Category Archives: Colorado Stem Cells

Shots of a stunningly detailed embryonic gecko hand, an otherworldly slime mold and a psychedelically stained segment of dinosaur bone are among some of the intricate and awe-inspiring entries in a recent microscopic photography contest.

The Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, which has been running for almost 50 years, is a specialist event that blends "science and artistry under the microscope," organizers said in a statement (opens in new tab). The contest, which highlights the beauty of incredibly small things, is open to anyone as long as the images are captured using a light microscope. This year's top 20 images were revealed by event organizers on Oct. 11.

Grigorii Timin, a doctoral student at the University of Geneva in Switzerland, won first prize at this year's competition with a painstakingly curated shot of a developing gecko hand stained with fluorescent dyes. Captured under the supervision of Michel Milinkovitch, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of Geneva, the winning picture is a composite of thousands of individual images that have been stitched together.

"The scan consists of 300 tiles, each containing about 250 optical sections, resulting in more than two days of acquisition and approximately 200 GB of data," Timin said in the statement. The developing lizard's hand is around 0.12 inch (3 millimeters) long, which is a massive subject to capture with microscopic detail, he added.

Related: Hidden secrets revealed in microscopic images of ancient artifacts

Researchers stained the gecko's nerves with a cyan-tinted dye and colored the reptile's bones, tendons, ligaments, skin and blood cells in warmer colors like yellow and orange. Zooming in on particular regions of the image reveals how "structures [within the hand] are organized at a cellular level," Timin said.

However, the multi-colored gecko hand was not the only image that stole the show at this year's competition.

Alison Pollack, a California-based photographer who specializes in macro and extreme macro photography, won 5th place with a stunning shot of a slime mold from the genus Lamproderma. The iridescent blue structure, which looks like some sort of alien tree, is the organism's reproductive fruiting body. However, like all slime molds, the strange specimen is one individual cell with no internal membranes and multiple nucleuses dotted throughout its body. The image is also a composite, this time of more than 100 images stitched together.

"Despite the rather unflattering common name, slime molds are astonishingly beautiful organisms," Pollack told Live Science in an email. "While they grow in almost any kind of environment all over the world, they are little known because they are so tiny."

This particular slime mold was collected by Pollack from a leaf just outside her home after heavy rainfall. The best place to look for slime molds is in woodland areas after it has rained, Pollock said. Anyone can go hunting for the bizarre creatures, but "unless you have very good eyes, they are best found with the aid of a light and a good magnifying lens," she added.

Randy Fullbright, a photographer based near the Dinosaur National Monument in Utah, took 13th place with a boldly colored shot of a dinosaur bone fragment stained yellow and blue. The bone likely belonged to a sauropod a group of large dinosaurs with long tails and necks, such as Brachiosaurus and Diplodocus and was uncovered at a ranch at the Morrison Formation in northwest Colorado, which dates back to around 150 million years ago toward the end of the Jurassic period, Fullbright told Live Science in an email. The specimen was cut using a diamond saw, and the minerals within the bone were stained different colors, he added.

"I feel very blessed for the opportunity to show a world that most will never see," Fullbright said.

Tenth place in the competition went to Murat ztrk, a Turkish photographer based in Ankara, with a breathtaking shot of a fly trapped under the chin of a tiger beetle. The fly appears to be struggling to escape the beetle's death grip the beetle is sticking its mandibles, or serrated mouthparts, into its prey's eyes.

Tiger beetles, which are a subfamily of ground beetles known as Cicindelinae, are the fastest-running insects on Earth. The fastest tiger beetle species, Rivacindela hudsoni, can run at around 5.6 mph (9km/h), which is around 120 times its own body length per second. In 2014, a study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B (opens in new tab), showed that, at this speed, R. hudsoni becomes functionally blind while running and relies on its antennae to see its prey instead of using its eyes.

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Other noteworthy images include a multi-colored mural of human neurons derived from stem cells, a neatly stacked tower of moth eggs and the luminous network of nerve cells inside a zebrafish embryo's tail.

Past winners of Nikon's Small World competition include a helix-shaped plankton, a mosquito's heart and a fluorescent, rainbow-colored turtle embryo.

On Sept. 13, the winners of Nikon's Small World in Motion competition the sister competition that focuses on the very best microscopic videos produced by scientists and photographers announced its winners. The standout video was a "completely hypnotic" donut of swirling cell microtubules.

Editor's note: This article was updated Oct.12 at 4:35 a.m. ET to correct the age of the dinosaur bone fragment following new information received from the photographer.

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Glowing embryonic gecko hand and otherworldly slime mold amaze in winning microscope photos - Livescience.com

LOUISVILLE, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company at the forefront of building the future of space transportation and infrastructure for low-Earth orbit (LEO) commercialization, and University of California San Diego, one of the worlds top 15 research universities and a leader in microgravity research, have formed a new agreement with the goal of defining the future of human health care research in space.

In a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two organizations, Sierra Space and UC San Diego agreed to collaborate on Orbital Reef, the first commercial space station in LEO, to expand the universitys Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research (ISSCOR) program, which is currently operational on the International Space Station (ISS). Together they will help define and shape the future of biotech and biopharma research and development in microgravity.

This agreement with UC San Diego is a major breakthrough in human health care research conducted in space and signals the beginning of a new era of discovery, said Tom Vice, Sierra Space CEO. Through our collaboration, the highly impactful work that researchers are already doing on the International Space Station today can expand and deliver even greater impact for humanity. As the ISS completes its time in service, UC San Diego will now have a place to grow and expand its vital research in biotech and biopharma with full, on-orbit biomanufacturing and biofabrication centers to foster breakthrough advancements and products in medical science that will benefit all life on Earth.

Microgravity and radiation exposure in low-Earth orbit offers a unique opportunity to study stem cell aging and pre-cancer development in a compressed time frame in a manner that is unavailable on Earth, said Catriona Jamieson, MD, PhD, a stem cell biologist, hematologist and director of the new UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute, funded with a $150 million gift from philanthropist T. Denny Sanford.

In collaboration with NASA, our Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research team has launched six missions carrying stem cells and stem cell-derived organoids into LEO. We are learning things that we never could under normal gravity; knowledge that can elevate the search for new pre-cancer diagnostics and therapeutics that eradicate cancer at its earliest stages into addition to a broad array of degenerative diseases that arise as a result of stem cell dysfunction.

UC San Diego will provide input to Sierra Space on the design and concept of operations for providing new, state-of-the-art biomanufacturing, biofabrication and related in-space laboratory capabilities and services to industry, academia and government researchers. The university will also participate in a Sierra Space-led in-space biomanufacturing research consortium of industry, academia, philanthropic and government researchers that will focus on R&D objectives, priorities and technical requirements.

