News
6/5/2009
According to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, heart disease is the number one cause of death of both men and women in the United States. Because heart muscle cells do not replace themselves naturally, those who have suffered from a heart attack, congenital heart disease, or congestive heart failure have few treatment options. Adult stem cells, however, offer new hope in the fight against heart disease. Current research indicates that it may be possible to “fix a broken heart.” Adult stem cells may be used to help replace damaged heart muscles, heart tissue, valves and establish new blood vessels to supply them. The American Heart Association estimates that 58 million people who currently suffer from cardiovascular disease might one day be cured or treated through stem cell breakthroughs.
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6/5/2009
There are almost five million stroke survivors in America today. The Stroke Association defines a stroke as a "brain attack which occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery (a blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the body) or a blood vessel (a tube through which the blood moves through the body) breaks, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain." There are two types of stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel which supplies the brain becomes blocked. It is the most common, accounting for an estimated 87% of all stroke cases. Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when blood leaks into the brain from a broken blood vessel and is more often fatal.
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5/28/2009
Courtney Ann Jackson of Talk Radio News Service reports on actress Mary Tyler Moore’s announcement of an upcoming Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation event. Moore is the International Chairman of the JDRF, and announced the upcoming “Promise to Remember Me” event, scheduled as a part of the upcoming Children’s Congress to be held June 22-24 in Washington, DC. The Children’s Congress includes150 young delegates with Type 1 diabetes who work to raise awareness for their disease. Moore, also a type 1 diabetic, explained that the group will converge on Washington with the goal of to persuading Congress to remember them when voting on important issues, such as stem cell research, that could affect the discovery of a cure for the disease. “It is the energy and commitment of our Type 1 families that makes me certain that we will, soon, be able to translate promising research into promises kept for a cure,” said Moore.
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5/27/2009
The Texas legislature is working on a bill that could make it a leader in stem cell research for adults, rather than research that involves killing human embryos. Texas already has 30 facilities that are researching adult stem cells or are using adult stem cells to treat patients. According to Dr. Joe Pojman of the Texas Alliance for Life, the bill will create a Texas Adult Stem Cell Research Consortium which will enhance and promote adult stem cell treatments and cures that are already effective in Texas.
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5/26/2009
8-year-old Sierra Journey Factor is getting national media attention as her family attempts to raise funds to send her to China for a life-extending stem cell treatment in August. Sierra has Type II spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disease that affects the part of the nervous system that controls voluntary muscle movement. Also, she has restrictive lung disease, a biproduct of SMA, and polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder characterized by multiple cysts in both kidneys. Since Sierra's initial acceptance into the stem cell program at the treatment center in China, the family has been trying to raise the estimated $50,000 they will need to cover the stem cell injections, travel costs and associated expenses for the 30-day stay. The stem-cell injections Sierra will receive are from umbilical cord blood, which is typically discarded as medical waste. Sierra’s mother said they have about half of the needed funds necessary for the procedure and related expenses. An anonymous contr
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5/25/2009
In hopes to allow their young daughter to see, Jason and Rosetta Fedelem of Central Texas decided to take their daughter Sierra to China in order to receive experimental stem cell treatment. Due to complications at birth resulting in a lack of oxygen to Sierra’s brain and lungs, doctors said she will never walk, talk, see or eat on her own. The couple selected a firm in China who use stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood for the treatment. While in China, Sierra received stem cell injections once a week. Given through an IV, the injections pumped 10 to 15 million stem cells into her in about 30 minutes. So far the improvements 20-month-old Sierra Fedelem has experienced from the stem cell treatments have been small. She can now sit unsupported for short periods of time and is able to stand with assistance for a couple of minutes rather than a few seconds like before. The Chinese physicians who preformed the recent treatments told the Fedelems it takes a minimum of four months fo
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5/22/2009
Bone marrow transplantation is a procedure that replaces cancerous or diseased tissue inside a patient’s bones with healthier marrow. A form of stem cell transplantation, BMT transfers stem cells harvested from a donor’s blood stream, bone marrow, or umbilical cord blood into the recipient through an intravenous line. BMT can help children battling leukemia, lymphoma, plasma cell disorders, severe anemia, sickle cell disease, and other blood and marrow disorders. It also can aid patients with cancer whose marrow has been damaged by high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Children undergoing this type of stem cell therapy are hospitalized for approximately one month and, during that time, can benefit from physical therapy to restore their strength and mobility.
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5/21/2009
The cardio-thoracic department of Chennai-based Sri Ramachandra University and Dr. Naresh Trehan's center in New Delhi have joined forces to conduct stem cell research for heart attack victims undergoing a by-pass surgery. The stem cell therapy will involve the patients receiving stem cell shots during the operation. This stem cell research will start after the department of biotechnology gives its nod for the pilot project. Scientists hope this stem cell treatment will enrich the heart cells and repair damages caused due to cardiac arrest. Dr. Amit N Patel, Director of Cardiac Stem Cell Therapies at the McGowan Institute of Regenerative Medicine, says injection of stem cells improve the function of muscles and blood vessels allowing patients to lead a near-normal life. Senior cardio-thoracic surgeon Dr. Naresh Trehan agrees. "When drug treatments fails and a heart is not available for transplant, stem cell treatments become a viable option. I have seen a success rate of up to 90% usin
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5/5/2009
Each morning 11-year old Holly Arvidson wakes, she hopes it will be the day she will be given sight. Holly and her family have returned from China where the 11-year-old from Denman underwent the first round of a controversial stem cell treatment which will hopefully result in her being able to see. Holly, who was born blind, is believed to be the 20th child to travel to china from Australia for stem cell treatment which has not been approved in the country. The treatment, which involves a number of stem cell injections over a four-week period, is achieving results and has an 80 per cent success rate, Mrs. Arvidson said. The Arvidsons hope that over the next six months Holly's vision will progressively start to improve and she will gain some light perception. "The second treatment should bring sight and a third even better sight. We plan to return to China next year," Mrs. Arvidson said.
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5/5/2009
Cryo-Cell International, Inc. announced results of a new study showing that adding menstrual blood stem cells (MenSCs) to stem cells from umbilical cord blood expands the number of progenitor cells (cells that grow into mature blood cells). This expansion technique could broaden the therapeutic use of the cells and provide a more readily available supply of stem cells for transplantation.
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5/4/2009
New research at the University of Minnesota shows natural killer cells taken from human embryonic stem cells are more effective at killing tumors than cells taken from other sources. A research team led by Dan Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D. demonstrated natural killer cells from human embryonic stem cells are better at killing human leukemia in mice, preventing the cancer from metastasizing in any of the animal’s organs. The study has also shown stem cell-derived tumor-killing cells are highly effective in killing breast cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and brain tumor cells.
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5/1/2009
For an expectant mother, there are a million details to worry about and a lot of important decisions to be made. One of those decisions to be made is whether to bank your baby's umbilical cord blood. Cord blood is valuable because it's full of stem cells scientists and doctors can use in research and regenerative medicine. Right now cord blood stem cells are being used to treat more than 70 life-threatening diseases including a wide range of cancers, blood disorders, immune system deficiencies and genetic diseases.
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4/25/2009
New research being conducted at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine has provided evidence that a patient's own stem cells may hold the key to effectively managing his or her heart disease. The study was presented by Dr. Douglas Losordo, principal investigator of the study and director of the Feinberg Cardiovascular Research Institute, at the American College of Cardiology's 58th annual scientific session held March 28. Heart disease is an umbrella term that includes a number of problems influencing the normal functioning of the heart. A typical characteristic of heart disease is the occlusion of the coronary arteries, which diminishes the supply of blood to the heart. Studies have shown injecting stem cells into certain parts of the heart muscle deprived of regular blood supply increased exercise capacity, reduced chest-pain episodes and improved overall blood flow in the heart. The stem cell research was based on a finding made 10 years ago about a white blood stem cell observe
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4/25/2009
Two central San Joaquin Valley families are set to travel more than 6,000 miles to China for an experimental stem-cell treatment for their children. Aleesha and Michael Klomp of Hanford said they're willing to take a chance so their son Gryphon Klomp, 2, might walk and grasp a spoon some day soon. Fresno mother Jennifer Schmidt has the same faith about the benefits of umbilical cord stem-cell therapy for 2-year-old daughter Brooke Schmidt-Jordan. Both toddlers have cerebral palsy. Stem cell research in the United States has been delayed due to concerns about the use of stem cells taken from embryos. However the process to be used by these two families will involve the use of stem cells from donated umbilical cord blood. This form of stem cell therapy is not as available in the United State as it is overseas. "Why would I wait five years to help him?" asked Michael Klomp, a construction worker.
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4/24/2009
Trials to use a small patch of stem cells to protects the eye from age-related blindness could begin in patients within two years in the UK. The pioneering treatment could be one of the first successful applications originating from embryonic stem cells (ESC), the cells in embryos that can grow into all tissues of the body. In a major boost for the stem cell treatment today, the pharmaceutical company Pfizer announced that it would be funding clinical development of the treatment and helping to win permission from regulatory authorities to proceed with trials. Pfizer is collaborating with Pete Coffey, head of the team at University College London that pioneered the stem cell therapy. Coffey and his team have found a way to change the ESCs into retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, which are vital for sight but deteriorate with age, leading to blindness.
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4/18/2009
Since Corey de Gregorio was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at eight months old, his parents have been on a crusade to find cure. Now, after undergoing an experimental stem cell therapy in China, the three year old boy from Gordonvale, Australia has improved tremendously. "Like any parent, you want to do the best you possibly can with your child and at the end of the day you want to know that you’ve done and that you’ve tried everything," the mother-of-three said. "Even if that means going offshore and trying something experimental.” Corey had six cord blood stem cell treatments in Qingdao last year. After more than six months after his treatments, Corey’s father said the family was amazed at the improvements in his torso and his left arm. "The usability of his left hand has improved immensely since we've been to China," Mr de Gregorio said. "He can hold a cup and drink from it with his two hands and because prior to that it was extremely difficult." Since then the de Gregorio’s have s
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4/15/2009
An experimental stem cell treatment has enabled patients with type 1 diabetes to go for as long as four years without insulin injections. A US-Brazilian project with 23 patients found most were able to produce their own insulin after a transplant of stem cells from their own bone marrow and even those who relapsed needed less insulin than before. The stem cell treatment is designed to stop the immune systems of those with type 1 diabetes from mistakenly destroying the cells which create insulin.
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4/15/2009
A stem-cell repair technique that has already been used to fix hundreds of injured race horses is to be tested for the first time in people with damaged Achilles tendons in England. Patients who are part of the study will receive injections containing millions of their own stem cells, which have been extracted and multiplied up in a laboratory, and can regenerate new tissue to repair damaged regions. More than 1,500 race horses have been treated using the same stem cell process and follow-up data suggests a 50 percent reduction in re-injury over a three year period, compared with conventional treatment.
