Category Archives: Connecticut Stem Cells

Stem Cells replacement therapy is a promising approach for the treatment of many diseases. Many countries and cities around de world are already using stem cells therapies with great outcomes, and we want citizens from Hartford to have this live-changing experience.

Yale Stem Cell Center will hold its 10-year anniversary celebration. It will feature short speeches and a panel discussion on the progress and promise of stem cell research and regenerative medicine, followed by a reception open to the public. This will be a special occasion to celebrate research in stem cell and regenerative medicine for Hartford residents.

Hartford is the capital of Connecticut, in spite of the high standard of health quality, there are 8,3% of citizens in Hartford without Health insurance and the costs of many treatments are definitely an important point for patients and families from Hartford that are suffering from several degenerative and inflammatory diseases. Costa Rica is a great destiny for medical tourism.

Hartford is among the oldest cities in the United States and it was the richest city in the United States for several decades. Part of Hartfords income is invested in research of Stem Cells.

The daily Hartford Courant newspaper is the countrys oldest continuously published newspaper, founded in 1764. The Hartford Courant is continuously informing about the latest news in stem cells advances. Important companies like Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. and UConn are collaborating on stem cell research as well.

Despite of the great advances made so far, the therapies are not legally approved in the USA, that is why many citizens from Hartford, like the jockey legend Gordie Howe need to go outside the country to get into experimental treatments with stem cells. He responded to stem cell therapy; the treatment produced what his family called a life changing turnaround that has put Howe, 87, back on his feet.

Dr. Mesen in Costa Rica is anexpert in the newest treatment methods, such as Stem Cell therapy. One of the most exciting recent developments in the treatment of chronic conditions is the use of adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Get legally approved stem cell therapies now.

Please Contact usto schedule an appointment. Wecan evaluate your condition and see if you are a candidate for stem cell therapy. The Stem Cells Transplant Institute of Costa Rica specializes in the legal treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Critical limb isquemia, Parkinson, Lupus, Osteoarthritis, Erectile Dysfunction, Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease, Alzheimer, Cardiovascular Disease, Knee Injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Myocardial infarction, Neuropathy and Diabetes. Contact us.

Residents from Fairfield, Litchfiled, Told, Middlesex, Hartford and New London are welcome to receive more information by contacting us on the form below.

The mission of Stem Cells Transplant Institute in Costa Rica is to improve human health. Our stem cell and platelet rich plasma therapy programs offer a nonsurgical pain relief solution to provide you with the quality of life you deserve.

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Hartford, CT - Stem Cells Transplant Institute

The State of Connecticut recently announced the award of $9.8 million in state taxpayer funds for twenty stem cell research grants. The list of new award winners was announced by the Connecticut Governors office on July 21. While its difficult to know definitively due to the paucity of information provided, it appears that of the twenty grant awards, all or almost all fund research on human embryonic stem cells and/or human induced pluripotent stem cells, with no obvious funding for any adult stem cell research.The Connecticut program was passed by the Connecticut state legislature in 2005, dedicating $100 million in state public funds over ten years toward stem cell research on embryonic and human adult stem cells. So far, $59.04 million has been allocated for stem cell research in Connecticut.

While both embryonic and adult stem cell research supposedly are eligible for funding, the vast majority of grants have gone to keep the embryonic stem cell researchers afloat. The legislation also claimed that it bans the cloning of human beings in Connecticut, but factually all it bans is the survival of cloned humans; the legislation allows cloning of human embryos for experiments, and requires that the cloned humans be destroyed and not gestated. Definitions in legislation are paramount, and the Connecticut definition reads:

Cloning of a human being means inducing or permitting a replicate of a living human beings complete set of genetic material to develop after gastrulation commences.

Gastrulation, which begins around 12 days after conception for conception, is simply another stage in embryonic development, leading up to specific organ formation. So what the Connecticut legislation does is allow cloning of human embryos, but requires that any human clones be destroyed within the first two weeks of life.

Connecticut might want to take notice of Californias moves regarding embryonic stem cells, since they obviously copied the essence of its legislation. In 2004, California passed Proposition 71 (Prop 71), which put $3 billion state taxpayer dollars over ten years towards embryonic stem cell and cloning research.

As in Connecticut, pro-embryo research advocates touted the cures that would come from embryonic stem cells and human cloning, not to mention the many-fold return on taxpayer funds invested in such research.

