Category Archives: Colorado Stem Cells

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T. LOUIS When red blood cells are poured into the test tubes here in Dr. Allan Doctors lab, tiny tools measure the reaction of the rabbit aortas strung up inside, computing if and how strongly the aortas constrict. Doctor and his team are trying to make sure that when they dump in the artificial blood theyre developing, the aortas react the same way.

The experiments being conducted on a recent day were not only just a few of the many the team will need to run before testing their blood substitute in people, but were also early steps to show that their design, with any luck, can steer them beyond the decades of failure in the field.

There has been about 50, 60 years of research in trying to make a blood substitute that has not worked, said Doctor, a pediatric critical care physician and researcher at Washington University in St. Louis.

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The need for such a product is clear. Blood loss from traumatic injuries is responsible for thousands of deaths annually, and even when people survive, oxygen depletion can leave tissue permanently injured. Fresh blood can only be stored for 42 days, and only lasts for a few hours unrefrigerated. A substitute could be vital in settings like battlefields or rural areas without easy access to blood, used as a stopgap measure to keep the injured alive until they get to a hospital.

But the quest to develop substitute blood has bedeviled researchers in academia, the military, and the biopharma industry, with several companies including Baxter, Northfield Laboratories, and Biopure abandoning theirattempts.

The artificial blood researchers have been trying to cook up is not a true substitute, in that it wouldnt perform all of bloods functions, but rather provide a means to deliver oxygen throughout the body.

One key problem: Hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to needy tissues, can damage tissue and cause blood vessels to constrict. Thats one reason why hemoglobin is contained in cells to isolate it and its toxic iron.

Any successful blood substitute will need to transport and deliver oxygen, while staving off the threat hemoglobin poses.

In past attempts, scientists have tried to tweak hemoglobin to make it safer, but so far, no blood substitute has been approved for use in the United States or Europe. (One substitute, Hemopure from HbO2 Therapeutics, is used in South Africa, and a clinical trial of a stem cell-based substitute is expected to begin this fall in the United Kingdom.)

But instead of trying to engineer hemoglobin, Doctor and his colleagues have encased it in a synthetic polymer designed by one of Doctors collaborators, Dipanjan Pan of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

They hope the case will ensure that their substitute blood, called ErythroMer, wont cause a tightening in the blood vessels, whichincreases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

At the same time, ErythroMer detects where oxygen should be delivered based on the pH level of the blood, moving oxygen from the lungs to where its most needed like a junkyard magnet picking up a car in one spot and dropping it elsewhere.

If its successful, ErythroMer could be freeze-dried into a powder and stored safely for years, so that when its needed, it can be mixed with sterile water and administered. Its designed to be immune silent so that the immune system doesnt attack it and it could be given to people of any blood type.

Scientists not working on ErythroMer said it appears to be an improvement in some respects over earlier candidates, but note that it is not the first to attempt enclosing hemoglobin in various materials. So far, no one has cracked the code of creating an artificial blood, and its not clear this group will either.

Its not as easy as it sounds, said Dr. Ernest Moore, the vice chair of trauma and critical care research at the University of Colorado, Denver, who has helped run clinical trials of other substitutes.

One concern for Mark Scott, a senior scientist at Canadian Blood Services, is the tininess of ErythroMer. Each particle is about one-fiftieth the size of a normal red blood cell, and Scott said that increased the risk that it could leak from the bloodstream into surrounding tissue. And when someone loses a lot of blood and goes into shock, their blood vessels only become more leaky, Scott said.

Pentagon hopes to use foam, injected through belly button, to save bleeding soldiers

These are all things that you really have to be concerned about, said Scott, who also works at the Center for Blood Research at the University of British Columbia. Is the size going to lead to a lot of vascular leakage? Is the hemoglobin thats inside the shell stabilized so it wont cause acute or chronic toxicity?

One advantage of the small size of the substitute blood, both Scott and Doctor said, is that it could be used for people with sickle cell disease. During sickle cell crises, the misshapen red blood cells gum up blood vessels, and its possible that ErythroMer could get around the logjams and deliver oxygen past those points. Doctor also raised the idea that it could be used to oxygenate organs during transplant operations.

In addition to overcoming the biological hurdles, the ErythroMer team will eventually have to convince regulators that itsproduct is safe enough to test in people (depending on its success in animals, that is). Several scientists said the Food and Drug Administration seems hesitant to green-light new trials of blood substitutes and some said rightfully so because of safety concerns from past products. Plus, clinical trials of trauma-related treatments often run into ethical quandaries about informed consent.

In an email, an FDA spokeswoman said that studies on these types of products have found they are not safe or effective, but that the agency recognizes they potentially could be lifesaving in situations where blood transfusion is necessary, but blood is not available or cant be used. She said future clinical studies remain possible.

Still, human studiesare a long ways away, the researchers acknowledge. So far, Doctor and his team, whose work has been supported by the Department of Defense, have presented results from rodent studies at a scientific conference. And they have their own questions about how ErythroMer will perform as they test it in larger animals, first in rabbits: Does it damage other cells in the bloodstream? Does it interfere with the clotting process?

The team has formed a company called KaloCyte (Greek for good cell) to make the substitute for further studies. Doctor likened it to moving the production from a craft brewery scale so far, Doctor said, its been lovingly made by graduate students, batch by batch to the scale and standards of another St. Louis blend, Budweiser.

Andrew Joseph can be reached at andrew.joseph@statnews.com Follow Andrew on Twitter @DrewQJoseph

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Artificial blood: the quest for one of science's holy grails - Stat - STAT

Consider it one physicians giant leap for mankind. The latest rocket launch from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, included a payload of several samples of donated adult stem cells from a research laboratory at Mayo Clinics Florida campus. The launch by SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company, is part of NASAs commercial resupply missions to the International Space Station.

The biological cells come from the laboratory of Abba Zubair, M.D., Ph.D., who says he has eagerly awaited the launch following several delays over the past couple of years. Dr. Zubair, who specializes in cellular treatments for disease and regenerative medicine, hopes to find out how the stem cells hold up in space. He says hes eager to know whether these special cells, which are derived from the bodys bone marrow, can be more quickly mass-produced in microgravity and used to treat strokes. Microgravity is the condition in which people or objects appear to be weightless. The effects of microgravity can be seen when astronauts and objects float in space. Microgravity refers to the condition where gravity seems to be very small.

At Mayo Clinic, research drives everything we do for patients, says Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., vice president, Mayo Clinic, and CEO of Mayo Clinic in Florida. This space cargo carries important material for research that could hold the key for developing future treatments for stroke a debilitating health issue. Research such as this accelerates scientific discoveries into breakthrough therapies and critical advances in patient care.

Dr. Zubair says he has dreamed of this moment all his life, with a passion for space that goes back to his childhood in the northern city of Kano, Nigeria. There, he says he came across a book about the first moon launch and became instantly enthralled. In high school, he recruited other physics students to build a model rocket prototype using corrugated metal and rudimentary materials from the local blacksmith. When it came time to apply for college, however, the school adviser steered him from becoming an astronaut. He said it may be a long time before Nigeria sends rockets and astronauts into space, so I should consider something more practical, Dr. Zubair recalls.

With the goal of being useful to patients and helping cure disease, he headed to medical school in Nigeria. His training took him to the University of Sheffield, in Sheffield, England; the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia; and Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as he specialized in bone marrow transplants and stem cell research. He came to Mayo Clinics Florida campus to treat cancer patients and others whose conditions could be helped by regenerative medicine all the while running a research lab that studies adult stem cells.

Dr. Zubair came across a request for research proposals that involved medicine and outer space four years ago. His mother had died of stroke in 1997, and he had been thinking about stem cells as a treatment for stroke-related brain injury. Collaborating with Mayo Clinic neurologists James Meschia, M.D., and William D. Freeman, M.D., he studied mouse models of stroke.

Stem cells are known to reduce inflammation, he explains. Weve shown that an infusion of stem cells at the site of stroke improves the inflammation and also secretes factors for the regeneration of neurons and blood vessels.

One big problem is that it may take as many as 200 million cells to treat a human being, and developing vast numbers of stem cells on Earth can take weeks.

Its further complicated, because some patients are unable to donate cells for themselves, and, sometimes, there arent enough donors who are a good match, as sometimes occurs for minorities, he says.

Studies in simulators on Earth have shown that adult stem cells the undifferentiated cells that exist in the body to replace damaged or dying cells reproduce quickly and reliably in microgravity. While its not known why microgravity works better than a petri dish, some researchers speculate the conditions may be similar to the floating environment of developing cells in the body. With funding from the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, a nonprofit organization, Dr. Zubair hopes to find that, in space, stem cells can be reproduced safely in large quantities, providing new opportunities for patients.

Hell gather real-time information about the cells as astronauts conduct experiments measuring molecular changes.

Well be looking to see if there are genes activated in microgravity and analyzing the stages of the cell cycle, he says.

We may discover proteins or compounds that are produced that we can synthesize on Earth to encourage stem cell growth without having to go to microgravity. Over the last three years of planning, he says hes been tickled to learn about the challenges of space-based research, such as the need for techniques to handle fluids that dont mix in microgravity.

Most importantly, experiments will continue after the expanded stem cells return to Earth.

Well study them to make sure theyre normal, functional and safe for patients with stroke, he says. My work in regenerative medicine has always been intentionally translational not just to study what the cells do and what can be done with them but to make a difference for patients. Thats what makes our project unique.

