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Top stem cell scientist joins Stemedica

By Sykes24Tracey

Stem cell scientist Mahendra Rao, former director of the now-defunct Center For Regenerative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. Photo taken in December, 2013 during a speech by Rao at the World Stem Cell Summit in San Diego.

One of the nation's top stem cell scientists has become an adviser to San Diego's Stemedica, a developer of stem cell-based therapies.

Dr. Mahendra Rao joined Stemedica's scientific and medical advisory board, and will help guide the company's strategy, said Maynard Howe, chief executive of the privately held company. Rao's career as a scientist who has also worked for companies and federal agencies makes him particularly useful, Howe said.

Rao is a medical doctor with a PhD in developmental neurobiology from CalTech. He headed the neurosciences division of the National Institute on Aging. He also led the stem cell division of Carlsbad-based Life Technologies, now a unit of Thermo Fisher Scientific. The two companies are on good terms: Life Technologies sells two kinds of stem cells made by Stemedica, used for research purposes, Howe said.

Rao was most recently founding director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, which has been shut down. Rao, who resigned at the end of March, said he was disappointed at the slow pace of funding studies with artificial embryonic stem cells, called induced pluripotent stem cells. Stemedica announced his appointment April 8.

Rao said Wednesday that his goal now is to advance stem cell therapies through the private sector. Stemedica drew his attention because it had developed a method of reliably generating "clinically compliant" stem cells suitable for use in therapy.

In addition, Rao said he likes that Stemedica is developing combination stem cell therapies, using a variety called mesenchymal stem cells. This variety of stem cell generates chemicals that promote short-term regrowth and seems to enhance the survival of other transplanted stem cells. For example, mesenchymal stem cells could help transplanted neural stem cells integrate into the brain.

"That's a high-risk process and it's a much more difficult road, but they seem to be willing to do that," Rao said.

He has also rejoined the board of Q Therapeutics, a Salt Lake City company developing treatments for spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders. Rao is the company's scientific founder, but had to leave the company when he joined the NIH.

Stemedica and its affiliated companies are undertaking multiple clinical trials of stem cell therapies. One of the most advanced is for stroke, Howe said. See utsandiego.com/stemedicastroke1 for detailed information.

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Stem Cell therapy on animals may be medicine of the future

By NEVAGiles23

Two Central Pennsylvania dogs are receiving a regenerative therapy for arthritis thats unprecedented for this area and less expensive than standard surgery. Stem Cell therapy is a way to repair damaged tissue and treat injury. When dealing with dogs, veterinarians say its the future of treatments and its becoming less costly.

Gunny is a 7-year-old German Shepard. He underwent the revolutionary stem cell therapy at the Palmyra Animal Clinic. Vets say the stem cell therapy is a way to combat Gunnys arthritis in his hips. Doctors collected fatty tissue from his shoulder, processed the stem cells in the lab and injected the cells back into his hips. This happens all in one day for around $1500. Prior to this, surgery could cost around $3,000.

Dr. Calvin Clements of the Palmyra Animal Clinic says, Injected in a damaged joint or ligament, these cells will take on that characteristic and differentiate into the cartilage or tissue were dealing with and help to regenerate it.

Dr. Clements says results are noticeable in about a month. On average, animals improve 85%.

For more information, contact the Palmyra Animal Clinic at 717-838-5451.

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Regenerated esophagus transplanted in rats

By daniellenierenberg

Tissue engineering has been used to construct natural oesophagi, which in combination with bone marrow stem cells have been safely and effectively transplanted in rats. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that the transplanted organs remain patent and display regeneration of nerves, muscles, epithelial cells and blood vessels.

The new method has been developed by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, within an international collaboration lead by Professor Paolo Macchiarini. The technique to grow human tissues and organs, so called tissue engineering, has been employed so far to produce urinary bladder, trachea and blood vessels, which have also been used clinically. However, despite several attempts, it has been proven difficult to grow tissue to replace a damaged esophagus.

In this new study, the researchers created the bioengineered organs by using oesophagi from rats and removing all the cells. With the cells gone, a scaffold remains in which the structure as well as mechanical and chemical properties of the organ are preserved. The produced scaffolds were then reseeded with cells from the bone marrow. The adhering cells have low immunogenicity which minimizes the risk of immune reaction and graft rejection and also eliminates the need for immunosuppressive drugs. The cells adhered to the biological scaffold and started to show organ-specific characteristics within three weeks.