Excerpt from:
Connecticut Pours Millions Into Embryonic Stem Cell ...

ContentWhat Are Stem Cells?

As you probably remember from biology class, every living thing is made up of cells including the human body. Cells are microscopic, but they power our bodies in amazing ways. For example, white blood cells help fight germs. Beta cells produce insulin to control sugars in our bodies. Melanocytes give skin its color.

Most of the time, each cell has a specific job to do. One cell cant do what another cell can, just as a doctor isnt trained to design a bridge and an engineer cant do surgery. So cells work as a team, grouping together to make up our tissues and organs.

But one type of cell is different. Stem cellscan develop into cells with different skills. In that way, stem cells are like students who have the choice of studying to be either doctors or engineers. None of the bodys other cells can become new cells like this.

When you hear about stem cell transplants, they probably involve hematopoietic (pronounced: heh-mat-uh-poy-ET-ik) stem cells. These stem cells are produced in the bone marrow andform blood and immune system cells. Hematopoietic stem cells can become any of three different types of blood cells:

As well as being able to turn into different types of cells, stem cells can also replicate meaning they can create new stem cells to keep the body healthy.

Stem cell transplants help people with severe blood or immune system illnesses. Stem cell transplants can help some people with certain kinds of cancer. They may also help people with non-cancerous diseases, such as serious immune deficiency problems, autoimmune diseases (likelupus), or blood disorders (thalassemia or sickle cell disease, for example).

With cancer, the bodys cells grow in a way thats not normal. These abnormal cells then spread quickly throughout the body. With immune system diseases like lupus, the immune system goes haywire and may damage healthy cells in the body. To fix these problems, doctors destroy damaged or abnormal cells and replace them with transplanted stem cells. The stem cells then replicate and turn into healthy cells.

A stem cell transplant involves taking healthy stem cells and putting them into the bloodstream of someone who is sick. This is done through an intravenous (IV) line. Its similar to having a blood transfusion. Once the stem cells get inside the persons body, they go to work creating healthy new blood, bone marrow, and immune system cells.

Doctors get hematopoietic stem cells from one of three different places:

A person who provides the stem cells is called a donor. Donors dont have to be other people sometimes a patient can act as his or her own donor.

Heres what happens when people donate their own stem cells: Before getting treatments likechemotherapy or radiation, doctors remove the persons stem cells from either the blood or bone marrow. This is called harvesting the stem cells. The stem cells are then frozen.

After the person has had chemotherapy or radiation, the cells are thawed and put back inside the body. Doctors may transplant new stem cells more than once it all depends on what a patient needs. When a person donates his or her own cells, its called an autologous (pronounced: aw-TOL-uh-gus) transplant.

Heres what happens when stem cells come from a separate donor: Separate donors are often siblings. Sometimes, parents will keep a newborns umbilical cord blood for this purpose. But donors can also be other family members or even volunteers who arent related to a patient.

Before collecting stem cells, doctors do tests to be sure the cells are a good match. If the patient and donor blood and tissue types dont match, the patients body may reject the donors stem cells. When someone other than the patient donates stem cells, its called an allogeneic (pronounced: al-low-juh-NEE-ik) transplant.

A lot can happen when introducing new cells to the body. Even if a donor is a good match, the body may still occasionally reject the transplant. This means that the bodys own immune cells destroy the transplanted stem cellsbecause they sense they areforeign.

Other times, the newly transplanted donor cells start attacking the patients body. This condition is called graft-versus-host disease. It can be serious, but doctors are usually able to treat it with steroids and other medicines. If you are getting a stem cell transplant, your doctor will explain the different things that can happen.

Transplanting stem cells is a very complicated process. It might take several months to decide if a patient is a good candidate and find the best donor.

After finding a good donor, doctors collect the stem cells. This may involve collecting stem cells from the donors hip bone or taking blood from the donor, separating out the stem cells, and returning the blood to the donors body. Sometimes doctors get the stem cells from a special blood bank where umbilical cord blood is stored (called a cord blood bank).

The next step in the transplantation process is conditioning therapy. The medical team gives the patient high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation to kill unhealthy cells (like cancer cells) that are causing a persons illness. Sometimes the patient gets other types of medicines that dont kill the cells, but that weaken the immune system instead.