For the launch, Mayo Clinic is collaborating with the Center for Applied Space Technology (CAST) in Cape Canaveral, and BioServe Space Technologies in Boulder, Colorado. CAST supported Dr. Zubair's research by providing strategic mission planning, proposal development, spaceflight technical support and served as an interface between the research team and various space activities and agencies. BioServe provided space flight hardware, on orbit research protocol and scheduling interface.

This article has been republished frommaterialsprovided byMayo Clinic. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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A Giant Leap for Stem Cells - Technology Networks

Several students are playing significant roles in the upcoming launch of a SpaceX rocket carrying two CU Boulder payloads - one designed to help researchers better understand and perhaps outsmart dangerous infections like MRSA, another to help increase the proliferation of stem cells in space, a potential boon for biomedical therapy on Earth.

Shelby Bottoms and Ben Lewis, both master's students in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, are in Florida for the upcoming launch of the SpaceX rocket carrying the CU Boulder-built payloads. Both are helping to assemble flight hardware designed and built by CU Boulder's BioServe Space Technologies for the launch Feb. 18 to the International Space Station (ISS).

BioServe has built and flown over 100 payloads on more than 50 spaceflight missions. Lewis said he came to CU Boulder from Rice University hoping to be involved in spaceflight projects.

"What I didn't know was that I would be actually working on hardware that was going to fly on the International Space Station, which is really cool." Both Lewis and Bottoms are in aerospace engineering's Bioastronautics program, which involves the study and support of life in space. "Shelby and I are very passionate about human spaceflight, so to see hardware that we helped build being handled by astronauts who will eventually transfer the experiments to ISS is exciting."

The payloads are now being loaded in to the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, the ninth mission in which the company - headed by entrepreneur Elon Musk - will be toting CU Boulder-built payloads to ISS since 2012. SpaceX's Dragon will launch atop one of the company's Falcon 9 rockets.

"We are looking forward to another successful mission and continuing our partnership with SpaceX, NASA and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space," said BioServe Director Louis Stodieck. "By providing a low-gravity environment, the ISS has been shown to be an effective testbed to better understand cellular changes, which can have significant implications for advancing biomedical research on Earth."

Bioserve students moving forward After she finished her undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech, Bottoms' interest was perked when she saw CU Boulder had a bioastronautics program. Then she looked at the BioServe website. "I could see the people there were doing some really exciting things.'"

Both Bottoms and Lewis already have jobs in the aerospace industry locked up after they graduate this spring. Bottoms is going to work on human spaceflight issues for Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Littleton, Colorado. Lewis is going to work for Blue Origins, an aerospace research and development company founded by Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos in Kent, Washington, where he will be working on spacecraft and launch systems.

Headed by Dr. Anita Goel of Nanobiosym in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the first experiment will carry two strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hopes of better identifying and predicting bacterial mutations, said Stodieck. Understanding such mutations, which are believed to occur at a higher rate in near-weightlessness, could shed new light on how the deadly bacteria become drug-resistant.

The second experiment, led by Dr. Abba Zubiar of the Mayo College of Medicine in Jacksonville, Florida, involves growing stem cells in space for future use in medical therapies on Earth, said BioServe Associate Director Stefanie Countryman. Stem cells are extremely valuable in biomedicine - several million of them are required for use in a single human therapy treatment on Earth.

The space-grown stem cells will be returned from ISS to Earth in several months and will subsequently be used by researchers in clinical trials to test their efficacy in treating human diseases. Stem cells, used in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, also have been used in treatments for stroke and cancer.

BioServe has had a permanent presence on ISS since 2002. Since its inception in 1987, BioServe has partnered with more than 100 companies. BioServe partners include large and small pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, universities and NASA-funded researchers.

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Students play key biomedical research role in space - Space Daily

Graduate student Ben Lewis, BioServe Associate Director Stefanie Countryman and graduate student Shelby Bottoms are in Florida supporting the assembly of two CU Boulder-built biomedical payloads set to launch on a SpaceX rocket to the International Space Station Feb. 18.

Several students are playing significant roles in the upcoming launch of a SpaceX rocket carrying two CU Boulder payloads one designed to help researchers better understand and perhaps outsmart dangerous infections like MRSA, another to help increase the proliferation of stem cells in space, a potential boon for biomedical therapy on Earth.

Shelby Bottoms and Ben Lewis, both masters students in the Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, are in Florida for the upcoming launch of the SpaceX rocket carrying the CU Boulder-built payloads. Both are helping to assemble flight hardware designed and built by CU Boulders BioServe Space Technologies for the launch Feb. 18 to the International Space Station (ISS).

BioServe has built and flown over 100 payloads on more than 50 spaceflight missions.

Lewis said he came to CU Boulder from Rice University hoping to be involved in spaceflight projects.

What I didnt know was that I would be actually working on hardware that was going to fly on the International Space Station, which is really cool.

Both Lewis and Bottoms are in aerospace engineerings Bioastronautics program, which involves the study and support of life in space.

Shelby and I are very passionate about human spaceflight, so to see hardware that we helped build being handled by astronauts who will eventually transfer the experiments to ISS is exciting.

The payloads are now being loaded in to the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, the ninth mission in which the company headed by entrepreneur Elon Musk will be toting CU Boulder-built payloads to ISS since 2012. SpaceXs Dragon will launch atop one of the companys Falcon 9 rockets.

We are looking forward to another successful mission and continuing our partnership with SpaceX, NASA and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, said BioServe Director Louis Stodieck. By providing a low-gravity environment, the ISS has been shown to be an effective testbed to better understand cellular changes, which can have significant implications for advancing biomedical research on Earth.

Illustration of the SpaceX Dragon space capsule

Bioserve students moving forward

After she finished her undergraduate degree at Georgia Tech, Bottoms interest was perked when she saw CU Boulder had a bioastronautics program. Then she looked at the BioServe website. I could see the people there were doing some really exciting things.

Both Bottoms and Lewis already have jobs in the aerospace industry locked up after they graduate this spring. Bottoms is going to work on human spaceflight issues for Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Littleton, Colorado. Lewis is going to work for Blue Origins, an aerospace research and development company founded by Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos in Kent, Washington, where he will be working on spacecraft and launch systems.

Headed by Dr. Anita Goel of Nanobiosym in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the first experiment will carry two strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hopes of better identifying and predicting bacterial mutations, said Stodieck. Understanding such mutations, which are believed to occur at a higher rate in near-weightlessness, could shed new light on how the deadly bacteria become drug-resistant.

The second experiment, led by Dr. Abba Zubiar of the Mayo College of Medicine in Jacksonville, Florida, involves growing stem cells in space for future use in medical therapies on Earth, said BioServe Associate Director Stefanie Countryman. Stem cells are extremely valuable in biomedicine several million of them are required for use in a single human therapy treatment on Earth.

The space-grown stem cells will be returned from ISS to Earth in several months and will subsequently be used by researchers in clinical trials to test their efficacy in treating human diseases. Stem cells, used in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, also have been used in treatments for stroke and cancer.

BioServe has had a permanent presence on ISS since 2002. Since its inception in 1987, BioServe has partnered with more than 100 companies. BioServe partners include large and small pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, universities and NASA-funded researchers. Learn more about BioServe.

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Students play key biomedical research role in space | CU Boulder ... - CU Boulder Today

Nancy Dziedzic, of Sacramento, California, enjoyed hiking in her 20s, but she had never tackled any major mountains. Now 51 and more than three years after being diagnosed with a rare blood cancer, Dziedzic is preparing to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa, towering at 19,340 feet, and the highest free-standing mountain in the world.

Dziedzic and five other multiple myeloma patients start their 11-day quest on Feb. 17. The Kilimanjaro hike is part of Moving Mountains for Multiple Myeloma, a collaboration between CURE Media Group, Takeda Oncology and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF). Together, the groups send patients, as well as their family members, caregivers, and myeloma doctors and nurses on hikes with challenging terrain, including the Grand Canyon and Machu Picchu.

Multiple myeloma develops in the plasma cells found in the bone marrow. These plasma cells are critical for maintaining the immune system, but abnormal antibodies turn them into malignant melanoma cells. The cancer typically occurs in the spine, pelvic bones, ribs and areas of the shoulders and hips the bone marrow with the most activity. According to the American Cancer Society, about 30,280 new cases of multiple myeloma will be diagnosed this year, resulting in 12,590 deaths. The lifetime risk of getting multiple myeloma is 1 in 143 (.7 percent).

Dziedzic, who works for the state of California in housing and community development, first heard of Moving Mountains through a Facebook myeloma support group post about the 2016 climb. Because she was doing well on her treatment, her doctor encouraged her to apply, and she was accepted in February.

Id always dreamed of going to Africa, so I was really interested, Dziedzic told Fox News. I followed the trek last year and was really excited and inspired by them.

Dziedzic was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in September 2014 after feeling pain in her midsection. After several months of seeking a diagnosis, doctors identified multiple lesions and fractures on her ribs. These lesions form when groups of myeloma cells cause other cells in the bone marrow to remove the solid part of the bone. They do not occur in all myeloma patients.

