Investigators at the Vinmec Stem Cell and Gene Technology Research Institute in Hanoi, Vietnam are studying the safety and efficacy of autologous bone marrow stem cell treatment for autism spectrum disorder in combination with rehabilitation and psychotherapy. Autism Spectrum Disorder The CDC reports that autism is present in 1 in 68 children in America. Autism [Read More]
Researchers at Egypt’s Assiut University are studying the application of stem cell treatment for chronic diabetic foot ulcers. The interventional study, which is not yet open for enrollment, is an open-label single group assessment. Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Amputations It is estimated that approximately 15 percent of diabetics develop a foot ulcer at some point [Read More]
Scientists at the University of Utah have investigated the complex development of stem cells that give rise to human sperm. The findings have implications for the treatment of male infertility and cancer therapy. New Research on Human Sperm Stem Cells Previously, studies on sperm stem cell development have been limited to animal models (mice). The [Read More]
Researchers and physicians at the top-ranked Texas Heart Institute in Houston are conducting a clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of combination adult stem cell injections in patients with heart disease. Previous studies have shown that adult stem cells have an excellent safety profile in people with cardiovascular disease, but this is the first time [Read More]
A study sponsored by Stem Cells Arabia is investigating the safety and efficacy of autologous marrow-derived stem cell therapy in children and adults with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked genetic disorder that primarily affects boys and is characterized by progressive muscle weakness. The condition is caused by [Read More]
Researchers at Ankara University School of Medicine in Turkey are investigating whether an infusion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can improve outcomes in patients with hematological malignancies receiving haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplants. Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Regenerative medicine researcher and thoracic surgeon, Swiss-born Paolo Macchiarini, once hailed as a miracle worker, medical pioneer, and star surgeon, has been exposed as a con man. Sporting a handsome face and easy charm, for a while, the celebrity scientist had nearly everyone fooled. The Rise and Fall of Paolo Macchiarini
In what is good news for the millions of Americans with partial or complete hair loss, scientists at the University of Southern California have developed a potential new stem cell cure for baldness. Is Bald Really Beautiful? Perhaps if you’re a baby or Vin Diesel. For the ordinary American, however, baldness can be a source [Read More]
The California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has given a $16 million grant to Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics, Inc., a stem cell developer in Israel. The grant will support a phase III trial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS: An Overview ALS is a progressive disorder of painless muscle weakness. It is also known as Lou [Read More]
Researchers in Denmark are working on developing a line of pure insulin-producing stem cells that could revolutionize the treatment of diabetes. Living cells that release insulin inside the body are of interest to scientists because they are directly responsive to alterations in the blood sugar level. Diabetes Mellitus: An Overview Diabetes mellitus is a condition [Read More]
Researchers in Australia have used a 3D printer to create nerve cells found in the human brain. The neurons were created with a special type of bio-ink derived from stem cells. It is hoped that these printed brain cells will be able to someday help people afflicted by neurological conditions. 3D Printing of Human Cells [Read More]
The healing of corneal wounds is a complex process. Delayed or incomplete healing of the cornea is a cause for concern. Now, a new study has shown that stem cells could prove helpful in people with complicated corneal wound healing. Corneal Wounds: An Overview The cornea is the outermost layer of the eye and is [Read More]
Scientists at New York’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine have conducted experiments and found that stem cell implants in the brains of mice can stop aging and help the treated animals remain fitter for longer. What part of the brain controls aging? The experiments have helped researchers identify that a part of the brain called [Read More]
Scientists at the University of California – Irvine have developed a stem cell therapy to target and kill cancer cells without some of the toxic effects typically associated with chemotherapy. Stem Cell Therapy for Cancer The group in Irvine programmed stem cells obtained from the human bone marrow to identify cancer cells based on their [Read More]
Hip or knee replacement surgery helps people with advanced arthritis regain and maintain mobility. The need for joint replacement increases with age and about 10 percent of people require total knee replacement by the age of 80. It is estimated that around 7 million Americans have undergone joint replacement. In the next couple of decades, [Read More]
Researchers at the University of Colorado in Aurora hope to use stem cells to treat diabetes and do away with the need for daily insulin injections. Type 1 Diabetes Treatment Without Insulin People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes have a life-threatening lack of insulin in their bodies. Daily injections of insulin are necessary to regulate [Read More]
Researchers at Oncoceutics, Inc., have identified a molecule known as ONC201 that could help treat refractory cancer. ONC201 alters the gene expression of cancer stem cells and prevents them from self-renewing. Cancer stem cells play a key role in cancer recurrence and lack of response to chemoradiation treatments. Cancer Stem Cells and ONC201 Cancer stem [Read More]
Stem cell therapies have the potential to treat some of the deadliest diseases that afflict mankind. Stem cells offer hope to people suffering from conditions for which there are no treatments or very few treatments. The promise that these “master” cells hold to repair, regenerate, replace, and restore all types of tissues and cells in [Read More]
A group of researchers in Canada, led by Dr. John Dick at the University of Toronto, have discovered the reason for the mysterious relapse of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in some patients. The findings provide insight into why certain patients are fated to relapse while others achieve remission with standard chemotherapy.