Wiping out unhealthy cells or weakening the immune system might sound scary, but it can actually be helpful. Destroying bone marrow makes room for new stem cells to take hold. And a weak immune system isnt as likely to jump into high gear and attack the new cells. So theres less chance that the new cells will be rejected.

Now its time for the actual transplant. This is done through an infusion where the stem cells are put in the patients body through an IV line. After a stem cell infusion, the medical team watches the patient closely to make sure the new stem cells are settling into the bone marrow and beginning to make new blood cells (called engrafting). If another person donated the stem cells, doctors will watch for signs of rejection or graft-versus-host disease.

Engrafting takes an average of 2 weeks, but can be as quick as 1 week or as long as 6 weeks. The medical team gives the patient medicines to promote engrafting and prevent problems like rejection.

People who get stem cell transplants have a high risk of infection because the process affects the immune system. That makes it harder to fight bacteria and other germs that enter the body. People whose stem cell transplants come from donors have an even higher risk of infection because they need to take medicines to reduce the chance of rejection. These medicines can weaken the immune system.

Because of these risks, doctors wont release someone from the hospital until they are sure the transplant has been successful and the person is well enough to go home.

Getting out of hospital doesnt mean going back to normal life right away. Because of the risk of infection, it might be 3 months or more before someone whos had a stem cell transplant can go back to school, visit the mall, or go to a sporting event. Thats because even a simple infection like a common cold can be life threatening for people whose immune systems need time to recover. Anywhere someone might come into contact with germs will be off limits.

Because stem cell transplants involve long isolation periods, they can be stressful. Luckily, medical teams know how tough that can be, and they know how important it is to get emotional support. Your doctor, a hospital social worker, or child life specialist can give you advice on getting through this difficult time. Dont hesitate to ask for help.

Continue reading here:
Stem Cell Transplants - Connecticut Children's Medical Center

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.

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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.

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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.

Back to Questions

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.

Back to Questions

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

Back to Questions

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.

Back to Questions

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

Effective October 1, 2014, the authority for administrationof the Stem Cell Research Program transferred to Connecticut Innovations. Alink to the Connecticut Innovations webpage is provided: http://www.ctinnovations.com/program/18/stemcellresearch

Public Act 05-149, "An Act Permitting Stem Cell Research and Banning the Cloning of Human Beings" (the Act), was approved by the General Assembly and signed by Governor M. Jodi Rell on June 15, 2005. The Act has subsequently been codified in Connecticut General Statutes 19a-32d through 19a-32g and 4-28e(c)(3). Passage of this legislation positioned Connecticut as just the third state in the nation in providing public funding in support of embryonic and human adult stem cell research. On November 21, 2006, $19.78 million was awarded for 21 stem cell research proposals.As of June 10, 2013, $78.64 million has been allocated to stem cell research in Connecticut through the stem cell grants-in-aid program.

TheDepartment of Public Health is responsible for managing all aspects of this legislation, including working out committee appointments, conducting and coordinating internal and external meetings, and establishing and fostering collaborative relationships with members of the Connecticut Stem Cell Research Committee, advocates, and policy makers. One of the guiding and continuing principles of the Departmentis the commitment to transparency, and we are proud to offer this web page as an important vehicle in maintaining open and transparent lines of communication with residents of Connecticut and members of the national and international stem cell research community.

Connecticut Innovations provides all administrative support to the Stem Cell Research Program.

We invite you to use this site to learn more about stem cells and stem cell research, to link to other helpful stem cell research web pages, to find out more about Connecticuts Stem Cell Research Program, to keep track of the States progress in terms of the granting of public dollars to support research, and to access information on the activities and proceedings of the Stem Cell Research Advisory and Peer Review Committees.As always, we invite your comments and suggestions regarding any aspect of this web page.

See original here:
Stem Cell Research Program - portal.ct.gov

Regenerative therapy is a generic term to describe a variety of different therapeutic interventions which stimulate the body to repair and regenerate its own tissue. This was famously described by Drs. Hackett and Hemwall in the 1930s and was termed Prolotherapy. These physicians used a high concentration sugar based solution, often with other irritating additives, to stimulate an inflammatory response. This inflammatory response, a normal reaction by the body to this irritating solution, is associated with the development of controlled scar tissue in the region, strengthening the structure which has been damaged. Regenerative therapies have developed over the years to a more sophisticated form of treatment; PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) and Stem Cell Therapy which instead provides the direct delivery of cells and tissue growth factors to the area of injury through an injection. All regenerative medicine techniques work by sending a message to the body to regrow and repair damaged tissue. Regenerative therapies are typically performed to ligamentous, tendinous, or cartilaginous surfaces. These particular tissues typically receive poor blood supply and it is this lack of blood flow in part that prevents these injuries from healing properly; the body must be able to deliver repair cells into the area of damage. Regenerative therapy techniques involve the placement of these reparative cells directly into the area of damage.