After receiving her diagnosis, Dziedzic was immediately admitted to the hospital for about a week and started chemotherapy. Doctors then put her on five months of a three-drug cocktail, including Takedas Velcade, which led to drop in her cancer cells down to negligible amounts. In April 2015, Dziedzic underwent a stem cell transplant to replace healthy cells damaged by chemo, and, four months later, she started on a daily maintenance drug of an oral chemotherapy.

Im in complete response they dont call it remission my levels are at very low, negligible amounts, and havent really changed at all since my stem cell transplant, Dziedzic said. Right now Im feeling pretty normal, as much as you can.

Dziedzics care is now down to blood work once a month and a visit to the oncologist every two months.

The importance of being active

Climbing through the six different ecosystems cultivated areas, rain forest, heath, moorland, alpine desert and the summit of the mountain poses challenges for healthy individuals and even more so for multiple myeloma patients. However, conquering the mountain is possible, and even beneficial, for people like Dziedzic, said Dr. Betsy ODonnell, an oncologist and researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a fellow Kilimanjaro hiker.

Theres nothing to limit Nancy or any of these other climbers in any of their efforts on Kilimanjaro, ODonnell told Fox News. There is tremendous data that exercise is beneficial at any stage of therapy. Its important for patients to engage in physical activity. In her research work, ODonnell often partners with Takeda on clinical trials.A triathlete, she joined the Moving Mountains trip after being contacted by Takeda employees who knew about her active lifestyle.

Takeda manufactures multiple myeloma drugs, including Velcade, a type of chemotherapy thats the standard of care for first-line melanoma treatment, ODonnell said.

Pretty much every patient with a multiple myeloma diagnosis will see it, she said. The standard, backbone therapies come from a handful of drug companies.

While imperative, staying active during treatment for multiple myeloma or any other cancer can also be challenging, noted ODonnell, who is also the director of the Lifestyle Medicine Clinic at Mass General. The American Cancer Association recommends most cancer patients engage in 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise every week, plus two strength and conditioning sessions. Patients should consult their health care providers to ensure their fitness plan is appropriate.

After receiving a diagnosis, patients typically receive the treatment Dziedzic had: a three-drug combination and, depending on the patients age, a stem cell transplant, which requires a high dose of chemotherapy and hospitalization. During that time, doctors encourage patients to walk, but the recovery time after discharge can have a significant impact on patients cardiovascular health.

During the recovery period, where youre mostly at home laying low for a month after, its a long period of time, ODonnell said. On top of that, most multiple myeloma treatments include four to eight months of steroids, which often leads to a loss of lean muscle mass and increased visceral fat.

Taking steroids definitely made a difference, Dziedzic said. I gained weight, and you have these highs and lows because the days youre taking steroids, you are just going 100 percent. Its really hard to sleep on those days, so it disrupts your whole week.

Prior to her diagnosis, Dziedzic walked as her main form of exercise, and skipped the gym when she got sick to avoid exposing her immune system to germs. After she was accepted for the hike, her doctor encouraged her to return to the gym, where shes been working on cardiovascular and strength training, as well as hiking outdoors on the weekend and after work.

Ready for the climb

Once they reach Tanzania, the team will hike from four to six hours a day and will spend a few days doing acclimatization hikes, going up high and then back down to adjust to the altitude.

The 16-member team of patients, family members and supporters includes a mix of ages and fitness levels. Participants costs are fully covered by Takeda and CURE Magazine and the teams fundraising efforts go toward MMRF to fast-track research on multiple myeloma treatments. ODonnell estimated the trip costs $3,000-$4,000 for each hiker, plus transportation and donated gear.

On July 9, 2016, the Kilimanjaro teammates had a practice hike on Mount Bierstadt in Colorado, climbing the 14,065 foot mountain.

Dziedzic hopes her experience will raise awareness and inspire other multiple myeloma patients the way the previous expedition team did for her.

They can resume a normal life, and even do incredible things like climb Kilimanjaro or whatever is in their capabilities, she said. Shell take her first vacation since her stem cell transplant, eight days on safari, after the hike is complete.

Dziedzic is nervous but hopes her training has been enough.

I feel very mentally prepared, and I think thats a big hurdle that in some ways is even more important than the physical, she said. I feel ready mentally for it hopefully my body follows along with that.

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California woman with rare cancer to conquer world's highest free-standing mountain - Fox News

by David M. Panchision*

Diseases of the nervous system, including congenital disorders, cancers, and degenerative diseases, affect millions of people of all ages. Congenital disorders occur when the brain or spinal cord does not form correctly during development. Cancers of the nervous system result from the uncontrolled spread of aberrant cells. Degenerative diseases occur when the nervous system loses functioning of nerve cells. Most of the advances in stem cell research have been directed at treating degenerative diseases. While many treatments aim to limit the damage of these diseases, in some cases scientists believe that damage can be reversed by replacing lost cells with new ones derived from cells that can mature into nerve cells, called neural stem cells. Research that uses stem cells to treat nervous system disorders remains an area of great promise and challenge to demonstrate that cell-replacement therapy can restore lost function.

The nervous system is a complex organ made up of nerve cells (also called neurons) and glial cells, which surround and support neurons (see Figure 3.1). Neurons send signals that affect numerous functions including thought processes and movement. One type of glial cell, the oligodendrocyte, acts to speed up the signals of neurons that extend over long distances, such as in the spinal cord. The loss of any of these cell types may have catastrophic results on brain function.

Although reports dating back as early as the 1960s pointed towards the possibility that new nerve cells are formed in adult mammalian brains, this knowledge was not applied in the context of curing devastating brain diseases until the 1990s. While earlier medical research focused on limiting damage once it had occurred, in recent years researchers have been working hard to find out if the cells that can give rise to new neurons can be coaxed to restore brain function. New neurons in the adult brain arise from slowly-dividing cells that appear to be the remnants of stem cells that existed during fetal brain development. Since some of these adult cells still retain the ability to generate both neurons and glia, they are referred to as adult neural stem cells.

These findings are exciting because they suggest that the brain may contain a built-in mechanism to repair itself. Unfortunately, these new neurons are only generated in a few sites in the brain and turn into only a few specialized types of nerve cells. Although there are many different neuronal cell types in the brain, we now know that these new neurons can quot;plug inquot; correctly to assist brain function.1 The discovery of these cells has spurred further research into the characteristics of neural stem cells from the fetus and the adult, mostly using rodents and primates as model species. The hope is that these cells may be able to replenish those that are functionally lost in human degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease), as well as from brain and spinal cord injuries that result from stroke or trauma.

Scientists are applying these new stem cell discoveries in two ways in their experiments. First, they are using current knowledge of normal brain development to modulate stem cells that are harvested and grown in culture. Researchers can then transplant these cultured cells into the brain of an animal model and allow the brain's own signals to differentiate the stem cells into neurons or glia. Alternatively, the stem cells can be induced to differentiate into neurons and glia while in the culture dish, before being transplanted into the brain. Much progress has been made the last several years with human embryonic stem (ES) cells that can differentiate into all cell types in the body. While ES cells can be maintained in culture for relatively long periods of time without differentiating, they usually must be coaxed through many more steps of differentiation to produce the desired cell types. Recent studies, however, suggest that ES cells may differentiate into neurons in a more straightforward manner than may other cell types.

Figure 3.1. The Neuron When sufficient neurotransmitters cross synapses and bind receptors on the neuronal cell body and dendrites, the neuron sends an electrical signal down its axon to synaptic terminals, which in turn release neurotransmitters into the synapse that affects the following neuron. The brain neurons that die in Parkinson's Disease release the transmitter dopamine. Oligodendrocytes supply the axon with an insulating myelin sheath.

2001 Terese Winslow

Second, scientists are identifying growth (trophic) factors that are normally produced and used by the developing and adult brain. They are using these factors to minimize damage to the brain and to activate the patient's own stem cells to repair damage that has occurred. Each of these strategies is being aggressively pursued to identify the most effective treatments for degenerative diseases. Most of these studies have been carried out initially with animal stem cells and recipients to determine their likelihood of success. Still, much more research is necessary to develop stem cell therapies that will be useful for treating brain and spinal cord disease in the same way that hematopoietic stem cell therapies are routinely used for immune system replacement (see Chapter 2).

The majority of stem cell studies of neurological disease have used rats and mice, since these models are convenient to use and are well-characterized biologically. If preliminary studies with rodent stem cells are successful, scientists will attempt to transplant human stem cells into rodents. Studies may then be carried out in primates (e.g., monkeys) to offer insight into how humans might respond to neurological treatment. Human studies are rarely undertaken until these other experiments have shown promising results. While human transplant studies have been carried out for decades in the case of Parkinson's disease, animal research continues to provide improved strategies to generate an abundant supply of transplantable cells.

The intensive research aiming at curing Parkinson's disease with stem cells is a good example for the various strategies, successful results, and remaining challenges of stem cell-based brain repair. Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of motor control that affects roughly 2% of persons 65 years and older. Triggered by the death of neurons in a brain region called the substantia nigra, Parkinson's disease begins with minor tremors that progress to limb and bodily rigidity and difficulty initiating movement. These neurons connect via long axons to another region called the striatum, composed of subregions called the caudate nucleus and the putamen. These neurons that reach from the substantia nigra to the striatum release the chemical transmitter dopamine onto their target neurons in the striatum. One of dopamine's major roles is to regulate the nerves that control body movement. As these cells die, less dopamine is produced, leading to the movement difficulties characteristic of Parkinson's disease. Currently, the causes of death of these neurons are not well understood.

