Stem cells injected directly into heart muscle can help patients suffering from severe heart failure by improving an ailing heart's ability to pump blood, a new Danish trial indicates.

Doctors drew stem cells from patients' own bone marrow, and then injected those cells into portions of the heart where scar tissue seemed to interfere with heart function, explained lead researcher Dr. Anders Bruun Mathiasen. He is a research fellow in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Rigshospitalet University Hospital Copenhagen.

Within six months of treatment, patients who received stem cell injections had improved heart pumping function compared to patients receiving a placebo, according to findings that were to be presented Monday at the American Academy of Cardiology's annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

"We know these stem cells can initiate the growth of new blood vessels and heart muscle tissue," Mathiasen said. "That's what we think has happened."

If larger follow-up trials prove the treatment's effectiveness, it could provide hope for people suffering from untreatable heart failure.

"Heart failure is one of the biggest causes of death. If you can save lives or improve their symptoms, then a treatment like this would be extremely beneficial," said Dr. Cindy Grines, a cardiologist with the Detroit Medical Center and a spokeswoman for the American College of Cardiology.

The treatment could delay the need for a heart transplant and extend the lives of people who can't qualify for a transplant, Grines added.

This new clinical trial included 59 patients with severe heart failure who were considered untreatable. It is the largest randomized trial to test the potential of stem cell injections in treating heart disease, the researchers said.

In the trial, 39 patients received injections of stem cells into their heart muscle through a catheter inserted in the groin. The procedure required only local anesthesia, Mathiasen said. The other 20 received saline injections.

Doctors first mapped the patient's heart using a sensor sent through the catheter that tracks both heart movement and voltage conducted by heart tissue.

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Stem Cells Can Revive Failing Heart

Cell Therapy for Parkinson #39;s Disease
An introduction to the cell therapy research underway with eight Parkinson #39;s Disease patients at the Scripps Clinic and Scripps Research Institute in San Diego.

By: Summit4StemCell

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Cell Therapy for Parkinson's Disease - Video

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

31-Mar-2014

Contact: Beth Casteel bcasteel@acc.org 202-375-6275 American College of Cardiology

WASHINGTON (March 31, 2014) Patients with severe ischemic heart disease and heart failure can benefit from a new treatment in which stem cells found in bone marrow are injected directly into the heart muscle, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session.

"Our results show that this stem cell treatment is safe and it improves heart function when compared to placebo," said Anders Bruun Mathiasen, M.D., research fellow in the Cardiac Catherization Lab at Rigshospitalet University Hospital Copenhagen, and lead investigator of the study. "This represents an exciting development that has the potential to benefit many people who suffer from this common and deadly disease."

Ischemic heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, is the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States. It results from a gradual buildup of plaque in the heart's coronary arteries and can lead to chest pain, heart attack and heart failure.

The study is the largest placebo-controlled double-blind randomized trial to treat patients with chronic ischemic heart failure by injecting a type of stem cell known as mesenchymal stromal cells directly into the heart muscle.

Six months after treatment, patients who received stem cell injections had improved heart pump function compared to patients receiving a placebo. Treated patients showed an 8.2-milliliter decrease in the study's primary endpoint, end systolic volume, which indicates the lowest volume of blood in the heart during the pumping cycle and is a key measure of the heart's ability to pump effectively. The placebo group showed an increase of 6 milliliters in end systolic volume.

The study included 59 patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and severe heart failure. Each patient first underwent a procedure to extract a small amount of bone marrow. Researchers then isolated from the marrow a small number of mesenchymal stromal cells and induced the cells to self-replicate. Patients then received an injection of either saline placebo or their own cultured mesenchymal stromal cells into the heart muscle through a catheter inserted in the groin.

"Isolating and culturing the stem cells is a relatively straightforward process, and the procedure to inject the stem cells into the heart requires only local anesthesia, so it appears to be all-in-all a promising treatment for patients who have no other options," Mathiasen said.

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New human trial shows stem cells are effective for failing hearts

LAKE MARY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) -

A 26-year-old mother of two is about to embark on a medical journey that could stop her multiple sclerosis in its tracks. The disease, which attacks the central nervous system, affects more than 400,000 Americans.