The cultured tissues were used to replace segments of the esophagus in rats. All rats survived and after two weeks the researchers found indications of the major components in the regenerated graft: epithelium, muscle cells, blood vessels and nerves.

"We believe that these very promising findings represent major advances towards the clinical translation of tissue engineered esophagi," says Paolo Macchiarini, Director of Advanced center for translational regenerative medicine (ACTREM) at Karolinska Institutet.

Tissue engineered organs could improve survival and quality of life for the hundreds of thousands of patients yearly diagnosed with esophageal disorders such as cancer, congenital anomalies or trauma. Today the patients' own intestine or stomach is used for esophageal replacements, but satisfactory function rarely achieved. Cultured tissue might eliminate this current need and likely improve surgery-related mortality, morbidity and functional outcome.

Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Karolinska Institutet. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Stem-Cell Treatment for Blindness Moving Through Patient Testing

By Sykes24Tracey

Advanced Cell Technology is testing a stem-cell treatment for blindness that could preserve vision and potentially reverse vision loss.

Vision support: The cells used in Advanced Cell Technologys clinical trials produce dark pigments and cobblestone-like patterns that can be readily recognized in cultures.

A new treatment for macular degeneration is close to the next stage of human testinga noteworthy event not just for the millions of patients it could help, but for its potential to become the first therapy based on embryonic stem cells.

This year, the Boston-area company Advanced Cell Technology plans to move its stem-cell treatment for two forms of vision loss into advanced human trials. The company has already reported that the treatment is safe (see Eye Study Is a Small but Crucial Advance for Stem-Cell Therapy), although a full report of the results from the early, safety-focused testing has yet to be published. The planned trials will test whether it is effective. The treatment will be tested both on patients with Stargardts disease (an inherited form of progressive vision loss that can affect children) and on those with age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss among people 65 and older.

The treatment is based on retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells that have been grown from embryonic stem cells. A surgeon injects 150 microliters of RPE cellsroughly the amount of liquid in three raindropsunder a patients retina, which is temporarily detached for the procedure. RPE cells support the retinas photoreceptors, which are the cells that detect incoming light and pass the information on to the brain.

Although complete data from the trials of ACTs treatments have yet to be published, the company has reported impressive results with one patient, who recovered vision after being deemed legally blind. Now the company plans to publish the data from two clinical trials taking place in the U.S. and the E.U. in a peer-reviewed academic journal. Each of these early-stage trials includes 12 patients affected by either macular degeneration or Stargardts disease.

The more advanced trials will have dozens of participants, says ACTs head of clinical development, Eddy Anglade. If proved safe and effective, the cellular therapy could preserve the vision of millions affected by age-related macular degeneration. By 2020, as the population ages, nearly 200 million people worldwide will have the disease, estimate researchers. Currently, there are no treatments available for the most common form, dry age-related macular degeneration.

ACTs experimental treatment has its origins in a chance discovery that Irina Klimanskaya, the companys director of stem-cell biology, made while working with embryonic stem cells at Harvard University. These cells have the power to develop into any cell type, and in culture they often change on their own. A neuron here, a fat cell thereindividual cells in a dish tend to take random walks down various developmental paths. By supplying the cultures with fresh nutrients but otherwise leaving them to their own devices for several weeks, Klimanskaya discovered that the stem cells often developed into darkly pigmented cells that grew in a cobblestone-like pattern. She suspected that they were developing into RPE cells, and molecular tests backed her up.

Now that her discovery has advanced into an experimental treatment, Klimanskaya says she is excited by the hints that it may be able to preserve, and perhaps restore, sight. She recalls a voice mail she received during her second year at ACT: a person blinded by an inherited condition thanked her for her work, whether or not there was a treatment available for him. When you get a message like this, you feel like you are not doing it in vain, she says.

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Silly Putty the Key to Stem Cell Therapies?

By Sykes24Tracey

Could a component of Silly Putty, the childhood classic from the 1950s that your grandkids probably play with today, help embryonic stem cells turn into working spinal cord cells? Yes, say researchers at the University of Michigan in Ann who published their study online at Nature Materials on April 13th 2014.

