting hydration into the deepest layers of the skin.

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream $20.03 SHOP NOW

Fast-Acting Formula Give this anti-wrinkle cream by Olay a spin for line-free skin. The fast-action formula starts reducing wrinkles instantly with a blend of hyaluronic acid, vitamin B, and amino-peptides, so if youre in a rush to reduce age marks on a budget, Olay has found the way.

RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Anti-Aging Retinol Night Cream $16.79 SHOP NOW

Works While You Sleep Theres hardly a list of wrinkle creams without mention of RoCs Retinol Correxion products. Our favorite drugstore buy, this night cream uses a retinol-packed formula to improve skin while you sleep! Youll see a reduction incrows feet, under-eye wrinkles, and deep lines with 12 weeks of use.

Derma-E Anti-Wrinkle Renewal Skin Cream $11.96SHOP NOW

Vegan and Cruelty-Free Experience anti-aging benefits around the clock with this cream from Derma-E that can be used day or night. A rich mix of vitamin A (aka retinol), vitamin E, allantoin, panthenol, and nourishing oils works together to soften skin and reduce the look of wrinkles.

Neutrogena Anti-Wrinkle Deep Wrinkle Daily Moisturizer$21.99-$13.47 (39% off) SHOP NOW

Contains Sunscreen When using a retinol, you shouldalwaysbe usingan SPF, too. (Which, TBH, you should be wearing anyway.) This daily moisturizer from Neutrogena containsboth!

Its also formulated withhyaluronic acid,which plumps up skinand helps it retain moisture.

The Inkey List Bakuchiol Moisturizer $9.99 SHOP NOW

Retinol Alternative If you havent yet heard of Bakuchiol, youll want to try this buzzy skincareingredient ASAP! Itsthe gentler, plant-derived alternative to retinol, and provides similar anti-aging effects without any of the irritation or sensitivity to the sun.

Plus, unlike regular retinol,its a safe pick for pregnant or breastfeeding moms, too.You cant beat the value ofThe Inkey Lists under-$10version.

Skinmedica Dermal Repair Cream $103.20 SHOP NOW

Skincare Staple A staple from one of Vielbigs recommended brands, this all-encompassing hydrating treatment deserves a spot in your skincare regimen ASAP. Formulated with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and other wrinkle-fighting ingredients, this cream effectively penetrates the skin to turn back the clock and provide you witha more youthful appearance.

SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Interrupter Mature Skin Treatment $157.75 SHOP NOW

A Best-Seller This best-selling anti-aging cream from SkinCeuticals slows the loss of elasticity in your skin and keeps your collagen levels up. Formulated with 30% concentration of Pro-Xylane, 4% blueberry extract, and 0.2% phytosphingosine, this anti-wrinkle treatment helps restore the loss of visible skin firmness.

Obagi Hydrate Luxe $74.00 SHOP NOW

Expert-Approved A favorite brand recommended byour skincare expert, this moisture-rich cream from Dr. Obagi is life-changing. It features nourishing shea butter, along with peptides designed to capture moisture andsupport cell-repair processes.

Dr. Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Deep Cream $72.00 SHOP NOW

Deeply-Penetrating When it comes to youthful-looking skin, collagen is one of your besties. Implement Dr. Dennis Grosss deeply penetrating cream into your skin care routine to postpone age spots and wrinkles.

The potent, vitamin C-infused formula also features sunflower, rice bran, and camellia japonica seed oils that work to increase moisture retention.

DHC CoQ10 Quick Gel Brightening Moisture $61.26 SHOP NOW

Absorbs Quickly How did we live without this anti-aging wonder cream from DHC? Bursting with age-defying coenzyme Q10, this antioxidant-rich gel cream absorbs quickly to deliver potent ingredients in a flash. It promotes elasticity while vitamin C and daisy extract help brighten for a more luminous complexion.

This cream tones, brightens, and moisturizes in one step, making itperfect to wear with or without makeup.

IMAGE Skincare Ageless Total Overnight Retinol Masque $72.00$-60.39 (16% off) SHOP NOW

Retinol-Infused Goodness We love using this retinol-infused goodness from IMAGE Skincare as a night cream around threetimes per week. Simply slather it on before bed, and itll continuously release marine collagen microspheres and retinol into the skin to lock in moisture while you sleep. Youll wake up looking fresh and young!

Dr. Barbara Sturm Anti-Aging Body Cream $95.00 SHOP NOW

For Your Whole Body While we know your facial anti-aging cream is top of mind, dont forget about the rest of your skin! We live for Dr. Barbara Sturms Anti-Aging Body Cream. Its on the pricier side, but the serious results make it worth the splurge.

It contains a slew of nourishing ingredients, including olive oil, lactic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin B-5, to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on your body.

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We asked beauty expert Nicole Baca for advice on the best skincare treatments on the market - Globe Stats

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MCLEAN, United States (AFP) When a person's immune system is impaired by a genetic disease a bone marrow transplant can be a powerful therapeutic tool, but with a major downside during the first few months the recipient's defences against viruses are severely weakened. The slightest infection can lead to a hospital trip.

A still-experimental type of treatment known as T-cell therapy aims to assist during this vulnerable period the months during which the body is rebuilding its natural defences. After two decades of clinical trials, the technology has been refined and is being used to treat more and more patients, many of them children.

A boy named Johan is one of them.

Today he is a mischievous, smiling toddler, with a thick shock of light-brown hair, who never tires, playfully tormenting the family's puppy, Henry.

There is no sign of the three-year-long medical and emotional roller coaster ride he and his family, who live in an affluent Washington suburb, have been on.

The first traumatic surprise came with the results of a pregnancy test Johan was not planned.

That was a huge shock. I cried, said his mother, 39-year-old Maren Chamorro.

Risky procedure

She had known since childhood that she carried a gene that can be fatal in a child's first 10 years, chronic granulomatous disease (CGD).

Her brother died of it at the age of seven. The inexorable laws of genetics meant that Maren had a one in four chance of transmitting it to her child.

For their first children, she and her husband Ricardo had chosen invitro fertilisation, allowing the embryos to be genetically tested before implantation.

Their twins Thomas and Joanna were born both disease-free seven and a half years ago.

But in Johan's case, a post-birth genetic test quickly confirmed the worst: He had CGD.

After conferring with experts at Children's National Hospital in Washington, the couple took one of the most important decisions of their lives, Johan would receive a bone marrow transplant a risky procedure but one that would give him a chance of a cure.

Obviously, the fact that Maren had lost a sibling at a young age from the disease played a big role, Ricardo confided.

Bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside bones, serves as the body's factory for the production of blood cells both red and white.

His brother's immune system

Johan's white blood cells were incapable of fighting off bacteria and fungal infections. A simple bacterial infection, of negligible concern in a healthy child, could spread out of control in his young body.

Luckily, Johan's brother Thomas, six years old at the time, was a perfect match. In April 2018, doctors first cleansed Johan's marrow using chemotherapy. They then took a small amount of marrow from Thomas's hip bones using a long, thin needle.

From that sample they extracted supercells, as Thomas calls them stem cells, which they reinjected into Johan's veins. Those cells would eventually settle in his bone marrow and begin producing normal white blood cells.

