Category Archives: Stem Cells

Stem cell therapy, which All Blacks prop Owen Franks used to help fix a damaged shoulder, is raising hopes of a whole range of medical breakthroughs.

But there's a way to go before the medical establishment is convinced.

In late 2017, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner ScottGottliebhad this to say:"We're at the beginning of a paradigm change in medicine with the promise of being able to facilitate regeneration of parts of the human body, where cells and tissues can be engineered to grow healthy, functional organs to replace diseased ones; new genes can be introduced into the body to combat disease; and adult stem cells can generate replacements for cells that are lost to injury or disease."

REGEN CELLULAR

Dr Hassan Mubark takes blood from All Blacks prop Owen Franks.

Yet, as an indication of how far there is still to go, the FDA has also warnedpeople in the USagainst "unscrupulous providers" offering stem cell products that were unapproved and unproven.

READ MORE:*Rugby World Cup 2019: All Black Owen Franks thrown a stem cell lifeline*Owen Franks hits back at critics following omission from Rugby World Cup squad*Stem cell therapy for All Black Israel Dagg as he hits comeback trail with Crusaders*Experimental stem cell treatment shows results for Waikato woman with MSA Cerebella*Stem cell clinics accused of taking advantage of patients*Reported stem cell treatment could give hope to Michael Schumacher

"Researchers hope stem cells will one day be effective in the treatment of many medical conditions and diseases," it said, thenadded: "Stem cells have been called everything from cure-alls to miracle treatments. But don't believe the hype."

Looking at just the area of deteriorating joints, it's easy to see how stem cell therapies, if they deliver on the promise,could make life much better for many people with osteoarthritis who are in pain and have restricted movement.

Last week, Otago University researchers predictedthe number of knee replacement surgeries needed for osteoarthritis would increase from around 5000 a year in 2013 to abut9000 in 2038.

AP

Former Formula One champion Michael Schumacher received devastating head injuries in a ski accident six years ago. Last month it was reported he has undergone stem cell treatment in Paris.

Osteoarthritis is the area where ReGen Cellular,the clinic where Franks had the therapy, has done most of its work in the past two to three years, although ithas recently expanded its services to include a range of diagnosed auto-immune conditions, among them rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes.

ReGensaid 55 per cent of its patients were aged over 60, 35 per cent were 40-60 and 10 per cent were sports-based.

Theclinic usesPure Expanded Stem Cell (PESC) therapy, which involves taking 40 grams - about a teaspoon - of fat from around a patient's stomach. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)in that sample are then multiplied in the clinic's Queenstown laboratory for about eight weeks. At the end of that process 100 million to 200 million cells have been produced.

Otago University

Otago University, Christchurch regenerative medicine research team have invented a bio-ink - a gel-like substance mixed with human stem cells - to be used with a bio-printer to make human body parts. Video shows the printer using bio-ink to make a body part.

For the treatment of osteoarthritis, between 50m and 100m stem cells are injected into larger joints, with 25m to 50m into smaller joints. ReGen said the therapy provided immediate pain reduction and increased mobility. MRI scans showed cartilage could and did regenerate.

ReGendescribedMSCs as the cells that "wake up damaged or lazy cells". Slightly more technically, Nature.com said MSCs wereadult stem cells present in multiple tissues, including the umbilical cord, bone marrow and fat.MSCscan self-renew by dividing and can differentiate into multiple tissues including bone, cartilage, muscle and fat cells, and connective tissue.

ReGen director of patient care Marcelle Noble said the clinic believed its treatments, if offered early enough, would save the public health system hundreds of millions of dollars through lessened replacement surgeries, and would save ACC millions of dollars in lengthy rehabilitation programmes.

The treatment for two knees was half the price of one knee replacement surgery within the public health system, she said. ReGen advertises osteoarthritis treatment for a single joint at $12,500 and for two joints at $15,000.

GETTY IMAGES

Former All Black Israel Dagg had stem cell therapy for an injured knee, but in the end had to give the game away because of the injury.

So far mainstream funding hadnot been offered for the therapy, Noble said. But the clinic had a "big breakthrough" earlier this year when two insurers in New Zealand accepted patients'PESC therapy claims. In July, ACC accepted consultation by ReGen's chief medical officer Dr Hassan Mubark.

ReGen only had data for the past five years on the success of its therapy, but the fact patients were returning to have other areas of their body treated was an indication of how people feltthe therapy was improving their quality of life, Noble said.

Globally, "massive" R&D spending was going into stem cell research. More therapies would become available and stem cell treatment would become "commonplace".

