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The Anthony Nolan and NHS Stem Cell Registry – The Hippocratic Post

More than 2 million people have registered to become stem cell donors the UK, new figures released today reveal. The UK stem cell register had an immensely successful year in 2019/20, with 326,756 new donors added over 100,000 more than the previous year.

The UK stem cell register is known as the Anthony Nolan and NHS Stem Cell Registry and is made up of donors recruited by NHS Blood and Transplant, the Welsh Blood Service, DKMS and Anthony Nolan. The UK donor registers are urging young men, and people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds to register and ensure that all patients in need of a stem cell transplant can find a, potentially, lifesaving match.

If a patient has a condition that affects their bone marrow or blood, then a stem cell transplant may be their best chance of survival. Doctors will give new, healthy stem cells to the patient via their bloodstream, where they begin to grow and create healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

In 2019/20 62 per cent of people who donated stem cells or bone marrow to patients in the UK were men under 30. They are the demographic most likely to be chosen to donate, but make up just 19 per cent of the UK stem cell register.

The percentage of all donors from minority ethnic backgrounds has remained steady at 13 per cent in 2019/20, highlighting the importance of raising awareness of their lifesaving potential amongst this group. Patients from Black, Asian or other minority backgrounds have a 20 per cent chance of finding the best possible stem cell match from an unrelated donor, compared to 69 per cent for northern European backgrounds.

Henny Braund, Chief Executive of Anthony Nolan, said:

Nobody could have foreseen the challenges this year would bring to building a healthy, diverse stem cell register. But weve adapted and weve innovated as patients cant wait and were thrilled that in 2020, weve collectively recruited two million donors onto the stem cell register. Each donor represents hope, a potential cure for blood cancer.

I thank colleagues and partners for their commitment helping us reach this point. I am also immensely grateful for the two million selfless individuals who signed up to the registry, making themselves available whenever they are needed.

The two million milestone means increased chances for many of finding an unrelated donor match. But were still far from our goal of finding a match for everyone who needs one.

I would urge anyone thinking of joining the stem cell register, especially young men, who are the most likely to be chosen, to do so today. You could be someones lifesaver, without you there is no cure.

Christopher Harvey, Head of the Welsh Bone Marrow Registry, said:

Its incredibly heart-warming to know there are two million people in the UK who are willing to donate stem cells should they be the match for someone in need of their potentially lifesaving donation.

We see in our roles the difference stem cells make, for lots of patients receiving stem cells is the final treatment option.

Despite this great news we still have more to do. Unfortunately, there are still patients who are unable to find a match. Thats why were committed to ensuring every patient has the best possible chance of finding that one lifesaving donor in their time of need.

Guy Parkes, Head of Stem Cell Donation & Transplantation at NHS Blood and Transplant, said:

We want all patients in need of a transplant to be able to find a lifesaving match. Each time a person joins this register it brings fresh hope to patients of a match.

This register is used by hospitals across the UK to find suitable matches for patients and it has helped to save and improve the lives of thousands of people since its creation 33 years ago its amazing that we now have over 2 million people on the register, putting the chances of matching donors to patients at a record high.

Donating stem cells is an altruistic, lifesaving act and its an amazing thing to do. We will continue to expand the UK register to help patients in need. We particularly need more young men to join.

Jonathan Pearce, CEO of DKMS UK said:

Were delighted to have reached such an amazing milestone and are grateful to those two million people who are actively registered and waiting to help give someone living with blood cancer or a blood disorder a second chance of life.

At any one time there are around 2,000 people in the UK in need of a blood stem cell transplant, so whilst we recognise this achievement it goes without saying that we need to continue to encourage everyone that can register to do so. This will help to grow the numbers and diversify the registry further in order to improve the odds for those who currently have less chance of finding a matching donor.

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The Anthony Nolan and NHS Stem Cell Registry - The Hippocratic Post

Jeff Bridges is one of the 85,000-plus lymphoma cases expected in the U.S. this year – MarketWatch

Careful, man, theres a beloved actor here.

Jeff Bridges revealed that he has lymphoma, which is the most common type of blood cancer. And this sobering news has spurred celebrities and fans to send their best wishes to the star best known for playing the Dude, the White Russiandrinking bowler and casual-wear icon from the Coen brothers 1998 cult classic, The Big Lebowski.

But the Dude abides, and Bridges suggested that his outlook looks just as promising.

As the Dude would say.. New S**T has come to light, tweeted Bridges, 70, on Monday. I have been diagnosed with Lymphoma. Although it is a serious disease, I feel fortunate that I have a great team of doctors and the prognosis is good.

Celebrities such as Cary Elwes, John Lithgow, Patricia Arquette and George Takei posted encouraging words and prayers to Bridges, who is the son of Lloyd and Dorothy Bridges, and has starred in more than 70 films including Starman, True Grit and The Last Picture Show. He won an Academy Award in 2010 for Crazy Heart, and was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime-achievement award during the 2019 Golden Globes.

