Category Archives: Connecticut Stem Cells

Susan Haigh, Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Gov. Ned Lamont on Monday ordered an independent, third-party review of how Connecticut's nursing homes and assisted living centers prepared for and responded to the coronavirus pandemic, noting the findings could be helpful if the state faces a second wave this fall.

The Democrat said proposals will soon be solicited from third-party experts. In the meantime, he expects to meet with state lawmakers to determine the full scope of the review, which will include input from the operators of the long-term care facilities, unions representing the workers, patients, health experts and others.

Obviously that was the tragic center for our state and the other 49 states, in terms of fatalities," said Lamont, referring to the nursing homes. If there's a chance that there could be a second surge later on this summer, more likely in the fall, we want to be ready.

Lamont said a strong outside group will be able to focus on things like infection protocols, adequate supplies of personal protective equipment and what nursing homes might look like in the long-term.

To date, there have been more than 2,500 resident deaths from COVID-19 in nursing homes across Connecticut, a number that represents more than 60% of the state's total deaths, which grew to 4,084 on Monday.

Connecticut took various steps to try and stem the spread of the cononavirus in nursing homes, including halting visitations, eventually testing all residents and creating so-called COVID-recovery facilities where COVID-positive patients discharged from the hospital and moved from other homes could recuperate.

Representatives of Connecticut's two nursing home associations said they support Lamont's call for an independent investigation, but recommended it take into account how guidance changed from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, the inadequate supply of PPE, delays in testing, and the prevalence of COVID-19 in the communities where the nursing homes and assisted living facilities are located.

On Monday, a national group representing assisted living centers across the U.S. called for $5 billion in emergency federal assistance. Josh Geballe, Lamont's COO, said state officials are monitoring the needs of assisted living centers in Connecticut, but noted nursing homes have been more financially precarious, requiring state assistance.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness or lead to death.

In other coronavirus news in Connecticut:

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MORE BUSINESSES REOPENING

Lamont said about 95% of the state's economy will be reopened as of June 17, so long as Connecticut's infection numbers remain low. That's when lodging, outdoor amusement parks, libraries, tattoo parlors, nail salons, gyms, pools, bowling alleys, and movie theaters will be allowed to open at limited capacities. Certain smaller outdoor events will also be allowed.

A third reopening is planned in July. Lamont said that's when bars may reopen, as well as indoor events.

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INMATE SETTLEMENT

A settlement has been reached in a federal lawsuit that sought to better protect Connecticut prison inmates from the coronavirus. Announced over the weekend, it requires the Department of Correction to prioritize elderly and medically vulnerable prisoners who qualify for early release programs.

It also requires the department to provide prisoners better access to antiseptic cleaning supplies and allow those isolated after testing positive to have regular access to showers.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut had been seeking the widespread release of inmates, many of whom are housed in dormitory settings where social distancing is difficult. But the state had argued that a widespread release of inmates would jeopardize public safety.

The draft agreement notes the Department of Correction has begun the voluntary testing of all prisoners. It has also required the wearing of masks by staff and inmates outside their cells and has increased cleaning to limit spread of the disease.

The settlement must still be approved by a U.S. District Court judge.

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STATE CAMPGROUNDS REOPENING

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection plans to reopen campgrounds for summer camping beginning July 8. Campers with recreational vehicles or RVs will be able to keep their reservations starting July 1. Anyone with reservations before those dates will be provided refunds.

New reservations for the season can be made online beginning July 20.

DEEP is hiring and training staff to clean bathrooms and other facilities to maintain standards required by health officials during the coronavirus pandemic. The agency has also obtained protective gear and made safety changes to camp office buildings.

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Associated Press Writer Pat Eaton-Robb contributed to this report.

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Connecticut governor seeks 3rd party review of nursing homes - Thehour.com

The Covid-19 outbreaksnow surgingthrough many of the nations prisons and jails werent just predictable, they were predicted. And not just by theprisoners themselvesand theirfamily membersinincreasingly desperate tonesoverthe past monthbut also by some sheriffs andjailersandcorrections officialsand theirunion representatives. And not just by those behind bars but bylawyersanddoctorsandcriminal justice advocatesand professors,hundreds of them, in every nook and cranny of the country, all of whom understood how dangerous and deadly the pandemic would be once itfound its wayinto cramped, dirty, overcrowded cells.

These personalcries for help,these warnings, thesepersonal essays from prisons, these reasoned arguments to release vulnerable prisoners especially those whose sentences are about to expire and those in pretrial detention accused of nonviolent offenses sounded everywhere. And they were all a variation of the same theme: that prisons and jailswere obvious breeding grounds for the virus, that it could not be contained behind bars, that theinevitable outbreakswouldnt just take or endanger the lives of prisoners but would kill prison staff and their extended families; in other words, that preventing the pandemic in prison would save lives on the outside.

To theireternal credit, some officials have heard the call anddone the right thing. Thousands of men and women were released fromprisonsand jailsover the past monthand many more should be released soon. But in too many other places,politiciansand prosecutors waitedfor the virus to enter their facilitiesbeforeacting to save prisoners. And in some places eventhe spread of the virusand its obvious threat to everyone in or near a prisonhasnt been enoughto convincesome officialsthat there aremore important public safety interestsat stake than continuing to imprison at-risk people in the name of justice.

