A benefit dinner will be held April 1 in honour of seven-month-old Madalayna Ducharme. The Warrior Princess fundraiser starts Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Parkwood Gospel Temple. All proceeds will support the family's ongoing expenses related to her medical treatment.

Madalayna suffers from malignant infantile osteoporosis, a rare genetic disorder of bone development in which the bones become thickened and unhealthy. It leads to bone fractures, short stature, poor bone growth and a thicker skull which may delay development of teeth. Left untreated, it could be fatal.

Early this year, her family started a Facebook campaign that went viral asking for people to sign up to become stem cell or bone marrow donors. Thanks to the number of people who volunteered to be tested, a match was found and Madalayna underwent a bone marrow transplant earlier this month.

The recovery is expected to be lengthy as the transplant process is grueling on an infants body. Its expected that she will need to stay in a Toronto hospital for three months while she undergoes treatment.

Excerpt from:
Benefit dinner will help family of baby girl recovering from bone marrow transplant - CTV News

Alexes Harris tells KUOW's Katherine Banwell her story.

When ProfessorAlexes Harris learned she had a rare form of leukemia, she knew she was in a fight for her life. But she didn't realize how difficult it would be to find a bone marrow match as a woman of color. This is her story.

I have a rare blood cancer called myelodysplastic syndrome.

I was diagnosed in May 2016 after a year of various tests.Prior to being diagnosed, my only health complaints were a random onset of what felt like asthma attacks during my cycling classes (the only reason I went to the doctor), feeling very tired, and not always thinking clearly. I was told that if I did not begin treatment right away I would have two years to live.

Im a 41-year-old mother of a 9 year old and 5 year old (and wife to an amazing husband), so my only true option was to begin treatment.

After being presented with treatment options, we opted for an intensive round of in-patient chemotherapy, which I underwent in June 2016 and managed symptoms in July, 2016.During my initial diagnosis I learned that I would eventually need a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. This would be my only hope of a cure.

We immediately started research to learn about how matches were found and I discovered that because I am a person with a mixed race and ethnic background (African American, Filipino and white) I would have a difficult time finding a full donor match.

While whites have a 75 percent chance of finding a full match in the existing bone marrow registry, African Americans only have a 19 percent likelihood of finding a match. African Americans comprise only 7 percent of the United States registry.

And, it is projected that by 2017 our likelihood of finding a match will only raise to 21 percent. Within the United States registry, the likelihood for finding a full match is higher for people of Mexican (37 percent), Chinese (41 percent), South Asian (33 percent), Hispanic Caribbean (40 percent) and Native American (52 percent) ancestry than for African Americans, but still significantly lower than the likelihood for whites.

Finding a non-related full match is difficult if you are a person of color, especially people of mixed race origin. Having a 100 percent match is crucial in predicting positive outcomes post-transplant. While the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance has been searching for a match, today, I still do not have a full bone marrow donor match and am moving forward with an alternative stem cell transplant using donated umbilical cord blood. My transplant for using cord blood was in September.

This is why we are organizing a national bone marrow donation registry campaign.I want to make my cancer matter, so my great friends stepped in to make this happen. Our goal is to have 4,000 new people registered by this effort. We need people of all backgrounds to become potential matches to help people like me live.

I am a professor of sociology and teach about social stratification, inequality and racial outcomes in institutional processing.I research class and racial differences in criminal justice processing and outcomes. I am the daughter of a black and Filipino man, wife to a black man, sister to black men, and mother of a black son and daughter.I live in the United States and, as many of us know, understand the racial inequalities in our broader society.Many times I feel overwhelmed about the lack of ability to make institutional differences, be it in our systems of education, criminal justice and health care.

Yet, when it comes to bone marrow donation, and other blood products and organ donation, we can make a difference. We can, for ourselves, save ourselves. Becoming involved in donation empowers us in a way like no other to alleviate health care disparities.

You can learn a lot about my story and this campaignatteamalexes.com. We had bone marrow registries in five cities last fall Seattle, Los Angeles, Houston, Washington, D.C., and New York.

Please consider signing up for the bone marrow registry. You can literally be a superhero and save someones life.

Dr. Alexes Harris is a professor of sociology at the University of Washington. This essay was originally published on her personal website.

Read the original post:
I'm a woman of color with cancer. Here's why I can't find a bone ... - KUOW News and Information

"Dancing With the Stars" pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy has been posting pictures on social media while getting treatment for his calf injury and now he's speaking out for the first time.

In exclusive video obtained by "Good Morning America," the past Mirror Ball champ is talking via video to his "DWTS" partner Heather Morris and telling her that he does not intend to lose this season.

Chmerkovskiy sat out Monday's show and Morris was paired up with pro stand-in Alan Bersten.

"I still feel like we have a chance," he tells Morris and Bersten in the video. "You deserve it and I want to give you 150 percent effort and be physically active as I was at my best."

"I want to come back and win," he says.

Chmerkovskiy has been posting several selfies from the hospital, with one captioned, "Gettin' un-broken."

Chmerkovskiy's fiancee Peta Murgatroyd previously told "Access Hollywood" that he is getting surgery for what could be tears in his calf muscle.

"It's gonna take a couple of weeks at least to get better," she said. "He's having a surgery done," but she added that he's a fighter and will be back as soon as he can.

"GMA" anchor Lara Spencer said today that doctors made a concentrate from Chmerkovskiy's bone marrow stem cells and injected them into his calf to speed up the recovery process.

Earlier in the week, the dancer thanked his fans for all their "love and support!"

"Please rest assured that I'm taking this thing very seriously and, although I don't have a concrete return date, I'll give it my all!" he said on Wednesday.

"Dancing With the Stars" returns Monday night on ABC.

Here is the original post:
Exclusive: 'Dancing With the Stars' pro Maksim Chmerkovskiy speaks out about injury - ABC News

Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill put some distance between himself and his spring of discontent Friday night, while Angels right-hander Garrett Richards put the finishing touches on his spring time of renewal.

Hill allowed four hits in 3 2/3 scoreless innings in a 3-1 exhibition victory at Angel Stadium, striking out two and walking one, a marked contrast from the 8.03 earned-run average he posted in five Cactus League starts, when he walked 14 and struck out 13 in 12 1/3 innings.

Hill said he was not particularly worried about his spring numbers. After all, he posted an 11.25 ERA last spring, then a 2.12 ERA during the season. Still, he was pleased with his performance Friday.

Everything is going in the right direction, he said. Today was a good outing, a good way to finish up spring training.

He said his curve and slider were the sharpest they had been all spring.

It was pretty weak contact throughout the game, he said. I think thats an indication of how the ball is coming out of your hand.

Richards allowed one run and two hits in four innings, striking out three and walking one in a 57-pitch tuneup for his regular-season debut Wednesday in Oakland.

His only blemish was a 1-and-1 slider that Justin Turner lined over the left-field wall in the fourth for a solo home run, giving the Dodgers third baseman, who is batting .385, a team-leading four homers and 16 runs batted in for the spring.

That Richards will open the season in the rotation is something of a miracle considering his setback last spring. He tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in May and seemed headed for Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery.

Instead, he opted for stem-cell therapy, in which stem cells from his own bone marrow were injected into his elbow. A procedure that didnt work for teammate Andrew Heaney worked for Richards, who pitched in the instructional league last fall and has looked strong this spring, his fastball clocked in the 96-mph range.

I just feel very blessed, very thankful, for my teammates, who stood by me the whole time, for our training staff and doctors, Richards said. Everybody did such a great job with me, and I really appreciate it. Its been a long time, and Ive got to watch a lot of baseball, so its good to be out there competing again.

Richards said any doubts about the integrity of his elbow were eliminated in the instructional league. He had to overcome a similar mental hurdle in the spring of 2015 when he returned from major left-knee surgery.

I feel normal, Richards said. My body is finally feeling complete again. Im over the knee, my arm feels good.