At any one time ReGen had 50-75 patients' cells growing in its incubators, Noble said. Of the patients treated, 40 per cent hadailments in therknees, 30 per cent in their hips, 20 per cent in their shoulders. The final 10 per cent were for sports and other issues, including problems with tendons, muscles, cartilage tears, fingers, elbows, ankles and hands.

SUPPLIED

Dr Ron Lopert undergoing part of the PESC treatment.

The first patient to undertake ReGen's PESC therapy was retired GP Dr Ron Lopert, who lives in Tauranga.

For five to 10 years, he had beengetting aches and pains in his hips after playing sport, and the problem was becoming more noticeable, he said. In 2013 he had an x-ray that showed he had moderate to severe osteoarthritis in both hips,more severein his right hip.

He stopped playing all sports and started researching different forms of treatment. Ideally, he wanted to be able to get some of his own cartilage back and reverse the osteoarthritis. It seemedPESCshould do that.

In 2015, aged 61, he had the therapy, with stem cells being injected into each hip joint.Within weeks henoticed an improvement in the range of motion and a decrease in pain, Lopert said.Some of that was just the anti-inflammatory component of stem cell injection, but he thought he also received a longer term benefit from cartilage regeneration.

SUPPLIED

Dr Lopert on his recent travels. He says he has much less hip pain.

He put the success of the procedure at75 per centin terms of symptoms and function, and100 per cent when it came to avoiding invasive surgery."I opted for a much more natural treatment where my own tissue is regenerating, instead of a metal prosthesis," Lopert said.

He was not sure all the improvement came from the stem cell treatment. As well as avoiding overuse of the joints, which meant he hadn't returned to playing sport, he had also switched to an anti-inflammatory diet.

His left hip continued to have hardly any symptomsbut he had started noticing the "odd twinge now and then" in his right hip.

"The vast majority of days it's fine provided I'm just walking and doing ordinary things. On the odd occasion I might carry something heavy, then I would notice it the next day and it (right hip) would stay painfulintermittentlyfor the next couple of days," Lopert said.

Sean Gallup

In this picture from February, German Chancellor Angela Merkel looks through a microscope at brain organoids grown from stem cells.

Some of his stem cells had been retained after the treatment, and he was booked in for a follow-up injection for his right hip at the end of October.

He expected the therapy would become a "go to" treatment, and would become an early intervention for osteoarthritis. But more independent research was needed to confirm the success of the treatment. "The evidence is slowly building up but there needs to be more before the Government will accept it," Lopert said.

In his case, he thought there had been cartilage regeneration in his hips, but that was based on his symptoms. "It would have been nice had I had MRI scans before and after the injection for objective evidence," he said.

From the perspective of the medical establishment, the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association said it supported a position statement on stem cell therapy produced by the Royal Australian College of Surgeons.

That paper, approved in mid-2018,noted stem cell therapy was a "rapidly advancing" area, but many proposed stem cell therapies were experimental and not yet proven. It did not support surgeons administering stem cell therapy outside of an ethically approved registered clinical trial.

"Whilst there may be scope for innovative treatment in the future, currently, the clinical effectiveness and safety of stem cell therapies remain scientifically unproven," RACS said.

In this country, an ACC spokesperson said ACC did not have an official position on stem cell therapy for the treatment of injuries. An internationally standardised evidence-based healthcare approach was used to help ACC decide how it covered injuries and funded treatments.

Dr HassanMubark, ReGen's chief medical officer, was a healthcare provider contracted to ACC in the specialty of rheumatology, and ACC had funded consultation fees with Mubark, the spokesperson said. Those consultations were for diagnostic and treatment planning purposes and did not need prior approval from ACC.

ACC had to consider legislative criteria when deciding whether to fund any particular treatment. There would be many reasons why ACC might decide to fund a client to see a rheumatologist for an opinion on the diagnosis and possible management of their condition. That would not commit ACC to funding any proposed treatment but would provide the client and ACC with information to help decision-making.

Read the original post:
Stem cell therapy helped Owen Franks but there's still plenty to prove - Stuff.co.nz

PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) Osteoarthritis affects millions of people in the US. Symptoms range from minor pain to crippling pain that compromises quality of life. A groundbreaking study is underway at four prestigious research facilities in the United States. One of those is right here on the Gulf Coast. Tonight, Drexel Gilbert is on the road in Gulf Breeze.

Lori Jamison is a Pensacola native who, as a teenager, played basketball at Pine Forest High School. Today, she suffers from osteoarthritis in her knee. She believes its a result of basketball injuries.

I get stiffness, it interferes with my mobility. Sometimes its like a sharp needle going down your leg. When I go to the movie theater, I have to sit on the back row so I can stretch it out, Jamison said. She is participating in a clinical trial at Andrews Research and Education Foundation in Gulf Breeze.

