PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

27-Mar-2014

Contact: Lisa Anderson lisama2@gwu.edu 202-994-3121 George Washington University

WASHINGTON (March 27, 2014) George Washington University (GW) researcher Narine Sarvazyan, Ph.D., has invented a new organ to help return blood flow from veins lacking functional valves. A rhythmically contracting cuff made of cardiac muscle cells surrounds the vein acting as a 'mini heart' to aid blood flow through venous segments. The cuff can be made of a patient's own adult stem cells, eliminating the chance of implant rejection.

"We are suggesting, for the first time, to use stem cells to create, rather than just repair damaged organs," said Sarvazyan, professor of pharmacology and physiology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. "We can make a new heart outside of one's own heart, and by placing it in the lower extremities, significantly improve venous blood flow."

The novel approach of creating 'mini hearts' may help to solve a chronic widespread disease. Chronic venous insufficiency is one of the most pervasive diseases, particularly in developed countries. Its incidence can reach 20 to 30 percent in people over 50 years of age. It is also responsible for about 2 percent of health care costs in the United States. Additionally, sluggish venous blood flow is an issue for those with diseases such as diabetes, and for those with paralysis or recovering from surgery.

This potential new treatment option, outlined in a recently published paper in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, represents a leap for the tissue engineering field, advancing from organ repair to organ creation. Sarvazyan, together with members of her team, has demonstrated the feasibility of this novel approach in vitro and is currently working toward testing these devices in vivo.

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The study, titled "Thinking Outside the Heart: Use of Engineered Cardiac Tissue for the Treatment of Chronic Deep Venous Insufficiency," is available at http://cpt.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/01/20/1074248413520343.full.

Media: To interview Dr. Sarvazyan about her research, please contact Lisa Anderson at lisama2@gwu.edu or 202-994-3121.

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GW researcher invents 'mini heart' to help return venous blood

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Newswise WASHINGTON (March 27, 2014) George Washington University (GW) researcher Narine Sarvazyan, Ph.D., has invented a new organ to help return blood flow from veins lacking functional valves. A rhythmically contracting cuff made of cardiac muscle cells surrounds the vein acting as a 'mini heart' to aid blood flow through venous segments. The cuff can be made of a patients own adult stem cells, eliminating the chance of implant rejection.

We are suggesting, for the first time, to use stem cells to create, rather than just repair damaged organs, said Sarvazyan, professor of pharmacology and physiology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. We can make a new heart outside of ones own heart, and by placing it in the lower extremities, significantly improve venous blood flow.

The novel approach of creating mini hearts' may help to solve a chronic widespread disease. Chronic venous insufficiency is one of the most pervasive diseases, particularly in developed countries. Its incidence can reach 20 to 30 percent in people over 50 years of age. It is also responsible for about 2 percent of health care costs in the United States. Additionally, sluggish venous blood flow is an issue for those with diseases such as diabetes, and for those with paralysis or recovering from surgery.

This potential new treatment option, outlined in a recently published paper in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, represents a leap for the tissue engineering field, advancing from organ repair to organ creation. Sarvazyan, together with members of her team, has demonstrated the feasibility of this novel approach in vitro and is currently working toward testing these devices in vivo.

The study, titled Thinking Outside the Heart: Use of Engineered Cardiac Tissue for the Treatment of Chronic Deep Venous Insufficiency, is available at http://cpt.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/01/20/1074248413520343.full.

Media: To interview Dr. Sarvazyan about her research, please contact Lisa Anderson at lisama2@gwu.edu or 202-994-3121.

###

About the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences:

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Researcher Invents 'Mini Heart' to Help Return Venous Blood

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Newswise LOS ANGELES (March 27, 2014) Two Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute physician-researchers have been named recipients of prestigious awards from the American College of Cardiology.

Eduardo Marbn, MD, PhD, director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute and a pioneer in developing cardiac stem cell treatments, will be awarded the 2014 Distinguished Scientist Award (Basic Domain) by the 40,000-member medical society during its 63rd Annual Scientific Session on March 31.

Sumeet Chugh, MD, associate director of the Heart Institute and a leading expert on heart rhythm disorders such as sudden cardiac arrest and atrial fibrillation, is to receive the Simon Dack Award for Outstanding Scholarship in recognition of Chughs contributions to the organizations peer-reviewed medical journals.

Dr. Marbn has earned the prestigious title of Distinguished Scientist by pioneering the development of stem cell treatments that can regenerate healthy heart muscle, said Shlomo Melmed, MD, senior vice president of Academic Affairs, dean of the Cedars-Sinai medical faculty and the Helene A. and Philip E. Hixon Chair in Investigative Medicine. Dr. Chugh is leading the quest to unlock the mysteries of how to prevent sudden cardiac arrest, which is 99 percent fatal. Their work is advancing life-saving treatments for patients all over the world and is a testament to the outstanding work of the Heart Institute.

