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Nobel Prize Nominee Plastic Surgeon Joins Patients Medical’s Stem Cell Research Team

Posted: November 30, 2012 at 7:40 am

Dr. Paul A. Dreschnack Offers New Options for Those With Hair Loss.

New York City, NY (PRWEB) November 29, 2012

Baldness can cause social anxiety, depression and many other emotional and psychological conditions. The solutions currently being offered such as transplants and pharmaceuticals can be uncomfortable or may compromise other aspects of the patients health, explains Dr. Dreschnack. In my work around the world, I strive to find ways for people to look good and feel well so that they are able to enjoy their lives fully. Stem Cell Therapy seems to be a new frontier that may be a way for patients to improve their quality of life.

Dr. Dreschnack is a four-time Nobel Prize Nominee for his work with The India Project. He has traveled internationally, helping patients who need plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. He is now working with Dr. Kamau Kokayi, Medical Director of the New York Stem Cell Treatment Center (NYSCTC) at Patients Medical.

We are excited that Dr. Dreschnack is joining our Stem Cell Research Team, says Dr. Kokayi.

Dr. Dreschnack has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Distinguished Surgeon Award from the Association of Operating Room Nurses, a 2002 Rose Model Award from the Young Leadership Council. He has been nominated for the The Raoul Wallenberg Medal, celebrating people who embody humanitarian ideals. He has also established himself as an academician, reviewing articles for the American Journal of Cosmetic Surgery, serving as Clinical Instructor at LSU School of Medicine/Department of Surgery and SUNY Health Science Center in Brooklyn. Dr. Dreschnack has also given presentations for the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and has been published in Medforum.com, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the Proceedings of the American Association for Hand Surgery.

People interested in receiving plastic, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery at Patients Medical with Dr. Paul A. Dreschnack can inquire directly with Patients Medical for rates, a complete list of services and fees. Those interested in participating in the Stem Cell Therapy Clinical Trial may apply online at http://www.patientsmedical.com/stem-cell-therapy/registration-form.aspx

About Patients Medical

Patients Medical (http://www.patientsmedical.com) is a unique integrative medicine center in Manhattan that combines the best of traditional and holistic medicine with modern technology to provide comprehensive care. Established in 1974, the center employs a multi-specialty staff using leading-edge treatment protocols such as Stem Cell Therapy, Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation, Nutrient IV Therapy, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and more. The practice specializes in diagnosing the root cause of an ailment, then healing the whole person with personalized protocols that draw upon both Eastern and Western medicine.

Megan Franzen Patients Medical 212-679-9667 111 Email Information

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Stem Cell 101: Mayo Clinic Expert Answers Commonly Asked Questions

Posted: November 30, 2012 at 7:40 am

Released: 11/28/2012 3:45 PM EST Source: Mayo Clinic Expert Available

Newswise ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Next week, more than 1,200 people from 25 countries are expected to attend the 8th Annual World Stem Cell Summit in West Palm Beach, Fla., a gathering co-sponsored by Mayo Clinic. As those close to the science explore potential stem cell applications, many patients have questions about what stem cells are and how they are being used. Timothy Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of Mayo Clinics Regenerative Medicine Consult Service, answers some of the most commonly asked questions about stem cells:

MULTIMEDIA ALERT: Multimedia resources, including a Medical Edge package, are available for journalists to download on the Mayo Clinic News Network.

What are stem cells? Stem cells are the bodys raw materials. These cells have the ability to renew themselves or change to become specialized cells with a more specific function, such as blood cells, brain cells, heart muscle or bone.