A release from the university reports that the team grew the cells on a soft, utrafine carpet made of a key ingredient in Silly Putty. The ingredient, called polydimethylsiloxane, is a type of silicone. This research is the first to directly link physical, as opposed to chemical, signals to human embryonic stem cell differentiation. Differentiation is the process of the source cells morphing into the body's more than 200 cell types that become muscle, bone, nerves and organs, for example.

Jianping Fu, U-M assistant professor of mechanical engineering, says the findings raise the possibility of a more efficient way to guide stem cells to differentiate and potentially provide therapies for diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), Huntington's or Alzheimer's.

In the specially engineered growth systemthe carpets Fu and his colleagues designedmicroscopic posts of the Silly Putty component serve as the threads. By varying the post height, the researchers can adjust the stiffness of the surface on which they grow cells. Shorter posts are more rigid ike an industrial carpet. Taller ones are softer and plusher.

The team found that stem cells they grew on the tall, softer micropost carpets turned into nerve cells much faster and more often than those they grew on the stiffer surfaces. After 23 days, the colonies of spinal cord cellsmotor neurons that control how muscles movethat grew on the softer micropost carpets were four times more pure and 10 times larger than those growing on either traditional plates or rigid carpets. The release quotes Fu as saying, "This is extremely exciting. To realize promising clinical applications of human embryonic stem cells, we need a better culture system that can reliably produce more target cells that function well. Our approach is a big step in that direction, by using synthetic microengineered surfaces to control mechanical environmental signals." Fu is collaborating with doctors at the U-M Medical School. Eva Feldman, the Russell N. DeJong Professor of Neurology, studies amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. It paralyzes patients as it kills motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Researchers like Feldman believe stem cell therapiesboth from embryonic and adult varietiesmight help patients grow new nerve cells. She's using Fu's technique to try to make fresh neurons from patients' own cells. At this point, they're examining how and whether the process could work, and they hope to try it in humans in the future.

"Professor Fu and colleagues have developed an innovative method of generating high-yield and high-purity motor neurons from stem cells," Feldman said. "For ALS, discoveries like this provide tools for modeling disease in the laboratory and for developing cell-replacement therapies." Fu's findings go deeper than cell counts. The researchers verified that the new motor neurons they obtained on soft micropost carpets showed electrical behaviors comparable to those of neurons in the human body. They also identified a signaling pathway involved in regulating the mechanically sensitive behaviors. A signaling pathway is a route through which proteins ferry chemical messages from the cell's borders to deep inside it. The pathway they zeroed in on, called Hippo/YAP, is also involved in controlling organ size and both causing and preventing tumor growth. Fu says his findings could also provide insights into how embryonic stem cells differentiate in the body. "Our work suggests that physical signals in the cell environment are important in neural patterning, a process where nerve cells become specialized for their specific functions based on their physical location in the body," he said.

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UCI Team Discovers Bone Marrow Stem Cells' Potential In Stroke Recovery

By Dr. Matthew Watson

By Estel Grace Masangkay

Bone marrow stem cells may help in stroke recovery, according to a team of researchers from the University of California, Irvines Sue and Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center.

Neurologist Dr. Steven Cramer and biomedical engineer Weian Zhao together analyzed 46 studies evaluating the use of a type of multipotent adult stem cells mostly processed from the bone marrow called mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) in animal models of stroke. Results showed that MSCs were superior to control therapy in 44 out of the 46 studies.

Dr. Cramer said Stroke remains a major cause of disability, and we are encouraged that the preclinical evidence shows [MSCs] efficacy with ischemic stroke. MSCs are of particular interest because they come from bone marrow, which is readily available, and are relatively easy to culture. In addition, they already have demonstrated value when used to treat other human diseases.

The MSCs effect on functional recovery was shown to be robust regardless of other factors such as dosage, time of administration relative to the stroke onset, or administration method. An earlier report focusing on MSC mechanisms of action explained how the cells were attracted to the injury sites and began releasing a wide range of molecules in response to signals emitted by the damaged areas. The molecules in turn stimulate several activities including blood vessel creation for enhanced circulation, protection of vulnerable cells, brain cell growth, and others. The MSCs also fostered an environment conducive to brain repair.

We conclude that MSCs have consistently improved multiple outcome measures, with very large effect sizes, in a high number of animal studies and, therefore, that these findings should be the foundation of further studies on the use of MSCs in the treatment of ischemic stroke in humans, said Dr. Cramer.

The UCI teams analysis appeared in the April 8 issue of Neurology.

