Animal Stem Cell Therapy
By Dr. Matthew Watson
BYRON, MN--It's a dream for many in the medical field, to use a person's own stem cells to help them heal. And it's a reality already happening in our area.
But it's not humans who are being treated. In this case, dogs are the ones being treated.
Animal Stem Cell Regenerative Therapy has been performed a few thousand times now across the U.S. Doctors harvest stem cells and re-enter them where the animal is having problems.
Both Marley and Vinnie have bad ligaments in their legs, and like many dogs suffering from arthritis, they are subject to monthly doses of expensive drugs.
That is until today.
Dr. Garren Kelly, D.V.M. at Meadow View Veterinary Clinic just outside Rochester says, "If you'd of asked me 5 years ago if I would be doing anything like this, I would have said no. But then as soon as I saw it i'm like 'Yeah that's for me'. I kind of like staying on the cutting edge of technology and surgeries".
The two are undergoing a first of its kind surgery in minnesota, using regenerative stem cells.
Blood is taken from the dogs, as well as fat tissue.
Then stem cells are separated out from the fat, activated with an led light, and injected back into the affected area. All in the same day.
MediVet America trainer Jordan Smith says, "It's a better quality of life, we're not promising to give them 10 years or 5 years but we are promising that the years that they do have remaining are a lot more enjoyable".
Read the original:
Animal Stem Cell Therapy
State Awards $9.8 Million For Stem Cell Projects
By JoanneRUSSELL25
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy Monday announced $9.8 million in grants to 19 stem cell research projects in the state. The Connecticut Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee had selected the recipients at its grant review meeting last Tuesday in Farmington.
"Connecticut's continued support of stem cell research has allowed for exciting and innovative research to take place right here in our state," Malloy said in a statement. "The research projects funded by these grants allow scientists to do revolutionary work that puts Connecticut at the forefront of bioscience industry."
Of the 19 grants, 13 grants totaling $7.25 million were awarded to Yale scientists, five went to University of Connecticut researchers, and one went to a collaboration between Wesleyan and UConn scientists.
The largest grant, $1.8 million, was awarded to D. Eugene Redmond of Yale. Redmond has focused on cellular repair in the nervous system and how it relates to Parkinson's disease.
UConn's Stormy Chamberlain, an assistant professor of genetics and developmental biology at the UConn Health Center, received a $450,000 grant to develop new therapies for Prader-Willi syndrome and Angelman Syndrome, both rare genetic disorders. Children born with Prader-Willi Syndrome have difficulty feeding and develop poor muscle tone, and starting about age 2, they develop an insatiable appetite that lasts for their lifetime. People with Angelman Syndrome suffer speech difficulties, seizures, problems with motor control and balance, and serious intellectual disabilities
Although Chamberlain generally focuses on Angelman Syndrome, the three-year project also will include Prader-Willi because the causes of the two disorders are similar. Angelman Syndrome is caused by the deletion of genes on a certain chromosome on the mother's side, while Prader-Willi Syndrome is caused by the deletion of genes in same chromosome on the father's side.
Chamberlain estimates that she's one of 30 researchers in the U.S. who studies Angelman Syndrome.
"The state funding really helps rare diseases because the foundations that typically fund their research are limited," she said, adding that support often is limited to fundraisers organized by families of those with the conditions.
A stem cell education outreach program, run by Laura Grabel, a professor of biology at Wesleyan, and Ren-He Xu, a professor of genetics at UConn, received $500,000. Grabel said the program, which has been in operation since 2006, holds workshops and retreats for stem cell researchers and educates the general public by sending speakers to schools and various organizations. The program also has representatives speak to high school science teachers about incorporating stem cell science in their curricula.
Although the program was started partly because of the controversy over the use of stem cells, Grabel said "we've seen very little pushback it's been very positive."
Go here to see the original:
State Awards $9.8 Million For Stem Cell Projects
Bethel woman waits for marrow match
By Dr. Matthew Watson
BETHEL, Vt. -
Amelia Lincoln loves to garden. But so far this planting season, she has had to sit it out.