And he is now one of the most high-profile cases of lymphoma, a cancer of the bodys infection-fighting lymphatic system that affects the blood and bone marrow. And more than 85,000 new cases of lymphoma are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. this year, according to American Cancer Society data shared by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, with some 791,550 people currently living with lymphoma or in remission from the disease in the U.S.

Many different types of lymphoma exist, and Bridges did not share any more details about his diagnosis or treatment. But his disclosure is an opportunity to share more information about lymphoma, the risk factors and symptoms to be aware of, as well as treatment options.

What is lymphoma?

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that starts in cells that are part of the bodys immune system, specifically the lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell that fights germs. So these cancers can affect the blood and bone marrow, as well as the other tissues and organs that produce, store and carry white blood cells including the spleen.

Doctors still dont know what specifically causes lymphoma, but at some point a lymphocyte mutates and begins to reproduce rapidly. The mutated, abnormal cells live longer than the normal cells would, and in time, the diseased and ineffective lymphocytes outnumber the healthy cells, which causes the lymph nodes, liver and spleen to swell.

There are two main types of lymphoma, the CDC explains, including:

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), which spreads in an orderly manner from one group of lymph nodes to another.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), which spreads through the lymphatic system in a non-orderly manner.

What are the symptoms?

Signs and symptoms of lymphoma may include:

These symptoms can be signs of other health conditions, of course, so its recommended that anyone experiencing them should see a doctor to determine the cause.

How is it treated?

There are many different types of lymphoma including 90 different types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and treatment varies depending on the type and severity. Generally, lymphoma treatment involves chemotherapy, radiation therapy and immunotherapy medication. The Mayo Clinic, which is an international authority on lymphoma research, explains that the goal of treatment is to destroy as many cancer cells as possible to bring the disease into remission. A bone marrow or stem cell transplant may be performed in some cases to help rebuild healthy bone marrow after chemo and radiation has suppressed the diseased bone marrow.

Bridges didnt specify his own treatment, only saying that he is beginning treatment and will keep the public posted on his recovery.

Treatment can be very expensive, however, with almost 60% of patients covered by Medicare telling the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in a 2019 study that they decided to delay or forego treatment, largely due to steep out-of-pocket costs. It noted that some traditional Medicare lymphoma patients getting anti-cancer therapy though infusions experienced out-of-pocket costs of more than $19,000 in their first year. And costs can extend two or three years beyond a blood cancer diagnosis.

Who is most at risk?

While children, teens and adults can all develop lymphoma, some types are more common in certain age groups. The CDC notes that rates of Hodgkin lymphoma are highest among teens and young adults (ages 15 to 39) as well as among older adults (ages 75 and older). But non-Hodgkin lymphoma becomes more common as people get older.

Men are also slightly more likely to develop lymphoma than women, the CDC adds, and white people are more likely than Black people to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Cases have also been more common in people who are immunocompromised, including those who take drugs to suppress their immune systems. And some infections such as HIV and the Epstein-Barr virus are also associated with an increased lymphoma risk.

And like many other cancers, family history has been linked with a higher risk of Hodgkin lymphoma.

What is the survival rate?

The good news is, Hodgkin lymphoma is now considered to be one of the most curable forms of cancer, according to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, with a five-year survival rate of 94.4% among patients younger than 45 at diagnosis. And the five-year relative survival rate for those with Hodgkin lymphoma more than doubled from 40% in whites in 1960 to 1963 (the only data available) to 88.5% for all races from 2009 to 2015.

And the five-year relative survival rate for people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma rose from 31% in whites from 1960 to 1963 (the only data available) to 74.7% for all races from 2009 to 2015.

Still, an estimated 20,910 Americans are expected to die from lymphoma this year, including 19,940 with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and 970 with Hodgkin lymphoma.

How does COVID-19 complicate things?

While the medical community is still learning about COVID-19, the general consensus is that people with cancer, who are in active cancer treatment or have previously been treated for cancer, may be at higher risk of severe illness and death if they get the coronavirus. So its important that these folks lower their risk of exposure to COVID-19 by avoiding large crowds and non-essential travel; working from home, if possible; staying at least six feet away from people outside their household; wearing a face mask when they cant socially distance; as well as washing their hands frequently, and not touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

Where can I find more information or support?

Visit the CDC and American Cancer Society pages on lymphoma.

The Mayo Clinic also outlines its lymphoma research and treatment strategies on its website.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Lymphoma Research Foundation also provide valuable information and support.

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Jeff Bridges is one of the 85,000-plus lymphoma cases expected in the U.S. this year - MarketWatch

YOUR HEALTH: Saving an unborn baby breaking apart in the womb – WQAD.com

DENVER A baby broken, inside the womb.

