Category Archives: Regenerative Medicine

Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Rochester are looking for new ways to repair a heart that doesn't beat properly in the days following a heart attack.

Traditionally, a person with an irregular heartbeat -- a problem known medically as dyssynchrony -- gets treated with a pacemaker to coach the heart back into normal rhythm.

But that's ineffective for about a third of patients, said Dr. Andre Terzic, director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine.

That's why researchers at Mayo turned their gaze toward regenerative medicine and adult stem cells, the kind that can be guided to become most any type of tissue.

The teamhas demonstrated in a proof-of-concept experiment that heart rhythm disruptions after a heart attack can be fixed with regenerative medicine.

The researchers conducted early-stage research with mice, which means there's much study yet to be done. Although mouse studies do not always translate well for application into humans, the study, Terzic said, shows that it's possible to repair a heart's rhythm with stem cells.

"This extends the work that we are doing in defining what could be the most-useful applications for regenerative medicine," whose team has already begun clinical trials in humans and has the ability to coax a patient's own stem cells to become potentially reparative heart tissue.

The new study in mice "introduces -- for the first time -- stem cell-based 'biological re-synchronization' as a novel means to treat cardiac dyssynchrony," Terzic said in a Mayo announcement.

It will take time to translate what has been found into use for humans, Terzic said in an interview with the Post-Bulletin. But, in the meantime, researchers can begin looking for signs of re-synchronization in other ongoing research studies, he said.

Heart chambers must beat in synchrony to ensure the proper pumping, which is why the possibility of stem-cell treatment when pacemakers don't work seems so enticing.

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Regenerative medicine and stem cells focus of Mayo Clinic heart research

Orange County, CA (PRWEB) September 09, 2013

The leading regenerative medicine clinic on the West Coast, TeleHealth, is now offering multiple stem cell therapy treatments for arthritis and soft tissue injury such as tendonitis of the shoulder. The injection treatments are covered by insurance, and are offered with Board Certified doctors. For more information and scheduling, call (888) 828-4575.

Regenerative medicine with stem cell therapy represents the latest, cutting edge technology for healing degenerative conditions. The stem cell injection treatments possess the potential for actually repairing the cartilage damage in arthritic joints or tendon damage in an injured shoulder. For an individual attempting to avoid surgery such as a joint replacement or a shoulder arthroscopy, stem cell therapy at TeleHealth may be just the option to allow that.

There are multiple regenerative medicine options provided at the TeleHealth clinic including platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP), bone marrow-derived stem cell injections as well as those derived from fat. The injections are all done as an outpatient and since the stem cells are harvested from the patient, the risks are extremely low.

Stem cells are crucial for rebuilding damaged tissue as they differentiate into the necessary cells such as cartilage or tendon cells. In addition, platelet rich plasma therapy provides an excellent inflammation generator to jumpstart the healing process. Unlike steroid injections which tend to simply mask pain, these injections help by attempting to regenerate and repair tissue. This can get patients back to activities they love, reduce pain, and avoid surgery.

Most insurance is accepted at TeleHealth including PPO's, Medicare, Workers Compensation, Personal Injury Liens and self pay as well. For more information and scheduling with the leading stem cell therapy in California clinic, call (888) 828-4575.

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Orange County Stem Cell Clinic, TeleHealth, Now Offering Insurance-Covered Regenerative Medicine Treatments

The US regenerative medicine market has been forecast to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.83% through to 2016, driven by the increasing number of degenerative diseases, and the increasing number of mergers and acquisitions.

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis and many other degenerative diseases are on the rise in the United States, leading to a huge demand for effective ways to treat these illnesses -- a niche that the healthcare industry presently lacks.

Regenerative medicine is an interdisciplinary field which deals with tissue engineering and cell therapy for replacement or regeneration of human cells/tissue/organ function that may have been damaged due to age, disease, trauma or congenital defects.

