Posted: February 14, 2014 at 12:45 am
Total Recovery Lecture Series: Novel Treatments for Joint, Tendon Ligament Pain, Part 3
Part 3: Regenerative Therapies: Prolotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Stem Cell Therapy Dr. David Wang, Harvard trained and Board Certified in Physica...
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Total Recovery Lecture Series: Novel Treatments for Joint, Tendon & Ligament Pain, Part 3 - Video
Posted: February 13, 2014 at 6:43 am
Stem cells and human health
Public lecture by Professor Fiona Watt FRS, Director of the Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at Kings College London. The field of stem cells ...
By: RoyalSociety
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Stem cells and human health - Video
Posted: February 13, 2014 at 6:43 am
MediVet Stem Cell Therapy For Pets
MediVet is the company that created the technology to use stem cell therapy to treat pets with arthritis and hip dysplasia.
By: Newman Veterinary Centers
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MediVet Stem Cell Therapy For Pets - Video
Posted: February 13, 2014 at 4:56 am
Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) February 12, 2014
The Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center, PC, located in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Boca Raton, Florida, announces a series of free public seminars on the use of stem cells for various degenerative and inflammatory conditions. They will be provided by Dr. Thomas A. Gionis, Surgeon-in-Chief, and, Dr. Nia Smyrniotis, Medical Director.
The seminars will be held on February 16th and March 2nd. On February 16th, the seminar will be held at the Marriott Boca Raton, at Boca Center, 5150 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton, Florida 33486, at 2pm; and on March 2nd at the Hampton Inn Fort Lauderdale Downtown, 250 N. Andrews Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301, at 2pm. You can also join Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center at the Health and Wellness Experience Expo presented by WPEC Channel 12 and the Sun-Sentinel on March 1st at Mizner Park Amphitheater, Boca Raton, Florida from 10am-5pm. No reservations required.
At the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center, utilizing investigational protocols, adult adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) can be deployed to improve patients quality of life with a number of degenerative conditions and diseases. ADSCs are taken from the patients own adipose (fat) tissue (also called stromal vascular fraction (SVF)). Adipose tissue is exceptionally abundant in ADSCs. The adipose tissue is obtained from the patient during a 15 minute mini-liposuction performed under local anesthesia in the doctors office. SVF is a protein-rich solution containing mononuclear cell lines (predominantly autologous mesenchymal stem cells), macrophage cells, endothelial cells, red blood cells, and important Growth Factors that facilitate the stem cell process and promote their activity.
ADSCs are the body's natural healing cells - they are recruited by chemical signals emitted by damaged tissues to repair and regenerate the bodys damaged cells. The Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center only uses autologous stem cells from a person's own fat no embryonic stem cells are used. Our current areas of study include: Heart Failure, Emphysema, COPD, Asthma, Parkinsons Disease, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, and orthopedic joint injections. For more information, or if someone thinks they may be a candidate for one of the stem cell protocols offered by Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center, they may contact Dr. Nia or Dr. Gionis directly at (561) 331-2999, or see a complete list of the Centers study areas at: http://www.MiamiStemCellsUSA.com.
About Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center:
The Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center is an affiliate of the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center (Irvine, California) and the Cell Surgical Network (CSN). We provide care for people suffering from diseases that may be alleviated by access to adult stem cell based regenerative treatment. We utilize a fat transfer surgical technology to isolate and implant the patients own stem cells from a small quantity of fat harvested by a mini-liposuction on the same day. The investigational protocols utilized by the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center have been reviewed and approved by an IRB (Institutional Review Board) which is registered with the U.S. Department of Research Protections; and the study is registered with http://www.Clinicaltrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). For more information contact: Miami(at)MiamiStemCellsUSA(dot)com or visit our website: http://www.MiamiStemCellsUSA.com.
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Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center Educational Seminar: Adipose-Derived Stem Cells, Public Lecture
Posted: February 13, 2014 at 4:53 am
By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Diabetes Week -- He is one of eight UC San Diego researchers to receive a combined total of $8.165 million in funding from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in a new round of Basic Biology awards announced Jan. 29. Metallo's share is $1.124 million over three years. The awards were made by CIRM's Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (see also Stem Cells).
