Yearly Archives: 2015


Stem Cell Clinic > 2015

The Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics (SBMT) hits its high notes for its 12th Annual meeting bringing Los …

By Stem Cell Medical Center

LOS ANGELES, March 23, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- World leading scientists gathered at the LA Convention Center from March 6-8 for a marathon scientific presentation. 600 presentations in 110 scientific sessions covered recent advances in ALS, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, brain cancers, spine disorders, psychiatric disorders, autism, depression, PTSD, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, brain trauma, space medicine, epilepsy, vascular disorders, stroke, stem cell, neuro-mathematics, bio-material and tissue engineering, multi-modality imaging, epigenetic and genomic of brain disorders, brain bionics, minimally invasive therapy, focus ultrasound, microgravity, supercomputing and big-data, virtual reality medicine, NIH and DARPA funding, nanoneuroscience and nanoneurosurgery, neurovascular disorders, biomarkers, pediatric neurosurgery, dementia, brain bank, brain ablation, Neuro-ophthalmology, neuro-oncology, radiation physics, neurophotonics, peripheral never therapy, deep brain stimulation, brain health and fitness, NASA technologies, Los Alamos National Lab and brain policy and ethics. Winthrop University Hospital designates this world class scientific program for a maximum of 13.5 AMA PRA category 1 CME credits.

The preparation for the program started 18 months ago including near 100 members of the scientific program committee from 50 universities and near 40 scientists from NASA and Los Alamos National Lab presenting their advanced technologies at the meeting. The Honorable Congressman Chaka Fattah delivered the opening keynote at the LA Convention Center stating that "you would not find this type of diversity geographically and otherwise in any other great organizations that are gathering."

The annual SBMT World Congress is a multidisciplinary forum designed to facilitate cross-disciplinary dissemination of technological and medical advances and scientific discovery. The SBMT World congress has brought together neurosurgeons, radiologists, neurologists, neuro-oncologists, psychiatrists, bioethicists, policy makers, government officials, engineers, physicists, computer scientists, neuroscientists, allied healthcare professionals, healthcare executives, students, post-docs, residents and fellows. SBMT's annual meetings are world class scientific events designed to have a significant impact on cross-disciplinary flow of information and scientific advancements.

"We had the largest numbers of keynote and presenters in this convention, which was truly started as an spinoff collaboration between me and Dr. Kateb 13 years ago with 10 speakers and few people in the audience; since then we have published numerous papers showing latest technology could indeed helpful in diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders and now we have ongoing clinical trials," said Dr. Shouleh Nikzad, immediate past President of SBMT, Senior Research Scientist, Principal Member of Staff, Technical Supervisor and Lead, Advanced UV/Vis/NIR Detector Arrays and Imaging Systems, and Nanoscience Group, Lead, Strategic Initiative on Gigapixel Focal Plane Arrays, Deputy Lead, Advanced Imaging Systems, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology.

In recent years, astonishing advances have contributed to amazing discoveries and breakthroughs in fields of neurology, neuroscience, neurosurgery, radiology, engineering, computer science, nanotechnology, medical imaging, medical devices and cellular/stem cell therapy. These scientific advances also have contributed to the large gap of knowledge amongst the scientists in different disciplines. One of the major challenges of 21st century for the scientific community is how to close such gaps of knowledge amongst multiple disciplines. SBMT has designed and created G20 World Brain Mapping and Therapeutic Initiative and African Brain Mapping Initiative to address such challenges at the global level by bringing together world class experts across multiple disciplines.

"SBMT is now a global leader in brain mapping and therapeutics by introducing modern and game changing initiatives such as G20 and African Brain Mapping Initiative; The organization has been on the forefront of translational neuroscience," Said Dr. John Ouma, the new President of SBMT (2015-2016), Chairman of Neurosurgery at University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

This year's program had 10 keynote speakers including: Congressman Fattah, Dr./Rear Admiral Raquel Bono, Drs. Keith L. Black (Chairman of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center), Nancy Sauer (Deputy Director of Los Alamos National Lab), Jakob Van Zyl (Associate Director of Project Formulation-NASA/JPL), Michael W Weiner (Professor of Radiology, Medicine and Psychiatry at UCSF), Morteza Gharib (Vice Provost of Caltech), Jaimie Henderson (Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery at Stanford University), Skip Rizzo (Director of Medical Virtual Reality at USC) and Douglas Davis (Vice President of Intel) as well as Mitch Berger (Chairman of Department of Neurosurgery at UCSF) who was the first Ferenc A. Jolesz Memorial lecturer.

The Society and the Brain Mapping Foundation annually award leaders, philanthropists and pioneers in the field were honored this year.

Professor Stephen Hawking (Beacon of Courage and Dedication Award) for his clear beacon status, for publicly and courageously living with ALS and monumentally contributing to our understanding of the universe and thereby raising public awareness about the ALS.

