Category Archives: Regenerative Medicine

Paper submissions to "Journal of Regenerative Medicine" can be submitted as an email attachment at contact.scitechnol@scitechnol.com or through EM System.

Suspended Life - Stem Cells: Are Treatments Possible?

The aim of this meeting, organized by the Italian no-profit associations Stampa Rossobl, Sicilia Risvegli Onlus, Niemann Pick Onlus, Omphalos, Organizzazione Sindrome di Angelman (Or.S.A.), Cancellautismo, Marco e Andrea Tremante Foundation, was to confer regarding todays state-of-the-art and novel findings on stem cell research and applications in Italy. The meeting was held in the city of Grottammare Ascoli Piceno County, under the auspices of Luigi Merlo, the Major of the city, and Piero Celani, the County President.

Stem Cell Therapy for Diabetes: A Call for Efficient Differentiation of Pancreatic Progenitors

Given the capacity of differentiating into functional beta cells in vivo, transplantation of pancreatic progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has been considered as a promising avenue in beta cell replacement therapy . Besides the concerns of preventing teratoma formation, reducing host immune system rejection and other related safety issues , generating sufficient number of pancreatic progenitors is one of the priorities before any consideration of clinical application.

Use of Immortalized Differentiated Cells for Regenerative Medicine

Stem cells are touted to offer a potential avenue for curing many conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimers disease. The comments raised were of particular significance in regards hurdles for the use of stem cells in regenerative medicine. These include in vivo issues such as cellular survival, senescence, proliferative capacity and differentiation into a functional tissue.

Bio-Engineered Mesenchymal Stromal Cell (MSCs) Grafts for Skin Repair/ Regeneration - Preclinical Aspects

There is growing evidence showing the promise of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for the treatment of cutaneous wound healing. In a previous study, we have shown that MSCs seeded on an artificial dermal matrix, Integra enriched with platelet rich plasma (EmatrixTM) have enhanced proliferative potential as compared to those cultured on the scaffold alone. In this study, we wanted to extend the experimentation by evaluating the efficacy of the MSCs bioengineered scaffolds in the healing of skin wounds. To this purpose, full-thickness skin defects were created on the dorsum of rats and covered with (a) Integra, (b) EmatrixTM , (c) Integra plus MSCs, (d) and EmatrixTM plus MSCs, or (e) left to heal spontaneously (control). It was found that the presence of MSCs within the scaffolds significantly accelerated wound healing and greatly ameliorated the quality of regenerated skin; it reduced collagen deposition, enhanced re-epithelization, increased neo-angiogenesis and promoted a greater return of hair follicles and sebaceous glands. In conclusion, the results of this study provide strong evidence that the treatment with MSC-seeded scaffolds represents an attractive approach for augmenting the regenerative potential and enhancing cutaneous wound healing.

Stem Cell Extracellular Matrix Interactions in Three- Dimensional System via Integrins

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Journal of Regenerative Medicine - SciTechnol

Both the Catalan and central governments have vigorously defended their commitment to the Barcelona Regenerative Medicine Center (CMRB) in the wake of the decision of its director, Juan Carlos Izpisa, to resign.

Izpisa, one of the worlds pre-eminent stem cell researchers, handed in his notice due to government cutbacks in the sciences - the CMRB has lost 16.8 percent of its budget in the last four years. But the Catalonia regional economy chief, Andreu Mas-Colell, told EL PAS that the budget, which is 1.7 million euros annually, will be maintained in 2014 and for the foreseeable future.

Both administrations coincided in accusing Izpisa of lacking dedication to the CMRB in favor of his post at the Salk Institute in California, where all the researchers patents are held.

Government lawyers have been mobilized to examine the intellectual property of the CMRB. Izpisa intends to take 18 of the 21 projects running at the CMRB with him to California, as he considers them his own ideas and initiatives. The administrations will play all their legal cards to prevent this emptying of the Barcelona center, which will, in any case, remain open.

Mas-Colell, who was one of the prime movers in setting up the CMRB, admitted that Izpisa was a great scientist and a key figure in the beginnings of regenerative medicine in Spain. But he underlined two reasons that led the board to withdraw its support. It is not quite correct to say that Spain has lost a great scientist, because the truth is he wasnt in Spain very much; Izipisa first link was with the Salk and the Barcelona center was a research group linked to the Salk.

In the current circumstances a research center in Spain requires a commitment of 100 percent from the director, with both feet rooted in the center, he continued.

The board has chosen ngel Raya, a former postdoctoral researcher for Izpisa, to replace the outgoing director. Raya is a notable researcher in the field [and] he is going to fulfill the condition we require, Mas-Colell said.