The second step was preventive cell therapy, under an experimental programme led by immunologist Michael Keller at Children's National Hospital.

The part of the immune system that protects against bacteria can be rebuilt in only a matter of weeks; but for viruses, the natural process takes at least three months.

Hurdles remain

From Thomas's blood, doctors extracted specialised white blood cells T-cells that had already encountered six viruses.

Keller grew them for 10 days in an incubator, creating an army of hundreds of millions of those specialised T-cells. The result: A fluffy white substance contained in a small glass vial.

Those T-cells were then injected into Johan's veins, immediately conferring protection against the six viruses.

He has his brother's immune system, said Keller, an assistant professor at Children's National.

Johan's mother confirmed as much: Today, when Thomas and Johan catch a cold they have the same symptoms, and for nearly the same amount of time.

I think it's pretty cool to have immunity from your big brother, Maren Chamorro said.

This therapeutic approach boosting the body's immune system using cells from a donor or one's own genetically modified cells is known as immunotherapy.

Its main use so far has been against cancer, but Keller hopes it will soon become available against viruses for patients, like Johan, who suffer from depressed immune systems.

The chief obstacles to that happening are the complexity of the process and the costs, which can run to many thousands of dollars. These factors currently restrict the procedure to some 30 medical centres in the United States.

For Johan, a year and a half after his bone marrow transplant, everything points to a complete success.

It's neat to see him processing things, and especially play outside in the mud, his mother said.

You know, what a gift!

Her only concern now is the same as any mother would have that when her son does fall ill, others in the family might catch the same bug.

Now you can read the Jamaica Observer ePaper anytime, anywhere. The Jamaica Observer ePaper is available to you at home or at work, and is the same edition as the printed copy available at http://bit.ly/epaperlive

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Crosstalk between stem cell and spinal cord injury ...

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Crosstalk between stem cell and spinal cord injury … | January 5th, 2020

The reconstitution of the blood system in humans holds great therapeutic potential to treat many disorders, like blood cancers, sickle-cell anemia and others. Successful reconstitution requires the transplantation and engraftment of hematopoietic (or blood) stem cells (HSCs), which after reaching their niche, start producing all types of blood cells, including platelets, white and red blood cells.

In current clinical practice, this is carried out by infusing HSCs obtained from a matched donor who is immunologically compatible with the patient in need (allogeneic transplantation), or by the expansion of the patients own HSCs in the lab, and then re-infusing them back into the patient (ex-vivo, autologous transplantation).

However, the utility of both routes is currently limited by a number of factors. First, in the case of allogeneic transplantation, the scarcity of matched donors significantly increases the waiting time, which could be detrimental to the patient. Second, the ex vivo expansion of HSCs, whether allogeneic or autologous, has been a challenging task, due to the limited proliferative potential these cells exhibit in culture. These limitations have raised the need for other sources of HSCs that would alleviate the need for matched donors and yield functional HSCs in large quantities.

In 2007, Professor Shinya Yamanaka and colleagues demonstrated that somatic cells, like skin fibroblasts, could be reprogrammed back to a cellular state that resembled human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), which are a group of cells found in the blastocyst-stage human embryo and contribute solely to the development of the human fetus during pregnancy. The reprogrammed cells were termed, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs).

In addition to their developmental potential, human ESCs and iPS cells display unlimited proliferative potential in culture, which makes them an ideal source of cells for regenerative medicine in general and for hematopoietic differentiation to obtain possibly unlimited quantities of HSCs. Therefore, there has been a growing interest to harness the potential of these cells for treating blood disorders.

However, advancement in deriving functional HSCs from human pluripotent stem cells has been slow. This has been attributed to incomplete understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying normal hematopoiesis. In this review, the authors discuss the latest efforts to generate HSCs capable of long-term engraftment and reconstitution of the blood system from human pluripotent stem cells. Stem cell research has witnessed milestone achievements in this area in the last couple of years, the significance of which are discussed and analyzed in detail.

The authors additionally discuss two highly important families of transcription factors in the context of hematopoiesis and hematopoietic differentiation, the Homeobox (HOX) and GATA proteins. These are thought of as master regulators, in the sense of having numerous transcriptional targets, which upon activation, could elicit significant changes in cell identity. The authors hypothesize that precise temporal control of the levels of certain members of these families during hematopoietic differentiation could yield functional HSCs capable of long-term engraftment.

The authors conclude the review with a summary of future perspectives, in which they discuss how newly developed techniques, like the deactivated-Cas9 (dCas9) gene-expression control system, can be utilized during the course of hematopoietic differentiation of pluripotent stem cells for precise temporal control of the aforementioned master regulators to achieve functional HSCs.

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Making Blood On Demand: How Far Have We Come? - Eurasia Review

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Making Blood On Demand: How Far Have We Come? – Eurasia Review | January 5th, 2020

There was a head-scratching moment when Martin Swales answered his front door and a priest handed him a letter.

The mystery was quickly solved. It contained a thank you note from someone whose life Martin had saved.

He knew his bone marrow had been given to someone called Jan and imagined it was a woman in Britain.

In fact the recipient was dad Jan Zemek 4,500 miles away in the US.

And Martins gift of life has led to an extraordinary 30-year bond between the pair, who are like blood brothers.

Jan named his second daughter Martina in honour of his hero and Martin is godfather to his third girl.

Retired welder Martin, 58, of Guisborough, North Yorks, said: Donating bone marrow didnt just save Jans life, it changed mine as well.

The first time I met Jan, I put my arms around him and he hugged me back.

It felt natural, like I was welcoming my brother. It feels like our two families have become one.

They each have three grown-up children and have visited each other for baptisms, graduations, and weddings.

Martin recently went to Switzerland, where Jan lives with his family, to celebrate 30 years since the transplant and present his blood brother with a Walk of Fame plaque.

It includes the touching message: Stood strong, fought hard, and won. You are a survivor.

The mens amazing and heart-warming story dates from 1986 when Martin joined the Anthony Nolan stem cell register after an appeal to save two girls living in the North East.

He was not a match for the girls but in 1989 was called by the register because he could be for Jan.

Martin said: It was quite a shock because Id pretty much forgotten about the register. They told me I was a possible match for someone and what was involved. I said yes straight away. I wanted to help if I could.

Despite the discomfort, Martin gave bone marrow from his hip at a clinic in Harley Street that August. Doctors extracted it from inside his hip using a long needle. Today most donations are no more invasive than giving blood.

Martin spent two nights in hospital. He said: It doesnt take long but at the time I was suffering from sciatica so I think I found it a bit more painful than most. It was an uncomfortable journey home on the train.Anthony Nolan covered the cost of the trip.

Jan, a 27-year-old dad, was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1987. Initially doctors kept the news from him as no treatment was available in the Czech Republic, where he lived.

Jan said: I was diagnosed one year after the Chernobyl tragedy, weve never known if that radiation was to blame for my cancer. I suddenly grew very tired, nobody knew the reason.

I didnt know how sick I was because the doctors wouldnt tell me.

My wife, who was then my girlfriend, went to the same doctors and they told her, Dont marry this guy, dont have children with him. He is going to die in two years.

But Radka ignored their warning and insisted on marrying Jan in 1987.