Like so much else about Americas criminal justice systems, a prisoners fate amid the pandemic is an arbitrary affair, largely determined by jurisdiction. If you were released from confinement in the past month its largely because you happened to have an enlightened jailer,or compassionate judge, or broad-minded prosecutor, or because you had particularlyferocious advocatesfighting for you. Or maybe the laws of your state happened to have a little more ambiguity. Or maybe you had a governor willing to say, on the record, that public safety in these circumstances includes the idea of fewer prisoners.

Even still, there are no guarantees. Officials at the Cook County Jail in Illinois, for example, reduced their population by 16 percent in the last month to try to help bend the curve but still are suffering from a terrible outbreak. As of this weekend, nearly300 prisoners and staff have tested positivethere,nearly 4 percent of the entire states numberof confirmed cases. How much worse would the outbreak have been there had that 16 percent remained behind bars? How many fewer cases of the virus will stem from the social distancing these lucky men and women now can practice?

There is a growing outbreak, too, at the jail in Washington, DC, wherefour more prisoners were confirmed positiveover the weekend. There,as attorney Greg Lipper pointed out, lawyers for the Districts attorney general opposed the release of prisoners by arguing, incredibly, that they had not met their burden of proof. Although complete social distancing and isolation is not possible in DOC facilities,the lawyers wrote, plaintiffs have not shown that the risk posed by DOCs practices raises plaintiffs risk of exposure substantially over the risk experienced by the outside community. Fewer sentences in the annals of American law deserve more opprobrium than that one.

The federal response was equallytardyand tragic. As my colleagues at The Marshall Projectreported last week, the chief public health official at the Bureau of Prisons ordered a staff member at FCI Oakdale, in Louisiana, to return to work behind bars even though he had been exposed to those who had tested positive for Covid-19. Not only did this advice contradict the guidance offered by the Centers for Disease Control, it also came at a time when Justice Department officials were downplaying the potential consequences of a prison outbreak, with federal prosecutors going so far as to write briefsopposingreasonable release requests.

Today? At leasteight federal prisoners have died from Covid-19and over 300 other prisoners and staff have tested positive, and there is no way to tell how far the coronavirus has spread into the families of the prison guards and others who work there. FCI Oakdale is not alone. There isalso a COVID-19outbreak at the low-security federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut. The Justice Department waited until these outbreaks occurred andthenswiftly ordered the release of prisoners there. We will never know how many lives are lost, behind bars and beyond them,because of these inexcusable delays. Wedont even know for surethat the Bureau of Prisons will zealously implement the new plan.

These corrections officials and sheriffs and judges and prosecutors and legislators didnt have to wait until it was too lateto protect prisoners.But they waited anyway. They waited to release prisoners who had not been convicted. They waited to release prisoners who were slated for release within 60 or 90 days. They argued that elderly prisoners, if released, would start a crime wave. They argued that carrying out duly imposed sentences were more important than saving lives. They argued they had it all under control evenwhen the rest of usknew they didnt. And if theydidrelease some prisonersit was a paltry few. Far too few.

Its negligence at best,deliberate indifference at worst. Robert Ferguson, the author and professor, years ago described the reasons why America has always beenso spectacularly harsh in its treatment of prisoners. Never hasthat theory been proven more clearlythan it has been in the past month. Except the cruelty shown the prisoners who have been kept locked up as the virus spreads doesnt just end with them. It attaches to the staff who guard them, and to their families, their lawyers, and to everyone who interacts with them. All of these non-prisoners, as well as those behind bars, may soon suffer from the virus, a form of retributive justice neither retributive nor just.

The views expressed are the authors own and not necessarily those of the Brennan Center.

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The Growing Prison Pandemic Wasn't Inevitable, and It's Not Too Late to Fight It - brennancenter.org

- First-in-class oncology therapeutic candidate YIV-906 applies an integrative systems biology approach -- Global study to evaluate efficacy, safety, and quality of life in patients with hepatitis B-positive hepatocellular carcinoma -

NEW YORK and SHANGHAI, China, April 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Yiviva today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase 2b study of YIV-906 in combination with sorafenib in the treatment of patients with hepatitis B-positive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). YIV-906 is a novel, proprietary therapeutic candidate based on molecular profiling of extracts identified from use in traditional botanical medicine. YIV-906 has demonstrated that it can potentiate the anti-tumor activity of sorafenib, enhance innate and adaptive immune function in the tumor microenvironment, protect cells of the gastrointestinal tract by reducing inflammation mediated by IL-6, NF-kappaB, COX2, iNOS, and accelerate regeneration of damaged gastrointestinal tissue by promoting progenitor and stem cell growth via the Wnt signaling pathway.

Patients and providers are eager to have evidence-based systemic treatment options for cancer, such as YIV-906, commented Edward Chu, M.D., Chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology, Deputy Director at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and senior advisor to Yiviva. YIV-906 applies a novel systems biology approach that has been shown in preclinical and preliminary clinical studies to enhance immune function in the tumor microenvironment and protect gastrointestinal tissue. Observations of the effects of YIV-906 in proof of concept clinical studies provide a compelling rationale for conducting this large global study in the first-line treatment setting. In addition, patients with hepatitis B-positive HCC represent a population with particularly limited treatment options where the YIV-906 approach could have a particularly significant impact on care.

