Sheryl Ubelacker, The Canadian Press Published Thursday, January 29, 2015 6:49AM EST

TORONTO -- Gordie Howe's son says the hockey legend's stroke symptoms have improved since his treatment with stem cells at a Mexican clinic in early December and he wants him to repeat the procedure.

But regenerative medicine experts say there's no scientific evidence such therapies work, and in some cases they can be seriously harmful or even deadly.

The 86-year-old Howe suffered two disabling strokes late last year. In December, the family took him to a Tijuana clinic where he received stem cell injections as part of a clinical trial being run under a licensing agreement with Stemedica Cell Technologies of San Diego, Calif.

The experimental treatment involved injecting neural stem cells into Howe's spinal canal, along with intravenous infusions of mesenchymal stem cells, which are found in bone marrow, fat and umbilical cord blood.

Marty Howe said his father can walk again, his speech is improving and he is regaining some of the weight he lost following the strokes.

"After his stem cell treatment, the doctor told us it was kind of an awakening of the body, and it was all that," he told The Canadian Press while in Calgary for a hockey promotion event Tuesday. "They call it the miracle of stem cells and it was nothing less than a miracle."

However, experts in the field question whether stem cells are responsible for Howe's improvement and caution that most so-called stem cell therapies have not gone through rigorous scientific trials, nor have they been approved as treatments by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Mick Bhatia, director of McMaster University's Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, said there are many unknowns in Howe's case, such as how many stem cells were administered, were tests done to see whether they migrated to the targeted area of the body, and did they take up residence where they might have some effect or simply disappear?

"Is this a transient effect, or is it really a perceived or somewhat of a placebo effect and is there something really happening? Scientifically and biologically that is important," Bhatia said Wednesday from Hamilton.

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Gordie Howe's stem cell therapy raises concerns among medical experts

TORONTO - Gordie Howe's son says the hockey legend's stroke symptoms have improved since his treatment with stem cells at a Mexican clinic in early December and he wants him to repeat the procedure.

But regenerative medicine experts say there's no scientific evidence such therapies work, and in some cases they can be seriously harmful or even deadly.

The 86-year-old Howe suffered two disabling strokes late last year. In December, the family took him to a Tijuana clinic where he received stem cell injections as part of a clinical trial being run under a licensing agreement with Stemedica Cell Technologies of San Diego, Calif.

The experimental treatment involved injecting neural stem cells into Howe's spinal canal, along with intravenous infusions of mesenchymal stem cells, which are found in bone marrow, fat and umbilical cord blood.

Marty Howe said his father can walk again, his speech is improving and he is regaining some of the weight he lost following the strokes.

"After his stem cell treatment, the doctor told us it was kind of an awakening of the body, and it was all that," he told The Canadian Press while in Calgary for a hockey promotion event Tuesday. "They call it the miracle of stem cells and it was nothing less than a miracle."

However, experts in the field question whether stem cells are responsible for Howe's improvement and caution that most so-called stem cell therapies have not gone through rigorous scientific trials, nor have they been approved as treatments by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Mick Bhatia, director of McMaster University's Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, said there are many unknowns in Howe's case, such as how many stem cells were administered, were tests done to see whether they migrated to the targeted area of the body, and did they take up residence where they might have some effect or simply disappear?

"Is this a transient effect, or is it really a perceived or somewhat of a placebo effect and is there something really happening? Scientifically and biologically that is important," Bhatia said Wednesday from Hamilton.

And because Howe received adult stem cells produced from donor cells, he may have needed to take drugs to prevent an immune reaction as well as anti-inflammatory medications, he said.

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Gordie Howe's stem cell therapy raises concerns among experts

Stem Cell Therapy + PRP Helps Shoulder Injury and Whiplash Patient - Denise Lawson
Denise Lawson experienced two motor vehicle accidents in 2001 that left her with neck pain, headaches, and sporadic episodes of weakness on the left side of her body. Over time, Denise developed...

By: StemCell ARTS

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Stem Cell ARTS Actual Patient Testimonial--Julie Mariano "I had some abdominal surgery a few years ago and woke up with extreme back pain. It was a complete mystery how it happened and it still...

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

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Dr. Scott Greenberg discusses stem cell procedures for the knee and his experience with athletes, torn meniscus issues, and arthritis.