Where do stem cells come from? Adult stem cells are found in tissues of the body, such as bone marrow. Emerging evidence suggests that adult stem cells may be more versatile than previously thought and have the ability to create other types of cells. Amniotic fluid stem cells come from the liquid that surrounds a developing fetus in the amniotic sac. More study of amniotic fluid stem cells is needed to understand their potential. Embryonic stem cells are a general stem cell found in embryos. Use of this type of stem cell has significantly declined due to the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells. Induced pluripotent stem cells, commonly known as iPS cells, are derived from an adult stem cell that behaves like an embryonic stem cell. This new technique may help researchers avoid the controversy that comes with embryonic stem cells and prevent immune system rejection of the new stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells are adult stem cells found in tissues such as bone marrow, blood and the fallopian tube. They can become bone, cartilage, fat and possibly other cells.

How are stem cells being used to treat diseases? Stem cell transplants, also known as bone marrow transplants, have been performed in the United States since the late 1960s. These transplants use adult stem cells.

Thanks to new technology, researchers are exploring the use of stem cells to treat a range of conditions. For example, teams at Mayo Clinic are investigating the use of adult stem cells to delay or eliminate the need for some hip replacements.

Adult stem cells are being tested to treat degenerative diseases such as heart failure. Stem cells from umbilical cord blood have been successfully used in clinical trials to treat cancer and blood-related diseases.

What does the future hold for stem cell therapy? The use of adult stem cells continues to be refined and improved. Researchers are discovering that these cells may be more versatile than originally thought, which means they may be able to treat a wider variety of diseases, such as diabetes; heart, liver and lung diseases; neurological and bone disorders; hand, face and other injuries; and congenital anomalies.

Dr. Nelson and other Mayo Clinic experts are available to discuss current research and the development of new stem cell therapies.

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Professors Critique Stem Cell Medical Tourism

Posted: November 30, 2012 at 7:40 am

A panel at the Harvard Law School Wednesday discussed the ethical debate over the use of embryonic stem cells in the United States, focusing on the burgeoning controversy surrounding the role of stem cell therapy in medical tourism.

Medical tourism, in which patients travel internationally to gain access to specific health care services, has become increasingly common, panelists said. They said that reasons for medical tourism range from basic hip replacement surgery to black market organ sales. As most stem cell therapies are not approved in the United States, numerous patients are going abroad to countries like China and Russia where treatment is legal.

Panelist I. Glenn Cohen, an assistant professor at the Law School, said that it was probable that a Chinese stem cell facility performs several hundred thousand of these treatments yearly. He said that numerous celebrities, including football quarterback Peyton Manning, have reportedly traveled abroad to receive stem cell treatment not approved by the FDA.

A number of facilities claim to use stem cells to cure a wide array of diseases. University of Alberta law professor Timothy Caulfield, another panelist, pointed out that a simple Google search leads potential patients to a plethora of websites which claim that diseases such as autism and cancer can be cured through stem cell therapy.

Its being offered as routine, its being offered as safe, its being offered as effective, Caulfield said, citing his own 2008 study on the subject, Of course, none of them being offered matched what the scientific literature said.

According to American history professor Jill Lepore, the hyper-acceleration of enthusiasm for stem cell therapy is reminiscent of a century ago when science journalism and government funding for science research began to blossom. Lepore pointed out how public excitement over scientific procedures has affected society in the past, popularizing cryonics research and the work of Eugene Steinach, who claimed his vasectomy operation reversed the aging process.

Panelists said that one issue with stem cell tourism is the number of health risks associated with such procedures, citing a number of instances where stem cell therapy caused serious harm.

They also noted that public discussion about stem cell therapy has been markedly positive, lending an air of legitimacy to stem cell therapy that hasnt been validated by research.

Articles criticizing stem cell tourism, on the other hand, have generally received a less favorable response. Caulfield told the audience that when he co-wrote an article in The Atlantic criticizing stem cell therapy, he was accused as being a nutball Canadian socialist bioethicist.

The panelists emphasized that more accurate information should be provided to the public regarding stem cell treatments.