The development of YIV-906 is a state-of-the-art approach using modern science, bioinformatics, and current GMP manufacturing to develop a precisely engineered botanical medicine, commented Yun Yen, M.D., Ph.D., Co-Global PI Coordinator of the YIV-906 study and former President of Taipei Medical University. The components of YIV-906 have been selected for their expected effects across multiple targets when administered as a complex mixture in combination. Given the major need for better treatments for patients with liver cancer, and the safety and efficacy profile of YIV-906 as seen to date, we look forward to the results of this global study. This could lead to new therapeutic strategies to treat cancer patients holistically.

The randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2b study of YIV-906 is evaluating efficacy, safety, and quality of life in patients with hepatitis B-positive HCC. The clinical study is designed to enroll approximately 125 patients at 20 sites in the U.S., mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Taipei Medical University, Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong and the China National Cancer Center in Beijing. Patients will be randomized 2:1 to either the study arm (YIV-906 plus sorafenib) or control arm (placebo plus sorafenib). The primary endpoint of the study is an evaluation of progression free survival. Secondary endpoints include safety and quality of life assessments and additional measures of clinical efficacy, including time to progression, overall survival, objective response rate and disease control rate. Change of quality of life will be assessed according to HCC18 and EORTC QLQ-C30 assessments. Additional information is available at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04000737.

About YIV-906

YIV-906 (also PHY906 or KD018) is a therapeutic candidate comprised of a proprietary cGMP botanical extract of four herbs inspired by a traditional Chinese medicine formulation used for over a millennium. YIV-906 has the potential to be developed as a platform oncology therapeutic when administered in combination with chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapies, in multiple cancer indications. YIV-906 has been shown to enhance immune function in the tumor microenvironment (by polarizing M1 macrophages and activating T cells), protect the gastrointestinal tract (by inhibiting inflammation via IL-6, NF-kappa-B, COX2, and iNOS pathways) and promote intestinal tissue repair (by increasing activity and expression of components of the Wnt signaling pathway). YIV-906 has been observed to enhance the anti-tumor activity of sorafenib in preclinical models of hepatocellular carcinoma and has shown promise in preliminary clinical studies in liver, pancreatic, colorectal and rectal cancers. YIV-906 has been granted Orphan Drug designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for development of YIV-906 in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and pancreatic cancer. Yiviva holds worldwide intellectual property for YIV-906 including 32 patents related to methods of use, manufacturing and quality control. YIV-906 is being developed for approval under the U.S. FDA Botanical Drug regulatory pathway.

About Yiviva

Yiviva is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing multi-target botanical therapeutics using a systems biology approach, focused on cancer, inflammatory and chronic diseases. The Yiviva STAR (signal transduction, activity and response) discovery platform accelerates the identification of botanical therapeutics that influence immune function, inflammatory responses, cell growth and metabolic functions and hormone activity. Yiviva applies patented, mechanism-based quality control linked to biological activity to satisfy established regulatory requirements for complex products. The company was launched with Yale University as a co-founder and co-founders include Yung-Chi Cheng, Ph.D., with teams in New York, New Haven, Connecticut and Shanghai. For further information, please visit https://yiviva.com.

Contact:Tel: +1 646-883-3906Email: hello@yiviva.com

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Yiviva Announces Dosing of First Patient in Phase 2b Study of First-Line YIV-906 Plus Sorafenib Combination Therapy in the Treatment of Hepatocellular...

A new population of stem cells that can generate bone has been revealed by researchers, which they say could have implications in regenerative medicine.

A population of stem cells with the ability to generate new bone has been newly discovered by a group of researchers at the University of Connecticut (UConn) School of Dental Medicine, US.

The researchers present a new population of cells that reside along the vascular channels that stretch across the bone and connect the inner and outer parts of the bone.

This is a new discovery of perivascular cells residing within the bone itself that can generate new bone forming cells, said lead investigator Dr Ivo Kalajzic. These cells likely regulate bone formation or participate in bone mass maintenance and repair.

Stem cells for bone have long been thought to be present within bone marrow and the outer surface of bone, serving as reserve cells that constantly generate new bone or participate in bone repair. Recent studies have described the existence of a network of vascular channels that helped distribute blood cells out of the bone marrow, but no research has proved the existence of cells within these channels that have the ability to form new bones.

In this study, Kalajzic and his team are the first to report the existence of these progenitor cells within cortical bone that can generate new bone-forming cells osteoblasts that can be used to help remodel a bone.

To reach this conclusion, the researchers observed the stem cells within an ex vivo bone transplantation model. These cells migrated out of the transplant and began to reconstruct the marrow cavity and form new bone.

While this study shows there is a population of cells that can help aid formation, more research needs to be done to determine the cells potential to regulate bone formation and resorption, say the scientists.

According to the authors of the study: we have identified and characterised a novel stromal lineagerestricted osteoprogenitor that is associated with transcortical vessels of long bones. Functionally, we have demonstrated that this population can migrate out of cortical bone channels, expand and differentiate into osteoblasts, therefore serving as a source of progenitors contributing to new bone formation.