Sierra Space will lead the development, launch and deployment of space habitats to establish the necessary infrastructure for UC San Diego and other partners to conduct microgravity research and in-space manufacturing. The companys Dream Chaser spacecraft, the worlds only winged commercial spaceplane, will provide transportation to LEO, while its Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) modules will offer ample habitable spaces in which to live and work on orbit.

Sierra Space recently made two key appointments to lead development of research capabilities for future LEO commercialization. Dr. Jonathan Volk, Senior Manager of In-Space Manufacturing and Advanced Materials joined the company from Space Commerce Matters where he was the Director of Commercialization Strategies. Prior to this role, Volk was the Commercial Innovation Manager for Physical and Materials Science at the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), which managed the U.S. National Laboratory on the ISS. Dr. Marc Giulianotti takes on the role of Senior Manager, In-Space Biomanufacturing, joining Sierra Space from his role as Director of Science and Technology with the ISS U.S. National Laboratory. Dr. Giulianotti also has more than 20 years working in early drug discovery efforts at the Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies. Both Volk and Giulianotti will focus on advancing the transformative research and technologies in the commercial space destinations of the future.

About Sierra Space

Sierra Space (www.sierraspace.com) is a leading commercial space company at the forefront of innovation and the commercialization of space. Sierra Space is building platforms in space to benefit life on Earth. The company is in the latter stages of doubling its headcount, with large presences in Colorado, Florida and Wisconsin. Significant investors in Sierra Space include General Atlantic, Coatue, and Moore Strategic Ventures.

With more than 30 years and 500 missions of space flight heritage, Sierra Space is enabling the future of space transportation with Dream Chaser, the worlds only winged commercial spaceplane. Under construction at its Colorado headquarters and expected to launch in 2023 on the first of a series of NASA missions to the International Space Station, Dream Chaser can safely carry cargo - and eventually crew - to on-orbit destinations, returning to land on compatible commercial airport runways worldwide. Sierra Space is also building an array of in-space destinations for low-Earth orbit (LEO) commercialization including the LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) habitat at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a three-story commercial habitation and science platform designed for LEO. Both Dream Chaser and LIFE are central components to Orbital Reef, a mixed-use business park in LEO being developed by principal partners Sierra Space and Blue Origin, which is expected to be operational by 2027.

About UC San Diegos Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center

Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center (Sanford Center) is among the Universitys most highly visible and top priority interdisciplinary and multi-institutional programs. Sanford Center provides essential physical and human resources needed to leverage stem cell research currently being conducted at UC San Diego. Due to the complexity of regenerative medicine projects and substantial institutional investment, on a daily basis Sanford Center personnel works with a large variety of departments in Health Sciences, Health System, and the school of engineering.

As part of UC San Diego Health, Sanford Center motivates University-wide change and sustainability, focusing on creating the structure under which various innovative regenerative medicine units and initiatives are developed. Sanford Center has led several successful and highly visible interdisciplinary faculty recruitments, committing to over $48M towards faculty start-up, retention, and research funds for over 25 faculty members. Sanford Center also played a pivotal role in securing over $77M of grants from California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), awarded respectively to dept. of Bioengineering, Pediatrics, Cellular & Molecular Medicine, Medicine, Neurosciences, and Sanford Center.

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Sierra Space, UC San Diego Partner to Develop the First Stem Cell Research Institute in Space - Business Wire

Hematologic malignancies have been impacted heavily by the introduction of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, which has demonstrated long remission in major clinical trials and received approvals by the FDA. CAR T-cell therapy provides a new option for patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell lymphoma (BCL).

The current treatment landscape for patients with relapsed/refractory [BCL] looks extremely promising, thanks to the positive results from clinical trials and thus the subsequent FDA approvals of these therapeutics, Manali Kamdar, MD, associate professor of medicine-hematology and clinical director of lymphoma services at the University of Colorado Medicine in Aurora, said in an interview with the SOHO Daily News beforethe 10th Annual Meeting of the Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO 2022).

Kamdars presentation on September 30, 2022, at 1:40 pm during the conference concerns the question of when to use CAR T-cell therapy vs autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) in patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive BCL. She says the 3 phase 3 studies of CAR T-cell products that were presented at the 2021 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition (ASH 2021) have made a major difference in answering this question for high-risk patients.

Patients with diffuse large BCL who relapse within 12 months of frontline chemoimmunotherapy with R-CHOP (rituximab [Rituxan], cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine [Oncovin], prednisone) are considered primary refractory, and these patients have very poor outcomes. In the past, they would receive salvage chemotherapy followed by an ASCT. Kamdar says only a quarter of these high-risk patients would achieve long-term remission following ASCT.

This led to an urgent need for CAR T-cell therapy in the second line for these patients. CAR T cells had shown efficacy for R/R BCL, leading to the approval of these therapies in patients with at least 2 prior lines of treatment, the first being axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel; Yescarta) in 2017.1,2

The results of 3 pivotal phase 3 trials of CAR T-cell products were first presented at ASH 2021, comparing them with salvage chemotherapy and ASCT in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin BCL who relapsed within 12 months of frontline chemoimmunotherapy. The ZUMA-7 trial (NCT03391466) that evaluated axi-cel and the TRANSFORM trial (NCT03575351) that evaluated lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel; Breyanzi) showed significantly higher event-free survival (EFS) rates in patients who received CAR T-cell therapy vs ASCT, but the BELINDA trial (NCT03570892) that evaluated tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel; Kymriah) failed to show improved EFS over standard-of-care second-line therapy.3-5 Kamdar plans to discuss the possible reasons for the different outcomes of these trials in greater detail in her presentation.

With axi-cel and liso-cel receiving FDA approvals as second-line therapy, CAR T-cell therapy stands to replace ASCT in this stage of sequencing.6,7 Within this high-risk R/R large BCL subset, I will have to say I no longer recommend an ASCT based on these 2 positive studies, and that we take patients to CAR T-cell therapy, Kamdar said.

Kamdars presentation will focus on the outcomes demonstrated by these trials, including the statistically significant EFS, progression-free survival, and complete response rate of CAR T-cell therapy. Additionally, she will discuss the manageable levels of toxicity seen in the 2 positive trials, with no grade 4 or 5 cytokine release syndrome or neurotoxicity being reported. Longer follow-up is needed to observe overall survival outcomes and other long-term impacts of these therapies.

Despite these results, CAR T-cell therapy is not an option for those who are chemotherapy-sensitive who relapsed more than 12 months after frontline therapy. Currently, ASCT remains the standard of care, Kamdar said. But itd be nice to see [whether] there is something else that can actually be better.

