Category Archives: Stem Cell Research

A family donating $30 million to McMaster University wants to speed up the development of stem cell therapies. Of the total going to the Hamilton, Ont., university, $24 million will be used to establish the Boris Family Centre in Human Stem Cell Therapies, which will speed the commercial development of discoveries made at the McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute. The other $6 million is for a unique clinic that will allow patients with complex health problems to see several specialists and have related tests during one visit. "McMaster University has proven its ability to fast forward discoveries from the lab bench to the patients' bedside,” Les Boris said in a news release on behalf of his parents’ Marta and Owen Boris Foundation. “It made perfect sense to make this investment in this world-class university.” The McMaster institute is world-renowned for its human stem cell discoveries, such as the ability to generate blood from stem cells grown from human skin, said Mick Bhatia, scientific director of the research institute. The funds will: Establish two senior research chairs, one in blood stem cells and the other in neuro stem cells. Set up several fellowships and technician positions. Build the facility … Continue reading →

Q. What are human stem cells? A. Stem cells are the blank slates of the body that are used as the building blocks for growth, repair and replacement. As blank slates, these cells can be triggered to develop into the specific types of cells that make up tissues. There are two different kinds of stem cells, based on their development potential. One category is known as pluripotent stem cells, meaning they have the ability to develop into any type of tissue in the body. Pluripotent stem cells can be broken into two subcategories: those that are derived from human embryos, and those that are created from human skin cells, based on pioneering research conducted at McMaster University. The second category are adult, or somatic, stem cells, which are found in the various organs and tissues of the body. These, too, are blank slates that can be triggered to differentiate, but they can only be transformed into the cell types that are specific to that particular tissue. “When you talk about adult stem cells, they come in different flavours and they’re very specific in their role but they don’t have the broad potential that pluripotent stem cells have,” said Dr. Mick … Continue reading →

19-01-2012 22:48 Professor Trounson's presentation focuses on how stem cell research has the potential to yield groundbreaking new tools to understand and develop therapies for CP and related brain disorders. He also discusses the challenging nature of the research and its high risk to investigators which in many cases requires novel interdisciplinary collaborations and an increased focus on translations. Professor Alan Trounson is President of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) in California, the state's $3 billion stem cell agency. He is a pioneer of human IVF and associated reproductive technologies including diagnosis of inherited genetic disease in pre-implantation embryos, and the discovery and production of human embryonic stem cells and their directed differentiation into a range of cell and tissue types. See more here: Professor Alan Trounson - World focus on stem cell research - Video … Continue reading →

31-01-2012 13:32 James P. Watson, MD lecture sample from the 11th Clinical Applications for Age Management Medicine Conference, Fall 2011, Las Vegas, Nevada Pre-Conference Track 2: Regenerative and Cell Based Medicine This lecture focused on regenerative and cell-based medicine, Autologous Stem Cell Research. This field continues to grow in use by physicians across the world. From platelet rich plasma to culture expanded stem cells, the need for information about the applications of these therapies to treat patients has never been greater. This track will focus on the latest developments in cell-based medicine with speakers who are driving the research and using these technologies as part of their everyday practice of medicine. For more information about our upcoming conference visit our website http://www.agemed.org Or contact us at conference@agemed.org More: An Overview of Data Trends in Autologous Stem Cell Research and Clinical Use - James P. Watson, MD - Video … Continue reading →

More than 250 participants, including key ethicists and scientists, will present their views on stem cell research and its ethics at the Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy due to take place in Doha this month. More than 45 national, regional and international institutes have already submitted over 70 abstracts for the conference. The abstracts examine the various challenges and opportunities that stem cell research presents, and include themes such as the therapeutic potential of stem cell research, the challenges presented by stem cell research in the context of the GCC region, the commercial applications of stem cell research, and one of the most important topics in the dialogue surrounding stem cell research – the ethics and its ramifications for stem cell guidelines and policies. “This is a unique opportunity for Qatar Foundation to continue the open dialogue it has established through its partnership with James A Baker III Institute and the Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies on ethics in stem cell research,” said Faisal Mohammed al-Suwaidi, president, research and development, at Qatar Foundation. The conference is the culmination of a series of initiatives developed through this tripartite partnership to develop best ethical practice in stem cell … Continue reading →