The research is studying stem cell treatment for osteoarthritis in the knee. AREF is one of only four facilities in the country participating in the study. The others are Emory Orthopedics & Spine Center, Duke University and Sanford Health. Researchers hope it leads to FDA approval for the treatment. If that happens, it could be life-changing for patients.

Hopefully reduce their pain if not actually get rid of their pain. That is our goal. We want to delay, if not prevent, total knee replacement, said Dr. Josh Hackel, who is the primary investigator for the Andrews phase of the study. Were comparing three different stem cell sources. Bone marrow from their pelvis, adipose- thats tissue from their belly fat- and the third is umbilical cord tissue donated from pregnant mothers.

The bone marrow and belly fat stem cells are harvested from the study participants, under local anesthesia. The stem cells are later implanted into the knee joint using ultrasound guidance to implant the cells into the knee joint.

Jamison has already undergone stem cell harvesting.

It was very easy, very convenient, no downtime after the procedure was done, Jamison said

This $13 million clinical trial is being funded entirely by a grant from Bernie Marcus, founder of the Marcus Foundation and co-founder of Home Depot. Osteoarthritis is an issue that is close to the philanthropists heart because his mother was left disabled by the illness at a young age.

There will be around 120 participants at each of the four sites. There are plenty of openings. If youd like to be considered for the study, call AREF at 850-916-8591.

View original post here:
Drexel on the Road: Stem cell study for osteoarthritis - WKRG News 5

Michael J. Holtzman, MD, has received close to $7.5 million in total funding for research aimed at developing stem cell-based treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and other disorders.

Holtzmans research atWashington University School of Medicine in St. Louis identified a subset of stem cells cells that are able to grow into other more specialized types of cells that line the airways and help drive mucus production in the lungs.

Stem cells that give rise to mucus cells lining the airway and other sites are part of our immune defense strategy, Holtzman, the director of the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, said in a university press releasewritten by Julia Evangelou Strait.

These cells are activated by common respiratory viruses and other inhaled agents, and prevent airway injury and promote repair.

Once the problem is resolved, the [immune] system should go back to a normal baseline level. But in some people, the stem cell is changed in a way that continues to promote inflammation and mucus production and ultimately compromises airway function even for normal breathing, Holtzman said.

Thus, Holtzmans team is searching fortherapeutic targets to control this stem cell response.

The largest of the grants hes received at $6.6 million is the outstanding investigator award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Instituteof theNational Institutes of Health (NIH), given to researchers with proven expertise in innovative research and considered likely to make major advances. The grant will provide seven years of funding for research intended to further characterize these cells and their underlying mechanisms of action.

The award also supports ongoing efforts to identify pharmacological strategies to manipulate these stem cells. One lead compound has shown promise in animal models, preventing airway inflammation and mucus production after a respiratory viral infection.

Pending clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, clinical trials for this potential therapy are planned in people with COPD, asthma exacerbations, and related upper airway disorders.

Holtzman also received a NIH Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) of $300,000 to support a startup company he launched in anticipation of the successful development of these treatments.

Besides lung diseases, Holtzman received another $300,000 STT and a $250,000 award from the Siteman Investment Program in support of a stem cell-targeting compound aimed at treating breast cancer.

Your first reaction might be to wonder how in the world such similar compounds could be effective in what seem to be such different tissues, Holtzman said. But airway and breast tissues and other related sites share secretory function and overlap in how this function is controlled.

As a result, he concluded, our compounds can be precisely tailored to address whether the dysregulated stem cell is in airway versus breast tissue, or other sites as well.

Marisa holds an MS in Cellular and Molecular Pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied novel genetic drivers of ovarian cancer. She specializes in cancer biology, immunology, and genetics. Marisa began working with BioNews in 2018, and has written about science and health for SelfHacked and the Genetics Society of America. She also writes/composes musicals and coaches the University of Pittsburgh fencing club.

Total Posts: 157

Patrcia holds her PhD in Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases from the Leiden University Medical Center in Leiden, The Netherlands. She has studied Applied Biology at Universidade do Minho and was a postdoctoral research fellow at Instituto de Medicina Molecular in Lisbon, Portugal. Her work has been focused on molecular genetic traits of infectious agents such as viruses and parasites.

Read this article:
To Find Therapies for COPD, Other Disorders, Researcher Awarded $7.5M - COPD News Today

(Image: Four Seasons) By Chloe Pek October 11, 2019

Need a different type of getaway? From DNA and blood testing to harvesting your own stem cells, these facilities might make you want to forgo your usual spa retreats

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get all our top stories delivered

Were on Facebook and Instagram. Follow us for the latest news, events and happenings

With so many resorts offering customised retreats tailored to every individual, today's well-travelled spa-goers are no longer satisfied with one-size-fits-all programmes. But beyond personalising activities and treatments to your fitness goals, these destinations are taking bespoke programmes to the next levelones that look into your genetic makeup and medical health to "biohack" your way to beauty and wellness.