Most doctors gave little unborn Payton Calvillo any hope she would survive. But through strong faith and the help of a team of medical experts, she is thriving today.

"She's a complete miracle baby," said Payton's mother, Ahna Calvillo.

When Ahna was just five months pregnant, she was told her unborn baby would probably not survive birth.

"It was pretty much a death sentence from the beginning."

Payton's bones were breaking and bending inside the womb.

"She likely had a problem where she couldn't make alkaline phosphatase properly," explained Dr. Sunil Nayak, a pediatric endocrinologist at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children.

Alkaline phosphatase is needed for bones to grow and strengthen and there was little anyone could do.

Nineteen different specialists were on hand for the C-section delivery

"They even asked us the question that morning, how far do you want us to go?" Ahna remembered. "'Do you want a ventilator on her?', you know, 'How far do you want us to prolong her life?' Our ultimate hope and goal was that she would come out and breathe on her own."

"She just came out screaming," said Ahna. "She came out crying. She breathed on her own right away. She was perfect."

Payton was diagnosed with hypophosphatasia, a disorder that weakens bones and was immediately placed on a new FDA-approved medicine.

"Here we are just one year later at one year of age and you see a dramatic difference in the shape," said Dr. Jared Riley, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Rocky Mountain Hospital.

Before the medicine, 75% of all patients died by the age of five.

Now there is a 97% chance Payton will live a normal life.

"My baby was broken and that's what I needed God to do was a miracle," said Ahna.

One was also treated with bone fragments and cultured osteoblasts, which are bone-forming cells.

"Cultured" refers to cells that are grown under specific conditions outside of the natural environment (the body) and within a laboratory.

Both patients showed significant, but incomplete improvement, although no more formal studies have been conducted.

Then, the drug teriparatide (parathyroid hormone 1-34) has been given "off-label" to several adults with HPP with metatarsal stress fractures or femoral pseudo fractures, resulting in healing.

The drug is not permitted for use in children.

More research is necessary to determine the long-term safety and effectiveness of teriparatide in the treatment of HPP.

Every year eight million babies are born with genetic disorders passed down from generation to generation.

Payton will stay on the new medication for the next few years and then doctors will re-evaluate whether she needs to continue.

Payton's family didn't even know they carried the problematic HPP gene until an ultrasound revealed it in their unborn baby.

After being genetically tested, Payton's mother and grandfather are positive.

Neither one has ever suffered from weak or broken bones.

If this story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Jim Mertens atjim.mertens@wqad.comor Marjorie Bekaert Thomas atmthomas@ivanhoe.com.

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YOUR HEALTH: Saving an unborn baby breaking apart in the womb - WQAD.com

SA becomes 2nd country to allow 16 and 17-year-olds to donate bone marrow – News24

"Young people today are often drivers of social change movements and we look forward to engaging them."

South African youth aged 16 and 17 will be able to make history, alongside their peers in the UK, as the worlds youngest bone marrow donors.

The South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) received the nod from its Clinical Governance Committee and board members, as well as the National Health Department to allow 16 and 17-year-old teens to become bone marrow, stem-cell donors.

Recent changes in legislation and advances in stem cell donation have allowed registries to reduce the age limit of donors. South Africa now joins the UK in this move. The latter became one of the first countries to do so.

Dr Charlotte Ingram, Medical Director of the SA Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) the largest registry in the country says it's a landmark moment as the change in joining policy will contribute to saving more lives.

"In general, young people make better donors. Research shows that younger donors are associated with better survival rates for patients following a stem cell transplant."

"It's a step towards further enhancing the registry towards a younger and more ethnically diverse pool for blood cancer patients and others in need of a bone marrow transplant."

Previously, teenagers had to wait until they were 18 to join the SA Bone Marrow Registry. Now they can join by following the same procedure as others would.

While it is not required, it is important for the SABMR to involve parents and address any questions or concerns they may have re the procedure and what it entails.

Once youth have applied online, they will be contacted to discuss the easiest way of dispatching and collecting swab kits. The only initial sample that is required is a cheek swab.

Currently, 18-25-year olds only account for 6.8% of the SABMR registry but with increased awareness of bone marrow donation among young people, the figure should increase substantially.

Read:Knowledge is key: What you need to know about the most common childhood cancer in SA

"Studies tell us that generation WE (aged 14-20) and generation Z (21-25) are a lot more self-aware, socially-responsible and globally-minded than previous generations. They are more concerned about tackling social issues and want to roll up their sleeves and make a difference. Young people today are often drivers of social change movements and we look forward to engaging them."

She says there is no greater way to help another than to potentially save a life.

"So many lives are lost if there is a delay in finding a donor match. While we have 74 000 donors on our registry, we often discover that many older donors can no longer donate stem cells as they have developed hypertension, heart disease or diabetes."

