Regenerative medicine has taken some abrupt turns and changes in the last two decades, and ongoing research is just furthering the study and use of stem cells in the treatment of medical conditions and disorders. The most promising advances in regenerative medicine today have more to do with the research and clinical trials necessary for [Read More]
Stem cells are being used in so many new and exciting ways. As knowledge of the human body increases and scientists do more research into stem cells, advanced treatments are being formulated. Surprisingly, researchers are beginning to study the effect of stem cells on the treatment of mental illness. Could there be a cure for [Read More]
There are several different types of arthritis, and all of them can affect your mobility and stability, as well as cause significant amounts of pain. When arthritis progresses to this point, there are not many treatments available to improve the condition. Many arthritis patients eventually have joint replacement surgeries. But now there are stem cell [Read More]
Stem cells are being used in research and clinical trials in a number of fascinating ways to treat a variety of diseases, illnesses, and medical conditions. While some stem cell therapies have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, many other stem cell therapies are still in research or clinical trial stages. If you [Read More]
Stem cells can be used to treat a number of conditions and diseases, but it can be confusing trying to figure out how it all works. Stem cells treat disease of varying types in much the same way across the board. Understanding how stem cells treat disease is important in deciding if you want to [Read More]
Stem cells are a hot topic right now in the medical world. Although stem cell research and clinical trials have been ongoing for decades, it is only in recent years that these studies and treatments have been working toward perfection. More is being done with stem cells today than ever before. But what exactly are [Read More]
It is estimated that over one million Americans are infected with the HIV virus. HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is an infection that eventually leads to AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Once AIDS has set in, most patients die within five years due to complications from cancers, diseases, viruses, or infections. Doctors and researchers [Read More]
Diabetes affects more than 100 million adults in the United States, and new medications and treatments to control the condition are being developed all the time. There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is actually an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas [Read More]
Multiple sclerosis affects about 400,000 Americans annually. This condition is the result of the protective lining that surrounds and protects the neurons of the cells, called myelin, being attacked by the immune system. Without myelin, patients of MS feel weak and may have difficulty walking and moving around. This is a debilitating illness that people [Read More]
Stem cells are being researched in many different fields of medicine. One of the things that stem cells have helped uncover is Alzheimer’s treatment. Stem cells are being used in several unique ways to help patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, a debilitating elderly illness that results in dementia and can even lead to death. The [Read More]
Stem cell therapies are becoming more and more common for a variety of regenerative treatments. Many people are against stem cell treatments because they are unaware or misinformed about how stem cells are collected and used in regenerative treatments. Being armed with this knowledge will help you make a decision about whether or not to [Read More]
Two clinical trials are expected to start soon to assess the ability of stem cells to treat macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in people over 50 years old. One trial uses cells derived from human embryonic stem cells, while the other uses induced pluripotent stem cells (1). Macular Degeneration Age-related macular degeneration is [Read More]
BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics have received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration to proceed with Phase 2 trials for their stem cell treatment for progressive multiple sclerosis (1). The treatment utilizes a proprietary autologous stem cell treatment, injecting patient-derived mesenchymal stem cells that secrete neurotrophic factors to stem the advance of disease (2). [Read More]
Stem cell treatments are being used across the country and the globe, recognized as helping many different health problems. Also, research shows that these treatments enjoy not only a great safety profile, but the possibility of helping conditions that cannot be improved by currently available standard medical medications or other treatments. The most well known [Read More]
Scientists are trying to use genetic treatments to save a species of the rhino known as the northern white. After the death of the last remaining male of the species in March 2018, only two females remain. The animals live in Kenya’s Ol Pejeta Reserve but technically belong to the Czech Republic’s Dvr Kralove Zoo. [Read More]
The University of Leicester has broken a British charity’s record for the maximum number of registrations for stem cell donors in a single day. The event was promoted by a Rik Basra, a policeman who successfully underwent stem cell transplantation a few years ago. Basra has been encouraging blacks and Asians to register as stem [Read More]
A mother from Nuneaton has called for the United Kingdom’s public health services provider NHS to review the decision to end stem cell funding for relapsed patients. Her children Charlie, 5, and Zoe, 3, suffer from a rare genetic disorder and have both undergone stem cell transplants. Charlie’s procedure was successful, but his sister Zoe [Read More]
A laboratory in Lanarkshire in the United Kingdom has begun harvesting stem cells from the teeth of pediatric patients. The hope is that these harvested cells will be available to cure diseases that the children may develop later in life. Parents who avail this service will pay a monthly fee to BioEden, an American company, [Read More]
A new scientific revolution is taking place in China in the field of stem cell research. Unlike the Western world, the laws in China are quite lax with no moral or ethical barriers to hold back research in one of the most controversial areas of research. The People’s Republic of China has different cultural views [Read More]
A team of researchers at Cedars-Sinai has successfully repaired severe fractures with an innovative method that relies on stem cells. The experiments were conducted in laboratory animals, but if proven effective and safe in humans, could change the way broken bones are treated.