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4/9/2009
Charlotte new dad, 38, froze sperm at 16 before chemotherapy that cured his leukemia. At the age of 13, Chris Biblis, now 38, was treated for leukemia from age 13 to 18. In 1987, at 16, his family encouraged him to freeze his sperm, even though no treatment for male infertility was available at the time. Over 21 years later the fertility specialists of Reproductive Endocrinology Associates of Charlotte (REACH) herald the successful birth of a baby girl March 4 who was conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) at their laboratory with sperm frozen for over two decades. This ties the world record for the longest-frozen sperm used to create a baby with IVF and is a great example of how banking irreplaceable human cells (such as stem cells from cord blood and other sources) can be one of the best decisions an individual can make.
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4/9/2009
A study just released shows stem cells injected into the eyes of mice with defective corneas returned the corneas to a more normal appearance. Researchers hope the stem cell procedure might one day be an alternative to corneal transplants in humans. About 40,000 such transplants are done each year in the United States. Several years ago, using human cadavers, James Funderburgh, an associate professor of ophthalmology at the University of Pittsburgh and his colleagues collected stem cells from the stroma, a matrix of collagen fibers that gives the cornea its strength. After growing stem cell cultures in the lab, the researchers injected the stem cells into the eyes of mice bred to have defective corneas that mimic scar tissue in humans. After three months, the stem cells had regenerated the collagen fibers, making the damaged corneas in the mice look normal, the researchers reported. After one year, the mice corneas still appeared normal.
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4/6/2009
Scientist and mom Catriona McCauley is a firm advocate of the need to collect stem cells from umbilical cord blood and fought a campaign to make it happen in an Irish maternity hospital. "I did my research and very quickly became convinced it was the best thing to do. There is so much potential in the treatment it was a no-brainer.” "For me it was like taking out an insurance policy," she added. After living in America for 10 years Catriona 10 years and gave birth to her first child, Conor, in the US McCauley had the stem cells collected after the birth. Gathering cord stem cells for storage was offered as a matter of course in America.” But the situation wasn't as straight forward on her return to Ireland when she was pregnant with her second child. "When I was pregnant with Sarah I went to my local hospital and asked that my cord blood be stored and they told me it was not done routinely.” She didn't take the decision lying down and decided to fight for the right to get the cord blo
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4/5/2009
Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) provide a potentially unlimited source of oral mucosal tissues that may revolutionize the treatment of oral diseases. When fully exploited in the future, this source of stem cells will be able to produce functional tissues to treat a broad variety of oral diseases. During the 87th General Session of the International Association for Dental Research, investigators from Tufts University in Boston reported on their research to optimize the potential of hESC cells to generate complex, functional multilayer tissues, such as the oral mucosa and skin, and to understand how tissue fabrication is controlled and directed.
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3/27/2009
On March 25th, 2009 a bill was submitted for consideration into the House to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat amounts paid for umbilical cord blood banking services as medical care expenses. Should this bill (H.R. 1718) pass, families would be able to use tax advantaged dollars to pay for the preservation of stem cell rich umbilical cord blood with accredited cord blood banking providers. This bill could open the door for families to absorb the cost of stem cell banking, pre-tax, through such programs as flexible spending accounts (FSAs), health savings accounts (HSAs), health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) or the medical expenses tax deduction.
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3/25/2009
Stem cell researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) have identified a signaling pathway that helps regulate the movement of blood-forming stem cells in the body. The finding provides important new insight into how stem cells move around the body which may lead to improvements in the efficiency of bone marrow transplants.
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3/19/2009
On March 9, 2009 President Obama signed an executive order expected to set in motion increased stem cell research that supporters believe could uncover cures for serious ailments like diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s and paralysis. Obama's action reverses former President George W. Bush's policy on stem cell research by undoing an August 9, 2001 Executive Order that prohibited the use of federal funds for research on embryonic stem cells lines created after that date. (The 2001 Executive Order did not affect federal research on the 21 stem cell lines that were created prior to that date.) The 2001 directive was the result of a moral debate as to whether embryonic stem cell research should continue because such research requires the destruction of human embryos.
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3/11/2009
On March 9, 2009 President Obama signed an executive order expected to set in motion increased stem cell research that supporters believe could uncover cures for serious ailments like diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s and paralysis. In a speech delivered immediately before signing the order, Obama said, “I believe we have been given the capacity and will to pursue this research, the humanity and conscience to do so responsibly.” Noting that scientists believe that stem cells “may have the potential to help us understand and possibly cure some of our most devastating diseases and conditions,” Obama promised that he would “vigorously support scientists who pursue this research.” Although he acknowledged that there has been much debate around stem cell research, the “majority of Americans . . . have come to a consensus that we should pursue this research.” Obama promised that stem cell research will be conducted, “with the urgency to make up for lost ground.” In the speech, Obama urged Congress to also provide further support for such research.
To see President Obama’s Executive Order on Stem Cell Research, follow this link
3/11/2009
Although the ink has barely dried on President Obama’s March 9th Executive Order reversing the ban on federal funds to support stem cell research, many are wondering what the directive may mean for future research. Here is a summary:
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The Secretary of Health and Human Services (Secretary), through the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), may now “support and conduct responsible, scientifically worthy human stem cell research.” Within 120 days from March 9th, the Secretary, through the Director of NIH, must review existing NIH guidance and other widely recognized guidelines on human stem cell research, including provisions establishing appropriate safeguards, and issue new NIH guidance on stem cell research.
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If approved by the NIH, federal funds may then be used to conduct research on human embryonic stem cell lines that were created, using private money, after the 2001 ban. Many feel that these lines, as opposed to the 21 lines that were grandfathered in before the 2001 ban, are healthier and easier to use. Furthermore, the 21 lines have been criticized by researchers as not being ethnically or genetically “diverse” enough to allow for effective research. The lines which would now be available could contain specific genetic mutations for diseases like Parkinson’s which will greatly aid scientists in the research to find cures.
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Stem cell scientists who once had to set up “duplicate labs” (ones that used private money and ones that used public money) in order to maintain compliance with the ban against using federal funds, will be able to conduct all stem cell research at one facility thus saving time and money.
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Previously, because of the NIH restrictions, privately-funded scientists were not able to team up with publicly-funded scientists to find stem cell treatments. Scientists will now have better opportunities to collaborate and share research which could lead to faster results.
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Although it is not yet clear whether or how much additional money the NIH will receive for stem cell research officials say it is almost certain to be more than the $42 million the agency now spends each year. Also, the NIH will get $10.4 billion in additional funding as a part of the stimulus package and some of that will likely be spent on stem cell research according to Dr. Lawrence Tabak, NIH acting Deputy Director.
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Private investors and pharmaceutical companies may begin to invest more money in stem cell research. Previously, such investments were deemed by some as risky given the political climate; however, the Executive Order clears the way for greater funding.
Researchers at University of California at Davis have already planned to acquire four new stem cell lines as soon as the NIH finalizes its updated guidelines. They plan to use the stem cells to seek treatments for Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and liver damage.
Researchers and scientists across the country are excited by the change and are hopeful that it means cures will come faster. “It's wonderful. We are elated,” said Jan Nolta, who directs the stem cell research program at the University of California at Davis. “Now that we can use the federal funds, it will just go so much more quickly.”
3/11/2009
After nearly eight years of frustration caused by having to fund stem cell research through state and private money, scientists are breathing a sigh of relief. “Now we can be a little bit more open with the research,” says Karl Willert, Ph.D., who is the director of University of California San Diego’s (UCSD) Human Embryonic Stem Cell Core facility. Rather than having to purchase two microscopes, one for placement in a privately-funded facility and another in a publicly-funded facility, scientists can focus less on duplicate expenses and more on finding cures. Going forward, UCSD scientists expect a speed-up in the process of developing new stem cell treatments and stem cell therapies and researchers at University of California at Davis plan to acquire four new stem cell lines as soon as the National Institutes of Health finalizes its updated guidelines. They plan to use the stem cells to seek treatments for Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and liver damage. According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, when a scientist at the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital was asked if there would be a party to celebrate the news, he replied, “We have too much work to do. We have been waiting for this day.”
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2/6/2009
It's no surprise that stem cell research, with its promise to alleviate so many kinds of suffering and correct injuries once thought to be untreatable, has gripped Hollywood’s conscience. Activists in the entertainment industry, particularly Jerry and Janet Zucker as well as Lucy Fisher and her husband, Douglas Wick, have been quietly celebrating the shift in regard to stem cell research in the White House. President Obama is expected to take action to reverse President Bush's executive order banning federal funding for embryonic stem cell projects. With the president and influential lawmakers now on board, Hollywood is poised to make a major push on the stem cell front. They're just waiting in the wings for Obama to announce his plans.
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2/5/2009
Transplants of stem cells from donors are used to treat leukemia, lymphoma and other life-threatening conditions. Patients receive radiation and chemotherapy to kill their diseased blood cells, a process that severely weakens their immune systems. The transplanted cells replace the diseased cells and other immune-system cells with healthy cells from a donor. Cord-blood transplants began in the 1990s, using donated umbilical cords. The cords usually contain fewer stem cells than marrow or blood, but they carry an advantage: Their immune systems are naive, so they're less likely to cause rejection. Studies have shown that cord-blood transplants, using two cords, were often as effective as bone marrow transplants. UW Hospital has joined other medical centers to further study cord blood transplants in a clinical trial.
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2/5/2009
An earlier recipe scientists devised for making adult stem cells act like more powerful embryonic-like stem cells may have gotten simpler. New reports indicate one chemical can convert stem cells from adult mice into the desired type. Stem cells are immature cells that have not yet developed into specific types to form organs. A large body of medical research is aimed at using stem cells to grow new human organs and heal human tissue. There have been difficulties in obtaining or producing stem cells without getting them from live embryos, which are usually destroyed in the process, raising ethical concerns. The new study, published in the Feb. 6 issue of the research journal Cell, involves converting stem cells using a substance called a transcription factor, a molecule produced by genes which controls the activity of other genes.
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2/5/2009
With Bush out of office, stem cell research seems to have made its way back into the spotlight, once more promising medical miracles. In 2001, President George W. Bush put a serious slow down in the research of these wonder cells that have the ability to turn into any kind of cell in human body. Potential cures for cancer, diabetes, heart disease, MS, Parkinson’s, and more, all seemed to be further out of sight. Fortunately, scientists in other countries jumped in and American researchers found new ways forward. Last month, the FDA approved the first trials of embryonic stem cell therapy for human patients — paralyzed patients with spinal cord injuries.