Additionally, the role of CAR T-cell therapy is being investigated in patients who are transplant-ineligible in the phase 2 TRANSCEND-PILOT 017006 study (NCT03483103) that evaluates liso-cel. Durable responses to liso-cel were reported in the primary analysis presented at the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.8

For patients with high-risk R/R BCL, Kamdar says its crucial to start referring patients for CAR T-cell therapy as soon as they are determined to be primary refractory. CAR T-cell therapy is certainly a process that takes time, because manufacturing of the cells requires a minimum of 17 to 34 days based on the construct you choose, she said. Additionally, insurance approvals and logistical concerns can cause further delays to starting therapy. CAR T-cell production time and accessibility may be improved by new approaches that are being investigated, including allogeneic CAR T cells that do not require patients to undergo leukapheresis.

One rising area of need is therapies for patients who fail CAR T-cell therapy, who may have limited treatment options if they are CD19 negative. Kamdar anticipates that novel therapies, including bispecific antibodies, bispecific T-cell engagers, and natural killer T cells, could fill this unmet need in patients with R/R BCL. [Approximately] 20% of patients [in recent trials of bispecific agents] may have actually received prior CAR T-[cell therapy], and they are showing a response in patients who have failed prior CAR T-cell therapy, she said.

She suggests novel time-limited bispecific therapies will not only benefit those who relapsed or who cannot receive CAR T-cell therapy, but they are also valuable for physicians who want to treat patients while waiting to start CAR T-cell therapy.

Kamdar is looking forward to discussing the shift from ASCT to CAR T-cell therapy in second-line therapy in greater detail at SOHO 2022. Im very excited to see all my colleagues after so long, Kamdar said. Im thrilled to be able to connect in person with everyone. Its been too long.

REFERENCES:

1. Schuster SJ, Svoboda J, Chong EA, et al. Chimeric antigen receptor T cells in refractory B-cell lymphomas.N Engl J Med. 2017;377(26):2545-2554. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1708566

2. FDA approves CAR-T cell therapy to treat adults with certain types of large B-cell lymphoma. News release. FDA; October 18, 2017. Updated March 21, 2018. Accessed August 25, 2022. https://bit.ly/3ANA0k5

3. Locke FL, Miklos DB, Jacobson CA, et al. Axicabtagene ciloleucel as second-line therapy for large B-cell lymphoma.N Engl J Med. 2022;386(7):640-654. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2116133

4. Kamdar M, Solomon SR, Arnason J, et al. Lisocabtagene maraleucel versus standard of care with salvage chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation as second-line treatment in patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (TRANSFORM): results from an interim analysis of an open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2022;399(10343):2294-2308. Published correction appears in Lancet. 2022;400(10347):160.

5. Bishop MR, Dickinson M, Purtill D, et al. Second-line tisagenlecleucel or standard care in aggressive B-cell lymphoma.N Engl J Med. 2022;386(7):629-639. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2116596

6. FDA approves axicabtagene ciloleucel for second-line treatment of large B-cell lymphoma. FDA. April 1, 2022. Accessed August 25, 2022. https://bit.ly/3ANmZab

7. FDA approves lisocabtagene maraleucel for second-line treatment of large B-cell lymphoma. FDA. June 24, 2022. Accessed August 25, 2022. https://bit.ly/3Q52NVT

8. Seghal A, Hoda D, Riedell PA, et al. Lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) as second-line (2L) therapy for R/R large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) in patients (pt) not intended for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT): primary analysis from the phase 2 PILOT study. J Clin Oncol. 2022;40(suppl 16):7062. doi:10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.7062

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Second-Line BCL Treatment Landscape Shifts From ASCT to CAR T-Cell Therapy - Targeted Oncology

CellResearch Corporation, a Singapore-based biopharma company says it has successfully closed the first phase I study for CorLiCyte, a stem cell therapy derived from umbilical cord lining stem cells, with research partners at the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus and ClinImmune Cell and Gene Therapy.

CorLiCyte is in development for the treatment of serious conditions, with a first target indication of treating diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). In the study protocol nine patients with chronic DFU were treated with CorLiCyte twice weekly for eight weeks. None of the patients participating in the study experienced any treatment-related adverse events and all subjects saw a reduction in wound size during the treatment period.

These results are encouraging and can be used to support further research with CorLiCyte in future studies, with the potential to address unmet medical needs in treatment of patients with chronic DFUs, said Cecilia Low-Wang, lead investigator at the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus.

Acoording to University of Michigan Health, a diabetic foot ulcer is an open sore or wound that occurs in approximately 15% of patients with diabetes, and is commonly located on the bottom of the foot. Of those who develop a foot ulcer, 6% will be hospitalized due to infection or other ulcer-related complications.

Diabetes is the leading cause of nontraumatic lower extremity amputations in the U.S., and approximately 14 to 24% of patients with diabetes who develop a foot ulcer have an amputation.

CorLiCyte is a live mesenchymal stem cell therapy derived from human umbilical cord lining stem cells, with a proprietary optimized expression of cytokines, growth and cellular factors for the treatment of a number of serious health conditions. In addition to DFU, CellResearch Corporation is pursuing a range of potential indications at pre-clinical stage such as osteoarthritis, venous leg ulcers, chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.

CellResearch Corporation was founded in 2002 as a contract research provider focusing on skin cells. In 2004, the company made the discovery that the umbilical cord lining of mammals was an abundant source of both mesenchymal and epithelial stem cells. Today, the company owns this technology through a family of patents and holds the rights to commercialize this technology in most major markets globally.

CellResearch Corporation partner, Cordlife offers parents the opportunity to bank their childs umbilical cord tissue alongside their cord blood. Cordlife has what is believed to be the largest licensed bank of umbilical cord tissue globally. As cell therapies move into the clinic, Cordlife will have the ability to expand stem cells from a banked umbilical cord for autologous and donor-related uses.

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CellResearch Corporation reports positive results of DFU trial - Labiotech.eu

The University of Colorado Department of Ophthalmologys ocular stem cell and regeneration research program, CellSight, was awarded two prizes in the National Eye Institutes 3D Retinal Organoid Challenge (NEI 3D ROC).

The NEI, part of the National Institutes of Health, launched the three-phase challenge in 2017 to stimulate research using retina organoids. These organoids are similar to human retinas but aregrown in a lab from stem cells, enabling researchers to study eye diseases and treatments noninvasively.

CellSightDirectorValeria Canto-Soler, PhD, Doni Solich Family Chair in Ocular Stem Cell Research, led the team that won the NEI 3D ROCs disease modeling category, earning $500,000.Natalia Vergara, PhD, director ofCellSightsOcular Development and Translational Technologies Laboratory, led the research group that won the drug-screening category, earning $250,000.

According to a University of Colorado news release, Canto-Solers research group created a three-dimensional retinal model that recreates pathological features of age-related macular degeneration, with the ultimate goal of discovering new treatments for this blinding disease.