A team of researchers at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, working in collaboration with investigators at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, has identified the gene mutation that leads to uncontrolled cell division and tumor formation in some stem cell lines. The Harvard scientists say the findings suggest the need to screen lab-grown stem [Read More]
Researchers have used gene-editing technology and stem cells modified for autonomous regenerative therapy (SMART) to help fight arthritis. Arthritis and many other chronic conditions are associated with inflammation. The idea is to replace arthritic cartilage in the affected joints with stem-cell-produced cartilage and a biological anti-inflammatory agent.
Scientists at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have uncovered previously unknown stem cell-mediated steps in muscle regeneration. The findings were published in the journal Genes and Development. The new insights into age-related muscle degeneration will also help researchers studying muscular dystrophies.
In the laboratory, pluripotent stem cells have embryo-like abilities to develop into different types of tissues found in the human body. However, it is only totipotent stem cells that can develop into embryo-supporting tissues such as the placenta. Since extra-embryonic tissues play an important role in healthy growth and development, scientists at Salk Institute have [Read More]
A study at the Stanford University School of Medicine has revealed that a single protein is key in priming stem cells to respond to injury. Experiments in mice showed that the primer protein helped in quicker recovery from muscle injury. In fact, the skin also healed more rapidly and hair grew back quicker in the [Read More]
Established cell lines and experiments in animals do not always mimic conditions in the human body well and results can be vastly different in actual human populations compared to the laboratory. Researchers at the School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University have tried to overcome this challenge of developing a good research model by [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
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]
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]
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]
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]
There is no denying that stem cells have revolutionized the medical industry in numerous ways. Every day, headlines such as “Stem Cell Therapy for Autism Shows Promise” and “Ground-Breaking Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis Has Man Running Again” grace the news. Amazingly enough, these headlines aren’t just hype. Since stem cells have the unique ability to [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]
A stem cell is a basic cell that has the capability to transform into specialized cells such as the heart, nerves, lung, skin and more. It also can duplicate and produce more of its own. The body summons stem cells to the site of injury to repair and restore normal function. When other cells get [Read More]
Regenerative medicine’s ongoing search for new sources of cells, tissues and organs has led to a major leap forward with the development of a human chimeric embryo. A chimera refers to an organism that is genetically made of two different sets of genetic codes. Naturally, this can occur by the fusion of two fertilized eggs [Read More]
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]
As Donald Trump took his oath of office on January 20, 2017, many Americans wondered what his presidency would mean for their advocacy causes. This is especially true for the men and women who have devoted much of their lives to stem cell research, largely because Donald Trump has yet to indicate how he feels [Read More]
Within the world of stem cell research, “pluripotent” has been the keyword for years, and for good reason: pluripotent cells have the ability to transform into any type of cell that makes up the body. However, a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley recently uncovered that pluripotent stem cells can [Read More]
The potential medical uses of stem cells, which were not even a major part of the medical community until the last decade, are now proving themselves at every turn. From the 14-year-old leukemia survivor who achieved remission using a bone marrow donor to the 50-year-old with MS who thanks stem cell therapy for her ability [Read More]
Each day, more patients join the ranks of people whose lives have been transformed with the help of stem cell therapy. Take Sammy Jo Wilkinson, for example, a 51-year-old from California who overcame a diagnosis of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis against all of her doctors’ predictions and all medical odds. Her MS is officially in [Read More]
COPD, which is short for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a term used to describe a range of lung conditions including chronic bronchitis, emphysema, some types of bronchiectasis, and refractory asthma. In the initial stages, patients are often asymptomatic, but will typically experience an increasing degree of breathlessness as the disease progresses. COPD is characterized [Read More]
A new documentary titled Mixed Match recently screened at the Reel Asian International Film Festival to highlight the struggles of ethnically diverse patients in search of stem cells for life-changing transplants. According to the Canadian Blood Services, stem cell transplants can treat more than 80 diseases and disorders, but recent research suggests that ethnically diverse [Read More]
Ten years ago, stem cell stocks were an attractive investment choice, but after many investors lost big, players in the financial markets are a little wary of companies involved in biotech and stem cell research. Brian Feroldi, who writes for The Motley Fool, narrates the checkered history of stem cell stocks. Companies that once had [Read More]
The most challenging part of using stem cells to treat diseased and damaged human tissues is converting adult cells to pluripotent stem cells. Now, scientists have discovered that vitamins A and C can induce amnesia in stem cells and aid in this process. Regenerative medicine technologies rely on the ability of scientists to erase DNA [Read More]
Stem cell treatments hold great promise for treating a range of medical conditions that afflict the human body, but delivering them to the precise location of disease, damage, or injury has been challenging. Now, a team of scientists has succeeded in delivering stem cells to the brain through a catheter threaded into an artery with [Read More]
Former Texas Governor, Rick Perry, has joined the board of directors of a company that develops stem cell treatments. In 2011, Perry underwent an experimental therapy developed by this company. The 47th governor of the State of Texas, Perry announced his second bid for the Republican nomination for President in June 2015, but withdrew from [Read More]