For many years, doctors have treated Parkinson's disease patients with the drug levodopa (L-dopa), which the brain converts into dopamine. Although the drug works well initially, levodopa eventually loses its effectiveness, and side-effects increase. Ultimately, many doctors and patients find themselves fighting a losing battle. For this reason, a huge effort is underway to develop new treatments, including growth factors that help the remaining dopamine neurons survive and transplantation procedures to replace those that have died.

The strategy to use new cells to replace lost ones is not new. Surgeons first attempted to transplant dopamine-releasing cells from a patient's own adrenal glands in the 1980s.2,3 Although one of these studies reported a dramatic improvement in the patients' conditions, U.S. surgeons were only able to achieve modest and temporary improvement, insufficient to outweigh the risks of such a procedure. As a result, these human studies were not pursued further.

Another strategy was attempted in the 1970s, in which cells derived from fetal tissue from the mouse substantia nigra was transplanted into the adult rat eye and found to develop into mature dopamine neurons.4 In the 1980s, several groups showed that transplantation of this type of tissue could reverse Parkinson's-like symptoms in rats and monkeys when placed in the damaged areas.The success of the animal studies led to several human trials beginning in the mid-1980s.5,6 In some cases, patients showed a lessening of their symptoms. Also, researchers could measure an increase in dopamine neuron function in the striatum of these patients by using a brain-imaging method called positron emission tomography (PET) (see Figure 3.2).7

The NIH has funded two large and well-controlled clinical trials in the past 15 years in which researchers transplanted tissue from aborted fetuses into the striatum of patients with Parkinson's disease.7,8 These studies, performed in Colorado and New York, included controls where patients received quot;shamquot; surgery (no tissue was implanted), and neither the patients nor the scientists who evaluated their progress knew which patients received the implants. The patients' progress was followed for up to eight years. Unfortunately, both studies showed that the transplants offered little benefit to the patients as a group. While some patients showed improvement, others began to suffer from dyskinesias, jerky involuntary movements that are often side effects of long-term L-dopa treatment. This effect occurred in 15% of the patients in the Colorado study.7 and more than half of the patients in the New York study.8 Additionally, the New York study showed evidence that some patients' immune systems were attacking the grafts.

However, promising findings emerged from these studies as well. Younger and milder Parkinson's patients responded relatively well to the grafts, and PET scans of patients showed that some of the transplanted dopamine neurons survived and matured. Additionally, autopsies on three patients who died of unrelated causes, years after the surgeries, indicated the presence of dopamine neurons from the graft. These cells appeared to have matured in the same way as normal dopamine neurons, which suggested that they were acting normally in the brain.

Figure 3.2. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images from a Parkinson's patient before and after fetal tissue transplantation. The image taken before surgery (left) shows uptake of a radioactive form of dopamine (red) only in the caudate nucleus, indicating that dopamine neurons have degenerated. Twelve months after surgery, an image from the same patient (right) reveals increased dopamine function, especially in the putamen. (Reprinted with permission from N Eng J Med 2001;344(10) p. 710.)

Researchers in Sweden followed the severity of dyskinesia in patients for eleven years after neural transplantation and found that the severity was typically mild or moderate. These results suggested that dyskinesias were due to effects that were distinct from the beneficial effects of the grafts.9 Dyskinesias may therefore be related to the ways that transplantation disturbs other cells in the brain and so may be minimized by future improvements in therapy. Another study that involved the grafting of cells both into the striatum (the target of dopamine neurons) and the substantia nigra (where dopamine neurons normally reside) of three patients showed no adverse effects and some modest improvement in patient movement.10 To determine the full extent of therapeutic benefits from such a procedure and confirm the reliability of these results, this study will need to be repeated with a larger patient population that includes the appropriate controls.

The limited success of these studies may reflect variations in the fetal tissue used for transplantation, which is of limited quantity and can not be standardized or well-characterized. The full complement of cells in these fetal tissue samples is not known at present. As a result, the tissue remains the greatest source of uncertainty in patient outcome following transplantation.

The major goal for Parkinson's investigators is to generate a source of cells that can be grown in large supply, maintained indefinitely in the laboratory, and differentiated efficiently into dopamine neurons that work when transplanted into the brain of a Parkinson's patient. Scientists have investigated the behavior of stem cells in culture and the mechanisms that govern dopamine neuron production during development in their attempts to identify optimal culture conditions that allow stem cells to turn into dopamine-producing neurons.

Preliminary studies have been carried out using immature stem cell-like precursors from the rodent ventral midbrain, the region that normally gives rise to these dopamine neurons. In one study these precursors were turned into functional dopamine neurons, which were then grafted into rats previously treated with 6-hydroxy-dopamine (6-OHDA) to kill the dopamine neurons in their substantia nigra and induce Parkinson's-like symptoms. Even though the percentage of surviving dopamine neurons was low following transplantation, it was sufficient to relieve the Parkinson's-like symptoms.11 Unfortunately, these fetal cells cannot be maintained in culture for very long before they lose the ability to differentiate into dopamine neurons.

Cells with features of neural stem cells have been derived from ES-cells, fetal brain tissue, brain tissue from neurosurgery, and brain tissue that was obtained after a person's death. There is controversy about whether other organ stem cell populations, such as hematopoietic stem cells, either contain or give rise to neural stem cells

Many researchers believe that the more primitive ES cells may be an excellent source of dopamine neurons because ES-cells can be grown indefinitely in a laboratory dish and can differentiate into any cell type, even after long periods in culture. Mouse ES cells injected directly into 6-OHDA-treated rat brains led to relief of Parkinson-like symptoms. Further investigation showed that these ES cells had differentiated into both dopamine and serotonin neurons.12 This latter type of neuron is generated in an adjacent region of the brain and may complicate the response to transplantation. Since ES cells can generate all cell types in the body, unwanted cell types such as muscle or bone could theoretically also be introduced into the brain. As a result, a great deal of effort is being currently put into finding the right quot;recipequot; for turning ES cells into dopamine neuronsand only this cell typeto treat Parkinson's disease. Researchers strive to learn more about normal brain development to help emulate the natural progression of ES cells toward dopamine neurons in the culture dish.

The recent availability of human ES cells has led to further studies to examine their potential for differentiation into dopamine neurons. Recently, dopamine neurons from human embryonic stem cells have been generated.13 One research group used a special type of companion cell, along with specific growth factors, to promote the differentiation of the ES cells through several stages into dopamine neurons. These neurons showed many of the characteristic properties of normal dopamine neurons.13 Furthermore, recent evidence of more direct neuronal differentiation methods from mouse ES cells fuels hope that scientists can refine and streamline the production of transplantable human dopamine neurons.

One method with great therapeutic potential is nuclear transfer. This method fuses the genetic material from one individual donor with a recipient egg cell that has had its nucleus removed. The early embryo that develops from this fusion is a genetic match for the donor. This process is sometimes called quot;therapeutic cloningquot; and is regarded by some to be ethically questionable. However, mouse ES cells have been differentiated successfully in this way into dopamine neurons that corrected Parkinsonian symptoms when transplanted into 6-OHDA-treated rats.14 Similar results have been obtained using parthenogenetic primate stem cells, which are cells that are genetic matches from a female donor with no contribution from a male donor.15 These approaches may offer the possibility of treating patients with genetically-matched cells, thereby eliminating the possibility of graft rejection.

Scientists are also studying the possibility that the brain may be able to repair itself with therapeutic support. This avenue of study is in its early stages but may involve administering drugs that stimulate the birth of new neurons from the brain's own stem cells. The concept is based on research showing that new nerve cells are born in the adult brains of humans. The phenomenon occurs in a brain region called the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. While it is not yet clear how these new neurons contribute to normal brain function, their presence suggests that stem cells in the adult brain may have the potential to re-wire dysfunctional neuronal circuitry.

The adult brain's capacity for self-repair has been studied by investigating how the adult rat brain responds to transforming growth factor alpha (TGF), a protein important for early brain development that is expressed in limited quantities in adults.16 Injection of TGF into a healthy rat brain causes stem cells to divide for several days before ceasing division. In 6-OHDAtreated (Parkinsonian) rats, however, the cells proliferated and migrated to the damaged areas. Surprisingly, the TGF-treated rats showed few of the behavioral problems associated with untreated Parkinsonian rats.16 Additionally, in 2002 and 2003, two research groups isolated small numbers of dividing cells in the substantia nigra of adult rodents.17,18

These findings suggest that the brain can repair itself, as long as the repair process is triggered sufficiently. It is not clear, though, whether stem cells are responsible for this repair or if the TGF activates a different repair mechanism.

Many other diseases that affect the nervous system hold the potential for being treated with stem cells. Experimental therapies for chronic diseases of the nervous system, such as Alzheimer's disease, Lou Gehrig's disease, or Huntington's disease, and for acute injuries, such as spinal cord and brain trauma or stoke, are being currently developed and tested. These diverse disorders must be investigated within the contexts of their unique disease processes and treated accordingly with highly adapted cell-based approaches.

