Denver Regenerative Medicine - What is regenerative medicine?
Dr. Joel Cherdack of Denver Regenerative Medicine explains what regenerative medicine is. He and the hosts discuss the benefits of both PRP (platelet rich plasma) and Stem Cell Therapy.

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Newswise UCLA has received grant funding from the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to lead a research mission that will send rodents to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission will allow astronauts on the space station and scientists on Earth to test a potential new therapy for accelerating bone growth in humans.

The research will be led by Dr. Chia Soo, a UCLA professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery and orthopaedic surgery, who is member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research. Soo is also research director for UCLA Operation Mend, which provides medical care for wounded warriors. The study will test the ability of a bone-forming molecule called NELL-1 to direct stem cells to induce bone formation and prevent bone degeneration.

Other members of the UCLA research team are Dr. Kang Ting, a professor in dentistry who discovered NELL-1 and is leading efforts to translate NELL-1 therapy to humans, Dr. Ben Wu, a professor of bioengineering who modified the NELL-1 molecule to make useful for treating osteoporosis, and Dr. Jin Hee Kwak, an assistant professor of dentistry who will manage daily operations.

Based on results of previous studies supported by the NIH, the UCLA-ISS team will begin ground operations in early 2015. They hope that the study will provide new insights into the prevention of bone loss or osteoporosis as well as the regeneration of massive bone defects that can occur in wounded military personnel. Osteoporosis is a significant public health problem commonly associated with skeletal disuse conditions such as immobilization, stroke, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury and jaw resorption after tooth loss.

NELL-1 holds tremendous hope, not only for preventing bone loss but one day even restoring healthy bone, Ting said. For patients who are bed-bound and suffering from bone loss, it could be life-changing.

The UCLA team will oversee the ground operations of the mission in tandem with a flight operation coordinated by CASIS and NASA.

A group of 40 rodents will be sent to the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory onboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule, where they will live for two months in a microgravity environment during the first ever test of NELL-1 in space, said Dr. Julie Robinson, NASAs chief scientist for the International Space Station program at the Johnson Space Center.

CASIS is proud to work alongside UCLA in an effort to promote the station as a viable platform for bone loss inquiry, said Warren Bates, director of portfolio management for CASIS. Through investigations like this, we hope to make profound discoveries and enable the development of therapies to counteract bone loss ailments common in humans.

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Growing Bone in Space: UCLA and CASIS Announce Pioneering Collaborative Study to Test Therapy for Bone Loss on the ...

University researchers have developed a new testing system that can improve care for patients who need bone marrow and stem cell transplants.

Graft-versus-host disease is a life-threatening condition that can occur in response to transplants. GVHD causes immune cells from the transplant to attack the bodys healthy tissue. In patients with diseases such as leukemia, which compromises the bodys immune system, bone marrow or stem cell transplants are necessary.

John Levine, professor of pediatrics and the study's lead author, said in these types of cases, GVHD is a real danger.

Following transplantation surgeries, our major concern is the development of GVHD in our patients, Levine said. However, it is difficult to predict the severity of GVHD at the onset of the symptoms as it varies from patient to patient.

Prior to the research, there was no method for determining the severity of a GVHD case and whether or not it needed treatment. The treatment involves high doses of medication that reduce immune activity, so doctors must be extremely cautious when treating GVHD. Levine and his co-investigators assessed nearly 800 patients and created a scoring system that uses three proteins to assess the severity of each case of the disease.

We found out that it was not one protein but a combination of three recently validated biomarkers TNFR1, ST2, and Reg3, Levine said. We then formulated an equation which computes the concentration of the biomarkers into three Ann Arbor scores. The scores are positively correlated with the amount of risk the diagnosed patient is in, so a score 1 indicates a patient with minimal risk while a patient diagnosed with a score of 3 will subjected to intensive primary therapy.

The Ann Arbor scoring system will help ensure patients at lower risk are subjected to less aggressive treatments than patients at higher risk. Patients will then gain individualized treatments based on their needs.

More than half of the patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation develop GVHD. Though the degree of severity differs in patients, the disease is highly lethal if not treated immediately.