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International Stem Cell Corporation Announces Significant Progress Towards Clinical Development

Posted: November 30, 2012 at 7:40 am

CARLSBAD, CA--(Marketwire - Nov 29, 2012) - International Stem Cell Corporation ( OTCQB : ISCO ) (www.internationalstemcell.com) ("ISCO" or "the Company"), a California-based biotechnology company focused on the development of therapeutic products, today announced the achievement of a critical milestone towards the clinical development of its stem cell therapy.

The Company's research and development team has created the world's first human clinical-grade stem cell lines with the ability to immune-match millions of individuals. ISCO's existing research-grade parthenogenetic stem cell lines, one of which contains the most common immune type in the Caucasian population and may be an immune-match to approximately 70 million people, are used in pre-clinical development. These new clinical-grade stem cell lines position ISCO to be able to conduct clinical trials in the United States.

Dr. Semechkin, CEO and Co-Chairman of the Board, comments, "We've been working diligently for three years to perfect this technology, which was first developed by our scientific founder, Dr. Elena Revazova in Moscow, and I'm excited to report that we have been able to derive new stem cell lines in the United States under the US and California regulatory frameworks. I'm optimistic that the new parthenogenetic stem cell lines, by providing a potentially unlimited supply of cells and tissue for transplantation, will be of great benefit to the medical community and patients world-wide."

The new stem cell lines, created using ISCO's proprietary technology, are the first of a new generation of clinical-grade human parthenogenetic stem cell (hpSC) lines created in the United States under US regulatory oversight and designed to meet FDA regulations. The US Food and Drug Administration developed Good Tissue Practice (GTP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards to ensure the safety of products developed for clinical use. Conforming to GMP is extremely important as it means that the cells can be used in clinical development programs.

The new lines have been confirmed by independent third-party testing to be "homozygous" in the HLA coding regions meaning that they have a simple genetic profile in the critical areas of the DNA that code for immune rejection. This feature is one of the most important differences of hpSC when compared with embryonic stem cells and a distinct clinical advantage because of their ability to be immune-matched to the patient. We expect the new lines to immune-match millions of individuals, and will be added to ISCO's existing bank providing a platform from which to develop cells and tissue for clinical use.

"The importance of this breakthrough cannot be overstated," commented Dr. Craw, Executive Vice President of ISCO. "Expanding our collection is not only important for our therapeutic programs, but also further establishes our leadership position in human stem cell technology. Achieving this critical milestone moves us along the path to make the transition into a clinical stage company."

About International Stem Cell Corporation

International Stem Cell Corporation is focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell-based research and cosmetic products. ISCO's core technology, parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs) hence avoiding ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenetic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells for hundreds of millions of individuals of differing genders, ages and racial background with minimal immune rejection after transplantation. hpSCs offer the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology (www.lifelinecelltech.com), and stem cell-based skin care products through its subsidiary Lifeline Skin Care (www.lifelineskincare.com). More information is available at http://www.internationalstemcell.com.

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SCMOM 2012_Stanford Cardiovascular Institute – Video

Posted: November 30, 2012 at 2:41 am


SCMOM 2012_Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
Stanford Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) is the nucleus for cardiovascular research at Stanford University. Formed in 2004, the Cardiovascular Institute is home to Stanford #39;s myriad cardiovascular-related adult and pediatric research, clinical, and educational programs, centers and laboratories, as well as over 500 Stanford basic scientists, graduate students, clinician scientists, and other researchers in heart and vessel disease and prevention. Within the area of cardiac regenerative medicine, the Stanford CVI has significant research endeavors involving human pluripotent stem cells for (1) cardiovascular disease modeling, (2) drug screening and discovery, and (3) personalized cell therapy. Recently, Stanford CVI investigators received a $20 million CIRM Disease Team Therapy Award for performing pre-IND work that would enable the first-in-man clinical trial involving injection of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes for patients with heart failure. wulab.stanford.edu Presenter Joseph Wu, Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of MedicineFrom:AllianceRegenMedViews:3 0ratingsTime:17:06More inScience Technology

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Different organ-derived stem cell injections improve heart function in rats

Posted: November 30, 2012 at 2:41 am

Washington, November 28 (ANI): When mesenchymal cells derived from skeletal muscle (SM-MSCs) or adipose tissue (ADSCs) were injected into the heart muscle (myocardium) of separate groups of laboratory rats that had suffered a myocardial infarction, rats in both groups experienced significantly improved left ventricle function and smaller infarct size after cell therapy, a study has found.