Originally posted here:
Regenerative Therapies | DAVID KLOTH, MD | Connecticut ...

RE: Warning letter received August 24th, 2017

Dear Mr. Randall Morris,

Please accept this letter as response to the warning letter received August 24th, 2017. In sum, as was previously demonstrated, the US Stem Cell Clinic (USCC) is not utilizing a biological drug product and therefore the regulations of part 210 and 211 (current good manufacturing practices) do not apply. The comments in the provided warning letter are specific to products that are produced in cGMP manufacturing facilities and classified as drugs according to the FDA. This is not something that a medical clinic would be required to follow. USCC is not manufacturing a drug. That being said, in an abundance of caution, US Stem Cell Clinic will immediately switch to 510(k) approved systems to process tissue in clinic such as bone marrow systems and/or fat systems.

Our facility has demonstrated sterile surgical techniques as required by the medical boards. It is inappropriate and harmful to state that our clinic is not sterile as we are completely compliant with the regulations for surgical procedures including using individually wrapped disposable sterile supplies, sterile field prep, and more. The strict regulations mentioned in the warning letter required to manufacture drugs are not applied to clinics or hospitals. As a clinic performing a medical procedure, we have strict and appropriate protocols in place to prevent contamination and breach of sterility. We are following the exact protocols that are utilized at surgical centers and hospitals. As you know, these protocols are very different than what is required for GMP manufacturing facilities. We have never had an incidence of contamination and the statements that were made in your warning letter and press release are misleading and causing irreparable harm.

We have previously described in detail why the FDA has wrongly defined these in clinic procedures as a drug and provided evidence. The evidence and summary is provided below. I would like to specifically call your attention to the fact that according to your current code of federal regulations, same surgical procedure is not subject to the rules for tissue banks which include minimal manipulation and homologous use. We strongly believe that it is a violation of the rights of American citizens to prevent them from seeking alternative care for their conditions as long as it does not violate regulations or the law. Our clinic is not violating the law as it is currently written. There is huge support from government officials and American citizens for stem cell treatmentsagain, while all laws are adhered to as we do. Please refer to just one petition out of many regarding stem cell treatments in clinic with almost 70,000 signatures: https://www.change.org/p/fda-don-t-shut-down-our-access-to-needed-stem-cell-therapy-treatment.

We would also like to address the comment in your warning letter regarding our firm impairing the ability to conduct the inspection. This statement is blatantly false and should be removed from the record. We provided access to every room in the facility and allowed pictures on multiple occasions. We also provided copies of all requested documents including confidential patient information. We are an extremely small firm with only a handful of employees most of which are part time or 1099 contract. As a small firm with limited resources, it is necessary to schedule the access that was required by the investigators in order to prevent permanent damage to our business. We provided abundant time and availability to the inspectors and on several occasions, the inspectors canceled last minute and did not come. At one point, the inspectors came to the office when the office was closed. During this last inspection, we worked with the inspectors for over a month providing hundreds of copies and burned CDs. On several occasions, I requested paper, printer ink and office supplies but did not receive what was requested. This inspection caused undue financial harm to our small firmyet we made our staff and resources available to the investigators at all times. Stating that we prevented or limited access to our company is an apparent attempt to disparage our company and we deem it both unprofessional and an unfair statement.

Given that we are a medical clinic that does not manufacture drugs, the guidance document that you referenced does not apply to our facility. Instead, USCC is performing a medical procedure wherein tissue is removed from a patient and re-implanted during the same surgical procedure. 21 C.F.R. 1271(b) titled Human Cells, Tissues and Cellular Tissue-Based Products, expressly states, you are not required to comply with the requirements of this part if you are an establishment that removes HCT/Ps from an individual and implants such HCT/Ps into the same individual during the same surgical procedure.