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13 ABC: Advancements in stem cell therapy - 1/27/15
ProMedica Physician Roger Kruse, MD, discusses use of stem cell therapy in orthopedic care.

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Cardiac Muscle Derived from Pluripotent Stem Cells

By: CK LAB

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For the first time, researchers have been able to use pluripotent stem cells to generate cells that can grow new hair.

Hair growing on hairless mice thanks to induced pluripotent stem cells. Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute

It's been theorised for years, but now human stem cells have resulted in hair growth for the very first time.

"We have developed a method using human pluripotent stem cells to create new cells capable of initiating human hair growth. The method is a marked improvement over current methods that rely on transplanting existing hair follicles from one part of the head to another," said Alexey Terskikh, Ph.D., associate professor in the Development, Aging and Regeneration Program at Sanford-Burnham.

"Our stem cell method provides an unlimited source of cells from the patient for transplantation and isn't limited by the availability of existing hair follicles."

The process started with human pluripotent embryonic stem cells -- that is, stem cells that are capable of developing into any other cell -- which were then developed into neural crest cells. These are cells that can develop into a variety of cells on the head, including brain cells, cartilage, bone and muscle cells.

From the neural crest cell point, the team coaxed the cells to grow into dermal papillae cells, the cells that nourish the skin and regulate follicle growth and formation. When transplanted -- in the case of this study, into hairless mice -- these cells flourish.

Another part of the study examined whether the same result could be achieved using dermal papillae cells taken from the scalps of adult humans. Outside the body, living in culture, these cells are not suitable for hair transplants, since they lost their ability to induce follicle formation. The number of hairs their produced was insignificant.

"In adults, dermal papilla cells cannot be readily amplified outside of the body and they quickly lose their hair-inducing properties," said Terskikh. "We developed a protocol to drive human pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into dermal papilla cells and confirmed their ability to induce hair growth when transplanted into mice."

The researchers say that their research represents the first step towards a cell-based treatment for hair loss, which affects 40 million men and 21 million women in the United States.

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Stem cell-grown hair could help those with hair loss

A way to eradicate cancer stem cells, using the side-effects of commonly used antibiotics, has been discovered by a University of Manchester researcher following a conversation with his young daughter.

Professor Michael P. Lisanti, Director of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Unit, led the research. He was inspired to look at the effects of antibiotics on the mitochondria of cancer stem cells by a conversation with his daughter Camilla about his work at the University's Institute of Cancer Sciences.

His new paper, published in Oncotarget, opens up the possibility of a treatment for cancer, which is highly effective and repurposes drugs which have been safely used for decades.

Mitochondria are the 'engine' parts of the cells and are the source of energy for the stem cells as they mutate and divide to cause tumours. Cancer stem cells are strongly associated with the growth and recurrence of all cancers and are especially difficult to eradicate with normal treatment, which also leads to tumours developing resistance to other types of therapy.

Professor Lisanti said: "I was having a conversation with Camilla about how to cure cancer and she asked why don't we just use antibiotics like we do for other illnesses. I knew that antibiotics can affect mitochondria and I've been doing a lot of work recently on how important they are to the growth of tumours, but this conversation helped me to make a direct link."

Professor Lisanti worked with colleagues from The Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York and the Kimmel Cancer Centre, Philadelphia. The team used five types of antibiotics -- including one used to treat acne (doxycycline) -- on cell lines of eight different types of tumour and found that four of them eradicated the cancer stem cells in every test. This included glioblastoma, the most aggressive of brain tumours, as well as lung, prostate, ovarian, breast, pancreatic and skin cancer.

Mitochondria are believed to be descended from bacteria which joined with cells early on in the evolution of life. This is why some of the antibiotics which are used to destroy bacteria also affect mitochondria, though not to an extent which is dangerous to people. When they are present in stem cells, mitochondria provide energy for growth and, crucially, for division, and it is this process going wrong which leads to cancer.

In the lab, the antibiotics had no harmful effect on normal cells, and since they are already approved for use in humans, trials of new treatments should be simpler than with new drugs -- saving time and money.

