Bauer Fellow Peter J. Turnbaugh and coworkers published work last month that could pave the way for techniques in personalized medicinetreatment which caters to an individuals unique genetic makeup. The paper, which was published in the research publication Cell, demonstrated some of the specific effects certain drugs have on microbes in the human body. The results of this study could help scientists and doctors predict and avoid side effects that may arise from their patients taking oral medication. Even with advances in medicine, there are still a significant number of drugs that come with side effects of varying degree. These side effects are difficult for scientists to eliminate because every persons response to drugs is individualized and unique. In order to begin to understand these unique responses, Turnbaughs group analyzed the responses of various microbes found in the human gut, and their responses to various drugs and antibiotics. After the microbes were treated with doses of the drugs, researchers inspected them for changes in their structure and gene expression. By noting which groups of microorganisms changed in response to the treatment, Turnbaughs group was able to conclude which microbes interact most strongly with a series of six drugs and eight … Continue reading →

By Lara Salahi, Boston.com Correspondent For many parents who face a family history of devestating genetic diseases, the question of whether their child is at risk, and his or her chances of getting the disease, may not be far from mind. The rise in popularity of at-home genetic tests suggest some feel the answers to those questions may no longer be a secret. But many experts say the anxiety that comes along with predictive test and no definitive results does more harm than good. Thats why a new policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Medical Genetics aims to put the brakes on testing children used to identify genetically inherited childhood diseases and diseases that can occur when they become adults. Physicians should discourage testing in children for adult onset genetic disease, especially if there is no treatment to give during childhood to prevent the disease, according to the new policy statement released Thursday. In that case, theres nothing the person can do differently until they are an adult, said Dr. Lainie Ross, the Carolyn and Matthew Bucksbaum professor of clinical ethics at the University of Chicago and lead author of the accompanying report … Continue reading →

Beware...When you damage cartilage it doesn't recover... but perhaps with stem cell rejuvenation? http://www.stemcellsarthritistreatment.com When joint cartilage is damaged, it begins to degrade and form cracks, called fibrillations. If severe enough, the cartilage damage can expose underlying bone. Why does this happen. Well... it's because cartilage lacks a blood supply. It can't supply stem cells from the blood or bone marrow to help with healing. Even cartilage cells-the chondrocytes- really can't move to help since they're trapped inside their matrix. So... bottom line, once cartilage is injured, unless something is done to provide it with cells to heal, it will continue to degrade. This is the bad news. The good news is that stem cells can repair cartilage damage when administered properly. http By: Nathan Wei … Continue reading →

Caf scientifique - heart regeneration (audio only) Caf scientifique -- heart regeneration (1hr, 34mins) New research in gene and stem cell therapy for heart failure was discussed in the coffee shop at Royal Brompton Hospital on 24 October 2012. The event provided an opportunity for patients, the public and our researchers to discuss and debate this heart research from Royal Brompton Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and Imperial College London. Speakers: Richard Ashcroft -- bioethicist Sian Harding -- cell therapy scientist Alex Lyon -- heart failure hospital consultant For more information about biomedical research at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, please visit http://www.rbht.nhs.uk By: RBandH … Continue reading →

Public release date: 21-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Anne DeLotto Baier abaier@health.usf.edu 813-974-3303 University of South Florida (USF Health) TAMPA, Florida (Feb. 21, 2013) Cardiovascular disease specialists at Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute affiliated with the University of South Florida announced they have enrolled their first patients into a clinical trial testing a novel gene therapy for the treatment of heart failure after ischemic injury. The therapy may promote the regeneration of heart tissue by encouraging the body to deploy more stem cells to the injury site. Dr. Charles Lambert, Medical Director of Florida Hospital Pepin Heart Institute and Dr. Leslie Miller, Director of the USF Heart Institute, are leading the way for the randomized, placebo-controlled trial which spans 10 sites across the United States. The study, called the STOP-HF, will enroll 90 patients nationwide. Heart failure (HF) can occur when the muscles of the heart become weakened and cannot pump blood sufficiently throughout the body. The injury is most often caused by inadequate blood flow to the heart resulting from chronic or acute cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks. Considerable scientific evidence has emerged over the past decade demonstrating the … Continue reading →

Public release date: 21-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Sooike Stoops sooike.stoops@vib.be 32-924-46611 VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) Cell therapy is a promising alternative to tissue and organ transplantation for diseases that are caused by death or poor functioning of cells. Considering the ethical discussions surrounding human embryonic stem cells, a lot is expected of the so-called 'induced pluripotent stem cells' (iPS cells). However, before this technique can be applied effectively, a lot of research is required into the safety and efficacy of such iPS cells. VIB scientists associated to the UGent have developed a mouse model that can advance this research to the next step. Lieven Haenebalcke (VIB/UGent): "iPS cells have enormous therapeutic potential, but require more thorough testing before they can be used for such purposes. Using our new mouse model, we can study which mechanisms determine the identity of a cell. This knowledge is essential before we can use cell therapy for regenerative medicine." Jody Haigh (VIB/UGent): "If we want to give cell therapy a future, then we must continue this type of research and invest in the further development of such technologies. This will result in an improved insight into cellular identity and … Continue reading →

Feb. 21, 2013 In the first human study of its kind, researchers activated heart failure patients' stem cells with gene therapy to improve their symptoms, heart function and quality of life, according to a study in the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research. Researchers delivered a gene that encodes a factor called SDF-1 to activate stem cells like a "homing" signal. The study is unique because researchers introduced the "homing" factor to draw stem cells to the site of injury and enhance the body's stem cell-based repair process. Generally, researchers extract and expand the number of cells, then deliver them back to the subject. "We believe stem cells are always trying to repair tissue, but they don't do it well -- not because we lack stem cells but, rather, the signals that regulate our stem cells are impaired," said Marc S. Penn, M.D., Ph.D., Director of Research at Summa Cardiovascular Institute in Akron, Ohio, and lead author and professor of medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown, Ohio. SDF-1 is a naturally occurring protein, secreted by cells, that guides the movement of other cells. Previous research by Penn and colleagues has shown SDF-1 activates and recruits the body's stem … Continue reading →