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Scientists give stem cells a performance boost … by putting them on steroids

By Sykes24Tracey

Scientists have used steroids to enhance the performance of stem cells (Photo: Shutterstock)

Stem cells are highly promising for the treatment of everything from HIV to leukemia to baldness. In many cases, however, a great number of them must be used in order have a noticeable effect, which makes treatments impractical or expensive. Now, scientists at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital have found that a smaller number of stem cells can still get the job done, if they're first hopped up on steroids.

The research was conducted by Doctors Jeffrey Karp and James Ankrum, the former of whom has also helped bring us painless medical tape for newborns, worm-inspired skin grafts, porcupine quill-inspired surgical patches, and superglue for holes in the heart.

The scientists started with ordinary mesenchymal stem cells, and treated them with glucocorticoid steroids. This caused the cells to produce an increased amount of indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), which is an anti-inflammatory agent. Since it was noted that the cells' IDO expression was highest when they were actually being exposed to the steroids, the scientists added steroid-containing microparticles to the cells, so that they could have access to the drugs at all times.

When the 'roided-up stem cells were then introduced to inflamed immune cells, they were found to reduce inflammation twice as effectively as unmodified mesenchymal stem cells.

"Our approach enables fine tuning of cell potency and control following transplantation, which could lead to more successful cell-based therapies," said Ankrum.

A paper on the research was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Source: Brigham and Women's Hospital

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Pioneers in Regenerative Therapy to Discuss New Trends in Stem Cell Medicine

By raymumme

Washington (PRWEB) April 15, 2014

Research that resulted in the first stem cells that are pluripotentthose that have the potential to differentiate into almost any cell in the bodywill be the backdrop for a discussion about trends in regulation in the field of regenerative medicine at the DIA 2014 50th Annual Meeting, June 15 to 19 in San Diego.

Chaired by Shinji Miyake, professor of clinical research for the Keio University School of Medicine in Japan, the session Pioneering Regenerative Medicine: Trends in Regulations for New Therapy will introduce the worlds first clinical research of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell products, conducted in Japan, and review updated regulatory guidance to bring regenerative medicine to patients who need healthy tissue or organs. The session will be held June 16 at 8:30 a.m. in the San Diego Convention Center.

iPS cells are stem cells that can be generated directly from adult cells. These cells can multiply indefinitely and represent a single source of cells, such as heart, neural, pancreatic and liver, that can be used to replace damaged cells.

In 2006, Japanese physician and researcher Shinya Yamanaka led a team to generate iPS cells from adult mouse tissue using gene therapy. This work led to a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012 for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent.

We are honored to host pioneers of this unique field of medicine at the DIA Annual Meeting to share their experiences in the planning of the first clinical research of iPS cell productswhich have the ability to enhance research worldwide, said Barbara L. Kunz, DIA global chief executive. Their expert knowledge of issues and solutions in the application of the regenerative therapies will benefit all who advocate for and drive innovative medicine.

The session will also feature a presentation about the application of iPS cells to retinal diseases by Masayo Takahashi, project leader for the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Japan, along with a European Medicines Agency (EMA) presentation by Dariusz Sladowski, researcher and member of the Committee for Advanced Therapies at EMA.

ABOUT DIA: DIA is the global connector in the life sciences product development process. Our association of more than 18,000 members builds productive relationships by bringing together regulators, innovators and influencers to exchange knowledge and collaborate in an impartial setting. DIAs network creates unparalleled opportunities for the exchange of knowledge and has the interdisciplinary experience to prepare for future developments. DIA is an independent, nonprofit organization with its global center in Washington, D.C., USA; regional offices covering North and South America (Horsham, Pa., USA); Europe, North Africa and the Middle East (Basel, Switzerland); and Japan (Tokyo), India (Mumbai) and China (Beijing). For more information, visit http://www.diahome.org.

ABOUT DIAs 2014 50th ANNUAL MEETING: Celebrate the Past Invent the Future is the largest multidisciplinary event that brings together a community of life sciences professionals at all levels and across all disciplines involved in the discovery, development and life cycle management of medical products. The meeting aims to foster innovation that will lead to the development of safe and effective medical products and therapies for patients. For more information, visit http://www.diahome.org/dia2014.