His only hope was a bone marrow transplant. Weeks later he left for the US with his dad, who planned to be his donor.

Jan said: A few months earlier, I read in the paper the opera singer Jos Carreras was diagnosed with a similar blood disease and was going to the same US centre for a transplant.

They arrived with less than 40 in their pockets and discovered a transplant from his dad would give Jan only a 15 per cent chance of survival.

Instead doctors advised them to find a donor. It took two years and 10,000 to test potential donors before they found a perfect match in Martin.

By then Jan and Radka had become parents to their first daughter, Jana.

Jan needed to raise more than 100,000 to fund the transplant.

He said: It was such a huge amount of money to raise but when you are dying you have no choice.

There were 12 rival local radio stations but they all got together to run a joint appeal, which they broadcast at the same time. It was incredible.

Jan did a sponsored run, gave talks about his ordeal to church congregations to request donations, and wrote to celebrities, especially those with links to the Czech Republic.

Donald Trump s ex-wife Ivana gave 1,000, as did One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest director Milos Forman. Jan said: The response was crazy. So many people donated 20 dollars or 50.

Martins bone marrow was flown to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, where Jan was waiting in an isolation room.

He had been blasted with chemo and radiotherapy so his immune system would not attack Martins transplanted cells.

Normally, under strict anonymity rules to protect donor and recipient, Martin and Jan would have been unable to contact each other for years.

But a priest from the North East of England working at the hospital recognised Martins address when the bag of bone marrow arrived.

He offered to take a photo of Jan, a thank you letter, and a Czech garnet stone to Martin when he returned home in 1990.

Martin said: I was stunned. I had no idea my bone marrow had travelled so far. Knowing Id helped a young father, just like me, brought home how important it was and how easily it could have been me waiting for a stranger to save my life.

I wrote straight back. The priest also brought a letter from a couple whose daughter was in the same hospital.

Her transplant didnt work. Sadly she died, but they wrote to thank me for saving Jan. Responding to them was much harder. How do you find the right words?

Martin and Jan kept in touch. When Jans second daughter was born in 1991, he and Radka named her after Martin.

Jan said: How do you repay someone who saved your life? Naming our daughter after Martin was our way of showing him we would never forget what he did for us.

Hes not just the man who saved my life. He is a nice guy. Thats why were so close.

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Jan, 59, and his family moved to Switzerland, where he landed a job with a sports marketing firm that works with World Athletics.

In 1992 his job brought him to Crystal Palace in South London and he spent a few days with Martin and family.

Jans youngest daughter Michaela was born in 1995 and he invited Martin and his family to Switzerland for the baptism and asked him to be godfather.

The two families continued to visit each other and holidayed together in the Czech capital Prague. When Jans eldest, Jana, was studying at Newcastle University, she regularly spent weekends with Martin and his wife Tracey.

Martin said: It meant so much to visit Jan for the 30 anniversary of his transplant earlier this year.

"They showed us the sights and we went up the mountains. It was brilliant. I could never have imagined this when I joined the stem cell register all those years ago.

He added: I hope Martin and I will be able to celebrate another anniversary together in ten years.

The Anthony Nolan register matches potential donors to patients needing stem cell transplants and does vital research. To join, donate or find out more, see anthonynolan.org .

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Bone marrow donor's amazing 30 year bond with man he saved - Mirror Online

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Bone marrow donor’s amazing 30 year bond with man he saved – Mirror Online | January 5th, 2020

IN the summer of 2019, a mother in Nashville, Tennessee in the United States, with a seemingly incurable genetic disorder finally found an end to her suffering by editing her genome.

Victoria Grays recovery from sickle cell disease, which had caused her painful seizures, came in a year of breakthroughs in one of the hottest areas of medical research gene therapy.

I have hoped for a cure since I was about 11, the 34-year-old said.

Since I received the new cells, I have been able to enjoy more time with my family without worrying about pain or an out-of-the-blue emergency.

Over several weeks, Grays blood was drawn so that doctors could get to the cause of her illness stem cells from her bone marrow that were making deformed red blood cells.

The stem cells were sent to a Scottish laboratory, where their DNA was modified using Crispr/Cas9 pronounced Crisper a new tool informally known as a molecular scissors.

The genetically-edited cells were transfused back into Grays veins and bone marrow. A month later, she was producing normal blood cells.

Medics warn that caution is necessary, but theoretically, she has been cured.

This is one patient. This is early results. We need to see how it works out in other patients, said her doctor, Haydar Frangoul, at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville.

But these results are really exciting.

In Germany, a 19-year-old woman was treated with a similar method for a different blood disease beta thalassemia.

She had previously needed 16 blood transfusions per year. Nine months later, she is completely free of that burden.

For decades, the DNA of living organisms such as corn and salmon has been modified. But Crispr, invented in 2012, made gene editing more widely accessible.

It is much simpler than preceding technology, cheaper and easy to use in small labs.

The technique has given new impetus to the perennial debate over the wisdom of humanity manipulating life itself.

Its all developing very quickly, said French geneticist Emmanuelle Charpentier, one of Crisprs inventors and the co-founder of Crispr Therapeutics, the biotech company conducting the clinical trials involving Gray and the German patient.

Gene cures

Crispr was the latest breakthrough in a year of great strides in gene therapy, a medical adventure that started three decades ago, when the first TV telethons were raising money for children with muscular dystrophy.

Scientists practising the technique insert a normal gene into cells containing a defective gene.

It does the work the original could not, such as making normal red blood cells in Grays case or making tumour-killing super white blood cells for a cancer patient.

Crispr goes even further: instead of adding a gene, the tool edits the genome itself.

After decades of research and clinical trials on a genetic fix to genetic disorders, 2019 saw a historic milestone: approval to bring to market the first gene therapies for a neuromuscular disease in the US and a blood disease in the European Union.

They join several other gene therapies bringing the total to eight approved in recent years to treat certain cancers and an inherited blindness.

Serge Braun, the scientific director of the French Muscular Dystrophy Association, sees 2019 as a turning point that will lead to a medical revolution.

Twenty-five, 30 years, thats the time it had to take, he said. It took a generation for gene therapy to become a reality. Now, its only going to go faster.

Just outside Washington, at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers are also celebrating a breakthrough period.

We have hit an inflection point, said US NIHs associate director for science policy Carrie Wolinetz.

These therapies are exorbitantly expensive, however, costing up to US$2 million (RM8.18 million) meaning patients face grueling negotiations with their insurance companies.

They also involve a complex regimen of procedures that are only available in wealthy countries.

Gray spent months in hospital getting blood drawn, undergoing chemotherapy, having edited stem cells reintroduced via transfusion and fighting a general infection.

You cannot do this in a community hospital close to home, said her doctor.

However, the number of approved gene therapies will increase to about 40 by 2022, according to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers.

They will mostly target cancers and diseases that affect muscles, the eyes and the nervous system.

In this Oct 10, 2018, photo, He speaks during an interview at his laboratory in Shenzhen, China. The scientist was recently sentenced to three years in prison for practicing medicine illegally and fined 3 million yuan (RM1.76 million). AP

Bioterrorism potential

Another problem with Crispr is that its relative simplicity has triggered the imaginations of rogue practitioners who dont necessarily share the medical ethics of Western medicine.