Although severe spinal cord injury is an area of intense research, the therapeutic targets are not as clear-cut as in Parkinson's disease. Spinal cord trauma destroys numerous cell types, including the neurons that carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body. In many spinal injuries, the cord is not actually severed, and at least some of the signal-carrying neuronal axons remain intact. However, the surviving axons no longer carry messages because oligodendrocytes, which make the axons' insulating myelin sheath, are lost. Researchers have recently made progress to replenish these lost myelin-producing cells. In one study, scientists cultured human ES cells through several steps to make mixed cultures that contained oligodendrocytes. When they injected these cells into the spinal cords of chemically-demyelinated rats, the treated rats regained limited use of their hind limbs compared with un-grafted rats.19 Researchers are not certain, however, whether the limited increase in function observed in rats is actually due to the remyelination or to an unidentified trophic effect of the treatment.

Getting neurons to grow new axons through the injury site to reconnect with their targets is even more challenging. While myelin promotes normal neuronal function, it also inhibits the growth of new axons following spinal injury. In a recent study to attempt post-trauma axonal growth, Harper and colleagues treated ES cells with a combination of factors that are known to promote motor neuron differentiation.20 The researchers then transplanted these cells into adult rats that had received spinal cord injuries. While many of these cells survived and differentiated into neurons, they did not send out axons unless the researchers also added drugs that interfered with the inhibitory effects of myelin. The growth effect was modest, and the researchers have not yet seen evidence of functional neuron connections. However, their results raise the possibility that signals can be turned on and off in the correct order to allow neurons to reconnect and function properly. Spinal injury researchers emphasize that additional basic and preclinical research must be completed before attempting human trials using stem cell therapies to repair the trauma-damaged nervous system.

Since myelin loss is at the heart of many other degenerative diseases, oligodendrocytes made from ES cells may be useful to treat these conditions as well. For example, scientists recently cultured human ES cells with a combination of growth factors to generate a highly enriched population of myelinating oligodendrocyte precursors.21,22 The researchers then tested these cells in a genetically-mutated mouse that does not produce myelin properly. When the growth factor-cultured ES cells were transplanted into affected mice, the cells migrated and differentiated into mature oligodendrocytes that made myelin sheaths around neighboring axons. These researchers subsequently showed that these cells matured and improved movement when grafted in rats with spinal cord injury.23 Improved movement only occurred when grafting was completed soon after injury, suggesting that some post-injury responses may interfere with the grafted cells. However, these results are sufficiently encouraging to plan clinical trials to test whether replacement of myelinating glia can treat spinal cord injury.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is characterized by a progressive destruction of motor neurons in the spinal cord. Patients with ALS develop increasing muscle weakness over time, which ultimately leads to paralysis and death. The cause of ALS is largely unknown, and there are no effective treatments. Researchers recently have used different sources of stem cells to test in rat models of ALS to test for possible nerve cell-restoring properties. In one study, researchers injected cell clusters made from embryonic germ (EG) cells into the spinal cord fluid of the partially-paralyzed rats.24 Three months after the injections, many of the treated rats were able to move their hind limbs and walk with difficulty, while the rats that did not receive cell injections remained paralyzed. Moreover, the transplanted cells had migrated throughout the spinal fluid and developed into cells that displayed molecular characteristics of mature motor neurons. However, too few cells matured in this way to account for the recovery, and there was no evidence that the transplanted cells formed functional connections with muscles. The researchers suggest that the transplanted cells may be promoting recovery in some other way, such as by producing trophic factors.

This possibility was addressed in a second study in which scientists grew human fetal CNS stem cells in culture and genetically modified them to produce a trophic factor that promotes the survival of cells that are lost in ALS. When grafted into the spinal cords of the ALS-like rats, these cells secreted the desired growth factor and promoted the survival of the neurons that are normally lost in the ALS-like rats.25 While promising, these results highlight the need for additional basic research into functional recovery in ALS disease models.

Stroke affects about 750,000 patients per year in the

U.S. and is the most common cause of disability in adults. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted. As a consequence, cells in affected brain regions die from insufficient amounts of oxygen. The treatment of stroke with anti-clotting drugs has dramatically improved the odds of patient recovery. However, in many patients the damage cannot be prevented, and the patient may permanently lose the functions of affected areas of the brain. For these patients, researchers are now considering stem cells as a way to repair the damaged brain regions. This problem is made more challenging because the damage in stroke may be widespread and may affect many cell types and connections.

However, researchers from Sweden recently observed that strokes in rats cause the brain's own stem cells to divide and give rise to new neurons.26 However, these neurons, which survived only a couple of weeks, are few in number compared to the extent of damage caused. A group from the University of Tokyo added a growth factor, bFGF, into the brains of rats after stroke and showed that the hippocampus was able to generate large numbers of new neurons.27 The researchers found evidence that these new neurons were actually making connections with other neurons. These and other results suggest that future stroke treatments may be able to coax the brain's own stem cells to make replacement neurons.

Taking an alternative approach, another group attempted transplantation as a means to treat the loss of brain mass after a severe stroke. By adding stem cells onto a polymer scaffold that they implanted into the stroke-damaged brains of mice, the researchers demonstrated that the seeded stem cells differentiated into neurons and that the polymer scaffold reduced scarring.28 Two groups transplanted human fetal stem cells in independent studies into the brains of stroke-affected rodents; these stem cells not only survived but migrated to the damaged areas of the brain.29,30 These studies increase our knowledge of how stem cells are attracted to diseased areas of the brain.

There is also increasing evidence from numerous animal disease models that stem cells are actively drawn to brain damage. Once they reach these damaged areas, they have been shown to exert beneficial effects such as reducing brain inflammation or supporting nerve cells. It is hoped that, once these mechanisms are better understood, this stem cell recruitment can potentially be exploited to mobilize a patient's own stem cells.

Similar lines of research are being considered with other disorders such as Huntington's Disease and certain congenital defects. While much attention has been called to the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, it is still not clear if stem cells hold the key to its treatment. But despite the fact that much basic work remains and many fundamental questions are yet to be answered, researchers are hopeful that repair for once-incurable nervous system disorders may be amenable to stem cell based therapies.

Considerable progress has been made the last few years in our understanding of stem cell biology and devising sources of cells for transplantation. New methods are also being developed for cell delivery and targeting to affected areas of the body. These advances have fueled optimism that new treatments will come for millions of persons who suffer from neurological disorders. But it is the current task of scientists to bring these methods from the laboratory bench to the clinic in a scientifically sound and ethically acceptable fashion.

Notes:

* Chief, Developmental Neurobiology Program, Molecular, Cellular & Genomic Neuroscience Research Branch, Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Email: panchisiond@mail.nih.gov

Chapter 2|Table of Contents|Chapter 4

Continued here:
Repairing the Nervous System with Stem Cells | stemcells ...

Course Information

Course Date: October 8 October 14, 2017

Deadline: June 20, 2017 | Apply here

Tuition: $3150.00 Room and Board: $421.50 Financial Assistance Available: Yes

2016 Schedule (PDF)

Contact for more information: pdc@pdc.magee.edu

Directors: Jennifer Morgan, MBL; and Gerald P. Schatten, University of Pittsburgh

Course Description

The Frontiers in Stem Cells and Regeneration Course is a laboratory and lecture based course that includes a complete array of biological and medical perspectives from fundamental basic biology of stemness and mechanisms of regeneration through evaluation of pluripotent stem cells for therapeutic benefit. This dynamic, evolving course features world class lectures from experts in stem cells and regeneration biology, including a keynote Pioneer Lecture delivered by a leading expert. The laboratories explore a variety of timely topics including stem cell derivation, pluripotency, directed differentiation, and spinal cord and limb regeneration, using an array of experimental models ranging from planarians to human stem cells.

The NIH sponsored course is designed for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, newly independent scientists, and established investigators seeking comprehensive and sophisticated training in research strategies and state-of-the-art cellular, molecular and genetic approaches for advancing stem cell and regeneration research.

The course also features bioethics seminars, career coaching, and ongoing one-on-one mentoring by course faculty participants.

The Stem Cells and Regeneration Course will exclusively use human embryonic stem cell lines on the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry and being routinely cultured at the Pittsburgh Development Center.

2016 Course Faculty & Lecturers

Eli Adashi, Brown University Arturo Alvarez-Buylla, UCSF Ona Bloom, Feinstein Institute Susan Bryant, University of California, Irvine Diane Carlisle, University of Pittsburgh Chad Cowan, Harvard Stem Cell Institute Ina Dobrinski, University of Calgary Charles Easley, Emory University School of Medicine David Forsthoefel, OMRF Elaine Fuchs, Rockefeller University / HHMI Jose Garcia Arraras, University of Puerto Rico David Gardiner, University of California, Irvine David Hyde, Notre Dame University Mark Hughes, Genesis Genetics Institute Jongwhan Kim, University of Texas-Austin Mark Krasnow, Stanford Leslie Leinwand, University of Colorado, Boulder Michael Levin, Tufts University Malcolm Maden, University of Florida Alexander Meissner, Harvard Stem Cell Institute Maya Mitalipova, MIT James Monaghan, Northeastern University Jennifer Morgan, MBL Ken Muneoka, Texas A&M Andras Nagy, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Toronto Phil Newmark, Univ. of Ill. Urbana-Champaign / HHMI Kyle Orwig, University of Pittsburgh Pasquale Patrizio, Yale University School of Medicine Jan Pruszak, University of Freiburg Ravi Ravindranath, NIH/NICHD Tobias Schatton, Brigham and Womens Hospital Jerry Shay, University of Texas-Southwestern Calvin Simerly, University of Pittsburgh Henk ten Have, Duquesne University Jonathan Tilly, Northeastern University Ava Udvadia, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee S. Randal Voss, University of Kentucky Amittha Wickrema, UChicago Hunt Willard, MBL Leonard Zon, Harvard / HHMI

Read the rest here:
Frontiers in Stem Cells & Regeneration - mbl.edu

Do you have an idea of the natural healing potential that is available in your body?