Richards only concession to the elbow injury will be a pitch limit that the Angels hope to keep at around 100. A workhorse by nature, Richards threw 118 pitches and 115 pitches in consecutive April games last season.

I dont think well see 110-pitch outings from Garrett, but theres nothing to say he wont pitch deep into games, Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said. I think the extremes with Garret are something well avoid. Early in the season, were not going to see him throw 115 pitches. It just doesnt make sense.

The Dodgers were encouraged by Hills command Friday night, when he walked one of 16 batters after walking 14 of 58 batters in Arizona. He struck out Albert Pujols looking at a looping curve to end the first. He pitched out of a two-on, two-out jam in the second and retired the side in order in the third.

Left fielder Andrew Toles helped Hill with a running, lunging catch of Jefry Martes drive to the wall in the fourth, and Hill finished his night by striking out Danny Espinosa looking at a full-count curve.

The Dodgers scored twice off Angels reliever Kirby Yates in the eighth when Erick Mejia and Franklin Gutierrez led off with doubles and Cody Bellinger hit a two-out RBI double.

Angels right-hander Blake Parker may have solidified a bullpen spot when he struck out the side in the ninth, extending his consecutive strikeout string to 17 batters.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen struck out two of three in the fifth, and probable Angels closer Cam Bedrosian retired the side in order in the seventh, giving him nine scoreless innings this spring.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

Follow Mike DiGiovanna on Twitter @MikeDiGiovanna

Read more:
Some restoration drama at the Big A as Dodgers top Angels, 3-1 - Los Angeles Times

It offers hope for sufferers of diseases hitherto thought incurable

Adult Stem Cell Therapy has gained popularity in developed countries as an alternative to the conventional treatment of many diseases. There are several studies and clinical trials conducted in the United States to support this.

Some current line of treatments are not typically effective, and some can cause detrimental side effects. Medicine is evolving to a more natural and more effective means with the use of stem cells. Due to the numerous religious and ethical issues that comes with the use of embryonic stem cells, todays medicine is moving towards the application of Adult Stem Cell Therapy. This article highlights some new applications of adult stem cells in conditions and diseases that has posed a problem in our society for far too long.

Sickle Cell Anemia

Tissue-based treatments is already evident in the United States of America. In 2012, a patient was successfully cured of sickle cell disease after receiving achemotherapy-free stem cell transplant for sickle cell disease. Additional patients have been successfully treated since then. Two studies conducted in 2014 and 2015 have shown that the use of adult stem cell therapy can greatly reduce complications or even stop the progression of the diseases by providing stem cells to the needed areas. This reduces the need for surgeries for many of these patients.

Diabetes

According to International Diabetes Federation (IDF), there were over 40,000 deaths due to diabetes documented in Nigeria in 2015. Treatment for diabetes has been a focal point for medical research for many years. Consequently, some studies and clinical trials conducted have shown that Adult Adipose (fat) Stem Cell Transplantation can lower and regulate sugar levels resulting in reducing or eliminating the amount of medication or insulin that patients need to take.

In a recently conducted clinical trial, some of the patients achieved insulin independence that remained stable for a median time of 29 months, and another patient for 43 months ongoing. In fact, all the patients studied showed substantial improvement in their dependence on insulin and overall diabetic condition.

Sexual Dysfunction

The emergence of Regenerative Medicine (which includes Adult Stem Cell and Platelet Rich Plasma therapy) has positively impacted the sexual life of both women (O-Shot) and men (P-Shot), and the treatment is also being used for urinary incontinence, etc. There is now ample evidence to show that O-Shot helps women increase their sexual responses, the ability to have Vaginal Orgasm, arousal from clitoral stimulation, sexual desire and natural lubrication, arousal from G-spot stimulation, as well as decrease pain during intercourse and tighten vaginal opening.

Furthermore, P-Shotin men regenerates damaged penile tissues faster and stronger than most traditional treatments. In most cases, treated men see increase in length up to 1 inch or more and girth up to 3/4 inch or more while also increasing their sexual stamina.

Arthritis

Adult stem cells transplantationhas also been studied in arthritis, and there has been some positive reports about its efficacy. In 2014, the effects of stem cells for articular cartilage regeneration was studied.They studied the effect of stem cells injection in treating osteoarthritis of the knee, and the results showed significant improvement.

Neurological Disorders (e.g. Spinal Cord Injury)

The usefulness of stem cell therapy in neurological disorders like Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Spinal Cord Injury, etc. has been shown in different studies and clinical trials. The prognosis for spinal cord injuries is generally believed to be poor. However, recent researches and case studies are changing this ideology as the value of adult stem cell therapy for patients with spinal cord injuries is emerging.

An example of this can be seen in a case study published in 2015. In this case study, a patient with functional loss below the lesion level due to a motor vehicle accident failed standard therapy but saw clinically meaningful improvements after multiple adult stem cell treatments. Stem cell transplantations over a period of months led to the restoration of the patients ability to move lower extremities against gravity, control the body trunk, and the ability to control the bladder. The patient was also able to stand as well as walk with the aid of hip and knee ortheses. The sensation level also increased.

Conclusion

Regenerative medicine involving adult stem cells is continually being studied and researched to gather more evidence to enable harnessing its clinical potentials. The use of adult stem cells for clinical therapy is now a reality for many patients who were not able to shed the yoke of many diseases that conventional medicine provided very little hope of permanent relief for.

One new innovation is the Umbilical Cord Stem Cells transplantation that is now done without the need for HLA matching. This allows anyone to be treated for conditions or diseases where applicable. In case of sickle cell disease, case studies have been published on the use of Umbilical Cord Stem Cells from HLA matching donors to remedy sickle cell disease; however, case studies are yet to be published on the efficacy of the Umbilical Cord Stem Cells not requiring HLA matching for the treatment of sickle cell disease. I am cautious to note that the results may differ from case to case, so not every sickle cell patient will be a good candidate for the treatment.

Currently, Adult Stem Cell Therapy is now seen as a viable therapeutic alternative for joint and back pain, sexual dysfunction, diabetes, End Stage Renal Disease on hemodialysis, arthritis, etc. The treatments are gaining popularity among patients and doctors because it is natural and can help repair and regenerate most parts of the human tissues.

Ikudaiyisi is the Medical Director of Glory Wellness and Regenerative Centre in USA, Lagos and Abuja and can be reached on info@glorywellness.org

Excerpt from:
How Adult Stem Cell Therapy Is Breaking Glass Ceiling Of Modern Medicine - Leadership Newspapers

An Italian neurosurgeon is saying he plans on transplanting a head onto a donor body, not in some distant future, but by the end of 2017.

When Dr. Sergio Canavero first announced his plans a couple of years ago, most people thought he was either crazy, or it was a publicity stunt. Now Canavero says he will put the head of 30-year-old Russian Valery Spiridonov on a donor body in December. Spiridonov suffers from Werdnig-Hoffman disease, which is a form of spinal muscular atrophy.

The surgeon said the procedure would take humanity closer to extending life indefinitely.

Although Canavero insists everything is ready to go, a lot of the details remain murky, and it might still be more fantasy than reality.

Dr. David Albert Jones, the director of the Oxford-based Anscombe Bioethics Centre, says the risks associated with such an attempt are not justifiable.

The center is a Catholic academic institute that studies the moral issues surrounding medicine.

The current scientific and medical consensus is that this experiment has very little chance of success, Jones told Crux, adding the most likely outcome is either death during the operation or survival in a paralyzed state for a few hours or days.

Similar experiments have been done with small animals, to little success. No animal has ever come out of the procedure without being paralyzed, and they all have died soon after.

Jones said the studies are not even advanced enough to attempt the procedure on primates such as monkeys or chimpanzees, let alone a human subject.

There is nothing to suggest that the current proposal for a head transplant is realistic, Jones said, adding even if it were, it would not put mankind on a path to immortality.

People who have received donor organs live longer than they would have done, but they do not live longer, on average, than the average life expectancy of the general population, Jones said.

We will all die.