The research began in the late 1990s when investigators analyzed blood samples from 500 GVHD patients. The results were verified when another 300 patient blood samples from across the United States were analyzed.

The next step, according to Levine, is the launch of a clinical trial. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved this step.

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University creates new scoring system for transplant recipients

Stem Cell Therapy | Recent Strides Quell Stem Cell Debate
Ethical concerns for stem cells for arthritis could be mute...maybe. Reports show that adult stem cells (Autologous) have been shown in recent studies to hav...

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Stem Cell Therapy | Recent Strides Quell Stem Cell Debate - Video

(MENAFN - The Peninsula) Japanese scientists say they are on their way to being able to create custom-made skin, bone and joints using a 3D printer.

Several groups of researchers around the world have developed small masses of tissue for implants, but now they are looking to take the next step and make them functional.

Tsuyoshi Takato, a professor at the University of Tokyo Hospital, said his team had been working to create "a next-generation bio 3D printer", which would build up thin layers of biomaterials to form custom-made parts.

His team combines stem cells - the proto-cells that are able to develop into any body part - and proteins that trigger growth, as well as synthetic substance similar to human collagen.

Using a 3D printer, they are working on "mimicking the structure of organs" - such as the hard surface and spongy inside for bones, Takato said.

In just a few hours, the printer crafts an implant using data from a Computer Tomography (CT) scan. These implants can fit neatly into place in the body, and can quickly become assimilated by real tissue and other organs in the patient, the plastic surgeon said.

"We usually take cartilage or bone from the patient's own body (for regular implants), but these custom-made implants will mean not having to remove source material," Takato said.

The technology could also offer hope for children born with bone or cartilage problems, for whom regular synthetic implants are no good because of the rate of their body's growth. The main hurdle was the heat generated by conventional 3D printers, which damages living cells and protein.

"We haven't fully worked out how to avoid heat denaturation but we already have some models and are exploring which offers the most efficient method," he said.

The artificial protein Takato and his team use was developed by Fujifilm, which has been studying collagen used in photographic films. Since it is modelled on human collagen and does not derive from animals, it can be easily assimilated in human bodies, reducing the risk of infections such as mad-cow disease.

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Dr Sherif Stem cell therapy on OA
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VIDEO:A stem cell capable of regenerating both bone and cartilage has been identified in bone marrow of mice. The discovery by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) is reported... view more

NEW YORK, NY (January 15, 2015) - A stem cell capable of regenerating both bone and cartilage has been identified in bone marrow of mice. The discovery by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) is reported today in the online issue of the journal Cell.

The cells, called osteochondroreticular (OCR) stem cells, were discovered by tracking a protein expressed by the cells. Using this marker, the researchers found that OCR cells self-renew and generate key bone and cartilage cells, including osteoblasts and chondrocytes. Researchers also showed that OCR stem cells, when transplanted to a fracture site, contribute to bone repair.

"We are now trying to figure out whether we can persuade these cells to specifically regenerate after injury. If you make a fracture in the mouse, these cells will come alive again, generate both bone and cartilage in the mouse--and repair the fracture. The question is, could this happen in humans," says Siddhartha Mukherjee, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at CUMC and a senior author of the study.

The researchers believe that OCR stem cells will be found in human bone tissue, as mice and humans have similar bone biology. Further study could provide greater understanding of how to prevent and treat osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, or bone fractures.

"Our findings raise the possibility that drugs or other therapies can be developed to stimulate the production of OCR stem cells and improve the body's ability to repair bone injury--a process that declines significantly in old age," says Timothy C. Wang, MD, the Dorothy L. and Daniel H. Silberberg Professor of Medicine at CUMC, who initiated this research. Previously, Dr. Wang found an analogous stem cell in the intestinal tract and observed that it was also abundant in the bone.

"These cells are particularly active during development, but they also increase in number in adulthood after bone injury," says Gerard Karsenty, MD, PhD, the Paul A. Marks Professor of Genetics and Development, chair of the Department of Genetics & Development, and a member of the research team.

The study also showed that the adult OCRs are distinct from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which play a role in bone generation during development and adulthood. Researchers presumed that MSCs were the origin of all bone, cartilage, and fat, but recent studies have shown that these cells do not generate young bone and cartilage. The CUMC study suggests that OCR stem cells actually fill this function and that both OCR stems cells and MSCs contribute to bone maintenance and repair in adults.