Its a privilege that we were able to participate in this endeavorand bring it to fruition, Canto-Soler, who is also an associate professor of ophthalmology at th CU School of Medicine, said in the universiys news release. This challenge is directed to what we all are trying to accomplish: move this field forward to be able to offer patients a therapy that helps them regain vision.

Vergara and her team continued their work in the third phase of the NEIs competition with their organoid model, having won phase II of the challenge in 2021.For phase III, they expanded their work to evaluate the effects of drug toxicities on the retina and developed a first-of-its-kind organoid model of Alzheimers disease retinopathy.

We are very excited because these awards are recognition of the work weve been doing for several years to bring these organoid technologies to the next level. We knew that there were certain challenges that needed to be overcome, mainly to provide a system that was robust enough that could be used for quantitative applications, Vergara explains. I think this project was successful because we were able to capitalize on a very diverse set of expertise to make something that will be really helpful for the scientific community and that will help us bring treatments to patients sooner.

This really shows how science has changed in the past several decades and how team science is the way to go now, she continues. When we work as a team, we can accomplish so much more than what any of us could accomplish on their own.

NEI Director Michael Chiang, MD, echoed the importance of team efforts behind the research.

All three of the teams exemplified this, Chiang says. I really love the spirit of all of you. The reason that were doing this is to cure blindness, eliminate vision loss, and improve quality of life.

The awards are a recognition ofCellSights contribution to the scientific community since its creation five years ago.

I want to congratulate Dr. Canto-Soler and Dr. Vergara on their well-deserved prizes in the NEIs 3D Retinal Organoid Challenge. I would also like to recognize the philanthropic supporters of theCellSightprogram, without whom we could not have assembled these great teams and fueled this pioneering work,Naresh Mandava, MD, chair of the CU Department of Ophthalmology and Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Endowed Chair in Retinal Diseases., said in the university news release. It is a testament to their tireless dedication to developing the science needed to find solutions for blinding retinal diseases. On behalf of my colleagues at the University of Colorado, we are so proud to see what we have already known as amazing science recognized in this fashion.

Vergara and Canto-Soler describe their research in videos, titled Improved Fluorescent Reporter Quantification-Based 3D Retinal Organoid Paradigms for Drug Screening" and 3D Human Model of AMD in a Dish. The projects are a collaboration with other research teams in the Department of Ophthalmology, theUniversity of Colorado Alzheimers and Cognition Center, NanoScope Technologies, LLC, and researchers at Miami University.

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University of Colorado's ocular stem cell and regenerative research program recognized - Ophthalmology Times

SEATTLE, Aug. 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AGC Biologics, a leading global Biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), announced today a strategic partnership with RoosterBio Inc., a leading supplier of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hMSCs), highly engineered media, and bioprocess development services.

The partnership creates an end-to-end solution for the development and production of hMSC and exosome therapeutics leveraging RoosterBios well-established cell and media products and process development services, coupled with AGC Biologics global cell and gene therapy manufacturing capabilities.

RoosterBio will utilize its extensive portfolio of cell and media products to develop robust, scalable processes for hMSC and exosome therapies. These capabilities include genetic engineering of cells and exosomes to express therapeutic targets, upstream processing in both 2D flask and 3D bioreactor systems, downstream purification to achieve desired purity and potency, and comprehensive analytical characterization of the resulting formulated cell or exosome therapy.

AGC Biologics will utilize its global network to provide full Process Development, cGMP Manufacturing, Quality Control and Regulatory services for pre-clinical and phase I/II clinical trials, with the ability to scale to Phase III and commercial production. The CDMO also offers a range of development and manufacturing scales that can be tailored to the specific needs of drug developers in different regions worldwide. The AGC Biologics scientific teams have over two decades of experience in advanced therapy production and manufacturing, and have brought three commercial products to market. The global CDMOs network of sites offers the latest cell therapy technologies and processes, including allogenic and autologous systems and techniques.

"AGC Biologics is happy to be partnering with RoosterBio. They have a reliable method for producing engineered cells and exosomes that can help developers create life-saving therapies," said Patricio Massera, Chief Executive Officer of AGC Biologics. "When you combine their work and expertise with AGC Biologics' scientific knowledge and global manufacturing services, it creates a comprehensive offering that can help these developers save time and money, and get their treatments in the hands of patients in need."

AGC Biologics has an outstanding track record of success in the manufacture of clinical and commercial advanced therapies and an ever-expanding global network to meet the needs of our customers, said Tim Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of RoosterBio. Biopharmaceutical companies striving to develop engineered cell and exosome therapies require proven, flexible technologies paired with reliable and scalable manufacturing solutions. This collaboration was conceived to deliver that end-to-end solution for our customers and I am thrilled to partner with AGC Biologics to translate our hMSC and exosome technologies into advanced therapy products that have the potential to bring curative treatments to patients in need.

More details on this partnership and the joint offering from RoosterBio and AGC Biologics will be released in the coming months.

AGC Biologics global cell therapy services and viral vector capabilities utilize proprietary platforms developed to address the evolving advanced therapies market. To learn more about the company and its complete list of CDMO services visit http://www.agcbio.com.

About RoosterBioRoosterBio accelerates human mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (hMSC) and extracellular vesicle (EV) product and process development to fuel the rapid commercialization of scalable regenerative cures. Our high-quality hMSCs, bioprocess media, genetic engineering tools, and EV production solutions are paired with expert bioprocessing knowledge to progress therapeutic developers from concept to first-in-human testing and commercial manufacturing at reduced cost and increased productivity. With optimized, scalable processes, Type 2 Drug Master Files, and cGMP products, we have enabled therapeutic programs to traverse their path to clinical translation in under 1 year. RoosterBio is driven by client's success and creating a world where safe and effective regenerative medicines are rapidly developed and widely available on a global scale.

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About AGC Biologics AGC Biologics is a leading global biopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) with a strong commitment to delivering the highest standard of service as we work side-by-side with our clients and partners every step of the way. We provide world-class development and manufacture of mammalian and microbial-based therapeutic proteins, plasmid DNA (pDNA), messenger RNA (mRNA), viral vectors, and genetically engineered cells. Our global network spans the U.S., Europe, and Asia, with cGMP-compliant facilities in Seattle, Washington; Boulder and Longmont, Colorado; Copenhagen, Denmark; Heidelberg, Germany; Milan, Italy; and Chiba, Japan and we currently employ more than 2,500 employees worldwide. Our commitment to continuous innovation fosters the technical creativity to solve our clients most complex challenges, including specialization in fast-track projects and rare diseases. To learn more, visitwww.agcbio.com.