Jones did warn that if immortality became the goal of a society, this could be a real concern because the quest for unachievable goals can detract from the achievable goals of society, the realistic goals of healthcare, education and social solidarity.

Jones responded to some questions from Crux by email, and told us the scientific and ethical concerns about the proposed procedure.

Crux: Is this even possible with todays technology?

Jones: The idea of a head transplant (or a neck down body-transplant) has been attempted in animals but most animals have either died or have been completely paralyzed and none have lived more than a few days. Given the very poor outcome with mice at the present time it is very difficult to justify attempting this with primates, let alone with humans.

A key challenge is reconnecting the spinal cord. Only if we could finally overcome this problem in patients suffering from spinal cord injury (for example, by the use of gene therapy, stem cells and/or growth factors) would it be realistic to deliberately severe the spinal cord and reconnect the head to a different body.

Thought must also be given to the consequences if the body were to reject the new head. Could the head be kept alive apart from the body, and what kind of existence would this be?

Is such a transplant ethically permitted?

The current scientific and medical consensus is that this experiment has very little chance of success. The most likely outcome is either death during the operation or survival in a paralyzed state for a few hours or days.

The risks are such that it is not justifiable even with consent, but there is an added concern in that it seems likely that the patient has been given misinformation about the realistic prospects for success, and in these circumstances it seems doubtful that consent is properly informed.

It should also be noticed that the operation would not only take great financial and human resources but would also require a donor whose heart, lungs, liver, and/or kidneys could have given real benefits to several patients on the organ transplant waiting list. The opportunity costs would, at the very least, involve extending the suffering of these patients and could involve the death of a patient who might otherwise have been saved.

Many are saying that if such a surgery is successful, it puts humanity on the path to immortality. Should such a goal concern us?

There is nothing to suggest that the current proposal for a head transplant is realistic. If some time in the future the technical problems were overcome, it would not be the path to immortality any more than current, very successful, transplant medicine puts people on a path to immortality. People who have received donor organs live longer than they would have done, but they do not live longer, on average, than the average life expectancy of the general population. We will all die.

How can the Church do more to help people assess the morality of new biotechnologies and medical (or pseudo-medical) procedures?

The goal of immortality is unachievable. There is no need to be concerned therefore about the achievement of this goal. On the other hand if (virtual) immortality became the goal of a society, this could be a real concern because the quest for unachievable goals can detract from the achievable goals of society, the realistic goals of healthcare, education and social solidarity.

The virtue of temperateness is needed if society is to avoid such vain and destructive desires. The Church could do more to promote the virtues of temperateness and humility, which are necessary not only in relation to this issue but in the wider context of the care of creation.

How should the governments involved handle such things, both on a national and international level? I mean, it seems odd that this doctor is even being allowed to attempt this procedure, given the objections from many that the technology has not even been tested properly.

Governments should ensure that experimental surgery is subject to the same level of ethical scrutiny as the clinical trials of drugs or of medical devices. Unfortunately surgery is sometimes given a degree of latitude that leaves patients vulnerable to exploitation. Experimental procedures should not be permitted by a hospital unless and until it has been subject to scientific peer review and has satisfied a clinical ethics committee. It is difficult to see how the current proposal could fulfill such criteria.

View original post here:
Should a head transplant be allowed to happen? - Crux: Covering all things Catholic

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - March 29, 2017) - VistaGen Therapeutics Inc. (VTGN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new generation medicines for depression and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders, announced today that the European Patent Office (EPO) has issued a Notice of Intention to Grant the Company's European Patent Application for AV-101, its oral CNS prodrug candidate in Phase 2 development for major depressive disorder (MDD). The granted claims covering multiple dosage forms of AV-101, treatment of depression and reduction of dyskinesias associated with L-DOPA treatment of Parkinson's disease will be in effect until at least January 2034.

"We are extremely pleased to receive the EPO's notice of intention to grant significant CNS-related patent claims for AV-101, another substantial step forward in our plan to secure a broad spectrum of intellectual property protection for AV-101 covering multiple CNS indications," stated Shawn Singh, Chief Executive Officer of VistaGen.

About AV-101

AV-101 (4-CI-KYN) is an oral CNS prodrug candidate in Phase 2 development in the U.S. as a new generation treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). AV-101 also has broad potential utility in several other CNS disorders, including chronic neuropathic pain and epilepsy, as well as neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease.

AV-101 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 monotherapy study in MDD, a study being fully funded by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and conducted by Dr. Carlos Zarate Jr., Chief, Section on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Mood Disorders and Chief of Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch at the NIMH, as Principal Investigator.

VistaGen is preparing to advance AV-101 into a 180-patient, U.S. multi-center, Phase 2 adjunctive treatment study in MDD patients with an inadequate response to standard FDA-approved antidepressants, with Dr. Maurizio Fava of Harvard University as Principal Investigator.

About VistaGen

VistaGen Therapeutics, Inc. (VTGN), is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing new generation medicines for depression and other central nervous system (CNS) disorders. VistaGen's lead CNS product candidate, AV-101, is a new generation oral antidepressant drug candidate in Phase 2 development for major depressive disorder (MDD). AV-101's mechanism of action is fundamentally differentiated from all FDA-approved antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics used adjunctively to treat MDD, with potential to drive a paradigm shift towards a new generation of safer and faster-acting antidepressants. AV-101 is currently being evaluated by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in a Phase 2 monotherapy study in MDD being fully funded by the NIMH and conducted by Dr. Carlos Zarate Jr., Chief, Section on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Mood Disorders and Chief of Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch at the NIMH. VistaGen is preparing to launch a 180-patient Phase 2 study of AV-101 as an adjunctive treatment for MDD patients with inadequate response to standard, FDA-approved antidepressants. Dr. Maurizio Fava of Harvard University will be the Principal Investigator of the Company's Phase 2 adjunctive treatment study. AV-101 may also have the potential to treat multiple CNS disorders and neurodegenerative diseases in addition to MDD, including chronic neuropathic pain, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease, where modulation of the NMDAR, AMPA pathway and/or key active metabolites of AV-101 may achieve therapeutic benefit.

VistaStem Therapeutics is VistaGen's wholly owned subsidiary focused on applying human pluripotent stem cell technology, internally and with collaborators, to discover, rescue, develop and commercialize proprietary new chemical entities (NCEs), including small molecule NCEs with regenerative potential, for CNS and other diseases, and cellular therapies involving stem cell-derived blood, cartilage, heart and liver cells. In December 2016, VistaGen exclusively sublicensed to BlueRock Therapeutics LP, a next generation regenerative medicine company established by Bayer AG and Versant Ventures, rights to certain proprietary technologies relating to the production of cardiac stem cells for the treatment of heart disease.

Read More

For more information, please visit http://www.vistagen.com and connect with VistaGen on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release that are not historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks related to the successful launch, continuation and results of the NIMH's Phase 2 (monotherapy) and/or the Company's planned Phase 2 (adjunctive therapy) clinical studies of AV-101 in MDD, and other CNS diseases and disorders, protection of its intellectual property, and the availability of substantial additional capital to support its operations, including the development activities described above. These and other risks and uncertainties are identified and described in more detail in VistaGen's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). These filings are available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. VistaGen undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Read more:
VistaGen Therapeutics Receives European Patent Office Notice of Intention to Grant European Patent for AV-101 - Yahoo Finance

Having someone elses marrow or stem cells is called a donor transplant, or an allogeneic transplant. This is pronounced a-low-gen-ay-ik.

The donors bone marrow cells must match your own as closely as possible. The most suitable donor is usually a close relative, such as a brother or sister. It is sometimes possible to find a match in an unrelated donor. Doctors call this a matched unrelated donor (MUD). To find out if there is a suitable donor for you, your doctor will contact The Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Register.

To make sure that your donors cells match, you and the donor will have blood tests. These are to see how many of the proteins on the surface of their blood cells match yours. This is called tissue typing or HLA matching. HLA stands for human leucocyte antigen.