The procedure performed at USSC is simply the practice of medicine. Medical practitioners have been performing similar type procedures in clinic for decades including fat, skin, tendon/ligament, vascular, hair and bone grafts, bone marrow transplantation, and blood/plasma transplantation. Please keep in mind that many of these medical procedures may involve non-homologous use of tissue (CABG with vein graft or ileum to replace bladder) or more than minimal manipulation (skin grafts, hair transplants, or bone grafts). But because these are completed by medical practitioners during the same surgical procedure, the practitioners per the exception clause are not required to comply with the requirements of this part (1271) which includes details on products under section 351 vs. 361 PHS Act.

Therefore, the regulatory sections of Part 1271 regarding homologous use or more than minimal manipulation are not applicable to the procedures performed by USSC. To be clear, the purpose of stem cells inside our bodies is to maintain and repair damaged tissue, therefore any application of stem cells to patients would in fact be defined as homologous.

Even if USSC were somehow subject to the regulatory sections of Part 1271, the protocols utilized by USSC would be exempt from the regulations because the procedures practiced at USSC do not involve more than minimal manipulation. Part 1271 Regulations create a regulatory exemption from the manufacturing and labeling requirements that normally apply to drugs and biological products for any HCT/P that is no more than minimally manipulated. See 21C.F.R. 1271.10(a). Minimal manipulation of cells means processing that does not alter the-relevant biologicalcharacteristics. Id. 1271.3(f)(2).

In the procedures performed at USCC, the actual stem cells are not modified or changed in any way but instead separated via centrifugation. Even the collagenase digestion only changes the integrity of the extracellular matrix and does not change the characteristics of the cells themselves. These scientific facts were confirmed by several leading stem cell scientists at the September 2016 FDA hearing.

Medical procedures are already scrutinized and regulated by the state medical boards, legislatures, and agencies. In addition, the doctor patient relationship is protected and physicians take a vow to protect the safety, health and welfare of patients. They are dedicated to serving the interest of the patient and market forces, societal pressures, and administrative demands must not compromise this promise. The FDA is responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy and security of drugs. The FDA does not regulate the practice of medicine or the bodies/tissues of individuals.

This same procedure is currently performed at thousands of clinics throughout the US. Notably, throughout the stem cell field, these clinics and practitioners also maintain that the procedures performed are medical procedures, and that the regulations of part 210 and 211 (current good manufacturing practices) do not apply.

We are aware that many clinics have been visited by the FDA without any actions or warnings letters. At USCC, we are following standard clinical procedures for medical facilities to ensure safety of the patients. This is considered a medical procedure because the tissue is removed from the patient and re-implanted during the same surgical procedure to the same patient (autologous use). The protocols used at our clinic have been well established in publications as both efficacious and safe. Over ten thousand patients have been treated using similar protocols with a strong safety record. Specifically, over 7000 patients have been treated using the exact same laboratory kit that we utilize at USCC.

Bone marrow and blood products are currently being utilized in the clinic in a similar fashion. The only reason bone marrow products are being regulated differently is because they predate the 1976 medical device amendments allowing for a 510k process instead of IND/IDE. There is no scientific or medical reason that fat tissue removed from a patient would be regulated differently than bone marrow or blood, when they are being used for the same purpose. According to recent publications, cells from fat tissue are demonstrating superior clinical results than bone marrow cells. This is most likely due to the fact that the bone marrow contains very high amounts of white blood cells (WBCs) which can cause unnecessary inflammation whereas fat has low amounts of WBCs. Fat tissue, however, may contain up to 500 times more stem cells. The rate of complications from taking a bone marrow aspirate is significantly higher than taking an adipose sample. The cells that are obtained from an adipose sample are separated from the adipocytes and have not been manipulated or changed in any way prior to reintroducing into a patient. According to reports, these therapies do not have the same negative side effects as many of the available drugs on the market.

We are aware that the FDA received comments on the published draft guidelines regarding adipose tissue procedures in clinic. We are also aware that the FDA held a public hearing regarding these topics in September 2016 in which many scientists, physicians and patients expressed support for these therapies. We are able to provide the FDA with any necessary information to demonstrate that this is a medical procedure that is safely done on an outpatient basis. Published results of outcomes to date have been overwhelmingly positive.