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2/4/2009
Over a year ago, Monique Larson was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia and was told she would need a bone marrow transplant to overcome the cancer. Despite the widespread response from hundreds screened as potential blood-marrow donors for Monique’s Native American/Northern European blood type, a matching donor remains unfound. In January, Monique and her husband Brad traveled to The University of Minnesota to discuss an umbilical cord blood transplant. The umbilical cord blood stem cell transplant has several advantages over a bone-marrow transplant, including reduced incidence or severity of graft-versus-host, the cord blood and tissue match doesn’t have to be perfect and the cord blood is more readily available. “The doctor said if I were his sister, this is what he’d tell me to do,” Monique said.
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2/3/2009
With recently awarded FDA approval, a California biotech firm sits poised to begin the world's first human trial that will involve injecting embryonic stem cells into the spinal cords of people who are paralyzed. The subject has spurred heated debate for the past ten years. Advocates believe it will throw open the door to medicine's future. Opponents say it destroys life. At the heart of the debate, but sitting on the sidelines, is 17 year old Jacob Coffron. Jacob is confined to a wheelchair and breathes with the help of a ventilator. At age 15, Jacob fell while climbing over a fence, and hasn’t breathed on his own since. Jacob’s grandmother Jane Caffron is steadfast in her belief that stem cell research is the key to his future.
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2/2/2009
The governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) approved a $2.2 million grant to the University of California, Santa Cruz, last week to fund a training program in stem cell research. Including this grant, the CIRM funding awarded to UCSC now totals $19.4 million from nine grants, all managed by the campus's Center for Bimolecular Science and Engineering (CBSE). The grants in CIRM's Research Training Program II will provide a total of $40.6 million to fund graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and clinical fellows working in stem cell research labs throughout the state. At UCSC, the funding will support four graduate students and six postdoctoral researchers for three years. "These trainees are our future stem cell scientists," said Alan Trounson, president of CIRM. "With these awards we are establishing a strong next generation of researchers and physician scientists to continue developing new stem cell-based therapies."
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1/29/2009
The family of a toddler who was born blind is hoping a course of cutting-edge stem cell therapy in China could let some light into his life. Sixteen-month-old Joshua Clark, from Caernarfon, Gwynedd, was born with optic nerve hypoplasia and his parents were told no treatment was available. Joanna and Anthony Clark found the Chinese stem cell therapy option after doing research via the internet. The family will fly to China at the end of April and will spend five weeks accompanied by various relatives while Joshua undergoes treatment with umbilical cord stem cells.
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1/28/2009
There's a major breakthrough in stem cell research at the University of Connecticut, placing the state at the forefront of medical research. Dr. Ge Lin came to Connecticut from China a year ago because the state of Connecticut was one of a handful of states that had decided to invest millions of dollars to do its own stem cell research. Once the state approved the testing, it took just two weeks for Dr. Ge to help the state to become among the first in the nation to create two, new, human embryonic stem cell lines.
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1/27/2009
After being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, Judy Knight, 53, a practice nurse from Northamptonshire, was unable to find a match for a critically needed bone marrow transplant. Judy spent weeks in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy to control the cancer. However, to cure the cancer, Judy needed a bone marrow transplant to allow her body to start producing healthy blood. No family members proved to be a match and after months of chemotherapy, there seemed to be no hope. Judy’s doctor decided to seek matches from umbilical cord blood. Stem cell transplants from umbilical cords have shown to be an increasingly successful alternative to bone marrow transplants for leukemia patients.
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1/26/2009
Paraplegic patients who are unable to walk as a result of spinal injuries are to take part in a clinical trial to test the use of embryonic stem cells as a treatment. The test will involve ten patients with severe spinal injuries who will receive a single injection of therapeutic stem cells in their spinal cords. The US Food and Drug Administration has given approval for the pilot study and it is hoped the embryonic stem cell-derived progenitor cells, which have already been shown to repair nerves in animals with spinal damage, will show the same results in humans.
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1/24/2009
A California biotechnology company plans to launch the first government-approved clinical trial testing human embryonic stem cells on people by next summer after receiving federal approval yesterday. The new study will mark the first authorized use of those derived from embryos. The Food and Drug Administration approved a request from Geron of Menlo Park to test the stem cells on eight to ten patients with severe spinal cord injuries.
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1/22/2009
Beaumont Hospital urologists are first in the United States to research stress urinary incontinence treatment using a person's own stem cells. The cells are used to strengthen weak muscles that control urination. Stress urinary incontinence--the cause of wetness with coughing or physical activity, affects about 13 million Americans, most of them women, but also men who have had surgery for prostate cancer. The stem cells from 48 female research participants age 18 or older will be collected at Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, and duplicated. The cells will then be injected into the muscles that control urination to strengthen them and prevent leakage. "If successful, muscle-derived stem cell therapy could offer new hope to people looking to live a life free of urinary leakage," says Urology department Chairman Kenneth Peters, M.D., who is leading the research at Beaumont.
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1/20/2009
Tallie Anderson, 11, of Shawnee Oklahoma has spend much of the past two years of her life at the OU Medical Center since being diagnosed with aplastic anemia almost two years ago. In need of a bone marrow transplant, Tallie had not been able to find a match with a bone marrow donor quickly, which is a problem for many people of American Indian descent, like her. From this obstacle, Tallie and the Oklahoma Blood Institute launched a public awareness campaign to make people aware of the need for American Indian marrow donors. Hundreds of Oklahomans responded to assist. Tallie’s match finally came in November, but in the form of a donated umbilical cord. The 11 year old is now awaiting a stem cell transplant from the stem cell rich cord blood.
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1/15/2009
Marius Wernig arrived at Stanford recently with a worldwide reputation for creating induced pluripotent stem cells from adult skin cells. What is less known is his success in composing classical music and opera, with pieces having premiered in Bonn, Cologne and Vienna. Wernig, who had previously been at MIT's Whitehead Institute, will be a key member of Stanford's Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine Institute. His appointment is the latest in assembling a "dream team" for stem cell research at the institute, covering all of the most promising areas of stem cell research.
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1/14/2009
The replacement of the defective muscle through stem cells transplantation is a possible future treatment for patients suffering from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). The dystrophin gene, located at Xp21, codifies dystrophin, which is part of a protein complex responsible for the membrane stability of muscle cells. Its absence on muscle causes the severe Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). A recent analysis showed the potential of CD34+ stem cells from umbilical cord blood to differentiate in muscle cells and express dystrophin. Protein expression was analyzed by Immunofluorescence, Western Blotting (WB) and Reverse Transcriptase - Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). CD34+ stem cells and myoblasts from a DMD affected patient started to fuse with muscle cells immediately after co-cultures establishment.
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1/14/2009
Melbourn resident Grahm Barnell took the chance of his life and travelled to Seattle to become the eighth person in the world to undergo a pioneering stem cell transplant technique that uses stem cells grown in a laboratory from a donated umbilical cord to regenerate bone marrow. After a two-year odyssey through the darkest ravages of the rare and deadly form of myeloid leukemia, Mr Barnell is apparently cured, thanks to a revolutionary stem cell procedure only now emerging in the US
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1/14/2009
Stem cell research has long been the subject of intense controversy. The main argument of stem cell research is due to the constant battle of comparing the scientific strides that may be made possible with research and application of stem cells against the ethical dilemmas of human embryo destruction. Stem cell research is so important because of the vast possibilities available through stem cell therapies. Stem cells are so important because they differ from other cells in three major ways. First, stem cells renew themselves by cell division for long periods of time. Second, they are unspecialized, and third, they are able to differentiate and form into specialized cells. These specialized cells can include beating cells in the heart as well as insulin producing cells in the pancreas, among others.
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1/14/2009
Scientists have found a more efficient way to create induced pluripotent stem cells using a single virus vector instead of multiple viruses in the reprogramming process. The ability to combine four vectors into single "stem cell cassette" containing all four genes using a combination of 2A peptides and IRES dramatically improves iPS cell production efficiency -- 10 times higher than previously reported studies
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1/13/2009
Women create life; but now they will contribute medically to save lives through the Endometrial Regenerative Cells (ERC) or stem cells harvested from discarded menstrual fluid - known to be the most disgusting phase of woman's life. Menstrual blood, as researchers say, is found to be the most potent source of stem cells so far. The uterine endometrium lining, a rich source of stem cells, is shed in menstrual process every month. In the rebuilding process that ranges over seven days, billions of cells develop creating an almost 5 millimeter-thick lining. These self-renewing cells, also called Endometrial Regenerative Cells, can be developed into other tissues under controlled laboratory conditions. These cells possess multipotent markers similar to stem cells from other sources.
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1/12/2009
A two-year-old child from Florida is free of signs of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia, a rare form of pediatric leukemia, after receiving a stem cell trasplant from umbilical cord blood. Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia generally affects children under the age of five and comprises less than 1 percent of infant leukemias. Adolfo Gonzalez was diagnosed with JMML when he was 13 months old. "Adolfo Gonzalez would most likely not be alive today if it weren't for the cord blood transplant," Dr. Gary Kleiner, a pediatric immunologist at the University of Miami School of Medicine, said in a statement. "The mother who donated her cord blood to the public cord blood bank at New York's National Cord Blood Program basically saved his life."
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12/30/2008
Of the 4 million births each year in the United States, 90% of the stem cells in umbilical cord blood are discarded and go unused. Umbilical cord blood donations have the ability to save thousands of lives by treating common diseases such as: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and leukemia. Recently, Texas governor Rick Perry named December “Texas Cord Blood Month” to increase awareness of the benefits of stem cells and stem cell research and to stimulate umbilical cord blood donations across the state and the country.
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12/30/2008
Researchers in Jerusalem have successfully utilized stem cells to replace defective brain cells in animals to reverse brain birth defects. This discovery suggests the power of stem cells to treat various learning disabilities that ultimately lead to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Dr. Yanai and his colleagues intend to present findings from their study that detail the ability of embryonic neural stem cells to migrate to the brain and differentiate to replace defective brain cells in mice.
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12/28/2008
In the past, stem cell researchers have understood the importance of utilizing rats in their studies of stem cell therapy, but thus far been unable to successfully derive stem cells from these mammals. Scientists and researchers at the University of Southern California have finally been able to derive and preserve the basic embryonic stem cells of rats. This is significant as rats show more psychological similarities to humans than mice. With this new stem cell research, scientists across the country have taken a profound step forward in the search to discover and test cures for destructive human diseases.