Once you have a donor and are in remission, you have your high dose chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A week later the donor comes into hospital and their stem cells or marrow are collected.

You then have the stem cells or bone marrow as a drip through your central line.

If you've had a transplant from a donor, there is a risk of graft versus host disease (GVHD). This happens because the transplanted stem cells or bone marrow contain cells from your donor's immune system. These cells can sometimes recognise your own tissues as being foreign and attack them. This can be an advantage as the immune cells may also attack cancer cells left after your treatment.

Acute GVHD starts within 100 days of the transplant and can cause

If you develop GVHD after your transplant, your doctor will prescribe drugs to damp down this immune reaction. These are called immunosuppressants.

Chronic GVHD starts more than 100 days after the transplant and you may have skin rashes, diarrhoea, sore joints and dry eyes. Your doctor is likely to suggest that you stay out of the sun because GVHD skin rashes can often get worse in the sun.

There is more detailed information about graft versus host disease.

Excerpt from:
Bone marrow or stem cell transplants for ALL | Cancer ...

BRADENTON, Fla. By now, the time line for recovery from Tommy John surgery is familiar even to the casual baseball fan. It takes at least a year, usually more. It takes tedious, monotonous work on the part of the player.

Alternatives exist, but until now their use among established major leaguers has been limited if tried at all. This season could provide a referendum on two of them. One surgical procedure could cut the recovery time in half. Another treatment could help a player avoid surgery altogether.

I think it can definitely help the game, right-hander Seth Maness, who had a modified elbow ligament surgery in August, said by phone from spring training in Arizona. But the circumstances have to be right.

Maness had a surgery on his right elbow known as a primary repair or primary brace. The procedure reattaches the elbows ulnar collateral ligament to the bone with collagen-coated Arthrex tape. Los Angeles Angels starter Garrett Richards received a stem cell injection into his right elbow to heal his damaged UCL. So far, its working.

The last thing you want to do is have surgery, and if you do what your body does naturally, thats going to be stronger than any replacement surgery, Richards said, also by phone from spring training in Arizona. I just hope that this further gives guys a little bit of knowledge that you have options.

Neither procedure will replace Tommy John. Stem cells dont work in every case, and if the UCL is torn across the middle of the ligament, it needs to be replaced. The sample size for both is also small. But both provide options involving less recovery time for pitchers whose injuries fit a certain profile.

Maness, 28, spent four seasons pitching out of the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen and signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals in February. Maness ligament had pulled away from the bone rather than tearing across the middle. Instead of needing a full Tommy John surgery, which requires grafting a tendon from the wrist or hamstring into the elbow to replace the UCL and at least a year of recovery, Maness was a candidate for a primary repair.

Really this primary brace technology had been used more widely in Europe, particularly for ligament injuries of the knee and the ankle, said Dr. George Paletta, St. Louis Cardinals head orthopedic surgeon who performed Maness surgery. So the concept or the idea was, OK, its working well there, is there a way to adapt it to the elbow?

Paletta had done roughly 60 primary repairs on amateur pitchers prior to operating on Maness and saw an average recovery time of 6 months. That background helped him establish three criteria he needed a young pitcher, an otherwise healthy ligament and, most importantly,the ligament needed to pull off the bone on one end rather than tear in the middle.

Weve had a lot of experience with ligaments healing directly to bone and we have a good understanding of that timetable, so we knew that by about 12 weeks after surgery, this repair should be pretty well healed and pretty solid at that point, Paletta said.

Cardinals reliever Mitch Harris also had the primary repair, as did a third pitcher with major league experience, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, with whom Maness first discussed the procedure in January. Cardinals non-roster outfielder/pitcher Jordan Schafer had the procedure this month.

The UCL in Richards right elbow had a tear running along the ligament, not across it. He sought second opinions from noted orthopedic surgeons Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

Dr. Andrews pretty much told me, Hey Garrett, if you were my son, I would try the stem cell first, Richards said.

Doctors removed stem cells from his pelvis and injected them into his elbow, in hopes the cells would heal the UCL. Stem cells, extracted from bone marrow, are able to develop into multiple different tissues and can promote healing.

It just feels tight. Youre putting fluid into a place that pretty much doesnt have any room for any more fluid, Richards said of the injection. If you can imagine youre just overfilling a certain area with this nice special sauce.

Teams sometimes use platelet-rich plasma injections, where blood is spun in a centrifuge to isolate growth factors Takashi Saitos PRP injection in 2008 was believed to be the first for a major league pitcher, and Masahiro Tanaka also has pitched successfully with a partially torn UCL after PRP treatment but stem cells are less common. Bartolo Colon, soldiering into his 20th major league season at 43 years old, had a stem cell treatment in 2010. Boston Red Sox left-hander Drew Pomeranz had a stem cell injection in his elbow this winter to address lingering soreness.But Pomeranz went on the disabled list Thursday with left forearm flexor strain.

It doesnt always work. Richards teammate, lefty Andrew Heaney, needed Tommy John last summer after stem cells didnt do the trick.

Richards six-week exam showed significant growth. His three-month check showed even more. He reported no issues this spring, his high-90s mph fastball is back and he is on track to open the season in the rotation.

Everything feels great, Richards said. Basically I took the year off, let my arm heal and now Im back doing what I always do. I just feel refreshed.

Bill Brink: bbrink@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrinkPG.

See more here:
How new-age medicine is helping Major League Baseball pitchers avoid injury - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Adelaide woman Kate Rafertys son just started school, her daughter is two.

She doesnt like to speak about it with her doctors, but she may not get the chance to see them grow up.

Ms Raferty has a severe form of Leukaemia, which relapsed early in 2017.

She needs a life-saving bone marrow transplant a simple one-day procedure for the donor but of the millions of registered donors around the world, none are a match.

It was a bit hard to absorb because everything happened so fast when I was first diagnosed, she told SBS.

They focused on my sister being a match, and that took weeks to work out that she wasn't a match.

Only about 30 per cent of patients are able to find a match within their family - the chance of a single sibling being a match is 25 per cent.

At about the same time, they told me there wasn't a match worldwide, but never really worked out or advised why, MsRaferty said.

The likely reason is as uncomfortable one Ms Rafertys mother is Hungarian and her father is a white Australian.

The unique background is an inherent part of what makes Kate Raferty who she is, but it may have doomed her chances of finding a donor.

Bone marrow transplants require a partial genetic match relating to an array of genes known as the HLA system - family members are the best chance of a match, but failing that it's likely a donor will have to be found from people with a similar ethnic background.

People like us who have migrated to Australia, or are children of those who migrated and help make up multicultural Australia, have one of the worst chances of finding a match, Ms Rafertysaid.

Paul Berghoffer, Operations Manager with the Bone Marrow Donor Centre, says that while donor matching is based on a range of factors, a HLA match is critical - it's the system which your immune defences use to distinguish your own cells from foreign cells.

You inherit half of your HLA type from your mother and half from your father, and because it is an entirely inherited trait, we find there are HLA clusters within particular ethnic groups," he said.

Within Australia's 170,000-strong donor pool, northwest Europeans are probably over-represented, he said.

The challenge for donor registries in Australia and around the world is to build genetically diverse registries that are reflective of those who need help."

While factors vary case to case, those with a mixed genetic background, such as Kate Raferty, can have even rarer HLA types.

Looking at the law of averages, its definitely more challenging for people of mixed backgrounds to find a HLA match," he said.

"Given there are roughly 29 million donors registered world-wide, the fact that people still can't find a match just stands to show how variable HLA types are."

The answer, he says, is recruitment focused onethnic minorities and people with mixed backgrounds.

Kate Raferty and her husband and children, Christmas 2014.

In her desperation to stay alive to see her children grow up, Ms Raferty has taken to social media to raise awareness and increase donor registration.

Our cure is out there in someone else in the world, we just need them to register, she said.

The Raferty family isnt the only one looking.

Tania in South Australia has a mixed Balkan background.

Baby Ruby in the UK has a mixed Latin American background.