Professor Lisanti said: "This research makes a strong case for opening new trials in humans for using antibiotics to fight cancer. Many of the drugs we used were extremely effective, there was little or no damage to normal cells and these antibiotics have been in use for decades and are already approved by the FDA for use in humans. However, of course, further studies are needed to validate their efficacy, especially in combination with more conventional therapies."

Dr Matthew Lam, Senior Research Officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "The conclusions that the researchers have drawn, whilst just hypotheses at this stage, are certainly interesting. Antibiotics are cheap and readily available and if in time the link between their use and the eradication of cancer stem cells can be proved, this work may be the first step towards a new avenue for cancer treatment.

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Antibiotics as new cancer treatments? Conversation with schoolgirl sparks idea

Professor Michael P. Lisanti, Director of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Unit, led the research. He was inspired to look at the effects of antibiotics on the mitochondria of cancer stem cells by a conversation with his daughter Camilla about his work at the University's Institute of Cancer Sciences.

His new paper, published in Oncotarget, opens up the possibility of a treatment for cancer, which is highly effective and repurposes drugs which have been safely used for decades.

Mitochondria are the 'engine' parts of the cells and are the source of energy for the stem cells as they mutate and divide to cause tumours. Cancer stem cells are strongly associated with the growth and recurrence of all cancers and are especially difficult to eradicate with normal treatment, which also leads to tumours developing resistance to other types of therapy.

Professor Lisanti said: "I was having a conversation with Camilla about how to cure cancer and she asked why don't we just use antibiotics like we do for other illnesses. I knew that antibiotics can affect mitochondria and I've been doing a lot of work recently on how important they are to the growth of tumours, but this conversation helped me to make a direct link."

Professor Lisanti worked with colleagues from The Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York and the Kimmel Cancer Centre, Philadelphia. The team used five types of antibiotics - including one used to treat acne (doxycycline) - on cell lines of eight different types of tumour and found that four of them eradicated the cancer stem cells in every test. This included glioblastoma, the most aggressive of brain tumours, as well as lung, prostate, ovarian, breast, pancreatic and skin cancer.

Mitochondria are believed to be descended from bacteria which joined with cells early on in the evolution of life. This is why some of the antibiotics which are used to destroy bacteria also affect mitochondria, though not to an extent which is dangerous to people. When they are present in stem cells, mitochondria provide energy for growth and, crucially, for division, and it is this process going wrong which leads to cancer.

In the lab, the antibiotics had no harmful effect on normal cells, and since they are already approved for use in humans, trials of new treatments should be simpler than with new drugs - saving time and money.

Professor Lisanti said: "This research makes a strong case for opening new trials in humans for using antibiotics to fight cancer. Many of the drugs we used were extremely effective, there was little or no damage to normal cells and these antibiotics have been in use for decades and are already approved by the FDA for use in humans. However, of course, further studies are needed to validate their efficacy, especially in combination with more conventional therapies."

Dr Matthew Lam, Senior Research Officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "The conclusions that the researchers have drawn, whilst just hypotheses at this stage, are certainly interesting. Antibiotics are cheap and readily available and if in time the link between their use and the eradication of cancer stem cells can be proved, this work may be the first step towards a new avenue for cancer treatment.

"This is a perfect example of why it is so important to continue to invest in scientific research. Sometimes there are answers to some of the biggest questions right in front of us but without ongoing commitment to the search for these answers, we'd never find them."

Originally posted here:
Schoolgirl comment points to antibiotics as new cancer treatments

Boston, MA (PRWEB) January 29, 2015

Dr. James Sherley, Director of the new biotech start-up Asymmetrex, LLC (formerly known as The Adult Stem Cell Technology Center, LLC) is looking forward to four upcoming opportunities in 2015 to continue to impress both academic and industry audiences with his companys very frank take on what is needed to accelerate progress in stem cell medicine.

Asymmetrex has set the focus for its efforts on adult stem cells that are found in the organs and tissues of children and adults. Unlike human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), adult stem cells are free of induced mutations, are not tumor-forming, and have the essential ability to continuously regenerate mature human tissue cells like those in children and adults. To date, hESCs and iPSCs have only been able to regenerate immature cells, and even those not continuously.

Previously, the two main challenges hindering wider use of adult stem cells for drug development and medical therapies have been difficulty producing them and difficulty counting them. Asymmetrex has reported, and in many cases secured patents for, new technologies that reduce or eliminate both of these challenges. At the coming conferences, Dr. Sherley will describe the companys most recent technological advances in this regard and discuss the science that led to them.