The study, carried out by researchers at Oslo University Hospital and the Norwegian Center for Stem cell Research, Oslo University, sought to determine if MSCs from different organs would result in different functional outcomes.

"Despite advances in revascularization and medical therapy, acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and heart failure are still important causes of morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries," said study co-author Dr. Jan E. Brinchmann of the Norwegian center for Stem Cell Research at Oslo University Hospital, Oslo.

"AMI leads to a permanent loss of contractile elements in the heart and the formation of fibrous scarring. Regeneration of contractile myocardium has been a target of cell therapy for more than a decade," he added.

According to Dr. Brinchmann, MSCs tolerate hypoxia, secrete angiogenic factors and have been shown to improve vascularization; thus, they have properties suggesting that they may beneficially impact AMI, chronic heart failure and angina pectoris after cell transplantation.

Following injection into the "border zone" and infarct area of immunodeficient rats one week after induced myocardial infarction, the researchers used echocardiography to measure myocardial function and other analyses to measure the size of scaring, density of blood vessels in the scar, and the health of myocardial tissues.

"Our results showed that intramyocardial injection of both ADSCs and SM-MSCs one week after AMI led to a substantial decrease in infarct size and a significant improvement in left ventricle function when compared with injections of cell culture medium alone," concluded the researchers.

"There was a trend toward better functional improvement in the SM-MSC group when compared to the ADSC group, but this did not reach significance," they added.

They concluded that many questions remain unanswered, including the question of whether MSCs isolated from different organisms could result in different functional outcomes.

Other unanswered questions relate to the optimal time delay between the onset of myocardial infarction and injection of MSCs. These cells do, however, still appear to be "a potentially interesting adjuvant treatment modality for selected patients following acute myocardial infarction," they concluded.

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SCMOM 2012_Stanford Cardiovascular Institute – Video

Posted: November 29, 2012 at 6:42 pm


SCMOM 2012_Stanford Cardiovascular Institute
Stanford Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) is the nucleus for cardiovascular research at Stanford University. Formed in 2004, the Cardiovascular Institute is home to Stanford #39;s myriad cardiovascular-related adult and pediatric research, clinical, and educational programs, centers and laboratories, as well as over 500 Stanford basic scientists, graduate students, clinician scientists, and other researchers in heart and vessel disease and prevention. Within the area of cardiac regenerative medicine, the Stanford CVI has significant research endeavors involving human pluripotent stem cells for (1) cardiovascular disease modeling, (2) drug screening and discovery, and (3) personalized cell therapy. Recently, Stanford CVI investigators received a $20 million CIRM Disease Team Therapy Award for performing pre-IND work that would enable the first-in-man clinical trial involving injection of human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes for patients with heart failure. wulab.stanford.edu Presenter Joseph Wu, Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine, Stanford University School of MedicineFrom:AllianceRegenMedViews:3 0ratingsTime:17:06More inScience Technology

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American CryoStem Announces Adult Stem Cell and Adipose Tissue Collection Center

Posted: November 29, 2012 at 6:42 pm

EATONTOWN, N.J., Nov. 29, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American CryoStem Corporation (CRYO), a leading biotech company in the Regenerative Medicine industry announced the launch of its newest adult stem cell and adipose tissue collection center in Bellevue, Washington. The Company is expanding its collection network into the Pacific Northwest region of the U.S. with the addition of The Stern Center for Aesthetic Surgery ("Stern Center") located at 1370 116th Ave NE, Ste 102, Bellevue WA, 98004 (www.sternctr.com). Dr. Fredric Stern will officially launch the new Stern Center Stem Cell Collection Service as the first to provide Adult Stem Cell and Tissue Banking services to the general public in the Seattle, Washington area.