Six-month-oldAustin in the UKis of mixed Polish background.

Five-year-old Valerie in the UK has an African background.

Each family is desperate to find a match, andthey work with each other as part of an international drive to increase the genetic diversity of registered donors.

I am determined, determined to ask each and every one of you to help to save people like my son by signing up to become a stem cell donor for patients in need, said baby Austins father, Lewis.

Some campaigns have signed up thousands of extra donors, and turned up matches for multiple other patients.

Because people are often unaware of the diversity of their own genetic make-up, their campaigns target people very broadly.

My mum is from Hungary but thinks her grandma was from Czechoslovakia, Ms Rafferty said.

Possibly also any bordering country might share the same tissue types.

While doctors have toldMsRafterty her chances of finding a match are slim, she remains optimistic.

Others have found their matches by campaigning like this, but sadly others have died in their search, she said.

Enrolled in a drug trial and receiving blood cord transplants, she now has some extra time with her children, but she says her only hope of a cure is a transplant.

Someone with mixed Jewish-Chinese heritage just found their match, she said, so we live in hope.

You can join Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry if you are aged between 18 and 45 years, in good health and meet the eligibility criteria. Joining the registry requires a blood test. If you are found to be a match, donating can be done through a blood donation or a relatively simple day procedure.

Find out more from the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry. To register call 13 14 95.

View post:
Why mixed-race minorities struggle to find life-saving transplant matches - SBS

JEROMESVILLE Heidi Steiber was 27 years old when she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

MS is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system that disrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body, according to the NationalMultiple SclerosisSociety.

"I've experienced various symptoms," Steiber said. "Loss of vision, my left and right hands and left leg don't work very well."

MS is a progressive ailment, Steiber added, which means the damage the disease causes can not be corrected.

Now, 15 years later, the 42-year-old Steiber is hoping to raise enough money to spend a month in Puebla, Mexico to undergo a hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

HSCT is a transplant of multipotent hematopoietic stem cells, usually derived from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood.

Steiber applied for a similar program in Chicago, but was turned away because they wanted to research MS patients who have had the disease for 10 or less years.

The treatment will cost $55,000 and will keep Steiber in isolation for a month, she said. The treatment will destroy her immune system after her stem cells are taken from her marrow. After the immune system is removed the stem cells will be replaced into her body. She hopes to make her appointment on June 19 at Clinica Ruiz

"It's like Heidi 2.0 or Heidi rebooted," she joked.

She is using a crowd sourcing website to gather donations. So far, she has been excited by the results in one month, raising $32,000 of the $70,000 she is looking for to pay for her treatments and the following recovery. Steiber said her insurance will not contribute to the medical expenses.

"People have been extremely generous. One of my donators did a matching donation, so I raised $3,000 in a day-and-a-half.

Steiber, now residing in Raleigh, North Carolina, will be heading back to her hometown of Jeromesville to the American Legion for a benefit dinner, May 13. It will run from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

"You know the expression, it takes a village? That's the village they were talking about Jeromesville," the Hillsdale High graduate said. "It's amazing to have people coming together for you."

View post:
Hillsdale grad looks for medical help in Mexico, local support to get there - Richland Source

Screenshot of Taigas website.

A startup at University of Colorado Anschutz is in the middle of a substantial capital raise.

Taiga Biotechnologies, which is developing new therapies for cancer, HIV and other diseases, has raised $6 million and is looking for an additional $14 million, according to a recent SEC filing.

The date of the first sale was March 16, and so far, the startup has 14 individual investors.

Founded in 2006, Taiga creates therapies for cancer, immune diseases and other serious medical conditions using stem cells, proteins and other molecular compounds.

In 2012, the firmreceived a patent to produce significant amounts of adult blood stem cells using blood from umbilical cords or bone marrow. Blood samples could be stored and expanded to be used after chemotherapy or radiation treatment, instead of having multiple bone marrow transplants.

Last summer, Taiga developed a product to help children with severe immune deficiencies, forcing them to live in protected and sterile environments. The product, which garnered an Orphan Drug Designation from the Food and Drug Administration, was approved for clinical trial in Israel.

Taiga is led by co-founders Brian Turner and Yosef Refaeli.

The company received $12 million in a raise ending in 2015, as well as $246,000 in 2010, according to SEC filings.

Taiga is basedat 12635 E. Montview Blvd. at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Kate Tracy is a BusinessDen reporter who covers nonprofits, startups and the outdoors industry. She is a graduate of Corban University. Email her at kate@BusinessDen.com.

Read more:
UC Anschutz startup gets $6M boost to fight disease with stem cells - BusinessDen

Friday, March 31, 2017

By Nicholas Snow

The Rose Mercadante Chemistry Seminar Series is pleased to present a seminar entitled "Improving Blood and Marrow Transplantation" by Dr. Robert Korngold of the John Theurer Cancer Center, Hackensack University Medical Center.

The seminar will be held on Tuesday April 4, 2017 at 5:45 p.m. in the Helen Lerner Amphitheater, McNulty Hall, Science and Technology Center, Seton Hall University.

Dr. Korngold specializes in basic science and translational research in the field of blood and marrow stem cell transplantation. In 1978, he demonstrated in mouse models that mature T cells in donor bone marrow were responsible for causing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) directed to minor histocompatibility antigens in transplanted recipients. This landmark study had significant impact on the future course of clinical treatment for patients undergoing transplantation from matched sibling or unrelated matched donors. Since then he has devoted his career to studying the immunological mechanisms of GVHD and refining the hematopoietic stem cell transplantation process to avoid disease and allow for enhanced anti-leukemia immune reactivity. He is widely recognized as a leading researcher in his field and as such he has served since 2001 as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Dr. Korngold is an author of 140 research articles, reviews and book chapters.

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers BS, MS and PhD degrees with specializations in all areas of chemistry. Our unique research environment, including traditional full-time students and part-time students is designed to foster collaborations with industry and colleagues in other disciplines. The Rose Mercadante Seminar Series is named for Rose, our departmental secretary for over 40 years, in honor of our alumni, her "boys and girls".

Categories: Science and Technology

For more information, please contact:

See the rest here:
Improving Blood and Marrow Transplantation - Seton Hall University News & Events

KAMLOOPS My curiosity was sparked when I read that a stem cell centre was opening in Kamloops (Kamloops This Week, March 21, 2017).

So I went to the location of the centre at 470 Columbia St only to find a parking lot. Thinking that the address might be wrong, I searched the directory of the medical building next door and found that no stem cell centre was listed.

The Stem Cell Centers website lists Kamloops as the only one in Canada. Dr. Richard Brownlee is named as the surgeon with more information coming soon.

Stem cell therapy, says the website, can help with orthopedic or pain management, ophthalmological conditions, cardiac or pulmonary conditions, neurological conditions, and auto-immune diseases, among many other conditions and disease that results in damaged tissue.

One of the ophthalmological conditions they treat is macular degeneration. If your vision is fading due to macular degeneration, you know its time to seek help. Our non-invasive Stem Cell Therapy treatment might be the solution for you.

I wanted get Dr. Brownlees reaction to news that an unproven stem cell treatment had resulted in blindness according to the New England Journal of Medicine as reported in the Globe and Mail, March 20, 2017.

This week, the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) reported on three individuals who went blind after receiving an unproven stem cell treatment at a Florida clinic. The patients paid thousands of dollars for what they thought was a clinical trial on the use of stem cells to treat macular degeneration.

The writer of the Globe and Mail article, Timothy Caulfield, Research Chair of the in Health Law and Policy at the University of Alberta, doesnt name the Florida clinic.

The Stem Cell Centers website refers optimistically to treatment for macular degeneration at a Florida clinic, although apparently not theirs since no Florida clinic appears on their list. It tells of how Doug Oliver suffered from macular degeneration before stem cells were extracted from his hip bone and injected them into his eyes. Almost immediately, Olivers eyesight started to improve. I began weeping, he said.