In particular, he will highlight the companys newest technology developed with partner AlphaSTAR Corporation for estimating adult stem cell number in any human tissue. The two companies are developing the new technology as an assay to detect drug candidates that will fail in expensive pre-clinical animal studies and clinical trials because of intolerable toxicity against tissue stem cells. By screening-out such drugs earlier in the drug development process, Asymmetrex and AlphaSTAR estimate that together they could save the U.S. pharmaceutical industry $4-5 billion each year.

The four scheduled conferences include the 7th Annual Predictive Toxicology Summit, February 16-18, in London; the 5th World Congress on Cell and Stem Cell Research, March 23-25, in Chicago; the 2015 Annual Meeting at Experimental Biology, March 28-April 1, in Boston; and the Inaugural 3D Cellular Models Conference, June 11-12, also in Boston.

The breadth of conference topics reflects the many important roles that adult tissue stem cells play in human biology and cellular medicine. Dr. Sherley offers that, Because of the importance of adult stem cells in normal body function, it is not surprising that Asymmetrexs technologies impact so many different facets of stem cell biology, regenerative medicine, and drug development.

About Asymmetrex

Asymmetrex, LLC is a Massachusetts life sciences company with a focus on developing technologies to advance stem cell medicine. Asymmetrexs founder and director, James L. Sherley, M.D., Ph.D. is an internationally recognized expert on the unique properties of adult tissue stem cells. The companys patent portfolio contains biotechnologies that solve the two main technical problems production and quantification that have stood in the way of successful commercialization of human adult tissue stem cells for regenerative medicine and drug development. In addition, the portfolio includes novel technologies for isolating cancer stem cells and producing induced pluripotent stem cells for disease research purposes. Currently, Asymmetrexs focus is employing its technological advantages to develop facile methods for monitoring adult stem cell number and function in clinically important human tissues.

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Asymmetrex Scheduled to Present Unique Perspectives in Stem Cell Biology and Recent Advances in Technologies for Adult ...

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Patient testimonial of Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy treated by StemRx Bioscience Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

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Arthritic knees three months after bone marrow stem cell therapy by Harry Adelson, N.D.
Holly, three-time World Cup Downhill Gold Medalist and Olympian, discusses her outcome from bone marrow stem cells for her arthritic knees performed at Docere Clinics http://www.docereclinics.com.

By: Harry Adelson, N.D.

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Arthritic knees three months after bone marrow stem cell therapy by Harry Adelson, N.D. - Video

Achievementmade after coaxing stem cells to become papilla cells Dermal papilla is a special type of cell which is vital to follicle formation It could provide an unlimited source of cells for hair transplant procedures

By Ellie Zolfagharifard For Dailymail.com

Published: 14:15 EST, 27 January 2015 | Updated: 16:16 EST, 27 January 2015

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Finding a cure for baldness has become the holy grail for scientists the world over.

Now researchers in Orlando have come a step closer to a natural treatment after successfully growing new hair using human stem cells.

The breakthrough was achieved after coaxing stem cells to become dermal papilla cells a special type of cell which is vital to follicle formation.

Researchers in Orlando have come a step closer to a natural treatment for baldness after successfully growing new hair using human stem cells. Pictured is the hair growth on the leg of an adult rat

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A cure for hair loss? Scientists grow hair on rats using stem cells - and they say the treatment could work on humans ...

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 27, 2015) - Researchers in the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute have devised a novel way to generate transplantable corneal stem cells that may eventually benefit patients suffering from life-altering forms of blindness.

Scientists used human corneal cells to generate pluripotent stem cells that have a capacity to become virtually any body cell. Then, putting these cells on natural scaffolds, researcher's facilitated differentiation of these stem cells back to corneal cells.

"Our research shows that cells derived from corneal stem cells are attractive candidates for generating corneal cells in the laboratory," said Alexander Ljubimov, PhD, director of the Eye Program at the Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and principal investigator on this research study.

This research, published in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine, marks an important first step toward creating a bank of corneal stem cells that may potentially benefit patients who suffer from many forms of corneal blindness. The group is now working to optimize the process with National Institutes of Health funding.