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12/27/2008
So far, Lou Gehrig’s disease has not stopped Kerry Alvarado from trying to enjoy life. However, the 52-year-old ALS patient has decided to take one more step in her quest to beat the disease she has been forced to live with. Kerry has been travelling to Mexico to undergo stem cell treatment. Doctors and stem cell researchers are hoping they can successfully transform umbilical cord blood stem cells into healthy spinal cord cells and neural cells that will replace damaged cells throughout Kerry’s body. The stem cell transplant in Mexico will ultimately allow Kerry and her family to enjoy the rest of her life.
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12/26/2008
Xavier Carballo, a five-year-old boy diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia at the age of two, can finally read printed books. For the first part of his life, Xavier was legally blind. After receiving a series of stem cell transplants in China, he can now see. Xavier has undergone six successful umbilical cord blood transfusions, his parents say they noticed improvements following the very first stem cell treatment session. Xavier’s doctors in China recently commented that the umbilical cord blood transplants have led to “definite and measurable improvements”, and the boy’s health will continue to improve for months following the treatments.
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12/26/2008
For the majority of her young life, Bailey Walker has suffered from optic nerve hypoplasia, a disorder that has left her legally blind. To treat this congenital condition, Bailey’s parents have decided to take her to Thailand to undergo a stem cell treatment that will hopefully allow her to see. Next May, Bailey will receive a month-long series of umbilical cord blood transplants that will replace damaged cells in her spinal cord. Bailey’s parents show no hesitation or qualms about making the trip to Thailand, as the promise of this procedure gives them hope for a normal life for their beautiful daughter.
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12/26/2008
For the first years of his life, Adolfo Gonzalez suffered greatly as a result of a rare form of childhood cancer. After receiving two trial stem cell treatment procedures, there are no more leukemia cells in Adolfo’s body, and he can finally live a normal life. Stem cells harvested from umbilical cord blood successfully grew in Adolfo’s own bone marrow and replaced all cancerous white blood cells. Doctors are calling the boy’s recovery “a miracle”, all thanks to umbilical cord blood stem cells.
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12/22/2008
After undergoing an umbilical cord blood stem cell transplant in China, 21-month old Luke Pickett is happily back with his family in the United States. The stem cells were injected into Luke’s spinal cord in an effort to combat spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Thanks to the donated umbilical cord blood, Luke’s family has noticed dramatic changes in his gross motor skills since his return from China. Doctors and researchers hope that stem cell transplants can be used to treat cerebral palsy in the United States in the near future.
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12/22/2008
According to the American Cancer Society, stem cell transplants provide the best chance for children suffering from Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) to overcome the disease. After undergoing chemotherapy to destroy cancerous cells, researchers highly recommend stem cell transplants for children from donated umbilical cord blood. The cord blood stem cells are used to replenish children’s white blood cell count in order to most effectively combat the cancer.
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12/22/2008
Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem recently presented findings from a study conducted in mice that suggest the potential for stem cells to repair brain damage. In the United States, learning disabilities and other neural birth defects are common and hard to combat. Embryonic neural stem cells have the ability to differentiate to become particular cells that can reverse the damage. The results from stem cell transplantation in animal models show almost a 100% recovery rate from learning disabilities in the offspring of pregnant mice.
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12/19/2008
A stem cell technique not requiring the use of embryonic stem cells has been named scientific breakthrough of the year by the journal of Science. Scientists state that the use of induced pluripotent stem cells in various treatment methods has “opened a new field of biology almost overnight”, with research teams from across the globe making major strides in this area of stem cell research throughout the year.
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12/18/2008
Recently, scientists have discovered that the blocking of a certain chemical released by cancerous cells protects stem cells that differentiate into red and white blood cells from being destroyed. Stem cells have the ability to grow into healthy cells, modern stem cell research has proven these cells to be instrumental in the exploration of alternative treatment methods for cancer patients. The protection of these healthy stem cells is a critical development in stem cell research and in the fight for a cure for one of the world’s most devastating diseases.
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12/18/2008
President-elect Barack Obama promises change to many aspects of the American political system, and this promise extends to stem cell research. Following his inauguration, doctors, scientists, and researchers are expecting to witness a boom in the amount of stem cell research developments, bringing the United States to the forefront of this rapidly evolving field. Medical and educational professionals are hopeful of the imminent use of stem cells to cure debilitating diseases and also to test potential harmful side effects of commonly used drugs.
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12/18/2008
Scientists at Stanford University have brought recent stem cell research into the spotlight by highlighting the power of single adult stem cells to self-renew and repair tissue damage in mice. By treating muscle damage in animals, researchers have outlined the potential for skeletal adult stem cells to treat muscular dystrophy and age-related losses in muscle functionality.
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12/16/2008
For years, one of the major obstacles facing patients in need of bone marrow and other transplants has been finding a proper donor. Now, doctors and scientists have gathered research that strongly recommends umbilical cord blood transplants as an alternative treatment method for those in need of immediate relief. Scientists have discovered fewer transplant-related deaths among individuals who underwent a cord blood stem cell transplant than among those who received unrelated bone marrow donations.
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12/15/2008
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine have discovered the ability of esophagus stem cells to transform into transplantable tissues in mice. This stem cell research suggests a treatment method for the millions of individuals who suffer from diseases of the esophagus worldwide. As such diseases are common in the United States, the ability of adult stem cells to self-renew suggests promising alternative treatment methods that can improve the health of many affected individuals far into the future.
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12/15/2008
As stem cell research progresses, scientists are discovering the increasing need to collaborate among different fields of study to determine the most successful stem cell treatment methods. This is precisely what a team of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine did by combining two distinct stem cell lines to grow bone and other tissues. This collaborative and revolutionary study is a giant step forward in stem cell research that suggests the numerous possibilities of adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells to treat harmful diseases.
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12/14/2008
Brandon Meike, a four-year old boy suffering from spinal muscular atrophy, can now stand with his feet flat on the floor thanks to a recent stem cell treatment. Brandon and his family travelled all the way to China to receive a series of four stem cell injections and extensive physical therapy, the combination of which has opened doors for stem cell research and treatments in the United States. Brandon’s stem cell injections were taken from umbilical cord blood, and as a result, the four-year old is experiencing incredible and lasting improvements.
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12/14/2008
Recently, the American Society for Cell Biology presented findings from a study that confirms the power of a single stem cell to self-renew and restore muscle functionality in mice. Researchers utilized stem cells to treat hind limb muscle tissue damage, and as a result, mice experienced increased muscle cell growth and tissue repair. Importantly, these adult stem cells eventually achieved homeostasis and stopped replicating at a certain level—an attribute of stem cells not present in harmful tumors.
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12/14/2008
In the Fond du Lac area of Wisconsin, three children are set to receive stem cell transplants after being diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer at approximately the same time. The procedure will entail removing stem cells from their bodies and these stem cells will be re-inserted to replenish bone marrow once chemotherapy has removed the cancerous tumors. This stem cell therapy gives all three families hope for brighter futures for their children who all suffer from a rare disease.
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12/12/2008
Athersys, Inc., a Cleveland-based biopharmaceutical company, recently received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to conduct a study that uses adult stem cells to treat stroke victims. The stem cell therapy can be conducted up to a week after the occurrence of a stroke, and during this time, the stem cells can effectively protect injured brain nerves and treat inflammation. Researchers are investigating the promising possibility of adult stem cells to generate substantial and sustainable neurological improvements for ischemic stroke victims.
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12/11/2008
For those who cannot find compatible bone marrow or blood donors, stem cell transplants involving umbilical cord blood stem cells provide successful, safe, and convenient alternative treatment methods. As it is often difficult to find donors, patients are turning more and more to stem cell research to discover ways in which adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells can be used to treat both rare and common human diseases.
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12/10/2008
Daily Mail - UK Last week she was revealed to the world as the first person to receive a whole transplant organ grown from her own stem cells. ...
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12/10/2008
Science Daily (press release) - USA Dr. Huard and colleagues in the Stem Cell Research Center are researching and developing numerous therapeutic uses for the population of muscle stem cells ...
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12/10/2008
UCSF Today - San Francisco, CA USA by Jeff Norris The potential for stem cell research to lead to ways to replenish lost cells — and restore crucial functions in those with diseases ranging ...
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12/10/2008
The Statesman - Kolkata, India ... donated umbilical cord blood for children with Severe Combined Immune Deficiency, when they lack the white blood cells of the immune cells produced by ...
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12/10/2008
MarketWatch - USA According to Grekos, the clinical study is a collaborative effort amongst physicians at Regenocyte Therapeutic, a Florida-based stem cell clinic; ...
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12/10/2008
TheChronicleHerald.ca - Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada Victor Rafuse, an associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology at Dal, and his colleagues have demonstrated for the first time that transplanted stem ...
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12/9/2008
According to scientists and researchers at the University of Minnesota, the ability for individuals to undergo various stem cell treatment methods should not be dependent upon a patient’s age. That is, older individuals are just as likely to benefit from stem cell therapy as those who are younger. The University of Minnesota researchers gathered, scrutinized, and compared data from 1,000 past stem cell treatments of individuals of all ages to come to these encouraging and promising conclusions.
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12/9/2008
According to experts, stem cell research is investigating the ability of stem cell therapies using adult stem cells to cure osteoarthritis. This procedure suggests alternative treatment methods for common joint diseases that are currently only treatable with joint replacement procedures. By injecting stem cells into affected joints, scientists hope to reduce the severity of joint diseases among patients and develop a routine treatment method for osteoarthritis.
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12/8/2008
Patients suffering from AIDS-related lymphoma are witnessing the birth of new treatment methods for their illness, and one of these procedures successfully utilizes HIV-resistant stem cells. Doctors have identified stem cell transplantation as a viable treatment method for relapsed or high-risk AIDS-related lymphoma, suggesting a more effective cure for patients currently suffering from this disease.
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12/8/2008
Umbilical cord blood storage and umbilical cord blood transplantation are two areas of study that have gained popularity and attention in recent years. According to the American Society of Hematology, umbilical cord blood storage is a very safe procedure that offers scientists the added ability to expand the number of stem cells in a lab from those extracted, and as a result, patients can receive larger doses of stem cells in blood transplantations. These larger doses of stem cells are developed safely in laboratories to provide patients with shorter recovery times and minimize infections and transplant failures.
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12/8/2008
Currently, ten percent of the world’s population is affected by deafness, which is a condition that researchers are learning could be treatable using stem cell therapy. According to scientists, transplanting stem cells from the brain into the ear could reverse the process of hearing loss for many affected individuals. These stem cells share similar properties to those hair cells found in the inner ear and have the ability to reproduce and replace the damaged cells that are causing hearing loss.
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12/7/2008
On December 7, 2008, research experts gathered in San Francisco, CA to explore the effects of stem cell source and patient age on the effectiveness of stem cell transplants. According to Dr. Armand Keating, "For years, stem cell transplants have been a standard treatment option for many blood cancers and other hematologic conditions." At the press conference, researchers also presented preliminary results from a study focused on increasing the presence of cord blood stem cells in umbilical cord blood that can be used in future transplantations.