Using techniques that he invented to isolate and grow stem cells from a patient's own heart tissue, Marbn designed and completed the first-in-human cardiac stem cell trial, called CADUCEUS, funded by the National Institutes of Health. The study was the first to show that stem cell therapy can repair damage to the heart muscle caused by a heart attack. Currently, a new, multicenter stem cell clinical trial called ALLSTAR is measuring the effectiveness of donor heart stem cells in treating heart attack patients.

A native of Cuba, Marbn came to the United States with his parents at age 6 as a political refugee. He earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics from Wilkes College in Pennsylvania, and then attended the Yale University School of Medicine in a combined MD/PhD program. Among the many honors Marbn has received are the Basic Research Prize of the American Heart Association the Research Achievement Award of the International Society for Heart Research, the Gill Heart Institute Award and the Distinguished Scientist Award of the American Heart Association.

Chugh, the Pauline and Harold Price Chair in Cardiac Electrophysiology, is an expert in the performance of radio frequency ablation procedures as well as the use of pacemakers, defibrillators and biventricular devices to correct heart rhythm problems. The author of more than 250 articles and abstracts in professional journals, Chugh initiated and directs the ongoing Oregon Sudden Unexpected Death Study, a large, comprehensive assessment of sudden cardiac arrest in a community of 1 million residents. Chugh leads the World Health Organization panel that is charged with performing a worldwide assessment of heart rhythm disorders for the Global Burden of Disease Study.

After earning his medical degree from Government Medical College Patiala, India, Chugh spent the first year of his internal medicine residency at Tufts Newton Wellesley Hospital in Boston and the next two years at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. He completed a fellowship in cardiology at the University of Minnesota and a fellowship in clinical cardiac electrophysiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

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Two Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute Physicians Honored by American College of Cardiology

Ontario student Moneet Mann is coming to Surrey in her search for a bone marrow donor. Submitted/Vancouver Desi

MANPREET GREWAL VANCOUVER DESI

Will you marrow me?

A 24-year-old Brampton, Ont. girl is bringing her desperate search for a bone marrow match to Surrey this weekend.

Moneet Mann was studying to be a teacher at Thunder Bays Lakehead University when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in October last year.

Although the news has been devastating for her and her family, she has chosen to see the blessing in her early diagnoses. With a stem cell transplant she can get back to her life, her school, her friends and passion to teach children.

But her challenge is that a perfect bone marrow match isnt always available in extreme cases, the odds of a match may be as little as one in 750,000.

Since her diagnosis shes started up her Will You Marrow Me? campaign to hunt for a donor, which will be holding a swabbing event alongside Canadian Blood Services at Surreys Dukh Nivaran Gurdwara on Sunday. Mann is particularly putting the call out to South Asian donors between the ages of 17 to 35.

According to Canadian Blood Services, matching between donor and patient happens on a genetic level. What this means is that if a patient is from a certain ethnic background, their donor is most likely going to be from the same ethnic group.

Doctors consider young men to be optimal donors because stem cells from young men can produce fewer chances of complications post-transplant. Also, men are typically physically bigger than women, so they can produce a greater volume of stem cells for the patient.

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Ontario student's search for bone marrow donor brings her to Surrey

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Paul Walker will undergo an eye procedure next week that could give him back simple pleasures such as working in the garden or leafing through a magazine.

The procedure, an experimental stem-cell treatment, has already restored some sight for two other central Ohioans and holds the same hope for Walker, a Bexley resident who is legally blind.

Are you kidding? was Walkers initial reaction when Susan Benes, a Columbus neuro-ophthalmologist, told him a few months ago that a clinical trial offered the promise of better vision.

The Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study is a federally approved trial being conducted at Retinal Associates, a medical practice near Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The study tests stem-cell treatment on people 18 and older with glaucoma, macular degeneration and various retinal disorders.

The trial, which began in August and is scheduled to run until 2017, can offer only anecdotal evidence of effectiveness at this point, said study director Steven Levy, a Connecticut doctor who is president of the consulting company MD Stem Cells.

Still, results have been encouraging in the 35 or so people treated to date.

Originally posted here:
Stem-cell treatment may help those with severe vision problems

Hip/low back arthritis; 1.5yrs later, Sandra #39;s results from stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson
Hip/low back arthritis; 1.5yrs later, Sandra #39;s results from stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson http://www.docereclinics.com.

By: Harry Adelson, N.D.

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Hip/low back arthritis; 1.5yrs later, Sandra's results from stem cell therapy by Dr Harry Adelson - Video

03:00 EDT 26 Mar 2014 | PR Web

RSCIs one-day treatment program in Florida, USA, is priced to bring stem cell treatment benefits to the greatest possible number of SCI patients.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) March 26, 2014

The Repair Stem Cells Institute (RSCI http://www.repairstemcells.org) announces its new Double Benefits for SCI stem cell treatment program specifically to benefit sufferers of Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI). The Regenerative Center, headed by Dr. Melvin M. Propis, a well-known practitioner of stem cells science, is located in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A. RSCIs program is by far the least expensive SCI treatment program available using real stem cells treatments within FDA regulations.

A Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) refers to any injury to the spinal cord caused by trauma rather than disease. Depending on where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain to paralysis to incontinence. SCIs are described as "incomplete," which normally means a partial but significant paralysis, to a "complete" injury, which means a total loss of function. The number of people in the United States in 2014 who have SCI has been estimated at over a quarter million, with approximately 12,000 new cases each year.

The Repair Stem Cells Institute is the worlds only stem cell patients advocacy group whose mission is to Educate, Advocate, and Empower people to make educated choices about their medical conditions and treatments in order to lead longer and more fulfilling lives. The Double Benefits for SCI program marks a milestone in RSCIs seven years of educating thousands and guiding hundreds to adult stem cell therapies by the worlds most competent stem cells doctors at 14 affiliated international stem cell treatment centers.

Highlights of RSCIs stem cell treatment for Spinal Cord Injury include:

An RSCI Spinal Cord Injury patient, Graham Faught, who received treatment in 2013 at the Florida treatment clinic, said, This treatment literally got me back on my feet. In April, I was confined to a wheelchair with little hope. By December, I was upright again, making some progress on the treadmill and hopeful for the future. Late Flash: March 20, Graham walked 20 feet with a walker. We expect to have videos soon.

Don Margolis, founder and chairman of the Repair Stem Cells Institute (http://www.repairstemcells.org), stated, We at RSCI are very proud to offer this incredible program for SCI patients. We are confident that it will be in the forefront of many more such treatment breakthroughs. Our next target for the summer of 2014 is a double for Multiple Sclerosis, hopefully at the same price!

Currently, adult stem cell treatments are being used to help patients recover from over 150 debilitating chronic conditions previously thought to be untreatable, including the Big Three Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Cancer -- as well as Alzheimers, Parkinsons, Spinal Cord Injury, Liver Disease, Cerebral Palsy, Renal Failure, Arthritis, Autism, and Diabetes. A full list of diseases stem cells can help can be found on the RSCI website (http://www.repairstemcells.org). To date, commercial stem cell treatments have been used by over 30,000 patients with a 65% success rate.

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The Repair Stem Cells Institute Announces Its Special ...

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) March 26, 2014

The Repair Stem Cells Institute (RSCI http://www.repairstemcells.org) announces its new Double Benefits for SCI stem cell treatment program specifically to benefit sufferers of Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI). The Regenerative Center, headed by Dr. Melvin M. Propis, a well-known practitioner of stem cells science, is located in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A. RSCIs program is by far the least expensive SCI treatment program available using real stem cells treatments within FDA regulations.

A Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) refers to any injury to the spinal cord caused by trauma rather than disease. Depending on where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged, the symptoms can vary widely, from pain to paralysis to incontinence. SCIs are described as "incomplete," which normally means a partial but significant paralysis, to a "complete" injury, which means a total loss of function. The number of people in the United States in 2014 who have SCI has been estimated at over a quarter million, with approximately 12,000 new cases each year.

The Repair Stem Cells Institute is the worlds only stem cell patients advocacy group whose mission is to Educate, Advocate, and Empower people to make educated choices about their medical conditions and treatments in order to lead longer and more fulfilling lives. The Double Benefits for SCI program marks a milestone in RSCIs seven years of educating thousands and guiding hundreds to adult stem cell therapies by the worlds most competent stem cells doctors at 14 affiliated international stem cell treatment centers.

Highlights of RSCIs stem cell treatment for Spinal Cord Injury include:

An RSCI Spinal Cord Injury patient, Graham Faught, who received treatment in 2013 at the Florida treatment clinic, said, This treatment literally got me back on my feet. In April, I was confined to a wheelchair with little hope. By December, I was upright again, making some progress on the treadmill and hopeful for the future. Late Flash: March 20, Graham walked 20 feet with a walker. We expect to have videos soon.

Don Margolis, founder and chairman of the Repair Stem Cells Institute (http://www.repairstemcells.org), stated, We at RSCI are very proud to offer this incredible program for SCI patients. We are confident that it will be in the forefront of many more such treatment breakthroughs. Our next target for the summer of 2014 is a double for Multiple Sclerosis, hopefully at the same price!

Currently, adult stem cell treatments are being used to help patients recover from over 150 debilitating chronic conditions previously thought to be untreatable, including the Big Three Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Cancer -- as well as Alzheimers, Parkinsons, Spinal Cord Injury, Liver Disease, Cerebral Palsy, Renal Failure, Arthritis, Autism, and Diabetes. A full list of diseases stem cells can help can be found on the RSCI website (http://www.repairstemcells.org). To date, commercial stem cell treatments have been used by over 30,000 patients with a 65% success rate.

For more information about adult stem cells, stem cell treatment, diseases stem cells can help, and the top international stem cell treatment centers, the the Repair Stem Cells Institute website offers a wealth of straightforward and unbiased information and solutions.