The results are published inSTEM CELLS.

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Stem cells that can grow new bone discovered by researchers - Drug Target Review

Discovery by UConn Health Researchers Could Mean Much for Prader-Willi Syndrome Treatment

Stem cell researchers at the University of Connecticut Health Center (UConn Health) have made a discovery that may significantly improve the treatment of people with Prader-Willi syndrome.

A child with PraderWilli Syndrome

In research published in Human Molecular Genetics, scientists reported that they were able to reverse this genetic disorder in brain cells growing in the lab. They achieved this by turning on genes that are usually silent in patients.

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Prader-Willi syndrome is typically the result of certain genes losing their functions. It develops when there is a deletion of a section of a chromosome a baby inherits from his father.

The disorder occurs in around one of every 15,000 births. It is the leading genetic cause of life-threatening obesity and has no cure.

Prader-Willi syndrome is not due to a defective gene. It is rather the outcome of a healthy gene that refuses to perform its role having been silenced. The gene becomes silent if only the copy inherited from the mother is present in a child.

The UConn Health researchers got rid of a protein responsible for the silencing in this study. As a result, there was an improvement in Prader-Willi syndrome.

The scientists observed that a particular protein caused the gene to become silent. This compound referred to as ZNF274 also plays a part in blocking some other gene types from expressing themselves.

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However, the protein appears to work alone in the case of this genetic disorder. It often acts together with another protein to silence other types of genes.

To find a way around the silencing of the gene inherited from a mother, the UConn Health researchers got stem cells from some Prader-Willi patients. They then proceeded to delete the ZNF274 protein from the area of the DNA involved in this disorder.

After the deletion, the research team stimulated the stem cells to grow into neurons or nerve cells. The neurons grew as normal to the expectation of the scientists. Most importantly, they expressed the silent gene inherited from the mother.

This discovery provides a direction for future research aimed at finding a cure for this genetic disorder. Studies have mostly focused on finding a treatment for certain symptoms linked to it.

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Symptoms associated with Prader-Willi syndrome include increased appetite and obesity, which can pose a serious threat to health. Short stature and intellectual disability are among other possible signs.

Interventions that can help to control these unpleasant symptoms can make so much difference in the life of a patient.

According to the UConn Health researchers, there are some other questions yet to answer regarding this discovery. For instance, it is not yet clear whether this approach can achieve the same effect directly in human brain cells. There is also a need to find out if it will work only in embryos, among other things.

Maeva Langouet, one of the UConn Health researchers, said there was still a need to find out whether deleting ZNF274 could lead to unwanted effects.

The post-doctoral fellow did express the hope that their findings may prove helpful to children with Prader-Willi syndrome in the future.

https://academic.oup.com/hmg/article/27/3/505/4708236

https://www.pwsausa.org/basic-facts/

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University of Connecticut Reverses Prader-Willi Syndrome in Lab by Restoring Silent Genes - Gilmore Health News

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:BCLI) and Cara Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:CARA) compete against each other in the Biotechnology sector. We will contrast them and contrast their dividends, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, risk, earnings and valuation.

Valuation & Earnings

Table 1 shows gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation of the two companies.

Profitability

Table 2 provides us the net margins, return on assets and return on equity of both businesses.

Risk & Volatility

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. has a 1.37 beta, while its volatility is 37.00% which is more volatile than Standard and Poors 500. Cara Therapeutics Inc. has a 2.4 beta and it is 140.00% more volatile than Standard and Poors 500.

Liquidity

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.s Current Ratio and Quick Ratio are 0.4 and 0.4 respectively. The Current Ratio and Quick Ratio of its competitor Cara Therapeutics Inc. are 4.2 and 4.2 respectively. Cara Therapeutics Inc. therefore has a better chance of paying off short and long-term obligations compared to Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.

Analyst Ratings

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. and Cara Therapeutics Inc. Ratings and Recommendations are available in the next table.

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.s upside potential currently stands at 133.77% and an $9 average target price. Meanwhile, Cara Therapeutics Inc.s average target price is $35.67, while its potential upside is 115.27%. The information presented earlier suggests that Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. looks more robust than Cara Therapeutics Inc. as far as analyst opinion.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. and Cara Therapeutics Inc. has shares owned by institutional investors as follows: 9.5% and 66.7%. Insiders owned roughly 10.4% of Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.s shares. Insiders Competitively, owned 2.2% of Cara Therapeutics Inc. shares.

Performance

Here are the Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Half Yearly, Yearly and YTD Performance of both pretenders.

For the past year Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. was less bullish than Cara Therapeutics Inc.

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company, develops adult stem cell therapies for neurodegenerative disorders that include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, and others. The company holds rights to develop and commercialize its NurOwn technology through a licensing agreement with Ramot of Tel Aviv University Ltd. Its NurOwn technology is based on a novel differentiation protocol, which induces differentiation of the bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells into neuron-supporting cells and secreting cells that release various neurotrophic factors, including glial-derived neurotrophic factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and hepatocyte growth factor for the growth, survival, and differentiation of developing neurons. The company was formerly known as Golden Hand Resources Inc. and changed its name to Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. in November 2004 to reflect its new line of business in the development of novel cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Hackensack, New Jersey.