"It's been a long haul and we try to keep a pretty positive attitude about everything. So, I generally could feel worse right now," she said.
Lincoln's immune system is fragile. For the past six weeks, she has been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.
"I have acute myelogenous leukemia," she said. "I have a leukemia that came back after a stem cell transplant two years ago."
She had been in remission, but the aggressive cancer in her bone marrow is back.
"It's a change of priorities, but what would anyone say if their spouse was sick," husband James Patterson said.
Lincoln needs another transplant at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center. But right now, she has yet to find the perfect match.
"We used to use bone marrow specifically for a bone marrow transplant. Nowadays, we can use medicines to stimulate a patient's bone marrow cells into the blood. We can collect those bone marrow cells in the blood-- called peripheral blood stem cells-- and use those cells for the transplant," said Dr. Kenneth Meehan of the Norris Cotton Cancer Center.
A donor drive Tuesday in Randolph Center could increase Amelia's odds. No needles-- just a swab.
Visit link:
Bethel woman waits for marrow match
Chicago woman cured of sickle cell disease
By NEVAGiles23
ScienceDaily (June 18, 2012) Chicagoan Ieshea Thomas is the first Midwest patient to receive a successful stem cell transplant to cure her sickle cell disease without chemotherapy in preparation for the transplant.
University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System physicians performed the procedure using medication to suppress her immune system and one small dose of total body radiation right before the transplant.
The transplant technique is relatively uncommon and is a much more tolerable treatment for patients with aggressive sickle cell disease who often have underlying organ disease and other complications, says Dr. Damiano Rondelli, professor of medicine at UIC, who performed Thomas's transplant.
The procedure initially allows a patient's own bone marrow to coexist with that of the donor. Since the patient's bone marrow is not completely destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation prior to transplant, part of the immune defense survives, lessening the risk of infection. The goal is for the transplanted stem cells to gradually take over the bone marrow's role to produce red blood cells -- normal, healthy ones.
Thomas, 33, had her first sickle cell crisis when she was just 8 months old. Her disease became progressively worse as an adult, particularly after the birth of her daughter. She has spent most of her adult life in and out of hospitals with severe pain and has relied on repeated red blood cell transfusions. Her sickle cell disease also caused bone damage requiring two hip replacements.
"I just want to be at home with my daughter every day and every night," said Thomas, who depends on family to help care for her daughter during her frequent hospitalizations.
This type of stem cell transplant is only possible for patients who have a healthy sibling who is a compatible donor.
Thomas' sister was a match and agreed to donate blood stem cells through a process called leukapheresis. Several days prior to leukapheresis, Thomas' sister was given drugs to increase the number of stem cells released into the bloodstream. Her blood was then processed through a machine that collects white cells, including stem cells. The stem cells were frozen until the transplant.
Last Nov. 23, four bags of frozen stem cells were delivered to the hospital's blood and marrow transplant unit. One by one, the bags were thawed and hung on an IV pole for infusion into Thomas. The procedure took approximately one hour. Her 13-year-old daughter, Miayatha, was at her bedside.
Six months after the transplant, Thomas is cured of sickle cell disease and no longer requires blood transfusions.
Follow this link:
Chicago woman cured of sickle cell disease
Stem Cell Therapy for CMT-Gary B-part 2.mp4 – Video
By JoanneRUSSELL25
17-06-2012 23:59 Gary B Stem Cell Therapy for CMT Part 2 - For more info. visit
See more here:
Stem Cell Therapy for CMT-Gary B-part 2.mp4 - Video
Eastday-Rare jail move to save a son
By JoanneRUSSELL25
A FAMILY is waiting anxiously to see whether a bone marrow transplant, made possible by a rare prison transfer, has saved a boy's life.
Gao Yong, who began a 10-year sentence for burglary in 2005, was allowed to travel to donate bone marrow stem cells for his nine-year-old son, Jun Jie, who has leukemia.
Gao, who had been serving his sentence in east China's Zhejiang Province, was transferred to a prison in southwest Guizhou Province to be closer to the Xinqiao Hospital in Chongqing where Jun Ji had been taken after all possible treatments in his hometown of Zunyi in Guizhou had been exhausted.