Contact: Don Margolis Repair Stem Cells Institute 3010 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1200 Dallas, TX 75234 Tel: (214) 556-6377 Email: info(at)repairstemcells(dot)org Website: http://www.repairstemcells.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/repairstemcells Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/repairstem

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The Repair Stem Cells Institute Announces Its Special Double Benefits for SCI Stem Cells Treatment Program to ...

The review retrospectively evaluates and correlates the different approaches employed in cardiac regeneration over the past decade and underscores the recent advances in the purification and lineage specification of stem cells.

The review points to the safety and feasibility of cell-based therapy as worldwide, thousands of patients to date have been treated using autologous approaches. The authors state that the main factors limiting adoption of cell therapies comprise the poor definition of cell types used, diversity in cell handling procedures and functional variability intrinsic to autologously-derived cells.

The outcomes of the various trials analyzed in the review suggest that cardiac-progenitors confer therapeutic benefit. Cardiac progenitors could be either derived from the heart or be cardiac lineagespecified, the latter a method used to generate C-Cure. Cardiac lineage-specified cells are guided ex vivo to differentiate into cardioreparative cells.

In the C-Cure trial, heart failure patients were treated with C-Cure which consists of cardiac progenitor (cardiopoietic) cells. The findings of the study indicate that the use of cardiac progenitor cells (CP-hMSC) is feasible and safe and documents a statistically significant improvement of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction, a measure of heart function, versus baseline compared to no change for the control group who were treated with standard of care. Based on these results, C-Cure is being tested in a Phase III study in Europe and Israel (CHART-1) and has been authorized by the FDA to be tested in the U.S (CHART-2). These phase III therapeutic studies highlight advances in regenerative science.

Dr Christian Homsy, CEO of Cardio3 BioSciences, comments: Being recognized in this review published in Nature Reviews Cardiology highlights Cardio3 BioSciences technology and leadership in bringing new therapeutic options to patients. By choosing the route of lineage specification, we once again demonstrate that we are at the forefront of the cardiac regenerative medicine industry.

1Behfar, A. et al. Nat. Rev. Cardiol. 11, 232246 (2014) doi:10.1038/nrcardio.2014.9 Published online 04 March 2014

*** END ***

About Cardio3 BioSciences

Cardio3BioSciences is a Belgian leading biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of regenerative and protective therapies for the treatment of cardiac diseases. The company was founded in 2007 and is based in the Walloon region of Belgium. Cardio3BioSciences leverages research collaborations in the US and in Europe with Mayo Clinic and the Cardiovascular Centre Aalst, Belgium.

The Companys lead product candidate C-Cure is an innovative pharmaceutical product that is being developed for heart failure indication. C-Cure consists of a patients own cells that are harvested from the patients bone marrow and engineered to become new heart muscle cells that behave identically to those lost to heart disease. This process is known as Cardiopoiesis.

Read more:
Cardio3 BioSciences Cell Therapy Approach for Cardiac Repair Recognized in Nature Reviews Cardiology

Fayetteville, Arkansas (PRWEB) March 26, 2014

CardioWise, Inc. and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) have signed a Beta Site Agreement to serve as a clinical test site for CardioWise Multiparametric Strain Analysis (MPSA) Software. The CardioWise software will be used in clinical research protocol number 12-H-0078, sponsored by the NHLBI entitled, Preliminary Assessment of Direct Intra-Myocardial Injection of Autologous Bone Marrow-derived Stromal Cells on Patients Undergoing Revascularization for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) with Depressed Left Ventricular Function. The Principle Investigator is Pamela G. Robey, Ph.D., and Dr. Keith A. Horvath is the Cardiothoracic Surgeon on the clinical trial. Details of the study are available here: http://clinicalstudies.info.nih.gov/cgi/wais/bold032001.pl?A_12-H-0078.html@mesenchymal@@@@.

Bone marrow stromal stem cells (also known as mesenchymal stem cells) have been isolated and are found to make large amounts of growth factors. Because they make growth factors, these cells can help regrow tissue and encourage repair of damaged tissue. Tests on damaged heart muscle suggest that injecting these cells directly into damaged heart muscle can improve heart function. Researchers want to give stem cells to people who are having open-heart surgery to see if they can help to repair heart muscle damage. The objectives of the study are to test the safety and effectiveness of bone marrow stromal stem cell injections given during heart surgery to treat heart muscle damage. The CardioWise MPSA software will be used to help to determine the efficacy of the stem cell treatment.

The patients who enroll in the protocol will receive one baseline cardiac MRI (CMR) scan and 3 additional follow up CMR scans. Those CMR scans will be analyzed by CardioWise analysis software and the analyses will be compared to determine whether the stem cell injections can improve the contractile function of the heart muscle. Dr. Andrew E. Arai, Chief of the Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Research Group in the NHLBIs Division of Intramural Research will be leading the analysis of the CMR images using the CardioWise MPSA software. Dr. Arai is Past President of the Society of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR), the leading international professional organization focused on CMR.