Cara Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing and commercializing chemical entities designed to alleviate pain and pruritus by selectively targeting kappa opioid receptors in the United States. It is developing product candidates that target the body's peripheral nervous system. The companys lead product candidate comprises I.V. CR845, which is in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of patients with acute postoperative pain in adult patients, as well as in Phase II/III clinical trial for the treatment of uremic pruritus disease. It is also developing Oral CR845 that is in Phase IIb clinical trial to treat moderate-to-severe acute and chronic pain, as well as in Phase I clinical trial to treat uremic pruritus; and CR701, which is in preclinical trial for the treatment of neuropathic and inflammatory pain. The company has license agreements with Maruishi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd to develop, manufacture, and commercialize drug products containing CR845 for acute pain and uremic pruritus in Japan; and Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical Corporation to develop, manufacture, and commercialize drug products containing CR845 in South Korea. Cara Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.

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Comparing of Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (BCLI) and Cara Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:CARA) - The Broch Herald

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A 25-year-old Redding, Connecticut woman meets the Arizona man who was battling deadly Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) until she saved his life by donating her bone marrow.

Jennie Bunce joined Gift of Life Marrow Registry through a sorority swab drive at North Carolinas High Point University in 2016. "I can remember being like 13 or 14 years old during some school bucket list project. On there was save a life and I got to cross it off so thats pretty cool."

Her life-saving match-- 33-year-old father of six from Mesa, Mark Roser. Roser learned he had ALL after breaking a hip and feeling increasingly weak in 2018.

He needed a bone marrow transplant to survive. He says, "When they discovered it, 94% of my blood cells basically contaminated, so I was really at the final deadline."

Gift of Life Marrow Registry matched the Jennie to Mark with months.

The pair met for the first time at Boca Oyster Bar in Bridgeport in October. Mark says, " I feel great. Im much more positive between work and family. My priorities have completely changed. Time with the kids, time with my wife, just being there for them instead of working so much... I treasure every moment with them now."

According to the gift of Life marrow registry website: "Blood cancer is an umbrella term for cancers that affect the blood, bone marrow and lymphatic system. In most blood cancers, normal blood cell development is interrupted by uncontrolled growth of abnormal blood cells. The abnormal blood cells can prevent blood from fighting off infection or preventing uncontrolled bleeding.

Unfortunately, blood cancer can strike any one of us at any time. Approximately every three minutes, a child or adult in the United States is diagnosed with a type of blood cancer. Thats 360 people a day, 130,000 people a year.

There are three main types of blood cancers: Leukemia, cancer that is found in your blood and bone marrow; Lymphoma, blood cancer that affects the lymphatic system; and Myeloma, blood cancer that specifically targets your plasma cells.

For many, there is hope of a cure through a bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplant. Today, transplantation, of healthy stem cells donated by related and unrelated volunteers, offers hope to many patients suffering from these sometimes deadly diseases.

Advances in transplantation have made this procedure a reality for thousands who are alive today because a stranger gave them the Gift of Life!."

check out: https://www.giftoflife.org to learn more and even register for a swab kit and become a donor yourself.

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Redding woman donates bone marrow, saves life of a father - FOX61 Hartford

The Center for Regenerative Medicine and Skeletal Development is an interdisciplinary group of basic scientists engaged in advancing understanding of the biology of bone, cartilage and skin, and exploring the potential for regeneration of these tissues lost in humans in response to trauma, disease and aging. The center was formed with an NIH infrastructure award to the UConn School of Dental Medicine, in alignment with the universitys strategic plan to build on existing extraordinary strengths in the area of musculoskeletal biology. Areas of research within the center encompass biomaterials; bone, cartilage and skin differentiation; craniofacial and tooth development; limb development and regeneration; and the use of stem cells for skeletal tissue regeneration and repair.

The center offers research education and training opportunities for postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and Ph.D./D.M.D./M.D. degree students, in part through an NIH/NIDCR funded training grant. It is also the administrative home of the skeletal, craniofacial and oral biology graduate area of concentration.

In addition to directing independent research programs, integrated research efforts among Center faculty have led major endeavors including State of Connecticut stem cell group and limb development program projects. The center is committed to multidisciplinary research collaborations within and outside UConn Health and is particularly aligned with the UConn Musculoskeletal Institute and the UConn Health's Stem Cell Institute.

The center consists of approximately 60 individuals including the director, faculty, fellows, graduate students and staff, and generates extramural funding currently exceeding $7 million. The 13 independent investigator laboratories of the center occupy adjacent space on two research floors, and include dedicated space for fluorescent microscopic imaging, cryohistology, radioactivity, and characterization and evaluation of biomaterials.

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Center for Regenerative Medicine and Skeletal Development ...

Connecticut Stem Cell Research Grants-in-Aid Program

The Connecticut Stem Cell Research Grants-in-Aid Program was established by the Connecticut General Assembly in June 2005 when it passed Connecticut General Statutes 19a-32d through 19a-32g. This legislation appropriates $20 million dollars to support embryonic and human adult stem cell research through June 30, 2007. In addition, for each of the fiscal years ending June 30, 2008 through June 30, 2015, the legislation specifies that an additional $10 million dollars should be disbursed to support additional research. In total, at least $100 million in public support will be available over the next ten years for stem cell research.