In 2018 in China, scientist He Jiankui triggered an international scandal and his excommunication from the scientific community when he used Crispr to create what he called the first gene-edited humans.

The biophysicist said he had altered the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of human embryos that became twin girls Lulu and Nana.

His goal was to create a mutation that would prevent the girls from contracting HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), even though there was no specific reason to put them through the process.

That technology is not safe, said Kiran Musunuru, a genetics professor at the University of Pennsylvania, explaining that the Crispr scissors often cut next to the targeted gene, causing unexpected mutations.

Its very easy to do if you dont care about the consequences, he added.

Despite the ethical pitfalls, restraint seems mainly to have prevailed so far.

The community is keeping a close eye on Russia, where biologist Denis Rebrikov has said he wants to use Crispr to help deaf parents have children without the disability.

There is also the temptation to genetically edit entire animal species, e.g. malaria-causing mosquitoes in Burkina Faso or mice hosting ticks that carry Lyme disease in the US.

The researchers in charge of those projects are advancing carefully however, fully aware of the unpredictability of chain reactions on the ecosystem.

Charpentier doesnt believe in the more dystopian scenarios predicted for gene therapy, including American biohackers injecting themselves with Crispr technology bought online.

Not everyone is a biologist or scientist, she said.

And the possibility of military hijacking to create soldier-killing viruses or bacteria that would ravage enemies crops?

Charpentier thinks that technology generally tends to be used for the better.

Im a bacteriologist -- weve been talking about bioterrorism for years, she said. Nothing has ever happened. AFP Relaxnews

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Gene editing breakthroughs that cured genetic diseases in 2019 - The Star Online

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Gene editing breakthroughs that cured genetic diseases in 2019 – The Star Online | January 5th, 2020

DURHAM Hemophilia. Cystic fibrosis. Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Huntingtons disease. These are just a few of the thousands of disorders caused by mutations in the bodys DNA. Treating the root causes of these debilitating diseases has become possible only recently, thanks to the development of genome editing tools such as CRISPR, which can change DNA sequences in cells and tissues to correct fundamental errors at the source but significant hurdles must be overcome before genome-editing treatments are ready for use in humans.

Enter the National Institutes of Health Common FundsSomatic Cell Genome Editing (SCGE)program, established in 2018 to help researchers develop and assess accurate, safe and effective genome editing therapies for use in the cells and tissues of the body (aka somatic cells) that are affected by each of these diseases.

Todaywith three ongoing grants totaling more than $6 million in research fundingDuke University is tied with Yale University, UC Berkeley and UC Davis for the most projects supported by the NIH SCGE Program.

In the 2019 SCGE awards cycle, Charles Gersbach, the Rooney Family Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, and collaborators across Duke and North Carolina State University received two grants: the first will allow them to study how CRISPR genome editing affects engineered human muscle tissues, while the second project will develop new CRISPR tools to turn genes on and off rather than permanently alter the targeted DNA sequence. This work builds on a 2018 SCGE grant, led by Aravind Asokan, professor and director of gene therapy in the Department of Surgery, which focuses on using adeno-associated viruses to deliver gene editing tools to neuromuscular tissue.

Duke engineers improve CRISPR genome editing with biomedical tails

There is an amazing team of engineers, scientists and clinicians at Duke and the broader Research Triangle coalescing around the challenges of studying and manipulating the human genome to treat diseasefrom delivery to modeling to building new tools, said Gersbach, who with his colleagues recently launched the Duke Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies (CAGT), a collaboration of the Pratt School of Engineering, Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, and School of Medicine. Were very excited to be at the center of those efforts and greatly appreciate the support of the NIH SCGE Program to realize this vision.

For their first grant, Gersbach will collaborate with fellow Duke biomedical engineering faculty Nenad Bursac and George Truskey to monitor how genome editing affects engineered human muscle tissue. Through their new project, the team will use human pluripotent stem cells to make human muscle tissues in the lab, specifically skeletal and cardiac muscle, which are often affected by genetic diseases. These systems will then serve as a more accurate model for monitoring the health of human tissues, on-target and off-target genome modifications, tissue regeneration, and possible immune responses during CRISPR-mediated genome editing.

Duke researchers: Single CRISPR treatment provides long-term benefits in mice

Currently, most genetic testing occurs using animal models, but those dont always accurately replicate the human response to therapy, says Truskey, the Goodson Professor of Biomedical Engineering.

Bursac adds, We have a long history of engineering human cardiac and skeletal muscle tissues with the right cell types and physiology to model the response to gene editing systems like CRISPR. With these platforms, we hope to help predict how muscle will respond in a human trial.

Gersbach will work with Tim Reddy, a Duke associate professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics, and Rodolphe Barrangou, the Todd R. Klaenhammer Distinguished Professor in Probiotics Research at North Carolina State University, on the second grant. According to Gersbach, this has the potential to extend the impact of genome editing technologies to a greater diversity of diseases, as many common diseases, such as neurodegenerative and autoimmune conditions, result from too much or too little of certain genes rather than a single genetic mutation. This work builds on previous collaborations between Gersbach, Barrangou and Reddy developing bothnew CRISPR systems for gene regulationandto regulate the epigenome rather than permanently delete DNA sequences.

Aravind Asokan leads Dukes initial SCGE grant, which explores the the evolution of next generation of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs), which have emerged as a safe and effective system to deliver gene therapies to targeted cells, especially those involved in neuromuscular diseases like spinal muscular atrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other myopathies. However, delivery of genome editing tools to the stem cells of neuromuscular tissue is particularly challenging. This collaboration between Asokan and Gersbach builds on their previous work in usingAAV and CRISPR to treat animal models of DMD.

We aim to correct mutations not just in the mature muscle cells, but also in the muscle stem cells that regenerate skeletal muscle tissue, explainsAsokan. This approach is critical to ensuring long-term stability of genome editing in muscle and ultimately we hope to establish a paradigm where our cross-cutting viral evolution approach can enable efficient editing in multiple organ systems.

Click through to learn more about theDuke Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies.

(C) Duke University

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Duke researchers land $6M in federal grants to advance gene editing - WRAL Tech Wire

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Duke researchers land $6M in federal grants to advance gene editing – WRAL Tech Wire | January 5th, 2020

If your new year's resolutions includeorganizingthe skincare products taking over your medicine cabinet, checking the expiration dates on your makeup, and tossing those almostempty shampoo and conditioner bottles that have been taking up space in your shower since 2018, I've got some bad news for you:You're probably going to hit pause on reassessing your beauty routineuntil February.Thanks to January'snew beauty product launches, your collection is definitelygoing to grow this month.

Tatcha'sinnovative, travel-friendly serum stick will be the one skincare product you pack for every trip you take, while OLEHENRIKSEN'scleanseris like a refreshing fruit juice for your face. As for makeup, IT Cosmetics has created an uber-comfortable matte lipstick, and Hourglass' concealer is a long-wear formula that doesnotcrease.

Get exclusive discounts, celeb inspo, & more.

RELATED:All the Products Our Beauty Editors Loved Using in December

When it comes to haircare, the drugstore is the place to be. Celebrity hairstylist Kristin Ess has added fragrance-free products to her affordable namesake haircare line, and Pantenejust expanded its Gold Series Collection for natural hair with a hydrating, protective cream specifically formulated for braided styles.