(Related: The Tatler 10: Asia's Top Wellness Retreats)

Surrounded by the tropical rainforest in Nusa Dua, south Bali, Revivo Wellness Resort is an intimate retreat that offers 16 Balinese-style suites within three villas. The resort offers a regular schedule of three-day immersive programmes depending on individual goals, from relaxation to weight loss, as well as bespoke retreat programmes. And if you would like to take the personalisation to the next level, Revivo offers three DNA-centric plans that you can add to your programme.

In collaboration with DNA test provider GenePlanet, the Nutrifit and Nutrifit Premium plans offer individually tailored nutritional advice and lifestyle plans, based on your unique DNA makeup. Youll also return with a comprehensive report with analysis from up to 58 different DNA tests to facilitate your wellness goals. Beauty junkies can opt for the Nutriskin plan, which advises on skincare rituals, cosmetics, and diets to achieve optimum skin health.

revivoresorts.com

Surrounded by tropical gardens and white-sand beaches on Mexicos beautiful Riviera Nayarit, the newly renovated Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita offers guest rooms and suites, as well as private beach-front retreats for travellers. Besides a breathtaking oceanside golf-course, the resort also boasts the award-winning Apuane Spa, offering everything from signature massages to holistic therapies.

It is also the only spa in Four Seasons collection that offers DNA testing. Based on results from a simple cheek swab, wellness curators at the resort will create a custom programme that is tailored to your fitness goals and optimal for your genetic makeup, with recommendations to improve your health and diet.

fourseasons.com

(Related: 5 Women's Only Retreats For The Solo Female Traveller)

A preventive health and anti-ageing clinic in Switzerland, Nescens Clinique de Genolier is a luxury destination for medical tourists, overlooking Lake Geneva and the Alps. Programmes include La Cure Nescens, targetted at weight loss; Better-Aging Program which targets lifestyle issues like weight loss, fitness, detox and stress through spa treatments; and the new Nescens Stem Cell Advanced Program, which harnesses your own stem cells to combat signs of ageing.

The programme comprises a very in-depth check-up that includes physical examination, laboratory tests, diagnostic imaging, and cardiology to detect any underlying conditions. Then, following medical consultations with the specialists, a plastic surgeon will extract lipid content via liposuction. Your own stem cells are then separated and re-injected into problem areas together with lipofilling and hydrating mask treatments, to stimulate collagen production and reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

nescens.com

Tucked in a secluded cove by the Caribbean sea, BodyHoliday Saint Lucia is an all-inclusive fitness and spa resort that offers an extensive collection of wellness amenities, including an Ayurvedic temple, wellness centre, freshwater pools, fitness studios, as well as a BodyScience Clinic.

The clinics BodyScience Plus programme offers an in-depth analysis that begins prior to your arrival, requiring guests to complete an online health survey, DNA tests, and other diagnostics recommended by the clinics doctors, such as blood and urine tests. When you arrive, you will receive a personalised plan that will include Ayurvedic meals, a schedule of activities such as yoga, personal training or meditating, and also spa treatments. The programmes are specific to various wellness goals such as digestive health, weight loss, detox, destress and more.

thebodyholiday.com

Visit link:
Biohack Your Way To Beauty And Health Using Your DNA And Stem Cells At These Wellness Retreats Around The World - Singapore Tatler

A newly designed viral vector the vehicle that delivers a gene therapyto a patients cells for use insickle cell anemia is more efficient than earlier vectors at introducing healthy copies of genes into stem cells and can be produced in greater amounts, studies in animal models show.

The study Development of a forward-orientated therapeutic lentiviral vector for hemoglobin disorders was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that binds oxygen, allowing oxygen to be transported around the body. Mutations in the HBBgene, which encodes a component of hemoglobin, causessickle cell.

Gene therapies involve either altering the mutated gene or introducing a healthy version of that gene to the body. Still under development for sickle cell, an estimated 27 patients have undergone experimental gene therapy. One strategy involves removing hematopoietic stem cells (which function to produce blood cells) from a patients bone marrow. A healthy copy of the HBB gene is then introduced into the cells using a modified, harmless virus known as a viral vector. The cells are then transplanted back into the patient where they will produce healthy red blood cells.

Traditionally, viral vectors for sickle cell have been designed in a way known as reverse structural orientation. This means that the HBB gene is translated or read from right to left, like reading an English sentence backwards. The reverse structural orientation design ensures that a key section of the gene (known as intron 2), which is necessary for the production of high levels of the HBB gene, is retained during viral vector preparation.