"When this happens, we have to start the search process all over again, which prolongs the agonising wait for a patient, who doesn't have time to waste."

"By opening up the donor pool to a younger audience, means doctors and donors can choose the healthiest matches that substantially increases a patients chance of survival."

For now, social media will serve as the primary channel to create awareness among youth, but physical donor drives at schools and other initiatives, which encourage collaboration between learners, peers and patients are in the pipeline for 2021.

If you are between the ages of 16 and 45 and want to become a donor, contact the SABMR on 021 447 8638 or email: donors@sabmr.co.za.

Financial donations can also be made via http://www.sabmr.co.za/donate.

Submitted to Parent24 by theSA Bone Marrow Registry

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Orgenesis completes acquisition of Koligo Therapeutics and announces additional acquisition of Icellator(R) Technology from Tissue Genesis in related…

Orgenesis completes acquisition of Koligo Therapeutics and announces additional acquisition of Icellator(R) Technology from Tissue Genesis in related transaction

Icellator(R) commercially available for lipotransfer in first two countries with more approvals expected

Germantown, MD, US October 19th, 2020 Orgenesis Inc. (NASDAQ: ORGS)(Orgenesis or the Company), a global biotech company working to unlock the full potential of celland gene therapies, today announced completion of thepreviously announcedacquisition ofKoligo Therapeutics, Inc.(Koligo), a regenerative medicine company. Additionally, the Company announced that it has acquired substantially all of the assets ofTissue Genesis, LLC(Tissue Genesis), adding to a growing list of POCare technology resources.

The acquisition of Tissue Genesis was initially undertaken via Koligo Therapeutics, Inc., and became part of the Koligo acquisition transaction. Orgenesis will now own the entire inventory of Tissue GenesisIcellator(R) devices, related kits and reagents, a broad patent portfolio to protect the technology, registered trademarks, clinical data, and existing business relationships for commercial and development stage use of the Icellator technology.

The Icellator device is a point-of-care cell isolation technology that rapidly recovers high yields of stromal and vascular cells (SVF) from adipose tissue (fat) to be used therapeutically. Adipose tissue is recognized as a superior source for adult stem cells found abundantly in the micro-vasculature and stroma of human fat. Further details include:

With the Koligo acquisition closed, we believe that we are making rapid progress on a number of fronts, said Vered Caplan, CEO of Orgenesis. Specifically, we plan to leverage the therapies and technologies from Koligo and Tissue Genesis across our POCare Platform. One of our first goals is to accelerate the commercial scaleup of KYSLECEL throughout the United States and, subject to regulatory and logistical considerations, in international markets as well. Subject to FDA review and clearance of our IND application, we also look forward to commencing patient recruitment for a phase 2 randomized clinical trial of KT-PC-301, an autologous clinical development stage cell therapy candidate for COVID-19-related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, or ARDS. We plan to use the Icellator device to support scalable, cost-effective production of KT-PC-301. Additionally, Koligos development stage 3D-V bioprinting technology for the vascularization of autologous cells to create biodegradable and shelf-stable three-dimensional cell and tissue implants will be explored for diabetes and pancreatitis applications, with longer term applications for neural, liver, and other cell/tissue transplants also potentially explored.

The Icellator system is highly complementary to our POCare technology systems, as well as Koligos 3D-V bioprinting technology. Technologies such as these support our mission of improving the efficacy and lowering the costs of cell and gene therapies by delivering autologous cell therapies at the point of care through our global network of hospitals and healthcare institutions, concluded Caplan.

Under the terms of the Koligo merger agreement, Orgenesis acquired all of the outstanding stock of Koligo from its shareholders for approximately USD 14.5 million in shares of Orgenesis common stock valued at USD7.00 per share (with certain non-accredited investors paid approximately USD 20,000 solely in cash) and an assumption of USD 1.9 million in liabilities, estimated to be substantially all of Koligos liabilities. Orgenesis acquired substantially all the assets of Tissue Genesis for an additional consideration of USD 500,000 in closing cash and future royalties. Additional details of the transactions will be available in the Companys Form 8-K, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and will be available atwww.sec.gov.

Pearl Cohen Zedek Latzer Baratz LLP and KPMG advised Orgenesis on the Koligo Transaction. Maxim Group LLC acted as a finder and Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP advised Koligo on the Transaction.