While thesenew haircare, skincare, and makeup products are exciting, there's no question that having so many options can be overwhelming. That's why we've done the work topickout the top 20 worth spending your hard-earned coin on.

VIDEO:What Every Beginner Needs to Have in Their Makeup Kit

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The 20 Best New Beauty Products That'll Help You Kick 2020 Off Right - InStyle

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on The 20 Best New Beauty Products That’ll Help You Kick 2020 Off Right – InStyle | January 4th, 2020

Fertility expert Marcelle Cedars discusses the future of reproductive medicine.

By Ariel Bleicher UCSF Magazine

Advances in medicine and public health have dramatically extended the human lifespan. Our hearts, lungs, and other vital organs now last 79 years on average. For women, however, the ovaries which stop functioning at an average 51 years remain a stubborn exception. That may soon change, says fertility expert Marcelle Cedars, MD, during a conversation on the future of reproductive medicine.

There are two aspects. One is qualitative. As a woman ages, the quality of her eggs meaning their capacity to make a healthy baby declines. We understand very little about what causes this decline. If we understood that process better, we could dramatically impact fertility success rates.

The other aspect is quantitative. Women are born with a finite number of eggs, and they lose those eggs throughout their lifetime. In fact, that rapid decline in egg numbers starts even before birth. Theres a peak in utero of five to six million eggs. At birth, a woman has only about 1.5 million eggs; at the time of puberty, about 500,000. Through genetics research, were learning that the rate of this decline and the variability from woman to woman is largely driven by ones genes.

Exactly. But what if we could use your genetics and other biological data to understand your unique fertility risks and develop therapies specifically for you or for groups of women like you? This approach is called precision medicine. It has made a huge impact in the world of cancer in terms of improving survival rates. But in the field of reproductive health, precision medicine is still in its infancy.

Potentially. If we can pinpoint the mechanisms of ovarian aging, we could potentially develop a therapy that enables you to still have healthy eggs into your 50s, possibly your 60s. But just because we can do something doesnt always mean we should do it. We know that as women get older, pregnancies are more complicated. You have higher risk for things like high blood pressure, diabetes, and preterm labor. There are many downstream implications, both for the mothers health and the childs.

I dont think the goal should be to enable women to get pregnant into their 60s. Rather, we want women to have the best reproductive lifespan possible to be able to have children when they want to and to not have children when they don't want to and to have a society that supports women across that spectrum.

Were starting to believe that some of the same cellular mechanisms that underlie general aging might also control ovarian aging. This revelation makes the ovary even more interesting to study because its early demise could be a unique window into the bodys aging process. If we can identify cases of accelerated ovarian aging and understand the underlying causes, we might be able to improve not only reproductive function in individual women but also overall health and longevity for all women.

Samesex couples having genetically related children is probably on the horizon. Scientists are learning how to take skin cells or blood cells and turn them into stem cells, which can then be turned into eggs or sperm. Thats not science fiction; its already happening. We just need to figure out how to do it well and safely in humans.

Well probably also see germline engineering. Thats the process of editing genes in reproductive cells or embryos. It has the potential to cure disease before birth. This technology is here. But will society be ready to accept it? A lot of questions need to be answered before its put to use. In addition to technical hurdles, there are innumerable social issues. For instance, if we can eliminate a certain disease, will there be less focus on treatments for people who still have the disease? And what about access to care and social equity? Who would be able to afford these procedures? How will they be applied?

Restrictions are currently preventing the U.S. government from funding research that involves the manipulation of human embryos. As a result, funding for reproductive science is low, which has driven a lot of experts out of academia. If we want to see a revolution in reproductive health, like whats happening with precision cancer medicine, we need to invest in the development of scientific knowledge that will move this field forward.

Original post:
Research Jan. 2, 2020 The End of Infertility Is in Sight - UCSF News Services

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Research Jan. 2, 2020 The End of Infertility Is in Sight – UCSF News Services | January 4th, 2020

The reconstitution of the blood system in humans holds great therapeutic potential to treat many disorders, like blood cancers, sickle-cell anemia and others. Successful reconstitution requires the transplantation and engraftment of hematopoietic (or blood) stem cells (HSCs), which after reaching their niche, start producing all types of blood cells, including platelets, white and red blood cells.

In current clinical practice, this is carried out by infusing HSCs obtained from a matched donor who is immunologically compatible with the patient in need (allogeneic transplantation), or by the expansion of the patient's own HSCs in the lab, and then re-infusing them back into the patient (ex-vivo, autologous transplantation). However, the utility of both routes is currently limited by a number of factors. First, in the case of allogeneic transplantation, the scarcity of matched donors significantly increases the waiting time, which could be detrimental to the patient. Second, the ex vivo expansion of HSCs, whether allogeneic or autologous, has been a challenging task, due to the limited proliferative potential these cells exhibit in culture. These limitations have raised the need for other sources of HSCs that would alleviate the need for matched donors and yield functional HSCs in large quantities.

In 2007, Professor Shinya Yamanaka and colleagues demonstrated that somatic cells, like skin fibroblasts, could be reprogrammed back to a cellular state that resembled human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), which are a group of cells found in the blastocyst-stage human embryo and contribute solely to the development of the human fetus during pregnancy. The reprogrammed cells were termed, Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs). In addition to their developmental potential, human ESCs and iPS cells display unlimited proliferative potential in culture, which makes them an ideal source of cells for regenerative medicine in general and for hematopoietic differentiation to obtain possibly unlimited quantities of HSCs. Therefore, there has been a growing interest to harness the potential of these cells for treating blood disorders.

However, advancement in deriving functional HSCs from human pluripotent stem cells has been slow. This has been attributed to incomplete understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying normal hematopoiesis. In this review, the authors discuss the latest efforts to generate HSCs capable of long-term engraftment and reconstitution of the blood system from human pluripotent stem cells. Stem cell research has witnessed milestone achievements in this area in the last couple of years, the significance of which are discussed and analyzed in detail.

The authors additionally discuss two highly important families of transcription factors in the context of hematopoiesis and hematopoietic differentiation, the Homeobox (HOX) and GATA proteins. These are thought of as master regulators, in the sense of having numerous transcriptional targets, which upon activation, could elicit significant changes in cell identity. The authors hypothesize that precise temporal control of the levels of certain members of these families during hematopoietic differentiation could yield functional HSCs capable of long-term engraftment.

The authors conclude the review with a summary of future perspectives, in which they discuss how newly developed techniques, like the deactivated-Cas9 (dCas9) gene-expression control system, can be utilized during the course of hematopoietic differentiation of pluripotent stem cells for precise temporal control of the aforementioned master regulators to achieve functional HSCs.

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Making blood on demand: How far have we come? - Science Codex

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Making blood on demand: How far have we come? – Science Codex | January 4th, 2020

Victoria Beckham aims to "create a brand of the future" with Victoria Beckham Beauty.

The former Spice Girl launched her eponymous beauty brand last year, later expanding her label to include skincare, and the 45-year-old fashion designer says her intention was to create products that are sustainable and not made from toxic formulas, whilst being "inclusive" for all skin tones.