Jun Jie was diagnosed with leukemia around the end of 2011.
Doctors at Xinqiao said Jun Jie required a bone marrow transplant, but tests showed none of his other family members were a match. His only hope was his father.
In February, after a blood sample was sent to the jail holding Gao some two hours away by air, good news came back - they matched.
Too weak to travel
"At that time, Jun Jie had become too weak to travel, so I went to judicial departments both in Zhejiang and Guizhou to persuade them to transfer his father to the Xinqiao Hospital,'' his mother Luo Jing said.
In March, Gao was transferred to the prison in Guizhou to prepare for the operation. On June 9, 10 officers escorted Gao to Chongqing.
It is very rare for a prisoner to come out of their assigned jail for as long as a week, noted the head of the escort team.
From Cloning 'Dolly the Sheep' to Curing Blindness, Scotland is on the Forefront of Life Science Discoveries
By Dr. Matthew Watson
EDINBURGH, Scotland, June 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --A revolution in modern medicine is quietly under way in Scotland, which is rapidly emerging as a global leader in regenerative medicine and drug discovery.
Ranked #1 in the world for stem cell research, Scotland recently launched a new stem cell trial to cure corneal blindness, which could result in the development of the first harvest stem cells that restore the sight of millions of people. The revolutionary research, conducted by Advanced Cell Technologies at the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, is the first trial of its kind ever to be carried out in the UK.
Scotland is also responsible for many other groundbreaking life science discoveries, including MRI and CAT scanners, the discovery of p53 cancer suppressor gene, world-recognized research in diabetes and cancer, ReNeuron's stem cell trial for stroke patients, and the cloning of "Dolly" the sheep.
More than two dozen Scottish life science companies and research organizations will come together to showcase these discoveries among other recent life science developments at the 2012 BIO International Convention on June 18-21 in Boston.
"Scotland may be small in size, but we're big in bioscience," said Danny Cusick, President, Americas, of Scottish Development International. "Scotland is home to some of the world's leading life science companies and has the largest concentration of animal science-related expertise and more medical research per capita than any other country in Europe."
The University of Dundee and the University of St. Andrews are both ranked among the top 10 best international academic institutions for scientists. Little wonder that the University of Dundee and the Medical Research Council just announced more than $21 million in funding from a consortium of six of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies for continuing research on the development of new drug treatments of major global diseases.
Beyond the universities, Scotland is also investing heavily in infrastructure to support development of its life science sector. Case in point is the expansive new Edinburgh BioQuarter (EBQ), which just celebrated the opening of pioneering bio-medical facilities: The Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine and new bio-incubator building, Nine. The EBQ was designed to foster collaboration between Scottish researchers and global life science companies that is conducive to developing and commercializing new medical discoveries.
Likewise, a former Merck research facility in Scotland's Central Belt between Glasgow and Edinburgh, is being transformed into "BioCity Scotland" to foster the growth of life science and pharmaceutical companies.
Read the rest here:
From Cloning 'Dolly the Sheep' to Curing Blindness, Scotland is on the Forefront of Life Science Discoveries
Stem Cell Therapy for CMT – Gary B-part 1 – Video
By Dr. Matthew Watson
17-06-2012 02:12 Gary B. Stem Cell Therapy for CMT - For more info. visit
Read more here:
Stem Cell Therapy for CMT - Gary B-part 1 - Video
Sistemic to Moderate Regenerative Medicine Panel at 2012 Bio International Convention
By JoanneRUSSELL25
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Sistemic Ltd., a leading provider of microRNA-based problem-solving services and kit-based products to the Cell Therapy community, announced today that chairman and CEO Jim Reid is moderating a panel discussion at the 2012 Bio International Convention on Wednesday, June 20, in Boston. Featuring leaders from the regenerative medicine space, the panel is titled Stem Cell Therapies Fact or Fiction, and will share the lessons learned to-date from Scottish, European and American perspectives on the path to successfulcommercialization of stem cell therapies.