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RoosterBio and AGC Biologics Announce Collaboration to Accelerate Manufacturing of Cell and Exosome Therapies - GlobeNewswire

Brea Lipe, MD: Hello and welcome to this OncLive My Treatment Approach program titled, "Recent Advances in the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma at First Relapse." I am Brea Lipe, and I'm the associate professor at the department of medicine at the University of Rochester in New York, and the director of the multiple myeloma program. I am joined today by my colleague, Dr Peter Forsberg, and I would like to welcome him to introduce himself.

Peter Forsberg, MD: Hi, Dr Lipe. I'm Peter Forsberg, I'm associate professor at the University of Colorado and the director of our myeloma program. So happy to participate in the conversation today. So welcome and thanks for joining us. And today we're going to discuss recent updates in the treatment of relapse/refractory multiple myeloma, and its impact on clinical practice. So, we'll be doing that by presenting two hypothetical patient cases, and then discussing our treatment approach to illustrate how we incorporate recent data in our clinical practice. So, let's go ahead and get started. So as Dr. Lipe said, our- the name of our presentation today is my treatment approach, recent advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma and early relapse specifically. And this is a patient profile to start with. So, this is a patient who was diagnosis, a 63-year-old female. This was in January 2017 when she presented with anemia, hypercalcemia, and after being evaluated by her primary care physician was found to have acute onset severe rib pain. And then radiographs had evidence of non-displaced rib fractures, bilaterally. Workup showed an IgG kappa multiple myeloma, and subsequent bone marrow biopsy demonstrated 35% clonal plasma cells. And cytogenetics included FISH, which showed a gain of chromosome 1q. So, she underwent a PET CT, which confirmed lytic disease throughout the spine and multiple rib lesions, and was treated initially with RVD, or lenalidomide, revlimid, bortezomib, Velcade, and dexamethasone starting in February 2017. Completed five cycles, achieved a very good partial response and then proceeded with autologous stem cell transplant with melphalan 200 milligrams meter squared conditioning, and after recovery was started on lenalidomide maintenance. So unfortunately, at follow up, on four years follow up state reevaluation was found to have progressive disease and at that time was started on isatuximab, carfilzomib, dexamethasone as second line therapy in May of 2021. So as of last follow up, the patient continues on the isatuximab, carfilzomib and dexamethasone in a very good partial response and is tolerating therapy well without issue. So, I believe, I think that brings us into discussion. In terms of my initial impressions of this case, I think it's a pretty standard consideration. A patient in 2017 diagnosed with new myeloma in their early to mid-60s. Treated with RVD induction, has long been a standard of care initial combination. And then followed by an autologous stem cell transplant and lenalidomide maintenance. And we know that based on recent data that patients with this combination of induction followed by transplant, followed by maintenance can have really stable long-lasting remissions potentially. So, patient experiencing relapse several years in- following the initiation of their induction, is pretty common. So, I think this is a pretty common scenario for us to be dealing with. And I think that the main consideration that's sort of become more prominent in the last couple of years is, do we start still with RVD or would we think about using a four-drug combination in this patient for initial induction, incorporating a CD38 monoclonal antibody like daratumumab plus RVD. So, I think that's probably the biggest practice change that might inform how we treat this patient that'd be a little different than what we might have been doing in 2017. Certainly, something that's does not uniform necessarily across myeloma providers, but is appropriate consideration, I think. And I- but otherwise I think still considering stem cell transplant and often lenalidomide based maintenance remains our kind of primary standard of care. I guess, I'd ask you if you had any additional thoughts. And then, I know the question of defining relapse, how we identify a progressive event. Defining with biochemical versus clinical relapse and sort of characteristics and standard criteria that define those. Maybe sort of delineating how you define progressive disease for [myeloma] in your practice.

Brea Lipe, MD: So, I always think it's fun to kind of look back and we see these patients in our practice, and they were started on therapy in 2017 or whenever that might have been, and to think about how our practice has changed. And I would agree that quads are something that I use a lot more frequently now, pretty much uniformly for induction in patients who are able. The only other thing that I thought was different about this case, that I might have done something different about even back in 2017 was the gain of 1q and that portending some higher risk features. And I often even back then used a more combination maintenance approach for those patients with higher risk cytogenetics. But regardless the patient did really well after transplant with just lenalidomide maintenance, which is great. And so, I think that it does come to this interesting question of what biochemical versus clinical relapse is and how those are defined. And so, the goal in my practice is to always have biochemical relapses because by the time we have clinical relapses, that's really defined by those CRAB criteria or symptomatic myeloma. So, my goal is to avoid symptoms because those can be compounding over time and can increase the toxicities of our therapy. So, my goal is always to catch it before it gets to the point where the patients are beginning to have suffering and side effects. And what we know is that biochemical relapse, so that's defined by the International Myeloma Working Group, the relapse criteria, and it's a biochemical relapse when we don't have those classic myeloma symptoms. And that's pretty much the standard IMWG relapse criteria, which includes changes of 25% to the paraprotein, as long as it's at least a rise of 0.5 and changes to the involved versus uninvolved light chains of at least 10. And so, there are pretty standard criteria for that, that you can follow over time for patients who achieve a CR, which this patient might not have. But anytime you start to see the reemergence of a paraprotein that's also a biochemical relapse. And so, I think that it's important to keep close track of our patients. I like to follow my patients in their labs, even when they're several years out closely, just so that I know that when they're starting to have these biochemical relapses, so I can intervene before they get a clinical relapse. We know that on average patients with biochemical relapses will have symptomatic development of myeloma defining events within about five months. So, I think that just highlights the need to identify those biochemical relapses. When you intervene on that is- can be up for debate but constitutes a biochemical relapse it's relevant for treatment versus those patients who will just kind of slowly progress biochemically and might be- might not progress within five months symptomatically. So, I think it's just important to keep an idea on.

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Patient Profile 1: A 63-Year-Old Female with Relapsed Multiple Myeloma - OncLive

4. Stem Cell Therapy for Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition affecting the joints. Over time, the cartilage that protects joints, preventing the rubbing of one bone on another, breaks down. Eventually, this can lead to the deterioration of the underlying bone as well, causing aching, stiffness, and eventual immobility in many cases. The condition commonly affects the hips, knees, and thumbs, though it can also strike elbows, wrists, ankles, and fingers.

Stem cell procedure is offered in many clinics within and outside the United States and typically uses adipose cells as the stem cell source. Physicians extract these cells from fat tissue, separate out the stem cells from the rest, then prepare a solution containing growth factors and other ingredients necessary to tell stem cells how to develop in the new site. Once its prepared, doctors inject it into the affected site, such as a knee joint.