"Having successfully worked with American CryoStem in the past we are truly excited about the official launch of these adipose tissue based services to the general public in Washington. I look forward to working with American CryoStem on educating my patients about the Regenerative Medicine benefits of "bio-banking" and the latest fat transfer cosmetic services now available at the center. I chose to affiliate my practice with American Cryostem because of their thorough scientific approach to stem cell banking and strict adherence to aseptic technique and FDA guidelines," said Dr. Fredric Stern, the founder of The Stern Center and one of the prominent cosmetic surgeons in the Seattle area. In 2011 Dr. Stern was voted "Seattle's Best Plastic Surgeon" by viewers of KING TV'S Evening Magazine.

John S. Arnone, CEO stated, "We are excited to have a surgeon with Dr. Stern's abilities and reputation associated with American CryoStem in the Seattle, WA area and look forward to a productive relationship with the entire Stern Center team. We remain committed to our "Gold Standard" clinical laboratory processing and storage reputation and strive to provide the best physician and patient services in the U.S. The newest stem cell collection center in our network represents our commitment to associate with leading physicians in the Regenerative Medicine Industry."

About The Stern Center for Aesthetic Surgery: Founded in 1997 in Bellevue, Washington just outside Seattle, the Stern Center offers state-of-the-art laser and cosmetic surgical techniques to patients throughout the western U.S. and beyond. The Stern Center is one of the premier laser-assisted liposuction centers in the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Stern has trained physicians from across the U.S. and around the world, in the latest cosmetic surgical techniques. For more information, please visit: http://www.sternctr.com

About American CryoStem: American CryoStem Corporation (CRYO) is a leading biotech company focused on marketing its clinical processing services and patented products for adipose (fat) tissue and adipose derived adult stem cells. Our clinical tissue processing, patented cell culture media products and tissue storage platform supports cosmetic and Regenerative Medicine applications being developed globally. The Company provides high quality, clinically processed viable cells, while at the same time developing cutting edge applications, therapies, patented laboratory products and services for consumer and commercial applications.PLACEHOLDER

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BioTime CEO Dr. Michael West to Present at World Stem Cell Summit 2012

Posted: November 29, 2012 at 6:41 pm

ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BioTime, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BTX), a biotechnology company that develops and markets products in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced that Chief Executive Officer Michael D. West, Ph.D. will present at the World Stem Cell Summit 2012 in West Palm Beach, Florida on Tuesday, December 4, 2012. Dr. West will be presenting in the session on Developing Combination Products: Cells, Genes, and Devices at 1:30 pm EST which will include an update on product development, including Renevia, PanC-Dx, and OpRegen. The presentation will be made available on BioTime's website at http://www.biotimeinc.com.

World Stem Cell Summit 2012 will be the 8th annual event produced by the Genetics Policy Institute (GPI), a non-profit organization. Planned by and for the stem cell and regenerative medicine community, the goal of the Summit is to accelerate the discovery and development of lifesaving cures and therapies. This year, panels will address advancing treatments for specific diseases and conditions including: cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, spinal cord injury, paralysis, multiple sclerosis, ALS, Parkinson's, eye diseases and others.

About BioTime, Inc.