Lay Summary Example

Below is an example of a lay summary excerpt from a technical report required of all grantees that meets the expectations of the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee:

5. Detailed lay language summary:

There is great promise in embryonic stem cell-based therapies to treat a variety of neurological disorders. It is key that we understand how the transplanted cells may interact with the host brain to guarantee the safety of this approach. We observe that robust transplants of embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitors in the hippocampus are richly vascularized, associated with multiple blood vessels. In addition, the transplanted cells can migrate on these blood vessels some distance away from the initial transplant site. We are now studying how interactions with the blood vessels may nurture the transplant and support its successful integration into the host. We are also examining the factors that might promote or inhibit the migration of transplanted cells on the surface of existing blood vessels. This interaction could be used to target grafted cells to a specific site. Alternatively this could be a dangerous process we would like to block, as it could lead to cells present in undesirable places.

Significance of recent findings: When embryonic stem cell-derived neural progenitors are transplanted to the central nervous system, the general expectation is that they will remain where transplanted, or perhaps migrate short distances. Our observation that these cells can migrate on blood vessels long distances sets up a red flag: cells may well end up a great distance from where they were intended to be. By understanding the molecular basis for this migration, we hope to be able to control it, specifically inhibit it when the desire is to keep a transplant in place. Alternatively, it may be desirable to use this blood vessel highway to target cells to specific distant sites.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Connecticuts Stem Cell Research Program come about?

The Connecticut Stem Cell Research Grant Project is the direct result of legislation passed by the General Assembly in 2005 (Connecticut General Statutes 19a-32d through 19a-32g.). This legislation provides public funding in support of stem cell research on embryonic and human adult stem cells. This legislation also bans the cloning of human beings in Connecticut.

Back to Questions

What kinds of research will be eligible for funding?

The Stem Cell Research Fund supports embryonic and human adult stem cell research, including basic research to determine the properties of stem cells.

Back to Questions

Where is the money coming from for this research?

Stem cell research fundscome from the Stem Cell Research Fund. This Fund will receive a total of $100 million dollars of state money over ten years. The General Assembly had set aside $20 million of state money for the purpose of stem cell research through June 2007. An additional $10 million dollars a year over the subsequent eight years will come from the Connecticut Tobacco Settlement Fund. The Stem Cell Research Fund may also contain any funds received from any public or private contributions, gifts, grants, donations or bequests.

Back to Questions

Who oversees the Stem Cell Research Fund?

The Commissioner of the State Department of Public Health (DPH) may make grants-in-aid from the fund. The Connecticut Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee (Advisory Committee), a legislatively appointed committee established by Connecticut General Statutes 19a-32d through 19a-32g, directs the Commissioner with respect to the awarding of grants-in-aid, and develops the stem cell research application process. The Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee is also required to keep the Governor and the General Assembly apprised of the current status of stem cell research in Connecticut through annual reports commencing June 2007.

The legislation further established a Connecticut Stem Cell Research Peer Review Committee (Peer Review Committee) to review all applications with respect to the scientific and ethical meritsand to make recommendations to the Advisory Committee and the Commissioner of DPH.

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How are the members of the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee determined?

The Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee is made up of 17 members. By statute, the Advisory Committee is chaired by the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH). Other members of the committee are appointed by the Governor and by various leaders of the General Assembly from the fields of stem cell research, stem cell investigation, bioethics, embryology, genetics, cellular biology and business. Committee members commit to a two-year or four-year term of service.

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Who evaluates the merits of the grant applications and decides how the grants are distributed?

The Stem Cell Research Peer Review Committee reviews all grant applications for scientific and ethical merit, guided by the National Academies Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research. The Stem Cell Research Peer Review Committee makes its recommendations on grants to the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee for consideration. The members of the Stem Cell Peer Review Committee must have demonstrated and practical knowledge, understanding and experience of the ethical and scientificimplications of embryonic and adult stem cell research. The DPH Commissioner appoints all committee members for either two or four-year terms. The Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee directs the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health with respect to the awarding of grants-in-aid.

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Who may apply for the stem cell research grants?

Any non-profit, tax-exempt academic institution of higher education, any hospital that conducts biomedical research or any entity that conducts biomedical research or embryonic or human adult stem cell research may apply for grants from the Connecticut Stem Cell Research Fund.

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What efforts are being made to assure the people of the state of Connecticut that all committee dealings and any research are ethically conducted?

The State of Connecticut is committed to implementing the Stem Cell Research Program according to the highest ethical and scientific standards, and committed to conducting all business activities in a transparent and consumer friendly manner. Meetings of the committee where decisions are being made will comply with Freedom of Information Act requirements for public meetings and public records. Proceedings of all scheduled meetings of the Advisory Board will be transcribed and made available to the public, and when possible, meetings will be televised via local public access television.

Members of the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee are considered to be public officials and are subject to state ethics laws, which require full accountability and transparency. Both the Peer Review and Advisory Committees are responsible for overseeing the standards of research funded from this grant program. Reports on scientific progress are required of grant recipients. Annual financial disclosures are required for all members of the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee.

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Who else is involved with overseeing this project?