The research in stem cells (embryonic and adult stem cells) has enabled the applications of regenerative medicine in dentistry, dermatology, neurology and orthopedics.

The introduction of artificial organs for implantation is expected to encourage many vendors and research organisations to develop advanced stem cell products, therapies, and regenerative products. It will also help reduce the long organ waiting list.

For instance, a custom-made windpipe can be made using regenerative products within a week. The first ever implant of a synthetic trachea took place in June 2011. The synthetic trachea was made from minuscule plastic fibres and was covered in stem cells taken from a human bone marrow. Surgeons successfully implanted this synthetic trachea into a 36-year-old patient with late-stage tracheal cancer at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm.

The stringent regulatory approval process for regenerative products is one of the major challenges faced by the market. The stringent approval processes inhibits the entry of new products into the market.

Key players currently dominating US regenerative medicine market include Baxter International Inc., Medtronic Inc., Stryker Corp., and Zimmer Holdings Inc.

All of these players have potentially game changing treatment options in late development stages, and though many of them are still awaiting final FDA approval, consumer demand is already peaking.

For instance, Zimmer Holdings Inc. introduced Zimmer Chondrofix Osteochondral Allograftfor the repair of osteochondral lesions in February 2012. Even after little more than a year since its release, this regenerative medicine form is witnessing significant growth in sales.

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US regenerative medicine market to increase at a CAGR of 15.8%

Using human pluripotent stem cells and DNA-cutting protein from meningitis bacteria, researchers from UC Santa Barbara, the Morgridge Institute for Research at the University of WisconsinMadison, and Northwestern University have created an efficient way to target and repair defectivegenes.

Published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the teams findings demonstrate that the novel technique is much simpler than previous methods and establishes the groundwork for major advances in regenerative medicine, drug screening, and biomedicalresearch.

Principal investigator James A. Thomson, co-director of biology at UCSBs Center for Stem Cell Biology and Engineering and professor in the campuss Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, said the discovery holds many practical applications, including paving a new route for correcting genetic disorders. Thomson is also director of regenerative biology at the Morgridge Institute, serves as the James Kress Professor of Embryonic Stem Cell Biology at the University of WisconsinMadison, and is a John D. MacArthur professor at UWMadisons School of Medicine and PublicHealth.

According to the papers lead author, Zhonggang Hou of the Morgridge Institutes regenerative biology team, the technique has the potential to repair any genetic defect, including those responsible for some forms of breast cancer, Parkinsons, and other diseases. The fact that it can be applied to human pluripotent stem cells opens the door for meaningful therapeutic applications, saidHou.

The research team focused on Neisseria meningitidis bacteria because it is a good source of the Cas9 protein needed for precisely cleaving damaged sections of DNA. Using different types of small RNA molecules, the research team was able to guide this protein, engendering the careful removal, replacement, or correction of problem genes. This represents a step forward from other recent technologies built upon proteins, such as zinc finger nucleases and transcription activator-like effector nucleases, said Yan Zhang of Northwestern University, second author of thepaper.

These previous gene correction methods required engineered proteins to help with the cutting. The researchers said scientists can synthesize RNA for the new process in as little as one to three days, compared with the weeks or months needed to engineer suitableproteins.

Human pluripotent stem cells can proliferate indefinitely and they give rise to virtually all human cell types, making them invaluable for regenerative medicine, drug screening, and biomedical research, Thomson said. This collaboration has taken us further toward realizing the full potential of these cells because we can now manipulate their genomes in a precise, efficientmanner.

Erik Sontheimer, another principal investigator and the Soretta and Henry Shapiro Research Professor of Molecular Biology in Northwesterns department of molecular biosciences, Center for Genetic Medicine, and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, said the teams results also offer hopeful signs about the safety of thetechnique.

A major concern with previous methods involved inadvertent or off-target cleaving, raising issues about the potential impact in regenerative medicine applications, said Sontheimer. Beyond overcoming the safety obstacles, the systems ease of use will make what was once considered a difficult project into a routine laboratory technique, catalyzing futureresearch.