Professor Hawking said, "SBMT's approach is bold and innovative as it takes advantage of talents and diversity of approach in various disciplines"

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The Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics (SBMT) hits its high notes for its 12th Annual meeting bringing Los ...

Nevada Pain Now Offering Stem Cell Therapy to Help Patients Delay or Avoid Joint Replacement

By Uncategorized

Las Vegas, Nevada (PRWEB) March 23, 2015

Nevada Pain, the top pain management clinics in Las Vegas and Henderson areas, are now offering stem cell therapy to help patients delay or avoid the need for joint replacement. The treatments are cutting edge, outpatient, and highly effective. Call (702) 323-0553 for more information and scheduling.

Stem cell therapy for joint arthritis has rapidly become mainstream due to its effectiveness for pain relief. Unlike traditional treatments, the regenerative medicine therapies actually have the potential to change the course of arthritis rather than simply provide a proverbial "band aid" to the condition.

The stem cell treatments are provided by Board Certified, Fellowship Trained pain doctors who have extensive experience with the procedures into all extremity joints including the hip, knee, shoulder and ankle. There are multiple types of stem cell treatments. Some involve amniotic fluid derived treatment, which contains an immense amount of stem cells, growth factors, hyaluronic acid and anti-inflammatory mediators as well.

Bone marrow derived treatment is also available, which also contains an immense amount of stem cells and growth factors. The treatments are provided as an outpatient, and often provide pain relief and functional improvement.

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy is also offered, which involves a simple blood draw. The platelets are then concentrated and immediately injected into the problem area.

For more information and scheduling with the top regenerative medicine clinic in Las Vegas, call (702) 323-0553.

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Nevada Pain Now Offering Stem Cell Therapy to Help Patients Delay or Avoid Joint Replacement

Stem cell treatment for knee arthritis shows promising results

By Stem Cell Treatment

FREDERICK, Md., March 23, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Recent studies employing adult stem cells obtained from bone marrow and fat have been used in patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee. Results have indicated not only symptomatic improvement but also suggest that cartilage healing and regeneration may be taking place.

According to Director, Dr. Nathan Wei of the Arthritis Treatment Center, "Osteoarthritis options in the past have been limited to symptom relief. We are now entering an era where we have therapies that may also rebuild lost cartilage."

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee affects more than 20 million Americans. It is a disease due to loss of cartilage, the gristle that caps the ends of long bones and provides cushioning and shock absorption.

He goes on to say, "by administering adult stem cells, in a certain fashion, we may be able to restore lost cartilage. While this action has been demonstrated in multiple animal models, it has only been described in anecdotal reports in humans. Fortunately, we are now conducting clinical studies that are much better controlled and more scientifically valid."

Dr. Wei adds, "The positive effect on arthritis is not only due to multiplication, division, and transformation of the stem cell into cartilage, but it is also due to the fact the stem cell releases proteins that attract other reparative cells to the area. This is called the 'paracrine' effect."

"We are excited about the early results of our investigation and hope the results will continue to be positive. If so, I hope that knee replacement surgery might become a thing of the past," he concludes.

Dr. Wei is a board-certified rheumatologist and regenerative medicine expert. He is director of the Arthritis Treatment Center located in Frederick, Maryland.

http://www.arthritistreatmentcenter.com

SOURCE Arthritis Treatment Center

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Stem cell treatment for knee arthritis shows promising results

Stempeutics Receives Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) Classification From European Medicines Agency (EMA) for …

By Stem Cell Treatment

BANGALORE, March 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

- The First Stem Cell Drug Based on Pooling Technology to be Granted ATMP Classification

- A New Treatment Which Offers Hope to Patients Suffering From Thromboangiitis Obliterans (Buerger's Disease) Affecting an Estimated 2 out of Every 10,000 People in Europe

- The First Real Hope for Patients Facing Limb Amputation

Stempeutics Research, a group company of Manipal Education and Medical Group and a Joint Venture with Cipla Group, announced today that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product classification for its novel stem cell drug 'Stempeucel' which will be used for the treatment of Thromboangiitis Obliterans (TAO). The ATMP classification, approved by the committee for Advanced Therapies (CAT) of the European Medicines Agency, will allow Stempeutics to commercialize the product 'Stempeucel' across the European Union region.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150323/735846 )

Thromboangiitis Obliterans is a recurring progressive inflammation and thrombosis (clotting) of small and medium arteries and veins of the feet. It is strongly associated with use of tobacco products primarily from smoking, but also from smokeless tobacco. Stempeucel drug is expected to address the root cause of the disease through anti-inflammatory and immune-modulatory mechanisms. It is expected to induce angiogenesis through release of vascular endothelial growth factors, epithelial growth factors, angiopoietin and improve the perfusion and help the repair and regeneration of the ischemic muscle tissue.