The mother-of-four told the February issue of Harper's Bazaar UK: "I've been obsessed with make-up and skincare and wellness for longer than I can remember."But I couldn't find what I wanted - clean beauty.

"What is that, even? It's a real grey area.

"I wanted to create a brand of the future - focusing on what's in the formulas but then also sustainability.

"The other thing that was key was making sure it was very inclusive - whether it's make-up or skincare, this is for every skin type and tone, and for both women and men."

In November, Victoria - who has Brooklyn, 20, Romeo, 17, Cruz, 14 and Harper, eight, with retired soccer star husband David Beckham - released her Cell Rejuvenating Priming Moisturiser in collaboration with Professor Augustinus Bader, the German stem-cell scientist behind The Cream, which was named as one of 2019's most popular skincare products.

Bader's product features a patented Trigger Factor Complex that works to jumpstart your skin's repair and renewal functions to heal skin faster and in turn, improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and as a fan of the cream herself, Victoria was thrilled to work with the scientist.

She said: "It's been a dream to develop, with Augustinus, a priming moisturiser that works to improve the health of my skin and gives me that fresh, natural glow that I love."

The priming moisturiser is a hybrid product that combines primer with moisturiser, and is inspired by Victoria's own skincare routine.

Victoria's product implements Bader's Trigger Factor Complex technology, as well as the lipids, vitamins, and amino acids found in his original cream, but with the added benefit of also smoothing skin so it's prepped for make-up application.

Bader explained: "It's the first priming moisturiser of its kind to care for your skin cells while also preparing your skin for makeup application."

The cream has a lightweight texture that can be work alone to give skin a radiant finish or under make-up, which according to Victoria, "will enhance your products."

Read the original:
Victoria Beckham Dreams That her Beauty Line Will Become 'Brand of the Future' - Al Bawaba

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Victoria Beckham Dreams That her Beauty Line Will Become ‘Brand of the Future’ – Al Bawaba | January 4th, 2020

HUNTINGTON Serucell Corporation, a cosmeceutical company based in Huntington, has developed the worlds only dual-cell technology to create and produce anti-aging skincare products, and they did it in Huntington.

Serucell KFS Cellular Protein Complex Serum is made start to finish at Serucells laboratory on the south side of Huntington.

This has been one of the best kept secrets in West Virginia, said Cortland Bohacek, executive chairman and a co-founder of Serucell Corporation.

The company soft launch was in September 2018 at The Greenbrier Spas. The Official online launch was April 2019 and is getting exposure with some well known sellers like Neiman Marcus, local dermatologist and plastic surgeons offices and several other retail locations from New York to California. It is also sold online at serucell.com.

One person that has tried the product is Jennifer Wheeler, who is also a Huntington City Council member.

As a consumer I have an appreciation of the quality of the product and the results Ive seen using it, she said. It has been transformative for my skin and seems like its success will be transformative for our city as well.

She said Serucell and the people behind it are impressive on every level.

In my role on council, Im especially grateful for the companys conscious effort to stay and grow in our city, Wheeler said.

A one-ounce bottle of the serum costs $225. The recommended usage is twice per day and it will last on average of about six weeks.

Serucells active ingredient is called KFS (Keratinocyte Fibroblast Serum), which is made up of more than 1,500 naturally derived super proteins, collagens, peptides and signaling factors that support optimal communication within the cellular makeup of your skin.

This is the first and only dual-cell technology that optimizes hydration and harnesses the power of both keratinocytes and fibroblasts, two essential contributors to maintaining healthy skin by supporting natural rejuvenation of aging skin from the inside out, said Jennifer Hessel, president and CEO of the company.

When applied to the skin, KFS helps boost the skins natural ability to support new collagen and elastin, strengthen the connection and layer of support between the upper and lower layers of your skin. The result, over time is firmer, plumper and smoother skin, according to Hessel.

Why it works so naturally with your skin is because it is natural, Hessel said. These proteins play an important role in strengthening the bond between the layers of your skin, and thats where the re-boot happens.

KFS is the creation of Dr. Walter Neto, Serucells chief science officer and co-founder of the company. Neto is both a physician and a research scientist, specializing in the field of regenerative medicine with an emphasis on skin healing and repair.

Neto said Serucells technology unlocks the key to how our cells communicate and harnesses the signaling power actions to produce the thousands of bioactive proteins necessary to support the skins natural rejuvenation.

Originally from Brazil, Neto studied at Saint Matthews University and completed his clinical training in England. His clinical research on stem-cell cancer therapies, bone and tissue engineering and wound and burn healing led to his discovery in cell-to-cell communication, and ultimately the creation of Serucells KFS Cellular Protein Complex Serum.

Neto received multiple patents for the production method of Serucell KFS Serum.

Neto lives in Huntington with his wife and four golden retrievers.

Neto works alongside his longtime friend, Dr. Brett Jarrell.

I have known Brett since I was 18 years old, Neto said.

Jarrell practices emergency medicine in Ashland, Kentucky, and oversees all aspects of quality control for Serucell. He received his bachelors degree in biology from Wittenberg University, his masters degree in biology from Marshall University and his medical degree from the Marshall University School of Medicine. Jarrell completed his residency at West Virginia University and is board certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

Jarrell has served as a clinical instructor of emergency medicine at the Marshall School of Medicine, president of the West Virginia chapter of the American College of Emergency Medicine and he has published a number of peer-reviewed journal articles on stroke research.

Jarrell also lives in Huntington.

Another co-founder of the company is Dr. Tom McClellan.

McClellan is Serucells chief medical officer and director of research and is a well-respected plastic and reconstructive surgeon with a private practice, McClellan Plastic Surgery, in Morgantown.

McClellan completed his plastic and reconstructive surgery training at the world-renowned Lahey Clinic Foundation, a Harvard Medical School and Tufts Medical School affiliate in Boston, Massachusetts. While in Boston, he worked at Lahey Medical Center, Brigham and Womens Hospital, as well as at the Boston Childrens Hospital. McClellan is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

In addition to his practice and role at Serucell, McClellan utilizes his surgical skills through pro bono work with InterplastWV, a non-profit group that provides comprehensive reconstructive surgery to the developing world. He has participated in surgical missions to Haiti, Peru and the Bahamas.

McClellan lives in Morgantown with his family.

All three doctors here have strong connections to West Virginia and we didnt want to leave, Neto said. We all want to give back to West Virginia, so that is the main reason we have our business here in Huntington.

We are building a company we believe can make a difference in the community, Hessel added. Our goal is to grow Serucell and build our brand right here in Huntington. There is a pool of untapped talent here in Huntington. When we expand our business here, we can provide another reason for young people to be able to stay and grow their careers, whether it is in science, operations or manufacturing. The team is a pretty excited to make an impact in the community where it all started.

Hessel decline to give sales numbers, but said the business has been growing each year since the product was introduced. She also declined to give the number of employees at the facility, but did say it has sales representatives across the country.

For more information, visit serucell.com.