However, this design makes preparing the viral vectors more difficult, and decreases the efficiency of introducing the gene into the stem cells.

Researchersat the National Institutes of Healthdesigned a new viral vector, one in which the HBB gene is forward orientated and read from left to right. Genes essential for the virus were inserted into intron 2, meaning that only vectors that retained intron 2 would be produced (a type of positive selection).

Our new vector is an important breakthrough in the field of gene therapy for sickle cell disease, John Tisdale, MD, chief of the Cellular and Molecular Therapeutic Branch at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the studys senior author, said in a press release.

Its the new kid on the block and represents a substantial improvement in our ability to produce high capacity, high efficiency vectors for treating this devastating disorder, he added.

The researchers compared the new vectors to traditional reverse-orientated vectors in mouse and monkey models. The new vectors were four to 10 times more efficient at introducing the healthy HBBgene into the stem cells, and could carry up to six times more HBB genes compared to the conventional vectors.

Furthermore, the new vectors remained incorporated into the cells of monkeys up to four years after a transplant. These vectors could also be produced in greater amounts, which may lessen the time and costs required for large-scale vector production.

The researchers hope that these characteristics will make gene therapy for sickle cell disease more effective and increase its use. The new vector design still needs to be tested in clinical trials in patients.

Our lab has been working on improving beta-globin vectors for almost a decade and finally decided to try something radically different and it worked, Tisdale said.

These findings bring us closer to a curative gene therapy approach for hemoglobin disorders, he added.

Patricia holds her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from University Nova de Lisboa, and has served as an author on several research projects and fellowships, as well as major grant applications for European Agencies. She also served as a PhD student research assistant in the Laboratory of Doctor David A. Fidock, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University, New York.

Total Posts: 94

Margarida graduated with a BS in Health Sciences from the University of Lisbon and a MSc in Biotechnology from Instituto Superior Tcnico (IST-UL). She worked as a molecular biologist research associate at a Cambridge UK-based biotech company that discovers and develops therapeutic, fully human monoclonal antibodies.

View original post here:
New Viral Vector for Sickle Cell Gene Therapy Likely to Be More Effective, NIH Study Says - Sickle Cell Anemia News

NEW YORK, NY, Oct. 14, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Qrons Inc. (OTCQB: QRON), an emerging biotechnology company developing advanced stem cell-synthetic hydrogel-based solutions for the treatment of traumatic brain injuries, including concussions and penetrating injuries, announced today that it has entered into an Intellectual Property License Agreement (the Agreement) with Dartmouth College for an exclusive world-wide license of Intellectual Property related to 3D printable materials in the fields of human and animal health. The Agreement provides for the payment by Qrons of initial and annual license fees and royalty payments based upon Qrons' product sales. The Agreement was signed on October 2, 2019 and is effective as of September 3, 2019.

Qrons is using the 3D process covered by the patent entitled Mechanically Interlocked Molecules-based Materials for 3D Printing as part of its injury specific 3D printable implants to treat penetrating brain injuries. Qrons is also a party to a Sponsored Research Agreement with Dartmouth to advance the license or ownership of additional Intellectual Property. The Qrons research team is working closely with Professor Chenfeng Ke, a member of Qrons Scientific Advisory Board and an inventor of the licensed 3D process, and PhD candidate Qianming Lin.

Ido Merfeld, Qrons Co-founder and Head of Product, commented, The intellectual property covered by this license has been instrumental in helping us advance our research on the treatment of penetrating brain injuries. We believe combining Qrons proprietary hydrogel with customizable 3D printing capabilities is an innovative approach to treating traumatic brain injuries, for which there are limited treatments.

Jonah Meer, Qrons Co-founder and CEO, added, Were excited to have concluded negotiations to acquire an exclusive license for this important intellectual property. There is a great need for our promising treatments, and this technology is an integral part of our work to develop innovative 3D printable, biocompatible advanced materials.

Chenfeng Ke, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, stated, We are excited to partner with Qrons and continue the development of smart hydrogels with 3D printing capability for the treatment of traumatic brain injuries.

Nila Bhakumi, Director of Technology Transfer at Dartmouth, echoed Professor Kes comments and added, We are delighted with Dr. Kes collaboration with Qrons as they try to solve the very important problem of Traumatic Brain Injury.

About Dartmouth College

Founded in 1769, Dartmouth College is a member of the Ivy League and consistently ranks among the world's greatest academic institutions. Dartmouth has forged a singular identity for combining its deep commitment to outstanding undergraduate liberal arts and graduate education with distinguished research and scholarship in the Arts & Sciences and its three leading professional schools - the Geisel School of Medicine, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business.

About Qrons Inc.