Caulfield encourages caution. Health science gets a lot of attention in the popular press. People love hearing about breakthroughs, paradigm shifts and emerging cures. The problem is, these stories are almost always misleading. It can also help to legitimize the marketing of unproven therapies.

Reports from the Stem Cell Centers own website are cautionary as well. It quotes an abstract from a study done by the Southern California College of Optometry on how stem cells might ultimately be used to restore the entire visual pathway.

The promise of stem cell research is phenomenal. Scientific American (Jan., 2017) reports that brains can be grown in a lab dish from stem cells taken from skin. These samples can be used to research brain disorders ranging from schizophrenia to Alzheimer's disease, and to explore why only some babies develop brain-shrinking microcephaly after exposure to the Zika virus.

However, Dr. George Daley, dean of Harvard Medical School, concludes that there are only a handful of clinical applications available and they are for skin and blood-related ailments.

Practice, it seems, has not yet matched the promise of stem cell research.

Go here to see the original:
Stem cell centre coming to Kamloops? | CFJC Today - CFJC Today Kamloops

March 28, 2017 by Layne Cameron Kristin Parent mapped the structure of the giant Samba virus with MSUs cryo-EM microscope, which is featured on the cover of the journal Viruses. Credit: Michigan State University

In a laboratory at Michigan State University, scientists took a DIY approach to build a retrofitted cryo-electron microscope that allowed them to map a giant Samba virus one of the worlds largest viruses.

If the common cold virus is scaled to the size of a ladder, then the giant Samba virus is bigger than the Washington Monument, said Kristin Parent, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and co-author of the paper featured on the cover of the journal Viruses. Cryo-EM allowed us to map this virus structure and observe the proteins it uses to enter, or attack, cells.

It seems counterintuitive that bigger organisms are harder to see, but they are when using cryo-electron microscopy. Thats because these microscopes usually are used to look at thin specimens and cant decipher larger organisms to reveal their biological mechanisms. For thick samples, scientists see only dark gray or black blobs instead of seeing the molecular framework.

Cryo-EM allowed Parents team to image the giant Samba virus and understand the structures that allow it to enter an amoeba. Once inside, Samba opens one of its capsid layers and releases its nucleocapsid which carries the genetic cargo that sparks an infection. While Samba isnt known to cause any diseases in humans, its cousin, the mimivirus, may be a culprit for causing some respiratory ailments in humans.

If you scoop up a handful of water from Lake Michigan, you are literally holding more viruses than there are people on the planet, said Parent, who published the paper with Jason Schrad and Eric Young, MSU biochemistry and molecular biology graduate students. While scientists cant study every virus on Earth, the insights we glean from viruses like the giant Samba can help us understand the mechanisms of other viruses in its family, how they thrive and how we can attack them.

As bacteria become more resistant to antibiotics, looking for new ways to fight diseases will continue to grow in importance. Parents lab also studies how bacteria-infecting viruses enter cells using this method, which could potentially lead to new antibacterial treatments. Yet the worlds best cryo-EM microscope costs more than $5 million. Limited by funds but not drive, Parent was able to upgrade an existing microscope at MSU to do cryo-EM one that is a tinkerers dream.

This traditional transmission electron microscope was retrofitted with a cryostage, which keeps viruses frozen in liquid nitrogen while theyre being studied. Parent and her team then added a Direct Electron DE-20 detector, a powerful camera the mighty microscopes piece de resistance.

Parent didnt invent cryo-EM, but establishing it on campus serves as a viable proof-of-concept for MSU, opening the door for many interdisciplinary partnerships. This cutting-edge microscopy has applications across many fields, from those addressing a single protein to others studying entire cells. Virtually anyone studying complex molecular machines can advance their work with this tool, Parent added.

Parent has earned an AAAS Marion Milligan Mason Award for Women in the Chemical Sciences. This award, her paper in Viruses and being the co-author who performed cryo-EM work in a recent Nature Communications paper, lays the groundwork to some day have a more advanced cryo-EM microscope housed at MSU to be able to perform high-resolution structural studies.

Weve done quite a bit with our limited resources, but were primed to do more, Parent said. I think MSU could serve as a cryo-EM center and to increase the prevalence of this technology in the Midwest and beyond.

As one example, scientists from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (Brazil) and Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) also contributed to this study and benefitted from the technology MSU has to offer.

Explore further: Cryo-electron microscopy achieves unprecedented resolution using new computational methods

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM)which enables the visualization of viruses, proteins, and other biological structures at the molecular levelis a critical tool used to advance biochemical knowledge. Now Lawrence Berkeley

Advances in both light and electron microscopy are improving scientists ability to visualize viruses such as HIV, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), measles, influenza, and Zika in their native states. Researchers from Emory

Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Purdue University have completed a model of unprecedented near-atomic resolution of the chemical

An international group of scientists have solved the atomic structure of the Ljungan virus, an infection of rodents that is also associated with a variety of dangerous diseases in humans, including diabetes, neurological

Since the discovery of the microscope, scientists have tried to visualize smaller and smaller structures to provide insights into the inner workings of human cells, bacteria and viruses. Now, researchers at the National Institute

Next-generation steel and metal alloys are a step closer to reality, thanks to an international research project involving a University of Queensland scientist.

A fluorescent probe developed by Michigan Tech chemist Haiying Liu illuminates the enzyme beta-galactosidase in a cell culture, which could help cancer surgeons.

In order for a fuel cell to work, it needs an oxidizing agent. TU Wien has now found a way to explain why oxygen does not always enter fuel cells effectively, rendering them unusable.

Researchers at the University of York and Simon Fraser University, Canada, revealed the 3-D structure of an enzyme that could provide a crucial step forward in treating neurodegenerative diseases.

The photodissociation of triiodide anion (I3-) is a classic textbook reaction that has been extensively studied both in solution and in gas phase. However, probing the ultrafast dynamics of this reaction in the solid state

A study published today shows how Indiana University scientists are speeding the path to new treatments for the Zika virus, an infectious disease linked to birth defects in infants in South and Central America and the United

Opioids have long been an important tool in the world of pain management, but the side effects of these drugs from addiction and respiratory failure to severe itching and dizziness, can be overwhelming. Scientists have

Please sign in to add a comment. Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. Read more

View post: Scientist maps giant virus Phys.org Phys.Org

.

Continued here:
Scientist maps giant virus Phys.org Phys.Org IPS ...

March 29, 2017 (A) Bio-imaging analysis to evaluate the therapeutic effect of iPS-ML producing IFN- on metastatic liver cancer. (B) Quantification of the image data shown in A. (C) Histological data indicating migration of iPS-ML (PKH26, red) into intrahepatic tumor tissues (GFP, green). Adapted from M. Sakisaka, M. Haruta, Y. Komohara, S. Umemoto, K. Matsumura, T. Ikeda, M. Takeya, Y. Inomata, Y. Nishimura, and S. Senju, "Therapy of primary and metastatic liver cancer by human iPS cell-derived myeloid cells producing interferon-," Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Sciences, vol. 24, pp. 109-119, Feb. 2017. DOI: 10.1002/jhbp.422

Causes of the most common form of liver cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), include hepatitis B or C, cirrhosis, obesity, diabetes, a buildup of iron in the liver, or a family of toxins called aflatoxins produced by fungi on some types of food. Typical treatments for HCC include radiation, chemotherapy, cryo- or radiofrequency ablation, resection, and liver transplant. Unfortunately, the mortality rate is still quite high; the American Cancer Society estimates the five-year survival rate for localized liver cancer is 31 percent.

Hoping to improve primary liver cancer outcomes, including HCC and metastatic liver cancer, researchers from Japan began studying induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell-derived immune cells that produce the protein interferon- (IFN-). IFN- has antiviral effects related to immune response, and exhibits two antitumor activities, the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and p53 protein expression. IFN- has been used for some forms of cancer, but problems like rapid inactivation, poor tissue penetration, and toxicity prevent widespread use. To overcome that hurdle, Kumamoto University researchers used iPS cell-derived proliferating myelomonocytic (iPS-ML) cells, which they developed in a previous research project. These cells were found to mimic the behavior of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMS), which inspired the researchers to develop them as a drug delivery system for IFN- and evaluate the therapeutic effect on liver cancer in a murine model in vivo.