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12/7/2008
For Payton Thorton, childhood has been a very different experience from what most children live through at that age. Payton was born with recessive dystrophic EB, a disease that affects 2 of every one million births, and as a result, Payton lacks a critical protein that would enable his skin to effectively stick together. In 2007, Payton underwent a stem cell transplantation that consisted of inserting bone marrow and umbilical cord blood collected from his brother. After this treatment, Payton’s body began producing the missing protein.
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12/6/2008
Surgeons in Spain have recently executed the first effective whole-organ transplantation that involved using a windpipe made with the patient’s own stem cells. The success of this procedure proves to doctors and researchers that adult stem cells, along with umbilical cord blood stem cells, have the ability to influence current medical procedures in profound ways, providing more cures and treatment methods that doctors ever thought possible.
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12/5/2008
Irish Times - Dublin,Ireland Speaking in the debate on the Stem-Cell Research (Protection of Human Embryos) Bill, introduced by Ronan Mullen (Ind), the Minister said the preparation for ...
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12/5/2008
WTN News - Madison, WI USA CDI raised the money from Wisconsin investors who believe the company will be able to use the state's cutting-edge stem cell technologies to build a global ...
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12/5/2008
According to recent scientific research, stem cells taken from umbilical cord blood have shown the potential to be used in transplants that aim to repair heart disease in children. The American Heart Association recently presented data that articulates the power of umbilical cord blood stem cells to cure infantile congenital heart defects, which are the most common types of major birth defects today.
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12/5/2008
Killeen Daily Herald - Killeen, TX USA For the last decade, Prockop's interest has been in adult stem cell research. Beginning at Tulane University Health Science Center, and now at the Institute ...
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12/5/2008
Greensboro News Record - Greensboro, NC USA President-elect Barack Obama's Senate website includes his statement supporting federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research.
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12/5/2008
Grand Street News - New York, NY USA The more cells you store, the greater potential benefit you’re giving your family for future therapeutic use. Cord blood stem cell transplants have been ...
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12/5/2008
TheHorse.com - Lexington, KY USA Although it cannot yet be scientifically proven that stem cell therapy substantially improved Bailey's chances for recovery, achieving these results without ...
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12/3/2008
Maia Friedlander, a four-year old born in Auckland, New Zealand, was the first New Zealander to receive an umbilical cord blood experimental treatment in the United States that would combat brain damage she has as a result of being born prematurely. Upon Maia’s birth, her parents chose to bank her cord blood. This cord blood was later used at Duke University in Maia’s stem cell transplantation. As a result of the umbilical cord blood stem cell procedure, Maia’s concentration and coordination have greatly improved, giving her a real chance to enjoy her childhood.
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11/24/2008
They could grow with kids who are born with heart valve defects, researchers say. By Amanda Gardner, HeathDay Reporter.
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11/21/2008
For years, scientists have contemplated the ability of stem cells and umbilical cord blood to cure heart disease in both adults and children. Now, researchers at the University of Utah will be among the first in the country to test these theories by injecting patients’ own stem cells into their hearts to treat heart failure. Similar procedures in other nations have shown that patients tend to experience a 20 to 100 percent improvement in heart functionality, a statistic that reveals the powerful healing capabilities of stem cells.
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11/17/2008
Alan Overbaugh travelled over 1,000 miles to participate in the Nebraska Medical Center’s stem cell transplant program. Because of improved stem cell research methods, the medical center has performed approximately 4,000 stem cell procedures over the past 25 years and continues to develop stem cell treatments and save more lives every year.
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11/17/2008
In recent years, stem cells have been proven to treat some of the deadliest diseases afflicting people all over the world. However, the latest stem cell research also suggests the ability of scientists and doctors to use stem cells for more common ailments, such as knee injuries. Bristol University researchers are anxious to test a new use of adult stem cells to repair tears in the knee’s meniscal cartilage, a procedure already being used in horses to treat racing injuries.
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11/17/2008
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine have discovered a way to identify adult liver stem cells that can be used to regenerate liver tissue in future cell-replacement treatments and procedures. These rare stem cells can be identified, collected, and used to cure the 17,000 individuals in America who are currently on the waiting list for liver transplants. The ability of the stem cells to repair injured liver tissue and line the bile duct provide alternative treatment methods for thousands of patients across the country.
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11/17/2008
Hannah Grant, a Fort Myers, FL resident, was critically injured in a car accident last year and currently lives in a vegetative state. Now, it appears that her parents’ recent decision to travel to Mexico to undergo a stem cell procedure for their daughter may save her life. Members of Hannah’s community worked together to raise money for the stem cell treatment made possible by an umbilical cord blood donor.
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11/17/2008
St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City has announced the planned launch of its new umbilical cord blood donation program, allowing children to become lifesavers even before they enter kindergarten. Stem cell donations will be collected free of charge from mothers who volunteer and the hospital will focus on communicating the importance of umbilical cord blood storage in saving lives and protecting families everywhere.
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11/16/2008
Michael Emms, convinced of a future in a wheelchair after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease, can now envision a more normal future with the help of umbilical cord blood donated from his younger brother. The umbilical cord blood stem cells from Rhys Emms were used in a stem cell treatment to prevent the deterioration of Michael’s muscles. The injection of stem cells into Michael’s spine has afforded him improvements in his own mobility and gives him hope for a brighter and healthier future.
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11/13/2008
Cryo-Cell International, an industry leader in stem cell innovation and stem cell storage, has renewed its agreement with Upromise, the largest source of private college funding contributions in the country. Under this agreement, parents who invest in cord blood banking and storage for their families using a Upromise credit card will receive college savings. This opportunity provides Cryo-Cell with the ability to offer families future healthcare and protection while at the same time furthering their educational needs and ambitions.
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11/12/2008
Researchers have discovered the ability of dental stem cells from monkeys to stimulate growth of neural cells. These dental pulp stem cells have already been used in previous regenerations of dental and craniofacial cells, but the latest research into the study of these adult stem cells reveals their potential to become other types of cells to cure a variety of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and an array of liver disorders.
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11/11/2008
According to the American Heart Association, umbilical cord stem cells may provide hope for children currently experiencing heart defects. At the Scientific Sessions 2008 conference, scientists presented findings from a recent study that aimed to hone in on the ability of a child’s umbilical cord stem cells to build new heart valves, therefore eliminating the current reliance on animal tissue, artificial materials, and human organ donations to treat heart disease.
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11/10/2008
With the election of a new president on the horizon, stem cell researchers and scientists are hoping to further expand and gain additional federal support for their stem cell studies. The institution of Barack Obama’s pro-stem cell research proposals promises a brighter future for both scientists and patients nationwide who long for alternative treatment methods to cure ailments such as: cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s.
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11/10/2008
In a joint effort earlier this month, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian and Columbia University Medical Center collaborated to sponsor a conference titled “Innovations in Pediatric Medicine” that addressed the current and potential benefits of stem cell research. Lecturers focused on the latest breakthroughs in stem cell technology, biomedical research, and how these two can be combined to cure children of dangerous diseases.
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11/9/2008
Barrett Ross, an 11-year old suffering from type I diabetes, refuses to allow the seemingly endless stream of finger pricks, blood tests, and insulin shots to prevent him from participating in his favorite activities. After he was first diagnosed, Barrett’s parents enrolled him in a clinical trial that tested the ability of cord blood stem cells to regulate the body’s production of insulin and eventually cure diabetes. After the cord blood infusion, Barrett’s body produces more insulin and he can enjoy his childhood to the fullest.
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11/9/2008
Researchers are investigating the ability of stem cells to be used for a variety of purposes apart from transplants; in particular, one scientist is currently analyzing the usefulness of cord blood stem cells for the pharmaceutical industry in conducting drug testing. Colin McGuckin of Newcastle University presented recent findings at the Taiwan International Somatic Stem Cell Symposium in Taipei that stressed the non-invasive, ethically acceptable process of cord blood collection.
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11/6/2008
Dr. Schatz, a pioneer in the field of stem cell research, is conducting in-depth studies of stem cells and their ability to treat type I diabetes. Every year, thousands of individuals are diagnosed with this disease, and Dr. Schatz’s proposed treatment methods utilizing cord blood stem cells provide alternative cures that minimize the amount of insulin units injected into patients with type I diabetes on a daily basis. His findings and studies suggest that stem cell technology has made significant breakthroughs in recent years that will only develop in the near future.
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11/6/2008
The Scripps Research Institute has identified a method of stem cell cultivation using drug-like chemicals as opposed to viruses and genes. With these chemicals, scientists and researchers can reprogram human cells to become cells that are similar to embryonic stem cells; these stem cells can then develop into any cell type in the body, curing a vast number of illnesses, symptoms, and diseases. This research eliminates the use of viruses and genes in a similar process, which can potentially cause cancer.
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11/5/2008
The Scripps Research Institute has developed a new method of stem cell therapy that relies on the insertion of certain drugs into human tissue cells that will transform them into pluripotent, embryonic stem cells. The resulting stem cells will then be able to develop into any and all types of cells in the body without the help of viruses, which are used in similar stem cell procedures today that can produce tumors and put patients at risk for serious complications.
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11/5/2008
Dr. Zannos Grekos is scheduled to present his work on stem cell research at the 2008 Dubai Congress on Anti-Aging and Aesthetic Medicine. This conference will bring recent developments in stem cell therapy to the international scene and articulate Grekos’ work with adult stem cells to cure patients across the globe. Dr. Grekos will present results of end-of-treatment patient studies that show dramatic improvements in cardiac and circulatory functions as a result of adult stem cell therapies.
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11/5/2008
The FDA’s approval of a trial of Mesenchymal Precursor Cells in the US for patients with hematological malignancies undergoing bone marrow transplants advances the prospects of stem therapy to treat common diseases. Scientists suggest that a transplantation hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from the bone marrow of a healthy donor can save the lives of patients with damaged and destroyed bone marrow resulting from cancer treatments.
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11/5/2008
Researchers at the University of Florida are pioneering the study of a new use for umbilical cord blood to treat children with Type I Diabetes. By manipulating cord blood stem cells, scientists discovered the ability of the resulting cells to produce additional insulin. As a result of the study, children with Type I Diabetes who received cord blood stem cell transfusions required less insulin and were better able to regulate blood sugar levels than those who did not receive the transfusions.
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11/5/2008
Innovative research on embryonic stem cells at UCLA and Kyoto University represents a major step forward in stem cell research, for scientists have discovered the ability to insert genes into normal cells that return them to their pluripotent state. This essentially reverses the practice of manipulating embryonic cells in order to create stem cells. Should doctors and researchers expound upon this research, the resulting pluripotent stem cells will prove essential in repairing and replacing damaged human organs.