About Orgenesis

Orgenesis is a global biotech company working to unlock the full potential of celland gene therapies (CGTs) in an affordable and accessible format at the point of care. The Orgenesis POCarePlatform is comprised of three enabling components: a pipeline of licensedPOCare Therapeuticsthat are processed and produced in closed, automatedPOCare Technologysystems across a collaborativePOCare Network. Orgenesisidentifies promising new therapies and leverages its POCare Platform to provide a rapid, globally harmonized pathway for these therapies to reach and treat large numbers of patients at lowered costs through efficient, scalable, and decentralized production. The Network brings together patients, doctors, industry partners, research institutes and hospitals worldwide to achieve harmonized, regulated clinical development and production of the therapies. Learn more about the work Orgenesis is doing atwww.orgenesis.com.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this release is as of October 19, 2020. Orgenesis assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information or future events or developments. This release contains forward looking statements about Orgenesis, Koligo, Koligos technology, and potential development and business opportunities of Koligo and Orgenesis following the closing of the Transaction, each of which involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, uncertainties regarding the commercial success of the Companys products; the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for our clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates and/or launch dates, as well as the possibility of unfavorable new clinical data and further analyses of existing clinical data; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments by regulatory authorities; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from our clinical studies; whether and when any such regulatory authorities may approved the Companys development products, and, if approved, whether such product candidates will be commercially successful; decisions by regulatory authorities impacting labeling, manufacturing processes, safety and/or other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of the Companys products; uncertainties regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the Companys business, operations and financial results and competitive developments.

A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned Risk Factors and Forward-Looking Information, as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available atwww.sec.gov.

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Orgenesis completes acquisition of Koligo Therapeutics and announces additional acquisition of Icellator(R) Technology from Tissue Genesis in related...

Stem Cell Therapy Market to Witness Steady Expansion During 2025 KYT24 – KYT24

Of late, there has been an increasing awareness regarding the therapeutic potential of stem cells for management of diseases which is boosting the growth of the stem cell therapy market. The development of advanced genome based cell analysis techniques, identification of new stem cell lines, increasing investments in research and development as well as infrastructure development for the processing and banking of stem cell are encouraging the growth of the global stem cell therapy market.

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One of the key factors boosting the growth of this market is the limitations of traditional organ transplantation such as the risk of infection, rejection, and immunosuppression risk. Another drawback of conventional organ transplantation is that doctors have to depend on organ donors completely. All these issues can be eliminated, by the application of stem cell therapy. Another factor which is helping the growth in this market is the growing pipeline and development of drugs for emerging applications. Increased research studies aiming to widen the scope of stem cell will also fuel the growth of the market. Scientists are constantly engaged in trying to find out novel methods for creating human stem cells in response to the growing demand for stem cell production to be used for disease management.

It is estimated that the dermatology application will contribute significantly the growth of the global stem cell therapy market. This is because stem cell therapy can help decrease the after effects of general treatments for burns such as infections, scars, and adhesion. The increasing number of patients suffering from diabetes and growing cases of trauma surgery will fuel the adoption of stem cell therapy in the dermatology segment.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Overview

Also called regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy encourages the reparative response of damaged, diseased, or dysfunctional tissue via the use of stem cells and their derivatives. Replacing the practice of organ transplantations, stem cell therapies have eliminated the dependence on availability of donors. Bone marrow transplant is perhaps the most commonly employed stem cell therapy.

Osteoarthritis, cerebral palsy, heart failure, multiple sclerosis and even hearing loss could be treated using stem cell therapies. Doctors have successfully performed stem cell transplants that significantly aid patients fight cancers such as leukemia and other blood-related diseases.

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Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Key Trends

The key factors influencing the growth of the global stem cell therapy market are increasing funds in the development of new stem lines, the advent of advanced genomic procedures used in stem cell analysis, and greater emphasis on human embryonic stem cells. As the traditional organ transplantations are associated with limitations such as infection, rejection, and immunosuppression along with high reliance on organ donors, the demand for stem cell therapy is likely to soar. The growing deployment of stem cells in the treatment of wounds and damaged skin, scarring, and grafts is another prominent catalyst of the market.

On the contrary, inadequate infrastructural facilities coupled with ethical issues related to embryonic stem cells might impede the growth of the market. However, the ongoing research for the manipulation of stem cells from cord blood cells, bone marrow, and skin for the treatment of ailments including cardiovascular and diabetes will open up new doors for the advancement of the market.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Market Potential

A number of new studies, research projects, and development of novel therapies have come forth in the global market for stem cell therapy. Several of these treatments are in the pipeline, while many others have received approvals by regulatory bodies.

In March 2017, Belgian biotech company TiGenix announced that its cardiac stem cell therapy, AlloCSC-01 has successfully reached its phase I/II with positive results. Subsequently, it has been approved by the U.S. FDA. If this therapy is well- received by the market, nearly 1.9 million AMI patients could be treated through this stem cell therapy.

Another significant development is the granting of a patent to Israel-based Kadimastem Ltd. for its novel stem-cell based technology to be used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other similar conditions of the nervous system. The companys technology used for producing supporting cells in the central nervous system, taken from human stem cells such as myelin-producing cells is also covered in the patent.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Regional Outlook

The global market for stem cell therapy can be segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. North America emerged as the leading regional market, triggered by the rising incidence of chronic health conditions and government support. Europe also displays significant growth potential, as the benefits of this therapy are increasingly acknowledged.