Also contributing to the study, which was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Wynn Foundation, and the Morgridge Institute for Research, were Nicholas Propson, Sara Howden, and Li-Fang Chu from the Morgridge Institute forResearch.

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UCSB Professor Collaborates on New Gene Repair Technique That Promises Advances in Regenerative Medicine

An efficient way to target and repair defective genes has been discovered using human pluripotent stem cells and DNA-cutting protein from meningitis bacteria, researchers from the Morgridge Institute for Research and Northwestern University announced earlier this month.

The novel technique is much simpler than previous methods and establishes the groundwork for major advances in regenerative medicine, drug screening and biomedical research, according to the research team.

"With this system, there is the potential to repair any genetic defect, including those responsible for some forms of breast cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases," Zhonggang Hou of the Morgridge Institute's regenerative biology team said. "The fact that it can be applied to human pluripotent stem cells opens the door for meaningful therapeutic applications."

The discovery holds many practical applications according to Dr. James Thomson, director of regenerative biology at the Morgridge Institute.

"Human pluripotent stem cells can proliferate indefinitely and they give rise to virtually all human cell types, making them invaluable for regenerative medicine, drug screening and biomedical research," Thomson said. "Our collaboration with the Northwestern University team has taken us further toward realizing the full potential of these cells because we can now manipulate their genomes in a precise, efficient manner."

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Regenerative Medicine Sees Advance in Gene Repair Technique

Kevin Rudd pledged $125 million for stem cell research. Regenerative medicine researcher Associate Professor Ernst Wolvetang explains the science and what the investment could mean.

What does $125 million in funding for regenerative medicine researchpledged by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterdaybuy you?

Regenerative medicine is an umbrella term for therapies that involve either the delivery of stem cells to a damaged or diseased tissue or the enhancement of endogenous (stem cell mediated) repair mechanisms of the body. Its not a novel concept; a bone marrow transfer is a tried-and-tested stem cell therapy, transplanting and replacing blood cell-forming stem cells from one individual to the bone marrow of another.

Mesenchymal stem cells can be isolated from a variety of tissues such as blood, fat or placenta and have the ability to generate cartilage, fat and bone. These stem cells can home to sites of injury, have immune system-dampening properties (allowing transplantation from one donor into an unrelated person) and excrete factors that promote blood vessel formation. Because of these properties it can benefit the recovery of patients after a heart attack or other ailments. Australian company Mesoblast has been successfully developing and marketing this stem cell product.

Embryonic stem cells are probably the most powerful type of stem cell known to sciencethey can grow indefinitely andhave the ability to make anycell type of the human body. Because of their perceived ethically encumbered origin (day five surplus IVF embryos), embryonic stem cells have received a lot of attention and suffer from the drawback that delivery of embryonic stem cell-derived cells to a patient will likely involve lifelong immunosuppression (similar to organ transplants).

In recent years both the ethical barrier and the immune rejection issues have been overcome by the advent of cell reprogramming, a process pioneered by Professor John Yamanaka and Professor ShinyaGurdon, who received the Nobel Prize for their discovery. Cell reprogramming allows the artificial generation of embryonic stem cell-like stem cells (so called induced pluripotent stem cells) from small quantities of skin or blood cells. This has opened the way for the generation of patient-specific stem cells and potentially personalised stem cell repair kits.

Indeed, in animal models these induced pluripotent stem cells can, for example, generate dopaminergic cells that can improve Parkinsons disease or insulin-producing cells that can improve diabetes. Induced pluripotent stem cells now also make it possible to study genetic diseases that manifest themselves in difficult-to-access human cell types such as brain, heart and kidney cells.

The potential of such iPSC-derived cell types for drug screening has certainly not gone unnoticed by the pharmaceutical industry. The first clinical trial with iPSC-derived cells aimed at treating macular degeneration (a disease of the retina that leads to blindness) was recently started in Japan. Japan has invested more than $800 million in CIRA to accelerate iPSC cell-based therapies. Large investments in stem cell-based regenerative medicine have occurred in California ($2 billion), Canada and Europe, and China has been following suit with its own initiatives.