Original post:
Local firm adds a new wrinkle to anti-aging products - The Coal Valley News

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Local firm adds a new wrinkle to anti-aging products – The Coal Valley News | January 4th, 2020

Gene editing Researchers will work frenzied to evaluate the potential of a new version of the Crispr technique, known as Prime editing, unveiled in October to a lot of fanfare. Prime editing was proposed to have the ability to rectify about 89 percent of the 75,000 adverse genetic mutations that lay behind hereditary diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease of the blood disorder.

3D rockets Last year, major steps in rocket science were made, with successful testing of a number of 3D-printed engine prototypes.

Stem cells Scientists around the world are collaborating on trials of potential stem cell treatments for blindness, spinal cord injury, heart failure, diabetes, Parkinsons disease and lung cancer, and some of the first findings are expected to be available later this year. Embryonic or pluripotent stem cells have immense therapeutic promise because they can grow into any of the bodys roughly 220 adult, specialized cells, from insulin-making pancreatic cells to the brains nerve cells.

Mars The ExoMars programs 2020 mission, if all goes to plan, will bring to the surface of Mars a European rover and a Russian vehicle. ExoMars will be the first mission to incorporate the ability to move across the planets surface and reach into the ability to study Mars.

Nasa is setting up a separate mission to research Mars habitability and prepare for future human missions. Smart needle Researchers are hoping to get an early indication as to whether a new smart needle they have developed can detect cancer successfully in seconds.

The researchers have so far concentrated on lymphoma, but said the procedure could also be used later down the line to treat other aspects of the disease, such as breast and prostate cancer. The smart needle uses light to near-instantly classify cancerous tissues. Using a Raman spectroscopy procedure, the Optical Biopsy tests the tissue-scattered light when a laser embedded in the needle shines on it.

The light scatters slightly from healthy tissues than from diseased tissues, which ensures that doctors will immediately make a decision. Developed by Toyota, the Human Support Robot and Delivery Support Robot will be used in tandem.

The new plant is designed to handle 5,000 tons of waste a day, burning the waste.

Excerpt from:
It can be difficult to forecast technological and scientific changes, but this is what will happen in 2020 - Medical Herald

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on It can be difficult to forecast technological and scientific changes, but this is what will happen in 2020 – Medical Herald | January 4th, 2020

In theglobalstem cells marketa sizeable proportion of companies are trying to garner investments from organizations based overseas. This is one of the strategies leveraged by them to grow their market share. Further, they are also forging partnerships with pharmaceutical organizations to up revenues.

In addition, companies in the global stem cells market are pouring money into expansion through multidisciplinary and multi-sector collaboration for large scale production of high quality pluripotent and differentiated cells. The market, at present, is characterized by a diverse product portfolio, which is expected to up competition, and eventually growth in the market.

Some of the key players operating in the global stem cells market are STEMCELL Technologies Inc., Astellas Pharma Inc., Cellular Engineering Technologies Inc., BioTime Inc., Takara Bio Inc., U.S. Stem Cell, Inc., BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., Cytori Therapeutics, Inc., Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., and Caladrius Biosciences, Inc.

Request PDF Sample of Stem Cells Market Report @https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=132

As per a report by Transparency Market Research, the global market for stem cells is expected to register a healthy CAGR of 13.8% during the period from 2017 to 2025 to become worth US$270.5 bn by 2025.

Depending upon the type of products, the global stem cell market can be divided into adult stem cells, human embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, etc. Of them, the segment of adult stem cells accounts for a leading share in the market. This is because of their ability to generate trillions of specialized cells which may lower the risks of rejection and repair tissue damage.

Depending upon geography, the key segments of the global stem cells market are North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. At present, North America dominates the market because of the substantial investments in the field, impressive economic growth, rising instances of target chronic diseases, and technological progress. As per the TMR report, the market in North America will likely retain its dominant share in the near future to become worth US$167.33 bn by 2025.

Enquiry for Discount on Stem Cells Market Report @https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=132

Investments in Research Drives Market

Constant thrust on research to broaden the utility scope of associated products is at the forefront of driving growth in the global stem cells market. Such research projects have generated various possibilities of different clinical applications of these cells, to usher in new treatments for diseases.Since cellular therapies are considered the next major step in transforming healthcare, companies are expanding their cellular therapy portfolio to include a range of ailments such as Parkinsons disease, type 1 diabetes, spinal cord injury, Alzheimers disease, etc.

The growing prevalence of chronic diseases and increasing investments of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies in stem cell research are the key driving factors for the stem cells therapeutics market. The growing number of stem cell donors, improved stem cell banking facilities, and increasing research and development are other crucial factors serving to propel the market, explains the lead analyst of the report.

More here:
Stem Cells Market Key Opportunities and Forecast up to 2025 - AnalyticSP

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Stem Cells Market Key Opportunities and Forecast up to 2025 – AnalyticSP | January 4th, 2020

There is also another option on the table: a technology called haplo-identical, where they could use the stem cells from my brother, who is a 50 per cent match.

But it shouldnt have been this hard to find a match, and thats whyI started my campaign to sign more people up to the transplant list.I want to make a difference for other people who have to go through this.

If I dont make it, I want to leave a legacy that the children can look at when theyre older and know that Mummy did everything she could to fight this thing. There can only be one winner with this disease, and it needs to be me.

As told to Jessica Salter

Leukaemia Care is one of three charities supported by this years Telegraph Christmas Charity Appeal. Our others are Wooden Spoon, which works with the rugby community to raise money for disabled and disadvantaged children,and The Silver Line, a telephone support service for lonely elderly people. To donate,visit telegraph.co.uk/charity or call 0151 284 1927 before the end of January

Read more:
My agonising two-year wait for a stem-cell donor after being diagnosed with leukaemia - The Telegraph

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on My agonising two-year wait for a stem-cell donor after being diagnosed with leukaemia – The Telegraph | January 4th, 2020

Colleen LeCours lay in a hospital bed at the General campus of The Ottawa Hospital on August 12, 2016, waiting for the only thing that could save her life a stem cell transplant from a stranger.

The donor could be anywhere in the world if a related blood donor cant be found, the call to find a match goes out to registries all over the globe and the donated stem cells are rushed across international borders.

What LeCours didnt know is that her donor, an 18-year-old Carleton University student named Timothy White, was just one floor below. Similarly, White didnt know that his recipient was in the same hospital.

There are currently more than 450,000 people on the Canadian Blood Services Stem Cell Registry formerly known as OneMatch and 36 million on affiliated international registries. Still, some people never find a match. There are more than 900 Canadians in need of a transplant who have not found a match anywhere in the world.

What were the odds that the match for LeCours, now 57, would be found in the same city?

Astronomical, she said.

The chances that White would even ever be asked to donate were also very low only about one in a thousand. After he agreed to donate, he was not told where the recipient might be. I was told the recipient could be anywhere. They could be in Africa, said White, now 22 and a recent graduate in computer science.

White had signed up for the registry through a cheek swab booth at ComiCon less than six months earlier. A smart place to recruit would-be stem cell donors, he notes. The optimal donor is a male between the age of 17 and 35 and thats the ComiCon demographic.

He decided to register as a potential donor because he grew up in the scouting movement. One of the main philosophies is to do a good turn every day, he said.

The donation was a non-surgical procedure in which Whites blood was removed though a needle, the stem cells were separated from his blood and the remaining blood components returned to his body through another needle. The procedure started at about 8 a.m. and was over by about 5 p.m.