Regenexxis a U.S. company specializing in orthopedic applications of stem cells that was founded byDr. Chris Centeno. Dr. Centeno is an expert in the clinical use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) within orthopedic applications. His Regenexx clinic in Denver, Colorado, draws patients from all over the U.S. who are seeking innovative, non-surgical treatments for osteoarthritis, as well as a wide range of other orthopedic applications.

As the visionary behind the revolutionaryRegenexx technology, he pioneered a procedure that involves extracting a small bone marrow sample through a needle and a blood draw from a vein in your arm. These samples are then processed in a laboratory and the stem cells it contains are injected into the area needing repair. The goal is to deliver large numbers of stem cells to the injured area.

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Type I and Type II diabetes affect the body in different ways. Type I diabetes is genetic, and results from the pancreas failing to produce insulin, or producing too little of it. Insulin is what tells the body to remove glucose from the bloodstream and let it into cells, so they can use it for energy. Most likely this is due to an immune system disorder in which the body attacks its own islets, the pancreatic cells responsible for manufacturing insulin. In this case, stem cells may provide the same immune system-modulating effect as they do for other autoimmune diseases.

Type II diabetes is when the body becomes resistant to insulin. The pancreas may still make it, but the patients body does not sense it it is insulin resistant, which means the release of insulin in the bloodstream still does not result in cells taking up glucose. It remains in the bloodstream, causing dangerous hyperglycemia just as it does in the case of Type I.

The second condition may also respond to stem cell treatment, which can help moderate pancreatic productive of insulin as well as helping the body respond to it more effectively. Multiple clinical trials assessing the validity of stem cells for both diseases are underway, and many eagerly await their results.

There are many ongoing efforts to understand how stem cell therapy is able to help people with diabetes. One of the main centres is theCalifornia Institute of Regenerative Medicine, where you can view the areas ofresearch being conducted specifically to understand diabetes.

A review,published in the Progress in Stem Cell journal in 2019suggested a combination of antioxidants, growth factors or hormones along with MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells) in optimal combinations and concentrations for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy.

One of the most traumatic injuries to the human body is severing of the spinal cord. Depending on where the injury occurs, the patient may never walk or even move their arms again. For most of human history, such a traumatic injury was completely irreparable. In recent years, neurosurgery has given people back some of their function in cases like these, but outcomes are still all too often disappointing.

Stem cells provide serious hope for the future. Instead of trying to repair damaged nerves, stem cells offer the ability to replace them. By injecting stem cells to the site of the injury, the spinal column can repair itself, accessing all the ingredients it needs for the specialized job.

In combination with growth factors and hormones, stem cells are capable of traveling to the site of the injury assessing what needs rebuilding and stepping in to do the job for doctors. This limits the number of modifications needed from the outside and leaves the healing to the body.

While the mechanisms arent yet clear, it seems that hormones such as growth factors in addition to the location in the body can provide signposts to stem cells telling them what kinds of tissues are needed. Then the stem cells transform into them, integrate with the damaged tissue and repair it.

As of May 2022,more than 60 studieshave been launched to investigate the potential of stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries under the U.S. Clinical Trial Registry.

These conditions all share the characteristic of the bodys immune system reacting to normal substances in the body as though they were pathogenic. That means instead of letting the body function normally, the immune system will attack tissues and substances, creating ongoing sickness and in many cases, eventually death.

Stem cell therapy has two possible benefits in the case of autoimmune diseases. For one thing, it can help repair and regenerative tissues damaged in an autoimmune attack. Stem cells can help them repair nerves, skin, blood, organs, and more. This helps the patient regain their health and fight the degenerative nature of such diseases.

Second, stem cells can actually modulate the immune system so that it no longer attacks the body so viciously or at all. Research demonstrates thatstem cells can minimize the pathological effects of the immune system, making it so the body no longer attacks itself all while preserving its ability to attack foreign substances and real pathogens.

As is the case with most of these therapies, the biggest benefit of stem cell treatment for heart disease is its ability to replace damaged or dead cells without the need for invasive surgery or transplants. An injection of stem cells can give the body the ingredients it needs to grow the specialized cells on site, ideally without having to put the patient under or open them up. The exact mechanisms of this procedure are not as yet clear, however.

On 16 May, 2018,Nature Newsreported that Japans health ministry gave doctors at Osaka University permission to take sheets of tissue derived from stem cells and use them to treat diseased human hearts. From preclinical studies in pigs, it appears that thin sheets of cell grafts grown frominduced pluripotent stem cellscan improve heart function. While the treatment approved by Japans health ministry will only be tested in three patients, a follow-up trial could enroll ten or more patients.

There are more than 1,500 scientific publications published related to "stem cell" and "spinal cord injury" on theNational Library of Medicine.As of May 2022,more than 200 studieshave been launched to investigate the potential of stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries under the U.S. Clinical Trial Registry.

Journal of Gerontology - The results of 2 clinical studies, published in The Journals of Gerontology, showed how a type of adult stem cell called mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could reverse the effects of aging.

We have compiled other related published studies below.

Yu Y. Application of Stem Cell Technology in Antiaging and Aging-Related Diseases.Adv Exp Med Biol.2018;1086:255-265

Ivonne Hernandez Schulman, Wayne Balkan and Joshua M. Hare. Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Aging Frailty.Front Nutr. 2018; 5: 108.

Juan Antonio Fafin-Labora, Miriam Morente-Lpez, and Mara C Arufe. Effect of aging on behaviour of mesenchymal stem cells.World J Stem Cells. 2019 Jun 26; 11(6): 337346.

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Stem Cell Therapy: Update and Clinical Research 2022

The ancient Egyptians used sutures made of linen and animal sinew. In South Africa and India, the heads of large biting ants were used as clamps to hold the edges of wounds together. For centuries, humans have used natural and artificial materials to repair all kinds of tissues. More than 4,000 years later, American engineer Kristi Anseth is studying how newer, more sophisticated biomaterials assist in regenerating cartilage, help bones heal faster, and provide a better understanding of some diseases.

Biomaterials can play a key role in helping our bodies heal themselves, said Anseth, who received the 2020 LOral-UNESCO For Women in Science international award in late June (after a two-year pandemic hiatus). In an interview with EL PAS conducted at the awards ceremony in Paris, the researcher who specializes in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, and also designs synthetic materials that imitate our tissues, said, We are using materials designed for textile products like mattresses or clothing, and making them interact with the human body.

Biomaterials can be used to deliver molecules that help [injured or diseased] tissues heal faster, said Anseth, who is also an Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Colorado in the United States. When you only inject cells and nothing else, sometimes they dont survive very well on their own. They need a three-dimensional environment a biomaterial that can provide the scaffolding and instructions on where and when to grow the right kind of tissue.