The CardioWise analysis software is uniquely capable of analyzing the three-dimensional motion of the heart that is acquired from cardiac MRI images and then comparing the analysis at 15,300 points to the motion of a normal heart model. The analysis detects portions of the heart that are moving abnormally and demonstrates to what degree the heart muscle has been affected. Since MRI uses no ionizing radiation or contrast, it is completely non-invasive and poses minimal risk to the patient. This allows the patient to be followed through the course of treatment and to measure outcomes of interventions such as the stem cell therapy. In the near future, CardioWise MPSA may aid doctors to determine what intervention, such as surgery, stent insertion, or drug is most appropriate for the patient who presents with cardiovascular disease symptoms.

CardioWise is commercializing patent-pending, non-invasive Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CMR) analysis software that produces a quantified 4D image model of the human heart, called Multiparametric Strain Analysis (MPSA). CardioWise heart analysis software combined with cardiac MRI is a single diagnostic test that is able to provide quantitative analysis of the myocardium, arteries and valves with an unprecedented level of detail. It has the opportunity to become the new gold standard of care for heart health analysis. CardioWise is a VIC Technology Venture Development portfolio company.

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CardioWise and the National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Complete Beta Site ...

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Ryan Manansala, 29, of San Joseis being treated in Houston for leukemia and awaiting a bone marrow transplant that may save his life. (Courtesy Quan Nguyen)

SAN JOSE -- Ryan Manansala spent much of his 29 years helping others, whether it was aiding autistic children or mentoring kids as a Big Brother. Now battling cancer, he's devoting his energy to promoting bone marrow drives that can help him and others find donor matches that can save their lives.

"Yeah, you could say I'm the poster boy right now," the 29-year-old San Jose resident said from a cancer center in Houston. "I personally don't like it, but there is an obligation to others. I don't want to see people have to wait and wait on the list and then die."

He learned two years ago he had acute myeloid leukemia, a form of blood cancer. He needs a bone-marrow transplant and he needs it now. Talking on his cellphone from the MD Anderson Cancer Center, Manansala said he was there for special chemotherapy treatment to buy him some time.

While a local bone marrow registration drive is named after him, Operation Save Ryan is not only for him. The drives will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Great Mall in Milpitas, on Saturday night at the San Jose Earthquakes soccer game in Santa Clara and on April 15 and 16 at UC Santa Cruz, his alma mater. Donors should be 18 to 44 years old.

"If they find a match for me, fine," Manansala said. "But it's really about getting more people to register for the benefit of everyone on the transplant list."

Not that his case can be pushed aside. Chemotherapy worked for him early, but then the leukemia came back with a vengeance. Along the way, the illness cost the Yerba Buena High graduate his job working with disabled children. Then his father lost his job. Although his mother continued to work, the Manansala family lost its house in East San Jose.

"It's been a roller coaster in the extreme," he said. But looking on the bright side, "My father losing his job allowed him to become my full-time caregiver."

For severely afflicted AML patients, bone marrow transplants are often the last hope. In the procedure, healthy stem cells from a compatible donor are inserted into the bone marrow of leukemia patients to create normal blood cells.

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A leukemia patient from San Jose becomes a reluctant crusader for bone marrow drives

by Mark Carter on Wednesday, Mar. 26, 2014 1:49 pm

CardioWise CEO Jack Coats

CardioWise has partnered with federal agencies to provide its cardiac analysis software for a national clinical research study, the Fayetteville startup announced Wednesday.

The beta site agreement is with the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute. It will study the use of bone marrow stem cells during cardiac surgery to treat heart muscle dysfunction associated with ischemic heart disease or damage from heart attack, according to a news release.

Details of the study are available here. The study will be conducted at the NIH Heart Center at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Md. Suburban Hospital is a member of the Johns Hopkins Medicine system.

The software,Multiparametric Strain Analysis (MPSA), was developed to analyze the three-dimensional motion of the heart acquired from cardiac MRI images. It then compares the analysis to the motion of a normal heart model.

"The objectives of the study are to test the safety and effectiveness of bone marrow stromal stem cell injections given during heart surgery to treat heart muscle damage," said CardioWise CEO Jack Coats. "The CardioWise MPSA software will be used to help to determine the efficacy of the stem cell treatment."

Coats said the analysis detects portions of the heart that are moving abnormally and demonstrates to what degree the heart muscle has been affected.

"Since MRI uses no ionizing radiation or contrast, it is completely non-invasive and poses minimal risk to the patient," he said. "This allows the patient to be followed through the course of treatment and to measure outcomes of interventions such as the stem cell therapy. In the near future, CardioWise MPSA may aid doctors to determine what intervention, such as surgery, stent insertion or drug, is most appropriate for the patient who presents with cardiovascular disease symptoms."

CardioWise is a client firm of Innovate Arkansas and a portfolio company of VIC Technology Venture Development of Fayetteville.