There is no cure for multiple sclerosis, but Heather Nicole Burke believes the stem cell replacement procedure she is about to undergo could make a big difference.

Burke contacted FOX 35, because she wants others to know that the procedure. When Burke got news that her insurance would cover the still-experimental procedure, "I looked at my phone, and I was like, 'This is real! I'm going to get my life back! I'm going to be OK! I'm going to be able to take care of my children!'"

Burke will soon travel from Florida to Chicago for a multi-step stem cell therapy that could stop her disease from progressing.

Dr. Richard Burt, the chief or immunotherapy at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and his team will use Burke's stem cells to reset her immune system.

"It generates an immune system that ends up -- in the process of doing that -- developing a tolerance to self which puts the disease in remission," Burt explained.

Burt has been performing the experimental procedure on humans since 2008. He said he sees only seven percent of patients relapse. Burt said he often finds insurance companies are willing to pay for the therapy.

"The majority of the time insurance does pay many of the major carriers pay. Medicare pays. Medicaid in the state of Illinois pays. It's a rare carrier that doesn't pay," Burt said.

Burke said her insurance will cover all of the $150,000 procedure. He called that a bargain, considering she is on 19 medications, one of which costs her insurance company $200,000 each year.

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Woman to undergo stem cell procedure to treat multiple sclerosis

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

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

Tuesday 25 March 2014 11.44

Scientists at NUI Galway have achieved positive early stage results from a study looking at a possible treatment for osteoarthritis using stem cells.

Researchers at the Regenerative Medicine Institute said the results indicate that the treatment could be ready for use in patients within five years.

Osteoarthritis affects more than 400,000 people in Ireland, and 70 million across the EU. The disease causes the painful degeneration of cartilage in joints and is the most common form of arthritis.

The NUI Galway team are part of an EU funded projectinvolving partners in seven countries, which is examining whether stem cell therapy can help treat osteoarthritis by regenerating joints.

The group is testing stem cells derived from fat, which is injected into joints.

Fat stem cells are considered a good alternative to bone-marrow derived stem cells, as they are available in large quantities and can be harvested using minimally invasive techniques.

The scientists, who are involved in the 10m EU funded ADIPOA project, have just completed first phase clinical trials which sought to determine how adipose or fat-derived stem cells injected into diseased joints can activate the regeneration of cartilage.

According to Scientific Director of the Regenerative Medicine Institute, Professor Frank Barry, if the treatment continues to show promiseit could eventually lead to a cure for osteoarthritis.

Currently the only options for sufferers are joint replacement or life-long pain management.

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Osteoarthritis breakthrough at NUI Galway

Heart Stem cell therapy
Clara answers some questions regarding the stem-cell therapy she received for congenital heart disease. For more info visit: http://www.stemaid.com.

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Heart Stem cell therapy - Video

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Washington, March 21 : Researchers have developed a method to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a single drop of finger-pricked blood.

The method also enables donors to collect their own blood samples, which they can then send to a laboratory for further processing.

The easy access to blood samples using the new technique could potentially boost the recruitment of greater numbers and diversities of donors, and could lead to the establishment of large-scale hiPSC banks.

By genetic reprogramming, matured human cells, usually blood cells, can be transformed into hiPSCs.

Current sample collection for reprogramming into hiPSCs include invasive measures such as collecting cells from the bone marrow or skin, which may put off many potential donors.

Although hiPSCs may also be generated from blood cells, large quantities of blood are usually required. Scientists at Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) showed for the first time that single-drop volumes of blood are sufficient for reprogramming into hiPSCs.

The finger-prick technique is the world's first to use only a drop of finger-pricked blood to yield hiPSCs with high efficiency.

The accessibility of the new technique is further enhanced with a DIY sample collection approach. Donors may collect their own finger-pricked blood, which they can then store and send it to a laboratory for reprogramming. The blood sample remains stable for 48 hours and can be expanded for 12 days in culture, which therefore extends the finger-prick technique to a wide range of geographical regions for recruitment of donors with varied ethnicities, genotypes and diseases.

The paper has been published online in the Stem Cell Translational Medicine journal.