Asia Pacific is slated for maximum growth, thanks to the massive patient pool, bulk of investments in stem cell therapy projects, and the increasing recognition of growth opportunities in countries such as China, Japan, and India by the leading market players.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Competitive Analysis

Several firms are adopting strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships, apart from product development with a view to attain a strong foothold in the global market for stem cell therapy.

Some of the major companies operating in the global market for stem cell therapy are RTI Surgical, Inc., MEDIPOST Co., Ltd., Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., NuVasive, Inc., Pharmicell Co., Ltd., Anterogen Co., Ltd., JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., and Holostem Terapie Avanzate S.r.l.

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Mohammed Hussain Alqahtani shares his insights about the evolution of plastic surgery – LA Progressive

Dr. Mohammed Hussain Alqahtani has a rich insight into the world of cosmetic developments. In his expansive career, he has dealt with several surgical as well as non-surgical procedures. Plastic Surgery, or at least the cosmetic kind, has always been quite the trend. However, it was not always absolutely safe or, to say, readily affordable. Dr. Alqahtani educates us on how there has been a monumental shift in the industry, while also enlightening us about how safe and approachable the procedures are currently.

Its not always about beautifying a certain part. In fact, it could also be a genuine necessity.

Dr. Alqahtani has shared his expertise on several forums and interviews. He champions the positivity cosmetic surgery brings in the life of a person. To begin with, he says, Its not always about beautifying a certain part. In fact, it could also be a genuine necessity. He says people falsely associate cosmetic procedures with being limited to getting a fuller lip or breast augmentation. The truth is cosmetic treatments arent gender-biased. They are safe procedures conducted by trained doctors adhering to the highest health and hygiene protocol.

The situation with plastic surgery earlier was different and has now undergone a sea change. The treatments and procedures have been standardized, ensuring patient safety. There is no longer fear of any contamination or hygiene issues. The surgery procedures are now assisted by highly efficient software and AI machines that bring in precision. The treatments are supervised by highly skilled doctors who recommend procedures only after considering your medical history.

Dr. Alqahtani says the most significant victory lies in the fact that plastic surgeries now can give burn patients, acid-attack victims, etc. a new lease of life. Victims can undergo a safe and secure treatment, which can help them forget their trauma. People should be able to opt for a cosmetic procedure if they wish to. The enhancement of facial features often adds to the self-confidence of a person.

The future will also have Integrated Stem Cell technology that will help regenerate new cells. Besides these, several ongoing medical experiments will bring about contributory changes in the future. For now, Dr. Alqahtani assures that plastic surgery is no longer a stigma but a new way of looking at your own life.

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Mohammed Hussain Alqahtani shares his insights about the evolution of plastic surgery - LA Progressive

Manya Saaraswat Makes Top 5 Finish in 2020 Miss World America Competition, Three Other Indian Americans in Top 10 – India West

Miss World America this month held its virtual competition for 2020, with a quartet of Indian Americans making the Top 10 and one, Manya Saaraswat, making it all the way to the Top 5.

Alissa Anderegg of New York was the grand prize winner and will hold the title of 2020 Miss World America.

In addition to Saaraswat of Pennsylvania, Indian Americans Serene Singh of Colorado; Manju Bangalore of Oregon; and Shree Saini of Washington were top 10 finishers.

The Top 10 were named from a group of 28 women that included six Indian Americans and a Bangladeshi American (see India-West article here: https://bit.ly/2H5dFFD).

Saaraswat immigrated to the United States when she was three years old. She has since moved around seven times and has attended over 10 different schools, according to her bio.

Because she was moving around a lot, her family became her best friends and remain so today. Both of her parents are physicians and from a young age, Saaraswat was encouraged to lead a service driven life. At 14, she began volunteering in the neonatal intensive care unit at a local hospital. It was here where she found her love for pediatrics and medicine, her bio said.

She entered Bucknell University on a presidential fellowship, which is the highest merit scholarship the university offers. Her academic endeavors led her to a stem cell internship at Harvard University, four publications in medical journals, and a life-changing trip to volunteer and intern at a local hospital in India, the bio notes.

Currently, she is pursuing a master of science of health policy and economics at Weill Cornell Medicine before she enters medical school.

Singh is a native Coloradan and a Rhodes Scholar, and is starting her doctorate degree in criminal justice at the University of Oxford, her bio notes.

A Truman Scholar and an alumnus of the University of Colorado, she graduated with summa cum laude honors in political science and journalism degrees with a minor in leadership studies, it said.