Heart cells are unique in that they must expend a tremendous amount of energy in order for the heart to function properly, generating the mechanical forces necessary to pump blood through the body, Metallo said. Therefore, it is important that heart cells generated from stem cells in the lab eat the right foods. His research is focused on understanding cell metabolism - how cells convert carbohydrates, fat, and protein into fuel - and how disruptions in these processes contribute to diseases such as cancer, diabetes and obesity.
Metallo joined the Jacobs School of Engineering in 2011 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship on the metabolism of cancer cells at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research there changed our understanding of how cells convert carbohydrates and protein (amino acids) to fat, a process which was thought to have been settled science for more than 50 years. The study, which was published January 2012, in the journal Nature, means doctors could have new targets for therapeutic drugs designed to stop cancer cell growth. In recognition of this work, Metallo was named the Rita Schaffer Young Investigator in 2012, which is awarded each year by the Biomedical Engineering Society to stimulate the research career of a young bioengineer. Last year, he was one of 15 young investigators in the United States selected to be a 2013 Searle Scholar.
The eight CIRM Basic Biology Awards for UC San Diego faculty were:
Maike Sander, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, was awarded $1.161 million
Christian Metallo, Bioengineering, Jacobs School of Engineering, awarded $1,124 million
Cornelis Murre, Biological Sciences, awarded $1.161 million
Wei Wang, Chemistry and Biochemistry, awarded $1.161 million
David Cheresh, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, awarded $1.161 million
Miles Wilkinson, School of Medicine, Department of Reproductive Medicine, awarded $619,200
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Bioengineer studying stem cell diets to make better heart ...
Posted: February 13, 2014 at 4:53 am
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
12-Feb-2014
Contact: Jane Finlayson jane.finlayson@uhn.ca 416-946-2846 University Health Network
(TORONTO, Canada Feb. 12, 2014) Cancer researchers led by stem cell scientist Dr. John Dick have discovered a pre-leukemic stem cell that may be the first step in initiating disease and also the culprit that evades therapy and triggers relapse in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
The research, published online today in Nature is a significant leap in understanding the steps that a normal cell has to go through as it turns into AML, says Dr. Dick, and sets the stage to advance personalized cancer medicine by potentially identifying individuals who might benefit from targeting the pre-leukemic stem cell. AML is an aggressive blood cancer that the new research shows starts in stem cells in the bone marrow. Dr. Dick, a Senior Scientist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network (UHN), and Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, pioneered the cancer stem cell field by first identifying leukemia stem cells (1994) and colon cancer stem cells (2007).
"Our discovery lays the groundwork to detect and target the pre-leukemic stem cell and thereby potentially stop the disease at a very early stage when it may be more amenable to treatment," says Dr. Dick, who holds a Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Biology and is also Director of the Cancer Stem Cell Program at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR).
VIDEO: Dr. Dick talks about the research at: http://ow.ly/tvFL7.
"Now we have a potential tool for earlier diagnosis that may allow early intervention before the development of full AML. We can also monitor remission and initiate therapy to target the pre-leukemic stem cell to prevent relapse," he says.
The findings show that in about 25% of AML patients, a mutation in the gene DNMT3a causes pre-leukemic stem cells to develop that function like normal blood stem cells but grow abnormally. These cells survive chemotherapy and can be found in the bone marrow at remission, forming a reservoir of cells that may eventually acquire additional mutations, leading to relapse.
The discovery of pre-leukemic stem cells came out of a large Leukemia Disease Team that Dr. Dick assembled and included oncologists who collected samples for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Biobank and genome scientists at the OICR who developed sophisticated targeted sequencing methodology. With this team, it was possible to carry out genomic analysis of more than 100 leukemia genes on many patient samples. The findings also capitalized on data from more than six years of experiments in Dr. Dick's lab involving growing human AML in special mice that do not reject human cells.
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Cancer researchers discover pre-leukemic stem cell at root ...
Posted: February 13, 2014 at 4:53 am
Cancer researchers led by stem cell scientist Dr. John Dick have discovered a pre-leukemic stem cell that may be the first step in initiating disease and also the culprit that evades therapy and triggers relapse in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
The research, published online today in Nature is a significant leap in understanding the steps that a normal cell has to go through as it turns into AML, says Dr. Dick, and sets the stage to advance personalized cancer medicine by potentially identifying individuals who might benefit from targeting the pre-leukemic stem cell. AML is an aggressive blood cancer that the new research shows starts in stem cells in the bone marrow. Dr. Dick, a Senior Scientist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network (UHN), and Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, pioneered the cancer stem cell field by first identifying leukemia stem cells (1994) and colon cancer stem cells (2007).