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Now, stem cells created from a drop of blood

In India, stem cell biz may touch $8 b by 2015

Mumbai, March 21:

Stem cells are set to be a major branch of medical treatment, says Cipla Chairman YK Hamied. Regenerative medicine, or cell therapy, is a rapidly emerging area of biomedical research and would be an ideal supplement for existing medical treatments, he added.

Cell therapy refers to treatments that are founded on the concept of producing new cells to replace malfunctioning or damaged cells as a vehicle to treat disease and injury.

We have a research unit in Malaysia that is conducting research on stem cells, Hamied said while speaking about Stempeutics Research with which it has an alliance. The Manipal Group-promoted Stempeutics is developing stem cell-based medicinal products with facilities in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Bangalore.

We are partners in the Bangalore company, he said. The enormous potential of stem cells in the treatment of chronic and several incurable diseases is boosting the overall stem cells therapy market, he added.

Poised to reach an estimated $88.3 billion by 2015, the global stem cells market has been growing at a compounded annual growth rate of 14.8 per cent, driven by the increasing demand of stem cell therapy.

In India, the stem cell business is expected to touch $8 billion (48,880 crore today) by 2015. With three phase II clinical trials in progress in India for critical limb Ischemia (meaning restriction in blood supply to tissues), osteoarthritis and liver cirrhosis Stempeutics aims to bring the first product into the Indian and Malaysian markets by 2015.

Under the alliance, Cipla has invested over 50 crore in Stempeutics, with a focus on research of stem cell-based products, and has done something similar in China, where it has streamlined its investments towards its core business. The drug-maker recently exited a significant part of its investment in its Chinese partner Desano Holdings.

Despite the lack of legislation and awareness, besides quality and ethical issues that have deterred growth of the stem cell therapy business in India, the country remains the top priority for the Mumbai-based drug-maker, the Cipla Chairman told Business Line.

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Cipla bets big on cell therapy

Hip conditions treated with Stem Cell Therapy and PRP
In this video, Ross Hauser, MD discusses some of the most common hip conditions that we treat at Caring Medical with Stem Cell Therapy and Platelet Rich Plas...

By: Caring Medical and Rehabilitation Services

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Hip conditions treated with Stem Cell Therapy and PRP - Video

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Newswise The Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) at the Universit de Montral (UdeM), in collaboration with the Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospitals Quebec Leukemia Cell Bank, recently achieved a significant breakthrough thanks to the laboratory growth of leukemic stem cells, which will speed up the development of new cancer drugs.

In a recent study published in Nature Methods, the scientists involved describe how they succeeded in identifying two new chemical compounds that allow to maintain leukemic stem cells in culture when these are grown outside the body.

This important advance opens the way to the identification of new cancer drugs to fight acute myeloid leukemia, one of the most aggressive forms of blood cancer.

The ability to grow leukemic stem cells in culture is a major breakthrough. The next step is to study the molecular mechanisms that regulate the survival and proliferation of leukemic cells as well as the resistance to cancer drugs.

This study is the work of the Leucgne research group. This group is co-directed by Dr. Guy Sauvageau, chief executive officer and principal investigator at IRIC as well as professor in the Department of Medicine at the UdeM; by Dr. Jose Hbert, director of the Quebec Leukemia Cell Bank, hematologist at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital and professor in the Department of Medicine at the UdeM; and by Sbastien Lemieux, principal investigator at IRIC. The first author of the study is Caroline Pabst, a postdoctoral fellow at IRIC and associate of the Leucgne research group.

This research breakthrough demonstrates the advantage of working in a multidisciplinary team like the Leucgne research group, stated Drs. Sauvageau and Hbert. Access to cells of leukemia patients and to IRICs state-of-the-art facilities are also key factors in pursuing ground-breaking research.

Background to the study Stem cells located in the bone marrow are responsible for the production of blood cells. Unfortunately, deregulation of those cells often produces disastrous consequences when one of them develops mutations that transform it into a malignant cell called leukemic. The result is an abnormal proliferation of blood cells and the development of leukemia. Leukemic stem cells are also one of the likely causes of patient relapse because they are especially resistant to cancer treatments.