Headquartered in New York City, Qrons is a publicly traded emerging biotechnology company developing advanced stem cell-based solutions to combat neuronal injuries with a laser focus on traumatic brain injuries and concussions. The Company has two product candidates for treating TBIs, both integrating proprietary, modified mesenchymal stem cells ("MSCs") and smart synthetic material, QS100, an injury specific, 3D printable, implantable MSCs-synthetic hydrogel, to treat penetrating brain injuries and QS200, an injectable MSCs-synthetic hydrogel for the treatment of diffused injuries commonly referred to as concussions.

The Company is a party to a license and research funding agreement and related service agreements with Ariel Scientific Innovations Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ariel University, based in Ariel, Israel, and in addition to the world-wide exclusive intellectual property license, a Sponsored Research Agreement with Dartmouth College funding further research with Professor Chenfeng Ke and his team in the Chemistry Department, to develop innovative 3D printable, biocompatible advanced materials. For additional information, please visit http://www.qrons.com.

Forward Looking Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements as a result of risks and uncertainties impacting the Company's business including increased competition; the ability of the Company to expand its operations, to attract and retain qualified professionals, technological obsolescence; general economic conditions; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Read more:
Qrons Granted Exclusive World-Wide License by Dartmouth College for Intellectual Property Related to 3D Printable Materials in Human and Animal Health...

The Duchess of York, affectionately known as Fergie by the British public, decided to have pioneering regenerative stem cell therapy to be able to wear heels again. Fergie had to give up on her stilettos for a long time due to the excruciating pain she felt every time she tried to walk in them. And if she forced herself to wear high heels to mark important occasions she had to endure pain throughout the whole day.

Her feet caused Fergie trouble even during Princess Eugenies wedding last October.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, the Duchess of York said her feet were in such pain she felt relieved to be able to sit down in the pew and rest them for a while before Eugenie entered St Georges Chapel.

The source of the pain seemed to be her big toe, and now, thanks to regenerative stem cell therapy the Duchess is no longer in pain every time she opts to wear shows other than flats.

Fergie headed to the Bahamas to undergo stem cell therapy - an alternative to surgery which is yet to be proven fully safe and effective on humans and is therefore not widely available in the UK.

Speaking about her trip, she said: I went to the Bahamas in March to have the treatment.

I think my toes were ruined by all the riding I did when I was young.

They shaved the bone here and implanted stem cells 20 million of them taken from my midriff into my feet to make new cartilage.

It takes about six months to heal but now I can walk in heels!

READ MORE:The touching reason Beatrice will have British wedding

Fergie underwent a series of treatments during the years, including vitamin injections, organic fillers and botox - which she had a long time ago, when there was nothing else available.

Ahead of Eugenies wedding, Fergie underwent laser treatment to look her best.

Fergie attributed her glowing skin on October 12, the day of Princess Eugenies wedding, to her happiness.

But she also revealed she did seek the help of a professional to improve her natural beauty.

She said: The happiness was shining out of me because my daughter was getting married.

DON'T MISS

I was so glad. I love Jack. When Im passionate about anything, my eyes shine.

Above all, it was being joyful for Eugenie that made me look good.

But Id had some laser treatment on my face which helped, too.

Despite having used several techniques to stave off ageing, Fergie said there is one she is no longer going to have - Botox.

She said: I had Botox a long time ago when there was nothing else available.

I really dont like the frozen look.

Im so animated and I like to be myself.

I dont like the thought of needles and am very glad if I look well and happy.

Fergie also said she has stopped sunbathing after suffering two losses in her life which helped her realise she must take care of her skin just as well as any other organs.

Read more:
Sarah Ferguson was in pain during Eugenies wedding - and needed treatment to recover - Express

It hurt Margaret Godfrey to see daughter Rachel Carter in pain, so she painted.

And once the worst pain had passed, Carter needed a way to move forward, so she wrote.

In 2000, at age 24, Carter was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a disease where the immune system eats away at the lining of nerves and impairs or disables the brain and central nervous system.

Carter is now a married 43-year-old mother of three who lives in Ridgefield. But when she was diagnosed with MS, it marked a significant shift in her life. The woman who ran marathons, rode a motorcycle to high school and was once a deckhand on a small riverboat cruise ship to prove a point because she was told a woman couldnt hold that job, slowly morphed as her disease altered life.

It started with a fall on vacation during a run. Then falling on runs became more frequent. Gone went the marathons. In came the treadmill. Slowly, over the course of 12 years, the MS progressed and symptoms became debilitating. Running left completely. Neuropathic pain caused her to feel like she was sunburned in the morning, and by the afternoon or evening it felt like third degree burns. Carter left her job in sales in 2013.

I would always end up in tears in the bed, Carter said.