Jim Reid, Sistemic CEO, commented, "Sistemic is very active in the CellTherapyarena and aremembersof Alliance for Advanced Therapies (AAT) and the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM). We see the ability to raise this topic at the leading world event, BIO 2012, as animportantstep on the path to commercialization of these products which will be transformational in healthcare, and bring hope and cures to many people around the globe."
More information on the panel at BIO 2012:
What: Panel Discussion Featuring Leaders in the Regenerative Medicine Space
When: Wednesday, June 20, 3:00PM EDT
Where: Boston Convention Center, Room 254A
Who: Leaders of the Regenerative Medicine space:
Panel objectives include evaluating lessons learned and best practice including from the Scotland Roadmap for the commercialization of stem cell therapies; identifying global (US and EU) examples of progress in stem cell therapy commercialization; and facilitating a debate on the need for a global, multi-disciplinary approach to successful commercialization of stem cell therapies.
About Sistemic Ltd
Here is the original post:
Sistemic to Moderate Regenerative Medicine Panel at 2012 Bio International Convention
Royal Oak Veterinarian Dr. Simon First in Michigan to Offer In-House Adult Pet Stem Cell Therapy
By JoanneRUSSELL25
ROYAL OAK, Mich., June 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Woodside Animal Hospital announced they have added both stem cell therapy and cold laser therapy to their suite of services. These two cutting edge treatments are done entirely in-house, no third-party lab work is required. Royal Oak veterinarian Dr. John Simon is the first Michigan veterinarian to provide pets with in-house adult stem cell therapy. The stem cells are derived from the pet's fat deposits and absolutely no embryonic tissue is used.
"As a holistic veterinarian, I am committed to providing high quality, cutting-edge care that combines traditional veterinary care with advanced holistic treatments," said Dr. Simon. "Our in-house stem cell therapy and cold laser therapy procedures alleviate pain in limping dogs and promote internal healing following an injury. I also recommend these procedures for pets with osteoarthritis."
Cold laser therapy is a non-surgical approach to pain management. Holistic equine veterinarians have used the procedure for over 20 years to treat injuries and joint pain. Today, veterinarians are using cold laser therapy to provide natural pain relief for injured pets.
According to Dr. Simon, cold laser therapy works by using a low-level energy beam to penetrate just below the skin's surface. Injured cells use the laser's energy to repair cellular damage. This provides relief for pain and swelling following a soft tissue injury, such as a ligament, tendon or muscle strain.
"Cold laser therapy is a revolutionary treatment for natural pain management in animals," said the Royal Oak veterinarian. "Laser therapy allows for advanced pain management, especially for pets suffering from chronic conditions or soft tissue injuries."
Woodside Animal Hospital also provides in-house pet stem cell therapy. This treatment uses adult stem cells collected from a dog's fat deposits to promote the growth of new soft tissue and cartilage. By performing the whole procedure in the clinic, the stem cells can be harvested and re-injected on the same day.
"Our in-house pet stem cell therapy is an affordable, same-day treatment that helps dogs suffering from joint pain, osteoarthritis, soft tissue injuries and hip dysplasia," said Dr. Simon. "As pets age, it's natural that their range of movement becomes restricted. While oral joint care supplements and prescription painkillers can help, medication alone cannot restore a full range of movement. Our treatments help restore activity and movement."
In addition to cold laser therapy and stem cell therapy, Dr. Simon also provides holistic treatments for cancer in dogs, cat and dog rashes, and dietary needs. The Royal Oak practice is a full-service animal hospital with wellness care, vaccinations and surgical procedures.
Dr. Simon is active in the greater Detroit veterinary community, serving as the past president of the Oakland County Veterinary Medical Association and as a board member for the Southeastern Michigan Veterinary Medical Association (SEMVMA).