The researchers also suspect that OCR cells may play a role in soft tissue cancers.

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Bone stem cells shown to regenerate bone and cartilage in adult mice

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - UC Davis surgeons have launched a "proof-of-concept" clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of a device that can rapidly concentrate and extract young cells from the irrigation fluid used during orthopaedic surgery.

"The new approach holds promise for improving the delivery of stem cell therapies in cases of non-healing fractures."

"People come to me after suffering for six months or more with a non-healing bone fracture, often after multiple surgeries, infections and hospitalizations," said Mark Lee, associate professor of orthopaedic surgery, who is principal investigator on the clinical trial. "Stem cell therapy for these patients can be miraculous, and it is exciting to explore an important new way to improve on its delivery." About 6 million people suffer fractures each year in North America, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Five to 10 percent of those cases involve patients who either have delayed healing or fractures that do not heal. The problem is especially troubling for the elderly because a non-healing fracture significantly reduces a person's function, mobility and quality of life. Stem cells - early cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types - have been used for several years to successfully treat bone fractures that otherwise have proven resistant to healing. Applied directly to a wound site, stem cells help with new bone growth, filling gaps and allowing healing and restoration of function. However, obtaining stem cells ready to be delivered to a patient can be problematic. The cells ideally come from a patient's own bone marrow, eliminating the need to use embryonic stem cells or find a matched donor. But the traditional way of obtaining these autologous stem cells - that is, stem cells from the same person who will receive them - requires retrieving the cells from a patient's bone marrow, a painful surgical procedure involving general anesthesia, a large needle into the hip and about a week of recovery. In addition, the cells destined to become healing blood vessels must be specially isolated from the bone marrow before they are ready to be transplanted back into the patient, a process that takes so long it requires a second surgery. The device Lee and his UC Davis colleagues are now testing processes the "wastewater" fluid obtained during an orthopaedic procedure, which makes use of a reamer-irrigator-aspirator (RIA) system to enlarge a patient's femur or tibia by high-speed drilling, while continuously cooling the area with water. In the process, bone marrow cells and tiny bone fragments are aspirated and collected in a filter to transplant back into the patient. Normally, the wastewater is discarded. Although the RIA system filter captures the patient's own bone and bone marrow for use in a bone graft or fusion, researchers found that the discarded effluent contained abundant mesenchymal stem cells as well as hematopoietic and endothelial progenitor cells, which have the potential to make new blood vessels, and potent growth factors important for signaling cells for wound healing and regeneration. The problem, however, was that the RIA system wastewater was too diluted to be useful. Now, working with a device developed by SynGen Inc., a Sacramento-based biotech company specializing in regenerative medicine applications, the UC Davis orthopaedic team can take the wastewater and spin it down to isolate the valuable stem cell components. About the size of a household coffee maker, the device will be used in the operating room to rapidly produce a concentration of stem cells that can be delivered to a patient's non-union fracture during a single surgery. "The device's small size and rapid capabilities allow autologous stem cell transplantation to take place during a single operation in the operating room rather than requiring two procedures separated over a period of weeks," said Lee. "This is a dramatic difference that promises to make a real impact on wound healing and patient recovery." For more information, visit http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/stemcellresearch.

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Treating Non-Healing Bone Fractures with Stem Cells?

IMAGE:This image captures a blood stem cell en route to taking root in a zebrafish. view more

Credit: Boston Children's Hospital

BOSTON (January 15, 2015) -- A see-through zebrafish and enhanced imaging provide the first direct glimpse of how blood stem cells take root in the body to generate blood. Reporting online in the journal Cell today, researchers in Boston Children's Hospital's Stem Cell Research Program describe a surprisingly dynamic system that offers several clues for improving bone marrow transplants in patients with cancer, severe immune deficiencies and blood disorders, and for helping those transplants "take."

The steps are detailed in an animation narrated by senior investigator Leonard Zon, MD, director of the Stem Cell Research Program. The Cell version offers a more technical explanation

"The same process occurs during a bone marrow transplant as occurs in the body naturally," says Zon. "Our direct visualization gives us a series of steps to target, and in theory we can look for drugs that affect every step of that process."