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11/3/2008
In Scotland, scientists have been working on turning embryonic stem cells into a specific cell type not found in individuals suffering from Parkinson’s disease. More specifically, researchers strive to coax early-stage embryonic stem cells to form particular neural cells that can eventually be transplanted into Parkinson’s patients. While further studies are needed to confirm these processes, doctors are incredibly optimistic about the potential of stem cells to find a cure for a disease that affects over 120,000 in the United Kingdom.
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11/3/2008
Recent research suggests the possibility of scientists to successfully grow replacement organs in labs, potentially removing the need for patients to receive heart tissue donations. Studies conducted also reveal how the combination of stem cell, biomedical, and materials techniques can provide useful and innovative improvements to current stem cell practices and treatment methods.
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11/3/2008
Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital in Washington is now accepting umbilical cord blood donations in its maternity unit to support the research conducted each day into uses of stem cells in protecting families from various diseases. The donated umbilical cord blood cells will be distributed to patients in the Pacific Northwest region of the nation suffering from damaged and/or destroyed cells, organs, and bone tissue.
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10/28/2008
Max Eaton, a victim of a heart attack at age 66, has elected to receive a stem cell transplant to cure effects such as weakened and irregular breathing. One hour after undergoing the surgery, Eaton already noticed a difference in the performance of daily activities such as eating and speaking. This procedure gives researchers and doctors the hope of discovering a replacement treatment method for open-heart surgery and heart transplants.
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10/27/2008
Recent improvements in stem cell technology and research methods continue to make stem cell treatments safer and more accessible than in past years. Now, stem cell transplantations are conducted to restore critical cells in the body that are destroyed by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and high doses of radiation. Technological innovation has also allowed researchers to collect more stem cell samples from a wide variety of donors, increasing the likelihood that patients will find a match for transplantation.
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10/27/2008
In New Zealand, Caleb Turner is one of 7,000 individuals suffering from cerebral palsy. Only two years old, Caleb experiences at least 50 visible strokes every day, and his parents have turned to stem cell therapy in the United States and Mexico to find a cure for their son. Doctors will utilize donated umbilical cord blood in the transplantation that is expected to give Caleb back his childhood.
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10/25/2008
Stanford University announced plans to build the nation’s largest stem cell research facility that will bring together 600 scientists currently working to uncover groundbreaking stem cell therapies. The facility will focus on creating an atmosphere of collaboration, with refined and innovative technology that will allow researchers to communicate and work together to discover new applications of stem cell research.
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10/25/2008
El Segundo, a race horse in Australia, has successfully begun retraining following a successful stem cell transplant. Roughly one year ago, the national hero suffered a torn tendon that was repaired by stem cells extracted from his sternum. After adequate training, the horse is expected to return to the racing scene and defend his title at the Cox Plate.
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10/25/2008
Two years ago, Penny Thomas became the first American to be successfully treated for Parkinson’s disease by undergoing a stem cell transplant in Beijing. The procedure consisted of a transplantation of 3 million stem cells into Thomas’s brain. Now, she says the procedure has given her a life back and has allowed her to enjoy the natural beauty of her home state of Hawaii.
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10/25/2008
Ron Spaulding, a victim of a near-fatal heart attack, decided to take action to cure his weakening heart by participating in a stem cell experiment that has the potential to repair damaged and immature cells. Since undergoing the treatment, Spaulding said that he has experienced steadier breathing and improved health. Doctors profess that treatments such as these could one day eliminate the need for heart transplants.
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10/23/2008
In India, researchers and scientists at the Fortis-Escorts Heart and Super Specialty Hospital are suggesting stem cell therapies that have never before been performed in the area. Doctors believe that the regenerative capabilities of transplanted stem cells have the ability to cure spinal cord injuries and damage that afflict a large number of individuals.
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10/22/2008
Researchers report today that they have grown prostate glands—important for reproduction in male mammals—in mice using a single stem cell transplanted from the prostates of donor mice. The findings may pave the way to new therapies for prostate cancer, which strikes one in six men in the U.S. Given the ability of stem cells to divide indefinitely, investigators have debated their possible role in the development of the disease. Defining which cells in the prostate are actually stem cells, however, has been difficult.
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10/21/2008
Lithuanian scientists are investigation the possibility of using stem cells to help revive a heart that has been damaged by a heart attack. The Lithuanian-language daily Lietuvos Rytas reported that the first stem cells have already been tested on a rabbit named "Roger" at the Lithuanian Veterinary Academy. The scientists are rearing stem cells in laboratories in Vilnius and Kaunas for transplantation in ailing human hearts. "In near future, we will use the patient's stem cells for restoration of the cardiac muscle. After transplantation into a damaged section of heart, it will naturalize, multiply and compensate for the weakened cardiac function," said doctor Arvydas Skeberdis, head of the Cell Culture Laboratory of the Cardiology Institute.
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10/21/2008
Stem cell researcher Dr. Shinya Yamanaka spoke at the Gladstone Institute in San Francisco on October 2, to present a new method for reprogramming skin cells from mice into embryonic-like cells that can differentiate into other types of cells. “If this approach works in human cells, it opens the door to finally generating patient-specific stem cells for therapeutic applications and discovery of disease mechanisms,” said Dr. Deepak Srivastava, director of the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease. “This represents a key hurdle in the stem cell field, and Shinya’s discovery may obviate many of the ethical concerns surrounding human embryonic stem cell research.”
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10/21/2008
The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) joined with other leading scientists to issue an open letter to reiterate the urgent need for U.S. support for all types of stem cell research. The Society is the world's preeminent professional organization of stem cell researchers. The letter is in response to critics who, the authors’ state, are using recent advances in adult stem cell research to advocate for restrictions on embryonic stem cell research. These scientists warn that efforts to favor one arm of stem cell research at the expense of another are based on unsound interpretations of scientific discoveries.
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10/21/2008
An increased number of diseases that are either incurable or difficult to treat allure clinicians to approach stem cell therapy. Highly prized, due to their therapeutic potential, stem cell therapies are believed to treat a wide variety of diseases. Stem cell research has progressed at a fast pace; however; both adult and embryonic stem cells have their own unique challenges that must be overcome before therapies make it to the market. Adult stem cell therapies were traditionally thought to have poor therapeutic potential because they could only be produced in limited quantities or as needed. Now adult stem cells have the potential to become standardized, pre-made therapies that can be mass produced.
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10/20/2008
Born with optic nerve hypoplasia, Kenidee Benton only knows her parents by the pitch of their voices and the unique contours of their faces. Optic nerve hypoplasia is a congenital condition that causes the underdevelopment of optic nerves. After her diagnosis, Kenidee's American doctors gave her young parents little reason to hope. That was before the Bentons learned about an experimental treatment thousands of miles across the world - one that other parents of children with optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH) says works. At the Beike Biotechnology Clinic in Hangzhou, China, parents have told Kenidee's grandparents that their children have been injected with multiple courses of umbilical stem cells in their spines and, as a result, regained some of their vision. Now Kenidee’s parents are trying to raise $75,000 to take her to China for umbilical cord stem cell treatments in an effort to restore some of her vision.
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10/19/2008
Experiments on mice have led to the identification of stem cells that can produce fat, say researchers. Experts at The Rockefeller University in New York say that though they have yet to determine that the cells can renew themselves, transplants of the progenitor cells isolated from the fat tissue of normal mice can restore normal fat tissue in animals that are otherwise lacking it. “In obesity, there is an increase in fat cell number. The question is: what are the events that lead to that increase? You need to know how fat cell number is normally regulated to know what goes wrong in obesity. Identifying fat cell precursors is a first step toward understanding this process,” said Matthew Rodeheffer of The Rockefeller University.
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10/16/2008
Recently, scientists in Europe developed a method for creating embryonic-like stem cells from sperm-producing testicular cells to provide an alternative approach to harvesting stem cells. Embryonic stem cells can be utilized to cure common human diseases and the ability to reprogram testicular cells is indicative of the promising potential of ongoing stem cell research to lead to revolutionary treatment options.
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10/13/2008
Prior to her seven stem cell infusions, Savannah Underwood was told that she would never again be able to see. To cure her blindness, Savannah’s parents took a chance on stem cell transplantation and traveled to China to undergo medical procedures. After her fourth infusion, Savannah already showed remarkable signs of improvement, defying the expectations of both doctors and her family.
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10/13/2008
Looking at him from the waist up you would think Brandon Meinke was a perfectly normal four year old boy. But from the waist down, it’s clear something is wrong. Brandon was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a disorder that affects the nerves and causes paralysis. There's no cure here in the states, that's why his grandparents are raising all the money they can to send him to China for stem cell injections. Ron Martin, Brandon's grandfather, says "He started walking early on and we noticed there was a problem, he was swinging his hips to get his legs to move." Now Brandon struggles to crawl and can no longer use his walker. "Thinking on the positive side, my hope is that he comes home and walks off the plane and I think that's a real possibility, I'm not getting my hopes up to that point because everybody is different, it effects them all differently," says Martin.
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10/13/2008
A group of researchers in Lausanne, Switzerland have published a study that shows how the cornea uses stem cells to repair itself. Using mouse models, they demonstrate that daily wear and tear on the cornea is repaired from stem cells residing in the corneal epithelium, and that more serious repair jobs require the involvement of other stem cells that migrate from the limbus, a region between the cornea and the conjunctiva—the white part of the eye. The integrity of the cornea, the transparent outer layer of the eye, is critical for vision. Treatment options for millions of people around the world who suffer from partial or complete blindness due to loss of transparency in their corneas normally involve corneal transplants, but more recently, stem cell therapy is becoming an option. During the study, researchers demonstrated that the epithelium of the cornea also contains stem cells, and that these cells have the capacity to generate two different epithelial tissues: corneal (covering
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10/13/2008
A Mom and Dad are pinning their hopes on pioneering stem cell treatment abroad to help their severely disabled daughter. Jazmin Adamson, six, was born with cerebral palsy and cannot speak or sit up on her own. After researching every possible treatment, the Abramsons found stem cell therapy to be a viable option. However, the stem cell treatment is not available in the UK. The Abramsons must travel to Cologne Germany so Jazmin can undergo a stem cell transplant using her own stem cells. Doctors will harvest stem cells from Jazmin's hip which will help repair the damage caused to the muscles which prevents her from controlling her limbs.