Dont expect miracle cures for these ailmentsbut its reasonable to expect small tangible victories in five to 10 years.

These decisions have not only been made based on the promise that stem cell-based medicine is a transformative technology for 21stcentury healthcare, but also on economic grounds given it is one of the fastest-growing industries worldwideit has an estimated current global value of $28.6 billion, expected to increase to $130.9 billion in 2018.

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What Rudd’s $125m could mean for regenerative medicine research

Medical practitioners say that todays generation is more fortunate because advances in medicine and cosmetic dermatology have been so rapid that practically any threat to staying young can be addressed.

Lasers and stem-cell therapy are just two of the innovations we have seen in recent decades that are helping people stay young and beautiful.

Among the growing number of Filipino doctors who are keeping abreast of these trends is Dr. Francis Decangchon. A graduate of the University of Santo Tomas College of Medicine and a practitioner of cosmetic dermatology for years, Dr. Decangchon has branched out into regenerative or anti-aging medicine.

Radical measures

He explains that, during the 1950s and 60s, those who wanted to stay young had to resort to radical measures that involved invasive, meaning surgical, procedures. Of late, however, the emphasis has shifted to minimally invasive, less invasive or, in some cases, non-invasive ways of defying age.

When women, for instance, reach their 30s and 40s, they start losing their natural supply of collagen and elastin. The skin begins to sag and lose its elasticity.

Fortunately, theres a solution.

Nowadays there are patients who, at 30 years old, can already start having lifting, so by the time they are in their 50s and 60s, banat pa yan, says Dr. Decangchon. Lasers are also used to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin.

Hormone replacement

The Asian Center for Ageless Beauty is a clinic that offers regenerative medicine treatment.

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Doctor promotes regenerative medicine

Washington, August 13 : Researchers have created a novel technique that lays down the groundwork for major advances in regenerative medicine, drug screening and biomedical research.

Using human pluripotent stem cells and DNA-cutting protein from meningitis bacteria, researchers from the Morgridge Institute for Research and Northwestern University were able to create a more efficient way to target and repair defective genes.

The team reported that the new method is much simpler than previous methods.

Zhonggang Hou of the Morgridge Institute's regenerative biology team and Yan Zhang of Northwestern University served as first authors on the study; James Thomson, director of regenerative biology at the Morgridge Institute, and Erik Sontheimer, professor of molecular biosciences at Northwestern University, served as principal investigators.

Hou said that with this system, there is the potential to repair any genetic defect, including those responsible for some forms of breast cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases.

He said that the fact that it can be applied to human pluripotent stem cells opens the door for meaningful therapeutic applications.

Zhang said the Northwestern University team focused on Neisseria meningitidis bacteria as it is a good source of the Cas9 protein needed for precisely cleaving damaged sections of DNA.

She said that they were able to guide this protein with different types of small RNA molecules, allowing them to carefully remove, replace or correct problem genes.

She asserted that this represents a step forward from other recent technologies built upon proteins such as zinc finger nucleases and TALENs.

These previous gene correction methods required engineered proteins to help with the cutting. Hou said scientists can synthesize RNA for the new process in as little as one to three days - compared with the weeks or months needed to engineer suitable proteins.

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New method brings regenerative medicine closer to reality

Scientists have found new evidence to show how early humans migrated into Europe.

Using human pluripotent stem cells and DNA-cutting protein from meningitis bacteria, researchers from the Morgridge Institute for Research and Northwestern University have created an efficient way to target and repair defective genes.

Writing today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team reports that the novel technique is much simpler than previous methods and establishes the groundwork for major advances in regenerative medicine, drug screening and biomedical research.