The second issue concerns the intellectual property rights relating to the investigations. The mere fact that Izipisa is going to take 18 of the 21 research projects at the CMRB reveals what I said before: that this was not a strong center for Spanish science.

Regarding the patents, Izipisa said: They insinuated that I was benefiting the Salk, but it was more like the other way around, since the Salk had to do all the administration work and pay for the management and the application for the patents, and even like that it shares them with the CMRB in proportion to the scientific contribution of each center. So where is the benefit for the Salk?

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Quitting top medical researcher lambasted by authorities

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Newswise LOS ANGELES (January 15, 2014) Investigators at the Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute have identified new molecular abnormalities in the diabetic cornea that could contribute to eye problems in affected patients. With this new knowledge, investigators aim to accelerate the process of healing and repair in damaged corneas to ultimately reverse the effects of diabetes-induced eye complications.

We observed small but significant changes in the gene expressions between normal and diabetic corneas, said Mehrnoosh Saghizadeh Ghiam, PhD, assistant professor of biomedical sciences and neurosurgery, a researcher in the Regenerative Medicine Institute Eye Program and the lead author of the study published in the journal PLOS ONE. These slight alterations may contribute to disease progression and cause cascading effects on the cellular functions that prevent wound healing and eventually contribute to vision impairment.

Diabetes is a systemic disease affecting all parts of the body, including the eye and may lead to vision loss. Roughly 50 to 70 percent of diabetic patients suffer from corneal complications that include alterations in vital corneal stem cells, causing lasting defects and eventually, vision impairment.

Investigators identified gene expression regulators, microRNAs, in normal and diabetic human corneas. They then successfully confirmed that several of these regulators were expressed differently in the diabetic corneas. These differently expressed microRNAs may contribute to stem cell and epithelial (tissue cells) abnormalities in diabetic corneas. Researchers are working on the manipulation of these microRNAs by gene therapy to normalize these corneas.

No previous studies have addressed the role of microRNAs in the corneas of patients with diabetes, said Alexander Ljubimov, PhD, director of the Eye Program at the Regenerative Medicine Institute and co-author of the paper. This first-of-a-kind study will allow researchers to better understand the roles of microRNAs in corneal diseases.

The study was conducted by a team of Cedars-Sinai researchers including Saghizadeh Ghiam, Ljubimov, Vincent Funari, PhD, director of the Cedars-Sinai Genomics Core in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, and research associates Michael Winkler and Jordan Brown.

The research was supported by the following National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants: NIH R21 EY022771 and R01 EY13431, as well as the Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute.

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Research Advancements Made in Diabetes-Induced Blindness

A world leader in stem cell research is leaving the cutting-edge center he helped create in Barcelona due to a lack of support from the authorities in both Catalonia and Spain.

Juan Carlos Izpisa, a Spanish biochemist who teaches at the Salk Institute in California and has earned numerous awards for his research into organ and tissue development, had helped found the Barcelona Regenerative Medicine Center (CMRB) in 2004, bringing Spain to the forefront of stem cell research.

But now Izpisa is resigning from his director's post due to a lack of financial and political support from his two major public sponsors, the government of Spain and the regional government of Catalonia.

Sources in the scientific community are blaming the move on "the cuts, political mediocrity and a lack of empathy from Madrid." They also note that Catalan premier Artur Mas met with Izpisa 18 months ago and assured him that he would put all available means at his disposal.

Sources in the scientific community are blaming the move on "the cuts, political mediocrity and a lack of empathy from Madrid"

According to sources familiar with the months-long negotiations, the decision to let Izpisa go originated in the Catalan government, although Madrid did nothing to stop it. The explanation supplied was that, as an undesirable effect of cutbacks, the government was no longer in a condition to keep funding the center "at the quality levels required" by its director.

While his departure will not bring about the immediate closure of the center, the CMRB will lose many of its lines of research, since 18 of the 21 scientific projects it is currently carrying out are the intellectual property of Izpisa, who will take them with him.

The move also underscores how the crisis has meant further cuts for scientific projects in Spain, which is seeing many researchers move abroad to find jobs and financial support.

Shortly after the crisis hit Spain in 2008, the then-Socialist government announced a shift away from construction as the basis of the countrys economic growth. But so far this has failed to translate into any significant investment in other fields.

Over the last decade, the CMRB has published more than 200 papers, including some seminal work in the emerging field of regenerative medicine. One of Izpisa's projects, the development of "micro-kidneys" from stem cells, was described by Science magazine as one of the great advances of 2013.

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Stem cell guru walks out on Spanish science

Sarasota, FL (PRWEB) January 13, 2014

The DaSilva Institute opened their brand new state-of-the-art medical facility in Sarasota, Florida on December 16, 2013.

The DaSilva Institute combines functional medicine with anti-aging and regenerative medicine, making it the most unique multi-specialty medical center of its kind in the U.S.