"Stem cell and bone marrow transplants are still very much a black box--cells are introduced into a patient and later on we can measure recovery of their blood system, but what happens in between can't be seen," says Owen Tamplin, PhD, the paper's co-first author. "Now we have a system where we can actually watch that middle step. "

The blood system's origins

It had already been known that blood stem cells bud off from cells in the aorta, then circulate in the body until they find a "niche" where they're prepped for their future job creating blood for the body. For the first time, the researchers reveal how this niche forms, using time-lapse imaging of naturally transparent zebrafish embryos and a genetic trick that tagged the stem cells green.

On arrival in its niche (in the zebrafish, this is in the tail), the newborn blood stem cell attaches itself to the blood vessel wall. There, chemical signals prompt it to squeeze itself through the wall and into a space just outside the blood vessel.

"In that space, a lot of cells begin to interact with it," says Zon. Nearby endothelial (blood-vessel) cells wrap themselves around it: "We think that is the beginning of making a stem cell happy in its niche, like a mother cuddling a baby."

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Newswise January 13, 2015 New York, NY Peter S. Kim has been named the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor of Biochemistry at Stanford University School of Medicine. Established in 1994, Ludwig professorships have since been awarded to a total of 15 leading scientists at academic institutions affiliated with the six U.S.-based Ludwig Centers. With this appointment Kim also becomes a member of the Ludwig Center for Cancer Stem Cell Research and Medicine at Stanford.

Kims lab focuses on the mechanisms by which viral membranes fuse with cell membranes, which has to happen for the virus to invade its target cell. His team also studies how that process might be disrupted by small molecules and antibodies. Kims lab is, for example, using such studies to engineer antigens for a vaccine that might elicit antibodies that block a key step in HIVs invasion of its target cell. The strategies that he is developing could be applied to design new preventive and therapeutic vaccines for cancers. His lab is also developing methods to identify small molecules that bind tightly and very specifically to proteins that have so far proved resistant to targeting by typical drug-like molecules.

Kim joined Stanford University in February 2014 after a ten-year tenure as president of Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., Inc. During this time he oversaw the development and FDA approval of Gardasil, the worlds first vaccine against HPV, the causative agent of cervical cancer. Kim began his academic career as a professor in the biology department at MIT, where he ultimately served as associate head. During his 16 years at MIT Kim was also an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and a member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research.

We are very happy, and fortunate, to have Peter Kim back here at Stanford, where he began his graduate training, said Irv Weissman, director of the Ludwig Center for Cancer Stem Cell Research and Medicine at Stanford. Peter brings with him rare experience and new strategies for developing preventive tools and therapiesincluding immunotherapiesfor viral infections that cause, allow and/or infect cancers. His goals are in line with our mission, and his approaches complement our own efforts to recruit the immune system to attack cancer cells.

Kim has received numerous awards for his research and holds leadership positions at several academic and scientific institutions. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He serves on the Scientific Review Board of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the External Scientific Advisory Board of the Harvard Program in Therapeutic Science, the Board of Scientific Governors of the Scripps Research Institute and the Scientific Advisory Working Group of the Vaccine Research Center, NIAID, NIH.

Kim joins four other Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professors at Stanford: Lucy Shapiro, Irving Weissman, Sanjiv Sam Gambhir and Roeland Nusse.

# # #

About Ludwig Cancer Research Ludwig Cancer Research is an international collaborative network of acclaimed scientists that has pioneered cancer discoveries for more than 40 years. Ludwig combines basic research with the ability to translate its discoveries and conduct clinical trials to accelerate the development of new cancer diagnostics and therapies. Since 1971, Ludwig has invested more than $2.5 billion in life-changing cancer research through the not-for-profit Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and the six U.S.-based Ludwig Centers.

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Peter S. Kim Named the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professor of Biochemistry at Stanford

Stem cell technology representsone of the most fascinating and controversial medical advances of the past several decades. By now the enormous controversy which surrounded the use of federal funds to conduct scientific research on human stem cells during the George W. Bush administration has largely blown over. Five years have passed since President Obama lifted federal funding restrictions, and amazing progress has already been made in the field.