Read more from the original source:
CardioWise Software Chosen for National Heart Study

The trials involve injecting adult stem cells derived from adipose tissue or fat into cartilage to stimulate its regeneration

Researchers in Galway predict that stem cells could be used to treat osteoarthritis within five years, following successful initial clinical trials.

The trials involve injecting adult stem cells derived from adipose tissue or fat into cartilage to stimulate its regeneration.

Osteoarthritis affects some 70 million people across the EU, and current treatment is limited to surgery or pain management.

Some 400,000 people in Ireland are affected by this most common form of human arthritis, which is characterised by the often very painful degeneration of cartilage in joints.

Successful trial NUI Galway (NUIG) scientists, who are part of a 9 million EU-funded project, have just finished the successful phase one clinical trial.

Prof Frank Barry, scientific director of NUIGs Regenerative Medicine Institute (Remedi), yesterday said the positive early results indicate a treatment was in sight.

From the clinical trials conducted so far, we have seen the first signs of finding a cure for this truly incapacitating disease which affects so many, Prof Barry said. Using the patients own stem cells we have been able to treat their diseased joints, and relieve their suffering and burden of pain.

Whilst we are still in the early stages of clinical trials, the results so far are extremely positive such that the use of stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis could become a reality for patients within the next five years, he said.

Adipose stem cells Stem cells can be harvested in large quantities from adipose tissue or fat, with minimally invasive surgery. These cells have emerged in recent years as a good alternative to stem cells derived from bone marrow, Prof Barry notes.

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Stem cell trials on tackling osteoarthritis may lead to treatment in five years

These neurons derived from stem cells made from the skin of people with bipolar disorder communicated with one another differently than neurons made from the skin of people without bipolar disorder.(Credit: University of Michigan)

Bipolar disorder is known to run in families, but scientists have yet to pinpoint the genes involved. Now they have a powerful new tool in the hunt: stem cells.

In a first-of-its-kind procedure, researchers from the University of Michigan have created stem cells from the skin of people with bipolar disorder, and then coaxed the cells into neurons. This has allowed scientists, for the first time, to directly measure cellular differences between people with bipolar disorder and people without.

In the future the cells could provide a greater understanding of what causes the disease, and allow for the development of personalized medications specific to each patients cells.

The team from Michigan took skin cell samples from 22 people with bipolar disorder and 10 people without the disorder. Under carefully controlled conditions, they coaxed adult skin cells into an embryonic stem cell-like state. These cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells, then had the potential to transform into any type of cell. With further coaxing, the cells became neurons.

This gives us a model that we can use to examine how cells behave as they develop into neurons. Already, we see that cells from people with bipolar disorder are different in how often they express certain genes, how they differentiate into neurons, how they communicate, and how they respond to lithium, study co-leader Sue OShea said in a news release.

Researchers published their findings Wednesday in the journalTranslational Psychiatry.

The research team discovered intriguing differences between stem cellsand neuronsfrom bipolar individuals and those from healthy people.

For one thing, bipolar stem cells expressed more genes associated with receiving calcium signals in the brain. Calcium signals play an important role in neuron development and function. Therefore, the new findings support the idea that genetic differences expressed early in life may contribute to the development of bipolar disorder later in life.

Once the stem cells turned into neurons, researchers tested how they reacted to lithium, a typical treatment for the disorder. The tests showed that lithium normalized the behavior of neurons from bipolar patients by altering their calcium signalingfurther confirmation that this cellular pathway should be of key interest in future studies of the disease.

Excerpt from:
Stem Cells Shed Light on Treatments for Bipolar Disorder

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Newswise Scientists at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute have shown that by encapsulating immature pancreatic cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC), and implanting them under the skin of diabetic mouse models, sufficient insulin is produced to maintain glucose levels without unwanted potential trade-offs of the technology.

The research, published online in Stem Cell Research, suggests that encapsulated hESC-derived insulin-producing cells may be an effective and safe cell replacement therapy for insulin dependent-diabetes.

Our study critically evaluates some of the potential pitfalls of using stem cells to treat insulin dependent-diabetes, said Pamela Itkin-Ansari, PhD, assistant project scientist in the UC San Diego Department of Pediatrics and adjunct assistant professor in Development, Aging and Regenerative program at Sanford-Burnham.

We have shown that encapsulated hESC-derived insulin-producing cells are able to produce insulin in response to elevated glucose without an increase in the mass or their escape from the capsule, said Itkin-Ansari. These results are important because it means that the encapsulated cells are both fully functional and retrievable.

Previous attempts to replace insulin producing cells, called beta cells, have met with significant challenges. For example, researchers have tried treating diabetics with mature beta cells, but because these cells are fragile and scarce, the method is fraught with problems. Moreover, since the cells come from organ donors, they may be recognized as foreign by the recipients immune system requiring patients to take immunosuppressive drugs to prevent their immune system from attacking the donors cells, ultimately leaving patients vulnerable to infections, tumors and other adverse events.