Singh, her bio notes, cares deeply about empowering girls and women worldwide. She is the founder of a The Serenity Project Brave Enough to Fly nonprofit, an organization that aims to give confidence tools to at-risk women. Her passion for paying forward her skills from pageantry and modeling have reached hundreds of women, has won Victoria Secrets GRL PWR campaign, and serve as a Dalai Lama Fellow and Global Changemaker, her bio adds.

Singh plans to advance her passion for public service to one day serve on the United States Supreme Court.

Bangalore is a physicist, actor and the founder of Operation Period, a youth-led nonprofit addressing menstrual inequity through art, advocacy, education, community engagement and aid.

She received her physics degree and math minor from the University of Oregon in 2018 and is now pursuing her M.S. in aerospace engineering with a concentration on propulsion systems, it said.

She has worked at two NASA centers, Marshall Space Flight Center and Johnson Space Center, on propulsion and the cockpit displays for the Orion spacecraft, as well as in the White House under President Obama on science policy.

Saini isa global speaker who has been invited to speak in over eight countries and 30 states, her bio touts.

She graduated from the University of Washington and has been a visiting student at Harvard, Stanford and Yale universities.

Saini has devoted her life to community service. At age 15, she started her nonprofit and since then, she has written thousands of articles and served hundreds of nonprofits, it said.

Herimpact has reached millions: earning her the Best Pageant Titleholder award and recognitions from the Secretary of State, Senate, Governor and American Heart Association CEO.

Sainis childhood dream to serve as Miss World inspired her to change her adversities to advocacy. She is a survivor of bullying, facial burns and heart defect.

At just age 12, she got a pacemaker surgery to keep her alive. Doctors said her physical activities would be forever limited but Saini persevered to regain her lost physical and emotional strength, the bio said.

In addition to Saaraswat and Anderegg, the top 5 included Alissa Musto of Massachusetts; Molly May of Mississippi; and Megan Gordan of South Carolina.

The Miss World America 2020 winner will be formally announced as the winner at a crowning ceremony is slated for Oct. 24.

Last years winner Emmy Rose Cuvelier will crown her successor who will represent the United States at the 70th Miss World edition to be held in the last quarter of next year.

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Manya Saaraswat Makes Top 5 Finish in 2020 Miss World America Competition, Three Other Indian Americans in Top 10 - India West

Microscopy Beyond the Resolution Limit – Lab Manager Magazine

Image of microtubules in a fixed cell sample. A 3 microns x 3 microns confocal scan of microtubules in a fixed 3T3 cell labeled with quantum dots analyzed in two ways. Upper left: image scanning microscopy (ISM), lower right: super-resolution optical fluctuation image scanning microscopy (SOFISM) after Fourier-reweighting.

UW Physics, A. Makowski

The Polish-Israeli team from the Faculty of Physics of the University of Warsaw and the Weizmann Institute of Science has made another significant achievement in fluorescent microscopy. In the pages of the Optica journal, the team presented a new method of microscopy which, in theory, has no resolution limit. In practice, the team managed to demonstrate a fourfold improvement over the diffraction limit.

The continued development of biological sciences and medicine requires the ability to examine smaller and smaller objects. Scientists need to see into the structure of, and the mutual relationships between, for example, proteins in cells. At the same time, the samples being observed should not differ from the structures naturally occurring in biological organisms, which rules out the use of aggressive procedures and reagents. Although it revolutionized the natural sciences, the classical optical microscope is clearly insufficient today. Due to the wavelike nature of light, an optical microscope does not allow imaging structures smaller than about 250 nanometers. As a result, objects closer to each other than half the wavelength of light (which is about 250 nm for green light) cannot be discerned. This phenomenon, known as the diffraction limit, is one of the main obstacles in observing the tiniest biological structures that scientists have long attempted to overcome. Electron microscopes provide orders of magnitude better resolution but only allow the examination of inanimate objects, which must be placed in a vacuum and bombarded by an electron beam. For this reason, electron microscopy cannot be used for studying living organisms and the natural processes occurring in them. This is where fluorescence microscopy steps in, hence the rapid development of super-resolution fluorescence microscopy as a field of physical sciences and the two Nobel Prizes already awarded for related researchin 2008 and 2014.

Nowadays several techniques of fluorescence microscopy are available, and some of them have become widespread in biological imaging. Some methods, such as PALM, STORM, or STED microscopy, are characterized by an ultra-high resolution and allow discerning objects located just a dozen or so nanometers from each other. However, these techniques require long exposure times and a complex procedure of biological specimen preparation. Other techniques, such as SIM or ISM microscopy, are easy to use, but offer a very limited resolution improvement, allowing researchers to identify structures only half the size of the diffraction limit.