One can make a good case for stem cells being the most fascinating and versatile cells in the human body. This is precisely due to their stem role. In their most basic form, theyre capable of both replicating themselves an unlimited number of times and differentiating themselvesinto a huge number of other cell types. Muscle cells, brain cells, organ cells, and many others can all be created from stem cells. If youre interested, the NIH has an awesome introductionon stem cells on their website.

The question which has arisen since the discovery of thisamazing cell type has been how to harness their power and versatility. This is the primary focus of research today: how can we precisely control stem cells to perform whatever tasks we need them to do? Of course, other important issues, such as figuring out thebest places from which to harvest stem cells,exist.

Because of their role in the body, the number of potential applications for stem cells are truly stunning. From building custom cell clusters with 3D printers to curing a variety of diseases through bone marrow transplants, growingorgans for transplants, andeven growing edible meat, research is progressing at a frantic pace.

There are two particular areas of research which seem to hold the greatest promise at this point. The first is organs. Anyone who has ever been involved in an organ transplant knows how incredibly complex and difficult the process is. But difficulties like finding the right donor, preserving the organ, and finding enough supply to meet the incredible demand could all be overcome if we could simply use stem cells to grow a custom organ for each transplant from scratch.

Besides this perhaps science-fiction-sounding process of growing organs, theres also incredible excitement surrounding the potential of bone marrow transplants to cure diseases like HIVand Leukemia. This is done by implanting stem cells containing genetic mutations which confer immunity to a variety of diseases into a patients bone marrow, where they can begin naturally replicating and affecting the immune system.

Thisprocedurealso covers transplants designed simply to reintroduce healthy stem cells to help tackle a wider variety of ailments. Often, referred to as regenerative medicine as itinvolves stimulating the bodys preexisting repair mechanisms to help the healing process,thisprocedurealso offer great promise.

Naturally, the speed at which advances are being made in the field has led to problems as well. One recent well-publicized study which seemed to point to the possibility of achieving stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency (essentially demonstrating a new type of stem cells) is now believedto have beenfraudulent.

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The Future of Stem Cells: Opportunities at the Cutting Edge of Science

If youre between 17 and 35 years old, you may be able to save Chris LeBruns life.

LeBrun, 48, was diagnosed with leukemia last May. The accountant and father of two learned last fall that he needs a stem cell donation to beat the disease.

But the donor cant be just anyone. It has to be someone who is a match for the genetic markers in the proteins of LeBruns white blood cells.

That sounds complicated, but the test to find a genetic match is quite simple. Just by swiping the inside of the mouth with a cotton swab, enough cells are collected to determine whether a match has been found.

Donors between 17 and 35 are accepted, and males are preferred, as transplants from men tend to be more successful.

On Saturday in Bedford, 36 people joined the stem cell registry through Canadian Blood Services to try to help LeBrun and others with certain forms of cancer, bone marrow deficiency diseases, anemia and other immune system and metabolic disorders.

LeBrun lives in Cambridge, Ont., but has deep ties to Nova Scotia, says his longtime friend, Barb Leighton.

Leighton describes her friend as a community leader who volunteers tirelessly for causes that are important to him.

Hes very quiet, very humble, very modest, not at all for attention. Complete, pure altruism, she says.

It seems that LeBruns community spirit runs in the family. His great-uncle, Gerald LeBrun, was a well-regarded Bedford doctor who regularly made house calls long after that practice fell out of fashion. Saturdays stem cell clinic was held at the LeBrun Recreation Centre, which was named after the doctor.

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Bedford clinic seeks stem cell match for man with leukemia

LAWTON, Okla._A stem cell surgery procedure, not yet approved by the FDA, could give a local paralyzed veteran the use of his arms again.

Two years ago, retired Senior Airman Ted "TJ" Williams was left as a quadriplegic when his Humvee rolled over in a freak accident while on duty in Montana. He spent several weeks in a coma.

Now, he and his wife have found a surgery that may improve his physical abilities. They're dipping into their funds to pay for the procedure, since it's not covered by insurance, but they've set up a GoFundMe account to raise $7,500 to cover travel expenses out of the country to get the treatment.

