Common shoulder conditions treated with stem cell therapy
In this video, Ross Hauser, MD discusses the types of shoulder conditions our Prolotherapy team specializes in treating with stem cell therapy and platelet rich plasma Prolotherapy. If you...
By: Caring Medical and Rehabilitation Services
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Common shoulder conditions treated with stem cell therapy - Video
Okyanos Heart Institute Live on 850 WFTL: Adult Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Disease
Okyanos #39; Chief Medical Officer Dr. Howard (Bo) Walpole and Chief Science Officer sat down with Karen Curtis at 850 WFTL in Ft. Lauderdale to discuss the promise of adult stem cell therapy as...
By: Okyanos Heart Institute
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Okyanos Heart Institute Live on 850 WFTL: Adult Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Disease - Video
Primary Lateral Sclerosis | Stem Cell Treatment Testimonial
Mia Ruthey was diagnosed with Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS) which is a form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) / Lou Gehrig #39;s disease. Without hope fro...
By: Beike Biotech
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Primary Lateral Sclerosis | Stem Cell Treatment Testimonial - Video
There's no good time for a public agency to be embroiled in a conflict-of-interest scandal, but this is an especially delicate time for California's stem cell agency.
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, as the program is known formally, is on track to finish doling out its $3 billion in funding from the state's voters as soon as 2017. Its original sponsor, Northern California real estate developer Robert Klein II, has been quoted talking about another $5-billion infusion, perhaps via the 2016 ballot.
Any such effort will refocus attention on the program board's inherent conflicts of interest, which were baked in by the terms of Proposition 71, Klein's 2004 ballot initiative that created CIRM and funded it through a bond issue. The prestigious Institute of Medicine in a 2012 report found these conflicts to lead to questions about "the integrity and independence of some of CIRM's decisions."
And now here comes another case. This one involves CIRM former President Alan Trounson, an Australian biologist who left the agency on June 30 and joined the board of one of its highest-profile financial partners a mere seven days later. Trounson's new employer, Stem Cells Inc., is the recipient of a nearly $20-million loan for Alzheimer's research.
CIRM says Trounson's quick move to Stem Cells Inc., where he'll receive a stipend of at least $90,000 a year, is legally "permissible." But officials there acknowledge they were blindsided; the agency learned about Trounson's new position from the company's press release.
Afterward, CIRM rushed out a statement acknowledging that Trounson's appointment to the board of a CIRM loan recipient "creates a serious risk of a conflict of interest." The agency says it will place the relationship between CIRM and the company under "a full review." Administrators reminded Trounson, board members and agency staff that state law bars him from communicating with them on any administrative matter involving Stem Cells Inc. The company declined to comment.
The relationship already reeked of cronyism. As we reported in 2012, the Newark, Calif.-based firm's co-founder, Irving Weissman, director of Stanford University's Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, had been one of the most prominent and outspoken supporters of Proposition 71.
He's also a leading recipient of CIRM funding, listed as the principal investigator on four Stanford grants totaling nearly $35 million. CIRM contributed $43.6 million toward the construction of his institute's $200-million research building at the Stanford campus. Weissman and his wife, Ann Tsukamoto, owned nearly 380,000 shares of the firm as of last April, according to a corporate disclosure. Tsukamoto is one of the company's top executives; Weissman is a board member.
Trounson's move comes as CIRM must begin looking to the future, but any discussions about extending the agency's life span will have to address the flaws created by Proposition 71. Among them is the program's very structure, and even its scientific goals.
Klein's ballot proposition exempts CIRM from virtually any oversight or accountability. Each of the 29 governing board members has to be associated with a California public or private research institution or company, or an advocacy group for patients of one disease or another. The qualifications for board chairman are so specific they initially yielded a single credible candidate: Bob Klein.
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Conflicts of interest pervasive on California stem cell board
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
17-Jul-2014
Contact: Cristy Lytal lytal@med.usc.edu 323-442-2172 University of Southern California - Health Sciences
One in every 2,000 babies is born with a skull that can't grow normally. Various sections of these babies' skulls are fused together at joints called sutures, constricting the developing brain and disrupting vision, sleep, eating and IQ. For these young patients, risky skull-expanding surgeries become an almost annual event.
Now, three leading universities for stem cell research the University of Southern California (USC); the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have joined forces to find better solutions for these and other patients with craniofacial defects.
All three institutions have leading stem cell research centers established with support from Eli and Edythe Broad, and all three are home to top scientists and clinicians in the field of craniofacial biology.
"The value of this collaboration is bringing together a bunch of interested scientists from three major institutions in California around really important problems," said Andy McMahon, director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at USC. "It's really going to take a group of scientists across these different places with different expertise to be able to make progress towards helping these patients."
Mark Urata a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at USC, Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center underscores the need to invent less painful, dangerous and disruptive treatments for babies with fused skulls. "The operation we perform is state-of-the-art," he explained. "We're doing this better than most people in the country, and yet it's not good enough."