Hydrogels are materials that mimic the properties of biologic tissues. They are used in stem cell therapy and drug delivery. Conventional hydrogels are synthetic polymers or biomolecules that serve as passive frameworks for cells and molecules. Now, scientists at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have created “smart” hydrogels that are responsive to [Read More]
A recent study has shown that autologous cord blood infusions are a safe and effective treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder. The study was a single-center phase 1 open-label trial. What is autism spectrum disorder?
Glaucoma cannot be cured, which is why there is great interest among patients, physicians, and scientists in new regenerative therapies for the disease. The clinical application of stem cell therapy holds great promise. Recent reports of patient-funded trials, where the patient pays to participate in a study and receive experimental stem cell treatments for glaucoma, [Read More]
Advances in technology have made it possible for someone to buy the various components of a computer from an electronics store and build a sophisticated, functional, complex machine in their garage. Biologists have been experimenting with a similar approach to repairing and regenerating damaged tissues and organs in the human body.
A researcher at Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev claims to have developed an innovative stem cell treatment that could potentially cure leukemia. The per capita fatality rate from leukemia in Israel is the fourth highest in the world. In the United States, the disease claims nearly 25,000 lives each year.
Researchers at Australia’s Monash University have developed a new stem cell treatment that could benefit people who suffer from chronic asthma. Scientists at the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute have conducted experiments with pluripotent stem cells with early results reported as promising.
The results of a study published in Stem Cell Reports indicate the electrical stimulation can be used to guide neural stem cells to the site of damaged brain tissue. This is a breakthrough finding since it will allow scientists to more minutely control stem cell treatment.
Human embryonic stem cells have the ability to differentiate into any type of cell found in the human body. The scientific community believes that stem cells hold the key to the prevention and treatment of diseases. Now researchers are discovering that haploid stem cells could change the face of medicine.
Platelet-rich plasma therapy, commonly known as PRP therapy, has been available for more than a decade now and continues to gain popularity. Recently, a high school teacher in Colorado, Floyd Aker, received PRP therapy in his shoulder and was able to avoid orthopedic surgery. How does PRP therapy work?
We live in a world of rapidly evolving regenerative medicine, and now more developments than ever in the use of stem cells are poised to dramatically improve musculoskeletal health. If you are suffering from chronic joint pain such as an injured hip or arthritic knee, you should know that stem cell therapy offers an innovative [Read More]
Stem cell biology expert Joseph T. Rodgers and a team at the University of South Carolina have discovered a way to accelerate healing following injury. The findings were published in Cell Reports, a scientific journal. The National Institutes of Health funded the research along with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Stanford University’s Department of Neurology, [Read More]
The various conditions associated with thyroid dysfunction impact 20 million Americans every year. From uncontrollable weight loss or weight gain to serious complications like cardiovascular disease, thyroid diseases wreak havoc on the body. Now, scientists are working to utilize stem cells to engineer new, fully functioning thyroid cells. The Thyroid Controls the Body’s Functions The [Read More]
Investigators at Indiana University School of Medicine have used human stem cell to grow inner ear tissue in the lab. The idea was to develop a method to test new therapies for balance and hearing disorders. Inner ear tissue is a scarcity in research labs because it is not biopsied. The lab-grown tissue will, therefore, [Read More]
Researchers at Iowa State University have used inkjet printer nanotechnology to develop a better way of differentiating stem cells. The experiments have been conducted on stem cells that are vital to nerve cell regeneration. Producing Schwann Cells in Useful Numbers Schwann cells are responsible for forming the sheath that surrounds axons. Axons are the tail-like [Read More]
A sexual wellness expert in Florida, Dr. Lisbeth Roy, is reporting success with a new treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED). The GAINSWave therapy is a non-invasive and drug-free procedure, which when combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy can deliver a knockout punch to ED. Erectile Dysfunction: An Overview Simply put, erectile dysfunction is a man’s [Read More]
People from all around the world are flocking to Moscow, Russia, for innovative stem cell therapies for MS. Multiple sclerosis is a crippling disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. MS is an autoimmune disease that is unpredictable and affects different people in different ways. Clinical management and pharmacotherapy can help relieve symptoms and [Read More]