If the federal government were to interfere with a persons ability to obtain and utilize their own cells in their body to heal themselves, this could be a gross violation of the constitution. According to the constitution, Americans have a fundamental right to privacy as well as protection from undue government intrusion. Specifically, in the case of Griswold v. Connecticut 381 U.S. 479, 484-486 (1965), the Supreme Court recognized that specific guarantees in the Bill of Rights create zones of privacy to protect certain intimate activities from means which sweep unnecessarily broadly and thereby invade the area of protected freedoms. Regarding bodily integrity, the court ruled that no right is held more sacred, or is more carefully guardedthan the right of every individual to the possession and control of his own person, free from all restraint or interference from others Both Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey 506 U.S. 833 (1992), protected rights to privacy, autonomy, and personal choice. See also A.L.A. v. West Valley City, 26 F.3d 989, 990 (10th Cir.1994) (There is no dispute that confidential medical information is entitled to constitutional privacy protection.); According to A. Rahman Ford, JD, PhD, Undue infringement by the federal government upon so sacrosanct a right as the bodily integrity of private persons must be viewed as paternalistic, Victorian and an affront to the freedoms inherent in the Constitution itself.

Notwithstanding the aboveand again, in an abundance of cautionit is our sincerest interest to adhere to the FDAs interpretation of the laws and have several specific questions that we would like the FDA to kindly provide answers to:

Our clinic is simply providing medical treatments to consenting patients using cells from their own body during a medical procedure which does not invoke oversight by the federal government. We would like to specifically request a meeting with the FDA commissioner to better explain the procedures that have successfully helped thousands of people.

We look forward to your responses to our questions above. Feel free to contact me if additional information is required.

Read the original:
FDA Response - U.S. Stem Cell Clinic

Valley Sports Physicians is a national leader and pioneer in the use of Stem Cell Injections for orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions.

Dr. Tortland began performing stem cell injections in 2008, the first in New England and longer than most in the country. Few have as much experience in the field of Stem Cell Therapy for orthopedic and musculoskeletal conditions.

Stem Cells have several unique abilities. They can transform into other cell types, such as bone, cartilage, muscle and tendon. And they also serve an important signaling functioning, recruiting other stem cells to the target area and triggering nearby cells to begin the repair process.

At Valley Sports Physicians we use Stem Cells most commonly to treat the following conditions:

While the use of stem cells is gaining in popularity, its important to realize that not all stem cell treatments are the same. How the stem cells are obtained, and how they are processed both can have a major impact on effectiveness. In addition, even the best stem cell products will be minimally effective if not administered properly. At Valley Sports Physicians we use the latest technology to harvest your stem cells to insure the highest quality product. We also perform all of our injections under direct ultrasound guidance; Dr. Tortland is an internationally recognized expert in ultrasound-guided injections. So you can be assured of the safest, most accurate treatment.

See original here:
Connecticut & New England Stem Cell Injection Therapy ...

Its an event not ever seen or imagined around these parts. Not among rival East Bay football teams. Not this close to the season.

But members of four East Bay Athletic League squads along with Freedom-Oakley will gather at 5 p.m. Saturday at San Ramon Valley-Danville not to scrimmage, but to partake in family-reunion-type games like tug of war and three-legged races.

All of is it to honor and support Jake Javier, a former San Ramon Valley football player who is paralyzed from the chest down following a 2016 graduation pool-party diving accident.

Javier, an All-Metro two-way tackle bound for Cal Poly on a football scholarship, suffered life-threatening injuries, severe trauma to his vertebrae and nine months of extensive surgeries and rehabilitation before returning home in April.

Hes planning to pursue his dream to earn an engineering degree at Cal Poly with a special interest in stem-cell research. Javier had 10 million embryonic stem cells injected into his spine during one of the surgeries.

Hes a real special kid with a powerful message and he could use our help, said longtime De La Salle-Concord coach Bob Ladouceur, a San Ramon Valley graduate.

Ladouceur, who won 399 games as head coach at De La Salle (hes now an assistant) and is an NFHS Hall of Fame member, organized Saturdays Day of Games event that also includes the Spartans, Monte Vista-Danville and California-San Ramon.

Over a nearly 40-year career, Ladouceur felt very fortunate that none of his players endured catastrophic injury on the field. Javiers injury hit close to home, and affected Ladouceur deeply. When he read a Diablo magazine article detailing Javiers plight, Ladouceur felt compelled to do something about it.

He hopes to raise $100,000 through the Javi Strong Foundation to defray the huge medical and caregiving costs Javier and his family face.