The State of Connecticut Department of Public Health, working in conjunction with the legislatively mandated Advisory and Peer Review Committees, is responsible for the overall implementation of the stem cell legislation.Withinthe DPH, the Office of Research and Development is the organizational unit tasked with managing the stem cell research project components.

In addition, the stem cell legislation names Connecticut Innovations as the administrative staff of the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee, assisting the Advisory Committee in developing and implementing the application process, including application reviews and execution of agreements.

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What is the timeline for the application process?

The Advisory Committee developed and issued the first Request for Proposals on May 10, 2006. As of the July 10, 2006 deadline, 70 applications for public funding were received. Applications were made available for peer review on August 4, 2006.On November 21, 2006, the Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee awarded almost $19.8 million for 21 stem cell research proposals.

The second Request for Proposals was issued on July 25, 2007. As of the November 1, 2007 deadline, 94 applications for public funding were received. The Peer Review Committee completed their review and reported by teleconference on March 5, 2008. On April 1, 2008, the SCRAC awarded $9.84 million for 22 stem cell research projects.

The third Request for Proposals was issued on September 24, 2008. As of the December 8, 2008 deadline, 77 applications for public funding were received. The Peer Review Committee completed their review and reported by teleconference on March 17, 2009. On March 31, 2009, the SCRAC awarded $9.8 million for 24 stem cell research projects.

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Which grant applications received funding in 2006?

An Integrated Approach to Neural Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells, Yale University, Michael P. Snyder, Principal Investigator, $3,815,476.72

Directing hES Derived Progenitor Cells into Musculoskeletal Lineages, University of Connecticut Health Center and University of Connecticut, David W. Rowe, M. D., Principal Investigator, $3,520,000

Human Embryonic Stem Cell Core Facility at Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University, Haifan Lin, Principal Investigator, $2,500,000

Human ES Cell Core At University of Connecticut and Wesleyan University, University of Connecticut Health Center, Ren-He Xu, Principal Investigator, $2,500,000

DsRNA and Epigenetic Regulation in Embryonic Stem Cells, University of Connecticut Health Center, Gordon G. Carmichael, $880,000.

Alternative Splicing in Human Embryonic Stem Cells, University of Connecticut Health Center, Brenton R. Graveley, Principal Investigator, $880,000

SMAD4-based ChIP-chip Analysis to Screen Target Genes of BMP and TGF Signaling in Human ES Cells, University of Connecticut Health Center, Ren-He Xu, Principal Investigator, $880,000

Directing Production and Functional Integration of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Neural Stem Cells, Wesleyan University, Laura B. Grabel, Principal Investigator, $878,348.24

Role of the Leukemia Gene MKL in Developmental Hematopoiesis Using hES Cells, Yale University, Diane Krause, Principal Investigator, $856,653.72

Migration and Integration of Embryonic Stem Cell Derived Neurons into Cerebral Cortex, University of Connecticut, Joseph LoTurco, Principal Investigator, $561,631.84

Optimizing Axonal Regeneration Using a Polymer Implant Containing hESC-derived Glia, University of Connecticut, Akiko Nishiyama, $529,871.76

Development of Efficient Methods for Reproducible and Inducible Transgene Expression in Human Embryonic Stem Cells, University of Connecticut Health Center, James Li, Principal Investigator, $200,000

Pragmatic Assessment of Epigenetic Drift in Human ES Cell Lines, University of Connecticut, Theodore Rasmussen, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, $200,000

Cell Cycle and Nuclear Reprogramming by Somatic Cell Fusion, University of Connecticut Health Center, Winfried Krueger, Principal Investigator, $200,000

Function of the Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein in Early Human Neural Development, Yale University, Yingqun Joan Huang, Principal Investigator, $200,000

Quantitative Analysis of Molecular Transport and Population Kinetics of Stem Cell Cultivation in a Microfluidic System, University of Connecticut, Tai-His Fan, Principal Investigator, $200,000

Embryonic Stem Cell as a Universal Cancer Vaccine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Bei Liu, Zihai Li, M. D., Principal Investigators, $200,000

Lineage Mapping of Early Human Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation, University of Connecticut, Craig E. Nelson, $200,000

Directed Isolation of Neuronal Stem Cells from hESC Lines, Yale University School of Medicine, Eleni A. Markakis, Principal Investigator, $184,407

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Directed Endogenous Neural Progenitor Cell Migration, Yale University School of Medicine, Erik Shapiro, Principal Investigator, $199,975

Generation of Insulin Producing Cells from Human Embryonic Stem Cells, University of Connecticut, Gang Xu, Principal Investigator, $200,000

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Which grant applications received funding in 2008?

Maintaining and Enhancing the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Core at the Yale Stem Cell Center, Yale University Stem Cell Center, New Haven, Haifan Lin, PhD, Principal Investigator, $1,800,000.

Translational Studies in Monkeys of hESCs for Treatment of Parkinsons Disease, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, D. Eugene Redmond, Jr., MD, Principal Investigator, $1,120,000.

Production and Validation of Patient-Matched Pluipotent Cells for Improved Cutaneous Repair, University of Connecticut Center of Regenerative Biology, Storrs, Theodore Rasmussen, PhD., Principal Investigator, $634,880.