The researchers selected two cancer cell lines that were sensitive to IFN- treatmentone that easily metastasized to the liver after injection into the spleen, and another that produced a viable model after being directly injected into the liver. After injection, mice that tested positive for cancer (~80 percent) were separated into test and control groups. iPS-ML/IFN- cells were injected two to three times a week for three weeks into the abdomens of the test group subjects.

Livers with tumors were found to have higher levels of IFN- than those without. This was likely due to iPS-ML/IFN- cells penetrating the fibrous connective tissue capsule surrounding the liver and migrating toward intrahepatic cancer sites. The iPS-ML/IFN- cells did not penetrate non-tumorous livers, but rather stayed on the surface of the organ. Furthermore, concentrations of IFN- from 24 to 72 hours after iPS-ML/IFN- injections were found to be high enough to inhibit proliferation or even cause the death of the tumor cells.

Due to differences between species, mouse cells are not adversely affected by human IFN-, meaning that side effects of this treatment are not visible in this model. Thus, the researchers are working on a new model with the mouse equivalent of human iPS-ML/IFN, and testing its therapeutic abilities.

"Our recent research into iPS-cell derived, IFN- expressing myeloid cells should be beneficial for many cancer patients," says research leader Dr. Satoru Senju. "If it is determined to be safe for human use, this technology has the potential to slow cancer progression and increase survival rates. At this point, however, we still have much work ahead."

This research may be found in the Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Sciences.

Explore further: Scientists stimulate immune system, stop cancer growth

More information: Masataka Sakisaka et al, Therapy of primary and metastatic liver cancer by human iPS cell-derived myeloid cells producing interferon-, Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Sciences (2017). DOI: 10.1002/jhbp.422

A chemical found in tumors may help stop tumor growth, according to a new study.

Scientists at EPFL have found a way to starve liver cancer cells by blocking a protein that is required for glutamine breakdownwhile leaving normal cells intact. The discovery opens new ways to treat liver cancer.

Most cases of liver cancer develop after long-term viral infection, chronic exposure to alcohol, or excessive accumulation of fat in the liver due to obesity. The liver reacts to those insults by trying to wall it off with ...

Liver cancer remains among the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide.

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have discovered that high levels of the protein p62 in human liver samples are strongly associated ...

Immunotherapydeveloping treatments by boosting natural immune system responsesholds much potential in the fight against serious diseases. Now, A*STAR researchers have determined how one group of immune cells called ...

Detailed analysis of two brain tumor subtypes has revealed that they may originate from the same type of neural progenitor cells and be distinguished by gene mutation patterns and by the composition of their microenvironments. ...

Scientists at EPFL and NTU have discovered that combining an anticancer drug with an antirheumatic produces improved effects against tumors. The discovery opens a new path for drug-drug synergy.

Clinical trials found that it is safe to regularly infuse brain and lung cancer patients with 8001000 times the daily recommended amount of vitamin C as a potential strategy to improve outcomes of standard cancer treatments. ...

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a cancer associated with underlying liver disease and cirrhosis that often only becomes symptomatic when it is very advanced, is the second leading cause of cancer deaths around the world, ...

The chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, appears to aid the survival of inflammatory breast cancer cells, revealing a potential mechanism for how the disease grows, according to a study led by researchers in the Department of Surgery ...

One reason pancreatic cancer has a particularly low survival rate is the difficulty in getting drugs to the tumour, but new knowledge of how pancreatic cancer cells invade neighbouring cells could change that.

Please sign in to add a comment. Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. Read more

Follow this link:
Immune cell therapy on liver cancer using interferon beta ...

In Brief A Japanese man has become the first recipient of donated, reprogrammed stem cells as a treatment for macular degeneration. If the treatment proves effective against the age-related eye condition, it could halt or prevent the vision loss of the 10 million people in the U.S. who have macular degeneration. A New Treatment for Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is the leading cause of progressive vision loss with almost 10million Americans affected by the disease. Currently, there are no known cures for the conditionalthough stem cells might change that entirely.

Macular degeneration occurs when the central portion, the macula, of the retina is deteriorated. This is where our eyes record images and send them to the brain through the optic nerve. The macula is known for focusing our vision, controlling our ability to read, recognize faces, and see objects clearly.

A Japaneseman in his sixties is the worlds first person to receive induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells donated by a different individual. Rather than tip-toeing around the ethics of embryonic stem cells, scientists were able to remove mature cells from a donor and reprogram them into an embryonic state, which then could be developed into a specific cell-type to treat the disease. Physicians cultivated donated skin cells that were transplanted onto the mans retina to halt the progression of his age-related macular degeneration.

While the mans first surgery was a success, the doctors have said they will make no more announcements about his progress until they have completed all five of the planned procedures. While the effectiveness of this technique cannot be evaluated until the fate of the donated cells and the progression of the patientsmacular degenerationhave been fully monitored, there is increasing interest inusing iPScells for theraputic purposes.

A similar therapy was performed at the Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital in Japan in September 2014, but with a slight difference. In this case, the patient received her own skin cells reprogrammed into retinal cells. As hoped, a year after the surgery her vision had no decline, seemingly halting the macular degeneration. Four more patients in the clinical trial are expected to receive donor cells as well.

The donor-cell procedure, if successful, could help pave the way for the iPS cell bank thatShinya Yamanaka is establishing. An iPS cell bank would allow physicians find theperfect iPS donor per each patients biological signatures. Yamanaka is a Nobel-prizewinning scientist at Kyoto University who pioneered the iPS cells.

Yamanakas idea of a iPS cell bank has the potential torevolutionize modern medicine. It would provide patients with ready-made cells immediately, givinga widespread population access to more treatment options bylower all-around costs. While the risk of genetic defects or a poor donor match still remains, the new procedurecould offer enormous advantagescompared toother alternatives.

Read the original here:
A Japanese Man Has Become the First Recipient of Donated ... - Futurism

After a baby is born and the umbilical cord is cut, ever wonder where that umbilical cord ends up?

Most of the time, it becomes waste but that cord still has some valuable resources that can save a life.

The blood that is found in it is called umbilical cord blood or cord blood for short.

It contains all the normal elements of blood, such as red and white blood cells. It is also jam packed with stem cells, similar to the ones found in bone marrow.

Birth is pretty exciting, its pretty dramatic. A lot of things are happening, says James E. Baumgartner, M.D., Pediatric Surgeon.

One of those things that people rarely hear about is the option to donate cord blood. Bone marrow and cord blood contain the same type of stem cells, but those from cord blood have more advantages. Since stem cells from cord blood are less mature than stem cells from an adult's bone marrow, a recipient's body is less likely to reject them.

Another benefit is that taking cord blood is less invasive than a bone marrow transplant. Once an umbilical cord is clamped, it is wiped with antiseptic and a needle is inserted into one of the veins to withdraw a few ounces of blood. The procedure takes just a few minutes and is painless.

We all collect prospective data to look for risk for, you know, lung damage, kidney damage, liver damage, heart damage. Were looking at the nervous system pretty carefully and we found nothing. So that we really believe that its safe, explains Baumgartner.

About 70% of patients who need a stem cell transplant dont have a matching donor in their own family, which leads to the main advantage of cord blood. Stem cells from cord blood dont need to be exactly matched to the patient like bone marrow transplants from adult donors. One drawback to cord blood though is that the number of stem cells available is relatively small. This means young children will benefit because they need less.

Families can either save cord blood for themselves or donate it to a bank.

You need to talk to your doctor at least three months before your due date to find out if you are eligible to donate cord blood.