Hes a remarkable young man, he really is, Ladouceur said. Hes optimistic, determined and motivated. We can all invest in his future.

The coaches and communities of all the teams are all in, which has touched Javier deeply.

Im just extremely grateful for the people in these communities who want to support me, over a year later, Javier told Prep2Preps Nate Smith. Coach Lad came out of nowhere with his idea to do something for me, so Im just really grateful for that support and generosity.

To support Javier, please go to http://app.eteamsponsor.com/ETS/supportUs/44369014.

New coach: One of those coaches, Monte Vistas Matt Russi, is the new head coach of the Mustangs, replacing Craig Bergman, who resigned to spend more time with his children, who play at California. Russi, a Monte Vista and Cal alum, was the teams defensive coordinator last season. Bergman, who just finished his 20th season with the schools sixth North Coast Section title, will continue to help with the offense and teach at the school.

Matt brings tremendous energy and a great mind to the table, said longtime assistant Chris Babcock. Were lucky to have him in the program. Its great to have a former Mustang take over for the reins.

Soldiers marching: After a surprising championship at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam final, the Oakland Soldiers lost 78-72 to Team Takeover (Washington, D.C.) in the final of the 8 AAU boys basketball championship Friday in Las Vegas.

Led by Salesian-Richmond guard James Akinjo, the Soldiers defeated Team Takeover in the final of the Peach Jam earlier in the month.

In a stunning 62-61 semifinal win Thursday over Team CP3, incoming St. Ignatius senior Darrion Trammell hit two free throws with two seconds left for the winning margin. Trammell came into the game for the first time only five seconds earlier after Akinjo fouled out. Team CP3, coached by NBA guard Chris Paul, led by as many as 14.

Thanks largely to his stellar summer play for the Soldiers, Akinjo, a 6-foot point guard, has 13 college offers including from Cal, Connecticut and Indiana.

Briefly: De La Salle, led by 2,000-yard rusher Kairee Robinson, USC-bound lineman Tuli Letuligasenoa and preseason junior All-America linebacker Henry Tootoo, is ranked 16th nationally by MaxPreps heading into the 2017 season. Menlo School-Atherton incoming 5-11 junior Selina Xu is one of 20 players selected to play for USA Volleyballs U18 training team. Menlos Jack Bowen was named as the National High School Coach of the Year by USA Water Polo.

MaxPreps senior writer Mitch Stephens covers high school sports for The San Francisco Chronicle.

Link:
EBAL schools to raise funds for San Ramon Valley alum Jake Javier - SFGate

The calls had been coming for a few years, and Bill Holowaty couldn't say yes. His baseball spirit was willing. His body wasn't.

Holowaty won four national championships and 1,404 games before he stepped down in 2013 after 45 years as coach at Eastern Connecticut. Becoming president of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League seemed perfect for a septuagenarian with baseball in his DNA, baseball in his blood.

The problem was this: Holowaty's DNA isn't the same. His blood type isn't the same.

That's what happens with Myelodysplastic Syndrome. That's what happens when your body that had carried you through the third most victories in Division III history no longer could make enough healthy blood cells. In short, Holowaty had bone marrow failure and needed a stem cell transplant last June 23 that changed his DNA and blood type from O to A. Otherwise, he wasn't going to be around for long.

"I'm celebrating my first birthday," Holowaty said recently. "June 23, my new birthday."

Fortunately, Type A loves baseball, too.

So Holowaty said yes this past winter to becoming president of the GHTBL, the amateur wood-bat league now in its 88th year. Over the decades, it is a league that has produced a large number of major leaguers, including 2017 Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Bagwell. It also is a league that has had to fight softball, other baseball leagues and the evolution of modern sports interest to keep its place on the map.

The first thing Holowaty did was bring together the managers for a couple of meetings at his house.

"I was extremely impressed with their enthusiasm and their desire to make the league better," Holowaty said. "I needed that. They motivated me. Look, I'm not going to change the world and make it the best league in the United States, etc. I told them I'll try to help. I just love to watch baseball and see it played the right way."

Holowaty, who played basketball at UConn, played for Wally Widholm on the playoff champion Hamilton Standard team in the summer of 1966. His sons played in the GHTBL, too.

"Wally taught me how to win, how to play the game of baseball," Holowaty said. "Later on, my son came to me and he said, 'Dad, I played in wood-bat leagues and played all over the place. I had my best experience playing for Gene Johnson this past summer.' Winning was important, not showing off. I loved that."