Directed Differentiation of ESCs into Cochlear Precursors for Transplantation as Treatment of Deafness, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Ben Bahr, PhD, Principal Investigator, $500,000.

Synaptic Replenishment Through Embryonic Stem Cell Derived Neurons in a Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Nada Zecevic, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator, $499,813.

Tyrosone Phosphorylation Profiles Associated with Self-Renewal and Differentiation of hESC, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Bruce Mayer, PhD., Principal Investigator, $450,000.

Directed Differentiation of ESCs into Cochlear Precursors for Transplantation as Treatment of Deafness, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, D. Kent Morest, MD, Principal Investigator, $450,000.

Targeting Lineage Committed Stem Cells to Damaged Intestinal Mucosa, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Daniel W. Rosenberg, PhD., Principal Investigator, $450,000.

Modeling Motor Neuron Degeneration in Spinal Muscular Atrophy Using hESCs, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Xuejun Li, PhD., Principal Investigator, $450,000.

Human Embryonic and Adult Stem Cell for Vascular Regeneration, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Laura E. Niklason, MD, PhD, $450,000.

Effect of Hypoxia on Neural Stem Cells and the Function in CAN Repair, Yale University, New Haven, Flora M. Vaccarino, Principal Investigator, $449,771.40.

Wnt Signaling and Cardiomyocyte Differentiation from hESCs, Yale University, New Haven, Dianqing Wu, Principal Investigator, $446,818.50.

Flow Cytometry Core for the Study of hESC, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Hector Leonardo Aguila, PhD., Principal Investigator, $250,000.

Cortical neuronal protection in spinal cord injury following transplantation of dissociated neurospheres derived from human embryonic stem cells, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Masanori Sasaki, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator, $200,000.

Molecular Control of Pluripotency in Human Embryonic Stem Cell, Yale Stem Cell Center, New Haven, Natalia Ivanova, Principal Investigator, $200,000.

Cytokine-induced Production of Transplantable Hematopoietic Stem Cells from Human ES Cells, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Laijun Lai, PhD, Principal Investigator, $200,000.

Functional Use of Embryonic Stem Cells for Kidney Repair, Yale University, New Haven, Lloyd G. Cantley, Principal Investigator, $200,000.

VRK-1-mediated Regulation of p53 in the Human ES Cell Cycle, Yale University, New Haven, Valerie Reinke, Principal Investigator, $200,000.

Definitive Hematopoitic Differentiation of hESCs under Feeder-Free and Serum-Free Conditions, Yale University, Caihong Qiu, PhD, Principal Investigator, $200,000.

Differentiation of hESC Lines to Neural Crest Derived Trabecular Meshwork Like Cells Implications in Glaucoma, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Dharamainder Choudhary, PhD., Principal Investigator, $200,000.

The Role of the piRNA Pathway in Epigenetic Regulation of hESCs, Yale University, New Haven, Qiaoqiao Wang, PhD., Principal Investigator, $200,000.

Early Differentiation Markers in hESCs: Identification and Characterization of Candidates, University of Connecticut Center for Regenerative Biology, Storrs, Mark G. Carter, PhD., Principal Investigator, $200,000.

Regulation hESC-dervied Neural Stem Cells by Notch Signaling, Yale University, New Haven, Joshua Breunig, MD, Principal Investigator, $188,676.

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Which grant applications received funding in 2009?

Continuing and Enhancing the UCONN-Wesleyan Stem Cell Core, University of Connecticut Stem Cell Center, Farmington, Ren-He Xu, MD, PhD, Principal Investigator, $1,900,000.00.

Williams Syndrome Associated TFII-I Factor and Epigenetic Marking-Out in hES and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Dashzeveg Bayarsaihan, PhD., Principal Investigator, $500,000.00.

Cellular transplantation of neural progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells to remyelinate the nonhuman primate spinal cord, Yale University, New Haven, Jeffrey Kocsis, PhD., Principal Investigator, $500,000.00.

Mechanisms of Stem Cell Homing to the Injured Heart, University of Connecticut Health Center, Linda Shapiro, PhD., Principal Investigator, $500,000.00.

Originally posted here:Stem Cell Research Program - Grants - portal.ct.gov

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Dr. Levy is the Study Director for the listed studies and should be contacted for more information.

Dr. Levy's interest in leading edge medical technology and advancing medical care is long standing. He developed the first robotic approach to refractive eye surgery in mid 1980s and was actively involved in exploring areas of translational research including nanotechnology for ophthalmic applications. He has lead clinical advances in small incision and topical anesthetic cataract surgery from their inception.

Following a career in the practice of ophthalmology, Dr. Levy transitioned into life science and healthcare business development. Located in Connecticut, he serves as CEO of MD Stem Cells, a leading provider of adult stem cell patient facilitation services and is Study Director for ongoing clinical studies include SCOTS 2, NEST and SciExVR. He is also President of the Acoma Group which provides business development services for biopharmaceutical, medical and healthcare companies globally. Dr. Levy is an Advisory Board member consultant with a leading provider of advice within the clinical and life sciences. He is a reviewer for a molecular science journal with listings on Publon, and serves on the editorial boards of journals in degenerative diseases and ophthalmology.

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