Williams is able to move his left wrist and arm more, and has even gained more core control, thanks to therapy. But, he still needs his wife's help for simple tasks like getting dressed and using the restroom.

Williams sits next to his wife in his wheelchair and watches TV. Years ago, he would've been running outside, but one accident changed everything.

"I just remember leaving base and then waking up 2 or 3 weeks later, wondering where am I. I couldn't move anything. It was just shocking seeing my family around my bed. I was just like, Wow. What's going on,'" recalled Williams.

On November 29, 2012, Williams was on duty with his security forces team. He was in the back seat when his Humvee suddenly swerved to miss a herd of deer, rolling several times. He was ejected from the vehicle and was later found 60 feet away.

Williams was rushed to the hospital. When he woke up from the coma, doctors told him he had broken the vertebrae in his neck and lost function from the chest down.

"I was really upset and scared. Me and my wife are young. We haven't had children yet or anything. It scared me not knowing what the future was to hold," said Williams.

He was sent to a VA hospital in San Antonio for in-patient rehab. Once he was finished, he met a physical trainer in who specializes in exercises for those who are suffering from spinal cord and other neurological injuries, which was just what he needed.

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Quadriplegic veteran to receive stem cell treatments

Doctors, nurses and anesthesiologist's care for a horse that will be receiving stem cells to help repair a meniscal tear in the stifle at the CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Fort Collins. (Joe Amon, The Denver Post)

Stem-cell research by Colorado State University staffers using bone marrow from horses to heal joint injuries on the same animal is making strides, and researchers have great hope that the project will lead to human medical applications.

A team with CSU's Equine Orthopaedic Research Center reports that adding stem-cell therapy to traditional arthroscopic surgery on horses has significantly increased success rates.

Horses that had follow-up, stem-cell treatment were twice as likely to return to normal activity as those that did not, said David Frisbie, an associate professor of equine surgery with CSU and part of the research team.

"We've doubled it, conservatively," in treating cartilage damage in the knee, Frisbie said.

The team had results of its work published last year in the journal Veterinary Surgery.

Some lesions in the meniscus of horses that could not be treated by surgery have been successfully mended using stem cells alone.

"Western performance horses, reining and cutting horses, and barrel horses are very prone to meniscal injuries," Frisbie said.

Beyond meniscus damage, researchers also have focused on tendon lesions in the lower leg, which typically strike race horses.

Horses that suffered a tendon lesion had about a 66 percent chance of reinjury after surgery. Add stem-cell treatment and the reinjury rate drops to 21 percent, Frisbie said.

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CSU research on horse injuries, stem-cell recovery, may help humans

Some people say that osteoarthritis, cartilage degradation, and chronic joint pains degenerative diseases associated with agingare conditions with no cure, but Dr. Charlie Poblete and Dr. Jae Pak say otherwise.

It is a new era of medicine, opens Dr. Jae Pak, one of Koreas premier orthopedic stem cell surgeons and a visiting expert consultant of the Stem Care Orthopedics Department under Aivee Institute (AI). He was recently in the country to shed light on stem cell therapy and how it offers more accessible treament options for patients suffering from degenerative orthopedic conditions.

Dr. Pak was joined by Dr. Charlie Poblete, one of the countrys leading orthopedic surgeon who has a special interest on regenerative medicine and stem cells. Incidentally, Dr. Poblete is the head of the Stem Care Orthopedic Department of AI. Stem cells are not really part of alternative medicine. Its part of a modern medicine because we are talking about the biochemistry that goes on in the body with stem cell treatment, Dr. Charlie relates while adding, the good thing about medicine nowadays is its starting to look at the molecular aspect of the body, the molecular and cellular side of medicine.

Over the years, stem cell therapy has been touted as one procedure that can heal multitude of bone, cartilage, and joint ailments. Stem cells are the bodys natural healing cells. They are recruited by chemical signals emitted by damaged tissues to repair and regenerate the damaged cells. Stem cells derived from an individuals tissues may well be the next major development in medicine. In the right environment, these stem cells can change into bone, cartilage, muscle, fat, collagen, neural tissue, blood vessels, and even some organs. Stem cells may also effect healing by secreting special chemical messengers that repair damaged tissue.