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Sam Harrell’s Stem Cell Journey: Stem Cell Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis – Video

By LizaAVILA


Sam Harrell #39;s Stem Cell Journey: Stem Cell Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis
Sam Harrell sent us this homemade video documenting his progress from 2010 until now (2014). Sam was coaching football at Ennis high school in Texas when MS ...

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Trinity final – Video

By NEVAGiles23


Trinity final
At the Trinity Stem Cell Institute our medical team is among the most renowned in the world for their research and development of stem cell therapy for back ...

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How a Silly Putty ingredient could advance stem cell therapies

By Sykes24Tracey

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

13-Apr-2014

Contact: Nicole Casal Moore ncmoore@umich.edu 734-647-7087 University of Michigan

ANN ARBORThe sponginess of the environment where human embryonic stem cells are growing affects the type of specialized cells they eventually become, a University of Michigan study shows.

The researchers coaxed human embryonic stem cells to turn into working spinal cord cells more efficiently by growing the cells on a soft, utrafine carpet made of a key ingredient in Silly Putty. Their study is published online at Nature Materials on April 13.

This research is the first to directly link physical, as opposed to chemical, signals to human embryonic stem cell differentiation. Differentiation is the process of the source cells morphing into the body's more than 200 cell types that become muscle, bone, nerves and organs, for example.

Jianping Fu, U-M assistant professor of mechanical engineering, says the findings raise the possibility of a more efficient way to guide stem cells to differentiate and potentially provide therapies for diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), Huntington's or Alzheimer's.

In the specially engineered growth systemthe 'carpets' Fu and his colleagues designedmicroscopic posts of the Silly Putty component polydimethylsiloxane serve as the threads. By varying the post height, the researchers can adjust the stiffness of the surface they grow cells on. Shorter posts are more rigidlike an industrial carpet. Taller ones are softermore plush.

The team found that stem cells they grew on the tall, softer micropost carpets turned into nerve cells much faster and more often than those they grew on the stiffer surfaces. After 23 days, the colonies of spinal cord cellsmotor neurons that control how muscles movethat grew on the softer micropost carpets were four times more pure and 10 times larger than those growing on either traditional plates or rigid carpets.

"This is extremely exciting," Fu said. "To realize promising clinical applications of human embryonic stem cells, we need a better culture system that can reliably produce more target cells that function well. Our approach is a big step in that direction, by using synthetic microengineered surfaces to control mechanical environmental signals."

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Silly Putty Ingredient Could Help Stem Cells Become Motor Neurons

By NEVAGiles23

April 14, 2014

Image Caption: University of Michigan researchers have found that mechanical forces in the environment of human embryonic stem cells influences how they differentiate, or morph into the body's different cell types. To arrive at the findings, they cultured the stem cells on ultrafine carpets made of microscopic posts of a key ingredient in Silly Putty. Credit: Ye Tao, Rose Anderson, Yubing Sun, and Jianping Fu

redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports Your Universe Online

An ingredient found in Silly Putty could help scientists more efficiently turn human embryonic stem cells into fully functional specialized cells, according to research published online Sunday in the journal Nature Materials.

In the study, researchers from the University of Michigan report how they were able to coax stem cells to turn into working spinal cord cells by growing them on a soft, extremely fine carpet in which the threads were created from polydimethylsiloxane, one component of the popular childrens toy.

According to the authors, the paper is the first to directly link physical signals to human embryonic stem cell differentiation, which is the process by which source cells morph into one of the bodys 200-plus other types of cells that go on to become muscles, bones, nerves or organs.

Furthermore, their research increases the possibility that scientists will be able to uncover a more efficient way to guide differentiation in stem cells, potentially resulting in new treatment options for Alzheimers disease, ALS, Huntingtons disease or similar conditions, assistant professor of mechanical engineering Jianping Fu and his colleagues explained in a statement.

This is extremely exciting, said Fu. To realize promising clinical applications of human embryonic stem cells, we need a better culture system that can reliably produce more target cells that function well. Our approach is a big step in that direction, by using synthetic microengineered surfaces to control mechanical environmental signals.

He and his University of Michigan colleagues designed a specially engineered growth system in which polydimethylsiloxane served as the threads, and they discovered that by varying the height of the posts, they were able to alter the stiffness of the surface upon which the cells were grown.

Shorter posts were more rigid, while the taller ones were softer. On the taller ones, the stem cells that were grown morphed into nerve cells more often and more quickly than they did on the shorter ones. After a period of three weeks and two days, colonies of spinal cord cells that grew on the softer micropost carpets were four times more pure and 10 times larger than those growing on rigid ones, the study authors noted.