BioTime, headquartered in Alameda, California, is a biotechnology company focused on regenerative medicine and blood plasma volume expanders. Its broad platform of stem cell technologies is enhanced through subsidiaries focused on specific fields of application. BioTime develops and markets research products in the fields of stem cells and regenerative medicine, including a wide array of proprietary PureStem cell lines, HyStem hydrogels, culture media, and differentiation kits. BioTime is developing Renevia (formerly known as HyStem-Rx), a biocompatible, implantable hyaluronan and collagen-based matrix for cell delivery in human clinical applications. BioTime's therapeutic product development strategy is pursued through subsidiaries that focus on specific organ systems and related diseases for which there is a high unmet medical need. BioTime's majority owned subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd. is developing therapeutic products derived from stem cells for the treatment of retinal and neural degenerative diseases. BioTime's subsidiary OrthoCyte Corporation is developing therapeutic applications of stem cells to treat orthopedic diseases and injuries. Another subsidiary, OncoCyte Corporation, focuses on the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of stem cell technology in cancer, including the diagnostic product PanC-Dx currently being developed for the detection of cancer in blood samples. ReCyte Therapeutics, Inc. is developing applications of BioTime's proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell technology to reverse the developmental aging of human cells to treat cardiovascular and blood cell diseases. BioTime's subsidiary LifeMap Sciences, Inc. markets GeneCards, the leading human gene database, and is developing an integrated database suite to complement GeneCards that will also include the LifeMap database of embryonic development, stem cell research and regenerative medicine, and MalaCards, the human disease database. LifeMap will also market BioTime research products. BioTime's lead product, Hextend, is a blood plasma volume expander manufactured and distributed in the U.S. by Hospira, Inc. and in South Korea by CJ CheilJedang Corporation under exclusive licensing agreements. Additional information about BioTime can be found on the web at http://www.biotimeinc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements pertaining to future financial and/or operating results, future growth in research, technology, clinical development, and potential opportunities for BioTime and its subsidiaries, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates") should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the business of BioTime and its subsidiaries, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in BioTime's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. BioTime disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

To receive ongoing BioTime corporate communications, please click on the following link to join our email alert list: http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=83805&p=irol-alerts

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Stem Cell Banks Envisioned for Regenerative Medicine

Posted: November 29, 2012 at 6:41 pm

Stem cell banks could serve as a valuable resource for emerging treatments in the field of regenerative medicine, though challenges remain to making them a reality, according to a panel of international experts who gathered at UCSF for a stem cell conference last month.

Funding for the development of stem cell lines for research has long been subject to debate, especially before President Barack Obama lifted a Bush-era ban on federal funding in 2009, but now scientists are discussing how to best meet the anticipated need for stem cells for medicine as well as research.

Stem cell treatments developed from adult cells rather than from embryonic tissue are expected to enter clinical trials for macular degeneration in Japan next year, and early successes in such trials aimed at replacing damaged tissues would be expected to drive demand for such stem cells upward. Worldwide, stem cell scientists in academia, government and the private sector are gauging strategies for moving forward with stem cell banks to meet expected demand.

So far, countries have been taking different paths toward acquiring these resources, panelists said at an Oct. 25 discussion at the International Society for Stem Cell Research conference held at the UCSF Mission Bay campus.

Shinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD

Panelists for the discussion, titled Challenges and Opportunities in Cellular Reprogramming, included Shinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD, a UCSF professor of anatomy senior investigator with the UCSF-affiliated Gladstone Institutes who won the 2012 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for discoveries that are the groundwork for many of todays regenerative medicine strategies.

Yamanaka, who is also director of the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application at Kyoto University, has advocated stem cell banking for medicine in his native Japan, where the government recently made a commitment to begin stem cell banking.

Yamanaka pioneered the use of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, which are created when individuals provide skin cells or other easily obtained cells that scientists then reprogram in the lab to become virtually any cell type. One of primary advantages to iPS cells is that their use overcomes ethical objections to the use of embryonic stem cells, which are developed from leftover embryos obtained from in vitro fertilization clinics.

Because iPS cells can be created from the cells of individuals afflicted with specific diseases, they can be used to develop new disease models to learn more about how diseases arise and how they might be treated. But in addition, panelists emphasized, iPS cells can be reprogrammed to become long-lived stem cells specialized for particular organs and tissues and play a role in treatments now being developed for regenerative medicine.

Our effort in Japan is to establish iPS stocks for regenerative medicine, Yamanaka said.

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