The aim of the ATMP classification is to regulate cell and gene therapy and tissue engineered medicinal products, providing a benchmark for a level of quality compliance for pharmaceutical practices. The regulation provides guidelines to research development companies for following a standardized process in order to obtain approval in EU countries. The regulation also offers incentives to companies involved in developing ATMPs in the European Union, including fee reductions for scientific advice, scientific recommendations on ATMP classification and evaluation and certification of quality and non-clinical data.

Commenting on the ATMP classification, Mr B N Manohar, CEO of Stempeutics said, "We are happy to receive ATMP status from the EMA. We view this as an important milestone to further develop our novel stem cell biological drug Stempeucel in the EU for treating Thromboangiitis Obliterans indication. Additionally, we interpret this as a favourable indication for how the European regulators view our therapy."

Dr. Jeff Karp, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, who serves as Scientific Advisor to Stempeutics said, "I see Stempeutics as a global regenerative medicine company that could make a significant difference to disease treatment. Stempeutics has an impressive combination of exciting technologies and it has been wonderful to work with the team as they achieve critical milestones and advance their products to patients."

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Stempeutics Receives Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) Classification From European Medicines Agency (EMA) for ...

Stem cell therapy could reverse Type 2 diabetes, UBC study finds

By Stem Cell Treatment

VANCOUVER -- University of B.C. scientists appear to be one step closer to reversing diabetes using stem cell therapy.

The latest study, published last week in the journal Stem Cell Reports, found that Type 2 diabetes can be eliminated in mice using a combination of conventional diabetes drugs and specially cultured stem cells. Similar methods have already been used to reverse Type 1 diabetes, which usually begins in childhood.

The team simulated Type 2 diabetes in mice by feeding them a high-fat, high-calorie diet for several weeks. In humans, Type 2 usually begins in adulthood and can be a result of obesity, poor diet and lack of exercise.

Like diabetic humans, the diabetic mice treated only with drugs experienced spikes in their blood sugar levels after eating sugary meals.

But the mice that were surgically implanted with pancreatic-like cells grown from human stem cells didnt have those drastic swings and were able to regulate their blood sugar like healthy animals.

Being able to reduce spikes in blood sugar levels is important because evidence suggests its those spikes that do a lot of the damage increasing risks for blindness, heart attack, and kidney failure, said Timothy Kieffer, a professor in UBCs department of cellular and physiological sciences.

So far, the researchers have followed the mice for up to seven months, and theyve remained healthy.

When we removed the transplanted devices and analyzed the cells within, they still appear very healthy so we believe they will function much longer. Ultimately the duration of cell function will need to be assessed in humans, Kieffer said in an email.

Human trials are already underway for stem cell therapy on Type 1 diabetes; the first patient was implanted with cells in October.

The treatment also had a surprising side-effect: weight loss. The mice all returned to the same, healthy weight as the animals in the control group.

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Stem cell therapy could reverse Type 2 diabetes, UBC study finds

Johns Hopkins Medicine, based in Baltimore, Maryland

By Uncategorized

Top Features Psychedelic Drug Use Could Reduce Psychological Distress, Suicidal Thinking

A history of psychedelic drug use is associated with less psychological distress and fewer suicidal thoughts, planning, and attempts, according to new research from Johns Hopkins and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have successfully corrected a genetic error in stem cells from patients with sickle cell disease, then used those cells to grow mature red blood cells.

When and why do physicians prescribe costlier brand-name drugs when generic ones are available? Thats the question the Food and Drug Administration has put to a Johns Hopkins team, which has been tapped to conduct a two-year study that will analyze factors that determine underuse of generic drugs.

Even though the ORC protein machinery is crucial to life, we didnt know much about how it works, says James Berger, Ph.D. By learning what it looks like, down to the arrangement of each atom, we can get a sense of where it interacts with DNA and how it does its job.

At noon on Friday, March 20, fourth-year medical students from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and all across the country learned where they will begin residency programs this summer. Meet five remarkable medical students and learn what brought them to call Johns Hopkins their home.

Dr. Saleh Alqahtani discusses the causes, symptoms and treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

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Researcher Hongjun Song introduces the Stem Cell Biology Program, where scientists get an up-close look at diseases by making stem cells with patients' DNA and growing affected cell types in the lab.

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Johns Hopkins Medicine, based in Baltimore, Maryland

High-Dose Immunosuppressive Therapy and Autologous …

By Uncategorized

Importance Most patients with relapsing-remitting (RR) multiple sclerosis (MS) who receive approved disease-modifying therapies experience breakthrough disease and accumulate neurologic disability. High-dose immunosuppressive therapy (HDIT) with autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) may, in contrast, induce sustained remissions in early MS.

Objective To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and durability of MS disease stabilization through 3 years after HDIT/HCT.