Carter has chronicled her battle with MS, and a stem cell treatment she credits with turning her prognosis around, in a new book called Enduring the Cure: My MS Journey to the Brink of Death and Back. Her mother helped her edit the book, and provided the books cover art. Adrienne van Der Valk also edited the book.

Through pain, Carter and her mother have created art. About five years ago, Carter underwent an experimental stem cell transplant in Seattle to help her rebuild her immune system. Carter lived in Seattle for about three months, while her parents watched two of her children, and the other child lived with an aunt.

As part of the procedure, Carters own stem cells were harvested and then reintroduced to her body after chemotherapy depleted most of her immune system. Its what she described as a rebooting of her whole immune system, in hopes that it would stop attacking her brain and spinal cord. Carter still has her previous brain damage, which impacts her memory and brain power; but so far, the stem cell transplant has improved her condition greatly, she said.

Carter has more energy she used to sometimes not be able to leave bed some days. She also can stand upright and walk easily she used to rely on a walker. And her pain is minimal now, the biggest improvement.

Carters family kept notes during her treatment, and Carter decided to use those, and the memories of her family, to help her write the book with van Der Valk.

Thinking was very fatiguing for Carter, since she still has the brain damage from MS. She could only work about one to two hours on the book at a time. She said writing was frustrating and hard in many ways. Parts of my brain are gone, Carter explained. She said it requires her about 10 times as much brain matter as the average person to process something simple.

Its so much pressure to have something you feel like you have to do, and then you cant do it. I had so little energy, Carter said. I cant explain very well because so many words dont come to me.

In spite of the challenges, Carter feels like sharing her experience will help others because, in life, we all have hard situations, she said.

Godfrey, a 70-year-old painter who lives in Blue River, Ore., found art in the familys experience. She drew inspiration from Gustav Klimt, an Austrian symbolist, who painted in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and created symbolic paintings of her daughter. Godfrey said art makes her an intellectual because of how she has to think about what shes painting. This time she was researching her own child.

Godfrey did a painting of Carter surrounded by old running shoes, a life she had to give up. She did a painting of Carter without her hair, which centered on Carters worries. She did a painting of Carter covered by a quilt with her three kids on it, what kept her going and allowed her to recover. She did a painting of Carter lying in a hospital bed, looking exhausted and resigned, which is the books cover. The final painting in the series, called The Journey Is Not Done, features Carter with hair, months after treatment. It has an unfinished mosaic because Carters journey isnt over.

Creating art is a very meditative thing, Godfrey said. Rather than getting wrapped up in emotions, once I start painting the world is me and paper. All the worries of life disappear. It was a way to enjoy that experience of just being able to throw out my expression, without getting too emotionally tangled up.

Continued here:
Ridgefield woman, her mother write book about battle with MS - The Columbian

In theglobal stem cells marketa sizeable proportion of companies are trying to garner investments from organizations based overseas. This is one of the strategies leveraged by them to grow their market share. Further, they are also forging partnerships with pharmaceutical organizations to up revenues.

In addition, companies in the global stem cells market are pouring money into expansion through multidisciplinary and multi-sector collaboration for large scale production of high quality pluripotent and differentiated cells. The market, at present, is characterized by a diverse product portfolio, which is expected to up competition, and eventually growth in the market.

Some of the key players operating in the global stem cells market are STEMCELL Technologies Inc., Astellas Pharma Inc., Cellular Engineering Technologies Inc., BioTime Inc., Takara Bio Inc., U.S. Stem Cell, Inc., BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., Cytori Therapeutics, Inc., Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., and Caladrius Biosciences, Inc.

Get Sample with Latest Research @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=132

As per a report by Transparency Market Research, the global market for stem cells is expected to register a healthy CAGR of 13.8% during the period from 2017 to 2025 to become worth US$270.5 bn by 2025.

Depending upon the type of products, the global stem cell market can be divided into adult stem cells, human embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, etc. Of them, the segment of adult stem cells accounts for a leading share in the market. This is because of their ability to generate trillions of specialized cells which may lower the risks of rejection and repair tissue damage.

Depending upon geography, the key segments of the global stem cells market are North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa. At present, North America dominates the market because of the substantial investments in the field, impressive economic growth, rising instances of target chronic diseases, and technological progress. As per the TMR report, the market in North America will likely retain its dominant share in the near future to become worth US$167.33 bn by 2025.

Request Report Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=132

Investments in Research Drives Market

Constant thrust on research to broaden the utility scope of associated products is at the forefront of driving growth in the global stem cells market. Such research projects have generated various possibilities of different clinical applications of these cells, to usher in new treatments for diseases.Since cellular therapies are considered the next major step in transforming healthcare, companies are expanding their cellular therapy portfolio to include a range of ailments such as Parkinsons disease, type 1 diabetes, spinal cord injury, Alzheimers disease, etc.