Long-Lasting Vascular Access for Patients on Dialysis Receives FDA Designation One of the first RMAT (regenerative medicine advanced therapy) designations from the US Food and Drug Administration has been awarded to Humacyl, an investigational human acellular vessel (HAV). Carrie Cox, CEO and chairman of Humacyte, the company that makes Humacyl, said the designation is an [Read More]
Scientists Reprogram Brain Cells to Treat Parkinson’s Scientists in Europe have developed a new method of reprogramming brain cells to treat Parkinson’s disease. The experiments were conducted in mice to see if some of the movement disorders that characterize Parkinson’s could be corrected. Parkinson’s Disease: An Overview Parkinson’s disease is the result of neurons (brain [Read More]
Researchers in Japan have made what may be a remarkable breakthrough in the treatment of macular degeneration. In a procedure that could make stem cell transplantation a reality, a man with age-related macular degeneration received iPSCs (induced pluripotent stem cells) derived from a donor’s skin cells. The multi-step procedure involved converting the donor iPSCs to [Read More]
Cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that causes progressive lung infections and limits a person’s ability to breathe, is a deadly disease that impacts more than 30,000 people in America and 70,000 people worldwide. Only 70 years ago, people born with CF rarely even survived through elementary school, but medical advancements now allow those with CF [Read More]
Stem Cell Treatment May Hold the Key In an exciting development in the field of stem cell research, scientists have developed an innovative device that uses the patient’s own stem cells to treat burns and heal the skin without scarring. This is the first time stem cells have been used to directly heal and mend [Read More]
Researchers at the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development report promising results from a stem cell treatment for autistic children based on a new study that was conducted on 25 children between the ages of 2 and 6. Investigators are optimistic but warn that a lot of work still needs to be done. Autism: [Read More]
Jonathan Pitre, 16, has epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic disorder of connective tissue that causes the skin to be extremely fragile and prone to tears and blisters from minor trauma and friction. About 200 children are born with this condition in the United States every year. They are sometimes referred to as butterfly children on [Read More]
The results of a recent phase 2 study of stem cell therapy for rheumatoid arthritis can only be described in one word: tantalizing. The dramatic results, which include symptoms relieved for at least nine months after just one stem cell injection, still need to be validated in a larger phase 3 study. But that hasn’t [Read More]
In just a few short years, cord blood banking has gone from virtually unknown to a common occurrence. Expectant mothers across the country receive a pamphlet about cord blood banking upon their first prenatal doctor’s visit, and many turn the advice into action. The incredible healing power of a newborn baby’s umbilical cord blood is [Read More]
Dean Kamen has become known as the $294 million man. As an inventor and entrepreneur, Kamen’s passion for technology has helped his company, DEKA Research & Development, create many groundbreaking products over the years, such as the first portable insulin delivery system, an electronic wheelchair that can take the stairs, and a robotic prosthetic arm. [Read More]
On January 19, 2017, Stem Pharm Inc. received a $290,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health. This funding will allow the University of Wisconsin-Madison startup company to pursue groundbreaking achievements, such as the development of sophisticated biological materials, that make it possible to manufacture stem cells for medical use. Stem Pharm’s founder, William Murphy, [Read More]
Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA) may not be widely known, but it is a very severe blood disorder that prevents bone marrow from producing enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital’s Stem Cell Research Program recently completed a groundbreaking study aimed at developing potential treatments for this blood [Read More]
Glaucoma is known as one of the most common causes of vision loss and blindness in older Americans. Despite its prevalence, there is still no cure for it. While treatments can prevent the disease from worsening, nothing can reverse the damage caused by glaucoma. Scientists are now studying the applications of regenerative medicine to determine [Read More]
Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) has made major headlines throughout the past year, thanks to their 3-D printing innovations. After breaking new ground by successfully transplanting functional 3-D printed ear, bone, and muscle tissue structures into animals, the researchers and scientists at WFIRM began placing focus in the arena of 3-D printed skin.
President Trump’s immediate scaledown and partial repeal of the Affordable Care Act has made headlines all around the country this January, and the implications of his actions will not be fully seen or understood for months and years. In addition to individuals and businesses who are unsure what their healthcare policies will look like in [Read More]