Read on to find out where your body stores these powerful stem cells.

Adult stem cells are found in the highest concentration in adipose (fat) tissue. In smaller concentrations, they are additionally found in your bone marrow. Beyond what is used for harvesting, stem cells are also found in blood, skin, muscles, and organs.

Adipose tissue provides the largest volume of adult stem cells (1,000 to 2,000 times the number of cells per volume found in bone marrow). Bone marrow provides some stem cells but more importantly provides a large volume of growth factors to aid in the repair process. In addition to adult stem cells, fat tissue also contains numerous other regenerative cells that are important to the healing process.

Stem cells derived from adipose fat tissue have been shown to be a much better source for the repair of cartilage degeneration and recent studies have demonstrated its superior ability to differentiate into cartilage.

There are some misconceptions about stem cells and where they come from. Dr. Brandt has dedicated a blog post to important topic.

Continued here:
What Is Stem Cell Therapy - ThriveMD Vail & Denver, Colorado

Conference Series invites all the participants from all over the world to attend"8th European Immunology Conference, June 29-July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain, includesprompt keynote presentations, Oral talks, Poster presentations and Exhibitions.

European ImmunologyConferenceis to gathering people in academia and society interested inimmunologyto share the latest trends and important issues relevant to our field/subject area.Immunology Conferencesbrings together the global leaders in Immunology and relevant fields to present their research at this exclusive scientific program. TheImmunology Conferencehosting presentations from editors of prominent refereed journals, renowned and active investigators and decision makers in the field of Immunology.European Immunology ConferenceOrganizing Committee also invites Young investigators at every career stage to submit abstracts reporting their latest scientific findings in oral and poster sessions.

Track:1Cellular Immunology

The study of the molecular and cellular components that comprise the immune system, including their function and interaction, is the central science ofimmunology. The immune system has been divided into a more primitive innate immune system and, in vertebrates, an acquired oradaptive immune system

The field concerning the interactions among cells and molecules of the immunesystem,and how such interactions contribute to the recognition and elimination of pathogens. Humans possess a range of non-specific mechanical and biochemical defences against routinely encountered bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi. The skin, for example, is an effective physical barrier to infection. Basic chemical defences are also present in blood, saliva, and tears, and on mucous membranes. True protection stems from the host's ability to mount responses targeted to specific organisms, and to retain a form of memory that results in a rapid, efficient response to a given organism upon a repeat encounter. This more formal sense of immunity, termed adaptive immunity, depends upon the coordinated activities of cells and molecules of the immune system.

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Track: 2Inflammatory/Autoimmune Diseases

Autoimmune diseasescan affect almost any part of the body, including the heart, brain, nerves, muscles, skin, eyes, joints, lungs, kidneys, glands, the digestive tract, and blood vessels.

The classic sign of an autoimmune disease is inflammation, which can cause redness, heat, pain, and swelling. How an autoimmune disease affects you depends on what part of the body is targeted. If the disease affects the joints, as inrheumatoid arthritis, you might have joint pain, stiffness, and loss of function. If it affects the thyroid, as in Graves disease and thyroiditis, it might cause tiredness, weight gain, and muscle aches. If it attacks the skin, as it does in scleroderma/systemic sclerosis, vitiligo, andsystemic lupus erythematosus(SLE), it can cause rashes, blisters, and colour changes. Many autoimmune diseases dont restrict themselves to one part of the body. For example, SLE can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, nerves, blood vessels, and more. Type 1 diabetes can affect your glands, eyes, kidneys, muscles, and more.

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Track: 3T-Cells and B-Cells

T cell: A type of white blood cell that is of key importance to the immune system and is at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors the body's immune response to specific pathogens. The T cells are like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invaders. Immature T cells (termed T-stem cells) migrate to the thymus gland in the neck, where they mature and differentiate into various types of mature T cells and become active in the immune system in response to a hormone called thymosin and other factors. T-cells that are potentially activated against the body's own tissues are normally killed or changed ("down-regulated") during this maturational process.There are several different types of mature T cells. Not all of their functions are known. T cells can produce substances called cytokines such as the interleukins which further stimulate the immune response. T-cell activation is measured as a way to assess the health of patients withHIV/AIDSand less frequently in other disorders. T cell are also known as T lymphocytes. The "T" stands for "thymus" -- the organ in which these cells mature. As opposed to B cells which mature in the bone marrow.B cells, also known asBlymphocytes, are a type of white bloodcellof the lymphocyte subtype. They function in thehumoral immunitycomponent of the adaptive immune system by secreting antibodies. Many B cells mature into what are called plasma cells that produce antibodies (proteins) necessary to fight off infections while other B cells mature into memory B cells. All of the plasma cells descended from a single B cell produce the same antibody which is directed against the antigen that stimulated it to mature. The same principle holds with memory B cells. Thus, all of the plasma cells and memory cells "remember" the stimulus that led to their formation. The maturation of B cells takes place in birds in an organ called the bursa of Fabricus. B cells in mammals mature largely in the bone marrow. The B cell, or B lymphocyte, is thus an immunologically important cell. It is not thymus-dependent, has a short lifespan, and is responsible for the production ofimmunoglobulins.It expresses immunoglobulins on its surface.

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Track: 4Cancer and Tumor Immunobiology

The tumour is an important aspect of cancer biology that contributes to tumour initiation, tumour progression and responses to therapy. Cells and molecules of the immune system are a fundamental component of the tumour microenvironment. Importantly,therapeutic strategies for cancer treatmentcan harness the immune system to specifically target tumour cells and this is particularly appealing owing to the possibility of inducing tumour-specific immunological memory, which might cause long-lasting regression and prevent relapse in cancer patients.The composition and characteristics of the tumour microenvironment vary widely and are important in determining the anti-tumour immune response.Immunotherapyis a new class ofcancer treatmentthat works to harness the innate powers of the immune system to fight cancer. Because of the immune system's unique properties, these therapies may hold greater potential than current treatment approaches to fight cancer more powerfully, to offer longer-term protection against the disease, to come with fewer side effects, and to benefit more patients with more cancer

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Track: 5 Vaccines

A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe, its toxins or one of its surface proteins. The agent stimulates the body's immune system to recognize the agent as foreign, destroy it, and "remember" it, so that the immune system can more easily recognize and destroy any of these microorganisms that it later encounters. There are two basictypes of vaccines: live attenuated and inactivated. The characteristics of live and inactivatedvaccinesare different, and these characteristics determine how thevaccineis used. Liveattenuatedvaccinesare produced by modifying a disease-producing (wild) virus or bacteria in a laboratory.

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Track: 6Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy,also called biologic therapy, is a type of cancer treatment designed to boost the body's natural defences to fight the cancer. It uses materials either made by the body or in a laboratory to improve, target, or restore immune system function. Immunotherapy is treatment that uses certain parts of a persons immune system to fight diseases such as cancer. This can be done in a couple of ways:1)Stimulating your own immune system to work harder or smarter to attack cancer cells2)Giving you immune system components, such as man-made immune system proteins. Some types of immunotherapy are also sometimes called biologic therapy or biotherapy.

In the last few decadesimmunotherapyhas become an important part of treating some types of cancer. Newer types of immune treatments are now being studied, and theyll impact how we treat cancer in the future. Immunotherapy includes treatments that work in different ways. Some boost the bodys immune system in a very general way. Others help train the immune system to attack cancer cells specifically. Immunotherapy works better for some types of cancer than for others. Its used by itself for some of these cancers, but for others it seems to work better when used with other types of treatment.

Many different types of immunotherapy are used to treat cancer. They include:Monoclonal antibodies,Adoptive cell transfer,Cytokines, Treatment Vaccines, BCG,

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Track: 7Neuro Immunology

Neuroimmunology, a branch of immunologythat deals especially with the inter relationships of the nervous system and immune responses andautoimmune disorders. It deals with particularly fundamental and appliedneurobiology,meetings onneurology,neuropathology, neurochemistry,neurovirology, neuroendocrinology, neuromuscular research,neuropharmacologyand psychology, which involve either immunologic methodology (e.g. immunocytochemistry) or fundamental immunology (e.g. antibody and lymphocyte assays).

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Track: 8Infectious Diseases and Immune System

Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi; the diseases can be spread, directly or indirectly, from one person to another.Zoonotic diseasesare infectious diseases of animals that can cause disease when transmitted to humans. Some infectious diseases can be passed from person to person. Some are transmitted by bites from insects or animals. And others are acquired by ingesting contaminated food or water or being exposed to organisms in the environment. Signs and symptoms vary depending on the organism causing the infection, but often include fever and fatigue. Mild complaints may respond to rest and home remedies, while some life-threatening infections may require hospitalization.