One major advantage that the DaSilva Institute has over similar centers found elsewhere in the US and overseas is its focus on autologous stem cell therapy. Used to reverse degenerative diseases and injuries, this innovative therapy involves harvesting stem cells from the patients own body fat without the controversial use of embryos, umbilical cords, placentas or donors, thus eliminating the risk of viruses and rejection.

The DaSilva Institute is also known for their expertise in bio-identical hormone replacement therapies, functional gastrointestinal disorders, mood disorders, nutritional counseling, IV nutrition and chelation, natural cancer support, regenerative orthopedics, platelet rich plasma (PRP), prolotherapy, and several new aesthetic treatments including facial rejuvenation, natural breast and buttocks augmentation and gentle liposculpture.

Guy DaSilva, MD, founder and medical director of the DaSilva Institute, states, Our vision is to make this extraordinary form of medicine accessible and affordable for people in the U.S. You shouldnt have to fly to other countries and spend tens of thousands of dollars for what you can receive in your own backyard for much less.

After outgrowing their previous office in the Lakewood Ranch area, the decision to move into a larger, more optimally equipped facility led them to the heart of Sarasota.

Dr. DaSilva states, My hope is that people will benefit from our extended menu of services and enjoy the beautiful and comforting ambiance of our new office, as well as the convenience of the new Sarasota location. And above all, we want to help more people discover health without limits.

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DaSilva Institute Brings World-Class Medicine to Sarasota, Florida

Regenerative Medicine at Florida Orthopaedic Institute
Regenerative medicine is one of the most exciting new treatment options in orthopedics. Learn more about stem cell therapy, and other regenerative procedures...

By: flortho

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Regenerative Medicine at Florida Orthopaedic Institute - Video

In the News 2013-12-16 - A pathway known for its role in regulating adult stem cells has been shown to be important for hair follicle proliferation, but contrary to previous studies, is not required within hair follicle stem cells for their survival, according to researchers with the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. A new study, published in Cell Stem Cell, identifies a molecular pathway that can be activated to prompt hair growth of dormant hair follicles, or blocked to prevent growth of unwanted hair. 2013-07-22 - In a new paper published this week online in Nature, a team led by Edward E. Morrisey, PhD, professor of Medicine and Cell and Developmental Biology and scientific director of the Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine, shows that the pulmonary vasculature, the blood vessels that connect the heart to the lung, develops even in the absence of the lung. Mice in which lung development is inhibited still have pulmonary blood vessels, which revealed to the researchers that cardiac progenitors, or stem cells, are essential for cardiopulmonary co-development. The team identified a population of multi-potent CardioPulmonary mesoderm Progenitor cells they named CPPs. The CPPs can be distinguished from many other early embryonic cells by the expression of a well-studied signaling molecule Wnt2. 2013-06-20 - Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania scientists have used stem-cell technology to create a research cell line from a patient with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).This first-of-its-kind human-cell model of pancreatic cancer progression was published this week in Cell Reports from the lab of Ken Zaret, PhD, professor of Cell and Developmental Biology.It is the first example using induced pluripotent stem [iPS] cells to model cancer progression directly from a solid tumor, and the first human cell line that can model pancreatic cancer progression from early to invasive stages, says Zaret, also the associate director of the Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine. 2013-05-15 - Scientists at the Oregon Health and Science University accomplished in humans what has been done over the past 15 years in sheep, mice, cattle and several other species. The achievement is likely to, at least temporarily, reawaken worries about reproductive cloning the production of one-parent duplicate humans.

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Welcome | Penn Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Coordinates: 374640.65N 1222333.09W / 37.7779583N 122.3925250W / 37.7779583; -122.3925250 The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) was created by California's Proposition 71 (2004), which authorized it to issue $3 billion in grants, funded by bonds, over ten years for embryonic stem cell and other biomedical research. It is claimed[by whom?] to be the world's largest single backer of research in stem cells, though the U.S. Federal government is the largest sponsor of grant money in the world.[citation needed] CIRM awarded its first grants to train 169 stem cell researchers in April 2006. It funded its first research grants, totaling more than $100 million, in the first quarter of 2007.[citation needed]

Implementation was delayed by litigation filed by various organizations, challenging the constitutionality of California Proposition 71 (2004). Constitutional challenges against Proposition 71 came to an end on May 16, 2007 when California Supreme Court declined to review two lower court decisions.[citation needed] In the meantime, CIRM has funded its grants and operations with loans -- $150 million from the California General Fund, authorized by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and $45 million from private philanthropists. On July 21, 2006, Schwarzenegger authorized $150 million in loans to the Institute in an attempt to jump start the process of funding research.[1]

On September 14, 2007, Australian scientist Alan Trounson was appointed president of California's stem cell agency.[2]

In 2009 CIRM issued $67 million in early translational grants to 13 nonprofit organizations as well as two companies, Novocell and BioTime (NYSEMKT:BTX), helmed by Michael D. West, Ph.D., founder of Geron (NASDAQ:GERN).[3]

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California Institute for Regenerative Medicine - Wikipedia ...