Encapsulation technology was developed to protect donor cells from exposure to the immune system and has proven extremely successful in preclinical studies.

Itkin-Ansari and her research team previously made an important contribution to the encapsulation approach by showing that pancreatic islet progenitor cells are an optimal cell type for encapsulation. They found that progenitor cells were more robust than mature beta cells to encapsulate, and while encapsulated, they matured into insulin-producing cells that secreted insulin only when needed.

In the study, Itkin-Ansari and her team used bioluminescent imaging to determine if encapsulated cells stay in the capsule after implantation.

Continue reading here:
Stem Cell-Derived Beta Cells Under Skin Replace Insulin

Researchers have grown embryonic-like stem cells from patients with bipolar disorder and transformed them into brain cells that are already answering questions about the condition.

The cells, which carry the precisely tailored genetic instructions from the patients own cells, behave differently than cells taken from people without the disorder, the researchers report.

Already, we see that cells from people with bipolar disorder are different in how often they express certain genes, how they differentiate into neurons, how they communicate, and how they respond to lithium," Sue O'Shea, a stem cell specialist at the University of Michigan who led the study, said in a statement.

The work, described in the journal Translational Psychiatry, helps fulfill one of the big promises of stem cells research using a patients own cells to study his or her disease.

Mental illness is especially hard to study. Getting into a living persons brain is almost impossible, and scientists cant deliberately cause it in people in order to study it.

Creating animals such as mice with what looks like human mental illness is imprecise at best.

The University of Michigan team turned instead to what are called induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells. These are ordinary skin cells taken from a patient and tricked into turning back into the state of a just-conceived embryo.

These cells, grown from skin cells taken from people with bipolar disorder, arose from stem cells and were coaxed to become neural progenitor cells -- the kind that can become any sort of nervous system cell. The research showed differences in cell behavior compared with cells grown from people without bipolar disorder.

They are pluripotent, meaning they can become any type of cell there is. In this case, the Michigan team redirected the cells to become neurons the cells that make up much of the brain. "This gives us a model that we can use to examine how cells behave as they develop into neurons, OShea said.

Bipolar disorder, once called manic-depression, is very common, affecting an estimated 3 percent of the population globally. It runs in families, suggesting a strong genetic cause, and is marked by mood swings from depression to feelings of euphoria and creativity thats considered the manic phase.

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Stem Cells Shed Light on Bipolar Disorder

TUESDAY, March 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Brain cells of patients with bipolar disorder act differently than those of people without the mental illness, according to scientists who conducted a stem cell study of the condition.

The investigators said their research might one day lead to a better understanding of bipolar disorder and new treatments for the disease, which causes extreme emotional highs and lows. About 200 million people worldwide have bipolar disorder.

"We're very excited about these findings. But we're only just beginning to understand what we can do with these cells to help answer the many unanswered questions in bipolar disorder's origins and treatment," said study co-leader Dr. Melvin McInnis, a professor of bipolar disorder and depression at the University of Michigan Medical School.

The study authors took skin stem cells from people with and without bipolar disorder and transformed them into neurons similar to brain cells. It's the first time that stem cell lines specific to bipolar disorder have been created, the researchers said.

They discovered distinct differences in how the two sets of neurons behave and communicate with each other. The cells also differed in their response to lithium, the most widely used treatment for bipolar disorder.

The study was published online March 25 in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

"This gives us a model that we can use to examine how cells behave as they develop into neurons," study co-leader Sue O'Shea, a professor in the department of cell and developmental biology and director of the University of Michigan Pluripotent Stem Cell Research Lab, said in a university news release.

"Already, we see that cells from people with bipolar disorder are different in how often they express certain genes, how they differentiate into neurons, how they communicate, and how they respond to lithium," O'Shea said.

McInnis said it's possible the research could lead to new types of drug trials. If it becomes possible to test new drug candidates in these cells, patients would be spared the current trial-and-error approach that leaves many with uncontrolled symptoms, he said.

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Scientists use stem cells to study bipolar disorder

Researchers have grown embryonic-like stem cells from patients with bipolar disorder and transformed them into brain cells that are already answering questions about the condition.

The cells, which carry the precisely tailored genetic instructions from the patients own cells, behave differently than cells taken from people without the disorder, the researchers report.

Already, we see that cells from people with bipolar disorder are different in how often they express certain genes, how they differentiate into neurons, how they communicate, and how they respond to lithium," Sue O'Shea, a stem cell specialist at the University of Michigan who led the study, said in a statement.

The work, described in the journal Translational Psychiatry, helps fulfill one of the big promises of stem cells research using a patients own cells to study his or her disease.

Mental illness is especially hard to study. Getting into a living persons brain is almost impossible, and scientists cant deliberately cause it in people in order to study it.

Creating animals such as mice with what looks like human mental illness is imprecise at best.