Many infectious diseases, such as measles andchickenpox, can be prevented by vaccines. Frequent and thorough hand-washing also helps protect you from infectious diseases

There are four main kinds of germs:

RelatedImmunology Conferences|Immunologists Meetings|Conference Series LLC:

Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress, March 20-21, 2017 Rome, Italy; 3nd International Congress on Neuroimmunology and Therapeutics, September 18-19, 2017 Philadelphia, USA; 18thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Dec 12-13, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand; Annual Meeting on Immunology and Immunologist, July 03-05, 2017 Malyasia, Kuala lumpur; 19thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Sept 14-17, 2017, Berlin, Germany; Modelling Viral Infections and Immunity (E1) , May 1 - 4, 2017 | Estes Park, Colorado, USA; 7thInternational Conference on Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology; 18thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Dec 12-13, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand

Track: 9Reproductive Immunology,

Reproductive immunologyrefers to a field of medicine that studies interactions (or the absence of them) between the immune system and components related to thereproductivesystem, such as maternal immune tolerance towards the fetus, orimmunologicalinteractions across the blood-testis barrier. The immune system refers to all parts of the body that work to defend it against harmful enemies. In people with immunological fertility problems their body identifies part of reproductive function as an enemy and sendsNatural Killer (NK) cellsto attack. A healthy immune response would only identify an enemy correctly and attack only foreign invaders such as a virus, parasite, bacteria, ect.

The concept of reproductive immunology is not widely accepted by all physicians.Those patients who have had repeated miscarriages and multiple failed IVF's find themselves exploring it's possibilities as the reason. With an increased amount of success among treating any potential immunological factors, the idea of reproductive immunology can no longer be overlooked.The failure to conceive is often due to immunologic problems that can lead to very early rejection of the embryo, often before the pregnancy can be detected by even the most sensitive tests. Women can often produce perfectly healthy embryos that are lost through repeated "mini miscarriages." This most commonly occurs in women who have conditions such asendometriosis, an under-active thyroid gland or in cases of so called "unexplained infertility." It has been estimated that an immune factor may be involved in up to 20% of couples with otherwiseunexplained infertility. These are all conditions where abnormalities of the womans immune system may play an important role.

RelatedImmunology Conferences|Immunologists Meetings|Conference Series LLC:

9thworld congress & expo on Immunology, Oct 02-04, 2017, Toronto, Canada; 3rdAntibodies and Bio Therapeutics Congress, November 02-03, 2017 Las Vegas, USA; Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress, March 20-21, 2017 Rome, Italy; 3nd International Congress on Neuroimmunology and Therapeutics, September 18-19, 2017 Philadelphia, USA; 18th International Conference on Immunology (ICI) Dec 12-13, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand; Annual Meeting on Immunology and Immunologist, July 03-05, 2017 Malyasia, Kuala lumpur; British Society for Immunology Congress, Dec 06-09, 2016, Liverpool, United Kingdom; 7thInternational Conference on Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology; Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy: Taking a Place in Mainstream Oncology (C7), March 19 - 23, 2017, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

Track:10Auto Immunity,

Autoimmunityis the system ofimmuneresponses of an organism against its own cells and tissues. Any disease that results from such an aberrantimmuneresponse is termed an autoimmune disease.

Autoimmunity is present to some extent in everyone and is usually harmless. However, autoimmunity can cause a broad range of human illnesses, known collectively as autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases occur when there is progression from benign autoimmunity to pathogenicautoimmunity. This progression is determined by genetic influences as well as environmental triggers. Autoimmunity is evidenced by the presence of autoantibodies (antibodies directed against the person who produced them) and T cells that are reactive with host antigens.

Autoimmune disorders

An autoimmune disorder occurs whenthe bodys immune systemattacks and destroys healthy body tissue by mistake. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune disorders.

Causes

The white blood cells in the bodys immune system help protect against harmful substances. Examples include bacteria, viruses,toxins,cancercells, and blood and tissue from outside the body. These substances contain antigens. The immune system producesantibodiesagainst these antigens that enable it to destroy these harmful substances. When you have an autoimmune disorder, your immune system does not distinguish between healthy tissue and antigens. As a result, the body sets off a reaction that destroys normal tissues. The exact cause of autoimmune disorders is unknown. One theory is that some microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) or drugs may trigger changes that confuse the immune system. This may happen more often in people who have genes that make them more prone toautoimmune disorders.

An autoimmune disorder may result in:

A person may have more than one autoimmune disorder at the same time. Common autoimmune disorders include:

RelatedImmunology Conferences|Immunologists Meetings|Conference Series LLC:

9thworld congress & expo on Immunology, Oct 02-04, 2017, Toronto, Canada; 3rdAntibodies and Bio Therapeutics Congress, November 02-03, 2017 Las Vegas, USA; Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress, March 20-21, 2017 Rome, Italy; 3nd International Congress on Neuroimmunology and Therapeutics, September 18-19, 2017 Philadelphia, USA; 18th International Conference on Immunology (ICI) Dec 12-13, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand; Annual Meeting on Immunology and Immunologist, July 03-05, 2017 Malyasia, Kuala lumpur; British Society for Immunology Congress, Dec 06-09, 2016, Liverpool, United Kingdom; 7thInternational Conference on Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology; Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy: Taking a Place in Mainstream Oncology (C7), March 19 - 23, 2017, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

Track: 11Costimmulatory pathways in multiple sclerosis

Costimulatory moleculescan be categorized based either on their functional attributes or on their structure. The costimulatory molecules discussed in this review will be divided into (1)positive costimulatory pathways:promoting T cell activation, survival and/or differentiation; (2)negative costimulatory pathways:antagonizing TCR signalling and suppressing T cell activation; (3) as third group we will discuss themembers of the TIM family, a rather new family of cell surface molecules involved in the regulation of T cell differentiation and Treg function.Costimulatory pathways have a critical role in the regulation of alloreactivity. A complex network of positive and negative pathways regulates T cell responses. Blocking costimulation improves allograft survival in rodents and non-human primates. The costimulation blocker belatacept is being developed asimmunosuppressivedruginrenal transplantation.

RelatedImmunology Conferences|Immunologists Meetings|Conference Series LLC:

3rdAntibodies and Bio Therapeutics Congress, November 02-03, 2017 Las Vegas, USA; Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress, March 20-21, 2017 Rome, Italy; Annual Meeting on Immunology and Immunologist, July 03-05, 2017 Malyasia, Kuala lumpur; 3rd International Congress on Neuroimmunology and Therapeutics, September 18-19, 2017 Philadelphia, USA; 2nd Autoimmunity Conference, Nov 9-10, 2017 Madrid, Spain; Integrating Metabolism and Immunity , May 29 - June 2, 2017 | Dublin, Ireland; American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting, March 03-06, 2017, Atlanta, Georgia

Track: 12Autoimmunity and Therapathies

Autoimmunityis the system ofimmuneresponsesof an organism against its own cells and tissues. Any disease that results from such an aberrantimmuneresponse is termed an autoimmune disease.

Autoimmunity is present to some extent in everyone and is usually harmless. However, autoimmunity can cause a broad range of human illnesses, known collectively as autoimmune diseases.Autoimmune diseasesoccur when there is progression from benign autoimmunity to pathogenic autoimmunity. This progression is determined by genetic influences as well as environmental triggers. Autoimmunity is evidenced by the presence of autoantibodies (antibodies directed against the person who produced them) and T cells that are reactive with host antigens.

Current treatments for allergic and autoimmune disease treat disease symptoms or depend on non-specific immune suppression. Treatment would be improved greatly by targeting the fundamental cause of the disease, that is the loss of tolerance to an otherwise innocuous antigen in allergy or self-antigen in autoimmune disease (AID). Much has been learned about the mechanisms of peripheral tolerance in recent years. We now appreciate that antigen presenting cells (APC) may be either immunogenic or tolerogenic, depending on their location, environmental cues and activation state

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3rdAntibodies and Bio Therapeutics Congress, November 02-03, 2017 Las Vegas, USA; Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress, March 20-21, 2017 Rome, Italy; Annual Meeting on Immunology and Immunologist, July 03-05, 2017 Malyasia, Kuala lumpur; 3rd International Congress on Neuroimmunology and Therapeutics, September 18-19, 2017 Philadelphia, USA; 2nd Autoimmunity Conference, Nov 9-10, 2017 Madrid, Spain; Integrating Metabolism and Immunity , May 29 - June 2, 2017 | Dublin, Ireland; American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting, March 03-06, 2017, Atlanta, Georgia

Track: 13DiagnosticImmunology

Diagnostic Immunology. Immunoassays are laboratory techniques based on the detection of antibody production in response to foreign antigens. Antibodies, part of the humoral immune response, are involved in pathogen detection and neutralization.

Diagnostic immunology has considerably advanced due to the development of automated methods.New technology takes into account saving samples, reagents, and reducing cost.The future of diagnosticimmunologyfaces challenges in the vaccination field for protection against HIV and asanti-cancer therapy. Modern immunology relies heavily on the use of antibodies as highly specific laboratory reagents. The diagnosis of infectious diseases, the successful outcome of transfusions and transplantations, and the availability of biochemical and hematologic assays with extraordinary specificity and sensitivity capabilities all attest to the value of antibody detection.Immunologic methods are used in the treatment and prevention ofinfectious diseasesand in the large number of immune-mediated diseases. Advances in diagnostic immunology are largely driven by instrumentation, automation, and the implementation of less complex and more standardized procedures.