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Weird Life

By raymumme

A key element of the popular children's toy Silly Putty could help scientists develop stem cell treatments for nerve and brain disorders such as motor neurone disease and Alzheimer's, a study suggests.

Researchers used the molecule that gives Silly Putty its unusual properties to grow working spinal cord cells on a soft, ultra-fine carpet.

They found that motor nerves grew faster and more often on the material than they did on a normal rigid surface.

The neurones also showed electrical activity comparable with that of motor nerves in the body.

The study is the first to show that physical, as well as chemical, signals directly affect the development of human embryonic stem cells.

Silly Putty, created by accident during Second World War research into potential rubber substitutes, bounces but also flows like a liquid and breaks when hit sharply.

A silicone polymer molecule called polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is mainly responsible for the odd properties that have made Silly Putty a hit with children around the world.

The new research involved coaxing embryonic stem cells to grow and develop on a soft "carpet" made from PDMS threads.

After 23 days, colonies of spinal cord motor neurones appeared that were four times purer and 10 times larger than those grown on traditional plates.

Lead scientist Dr Jianping Fu, from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, said: "This is extremely exciting. To realise promising clinical applications of human embryonic stem cells, we need a better culture system that can reliably produce more target cells that function well.

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In the blood: Scottish scientists pioneer lab-grown cells

By LizaAVILA

The first volunteers are expected to be treated by late 2016. If successful, the trial could pave the way to the wide-scale use of artificial blood derived from stem cells.

Blood cells freshly made in the laboratory are likely to have a longer life span than those taken from donors, which typically last no more than 120 days.

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They would also be free from infectious agents such as viruses or the rogue prion proteins that cause Creuzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD).

Professor Marc Turner, medical director at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS), who is leading the 5 million project at the University of Edinburgh, said: "Producing a cellular therapy which is of the scale, quality and safety required for human clinical trials is a very significant challenge.

"But if we can achieve success with this first-in-man clinical study it will be an important step forward to enable populations all over the world to benefit from blood transfusions.

"These developments will also provide information of value to other researchers working on the development of cellular therapies."

The pilot study will involve no more than about three patients, who may be healthy volunteers or individuals suffering from a red blood cell disorder such as thalassaemia.

They will receive a small, five millilitre dose of laboratory-made blood to see how it behaves and survives in their bodies.

The blood cells will be created from ordinary donated skin cells called fibroblasts which are genetically reprogrammed into a stem cell-like state.

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Scientists to test artificial blood in humans

By NEVAGiles23

14/04/2014 - 13:40:33Back to World Home

Red blood cells grown in a laboratory are to be tested in patients for the first time by pioneering scientists.

The first volunteers are expected to be treated by late 2016. If successful, the trial could pave the way to the wide-scale use of artificial blood derived from stem cells.

Blood cells freshly made in the laboratory are likely to have a longer life span than those taken from donors, which typically last no more than 120 days.

They would also be free from infectious agents such as viruses or the rogue prion proteins that cause Creuzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD).

Professor Marc Turner, medical director at the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS), who is leading the 5m project at the University of Edinburgh, said: Producing a cellular therapy which is of the scale, quality and safety required for human clinical trials is a very significant challenge. But if we can achieve success with this first-in-man clinical study it will be an important step forward to enable populations all over the world to benefit from blood transfusions.

These developments will also provide information of value to other researchers working on the development of cellular therapies.

The pilot study will involve no more than about three patients, who may be healthy volunteers or individuals suffering from a red blood cell disorder such as thalassaemia.

They will receive a small, five millilitre dose of laboratory-made blood to see how it behaves and survives in their bodies.

The blood cells will be created from ordinary donated skin cells called fibroblasts which are genetically reprogrammed into a stem cell-like state.

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Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute Now Working With R3 Stem Cell to Offer Bone Marrow and Amniotic Stem Cell …

By daniellenierenberg

Beverly Hills, CA (PRWEB) April 14, 2014

Top Los Angeles and Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Raj, is now working with R3 Stem Cell at his Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute to offer comprehensive regenerative medicine treatment. The stem cell procedures for shoulder, knee, and hip conditions typically work great for degenerative arthritis, tendonitis, and ligament injuries. For more information and scheduling with the top stem cell clinic in LA and Beverly Hills, call (310) 438-5343.