I figured if I gave someone a day for a thousand more days (of life) then I felt it was a fair trade. I have many years of life. Why not spend one day? said White.

LeCourss medical journey started in 2009 with an emergency room visit for abdominal pain. She was eventually diagnosed with Stage 4 follicular lymphoma, a blood cancer that affects infection-fighting white blood cells. At the time, LeCours was working for Gov.-Gen. Michalle Jean and was able to stay on the job most of the time during her six months of treatment.

Four years later, the lymphoma returned. It was back again two years after that, in a more aggressive form. The only treatment was stem cell transplant.

There are two main kinds of stem cell transplants autologous and allogenic. In an autologous transplant, stem cells are collected from a patients own blood and reintroduced after being treated to remove cancer cells. In an allogenic stem cell transplant, the stem cells come from a donor.

At this point, LeCours was a candidate for an autologous transplant. Once again, she underwent aggressive chemotherapy. A year later, the cancer returned.

Doctors told LeCours there wasnt much else they could do and advised her to get her affairs in order. But the hospitals transplant team felt she could be a candidate for an allogenic transplant. Theres risk rejecting donated stem cells can be fatal to the patient.

LeCours learned that her brother was a match. But the medical work-up would last about three months and she couldnt wait that long.

I wasnt sure I wanted to do it but I didnt have much choice, she said. They said, We have someone waiting in the wings.

And I said, He probably has wings.

After the transplant, LeCours recovered as an outpatient in the home of her brother and sister-in-law. It took three months to rebuild her immune system. Her only rejection symptoms were a bit of skin irritation.

In January 2018, LeCours received an email asking if she would like to exchange contact information with her donor. She replied that she would.

A few months later, she got a message with Whites co-ordinates and was astonished to find that her donor was in Ottawa. It took her a few weeks to formulate an email.

I didnt want to scare him. I just wanted him to know how incredibly grateful I was. And I wanted to pay it forward, said LeCours.

After careful consideration, she sent White an email on Oct. 8, 2018.

Today, being Thanksgiving, I have so much to be thankful for, namely you giving your stem cells and saving my life and the success of the stem cells grafting to my bone marrow, LeCours wrote. I cant thank you enough for your wonderful selfless act.

Stem cell donor 18-year-old Carleton University student Timothy White at The Ottawa Hospital, General campus, donating stem cells for Colleen LeCours in August 2016. At the time he did not know that LeCours would be the recipient. Courtesy Timothy White.jpg

She added that she didnt know anything about him except for his name and email address, and asked if they could meet. They got together for the first time over lunch in a burger restaurant.

As soon as I saw him, I broke down, said LeCours.

It has been three and a half years since the transplant and LeCours remains in remission. She invited White to her familys Thanksgiving this year, and the two meet to catch up every few months. Its one of the quirks of stem cell donation that the recipient assumes the blood type of the donor. LeCours, once O-positive, now has blood type A-negative, like White.

Im a grandmother. The fact that my grandson has his moma is huge.

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ASTRONOMICAL ODDS: Stem cell recipient and her donor both from Ottawa - Ottawa Sun

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on ASTRONOMICAL ODDS: Stem cell recipient and her donor both from Ottawa – Ottawa Sun | January 4th, 2020

For its promising investigational therapeutic approach to neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics is theBuzz of BIO 2020 winnerin the Public Therapeutic Biotech category.

The Buzz of BIO contest identifies U.S. companies with groundbreaking, early-stage potential to improve lives. The event also is anopportunity to make investor connections that could take products to the next phase.

Ten biotechnology companies are nominated in each of the three categories ofBuzz of BIO: Public Therapeutic Biotech, Private Therapeutic Biotech, and Diagnostics and Beyond. In the Public Therapeutic Biotech category that BrainStorm won, nominated companies must be actively developing a publicly traded human treatment intended for review by theU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

As a developer of autologous cellular therapies treatments that use a patients own cells and tissues for debilitating neurodegenerative diseases, BrainStorm is now testing its NurOwn therapy for safety and effectiveness. The treatment involves extracting, from human bone, marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are capable of differentiating into other cell types. The MSCs are then matured into a specific cell type that produces neurotrophic factors compounds that promote nervous tissue growth and survival. They are then reintroduced to the body via injection into muscles and/or the spinal canal.

Backed by a California Institute for Regenerative Medicine grant, Brainstorm has fully enrolledits randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial (NCT03280056) at six U.S. sites in California, Massachusetts, and Minnesota. Some 200 ALS patients are participating. A secondary safety analysis by the trials independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) revealed no new concerns. Every two months, study subjects will be given three injections into the spinal canal of either NurOwn or placebo.

The trial is expected to conclude late this year. Results will be announced shortly afterward.

In a Phase 2 study (NCT02017912), which included individuals with rapidly progressing ALS, NurOwn demonstrated a positive safety profile as well as prospective efficacy.

The use of autologous MSC cells to potentially treat ALS was given orphan drug status by both the FDA and the European Medicines Agency.

Thanks to everyone who voted for BrainStorm during the Buzz of BIO competition,Chaim Lebovits, BrainStorm president and CEO, said in a press release. The entire management team at BrainStorm was very pleased with the results of this competition, and we look forward to presenting to an audience of accredited investors who may benefit from the companys story. We thank the BIO[Biotechnology Innovation Organization] team for singling out BrainStorms NurOwn as a key technology with the potential to improve lives.

As a contest winner, BrainStorm is invited to givea presentation at theBio CEO & Investor Conference, to be held Feb. 1011 in New York City, along with exposure to multiple industry elites and potential investors.

NurOwn cells also are being tested in a Phase 2 clinical study (NCT03799718) in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis.

Mary M. Chapman began her professional career at United Press International, running both print and broadcast desks. She then became a Michigan correspondent for what is now Bloomberg BNA, where she mainly covered the automotive industry plus legal, tax and regulatory issues. A member of the Automotive Press Association and one of a relatively small number of women on the car beat, Chapman has discussed the automotive industry multiple times of National Public Radio, and in 2014 was selected as an honorary judge at the prestigious Cobble Beach Concours dElegance. She has written for numerous national outlets including Time, People, Al-Jazeera America, Fortune, Daily Beast, MSN.com, Newsweek, The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. The winner of the Society of Professional Journalists award for outstanding reporting, Chapman has had dozens of articles in The New York Times, including two on the coveted front page. She has completed a manuscript about centenarian car enthusiast Margaret Dunning, titled Belle of the Concours.

Total Posts: 6

Ins holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Lisbon, Portugal, where she specialized in blood vessel biology, blood stem cells, and cancer. Before that, she studied Cell and Molecular Biology at Universidade Nova de Lisboa and worked as a research fellow at Faculdade de Cincias e Tecnologias and Instituto Gulbenkian de Cincia. Ins currently works as a Managing Science Editor, striving to deliver the latest scientific advances to patient communities in a clear and accurate manner.

Link:
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Wins 2020 'Buzz of BIO' Award for ALS Investigational Therapy - ALS News Today

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Wins 2020 ‘Buzz of BIO’ Award for ALS Investigational Therapy – ALS News Today | January 4th, 2020