The growing prevalence of chronic diseases and increasing investments of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies in stem cell research are the key driving factors for the stem cells therapeutics market. The growing number of stem cell donors, improved stem cell banking facilities, and increasing research and development are other crucial factors serving to propel the market, explains the lead analyst of the report.

Link:
Stem Cells Market : Insights Into the Competitive Scenario of the Market - Online News Guru

MICHAEL Schumacher's doctor has warned fans that he "does not work miracles" following stem cell therapy he performed on the F1 star.

Dr Philippe Menasch has also slammed claims he was carrying out "experiments" on the legendary racing driver when he treated him in Paris last month.

4

4

Little was known about the stem-cell operation, but seven-time world champion Schumacher is believed to have received transfusions of inflammation-reducing stem cells.

Amongst the media flurry surrounding the top-secret op, local media reported on it as "experimental."

Menasche - known as a pioneer in stem-cell research - has slammed these claims, telling Italian newspaper La Republica: "I do not perform miracles.

"My team and I are not doing an experiment, an abominable term that is not in line with a serious medical view."

Schumacher's condition is not public knowledge, but after the procedure last month, a nurse toldLe Parisien: "Yes he is in my service ... And I can assure you that he is conscious."

The French paper also said Schumacher has been treated at least twice previously at the Georges-Pompidou hospital in Paris, admitted each time under a false name and treated by a small medical team.

It was also reported that the F1 driver was accompanied by security staff.

Schumacher's health has been shrouded in secrecy ever since a near-fatal brain injury he suffered in 2013.

The seven time F1 championsuffered severe head injuries on a family skiing holiday in the French Alps and has not been seen in public since.

What is stem cell therapy and how does it work?

STEM cell therapy is one of the most promising new medical treatments.

Stem cells are the body's raw materials - the cells from which all cells in the body are generated.

In the lab, scientists can take stem cells and help them divide to create daughter cells.

These daughter cells can either become new stem cells or turn into specialised cells - blood, brain, heart muscle, bone cells for example.

Scientists and doctors across the world hope stem cells could prove the breakthrough for treating a range of conditions, from heart disease to cancer.

How does it work?

One of the key ways stem cell treatment can work is to repair or regenerate damaged and diseased tissues.

By taking the cells and creating specialised heart muscle cells for example, doctors can help repair damaged heart muscle and use them to treat heart failure.

Who can benefit?

According to the Mayo Clinic in the US, patients with a wide range of illnesses and disease could benefit from the treatment.

They include those suffering:

Stem cells can also be used to grow new tissue that can then be used for transplants and regenerative medicine.

It means in future, stem cells could be used to grow new organs rather than relying on organ donation.

He was skiing with his son Mick when he fell and cracked his head on a boulder on the Combe de Saulire above Mribel.

The devastating injury left him paralysed and unable to speak.

Schumacher spent three months in a medically-induced coma after the accident and has had years of intensive care at his house in Gland, a Swiss town on the shore of Lake Geneva.

His condition now appears to have stabilised and in January this year he was taken by helicopter to the family's holiday home in Mallorca for his 50th birthday.

In a celebratory post on Instagram, his family wrote: "Please understand if we are following Michael's wishes and keeping such a sensitive subject as health, as it has always been, in privacy."

They confirmed that Schumacher was in "the very best of hands."

The wall of secrecy is reportedly enforced by his wife, Corinna.

Forumla One's head of motorsport, Ross Brawn has spoken publicly about Corinna's decision to keep her husband's health private.

He said: "I am constantly in touch with Corinna, and I totally agree with their decision."

Latest

STAR KILLED Grammy-award winning artist Louie Rankin dies in horror car crash

SPOT THE SPOTS Can YOU spot the leopard hiding in a ditch in this amazing viral pic?

STABBED IN CLASS Finland 'sword rampage leaves 1 dead & 9 injured as student storms school'

SAVAGE ATTACK Woman raped female victim with gun and poured acid on her' in row over 150

'MONSTER MUM' Mother mowed down & killed daughter & another woman during birthday party'

KILLED IN SLEEP Girl, 14, 'killed by exploding phone' after going to bed listening to music

"Michael has always been a very private person and that's been a guiding principle in his career, his life and his family always agreed with that choice.

"It's completely understandable that Corinna has wanted to maintain the same approach, even after the tragic event, and it's a decision we must all respect.

"I'm sure the millions of people who are still Michael fans will understand it, too."

4

4

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us attips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.

See more here:
Michael Schumachers surgeon denies hes performing experiments on F1 legend with stem cell treatment and sl - The Sun