Go here to read the rest:
Royal Oak Veterinarian Dr. Simon First in Michigan to Offer In-House Adult Pet Stem Cell Therapy
Genetic engineering for synthetic semiconductors – EE Times
By Dr. Matthew Watson
![]() EE Times | Genetic engineering for synthetic semiconductors EE Times Genetic engineering for synthetic semiconductors. ... SAN FRANCISCO--Genetic engineering could hold the key to artificially creating semiconductors in a lab. Artificial cells evolve proteins to structure semiconductorsArs Technica |
Source:
http://news.google.com/news?q=genetic-engineering&output=rss
BIO to Host China Day: Biotechnology in the Middle Kingdom: A … – MarketWatch (press release)
By Dr. Matthew Watson
![]() Mass High Tech | BIO to Host China Day: Biotechnology in the Middle Kingdom: A ... MarketWatch (press release) WASHINGTON, Jun 12, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) will host a special China Day program dedicated to exploring ... Need for biotech more critical than everMass High Tech Leadership Summit to Highlight the Commercial Potential of ...Business Wire (press release) 2012 BIO International Convention International Leadership Award ...PharmiWeb.com (press release) |
Source:
http://news.google.com/news?q=biotechnology&output=rss
Bioreactor Design and Bioprocess Controls for Industrialized Cell Processing
By Dr. Matthew Watson
Tweet
A short and sweet note to point you to a great article on bioreactor technologies related to cell therapy bioprocessing by CTG consultant and Director of Stem Cell-based Drug Discovery, John E. Hambor, who you can now follow on Twitter @StemCellonDrugs."Bioreactor Design and Bioprocess Controls for Industrialized Cell Processing" was published in the June issue of BioProcess International.
The BPI team has made a real and meaningful commitment to representing cell therapy bioprocessing and we applaud them for their contribution to this emerging discipline.
If this is a topic of interest to you, I recommend you also check out a conference being held this Fall by BPI's sister company, IBC LifeSciences, entitled "Cell Therapy BioProcessing" to be held September 11-12 in Arlington, Virginia.
$30 Million Round Attracts Strong Industry Interest; More Cash Coming?
By Dr. Matthew Watson
The California stem cell agency is
considering adding more cash to its upcoming $30 million award round
aimed at aiding projects that can complete – within the next four
years – a clinical trial for a therapy.
a Los Angeles bond financier, last month told agency directors that
there is "some real quality in the mix" among the firms
that have expressed initial interest. Depending on the judgment of
CIRM award reviewers later this year, Thomas said the board could
well be asked to increase the funding.
round has already exceeded expectations in terms of volume. CIRM told
the California Stem Cell Report that the agency has received
letters of intent from 37 enterprises, including 29 biotech
companies.
recommendations two years ago from an "external review"
panel that said that CIRM needed to do a better job of engaging the
biotech industry. The RFA for the round said the agency's intent is
to "enhance the likelihood that CIRM-funded projects will obtain
funding for phase III clinical trials" and attract additional
financing.
counsel and vice president for business development,, said in a news release earlier this spring,
“The Strategic Partnership Funding
Program represents a new era for CIRM, one that is increasingly
focused on moving therapies from the lab to the clinic, while still
recognizing the importance of maintaining investments in early stage
science,”
will provide grants or loans of up to $10 million to three
recipients. Applicants will have to match the size of the award. For
the first time, CIRM will also require applicants to demonstrate the
financial ability to carry the project forward.
Kevin McCormack said,
"We received 37 letters of intent
(LOIs), including 8 from non-profits and 29 from biotech companies.
Based on the information in the LOIs, and on discussions with
applicants, we were able to determine that some of the proposals were
for projects that were outside the scientific scope of the RFA and
that some of the applicants did not meet the minimum specified
criteria in the RFA for 'Commercial Validation.' We currently expect
to receive 10-15 applications for projects that appear to be
eligible."
review is scheduled for this fall by the directors' Intellectual
Property and Industry Subcommittee, which is co-chaired by
Stephen Juelsgaard, former executive vice president of Genentech,
and Duane Roth, CEO of CONNECT, a San Diego nonprofit
that supports technology and life sciences business development. The
others on the six-member panel are Chairman Thomas, Michael
Goldberg, a general partner at the MDV venture capital
firm, and two academics, Os Steward, chair and director of the
Reeve-Irvine Research Center for Spinal Cord Injury at UC
Irvine, and Susan Bryant, former vice chancellor for research,
also at UC Irvine.