"Our discovery lays the groundwork to detect and target the pre-leukemic stem cell and thereby potentially stop the disease at a very early stage when it may be more amenable to treatment," says Dr. Dick, who holds a Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Biology and is also Director of the Cancer Stem Cell Program at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR).
"Now we have a potential tool for earlier diagnosis that may allow early intervention before the development of full AML. We can also monitor remission and initiate therapy to target the pre-leukemic stem cell to prevent relapse," he says.
The findings show that in about 25% of AML patients, a mutation in the gene DNMT3a causes pre-leukemic stem cells to develop that function like normal blood stem cells but grow abnormally. These cells survive chemotherapy and can be found in the bone marrow at remission, forming a reservoir of cells that may eventually acquire additional mutations, leading to relapse.
The discovery of pre-leukemic stem cells came out of a large Leukemia Disease Team that Dr. Dick assembled and included oncologists who collected samples for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Biobank and genome scientists at the OICR who developed sophisticated targeted sequencing methodology. With this team, it was possible to carry out genomic analysis of more than 100 leukemia genes on many patient samples. The findings also capitalized on data from more than six years of experiments in Dr. Dick's lab involving growing human AML in special mice that do not reject human cells.
"By peering into the black box of how cancer develops during the months and years prior to when it is first diagnosed, we have demonstrated a unique finding. People tend to think relapse after remission means chemotherapy didn't kill all the cancer cells. Our study suggests that in some cases the chemotherapy does, in fact, eradicate AML; what it does not touch are the pre-leukemic stem cells that can trigger another round of AML development and ultimately disease relapse," says Dr. Dick, who anticipates the findings will spawn accelerated drug development to specifically target DNMT3a.
These findings should also provide impetus for researchers to look for pre-cancerous cells in AML patients with other mutations and even in non-blood cancers.
Dr. Dick is also renowned for isolating a human blood stem cell in its purest form (2011) -- as a single stem cell capable of regenerating the entire blood system. He is a Senior Scientist at UHN's McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine and co-leader of a Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC)-funded research project HALT (Highly Active Anti-Leukemia Stem Cell Therapy), which is a partnership between CSCC and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
For more than 20 years, Dr. Dick's research has focused on understanding the cellular processes that maintain tumour growth by investigating the complexities and interplay among genetic and non-genetic determinants of cancer. His research follows on the original 1961 discovery of the blood stem cell by Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (formerly Ontario Cancer Institute) scientists Dr. James Till and the late Dr. Ernest McCulloch, which formed the basis of all current stem cell research.
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Cancer Researchers Discover Pre-Leukemic Stem Cell at Root of AML, Relapse
Posted: February 12, 2014 at 8:45 pm
Released: 2/11/2014 6:00 PM EST Source Newsroom: City of Hope Contact Information
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Newswise DUARTE, Calif. Despite continual advances in the treatment of brain tumors, infants and children diagnosed with medulloblastoma a fast-growing tumor in the cerebellum portion of the brain still face significant challenges overcoming this disease. One particularly tricky obstacle is the blood-brain barrier, which prevents cancer drugs from passing into the brain and attacking the tumor. Margarita Gutova, M.D., an assistant research professor in City of Hopes Department of Neurosciences, may have found a way to bypass that hurdle using neural stem cells.
Neural stem cells offer a novel way to overcome this obstacle because they can cross the blood-brain-barrier, migrate to and selectively target tumor cells throughout the brain, Gutova said. The cells also can be engineered to help deliver anti-cancer agents directly to the tumor site, effectively targeting cancer cells while minimizing harm to surrounding normal tissue.
Five foundations Alexs Lemonade Stand Foundation, Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF), The Matthew Larson Foundation for Pediatric Brain Tumors and two anonymous foundations have announced grants totaling $450,000 in support of Gutovas work, allowing her to continue her preclinical studies of this novel treatment method. If additional research proves promising, human clinical trials could begin in three to five years, Gutova said.