The major obstacle before this discovery was growing stem cells and keeping them intact in vitro, because they quickly lost their cancer stem cell character. As a result, it was very difficult to effectively study the multiplication of cells that cause leukemia.

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Major Breakthrough in Developing New Cancer Drugs: Capturing Leukemic Stem Cells

Autism

By: Stem Cell Therapy Center EMCELL

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Autism - Video

Stem cell doctors falsifies PRC chairman signature
Anthony Taberna talks about the revocation of the corporate registration of the Philippine Society for Stem Cell Medicine for submitting a falsified document...

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Stem cell doctors falsifies PRC chairman signature - Video

The parents of a 2-year-old Pasadena girl who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia have renewed their call for help in the search for a bone marrow donor, after stem cells taken from the girls father did not match.

Sofia Flores, shown in a family photo, needs a bone marrow donor.

The latest in a series of donor drives was held Saturday at Orchard Supply Hardware, located at 3425 E. Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena.

Sofia Flores story first came to light in October 2013 when her parents asked for help in finding a bone marrow donor for their daughter.

Sofia needed a marrow transplant to combat acute myeloid leukemia, according to A3M, a Los Angeles nonprofit that is helping Sofias parents seek a match for the little girl.

However, after an extensive search, no match was found.

On Jan. 23, her father donated his stem cells to her, which was the only alternative available at the time, according to Erica Westfall, Sofias mother.

But the treatment was not successful and Sofias cancer relapsed.

Sofias last chance for survival would be a transplant from an unrelated donor in the next two months, according to her mother.

Weve been searching for a bone marrow match even harder because this is her last chance, her father Ignacio Flores said in a video released to news media on Monday.

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Donor Drive Held for Pasadena Girl, 2, in Need of Bone Marrow Transplant

VIbes-Advanced Stem Cell Therapy PRP Treatment 12 Feb #39;14 - TV5 Hyderabad

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VIbes-Advanced Stem Cell Therapy & PRP Treatment 12 Feb'14 - TV5 Hyderabad - Video

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) March 13, 2014

Bioquark, Inc., (http://www.bioquark.com) a company focused on the development of combinatorial biologics for regeneration and disease reversion in human organs and tissues, today announces the appointment of Dr. Luis Martinez, MD, MPH, as VP of Global Operations.

We are honored to have someone with Dr. Martinezs experience join us as we execute on a globalized strategy in regenerative medicine, said Ira S. Pastor, CEO, Bioquark Inc. His broad clinical experience in applied regenerative medicine and cellular therapies make him a very valuable addition to the Bioquark team.

Dr. Martinez is a regenerative medicine and cell therapy specialist with over 10 years of experience in the clinical setting. He is currently the President of Elite Regenerative Medicine Group, a premier treatment and research center specializing in cell therapy applications for therapeutic, regenerative and preventive purposes. Dr. Martinez obtained his medical degree, as well as his Master of Public Health, at the Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and completed his residency at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania. He also completed a fellowship in biosecurity with the UPMC Center for Health Security. He is currently a clinical instructor at the Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences and is a board certified physician. Dr. Martinez also serves as vice-president of the XanoGene Anti-Aging Clinic and is President at Xyrion Medical, a biomedical consulting firm. He is a current consultant for multiple biomedical and pharmaceutical companies and conducts clinical research for various clients in the industry. Dr. Martinez is also a renowned international speaker, speaking at multiple venues for professional and academic organizations and he offers training to physicians in multiple applications of regenerative medicine, including Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy, adipose and bone marrow stem cell derived harvesting, preparation and therapeutic administration, as well as cytokine, growth factor and peptide therapies.

I am very excited about the biologic candidates being developed at Bioquark Inc. and their very novel approach to human regeneration and disease reversion, which has broad clinical applicability towards a range of degenerative disorders," said Dr. Martinez. "I'm pleased to be joining the team and am looking forward to playing a more active role in this truly transformational platform."

About Bioquark, Inc.