Dr. Raj treats athletes, celebrities, executives, grandparents, and everything in between. Oftentimes, the stem cell procedures are able to help athletes heal tendon and ligament injuries quickly, without surgery and get back to competition quickly. In addition, the stem cell procedures work well the majority of the time for degenerative arthritis of the hip, knee, and shoulder.

The stem cell material is either bone marrow derived from the patient or comes from amniotic fluid. The bone marrow derived stem cell injections are performed as an outpatient procedure. The bone marrow is harvested from the patient, immediately processed, and then injected into the problem area. The processing concentrates the stem cells and growth factors to increase the potential for repair and regeneration.

The amniotic fluid derived stem cells have been used tens of thousands of times around the world with no adverse events being reported, with the fluid being processed at an FDA regulated lab. The fluid contains stem cells, hyaluronic acid and growth factors to help repair damaged cartilage and injured tendons and ligaments. This can help patients avoid surgery for rotator cuff tendonitis and tears, elbow tendonitis, achilles tears, knee injuries and joint arthritis.

Dr. Raj is Double Board Certified and sees patients from the greater Los Angeles and Beverly Hills area. Numerous times, he has been named one of Los Angeles top orthopedic doctors, while also acting as an ABC News Medical Correspondent.

To schedule appointments for regenerative medicine stem cell procedures in Los Angeles for arthritis, tendon, or ligament injuries in Los Angeles, call Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute at (310) 438-5343.

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Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute Now Working With R3 Stem Cell to Offer Bone Marrow and Amniotic Stem Cell ...

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Lumbar Disc Pain 10 months after stem cell treatment by Dr Harry Adelson – Video

By Sykes24Tracey


Lumbar Disc Pain 10 months after stem cell treatment by Dr Harry Adelson
Bill discusses his outcome 10 months after having his L4/5, L5/S1 discs injected with bone marrow stem cells by Dr Harry Adelson http://www.docereclinics.com.

By: Harry Adelson, N.D.

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Lumbar Disc Pain 10 months after stem cell treatment by Dr Harry Adelson - Video

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Cancer survivor to run London Marathon with his life-saver

By raymumme

Cancer survivor to run London Marathon with his life-saver

11:00am Saturday 12th April 2014 in News

A BONE marrow donor will run Sundays London Marathon with the man whose life he saved.

Sean Hagan, 23, donated his stem cells after being inspired by Ulverston teenager Alice Pyne, who put it at the top of her bucket list before her tragic death from cancer in 2013.

The Askam-in-Furness mans donation saved the life of father-of-two Johnny Pearson, 44, from North Yorkshire, after he was diagnosed with leukaemia for the second time in just 18 months.

Sean, whose stem cell donation was undertaken by the Anthony Nolan charity, said: I remember being amazed at how simple it was. I hope Alice Pynes parents will see this and know what a special daughter they had. She was the reason I joined the Anthony Nolan register in the first place.

"Saving Johnnys life is the best thing Ive ever done and its the best thing Ill ever do.

The two men were allowed to write to each other anonymously and shared a series of emotional letters in which Johnny told Sean he wanted to shake his hand and show him what his donation means to his wife, children and friends.

They subsequently arranged to run the London Marathon together on Sunday.

Anthony Nolan, a charity that has been matching donors to recipients for 40 years, arranged for the pair to meet up for a training session before they undertake the 26.2 mile slog through the capital.

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Cancer survivor to run London Marathon with his life-saver

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Stem Cell Therapy After Spinal Cord Injury – Video

By raymumme


Stem Cell Therapy After Spinal Cord Injury
3D animation showing cell-replacement therapy after spinal cord injury. Animation done for Dr. Fehlings, Krembil Neuroscience Research Centre, Toronto, Ontario.

By: Synapse Medical Animation

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Stem Cell Therapy After Spinal Cord Injury - Video

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EDITORIAL: London researchers illustrate potential of stem cell therapies

By daniellenierenberg

When researchers and, especially, the general public became aware of the potential medical uses of stem cells the possibilities seemed endless. The National Institutes of Health said this: ... a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues to treat a myriad of diseases, conditions, and disabilities, including Parkinsons disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal cord injury, burns, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.

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EDITORIAL: London researchers illustrate potential of stem cell therapies

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