Yang Chai the George and MaryLou Boone Professor, director of the Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology (CCMB) and associate dean of Research at the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC sees tremendous value in teaming up with clinicians such as Urata. "Really, our faces are our identities, and the first thing you see when you look at someone is his or her face," said Chai. "And when someone has a craniofacial malformation, it really presents a significant challenge to that individual. By working closely with the clinicians, researchers can do more for these kids."
The group has already convened for two day-long faculty retreats, which have attracted funding from USC's CCMB, the UCSF Program in Craniofacial and Mesenchymal Biology, and the UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Participants included: McMahon, Urata, Chai, Ruchi Bajpai, Gage Crump, Scott Fraser, Robert Maxson, Amy Merrill, Janet Oldak, Pedro Sanchez, Michael Paine, Songtao Shi, Malcolm Snead, Stephen Yen and Jian Xu from USC; Jeffery Bush, Lindsey Criswell, Ophir Klein, Sarah Knox, Margaret Langham, Ralph Marcucio, Sneha Oberoi, Jason Pomerantz, Richard Schneider and Nathan Young from UCSF; and Daniel Cohn, Katrina Dipple, Deborah Krakow, Justine Lee and Kristen Yee from UCLA.
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USC, UCLA and UCSF put their heads together to find cures for craniofacial defects
The European Union Court of Justice will likely agree that stem cells can be patented, setting a new precedent for scientists to use this controversial method for research and development.
This is an extremely important case with industry-wide consequences, Dr. Simon Craw, of the International Stem Cell Corporation, the American biotech company at the center of the case.
The California-based firm applied for two patents on the technology it uses to produce stem cells but was rejected. European Union laws dictate that embryos cannot be patented on ethical grounds, because they can develop into humans.
Technically, embryos are eggs that have been fertilized with human sperm. But ISC Corp. uses chemicals to activate the cells instead, which are then called parthenotes.
EU Advocate General Pedro Cruz Villaln wrote in a Thursday opinion that since these cells cannot possibly develop into humans, they arent subject to the ethical laws that apply to human beings.
Its a great day for scientific rationale with the Judge correctly recognizing the difference between human parthenogenesis and fertilization, Craw said.
Three years ago, the EU court ruled against patents on discoveries that involve the stem cells, saying the use of human cells in this was immoral.
But it all started in 2004 when Greenpeace challenged a patent filed by a German stem cell researcher, which described a method to turn stem cells into nerve cells.
Greenpeace said the work was contrary to public order because the embryos were destroyed, according to a report in the Guardian from the time.
A group of 13 scientists wrote in the journal Nature that year to express profound concern over the recommended ban, which represents a blow to years of effort to derive medical applications from embryonic stem cells.
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International Stem Cell Corporation Should Win EU Patent Case
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Newswise Learning the role of immune system cells in healthy digestive tracts and how they interact with neighboring nerve cells may lead to new treatments for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine, in collaboration with other scientists, have reported the role of macrophages in regulating the contractions of the colon to push digested material through the digestive tract.
The muscular lining of the intestine contains a distinct kind of macrophage, an immune system cell that helps fight infections. The role of these cells in normal colon function is not known, although they have been linked to inflammation after abdominal surgery.
Very little is known about the function of muscularis macrophages, mainly because these cells are difficult to isolate from intestinal tissue, said Milena Bogunovic, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology.
Digested material is moved through the intestines by the contraction and relaxation of intestinal muscles. The pattern and frequency of these contractions are controlled by the signals from the intestinal nervous system. In patients with diseases like IBS, the signals are overactive and stimulation is exaggerated.
The researchers developed a method to deplete muscularis macrophages in the intestines of mice to determine their function. They report their findings in Cell.
After macrophage depletion, we observed that the normal intestinal movements are irregular, probably because the muscular contractions were poorly coordinated, suggesting that intestinal movements are regulated by macrophages, Bogunovic said.
After confirming the role of the macrophages in the function of the digestive tract, the researchers looked for how the regulation happens. They compared the genetic code of different types of macrophages to find non-immune genes highly active in muscularis macrophages, identifying bone morphogenetic protein 2. BMP2 is one of a family of proteins thought to control organ development.
Blocking the effect of BMP2 mirrored the effects of the macrophage removal, confirming that the protein is used for regulation of intestinal movements. The BMP2 is used by neighboring nerve cells, intestinal neurons, which in turn secrete a protein called colony stimulatory factor 1 (CSF1) that supports macrophages.
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Immune Cell's Role in Intestinal Movement Could Lead to Better Understanding of IBS
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) July 17, 2014
Arizona Pet Vet Family of Animal Hospitals is hosting San Diego, California based Regenerative Veterinary Medicine company, Vet-Stem, Inc., for a summer session of RACE approved Credentialing Courses and wet-labs on stem cell therapy. AZ Pet Vets Family of 17 Animal Hospitals has been offering Vet-Stems Regenerative Cell Therapy to its small animal patients since 2010, and continuously strives to educate their team members on cutting-edge services like stem cell therapy.