validation says that applications must have "the financial
capacity to move the project through development or of being able to
attract the capital to do so. This may be evidenced by, for example,
(i) significant investment by venture capital firms, large
biotechnology or pharmaceutical companies and/or disease foundations;
(ii) a licensing and development agreement with a large biotechnology
or pharmaceutical company, or a commitment to enter into such an
agreement executed prior to the disbursement of CIRM funding; and/or
(iii) financial statements evidencing significant liquid assets."
reviews in September. The directors' Industry Subcommittee will meet
following the reviews. CIRM said funding would come no earlier than
January of next year.
Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss
Finding on ‘Evil’ Stem Cells Boosts Stem Cell Agency PR
By Dr. Matthew Watson
is struggling to spread the word about its good deeds, made a bit of
progress last week when it was praised – not once but three times –
on a widely followed national media outlet.
![]() |
Jill Helms, Stanford photo |
Friday, the NPR program that is a favorite on PBS radio stations
around the country. It has 1.4 million listeners and 600,000 podcast downloads each week.
Stanford and a specialist in regenerative medicine, was the guest
last Friday. She talked about what Science Friday host Ira
Flatow called a "paradigm-shifting" finding that
cholestrol and fat are not the likely villains in clogging arteries.
Instead the villain is a stem cell – an evil one.
collaboration began as a result of a CIRM-sponsored meeting in Japan.
Although she and lead researcher Song Li, an associate professor of bioengineering at UC Berkeley, work nearly within shouting distance,
they had never met. She said,
![]() |
Zhenyu Tang (at microscope) examines vascular stem cells in culture along with Aijun Wang (left) and Song Li. UC Berkeley/Zoey Huang photo |
"Even though he works just across
the (San Francisco) Bay from me - I met him at a meeting in Japan
that was sponsored by the California Institute for Regenerative
Medicine, or CIRM, and they fund a lot of stem cell research in
California."
"I will tell you that cancer is
certainly a disease that looks very much like a stem cell gone out of
control. And so if we understand what normally regulates a stem
cell's behavior, then we gain some crucial insights into what
regulates maybe a cancer cell's behavior. It's that kind of approach
that I think that CIRM is largely funding initiatives to try to
target human diseases, the big ones, and the ones that make us all
sort of quake in our shoes, and attempt to come up with new
therapies."
"Most basic scientists that work
in stem cells and in the area of stem cell are trying as hard as
possible to move this into translational therapies, things that can
be used in humans. And, of course, CIRM, our funding institution, is
very adamant about this being the trajectory. So, you know, I'll be
taking a stab at it about five to seven years. I think that the
ability to rapidly screen existing drugs for their ability to target
this cell population is why we think that it might have a shorter
course to getting into humans."
received a grant from the stem cell agency nor is she even one of the
featured players in CIRM's many videos. Song Li does have a $1.3million grant from the agency.
what the agency needs if it is to sell its efforts, which are almost
totally ignored by the mainstream media. However, the Science Friday
audience consists almost entirely of "true believers" in
the virtues of science and research. If CIRM is to accomplish its
PR-communications-marketing goals it also has to reach the unwashed
heathens, who are, however, unlikely converts. But most importantly,
CIRM needs to persuade fence-sitters. All of which will require a
long, hard and sometimes frustrating campaign.
NIH and the United States Army. According to CIRM's research blog post
on Li's work, his team included two researchers who were
part of Berkeley’s CIRM-funded training program.
Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss
BIO comes back – Boston.com
By Dr. Matthew Watson
![]() Boston Globe | BIO comes back Boston.com More than 15000 people arriving in Boston for the Biotechnology Industry Organization convention opening Monday will see a Massachusetts life sciences ... Marshall, spinoffs to be featured at biosciences conferenceWOWK Europe's biotech firms flocking to Bay StateBoston Globe Former Secretary of Health and Human Services to Lead Panel at ...PharmaLive.com (press release) CNBC.com -NECN -Huntington Herald Dispatch all 20 news articles » |
Source:
http://news.google.com/news?q=biotechnology&output=rss
Unveilling stem cells
By daniellenierenberg
Unveilling stem cells
LAWRENCE SERETSE Correspondent
Cryo-Save, the European company that intends to establish the first stem cell bank in Botswana says stem cells do not have just one function. They can themselves become or create other types of cells such as blood cells, brain cells, tissue cells, muscle cells and the like. Stem cells can be found in every person but they are much more numerous in the body of a foetus.