Many types of biomaterials are commonly used today heart valves, hip joint replacements, and dental implants. They are made from cells, living tissues, metals, ceramics, plastics, and glass. The US National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering notes that biomaterials can be used in molded or machined parts, coatings, fibers, films, foams, and fabrics for biomedical products and devices. Anseth highlights the potential of degradable sutures that can bind tissues together and dissolve once they have healed.

Anseth explains how biomaterials are used to heal arthritis, an inflammation of the joints that can cause pain and swelling. What usually happens, says Anseth, is that the cartilage that lines a joint like the knee wears down. When you dont have that lubricating cartilage surface in between and bones are grinding against each other its painful, she said. But we have a lot of extra cartilage in our body so we can take it from somewhere else, grow the cells in a bioreactor, and insert them into the joint to grow and regenerate that cartilage surface.

In addition, there are some proteins called growth factors, which can also help tissues and cells grow and heal themselves. Anseth says that these can be useful for fractured bones. Although our bones can usually heal on their own, sometimes a cast or plates and screws are needed. Its a long [healing] process, she said, and sometimes large defects caused by a car accident or bone cancer may not heal very well.

Anseth said a growth factor found in bone marrow can be useful in these cases, but theres a catch. You cant administer it on its own for a major bone injury because it could degrade. Thats where biomaterials come in. They can be used to deliver that [growth] factor locally for longer periods of time and at the right dose, time, and place.

Despite their great potential, biomaterials also have limitations. There is a risk of infection if they are not biocompatible. The presence of exogenous materials in the human body dates back to prehistoric times, as documented in a study published in Processes, a scientific journal. A spearhead embedded in the hip of Kennewick Man, a 9,000-year-old skeleton found in Washington state (US), and the use of carbon particles for tattooing are examples of foreign objects that were tolerated by human bodies centuries ago.

Two key factors determine the biocompatibility of a material, according to a study published in Materials: host reaction and degradation in the body. Sometimes, says Anseth, its difficult to get biomaterials to degrade at the same rate as new tissue growth. Moreover, getting a biomaterial to have all the desired properties is tricky. Bones, for example, are really strong and most biomaterials are not as strong or dont have the same properties, said Anseth.

More research is still needed to unravel all the mysteries of the human body. Anseth said: We have regenerated skin, cartilage, and blood vessels, and we have also helped bones heal faster. But we still need to do more [research]. For example, why doesnt the heart regenerate after a heart attack in the same manner as the skeletal muscles we use for walking and exercise?

Anseth foresees significant advances in medicine over the next 10 years. Were going to figure out how we can intervene earlier to get muscles to grow, repair cartilage. or heal nerves things that arent possible right now. One of her most ambitious goals is to counteract age-related health problems. Age, a risk factor for multiple chronic diseases, is often accompanied by a loss of body mass.

As we age, something happens to our cells, said Anseth. They have divided many times over a lifetime, and are no longer as active or able to repair themselves. Biomaterials could provide young stem cells to help muscles grow back. Aging is a complex natural process that we cant necessarily reverse, but we can improve the quality of life for people experiencing degeneration in their joints, muscles and hearts.

Link:
The engineer who teaches our bodies to heal themselves - EL PAS USA

This is the introduction and first installment of a five-part series, Reclaiming Control: The History and Future of Choice in Our Health, examining how healthcare in the US has been built on the principle of imposing control over body, mind, and expression. However, that legacy stands alongside another: that of organizers, healers,and care workers reclaiming control over health at both the individual and systems levels.Published in five monthly installments from July to November 2022, this series aims to spark imagination amongst NPQs readers and practitioners by speaking to both histories, combining research with examples of health liberation efforts.

Last week, as announcements that the Supreme Court had overturned Roe v. Wade roiled my phone, a flood of emotions flowed through my internal neural network as well as the external network I was connected tomillions of us processing together in real time.

Despite knowing for months if not years that such a Supreme Court ruling would arrive, the news was still shocking: sparking collective and individual fury at being ignored, subdued, and overridden, as well as grief for the past and anxiety about what the future might now hold.

But what I felt most, deep in my gut, was a sharp and terrifying loss of control.

The truth is, when it comes to my bodythat thing with which we have our most intimate relationship (and particularly for women of color, often our most complicated relationship)I know that feeling all too well.

I experienced loss of control in a pediatricians office, as my doctor peered at me disbelievingly, dismissing my fatigue as teenage girl angst (it turned out to be the symptom of a severe, undiagnosed case of mononucleosis that landed me in the emergency room). I felt it again when an insurance company hit me with a five-figure bill after a scary, unexpected medical procedure and demanded immediate payment. Most recently, I remember the dread of the earliest days of the pandemic, alone in my apartment, trying to make sense of the painful headlines.

As a public health practitioner and researcher, I have spent my career working both inside healthcare systems and with community-based organizations, fighting to hold healthcare institutions to transparency and different ways of work. Throughout those 16 years, I have heard many harrowing experiencesdenial of care, lack of informed consent, explicit racism and xenophobia, medical bankruptcyechoed across movement spaces and repeated in the narratives of women and gender nonconforming folks of color across the country. Despite inhabiting our own bodies every day, when we seek to make choices around counsel and care, we are frequently questioned, misdiagnosed, condescended to, harmed, or even left to die.

Unfortunately, this present-day reality is just the latest manifestation of a longstanding legacy of control that is fundamental to the design and delivery of healthcare in the United States. This system surrounds even individual clinicians, care workers, and healers who seek to look after us with heartfelt compassion and skill (and who, especially in the past 2.5 years, have done so at risk to themselves). It has been shaped by complex layers of history: racialized capitalisms reduction of human bodies to commodified objects; patriarchy and religion working lockstep to dehumanize women and rigidify gender roles; and the weighting of professional over lived experiences. Each of these forces shapes our reality of and debates about what it means to control our own voices, minds, and bodiesand, in turn, to have control over our very being.

In The Birth of the Clinic, which traces the rise of the medical gaze and the detached clinification of the body in the late 18th century, Michel Foucault shares French doctor and politician Francois Lanthenas reflection on the relationship between liberty and health. Man will be totally and definitely cured only if he is first liberatedif medicine could be politically more effective, it would no longer be indispensable medically. And in a society that was free at last, in which inequalities were reducedthere would no longer be any need for academies and hospitals.

In 2022, of course, we are nowhere near this idyllic scenario of widespread liberation, although there is a long legacy of organizing and movement building that has pulled us ever toward it. Poverty, structural racism, and other forms of systemic oppression are root causes of health inequities, thereforeas Foucault points outa healthcare system designed primarily to treat illnessas opposed to the social causes of illness could only ever serve as a band-aid. Indeed, by prioritizing the medical gaze, which turns people into objects of study, healthcare itself perpetuates those same oppressions.