Since Vet-Stems last training session with AZ Pet Vet in the summer of 2013 the number of pets diagnosed with arthritis has increased as much as an estimated 13% say industry sources. As many as 65% of dogs between the ages of 7 and 11 years old will be inflicted with some degree of arthritis. For certain specific breeds the percentage is as high as 70%, with an additional estimated 7% remaining undiagnosed. AZ Pet Vets Family of Animal Hospitals equips their veterinarians with a complete package of services to help diagnose and treat dogs that are suffering pain or inflammation from osteoarthritis or polyarthritis. Stem cell therapy is one of these services, most commonly used to help decrease inflammation, help with the pain of osteo or polyarthritis, as well as other joint or ligament issues, and muscle injuries.
Vet-Stems Corey Orava, DVM will be leading a series of daily training sessions which include a RACE (Registry of Approved Continuing Education from the American Association of Veterinary State Boards) approved credentialing course, and the ability to consult on potential stem cell therapy cases with current patients of AZ Pet Vets Family of Animal Hospitals. Each of these sessions will help veterinarians and their staff to learn the ins and outs of stem cell therapy, as well as benefit from a hands-on experience to bring the best care to their patients and pet owners. Under the mentorship of Dr. Orava all of the 17 AZ Pet Vet Animal Hospitals will have the potential to collect fat and inject stem cells on qualifying pet patients.
AZ Pet Vet is a family of 17 animal hospitals with one vision: to provide the best comprehensive care for their highly valued patients. Whether it be routine wellness, or other type of medical care, AZ Pet Vet provides loving care and treatment for pets. As animal lovers and pet owners, they understand the connection owners have with your pet. The doctors and staff at each hospital strive to build a long term relationship with their client families and their pets, always making recommendations in the pets best health interest. The AZ Pet Vet Family of Animal Hospitals offer complete veterinary care from wellness, to vaccines, spays and neuters, dental, surgical and now regenerative medicine. Their animal hospital locations can be easily found at http://www.arizonapetvet.com/.
Since its formation in 2002, Vet-Stem, Inc. has endeavored to improve the lives of animals through regenerative medicine. As the first company in the United States to provide an adipose-derived stem cell service to veterinarians for their patients, Vet-Stem pioneered the use of regenerative stem cells for horses, dogs, cats, and some exotics. In 2004 the first horse was treated with Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell Therapy for a tendon injury that would normally have been career ending. Ten years later Vet-Stem celebrated its 10,000th animal treated, and the success of establishing stem cell therapy as a proven regenerative medicine for certain inflammatory, degenerative, and arthritic diseases. As animal advocates, veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and cell biologists, the team at Vet-Stem tasks themselves with the responsibility of discovering, refining, and bringing to market innovative medical therapies that utilize the bodys own healing and regenerative cells. For more information about Vet-Stem and Regenerative Veterinary Medicine, visit http://www.vet-stem.com or call 858-748-2004.
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Arizona Pet Vet, a Family of Animal Hospitals in Central Arizona, is Hosting Vet-Stem, Inc. for Continued Education ...
Stem Cell Treatment Grows Nose on Woman #39;s Spine
Check out our Website! http://www.covertchronicle.com In a stem cell treatment to cure a woman #39;s paralysis, the woman grew a nose like growth on her spine ...
By: The Covert Chronicle
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Stem Cell Treatment Grows Nose on Woman's Spine - Video
Paul Laikind, CEO of ViaCyte, which is making a treatment for diabetes from human embryonic stem cells.
In an historic announcement for the stem cell field, San Diego's ViaCyte said Thursday it has applied to start human clinical trials of its treatment for Type 1 diabetes.
ViaCyte grows replacement insulin-producing cells from human embryonic stem cells. The cells are packaged while maturing in a semi-permeable device and implanted. In animal trials, the cells produce insulin, relieving diabetes.
Now the company proposes to take what could be a cure for diabetes into people. ViaCyte has asked to begin a Phase 1/2 clinical trial, which would assess both safety and efficacy of its product. ViaCyte is targeting Type 1 diabetes, in which the insulin-producing cells are destroyed. Patients require multiple injections of insulin daily to survive.
The announcement is good news for California's stem cell agency, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. The agency has awarded nearly $39 million to ViaCyte to ready its device for human use.
Paul Laikind, ViaCytes chief executive, said if all goes smoothly, the first patients will be treated in August or September. Based on animal studies, it will take a few months to see results, and just a few patients will be treated at first.
CIRM itself, funded with $3 billion in state bond funds, has come under pressure to show results from its work. The money is projected to run out in 2017. Some supporters of the agency have proposed launching a new initiative to continue funding.
"This is a great example of how the investment that the voters made in creating CIRM is beginning to move from labs to patients," said Joe Panetta, a member of CIRM's governing board and chief executive of Biocom, the San Diego-based life science trade group. ""There are at least a dozen other clinical trials in progress. This is good for CIRM and San Diego."
Jonathan Thomas, chairman of CIRM's governing board, called the filing "a big step in developing therapies for Type 1 diabetes."
"The project is one that has been front and center for us for six years," Thomas said. "As a principal funder of Viacyte since 2008, we are delighted that they have taken this major step towards getting a Type 1 Diabetes therapy to patients."
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Diabetes stem cell therapy readied