There are many clinical conditions that benefits from stem cell therapy: heart attack patients have shown quicker healing period, improved condition for patients with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinsons disease, ALS, and stroke. Stem cells may also be effective in the treatment of macular degeneration, Crohns disease, and numerous pulmonary conditions. Also, stem cells are now used for patients with kidney failure and in the treatment of critical limb ischemia.

Stem Cell therapy is a simple procedure. Fat is aspirated from the tummy or the thighs, and then we separate the stem cells from them. It is then activated and injected into joints to restore and regenerate, explains Dr. Jae.

Stem Care by The Aivee Group is the countrys pioneer in advanced Autologous Stem Cell Therapy with an esteemed orthopedic team of doctors and surgeons regarded with international qualifications. The institute, with its CEO and medical director Dr. Z. Teo, together with his wife dermatologist Dr. Aivee Teo, now features a stronger multifaceted protocol in treating orthopedic ailments with a faster rate of positive patient response. They are also adept in complimentary therapies to further intensify the restorative powers of stem cells through the effective use of Growth Factors, Shockwave, Radio Frequency, and Electro Magnetic Therapies. 4033245, 4031982, 09209665613, 09175210222. http://www.stemcareinstitute.com

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Restore and Regenerate

Fat cells shield against skin infections

(IANS) / 3 January 2015

For the study, the researchers exposed mice to Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterium and major cause of skin and soft tissue infections in humans.

New York: Researchers have discovered that fat cells below the skin help protect you from bacteria.

These skin fat cells known as adipocytes produce antimicrobial peptides that help fend off invading bacteria and other pathogens, the findings showed, pointing to a previously unknown role for the dermal fat cells.

It was thought that once the skin barrier was broken, it was entirely the responsibility of circulating (white) blood cells like neutrophils and macrophages to protect us from getting sepsis, said principal investigator Richard Gallo, professor at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.

But it takes time to recruit these cells (to the wound site). We now show that the fat stem cells are responsible for protecting us, Gallo added.

It was not known that adipocytes could produce antimicrobials, let alone that they make almost as much as a neutrophil, Gallo said.

For the study, the researchers exposed mice to Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterium and major cause of skin and soft tissue infections in humans.

They detected a major increase in both the number and size of fat cells at the site of infection within hours.

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Fat cells shield against skin infections

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Newswise Researchers Recreate Stem Cells From Deceased Patients to Study Present-Day Illnesses Cedars-Sinai research scientists have developed a novel method to re-create brain and intestinal stem cells from patients who died decades ago, using DNA from stored blood samples to study the potential causes of debilitating illnesses such as inflammatory bowel disease. The lab research, published in the journal STEM CELLS Translational Medicine, could yield new therapies for people who suffer from aggressive motor-neuron and gut-related conditions that proved fatal to the deceased patients who long-ago volunteered their blood samples. CONTACT: Cara Martinez, 310-423-7798; Email cara.martinez@cshs.org

Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute Physician-Researcher Awarded National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Grant to Develop Prevention Strategies for Deadly Heart Condition One of medicines most prominent experts in sudden cardiac arrest has received a new $2.36 million grant to study how to better predict the deadly heart condition that kills an estimated 300,000 Americans each year. Over recent years, Sumeet S. Chugh, MD, and his team of researchers in the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute have identified several risk factors for sudden cardiac arrest, including levels of sex hormones in the blood, genetics and electrical and structural abnormalities of the heart. CONTACT: Sally Stewart, 310-248-6566; Email sally.stewart@cshs.org

Study Shows More Patients With Lou Gehrigs Disease Have Genetic Origin Than Previously Thought Genetics may play a larger role in causing Lou Gehrigs disease than previously believed, potentially accounting for more than one-third of all cases, according to one of the most comprehensive genetic studies to date of patients who suffer from the condition also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. The study, conducted by investigators at Cedars-Sinai and Washington University in St. Louis, also showed that patients with defects in two or more ALS-associated genes experience disease onset about 10 years earlier than patients with single-gene mutations. CONTACT: Sandy Van, 808-526-1708; Email sandy@prpacific.com