CORD BLOOD TREATMENT SAVES LIVES REPORT #2401

BACKGROUND: A stem cell transplant is a treatment that is used to treat cancers that affect blood and immune system like leukemia, multiple myeloma, and some types of lymphoma. Stem cell transplants are used to treat these types of cancer since the stem cells that the body naturally produces most often die due to treatments like radiation and chemotherapy. Human beings need stem cells to survive, therefore, a stem cell transplant gives patients blood cells that they cant produce anymore. Furthermore, donated cells can often find and kill the cancerous cells better than the patients own cells. Stem cells include:

* Red blood cells (RBCs) * White Blood cells (WBCs) * Platelets (Source: http://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/how-cancer-treated/bone-marrowstem-cell-transplantation/what-stem-cell-transplant-bone-marrow-transplant & https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/stem-cell-transplant/why-stem-cell-transplants-are-used.html)

CORD BLOOD: In the past, the only location where stem cells could be taken for a transplant was in the bone marrow. In recent years cord blood, the blood that is found in the umbilical cord, has been used for stem cell transplants. They possess the same quantity of stem cells as the bone marrow, and they come with more advantages. To start off, no surgery is needed like with bone marrow. Since the umbilical cord is natural in every birth, the mother can choose to donate her cord around three months before she is due. Once the cord is clamped, it is cleaned with antiseptic. Later, a needle is inserted into one of the veins in order to gather the necessary blood. Furthermore, since the cord blood stem cells are less mature than those stem cells from an adults bone marrow, the recipients body is less likely to reject the transplant. This is very important for people with ethnic backgrounds. With bone marrows stem cells, the match between the donor and the recipient has to be 8/8; with cord blood cells, on the other hand, the match can be partial. For recipients that come from an ethnic background, a perfect match can be harder to find. (Source: http://www.nationalcordbloodprogram.org/qa/what_are_advantages.html)

PROS & CONS: Other advantages that come with core blood cells are the association of lower incidence of GvHD (Graft vs. Host Disease), and the lower risk of viral infections. Nevertheless, the cord blood cells have a drawback: the amount of stem cells found in them is very small. Because of the low number, children benefit from this transplant procedure more than adults. Since childrens bodies are smaller, they need fewer cells for their body to start reproducing them naturally. On the other hand, adults naturally need more cells than the ones the cord blood produces because of their size. (Source: http://www.nationalcordbloodprogram.org/qa/how_is_it_collected.html)

See the article here:
Donating the umbilical cord could save someone's life - WNDU-TV

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --

With an upcoming permanent change of station, Maj. Mathew Carter, a Jeanne M. Holm Center for Officer Accessions and Citizen Development instructor at Air University, had hundreds of reasons to say no when he was asked to travel to Washington, D.C., to donate bone marrow to a complete stranger. Instead, he decided this opportunity was too important to loose.

Over the weekend of March 25, he underwent a bone marrow extraction procedure in the hope of helping a 7-year-old child he never met.

This story begins in 2003 when he registered with the Department of Defenses Salute to Life program.

Salute to Life, also known as the C.W. Bill Young Department of Defense Marrow Donor Recruitment and Research Program, was initiated in 1991 and is tailored to work exclusively with military members. Over time, the program has recruited more than 1 million donors.

Carter had registered for the program while his father was in the Army. His father was stationed at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. Carter and his family attended a bone marrow drive held for their neighbor who was diagnosed with cancer.

After 14 years, he received not only a letter, but an email and a voicemail from the organization informing him of a match.

I was kind of caught off-guard by it. It was one of those things that had a lot of opportunities for me to say no, but I have a 5-year-old, and when they told me there was a child that has a very serious life-threatening disease, there was really no question. It was the right thing to do, so I said yes, said Carter.

Carter began the process in early February by being tested again to confirm the match and getting a physical. By late March he was ready for the procedure.

During the bone marrow extraction, the patient is under local anesthesia while the doctor uses a needle to remove the marrow from the back of the pelvic bone.

Initially before [the surgery] started I was a little anxious. Before you go into any surgery you get a little anxiety, but it was one of those things that I was ready to just do, he said. Afterward, it was just relief knowing that I had done all that I could possibly do to help this person out.

He compared bone marrow donation to other bodily donations in the sense that when you donate other organs, they are permanently removed. However, with bone marrow or stem cells, the body regenerates what is lost.

For the two to four weeks of being sore and tired after the procedure, you look at what the recipient is going through, and it pales in comparison, so having the opportunity to do something like that is just amazing, he said.

For the donor and the recipients safety, they are left completely anonymous.. Once a year has passed after the surgery, they are then given the choice to reach out to each other.

When asked what he would say to the child, he thought for a moment and said, Live your life to the fullest.

Carter hopes that through this experience he can help raise awareness about bone marrow and stem cell donation, and encourages other to sign-up as donors.

Youll be a little sore and tired, but have the opportunity to do something amazing, he said.

For more information about bone marrow or stem cell donation through Salute to Life, visit http://www.salutetolife.org.

Follow this link:
Maxwell Airman donates to stranger in need - Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base

Close

The National Bone Marrow registry took place in the Bluestem Room last Friday. This donor drive was hosted by Love Your Melon and Cardinal Key, with Gail Chism and Mary Kelly acting as representatives from Be The Match as well. On average, one person in 430 is called to donate, but the likelihood of being called also depends on the race of the donor. In total, 57 donors were added to the registry by the end of the event.

Thadd Simpson

Thadd Simpson

The National Bone Marrow registry took place in the Bluestem Room last Friday. This donor drive was hosted by Love Your Melon and Cardinal Key, with Gail Chism and Mary Kelly acting as representatives from Be The Match as well. On average, one person in 430 is called to donate, but the likelihood of being called also depends on the race of the donor. In total, 57 donors were added to the registry by the end of the event.

March 29, 2017 Filed under News

Share on Facebook

Share via Email

Fifty-seven students registered to give DNA at the first-ever Bone Marrow Drive at Wayne State College. The drive was in the Bluestem Room of the Kanter Student Center on Friday. That puts WSC at 279 students on the bone marrow registry when combined with MAZE. The drive was put on by Be The Match, a nonprofit organization that helps people diagnosed with diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma to get them the blood that could save their life. Be The Match is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program. We want to get Wayne State on the bone marrow registry, said student Kelsi Anderson said, who runs the Love Your Melon group on campus. A donor can give someone battling blood cancer a second chance. Its crucial for them to have a donor. Those who registered simply gave a cheek swab of their DNA, which will be analyzed to determine if it matches with someone who needs a bone marrow transplant. Its all about the DNA makeup, said Gail Chism of Be The Match. The DNA needs to be as close as possible. A donor could have closer DNA to the patient than a family member. If a match is made, the donor will be sent somewhere local for the bone marrow transplant. A courier will then take the bone marrow to the patient, who could be anywhere in the country. Eighty percent of the time it is like giving plasma, Chism said. Anderson said that in other cases a needle is injected into the pelvic bone todraw the marrow out. Blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma produce abnormal blood cells, other than the normal red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Blood cells develop from stem cells in bone marrow. A bone marrow transplant helps the patient produce more normal blood cells that help the body with functions such as fightingoff infections or preventing serious bleeding. Anderson said the drive was a shared idea between herself and Jaelyn Lewis, the leader of Cardinal Key. They hope it will become an annual event in the future. I really appreciate what Kelsi has done, Chism said. Shes really been on it. It takes great leadership to put this together. What we get out of here today is priceless.

Thadd Simpson WSC student Lily Roberts swabs her mouth in order to join the National Bone Marrow registry in the Bluestem Room last Friday.

Tags: 2015, Be The Match, Cardinal Key, Gail Chism, Kelsi Anderson, Love Your Melon, NE, Neb., Nebraska, Nebraska State College System, Spring 2015, Thadd Simpson, The Wayne Stater, Wayne, Wayne State College, Wayne State Wildcats, Wildcats, WSC, WSC Cats, WSC Wildcats, WSCs first-ever Bone Marrow Drive

Read the original post:
WSC's first-ever Bone Marrow Drive - The Wayne Stater