The University of Michigan team turned instead to what are called induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells. These are ordinary skin cells taken from a patient and tricked into turning back into the state of a just-conceived embryo.

These cells, grown from skin cells taken from people with bipolar disorder, arose from stem cells and were coaxed to become neural progenitor cells -- the kind that can become any sort of nervous system cell. The research showed differences in cell behavior compared with cells grown from people without bipolar disorder.

They are pluripotent, meaning they can become any type of cell there is. In this case, the Michigan team redirected the cells to become neurons the cells that make up much of the brain. "This gives us a model that we can use to examine how cells behave as they develop into neurons, OShea said.

Bipolar disorder, once called manic-depression, is very common, affecting an estimated 3 percent of the population globally. It runs in families, suggesting a strong genetic cause, and is marked by mood swings from depression to feelings of euphoria and creativity thats considered the manic phase.

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Stem Cells Shed Light On Bipolar Disease

Image Caption: These colorful neurons, seen forming connections to one another across synapses, were grown from induced pluripotent stem cells -- ones that were derived from skin cells taken from people with bipolar disorder. New research shows they act, and react to the bipolar drug lithium, differently from neurons derived from people without bipolar disorder. Credit: University of Michigan Pluripotent Stem Cell Research Lab

[ Watch the Video: First Stem Cell Study of Bipolar Disorder Yields Promising Results ]

April Flowers for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Bipolar disorder affects 200 million people globally, and yet there are so many questions surrounding the condition. Why are individuals with bipolar disorder prone to manic highs and deep, depressed lows? If there is no single gene to blame, why does bipolar disorder run so strongly in families? And why, with the enormous number of people suffering from bipolar disorder, is it so hard to find new treatments?

A new study from the University of Michigan Medical School, funded by the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund, reveals that the answers might actually be found within our stem cells.

To derive the first-ever stem cell lines specific to bipolar disorder, the research team used skin from individuals who suffer from the condition. They transformed these cells into neurons, similar to those found in the brain, then compared them to cells derived from people without the disorder.

Very specific differences in how these neurons behave and communicate with each other were revealed by the comparison, which also identified striking differences in how the neurons respond to lithium, the most common treatment for bipolar disorder.

This study represents the first time researchers have directly measured differences in brain cell formation and function between individuals with and without bipolar disorder.

The type of stem cells used for this study are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The team coaxed the sample cells to turn into stem cells that held the potential to become any type of cell by exposing the small samples of skin cells to carefully controlled conditions. Further coaxing turned the iPSCs into neurons.

This gives us a model that we can use to examine how cells behave as they develop into neurons. Already, we see that cells from people with bipolar disorder are different in how often they express certain genes, how they differentiate into neurons, how they communicate, and how they respond to lithium, says Sue OShea, Ph.D., an experienced U-M stem cell specialist.

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Bipolar Disorder Stem Cell Study Opens Doors To Potential New Treatments

The Alliance for the Advancement of Adult Stem Cell Therapy and Research hosted an awards luncheon for doctors and patients from around the world to recognize and honor their outstanding contributions and achievements in adult stem cell therapy. The Stem Cell Alliance event celebrated the revolutionary strides in the field of adult stem cell treatments for cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, spinal cord injuries and vascular diseases.

The Stem Cell Alliance event celebrated the revolutionary strides in the field of adult stem cell treatments for cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, spinal cord injuries and vascular diseases. Kelly Drouin of the Stem Cell Alliance, conferred awards to the Regenocyte medical team including Doctors Zannos Grekos, Hector Rosario, Eduardo Mejia and, in absentia, Victor Matos for their work and dedication in adult stem cell research and treatment.

These doctors are pioneers in clinical application of adult stem cell therapy and heroes to the many patients in attendance. Some of the patients had lost all hope after being told by their own doctors that they were out of options in the treatment of their disease, said Drouin.

The Stem Cell Alliance also recognized and awarded each of the attending patients for their courage and for leading the way for others to follow by undergoing adult stem cell treatment. Each patient spoke with heartfelt conviction; describing their prognosis and the life-saving benefits of the adult stem cell therapy they received.

Quality of life improvements measured by being able to independently transfer or dress yourself or walking without a cane, not needing an oxygen tank, or no longer requiring a defibrillator are priceless, stated Jonathan Fields, adult stem cell recipient and founder of the Jonathan Fields Save a Life Heal a Heart Foundation, dedicated to the advancement of adult stem cells for the treatment of heart disease.

The Alliance for the Advancement of Adult Stem Cell Therapy and Researchs mission is to educate the public on the process and the benefits of non-controversial adult stem cell therapy, to promote the use of adult stem cells in the research and treatment of life-altering diseases and, lastly, to provide financial assistance to those who medically qualify and cannot otherwise afford treatment.

Contact: Kelly Drouin The Alliance for the Advancement of Adult Stem Cell Therapy and Research Phone: (888)663-9974 Email: KellyDrouin@thestemcellalliance.org

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Pioneers in Adult Stem Cell Therapy Honored