There was no way Holowaty could do this by himself. He surrounded himself with a strong executive committee that includes vice presidents Bill DePascale, Ed Slegeski and former UConn coach Andy Baylock.

"I've known Billy forever, since the '60s," said Baylock, who played two summers in the GHTBL. "He has had a lot health problems, but this is something he can put his heart into. He called and asked me to be a vice president. I said, 'Billy, will this make you happy if I join?' He said yes. I told him, 'I'll be with you.' Gene Johnson, who was such a mainstay in the league, died [in November 2014] and I felt this would be a good way to give back to the league and Gene."

The two state baseball legends obviously add recognition to the league. Yet it had to be more than that.

There is nothing worse, Holowaty said, than playing on a lousy field. Trinity College has a beautiful new facility. The league secured it for the playoffs. The teams are going to play throughout July 9 at Dunkin' Donuts Park. Holowaty, convinced the job of running a team is too big for one guy, wants each team to have a general manager. There were a couple of new teams added this year. There were sponsorships found. Holowaty also wants each team to have a mentor or two. On opening day, Holowaty and Baylock talked to the players about playing the game smart, aggressively, hustling, showing up on time. Little things that can become big things, like coaches wearing protective helmets at first and third base.

They've gone to games at various sites.

"Not to be a cop," Baylock said, "but to try to make sure things look good."

"We're not out there second-guessing managers," Holowaty said. "But a lot of great players have played in the league over nearly 90 years. I don't want a beer league. Baseball is one of the hardest games to teach and play. We've got a good league and want to make it better, a nice, competitive league where the guys enjoy themselves and learn the right way to play."

Those words came over the phone from Omaha a couple of weekends ago. He was out there for the College World Series. Holowaty is on the board of the American Baseball Coaches Association, its past president. This was a big trip for Holowaty.

"I couldn't go on an airplane for a year, or go out to eat," he said. "I had to wear a mask and gloves on the plane. The doctor told me I could go but have to be careful. My daughter [Jennifer] came with me to give my wife [Jan] four days' vacation.

"My wife has been taking care of me. Thank God for her."

In 2015, he was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. It was in August of that year that Holowaty, after undergoing knee surgery, was told his blood cell counts had been dropping. He consulted a hematologist. He would have a bone marrow test late in 2015. Holowaty would need a stem cell transplant or else to use his words "I wasn't going to be around long, maybe a year." With plans to spend the winter in Florida, he would go to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. There he began his treatment before returning to Connecticut.

A match in Germany, a young man, was found for Holowaty. On June 17, 2016, he went to the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center in Boston. For nearly a week he underwent chemotherapy for six hours a day to kill his old blood cells. The stem cells were flown overnight from Germany and the next day, June 23, Holowaty was receiving a transplant.

There would be more chemo. The fight has been hard. His immune system had to start from scratch. He must be ultra-careful to avoid germs, mold, etc., thus the gloves and the mask.

Holowaty went through his problems like he was reading a lineup card. He had pneumonia. A blood vessel broke when he had a lung biopsy. He had some blood clots in his legs and lung that took months to be rid of. His heart went out of rhythm. He had an aneurysm in his stomach. The man always was a tough coach and now, physically, mentally, spiritually, he has been called on to be even tougher.

Jan drives Bill up to Boston once or twice a week.

"They take my blood and see where I am with red and white blood cells," Holowaty said. "You get new blood. The remaining old blood tries to fight off the new blood.

"You feel good. You want to feel good. You just can't feel good. You go to bed, get a night's sleep and wake up tired. I'll feel great and then last week I had a hard time walking across the room. It's exhausting. It's not painful. I'm fighting it. I could never do this alone."

He has found a source of inspiration in his former ECSU assistant coach Ron Jones.

"Ron has had the same thing," Holowaty said. "He started calling me up and telling me how to prepare myself, helping me get through this. Here's the thing he has called me every day since last June. We just talked today. He has had a tough time. Last October, he had pacemaker put in, and he's doing well now.

"Think about that. He calls me every single day."

That's what great baseball guys do. They take care of each other.

Holwaty paused for a second on the phone.

"The Twilight League," he said softly, "this is my way of giving back to the game I love."

Read the rest here:
Jeff Jacobs: Hall Of Fame Coach Holowaty Fights Illness And Gives Back - Hartford Courant