Computer System More Effective Than Doctors at Producing Comprehensive Patient Reports A computer system was more effective than doctors at collecting information about patient symptoms, producing reports that were more complete, organized and useful than narratives generated by physicians during office visits, according to a Cedars-Sinai study. Investigators said the research, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, highlights the potential of computers to enhance the quality of medical care and improve outcomes by harnessing accurate and thorough patient information. CONTACT: Duke Helfand, 310-248-6608; Email: duke.helfand@cshs.org

Double Lung Transplant Patient Pays Tribute to Donors Family in the Rose Parade Hours before receiving a lung transplant he thought would never happen, Michael Adams told his surgical team at Cedars-Sinai that hed be happy to live just one more year. Adams, 51, had suffered from cystic fibrosis since he was a baby. Hed been in and out of hospitals for as long as he could remember. By Thanksgiving of 2002, the former wheelchair company worker had end-stage disease. His lungs barely worked. Even eight liters of oxygen left him gasping for air. Then Adams received the call that saved his life: Two healthy lungs had suddenly become available. They belonged to a 15-year-old boy who had been shot and killed on the steps of his church 78 miles away in San Bernardino. Adams was transferred immediately to Cedars-Sinai, where he underwent a double lung transplant. He and his transplant surgeons are available for interviews CONTACT: Laura Coverson, 310-423-5215 Email: laura.coverson@cshs.org

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Cedars-Sinai Medical Tip Sheet for Jan., 2015

January 2, 2015

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Chuck Bednar for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Fat cells located beneath a persons skin could help protect them from bacterial infections, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal Science.

In the study, Dr. Richard Gallo, a professor and chief of dermatology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and his colleagues report that they had discovered a previously unknown function of these dermal fat cells, also known as adipocytes: they produce antimicrobial peptides that help combat bacteria and other types of pathogens.

It was thought that once the skin barrier was broken, it was entirely the responsibility of circulating (white) blood cells like neutrophils and macrophages to protect us from getting sepsis, explained Gallo. But it takes time to recruit these cells (to the wound site).

We now show that the fat stem cells are responsible for protecting us. That was totally unexpected, he added. It was not known that adipocytes could produce antimicrobials, let alone that they make almost as much as a neutrophil.

A persons body launches a complex, multi-tiered defense against microbial infection, the authors said. Several different types of cells are involved, and the process ends with the arrival of specialized cells known as neutrophils and monocytes that target and destroy pathogens.

Before any of that can happen, a more immediate response is required one that can counter the ability of pathogens to rapidly increase their numbers, however. That task is typically performed by epithelial cells, mast cells and leukocytes residing in the area of infection.

Previous research conducted in Gallos lab detected Staphylococcus aureus, a common type of bacteria and a major source of skin infection on humans, in the fat layer of the skin. Antibiotic-resistant forms of this bacterial have become a significant health issue throughout the world, so the study authors looked to see what role adipocytes played in preventing skin infections.

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Fat cells may actually not be so bad

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The research involved creating human cells in a laboratory dish instead of relying on tests on mice. Photograph: corfield / Alamy/Alamy

Cells used to study dementia in a dish have led scientists to a potential new treatment strategy for an inherited form of the brain disease.

Defective stem cells grown in the lab revealed a signalling pathway linked to frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which accounts for about half of dementia cases before the age of 60.

Treatment with a drug that suppressed the pathway, known as Wnt, restored the ability of neurons affected by the disease to develop normally.

Prof Philip Van Damme, from the Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease in Belgium, said: Our findings suggest that signalling events required for neurodevelopment may also play major roles in neurodegeneration.

Targeting such pathways, as for instance the Wnt pathway presented in this study, may result in the creation of novel therapeutic approaches for frontotemporal dementia.

Mutations in the progranulin (GRN) gene are commonly associated with FTD, which results in damage to the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.

The fact that GRN mutations produced in mice do not display all the features of the human disorder has limited progress towards effective treatments for FTD.

Instead of relying on animal tests, the new research involved creating human cells in a laboratory dish.

The scientists reprogrammed skin cells from three dementia patients into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), immature cells that mimic stem cells taken from early-stage embryos.

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Stem cell study leads to potential new dementia treatment