There are three types of stem cell banking namely, the baby stem cell banking which is the preservation and storage of cord blood and umbilical cord tissue. Adult stem cell banking is the preservation and storage of peripheral blood (from blood stream for bone marrow transplants) and fatty tissue stem cells.
The reproductive cell banking deals with the preservation and storage of eggs and sperm for future fertility treatments or artificial insemination purposes. Studying stem cells helped humans understand how they transform into the dazzling array of specialised cells that make us what we are. Some of the most serious medical conditions, such as cancer and birth defects, are caused by problems that occur somewhere in this process. A better understanding of normal cell development has allowed scientists to understand and perhaps correct the errors that cause these medical conditions. Many support stem cell research because it has the potential to provide solutions to a wide variety of medical conditions and diseases.
Stem cell research could even lead to a cure for some of the most traumatic injuries and diseases. Stem cell treatments cure over 70 diseases and disorders like Leukemia, Lymphoma, blood cancers, bone marrow disorders like Aplastic anaemia, sickle cell, Diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease, heart disease, stroke, birth defects, spinal cord injuries, ability to replace or repair organs and cancer.
This is just half of it. If one just looked at the benefits one might wonder why stem cell treatments are not in wide use. The shortcomings of stem cell research are often fears of what could result from such knowledge and the moral implications of using the stem cells. There are worries that humans should not try to play God. "Relating bodies have to pay extra caution and determine if we really need these banks. Again, some researchers may be coming to dig stem cells in Botswana, since there maybe restrictive laws in their countries.
"The unsuspecting citizens may end up giving up their stem cells for money," says Iqbal Chand, the CEO of Diagnofirm Medical Laboratories. He gave a scenario from recent publications that a patient in Berlin was cleared of HIV after stem cell treatment for leukemia.
"We do not even know how true it is and if it was the stem cells that cured his HIV. Even if it is, it is one person in a million so there is no assurance," Chand pointed out.
Another big issue with stem cells research is superstition. In most African communities, the umbilical cord must be buried after birth because it is believed that anyone with access to it could exert some spiritual influence on the child. This has led to uncertainty towards cord tissue and cord blood storage in most African societies. However, with the success of transplants making the headlines, more and more people are willing to donate adult stem cells to save lives.
See the original post:
Unveilling stem cells
Stem cell treatment offers hope to those sickened after getting bone marrow
By Sykes24Tracey
wwltv.com
Posted on June 15, 2012 at 5:53 PM
Updated today at 6:12 PM
Meg Farris / Eyewitness News Email: mfarris@wwltv.com | Twitter: @megfarriswwl
NEWORLEANS- She was only in kindergarten when doctors gave her family the bad news.
Now she's one of the first in Louisiana to try a new treatment for people who get gravely ill after a bone marrow transplant.
The last three years of Sami Smith's life have been physically and emotionally painful.
"I literally, they try to scare me and they can't, because I've been through the scariest thing that you can," said Smith, 9, of Ponchatoula.
Her mother noticed she was napping more and bruising. Doctors diagnosed AML, a type of leukemia or blood cancer. Had she not gotten to the doctor then, she would not have made it much longer. A Child's Wish sent her to Disney World. The good news, one of her teen sisters Mary Hannah, 13, was a good bone marrow match. The transplant worked and Sami was cancer free.
Then devastating news. Sami got a condition called GvHD (Graft-versus-host disease) where the new marrow launches a painful attack on the recipient's body. It's the leading cause of transplant-related death.