22-09-2009 16:31 New stem cell studies at the University of Maryland Dental School demonstrate that surgeons could one day routinely use strong, moldable, and injectable pastes to regenerate needed bone tissue to repair broken bones, fractures, genetic defects, even combat bone wounds. The studies were presented at the 2009 World Stem Cell Summit in Baltimore, Maryland. Read more here: UMB Dental Stem Cell Research - Video … Continue reading →

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - Experts from UC Davis Health System will share the latest research about regenerative medicine, with a focus on chronic pain and the promise of stem cell therapies, during a community forum on the university's Sacramento campus. The discussion takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 7, from 6- 7:30 p.m. at the UC Davis Education Building, 4610 X Street, in Sacramento. The event features Jan Nolta, director of the UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures; Scott Fishman, chief of the UC Davis Division of Pain Medicine; and Kee Kim, chief of spinal neurosurgery at UC Davis Medical Center. The three specialists will discuss the challenges of treating chronic pain, especially back and neck pain, and the clinical research now under way to use stem cell therapies to overcome it. The forum is free and open to the public. It is part of "Stem Cell Dialogues," UC Davis Health System's discussion series about regenerative medicine and the goal of turning stem cells into cures. Each speaker will provide a short presentation followed by a panel discussion and question and answer period. The event will be moderated by Fred Meyers, professor of medicine and pathology, and executive associate dean of UC … Continue reading →

The stem cell stage was always thought to be a necessary step in the transformation of one type of cell into another, but new research from the Stanford University School of Medicine suggests that may not be the case. According to Medical News Today, scientists at the California school were able to successfully convert mouse skin cells directly into neural precursor cells, which then form the three main types of brain and nervous system cells. “We’ve shown the cells can integrate into a mouse brain and produce a missing protein important for the conduction of electrical signal by the neurons,” said senior author Marius Wernig. “This is important because the mouse model we used mimics that of a human genetic brain disease.” The same team had previously transformed mouse and human skin cells directly into functional neurons, but the new study is particularly exciting because of the possibilities neural precursor cells offer. While the cells can go on to become neurons, they can also differentiate into atrocytes and andoligodendrocytes, which maintain neurons and connect them to one another in order to transmit signals. Neural precursor cells are also easily stored in large numbers and better for lab work, the researchers … Continue reading →

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 ANGELES CITY -- The move of Representative Carmelo Lazatin (1st district, Pampanga) to establish a stem cell center in the Philippines has garnered the support of the Catanduanes Provincial Board. The measure (House Bill 5287) entitled “An Act Establishing Stem Cell Technology” seeks to establish a stem cell center in the Philippines that would strengthen research on the latest medical technology. Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos. This latest technology is a “major breakthrough in combating deadly diseases,” said the Catanduanes Provincial Board, which recently passed a resolution in support of the bill. The resolution, a copy of which was forwarded to Lazatin’s office, was approved by acting Vice Governor Nel Asanza and Board Members Rafael Zuniega, Edwin Tanael, Shirley Abundo, Jose Romeo Francisco, Roger Pereyra, Marilyn Tatel and Lemuel Surtida. The Catanduanes Provincial Board said stem cell technology offers hope of effective treatment of malignant and non-malignant diseases such as cancer, heart attacks and other cardio-vascular anomalies. It said the establishment of a stem cell research and storage center in the country would be a great help to unfortunate Filipinos who cannot afford expensive treatment, as well as in promoting … Continue reading →

27-01-2012 10:07 http://www.insidershealth.com Reverse Aging Fountain of Youth Reversed Aging Stem Cell Research Has the Fountain of Youth been discovered? Is reversed aging really in our future? University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine may just have found the answer through a study involving lab mice with a rapid-aging disease. Once the mice received a muscle stem cell injection, the doctors were pleased to find that it reversed the effects of aging in the sick mice! Reverse Aging Fountain of Youth Reversed Aging Stem Cell Research http://www.insidershealth.com Read more here: Reverse Aging Discovery thru Stem Cell Research - Video … Continue reading →