Corneal deficiencies may have genetic or inflammatory roots or be caused by injuries, like burns to the skin in occupational accidents. They result in damage or death of stem cells that renew the outermost part of the cornea. If left untreated, they often cause compromised vision or blindness.

Over 150,000 Americans and more than 3 million individuals worldwide are affected by corneal blindness.

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Study collaborators include Clive Svendsen, PhD, director of the Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute and professor of biomedical sciences and medicine; Dhruv Sareen, PhD, director of the Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Core and assistant professor of biomedical sciences; Mehrnoosh Saghizadeh, PhD, assistant professor of biomedical sciences; Yaron Rabinowitz, MD, director of the Division of Ophthalmology Research; and Vincent A. Funari, PhD, director of the Genomics Core and assistant professor of pediatrics.

Citation: Sareen D, Saghizadeh M, Ornelas L, et al. Differentiation of human limbal-derived induced pluripotent stem cells into limbal-like epithelium. Stem Cells Transl Med. 2014; 3(9):1002-12.

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Researchers advance the science behind treating patients with corneal blindness

IMAGE:CDK6 is needed for leukemic stem cell activation (left). When CDK6 is absent, the LSC remains in a quiescent state and leukemia formation is prohibited (right). view more

Credit: Angelika Berger / Vetmeduni Vienna

Despite enormous progress in cancer therapy, many patients still relapse because their treatment addresses the symptoms of the disease rather than the cause, the so-called stem cells. Work in the group of Veronika Sexl at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna has given a tantalizing clue to a solution. In the current issue of Blood, the scientists report that the cell-cycle kinase CDK6 is required for activation of the stem cells responsible for causing leukemia.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are normally inactive, i.e. quiescent. When new blood cells are needed, for example to replace blood that has been lost, HSCs start to multiply and develop into mature blood cells. If the process is initiated at an inappropriate time, hematopoietic diseases such as leukemia may result and leukemic stem cells may develop. These represent a major challenge to leukemia therapy: they are quiescent and thus protected from elimination by the immune system and from treatment such as chemotherapy. Leukemic stem cells frequently cause relapse in cancer patients, often years or even decades after an apparently successful treatment.

Working with stem cells isolated from mice, Ruth Scheicher and colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna have investigated possible differences between leukemic stem cells and the healthy stem cells in the body. They looked in particular at the function of the CDK6 protein, which is known to be involved in controlling the cell cycle. Surprisingly, CDK6 was also found to regulate the activation of hematopoietic and leukemic stem cells, which it does by inhibiting the transcription factor Egr1. Upon loss of CDK6, Egr1 becomes active and prevents stem cells from dividing. In a further twist to the tale, the mechanism operates only when hematopoietic stem cells are stressed, e.g. in leukemia, and not in the normal physiological situation.

Scheicher is quick to note the significance of her finding. "CDK6 is absolutely necessary for leukemic stem cells to induce disease but plays no part in normal hematopoiesis. We thus have a novel opportunity to target leukemia at its origin. Inhibiting CDK6 should attack leukemic stem cells while leaving healthy HSCs unaffected".

###

Service: The article 'CDK6 as a key regulator of hematopoietic and leukemic stem cell activation' by Scheicher R, Hoelbl-Kovacic A, Bellutti F, Tigan AS, Prchal-Murphy M, Heller G, Schneckenleithner C, Salazar-Roa M, Zchbauer-Mller S, Zuber J, Malumbres M, Kollmann K and Sexl V. was published in the journal Blood. http://www.bloodjournal.org/content/125/1/90.long?sso-checked=true

About the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna

The University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna in Austria is one of the leading academic and research institutions in the field of Veterinary Sciences in Europe. About 1,300 employees and 2,300 students work on the campus in the north of Vienna which also houses five university clinics and various research sites. Outside of Vienna the university operates Teaching and Research Farms. http://www.vetmeduni.ac.at

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Keeping the Kraken asleep

Stem Cell Transplantation at BLOOD
24.10.1423.01.15 BLOOD: NOT FOR THE FAINT-HEARTED Twenty five provocative works that explore the scientific, symbolic and strange nature of blood. This vide...