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10/13/2008
Lew DiBernardi had been one of the top soccer players in Western Pennsylvania. Always fit both mentally and physically for any opponent, Dibardi now faces his toughest challenge yet, mantel cell lymphoma, which is cancer of the immune system. Over the past year and a half he has undergone both surgery to remove tumors and a stem cell transplant. Dibemardi’s sister ended being the perfect match for the stem cells, but for the large number of patients who don’t have compatible donors in their families the options for finding a stem cell match may come from finding a donor through the National Marrow Donor Program or from umbilical cord blood drawn from newborn infants and stored for future use.
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10/13/2008
10-month-old, Jakob Bielskis, who was born without site, is traveling China from Canada with his parents who hope stem cell therapy will give him some sight. The use of stem cells for this type of treatment is still in early stages of development. Jakob has optic nerve hypoplasia, which means the nerves from his eyes to his brain failed to develop properly in utero. There are no drugs, treatments or surgeries offered in Canada for his condition. Stem cells have the ability to become any type of cell to form skin, bones, organs or other body parts. The therapy is controversial in North America because the best source of stem cells is thought to be from human embryos. However, the doctors in China who perform this procedure derive the stem cells from umbilical cord blood.
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10/13/2008
Salt Lake researchers are launching a groundbreaking clinical trial to see if adult stem cell transplants will reverse or prevent kidney failure. If it works, it will be the kind of self-healing everybody has been waiting for. Stem cell transplants have proven successful in animal experiments in Germany and Salt Lake, but now the time has come to start clinical trials in humans. Two patients here have already had the stem cell transplants. Open heart surgery places a lot of stress on the kidneys, patients who have other complications often go into kidney failure. That's why this group has been selected for the clinical trial. A special kind of adult stem cell taken from the bone marrow of living donors will be injected into the blood stream shortly after their heart surgeries. Christof Westenfelder, M.D., the Chief Medical Officer at Allocure, said "These cells, after they read what's going on in the injured organ, then instruct the surviving cells in the injured organ to defend themse
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10/13/2008
Despite some uncertainty surrounding stem cell research, increasing amounts of people are viewing stem cell banking as an extra step that they can take to protect their children from fatal diseases. More and more parents are beginning to see stem cell storage as much more than a medical process—it is an emotional one that gives families added protection and insurance should their loved ones face any medical emergencies.
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10/13/2008
The civic-run Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital inaugurated the state’s first Stem Cell Genetic Research Centre on Tuesday. “Of the eight patients to whom we have provided the stem cell treatment, six have shown positive results,” said Dr Prerna Badhe, stem cell consultant at the hospital. Sunderlal was one of those patients. Eight years after a spinal cord injury, Sunderlal was paralyzed completely. He found hope in the stem cell therapy and regained sensation in his lower limbs after the treatment. Like Sunderlal, there are 200 other patients waiting to undergo therapy at the hospital. The center is now equipped with both machinery and technical expertise to treat patients with spinal cord injury, brain injury, and many other neurological disorders. Stem cell therapy is a promising treatment to cure diabetes (especially type I) by rejuvenating pancreatic insulin. Stem cell therapy also shows promise to cure cardiac problems, Parkinson’s disease, eye injury, macular degenerat
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10/13/2008
While China has invested in stem cell research and clinical trials involving humans, the United States continues to conduct its testing of stem cell treatments only with animals. In an effort to speed up the research process, residents of the United States are beginning to travel overseas to participate in clinical trials. As this is occurring, medical professionals suggest that America is almost at the tipping point of including humans in the testing of treatments for stem cells and spinal cord injuries.
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10/13/2008
Trey DesJardin is a high school senior from Indiana who has battled far greater obstacles than most people have to deal with in a lifetime. During his sophomore year, Trey was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and was worried he would have to stop playing football forever, one of his many passions. Refusing to stop fighting, Trey underwent a stem cell transplant that has left Trey and his family optimistic for an active and promising future.
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10/13/2008
Recent stem cell research indicates that reduced-intensity allogenic stem cell treatments can be effective in treating low-grade and follicular lymphoma. Unlike allogenic stem cell treatments of regular intensity, the low-intensity method reduces the treatment-related mortality rate, providing a greater survival rate for individuals with low-grade lymphoma.
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10/13/2008
Recent research conducted in mice indicates that vascular stem cell transplants can lead to improved functionality of the ischemic brain after suffering a stroke. The research suggests the potential for human stem cells to improve functionality and minimize damage in the brain after life-threatening cerebral artery occlusions.
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10/13/2008
Ongoing stem cell research reveals the potential for these cells to cure fatal diseases such as: leukemia, Parkinson’s, and lymphoma, but they also demonstrate the ability to treat other life-altering conditions such as deafness. The latest research by Deafness Research UK involves transforming stem cells into normal “hair” cells, which are absent in individuals with severe hearing loss.
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10/12/2008
Dr. Yamanaka of Kyoto University continues to advance the field of stem cell research and has recently developed a method of reprogramming adult stem cells to embryonic stem cells that does not involve the injection of a virus. The elimination of a cancer-causing oncogene, or virus in this process reduces the risk to of activating or deactivating critical host genes and improves the safety of the transformation process.
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10/9/2008
For years, stem cell research and the benefits of cord blood banking have attracted the attention of parents looking to protect themselves and their children from over 70 diseases. The non-invasive techniques utilized in preserving umbilical cord blood can help treat common diseases such as: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and spinal cord injuries.
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10/9/2008
Scientists have helped to develop molecular tools that can transform stem cells into other forms of tissue. The groundbreaking research will be used in drug development programs and could also help reduce the number of animals used in research. Stem cells are a special type of cell that has the ability to renew other cells in the body. Stem cell scientists are discovering ways to re-program these stem cells to become different tissue types of the body. The collaborative team of scientists from Durham University's Stockton campus and the North East England Stem Cell Institute (NESCI) has developed two synthetic molecules to coax stem cells to transform into other forms of tissue.
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10/9/2008
Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine say that a single stem cell can repopulate damaged skeletal muscle in mice and have devised a way to track the cell's fate in living animals. The research is the first to confirm that so-called “satellite cells” encircling muscle fibers harbor an elusive muscle stem cell. Identifying and isolating such a cell in humans would have profound therapeutic implications for disorders such as muscular dystrophy, injury and muscle wasting due to aging, disuse or disease.
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10/9/2008
Researchers from Rochester, N.Y., and Colorado have revealed that manipulating stem cells prior to transplantation may lead to improved spinal cord repair methods. When nerve fibers are injured in the spinal cord, the severed ends of the nerve fibers fail to regenerate and reconnect with the nervous system circuitry beyond the site of the injury. During early development, the astrocytes cells of the brain and spine are highly supportive of nerve fiber growth, and scientists believe that if properly directed, these cells could play a key role in regenerating damaged nerves in the spinal cord. Rather than transplanting naive stem cells, the team has adopted an approach of pre-differentiating stem cells into better-defined populations of these brain cells. These stem cells are then selected for their ability to promote recovery.
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10/9/2008
After being diagnosed with leukemia three years ago, Lita Jempson underwent five courses of chemotherapy. It was harsh, but the disease went into remission. Then last year, at the age of 39, the cancer returned. Doctors had hoped for a bone marrow donor, but none could be found. Five months ago, Lita was offered a cutting-edge treatment using a special type of blood - taken from a newborn's umbilical cord. Over the past decade, cord blood therapy has started to transform the treatment of blood disorders such as leukemia.
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10/9/2008
Bryony Coleman, at the Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne Australia, is conducting world-first research into the potential of using stem cells to regenerate the nerves that connect the ear to the brain. If successful, the stem cell technique could be used to improve the quality of hearing in people with cochlear implants — and one day it may even help restore hearing to those who are totally deaf.
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10/9/2008
Chloe Levine was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age one. At that time, her right side was nearly paralyzed. A year later, she can say her nickname and is walking normally and jumping on beds. An experimental stem-cell procedure, using her own stem cells, helped improve the toddler’s mobility. The experimental stem cell procedure again expanded the remarkable range of bodily failures that stem cells can repair. At birth, the Levine’s decided to bank Chloe’s umbilical cord blood as an added safety measure. "Two things I've always worried about for my family are car accidents and cancer," Levine said. "You can get car insurance and health insurance for those, but cord blood is another kind of insurance because the stem cells can help in car accidents, cancer and a lot of other problems."
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10/9/2008
Both Senators Barack Obama and John McCain have expressed their own views on the future of stem cell research and voters continue to evaluate those beliefs before heading to the polls in November. Umbilical cord blood stem cells have shown the potential to cure a variety of diseases, and further research will only expand the possibilities of saving lives and protecting the health of families around the nation.
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10/9/2008
Stem cell researchers at the University of Edinburgh have suggested that stem cells can be transformed into liver and pancreatic cells to provide a potential cure for a disease that affects a large proportion of the world’s population. The use of stem cells to treat Diabetes will reduce patients’ dependence on insulin injections and these cells can be purified to eliminate the creation of tumors that currently result from many stem cell transplants.
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10/8/2008
As individuals grow older, many experience a deterioration of their gut cells, which leads to the failure of the body to replenish the gut wall and can ultimately cause intestinal cancer. Stem cell research has led scientists to explore the process involved in regulating, monitoring, and stimulating the transformation of adult stem cells into mature gut cells to reduce the occurrence of intestinal cancer in older people.
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10/7/2008
Approximately 75,000 people in America suffer from Cerebral Palsy, with more and more cases being diagnosed every day. Recent stem cell research provides hope for these patients. 2-year old Chloe Levine has experienced first-hand the ability of stem cells to provide cures for the most common and destructive disease affecting both adults and children.
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9/21/2008
Stem cell therapy is gaining popularity in veterinary medicine. Crystal Myers, the owner of Cooper, a Bernese Mountain dog, was given the options of replacement surgery or amputation for her 2-year-old pet who suffered from an arthritic joint. She decided she wouldn't settle without finding a third opinion. After weeks of research, she discovered a veterinary clinic that was willing to give stem cell treatment a shot. Cooper underwent the regenerative surgery in early August and within days he was putting most of his weight back on his arthritic joint. Cooper, who was the first dog to be treated with stem cells at the Santa Cruz Westside Animal Hospital, went from having an arthritic joint to being able to leap in and out of a Ford F-150 pickup with the tailgate still up.
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8/16/2008
Women in the city of Chennai will soon have the option of banking their menstrual blood so that it can be used for treatment of serious disorders through stem cell therapy. LifeCell International, in technology partnership with Cryo-Cell International, will set up the facility, which will be the first to store menstrual blood in the country. Menstrual blood contains millions of stem cells that have many properties and characteristics similar to those of stem cells found in bone marrow and embryos. These stem cells exhibit capabilities for self-renewal and multi-potency," says LifeCell International Executive Director, Mayur Abhaya. The biggest advantage of menstrual blood, according to LifeCell Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Ajit Kumar, is that it can be easily harvested in a painless, non-invasive manner. "And it also extends the scope of stem cell therapy to a larger section of the people. Cord blood is an option open to only those who are pregnant or those planning babies," says Dr.