Ultimately, Gutova hopes to develop neural stem cells into a potent and highly targeted therapy that is superior to current medulloblastoma treatments: surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery can leave behind residual cancerous cells that will continue to grow after the procedure, and radiation and chemotherapy can affect normal brain tissue.
This is especially damaging to brain and skeletal development, especially for pediatric patients still-growing bodies, Gutova said of current treatments.
In addition to testing the efficacy of neural stem cell-mediated therapy, Gutova will study the intranasal administration of neural stem cells. This novel delivery method is non-invasive and, if proven effective, will reduce the number of complicated procedures and their associated risks that a patient has to endure.
When the traditional treatment protocol failed for my daughter Alex, clinical trials became our best and only option for combating her cancer, said Jay Scott, co-executive director of Alexs Lemonade Stand Foundation. We know firsthand how important these trials are to bettering the lives of childhood cancer patients, and we are dedicated to bringing promising research from the lab to the clinic. We see promise in Dr. Gutovas brain tumor research and are glad to be able to support her efforts.
We are proud to support City of Hope and Dr. Gutovas research. City of Hope is a leader in making a difference every day in the laboratory, clinics and the lives or our young patients, said, Jeri Wilson, executive director of PCRF. I know Dr. Gutova and her colleagues will strive every day to ensure their research delivers the best possible outcomes to families who so richly deserve a cure.
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City of Hope Researcher Receives Five Grants Totaling $450,000 to Fight Pediatric Brain Tumors
Posted: February 12, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Patients with leukaemia need stem cells to replace damaged ones - the blood in the umbilical cord is so immature the recipient can accept the cells more easily
A grandad given just months to live has beaten leukaemia after getting stem cells from two babies umbilical cords.
The move was the only option to save David Pyne, 60, after all other treatments failed. He was one of the first to have the procedure.
He said of the stem cell transplant: To think two newborns saved an old mans life is just marvellous and its given me more time with my own grandchildren.
The dad-of-four was diagnosed with cancer in August 2012 and had chemotherapy and blood transfusions.
He desperately needed a stem cell donor but a match could not be found and he was given just 12 to 18 months to live.
But then he was offered cells from the umbilical cords of one baby in America and another in France.
He said: Things were looking pretty grim until I got the news about the possibility of an umbilical cord stem cell transplant.
The team found two separate umbilical cord donors that were a good match.
"I felt elated.
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Stem cells from baby's umbilical cord save life of granddad given months to live
Posted: February 12, 2014 at 12:48 pm
Baltimore
A new method of creating versatile stem cells from a relatively simple manipulation of existing cells could further reduce the need for any stem-cell research involving human embryos, according to leading ethicists.
Although the process has only been tested in mice, two studies published Jan. 29 in the journal Nature detailed research showing success with a process called stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency, or STAP.
Scientists from Japan's RIKEN research institute and Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston were able to reprogram blood cells from newborn mice by placing them in a low-level acidic bath for 30 minutes. Seven to 9 percent of the cells subjected to such stress returned to a state of pluripotency and were able to grow into other types of cells in the body.
"If this technology proves feasible with human cells, which seems likely, it will offer yet another alternative for obtaining highly flexible stem cells without relying on the destructive use of human embryos," said Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, director of education at the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. "This is clearly a positive direction for scientific research."
Pacholczyk, a priest of the diocese of Fall River, Mass., who holds a doctorate in neuroscience from Yale University, said the only "potential future ethical issue" raised by the new STAP cells would be if scientists were to coax them into "a new degree of flexibility beyond classical pluripotency," creating cells "with essential characteristics of embryos and the propensity to develop into the adult organism."
"Generating human embryos in the laboratory, regardless of the specific methodology, will always raise significant ethical red flags," he said.
The Catholic church opposes any research involving the destruction of human embryos to create stem cells.
Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, said if the new method were used to create stem cells so versatile that they could form placenta tissue and make human cloning easier, "then we would have serious moral problems with that." But there is no indication so far that the scientists could or would do so, he added.
"You could misuse any powerful technology, but the technique itself is not problematic" in terms of Catholic teaching, Doerflinger said.
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New stem-cell method offers another alternative to embryonic research