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Newswise SEATTLE The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Bone Marrow Transplant Program at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) was recently recognized for outperforming its anticipated one-year survival rate for allogeneic transplant patients. The new performance results were calculated by the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) and published in the 2014 Transplant Center-Specific Survival Report. The annual report is designed to provide potential stem cell transplant recipients, their families, and the public with comparative survival rates among transplant centers. This is the second consecutive year the Fred Hutch Bone Marrow Transplant Program at SCCA has achieved higher than expected one-year survival rates, an accomplishment that only 12 other institutions have achieved.

Credited with pioneering the clinical use of bone marrow and stem cell transplantation more than 40 years ago, the Fred Hutch Bone Marrow Transplant Program at SCCA has performed over 14,000 bone marrow transplants more than any other institution in the world. Dr. E. Donnall Thomas groundbreaking work in transplantation won the Nobel Prize in 1990 and many current SCCA and Fred Hutch transplant experts have trained alongside Dr. Thomas.

To arrive at its findings, CIBMTR independently examined the survival rates of 20,875 transplants performed to treat blood cancers at U.S. centers in the NMDP network between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012. During this three-year period, 757 allogeneic transplants were performed at SCCA.

Although centers are required to report their data, the process of comparing transplant centers is complex and must address a number of variables, such as cancer type and stage, patients age, and preexisting medical issues. The intensive findings allow researchers to compare themselves to other centers, leading to improved outcomes. The report also provides patients and their families with valuable information necessary when evaluating where to undergo treatment.

The information provided in the report is invaluable to patients faced with making difficult treatment decisions, explains Dr. Marco Mielcarek, medical director of the Adult Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Fred Hutch and SCCA. While we are happy our patients outcomes exceeded expectations over a three-year period, we are always working to further improve the transplantation process.

Allogenic transplants use stem cells from a donor who may or may not be related to the patient. Stem cell transplants, including bone marrow transplants, are used to treat a wide range of leukemias and lymphomas, as well as other diseases including severe aplastic anemia and sickle cell disease.

These findings reflect our teams continued efforts to improve patients outcomes by investigating every aspect of the transplant process, said Dr. Fred Appelbaum, Deputy Director at Fred Hutch. Im pleased that our transplant patients continue to have high survival rates, but there is still more work to do.

SCCAs success in helping patients survive a wide range of cancers continues to be recognized by National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) rankings. SCCA has ranked at the top of NCDB patient survival rankings since 2002.

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Fred Hutch Bone Marrow Transplant Program at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Recognized Nationally for Outstanding ...

Hair growing from human dermal papillae cells, which were cultivated from pluripotent stem cells.

Cells needed to grow hair have been produced from human stem cells, according to a study led by scientists at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute in La Jolla. The first-time feat could uncork a bottleneck in developing hair-replacement therapies, the scientists say.

Called the dermal papillae, these cells regulate hair follicle formation and growth cycles. They rapidly lose their hair-generating ability after being grown outside the body, limiting their use for hair regrowth. Another cell type derived from stem cells effectively substitutes for the dermal papillae, the scientists found.

These artificial dermal papillae cells were grown from pluripotent stem cells, which can be derived either from human embryos or a patient's own skin cells. The latter, called induced pluripotent stem cells, are of the most interest, said lead researcher Alexey V. Terskikh. Patients can donate their own IPS cells, which can be grown into the replacement dermal papillae in "unlimited" quantities," he said.

Alexey V. Terskikh, Principal Investigator, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute / Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute

Sanford-Burnham is now looking for business partners to commercialize the discovery. More information can be found at: utsandiego.com/sbhair.

The study was published last week in the journal PLOS One. Terskikh is the study's senior author. Ksenia Gnedeva is first author.

In the lab, the human embryonic stem cells were first turned into neural crest cells, which produce brain cells, cartilage, bone, pigment and muscle cells. The cells were then converted into the artificial dermal papillae cells. These human cells induced hair formation, when transplanted along with mouse skin epidermal cells into immune-deficient and nearly hairless "nude mice".

Because nude mice were created from albino ancestors, the transplanted skin cells were chosen from dark-haired mice. This let the scientists distinguish hairs grown by the mice from cells grown by the transplanted cells.

Transplanted epidermal cells alone caused "minimal" growth, the study said.

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Sanford-Burnham's hair-raising study