In the late 1700s, British settlers opened almshouses and asylums as places of last refuge and hospice for the poor, those with disabilities and chronic illness, and the elderly. Medical history literature outlines how these asylums, which were typically run by religious and charitable organizations, were characterized by poor healthcare and living standards and often placed patients of color into harmful conditions, despite ostensibly providing them care. This devaluing of the human experience undergirds much of our national dialogue about and experiences of health and choice today.

As white supremacist medical racism of the 1800s coalesced against a backdrop of slavery and Indigenous genocide, science was deployed to embed falsehoods about Black and Indigenous people into the national consciousnesssuch as categorizing runaway attempts by slaves as a curable disease. Inhumane, coercive medical experimentation on people of color was justified via recourse to myths about Black peoples brain size and high pain thresholds, myths that still permeate medicine today. This early era of medicine, explicit in its attempts to control large segments of the population, morphed during the Jim Crow era into state-sanctioned medical projects such as the Tuskegee Experiment, in which incarcerated Black men were used as objects with which to study syphilis, and into private sector exploitation, such as the use of stem cells taken from patient Henrietta Lacks without her knowledge or consent, which went on to become foundational to biological research.

A core component of control in the healthcare system involves control over the bodies of those who can birth. Throughout the first half of the 20th century, BIPOC women and women with disabilities experienced forced sterilization on a mass scale, with the Supreme Court upholding in 1927 a states right to sterilize people designated as unfit to procreate. Far from a historic phenomenon, this practice has continued into the present day, with women who are incarcerated or detained for immigration purposes particularly affected.

Today, we see the products of these histories in our maternal mortality crisis, as mothers of color, particularly Black mothers, experience the hazardous impacts of structural racism both in and outside the medical system. Even in the shift that healthcare is now making towards acknowledging and investing in social determinants of health such as food, housing, and transportation, medicalizationi.e., when nonmedical problems becomedefinedand treated as medical problemsis common.

As advocates have pointed out, many new efforts in the social determinants of health (SDH) sector deploy surveillance data and tracking of BIPOC communities to generate profits or justify algorithms. Virginia Eubanks, author of Automating Inequality, ties this trend to our countrys history dating all the way back to the almshouses. Eubanks writes, Technologies of poverty management are not neutral. They are shaped by our nations fear of economic insecurity and hatred of the poor.

What these histories make clear is that, since our countrys founding, choice and control have been juxtaposed in our philosophies and practices of health: choices made by one set of people with political and economic power to control so many others.

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Perhaps the most flummoxing thing about this history is that so much of our health and healing already feels out of our control. Stripping away the social complexities and constructs, we allas people and caregiversexperience the ups and downs of living in mortal bodies (and minds) that we do not completely understand.

Not all cultures, of course, strive to have such an iron grip on the body. White-dominant, Western societies like the United States frequently view death as a final, medically defined state, and therefore healthcare as a tool to prolong life. On the other hand, non-Western cultures, dating back thousands of years, often consider the condition of the physical body to be more cyclical and impermanent.

But liberation as an aspect of wellbeing is universal across humans: the vulnerable desire to thrive, to be autonomous, to live fully. And so, it is heartbreaking and dehumanizing whenas has happened across the centuries with scientific experimentation and reproductive rightswellbeing is not only obstructed but actively taken away.

Yet other stories run alongside this history of oppression, stories of reclamation and healing. For centuries, women and gender nonconforming people of color (and their allies) have fought in our country and globally to wrest back control over who and what shapes health.

Over the course of the next few articles in this series, we will delve into different corners of that resistance space, exploring organizations that are working across its many branches. These branches are:

In Baltimore, where I live, there is a long legacy of community members who have built outside of traditional systems in order to preserve bodily autonomy and traditional visions of healing. The Village of Love and Resistance in East Baltimore, for example, uses a community ownership and investment structure alongside a radical organizing model to create spaces of traditional healing as well as local wealth building.

Leaders in the healing justice movement, as well as healers of all kinds who are working to bring ancestral and other ways of knowing to health (even amidst the noise of the commercialized, white-dominated wellness industry) also continue to build their own systems. Harriets Apothecary, a self-organized healing community that seeks to build independence from the medical industrial complex, brings a Black, queer, feminist analysis to its programming, which includes advocacy, apprenticeship, healing spaces, consulting, political education, and more.

Alongside those who are building outside of systems, many are also working to fundamentally reclaim the mechanisms of our traditional healthcare systems by introducing accountability and shifting control from healthcare institutional leaders to community members visioning new ways of health.

Shift Health Accelerator, a distributed leadership network that grew out of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundations Culture of Health Leader program, partners with organizations to explore community ownership over healthcare decision making, funding flows, and data. Through democratic processes like participatory grant-making and a learning network focused on political education and history, the organization is developing standards for healthcare accountability.

With the exception of the LGBTQ+ communitys organizing and political mobilization to achieve victories in HIV/AIDS treatment, targeting control within the healthcare system has historically not been a large-scale focus of power-building entities. The Center for Health Progress in Colorado is working to build a base of Latinx immigrants as well as allied healthcare professionals who can hold health systems and other healthcare stakeholders accountable for historical control dynamics with respect to immigrant health and other issues.

A fundamental mechanism of control in healthcare has been that of the clinician-patient relationship, through which many past harms have been enacted. A new generation of healthcare professionals is grappling with this legacy, decolonizing education and the paternalism that has pervaded medicine. People Power Health brings an organizing analysis to healthcare professionals and clinicians in particular, deploying trainings and civic participation to enlist them in health justice efforts.

The Freedom School for Intersectional Medicine & Health Justice, based out of the Bay Area, is working toward a medical and public health praxis that centers the experiences of marginalized women and communities of color. Through organizing, institutes, political education syllabus, and more, they are working to flip existing paradigms of research and education for healthcare and public health practitioners.

Finally, underlying this practical work is another component of systems change: narrative change. Authors like Rupa Marya and Raj Patel, whose book Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice explores the legacy of colonialism in healthcare, represent a wave of scholars, researchers, journalists, and others exposing the stories that prop up control within healthcare.

Organizers, too, are working to shift the dominant narratives surrounding health in the United States. SisterSong, a Southern-based, reproductive justice collective, is redefining the birth justice movement by centering birthing as a fundamental human rights issue and by building power across a variety of frontiers. This collective also centers the role of art through its Artists United for Reproductive Justice program, which creates and disseminates reproductive justice artwork that can deepen activism and reshape dominant culture.

In this time, many of us are looking for ways to imagine togetherto look beyond the status quo to a paradigm in which liberation and health are one and the same, rather than forced apart. These examples, and many others, provide a vision and showcase a creativity that can illuminate a way forward, collectively.

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Control in Healthcare: History and Reclamation of Bodily Autonomy - Non Profit News - Nonprofit Quarterly