Examples of such processes are as follows:

These methods have facilitated the performance of tests and have greatly expanded the information that can be developed by a clinical laboratory. The tests are now used for clinical diagnosis and the monitoring of therapies and patient responses. Immunology is a relatively young science and there is still so much to discover. Immunologists work in many different disease areas today that include allergy, autoimmunity, immunodeficiency, transplantation, and cancer.

RelatedImmunology Conferences|Immunologists Meetings|Conference Series LLC:

3nd International Congress on Neuroimmunology and Therapeutics, September 18-19, 2017 Philadelphia, USA; 18thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Dec 12-13, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand; Annual Meeting on Immunology and Immunologist, July 03-05, 2017 Malyasia, Kuala lumpur; 19thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Sept 14-17, 2017, Berlin, Germany; Modelling Viral Infections and Immunity (E1) , May 1 - 4, 2017 | Estes Park, Colorado, USA; 7thInternational Conference on Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology; 18thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Dec 12-13, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand

Track: 14Allergy and Therapathies

Although medications available for allergy are usually very effective, they do not cure people of allergies. Allergenimmunotherapyis the closest thing we have for a "cure" for allergy, reducing the severity of symptoms and the need for medication for many allergy sufferers. Allergen immunotherapy involves the regular administration of gradually increasing doses of allergen extracts over a period of years. Immunotherapy can be given to patients as an injection or as drops or tablets under the tongue (sublingual).Allergen immunotherapy changes the way the immune system reacts to allergens, by switching off allergy. The end result is that you become immune to the allergens, so that you can tolerate them with fewer or no symptoms. Allergen immunotherapy is not, however, a quick fix form of treatment. Those agreeing to allergen immunotherapy need to be committed to 3-5 years of treatment for it to work, and to cooperate with your doctor to minimize the frequency of side effects.Allergen immunotherapyis usually recommended for the treatment of potentially life threatening allergic reactions to stinging insects. Published data on allergen immunotherapy injections shows that venom immunotherapy can reduce the risk of a severe reaction in adults from around 60 % per sting, down to less than 10%. In Australia and New Zealand,venom immunotherapyis currently available for bee and wasp allergy. Jack Jumper Ant immunotherapy is available in Tasmania for Tasmanian residents. Allergen immunotherapy is often recommended for treatment ofallergic rhinitis

RelatedImmunology Conferences|Immunologists Meetings|Conference Series LLC:

Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress, March 20-21, 2017 Rome, Italy; 3nd International Congress on Neuroimmunology and Therapeutics, September 18-19, 2017 Philadelphia, USA; 18thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Dec 12-13, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand; Annual Meeting on Immunology and Immunologist, July 03-05, 2017 Malyasia, Kuala lumpur; 19thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Sept 14-17, 2017, Berlin, Germany; Modelling Viral Infections and Immunity (E1) , May 1 - 4, 2017 | Estes Park, Colorado, USA; 7thInternational Conference on Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology; 18thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Dec 12-13, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand

Track: 15Technological Innovations inImmunology

Immunology is the branch of biomedical sciences concerned with all aspects of the immune system in all multicellular organisms. Immunology deals with physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and disease as well as malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders like allergies, hypersensitivities, immune deficiency, transplant rejection andautoimmune disorders.

RelatedImmunology Conferences|Immunologists Meetings|Conference Series LLC:

9thworld congress & expo on Immunology, Oct 02-04, 2017, Toronto, Canada; 3rdAntibodies and Bio Therapeutics Congress, November 02-03, 2017 Las Vegas, USA; Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress, March 20-21, 2017 Rome, Italy; Annual Meeting on Immunology and Immunologist, July 03-05, 2017 Malyasia, Kuala lumpur; 3rd International Congress on Neuroimmunology and Therapeutics, September 18-19, 2017 Philadelphia, USA; 2nd Autoimmunity Conference, Nov 9-10, 2017 Madrid, Spain; Integrating Metabolism and Immunity , May 29 - June 2, 2017 | Dublin, Ireland; American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting, March 03-06, 2017, Atlanta, Georgia

Track:16Antigen Processing

Antigen processingis an immunologicalprocessthat prepares antigensfor presentation to special cells of the immune system called T lymphocytes. It is considered to be a stage ofantigenpresentation pathways. The process by which antigen-presenting cells digest proteins from inside or outside the cell and display the resulting antigenic peptide fragments on cell surface MHC molecules for recognition by T cells is central to the body's ability to detect signs of infection or abnormal cell growth. As such, understanding the processes and mechanisms of antigen processing and presentation provides us with crucial insights necessary for the design ofvaccines and therapeutic strategiesto bolster T-cell responses.

RelatedImmunology Conferences|Immunologists Meetings|Conference Series LLC:

3rdAntibodies and Bio Therapeutics Congress, November 02-03, 2017 Las Vegas, USA; Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress, March 20-21, 2017 Rome, Italy; Annual Meeting on Immunology and Immunologist, July 03-05, 2017 Malyasia, Kuala lumpur; 3rd International Congress on Neuroimmunology and Therapeutics, September 18-19, 2017 Philadelphia, USA; 2nd Autoimmunity Conference, Nov 9-10, 2017 Madrid, Spain; Integrating Metabolism and Immunity , May 29 - June 2, 2017 | Dublin, Ireland; American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting, March 03-06, 2017, Atlanta, Georgia

Track: 17Immunoinformatics and Systems Immunology

Immunoinformaticsis a branch ofbioinformaticsdealing with in silico analysis and modelling of immunological data and problems Immunoinformatics includes the study and design of algorithms for mapping potential B- andT-cell epitopes, which lessens the time and cost required for laboratory analysis of pathogen gene products. Using this information, an immunologist can explore the potential binding sites, which, in turn, leads to the development of newvaccines. This methodology is termed reversevaccinology and it analyses the pathogen genome to identify potential antigenic proteins.This is advantageous because conventional methods need to cultivate pathogen and then extract its antigenic proteins. Although pathogens grow fast, extraction of their proteins and then testing of those proteins on a large scale is expensive and time consuming. Immunoinformatics is capable of identifying virulence genes and surface-associated proteins.

RelatedImmunology Conferences|Immunologists Meetings|Conference Series LLC:

9thworld congress & expo on Immunology, Oct 02-04, 2017, Toronto, Canada; 3rdAntibodies and Bio Therapeutics Congress, November 02-03, 2017 Las Vegas, USA; Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress, March 20-21, 2017 Rome, Italy; 3nd International Congress on Neuroimmunology and Therapeutics, September 18-19, 2017 Philadelphia, USA; 18th International Conference on Immunology (ICI) Dec 12-13, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand; Annual Meeting on Immunology and Immunologist, July 03-05, 2017 Malyasia, Kuala lumpur; British Society for Immunology Congress, Dec 06-09, 2016, Liverpool, United Kingdom; 7thInternational Conference on Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology; Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy: Taking a Place in Mainstream Oncology (C7), March 19 - 23, 2017, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

Track: 18Rheumatology

Rheumatology represents a subspecialty in internal medicine and pediatrics, which is devoted to adequate diagnosis andtherapy of rheumatic diseases(including clinical problems in joints, soft tissues, heritable connective tissue disorders, vasculitis and autoimmune diseases). This field is multidisciplinary in nature, which means it relies on close relationships with other medical specialties.The specialty of rheumatology has undergone a myriad of noteworthy advances in recent years, especially if we consider the development of state-of-the-art biological drugs with novel targets, made possible by rapid advances in the basic science of musculoskeletal diseases and improved imaging techniques.

RelatedImmunology Conferences|Immunologists Meetings|Conference Series LLC:

Molecular Immunology & Immunogenetics Congress, March 20-21, 2017 Rome, Italy; 3nd International Congress on Neuroimmunology and Therapeutics, September 18-19, 2017 Philadelphia, USA; 18thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Dec 12-13, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand; Annual Meeting on Immunology and Immunologist, July 03-05, 2017 Malyasia, Kuala lumpur; 19thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Sept 14-17, 2017, Berlin, Germany; Modelling Viral Infections and Immunity (E1) , May 1 - 4, 2017 | Estes Park, Colorado, USA; 7thInternational Conference on Allergy, Asthma and Clinical Immunology; 18thInternational Conference on Immunology (ICI) Dec 12-13, 2016, Bangkok, Thailand

Track: 19Nutritional Immunology

Nutritional immunologyis an emerging discipline that evolved with the study of the detrimental effect of malnutrition on the immune system. The clinical and public health importance of nutritional immunology is also receiving attention. Immune system dysfunctions that result from malnutrition are, in fact, NutritionallyAcquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes(NAIDS). NAIDS afflicts millions of people in the Third World, as well as thousands in modern centers, i.e., patients with cachexia secondary to serious disease, neoplasia or trauma. The human immune system functions to protect the body against foreign pathogens and thereby preventing infection and disease. Optimal functioning of the immune system, both innate and adaptive immunity, is strongly influenced by an individuals nutritional status, with malnutrition being the most common cause of immunodeficiency in the world. Nutrient deficiencies result in immunosuppression and dysregulation of the immune response including impairment of phagocyte function and cytokine production, as well as adversely affecting aspects of humoral and cell-mediated immunity. Such alterations in immune function and the resulting inflammation are not only associated with infection, but also with the development of chronic diseases including cancer, autoimmune disease, osteoporosis, disorders of the endocrine system andcardiovascular disease.

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8th European Immunology Conference June 29-July 01, 2017 ...

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