Bioquark Inc. is focused on the development of biologic based products that have the ability to alter the regulatory state of human tissues and organs, with the goal of curing a wide range of diseases, as well as effecting complex regeneration. Bioquark is developing biological pharmaceutical candidates, as well as products for the global consumer health and wellness market segments.

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Bioquark Inc. Announces the Appointment of Dr. Luis Martinez, MD, MPH, Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy ...

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Newswise COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Imagine a world where malfunctioning organs are replaced by new ones made from your own tissues, where infected wounds are cured with a signal from your smartphone, where doctors find the perfect medicine for whatever ails you simply by studying your stem cells.

Its a world thats inching closer to reality because of the work of some of the nations top scientists, many of whom will gather March 13-15 at The Ohio State University for the 7th Annual Translational to Clinical (T2C) Regenerative Medicine Conference to discuss their recent successes and challenges in coaxing the body to heal itself in extraordinary ways.

Regenerative medicine will change the way you and I experience sickness, health and healthcare, said Chandan Sen, director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine and Cell Based Therapies at Ohio States Wexner Medical Center. Because the field is so new, we as researchers are also changing the way we work to be synergistic not competitive, so patients are able to access the benefits more quickly.

And the benefits are desperately needed, says keynote speaker Dr. Anthony Atala, director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

From chronic diseases such as kidney failure that costs billions of dollars each year to the medical needs of our aging population and the significant injuries sustained by military troops in Afghanistan, developing new treatment paradigms is essential, said Atala, who was selected to lead the $75 million Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM), a consortium of 30 academic and industry partners in applying regenerative medicine techniques to battlefield injuries.

In theory, every tissue in the body has the ability to regenerate and heal itself. Its good to come to this meeting and exchange ideas that will enable us to harness that remarkable ability.

Other speakers include Elaine Fuchs, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and Rebecca C. Lancefield Professor at Rockefeller University in New York, who has advanced multiple areas of stem cell research through her work in skin cells and genetics; and Dr. Michael Longaker, director of the Hagey Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine at Stanford University. Longaker is considered one of the nations experts in using a combination of stem cell- and bioengineering-based technologies for craniofacial reconstruction.

Several Ohio State College of Medicine and Wexner Medical Center clinician-scientists are also sharing research updates during pre-conference lectures and the meeting:

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Advances in Stem Cell, Organ Printing, Tissue Engineering Changing Healthcare, Saving Lives

Auckland scientists have discovered new cells with stem cell properties in human skin, opening the door to a range of new treatments for skin diseases and unhealed wounds.

Auckland scientists have discovered new cells with stem cell properties in human skin, opening the door to a range of new treatments for skin diseases and unhealed wounds.

The scientists, Professor Rod Dunbar, Dr Vaughan Feisst, Dr Anna Brooks and Jenni Chen, are members of the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, and the research was carried out in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland.

They identified mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) in the dermis, the middle layer of skin, and discovered that these could turn themselves into fat cells. This signals that they can probably become other types of cells that repair and regenerate tissue, like similar stem cells found in fat and bone marrow.

"Nobody has identified these cells before, so this opens the door to advances in both skin healing and skin diseases," says Professor Dunbar. "Every time you find new cells with stem cell-like properties, you know youre onto something that could have major implications."

"Its a really exciting discovery," he adds. "We try to avoid getting too carried away about our results because were constitutionally cautious - but this discovery is a pretty fundamental finding."

The team hopes that its research, which started in 2011, could eventually lead to treatments for conditions that severely thicken the skin such as keloid scarring, in which tough, irregularly-shaped scars grow and spread. The team also suspects loss of these MPC cells may prevent proper healing, when, for example, radiation treatment for cancer has damaged the skin.

The tissue used in the research came from men and women who had undergone procedures such as liposuction, abdominoplasty or breast reduction with Auckland surgeons Ms Michelle Locke, Mr Jonathan Wheeler and Mr Julian Lofts. All patients consented to their tissue being used for the study.

The research involved sorting many millions of cells - "like sorting mixed-up flocks of sheep into their different breeds", says Professor Dunbar - with a laser-based technology called flow cytometry.

The research is published this week as the cover article in the March 2014 edition of the international journal Stem Cells and Development.

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Auckland scientists discover new stem cell in human skin