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8/15/2008
Researchers from Italy have reported that the injection of umbilical cord blood stem cells directly into the pelvic bones of patients with leukemia appears promising. Transplantation of bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cells, and umbilical cord blood stem cells is accomplished by intravenous infusion. The original studies of human bone marrow transplantation were carried out by direct infusion into bone marrow spaces. However, this approach was abandoned as there was no advantage in speed or rate of engraftment over intravenous infusion. Since the early days of transplantation, there have been sporadic attempts to evaluate intra-osseous infusion of stem cells, but no advantage over intravenous infusion was ever found. The reason for this is thought to be that direct infusion of stem cells into the marrow cavity is in fact identical to intra-arterial or intra-venous infusion, and most stem cells enter the general circulation before homing into marrow spaces throughout the body.
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8/15/2008
Just over a month ago attorney Teresa Walker Mason, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Thomas L. Walker and Joyce N. Walker, began her medical quest to Qingdao, China, to receive stem cell treatments not available in the United States. The debilitating and deadly hereditary condition she was diagnosed with a year ago, at age 39, is Olivopontocerebellar atrophy, a specific form of the neurological condition Ataxia. There is no precise treatment for her condition; therefore, Mason sought treatment at a Chinese hospital that uses stem cells obtained from umbilical cords from live births. Mason said while she has experienced immediate results from the treatments, her doctors in China indicate that it will take two to six months for the stems cells to effectively synchronize with her existing cells. She said there are noticeable improvements, although she still feels herself trembling a little when she is tired, and her gait is not completely smooth.
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8/14/2008
Dr. Joshua Hare, who leads the University of Miami's new Stem Cell Institute, believes medicine is close to a goal long thought to be impossible, healing the human heart. The solution? Stem cells. "These could be as big as antibiotics were in the last century," said Hare. "Stem cells have the potential to have that kind of impact. Diseases like heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, liver failure — we will be able to transition them into things you live with." Stem cells, only one-thousandth the size of a grain of sand, are the master cells of the body, the source from which all other cells are created.
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8/14/2008
A team of researchers at Wake Forest University in North Carolina has extracted stem cells from amniotic fluid that have been found able to grow new organ tissue. This could be used, the scientists say, to treat newborns with serious health problems diagnosed in utero. The technique of creating tissue from amniotic fluid and placental stem cells, said Dr. Anthony Atala, could potentially work to cure "any abnormality that would not be lethal before a baby is born." Similar to embryonic stem cells (ESC), AFS cells, like those derived from umbilical cord blood, are "pluripotent," meaning they can potentially be manipulated to become many different types of mature tissues while avoiding not only the killing of embryonic human beings to obtain them, but also the problem of tumor formation immune system rejection. Dr. Atala has also said they are slightly easier to deal with and manipulate in animal trials, than ESC.
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8/10/2008
Advancements in intrabone injections of stem cells from umbilical cord blood show signs of reduced grafting issues and graft-versus-host disease. Cord blood transplantation is an effective treatment for haematological malignancies, but only a small number of adult patients can undergo this procedure due to the high proportion of graft failures that occur and the high incidence of graft-versus-host disease that follows. According to findings, this technique of intrabone injection of umbilical cord blood cells is potentially useful in a large number of adult patients with acute leukemia.
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8/10/2008
A team of scientists from Harvard Medical School, Children’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the University of Washington, have produced a library of stem cells based on ordinary skin and bone marrow cells from patients. They say they plan to share the discovery with other stem cell researchers. A new laboratory has been created to serve as a repository for the stem cells, and to distribute them to other scientists researching the diseases.
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8/9/2008
Every time three-year-old Bethanie Thomson looks at her little brother, she will be staring at the boy who saved her life. The young leukemia sufferer is recovering after receiving a life-saving stem cell transplant from her baby brother – without which she would have faced certain death. Bethanie was diagnosed with leukemia when she was just six months old. After fighting off the disease long enough to learn to walk and to start enjoying a normal childhood, she relapsed at age two – just before her little brother Joshua was born. Using blood rich in stem cells from Joshua’s umbilical cord, doctors were able to perform the life saving stem cell transplant. Now Bethanie is on the road to recovery.
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8/9/2008
Stem cell therapy with stored umbilical cord blood could have saved the life of a once desperately sick Australian teenager. After failing to find a bone marrow match, a one in 70 million shot, doctors decided there was no option but to use stem cells from the cord blood of a baby recently listed on an international register. This ended months of uncertainty for the Woodvale teen, who has had a rare blood disorder, which recently turned into a time-bomb with a risk of becoming deadly leukemia.
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8/8/2008
Stem cells have helped to accelerate the healing of severe leg fractures in Australian trials. The research involved five men and four women who had suffered the worst type of compound bone fractures in serious road accidents, some of whom still could not walk up to 41 months after their accidents. In the procedure, bone marrow stem cells are harvested from the patient's pelvis in a non-invasive day procedure using a needle. The stem cells are cultivated in a laboratory until they have divided to create 15 billion stem cells over six weeks. Surgeons then applied the stem cells directly to the fractures. One patient in the trial, 36 year-old Anthony Giancola, was walking the following day.
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8/3/2008
In a breakthrough discovery, Dr. Kevin Eggan, Chief Scientific Officer of The New York Stem Cell Foundation and Principal Faculty Member of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, has produced human stem cell lines from the cells of patients afflicted with a version of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The work, published in the on-line edition of the journal Science, is a major step toward scientists' belief that stem cell research will eventually make it possible to treat patients suffering from chronic diseases with stem cell-based treatments created from their own cells.
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8/3/2008
Scientists at Harvard University and Columbia University found a new technique for reprogramming stem cells which permitted them to grow neurons from cell samples that had been donated by individuals suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease, also called ALS. The finding, which is definitely an important step forward in stem cell research, may trigger to an understanding of how the Lou Gehrig’s disease develops.
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8/2/2008
A new technique for reprogramming cells has allowed scientists to grow neurons from cell samples donated by people suffering from Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) that genetically match the bad cells in the spinal cords of ALS patients. This breakthrough may lead to an understanding of how the disease develops and further advancement in stem cell therapy. Stem cells have the capability of developing into various cell types in the body and can act as a repair system within the body. The stem cells can continue to divide and replace other cells in the body as long as the body lives. Stem cells divide and each new cell can remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a specialized function.
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7/31/2008
Umbilical cords are usually discarded after birth, but stem cells can be extracted from their blood and kept in cold storage to later be used to help regenerate tissue such as bone marrow, making the stem cells important for treating illnesses. Because the stem cells are from the recipient, there is no wait for a donor and theoretically no rejection risk.
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7/31/2008
Cedric Hopkins, a nineteen-year old from Fredericksburg, Virginia, recently received word from his doctors that he can have a transplant using the umbilical cord blood stem cells of a newborn baby instead of bone marrow stem cells. Hopkins, diagnosed with stage four non-Hodgkins lymphoma in August 2007, was slated to receive a bone marrow transplant twice earlier this year, but doctors were unable to find a match. However, Hopkins recently received word from his doctors that he can have a transplant using the umbilical cord blood stem cells of a newborn baby instead.
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7/28/2008
Two months after the Pinetop, Arizona toddler, Chloe Levine, was infused with stem cells from her own umbilical-cord blood, Levine has made a 50 percent recovery and is walking, running and able to use her right hand. Umbilical-cord blood was used to treat 2-year-old Chloe Levine, who was born with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that prevented her from using the right side of her body.
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7/26/2008
Monique and Sean O’Neill, parents of five year old Liam O’Neill, who was diagnosed at birth with cystic fibrosis, made the decision to bank Liam’s younger brother Lenny’s umbilical cord blood in hopes the recent developments in the stem cell therapy could help in treating Liam’s disease. Now the New Zealand youngster will take part in a stem cell research project aimed at finding a therapy to treat his disease.
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7/18/2008
Research is paving the way for stem cell therapy as a way to repair blood-deprived regions of organs that have been damaged by heart attacks and other conditions. Researchers withdrew stem cells from the blood or bone marrow of adults or the umbilical cord blood of newborns. The cells were combined with two different types of progenitor cells in a culture dish of nutrients and growth factors. The cells were then implanted into mice with weakened immune systems.
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7/17/2008
Umbilical cord blood is increasingly being used by transplant centers as an alternative source of stem cells for the treatment of blood cancers, including myeloma. Topcancernews.com recently reported research being conducted on a CD26 Inhibitor that enhanced the directional homing of stem cells to the bone marrow by increasing the responsiveness of donor stem cells to a natural homing signal. With the relatively limited number of stem cells available in umbilical cord blood, the objective in this research is to increase the transplant efficiency of umbilical cord blood and make stem cell transplants safer.
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7/11/2008
Research performed by scientists in Grenada and Leon suggests that stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood have the potential to cure various hepatic diseases such as hepatitis. These studies introduce critical treatment methods for such illnesses other than liver transplants, which have become increasingly difficult to perform due to a lack of donors. According to a scientific paper to be published in the journal “Cell Transplantation,” human umbilical cord blood cells are useful for hepatic regenerative medicine, as they are capable of nesting in the liver after carrying out a xenotransplant from human to rat.
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7/10/2008
C’elle Virtual Broadcast Center Launches on July 10th at 12 noon EDT; Ground-Breaking Stem Cell Research and Introduction of C’elle, the Innovative New Service to Preserve Stem Cells Found in Menstrual Blood to be Showcased
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7/7/2008
Once chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant had failed, stem cell therapy was the last hope for young Jordan Harden. Leukemia was attacking Jordan's blood cells and killing him. After receiving a stem cell transplant which involved stem cells from the umbilical cord blood of a baby in Spain, Jordan, now 3, is recovering with his family in Scotland and growing healthier by the day.
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7/3/2008
Researchers at the B.C. Cancer Agency have begun to investigate the benefits of examining genes found in some stem cells that act as cancer “factories”, speeding up the spread of tumors throughout the body. Studies of these genes located in normal stem cells may allow scientists to inhibit and eventually eliminate the development of cancerous stem cells, which are the cause of one of the most destructive diseases affecting women today.
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6/30/2008
Researchers at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in La Jolla, CA have for the first time converted stem cells to nerve cells, and implanted them into mice. The scientists involved report this being a major stem in moving forward with stem cell based research and stem cell therapies.
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6/29/2008
A unique study developed by researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver has revealed safe methods for utilizing bone-marrow stem cells to slow the development of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The disease currently has no cure, but recent scientific developments suggest that stem cell stimulators can potentially improve the body’s repair system without creating adverse effects for ALS patients.
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