Zhonggang Hou of the Morgridge Institute's regenerative biology team and Yan Zhang of Northwestern University served as first authors on the study; Dr. James Thomson, director of regenerative biology at the Morgridge Institute, and Erik Sontheimer, professor of molecular biosciences at Northwestern University, served as principal investigators.

"With this system, there is the potential to repair any genetic defect, including those responsible for some forms of breast cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases," Hou said. "The fact that it can be applied to human pluripotent stem cells opens the door for meaningful therapeutic applications."

Zhang said the Northwestern University team focused on Neisseria meningitidis bacteria because it is a good source of the Cas9 protein needed for precisely cleaving damaged sections of DNA.

"We are able to guide this protein with different types of small RNA molecules, allowing us to carefully remove, replace or correct problem genes," Zhang said. "This represents a step forward from other recent technologies built upon proteins such as zinc finger nucleases and TALENs."

These previous gene correction methods required engineered proteins to help with the cutting. Hou said scientists can synthesize RNA for the new process in as little as one to three days compared with the weeks or months needed to engineer suitable proteins.

Thomson, who also serves as the James Kress Professor of Embryonic Stem Cell Biology at the University of WisconsinMadison, a John D. MacArthur professor at UWMadison's School of Medicine and Public Health and a professor in the department of molecular, cellular and developmental biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, says the discovery holds many practical applications.

"Human pluripotent stem cells can proliferate indefinitely and they give rise to virtually all human cell types, making them invaluable for regenerative medicine, drug screening and biomedical research," Thomson says. "Our collaboration with the Northwestern team has taken us further toward realizing the full potential of these cells because we can now manipulate their genomes in a precise, efficient manner."

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Gene repair technique promises advances in regenerative medicine

Aug. 12, 2013 Using human pluripotent stem cells and DNA-cutting protein from meningitis bacteria, researchers from the Morgridge Institute for Research and Northwestern University have created an efficient way to target and repair defective genes.

Writing August 12 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team reports that the novel technique is much simpler than previous methods and establishes the groundwork for major advances in regenerative medicine, drug screening and biomedical research.

Zhonggang Hou of the Morgridge Institute's regenerative biology team and Yan Zhang of Northwestern University served as first authors on the study; James Thomson, director of regenerative biology at the Morgridge Institute, and Erik Sontheimer, professor of molecular biosciences at Northwestern University, served as principal investigators.

"With this system, there is the potential to repair any genetic defect, including those responsible for some forms of breast cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases," Hou said. "The fact that it can be applied to human pluripotent stem cells opens the door for meaningful therapeutic applications."

Zhang said the Northwestern University team focused on Neisseria meningitidis bacteria because it is a good source of the Cas9 protein needed for precisely cleaving damaged sections of DNA.

"We are able to guide this protein with different types of small RNA molecules, allowing us to carefully remove, replace or correct problem genes," Zhang said. "This represents a step forward from other recent technologies built upon proteins such as zinc finger nucleases and TALENs."

These previous gene correction methods required engineered proteins to help with the cutting. Hou said scientists can synthesize RNA for the new process in as little as one to three days -- compared with the weeks or months needed to engineer suitable proteins.

Thomson, who also serves as the James Kress Professor of Embryonic Stem Cell Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a John D. MacArthur professor at UW-Madison's School of Medicine and Public Health and a professor in the department of molecular, cellular and developmental biology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, says the discovery holds many practical applications.

"Human pluripotent stem cells can proliferate indefinitely and they give rise to virtually all human cell types, making them invaluable for regenerative medicine, drug screening and biomedical research," Thomson says. "Our collaboration with the Northwestern team has taken us further toward realizing the full potential of these cells because we can now manipulate their genomes in a precise, efficient manner."

Sontheimer, who serves as the Soretta and Henry Shapiro Research Professor of Molecular Biology with Northwestern's department of molecular biosciences, Center for Genetic Medicine and the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, says the team's results also offer hopeful signs about the safety of the technique.

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New gene repair technique promises advances in regenerative medicine