Heart disease: Progress toward stem cell therapies
Join us for this live Google Hangout and learn about recent progress in developing stem cell therapies for heart disease. Hear from stem cell clinical trial ...

By: California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

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Heart disease: Progress toward stem cell therapies - Video

Fibrocell Science, Inc. (NYSE MKT:FCSC), an autologous cell therapy company primarily focused on developing first-in-class treatments for skin diseases and conditions with high unmet medical needs, today announced Chairman and CEO David Pernock has joined the board of the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), a global advocacy organization whose diverse membership represents leading regenerative medicine companies and investors, university-based and non-profit research institutions, patient advocacy groups, pharmaceutical companies engaged in regenerative medicine research, and other organizations supporting regenerative medicine.

We are honored to be part of this prestigious organization and join with other leaders from science and industry to advance innovative, regenerative medicine technologies, said Mr. Pernock. Fibrocells pursuit of breakthrough, autologous fibroblast cell-based therapies for patients suffering from difficult-to-treat skin diseases exemplifies our focus and commitment to the potential of regenerative medicine. This work is part of our Exclusive Channel Collaboration with Intrexon Corporation (NYSE:XON), a leader in synthetic biology, to develop treatments using genetically-modified fibroblasts for orphan skin diseases, including recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, morphea and cutaneous eosinophilias, and to explore the localized treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis, the most common autoimmune skin disease.

Recently, Mr. Pernock was a presenter at the 3rd Annual Regenerative Medicine Partnering Forum, part of this years Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa held in La Jolla, California. Organized by the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM), the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, the 2013 Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa was a three-day conference aimed at bringing together senior members of the regenerative medicine industry with the scientific research community to advance stem cell science into cures.

We are delighted to have Fibrocell as a member of the Alliance and to have David join our Board. They are one of the leading cell therapy companies developing new therapies for skin diseases and bring a deep knowledge of fibroblast technology to our organization. We look forward to working with David and his team, commented Morrie Ruffin, Managing Director of ARM.

About Alliance for Regenerative Medicine

The Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) is a Washington, DC-based multi-stakeholder advocacy organization that promotes legislative, regulatory and reimbursement initiatives necessary to facilitate access to life-giving advances in regenerative medicine. ARM also works to increase public understanding of the field and its potential to transform human healthcare, providing business development and investor outreach services to support the growth of its member companies and research organizations. Prior to the formation of ARM in 2009, there was no advocacy organization operating in Washington, DC to specifically represent the interests of the companies, research institutions, investors and patient groups that comprise the entire regenerative medicine community. Today ARM has more than 145 members and is the leading global advocacy organization in this field. To learn more about ARM or to become a member, visit http://www.alliancerm.org.

About Fibrocell Science, Inc.

Fibrocell Science, Inc. (NYSE MKT:FCSC) is an autologous cell therapy company primarily focused on developing first-in-class treatments for skin diseases and conditions with high unmet medical needs. Based on its proprietary autologous fibroblast technology, Fibrocell is pursuing breakthrough medical applications of azficel-T for restrictive burn scarring and vocal cord scarring. The companys collaboration with Intrexon Corporation (NYSE:XON), a leader in synthetic biology, includes using genetically-modified fibroblasts for treating orphan skin diseases for which there are no currently approved products and exploring the localized treatment of the most common autoimmune skin disease, moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Fibrocells collaboration with UCLAfocusing on skin-derived stem cells and more efficient ways to convert skin cells to other cell typesholds potential for future discovery and development of autologous cellular therapeutics. For additional information, visit http://www.fibrocellscience.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

All statements in this press release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. While management has based any forward-looking statements contained herein on its current expectations, the information on which such expectations were based may change. These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions concerning future events and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are outside of the Companys control, that could cause actual results to materially differ from such statements. Such risks, uncertainties, and other factors include, but are not necessarily limited to, those set forth under Item 1A Risk Factors in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, as updated in Item 1A. Risk Factors in the Companys Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed since the annual report. The Company operates in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment, thus new or unforeseen risks may arise. Accordingly, investors should not place any reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. The Company disclaims any intention to, and undertakes no obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements. Readers are also urged to carefully review and consider the other various disclosures in the Companys public filings with the SEC.

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Fibrocell Science Chairman & CEO David Pernock Joins Board of Alliance for Regenerative Medicine