Design, Setting, and Participants Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (HALT-MS) is an ongoing, multicenter, single-arm, phase 2 clinical trial of HDIT/HCT for patients with RRMS who experienced relapses with loss of neurologic function while receiving disease-modifying therapies during the 18 months before enrolling. Participants are evaluated through 5 years after HCT. This report is a prespecified, 3-year interim analysis of the trial. Thirty-six patients with RRMS from referral centers were screened; 25 were enrolled.

Interventions Autologous peripheral blood stem cell grafts were CD34+ selected; the participants then received high-dose treatment with carmustine, etoposide, cytarabine, and melphalan as well as rabbit antithymocyte globulin before autologous HCT.

Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point of HALT-MS is event-free survival defined as survival without death or disease activity from any one of the following outcomes: (1) confirmed loss of neurologic function, (2) clinical relapse, or (3) new lesions observed on magnetic resonance imaging. Toxic effects are reported using National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events.

Results Grafts were collected from 25 patients, and 24 of these individuals received HDIT/HCT. The median follow-up period was 186 weeks (interquartile range, 176-250) weeks). Overall event-free survival was 78.4% (90% CI, 60.1%-89.0%) at 3 years. Progression-free survival and clinical relapse-free survival were 90.9% (90% CI, 73.7%-97.1%) and 86.3% (90% CI, 68.1%-94.5%), respectively, at 3 years. Adverse events were consistent with expected toxic effects associated with HDIT/HCT, and no acute treatment-related neurologic adverse events were observed. Improvements were noted in neurologic disability, quality-of-life, and functional scores.

Conclusions and Relevance At 3 years, HDIT/HCT without maintenance therapy was effective for inducing sustained remission of active RRMS and was associated with improvements in neurologic function. Treatment was associated with few serious early complications or unexpected adverse events.

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Stem cell clinics under govt scanner

By Stem Cell Treatment

Those hospitals and medical institutions advertising treatment of incurable diseases with stems cells are now under scanner of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The ministry has already processed complaints against at least 23 website advertisements.

The National Apex Committee for Stem Cell Research and Therapy (NACSCRT), under the Indian Council of Medical Research, has looped in Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) to monitor advertisements that claim to fully cure patients with stem cell based therapies.

Several clinics and organisations advertise stem cell therapies whose safety and efficacy are not proven, to attract vulnerable patients. As per the National Guidelines for Stem Cell Research 2013, stem cell therapy has not been proven effective other than in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) for haematological disorders (disorders which primarily affect the blood).

NAC-SCRT has observed that several clinicians, companies, hospitals advertise stem cell based therapies other than haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for haematological disorders on their websites. Officials clearly say that these therapies are currently investigational and must be conducted only within the scope of clinical trials.

Dr. Alok Srivastava, Chairman, NAC-SCRT said, "Advertisements claiming to offer stem cell-based therapies other than Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantations for blood diseases are in violation of the clause 10.3.1 of the National Guidelines for Stem Cell Research-2013."

"Use of stem cells for any other purpose outside the ambit of clinical trials will be against these guidelines and is hence not permissible. We have asked ASCI to review such advertisements and are happy that action has been initiated against 23 such websites. It is necessary that such misleading advertisements be removed and action be taken against the defaulters unless they are suitably modified to clarify the unproven nature of these therapies and are only offered within approved clinical trials. The NAC-SCRT will be reviewing the developments in the field and modifying its position with regard to proven therapies from time to time," he added.

As stem cell-based therapies are currently experimental, advertising these for results not approved by regulatory authorities is in violation of Chapter III of the ASCI code for Self-Regulation of Advertisements. "The code requires that advertisements should not propagate products or services, the use of which is banned under the law," said Narendra Ambwani, Chairman, ASCI.

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Stem cell clinics under govt scanner

How stem cells can fix a broken heart with just one jab

By Stem Cell Treatment

The pioneering treatment involves cells taken from a patients own body Theseare then reinjected into their heart to repair damaged muscle Could improve quality of life for patients suffering from heart failure This is caused by heart failing to pump enough blood around the body at the right pressure

By Roger Dobson and Katherine Keogh For The Mail On Sunday

Published: 17:16 EST, 21 March 2015 | Updated: 18:15 EST, 21 March 2015

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A pioneering treatment that uses stem cells to repair a broken heart could transform the lives of people with a potentially fatal cardiac condition.

The 15-minute procedure involves cells taken from a patients own body, which are then reinjected into their heart to repair damaged muscle.

It is hoped that the procedure could improve the quality of life for patients suffering from heart failure, which affects 900,000 people in the UK.

The condition is caused by the heart failing to pump enough blood around the body at the right pressure, because the muscle has become too weak or stiff to work properly. It causes breathlessness and extreme tiredness, and can even lead to sudden death.

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How stem cells can fix a broken heart with just one jab

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