More:
Stem cell treatment offers hope to those sickened after getting bone marrow
Bio-Matrix Scientific Group Announces David Audley, the Founder of International Cellular Medicine Society, Has Joined …
By Sykes24Tracey
SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire -06/15/12)- Bio-Matrix Scientific Group (BMSN) (BMSN) announced today the appointment of David Audley to the advisory board of Its Regen BioPharma subsidiary. Mr. Audley will advise Regen BioPharma on strategic leveraging of national and international clinical research resources. Mr. Audley is viewed by the Company as a key component in the commercialization of stem cell intellectual property. Additionally, it is anticipated that he will assist in raising international awareness for the regenerative therapies being developed by the Company.
In his function as executive director and CEO of the International Cellular Medicine Society (ICMS), Mr. Audley has spearheaded development and implementation of global guidelines for accreditation of stem cell clinics. Under his leadership, the ICMS has grown from a loose association of a handful of physicians to a major international standards organization with over 3500 members from 36 countries. He is a strong advocate for stem cell therapy development and implementation, and is the chief architect of the ICMS accreditation program that is currently evaluating the practices of nearly 20 facilities in a dozen countries. Mr. Audley also has strong professional relationships with Ministries of Health and governmental agencies in South America, Asia and the Middle East.
"My work at ICMS exposes me to the tremendous ability of stem cell therapeutics to alleviate human suffering. Unfortunately, business models have not caught up with the medical reality. Regen BioPharma is unique in that to my knowledge they are the first group to develop a model that accelerates development of stem cell therapeutics in a win-win situation for investors and patients," said David Audley.
"Mr. Audley has made a substantial impact in the clinical translation of stem cell therapeutics by establishing standards, accreditations, an Institutional Review Board (IRB), and partnerships with major organizations such as the AABB," said Christopher Mizer, President of Regen BioPharma. "We are extremely excited to work side by side with Mr. Audley in accelerating access of new stem cell therapies for patients."
About Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc. and Regen BioPharma, Inc.:
Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc. (BMSN) (BMSN) is a biotechnology company focused on the development of regenerative medicine therapies and tools. The Company is focused on human therapies that address unmet medical needs. Specifically, Bio-Matrix Scientific Group, Inc. is looking to increase the quality of life through therapies involving stem cell treatments. These treatments are focused in areas relating to cardiovascular, hematology, oncology and other indications.
Through Its wholly owned subsidiary, Regen BioPharma, it is the Company's goal to develop translational medicine platforms for the rapid commercialization of stem cell therapies. The Company is looking to use these translational medicine platforms to advance intellectual property licensed from entities, institutions and universities that show promise towards fulfilling the Company's goal of increased quality of life. To follow our development, visit us at http://www.regenbiopharma.com.
Disclaimer
This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties to which forward-looking statements are subject include, but are not limited to, the effect of government regulation, competition and other material risks.
Vein grown from girl's stem cells
By JoanneRUSSELL25
Highly-magnified red blood cells course through a vein. Picture: file Source: Supplied
DOCTORS in Sweden successfully replaced a potentially-fatal blocked vein in a 10-year-old girl with one grown from her own stem cells, according to a study published today.
The team - from the University of Gothenburg andSahlgrenska University Hospital - accomplished the feat by populating a section of vein from a dead donor using stem cells gleaned from the girl's bone barrow.
"The new stem-cells-derived graft resulted not only in good blood flow rates and normal laboratory test values but also, in strikingly improved quality of life for the patient," the study's authors wrote in The Lancet.
The successful feat also "opens interesting new areas of research," they added.
The operation marked the latest step in scientists' ability to create replacement organs for transplant.
In 2010, doctors at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital made history by successfully transplanting a donor windpipe into a young boy, also aged 10, that was regenerated inside his body using his own stem cells.
In the latest instance, a 3.5-inch (9cm) section of groin vein from the donor was stripped of any living cells and "recellularised" with new cells grown from stem cells taken from the girl's bone marrow.
Techniques that use stem cells from a patient's own body carry the major benefit that they do not provoke an immune response. In the Swedish case, one alternative treatment option was a liver transplant, which would have required a lifetime of immunosuppressants. The work was funded by the Swedish government.
Visit link:
Vein grown from girl's stem cells