Aleksandra Sroda, Adrian Makowski, and Dr. Radek Lapkiewicz from the Quantum Optics Lab at the Faculty of Physics of the University of Warsaw, in cooperation with professor Dan Oron's team from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, have introduced a new technique of super-resolution microscopy, called super-resolution optical fluctuation image scanning microscopy (SOFISM). In SOFISM, the naturally occurring fluctuations in emission intensity of fluorescent markers are used to further enhance the spatial resolution of an image scanning microscope (ISM). ISM, an emerging super-resolution method, has already been implemented in commercial products and proven valuable for the bioimaging community. This implementation is largely because ISM achieves a modest improvement in lateral resolution (x2), with very few changes to the optical setup and without the common handicap of long exposure times. Thus, it enables a natural extension of the capabilities of a standard confocal microscope. ISM uses a confocal microscope in which a single detector is replaced with a detector array. In SOFISM, correlations of intensities detected by multiple detectors are computed. In principle, the measurement of the nth order correlation can lead to a factor of 2n resolution improvement with respect to the diffraction limit. In practice, the resolution achievable for higher-order correlations is limited by the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurements.

"SOFISM is a compromise between ease of use and resolution. We believe that our method will fill the niche between the complex, difficult-to-use techniques, providing very high resolution and the easy-to-use lower-resolution methods. SOFISM does not have a theoretical resolution limit, and in our article, we demonstrate results which are four times better than the diffraction limit. We also show that the SOFISM method has a high potential in the imaging of three-dimensional biological structures," Lapkiewicz said.

Crucially, SOFISM is, in its technical aspects, highly accessible, as it only requires introducing a small modification to the widely-used confocal microscopereplacing its photomultiplier tube with a SPAD array detector. In addition, it is necessary to slightly increase the measurement time and change the data processing procedure. "Until recently, SPAD array detectors were expensive and their specifications were not sufficient for correlation-based microscopy. This situation has recently changed. The new SPAD detectors introduced last year removed both the technological and price-related barriers. This makes us think that fluorescence microscopy techniques such as SOFISM might, in a few years' time, become widely used in the field of microscopic examination," stressed Lapkiewicz.

- This press release was originally published on theUniversity of Warsaw's Faculty of Physics website

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Microscopy Beyond the Resolution Limit - Lab Manager Magazine

SFARI | New collaboration between SFARI and Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation will generate hundreds of iPSC lines for autism research – SFARI News

The Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI) and the Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation (NLMFF) are pleased to announce that they joined efforts to generate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from blood samples of participants in Simons Searchlight.

With an investment of $450,000 from each organization, SFARI and NLMFF intend to generate iPSCs from 100 individuals over the next year. They plan to possibly generate another 100 iPSCs during a second year of the collaboration. iPSCs will be generated by the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) and stored in the SFARI biorepository at Infinite Biologics. Samples will be available for request by researchers worldwide through SFARI Base for a nominal fee.

The first batch of about 30 iPSC lines is estimated to be available in early 2021. It will include lines from individuals with genetic variants in six high-confidence autism risk genes (DYRK1A, GRIN2B, HNRNPH2, SCN2A, SETBP1 and SYNGAP1). SFARI currently estimates that batches of ~ 3050 iPSC lines will become available every three months, following the first batch. These new iPSC lines will complement the existing SFARI collection of iPSCs that have been previously generated from Simons Simplex Collection and Simons Searchlight participants.

With the advent of high-throughput methods that enable well-controlled, quantitative analysis on a large number of samples in parallel1, iPSCs derived from individuals with genetic changes have become valuable tools for biomedical research. This is especially important for studying developmental brain conditions, where access to tissue of the affected organ, the brain, is only possible postmortem.

Due to the remarkable progress in technologies, iPSCs can be differentiated into many different cell types, including neurons and glia2-5, or grown into brain organoids6. By creating a centralized iPSC resource, SFARI and the NLMFF hope to reduce some of the experimental variability introduced when using iPSCs from different providers and often created by using different somatic source cell types or reprogramming methods.

Simons Searchlight provides researchers with clinical data and biospecimens of individuals who are carriers of rare recurrent genetic changes that greatly increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or related neurodevelopmental disorders. Given that the individual genetic events are rare, the data and biospecimens are difficult and costly for any individual laboratory to collect. Likewise, the generation of iPSCs is a highly specialized, lengthy and expensive process. By centralizing the generation of iPSCs derived from Simons Searchlight participants, SFARI and NLMFF will save researchers time and money and will create a technically homogenous resource intended to accelerate research progress. The extensive clinical and phenotypic data associated with the iPSCs lines will also be available through SFARI Base.

iPSCs are a powerful tool to advance our knowledge of autism biology, says SFARI senior scientist Julia Sommer. It is our hope that the generation of these lines will speed up researchon the many genetic changes associated with ASD and their impact on brain development and function.

The iPSCs will be derived from proband peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)7 by Sendai virus delivery of reprogramming factors at the NYSCF. Detailed quality control (QC) data (including but not limited to karyotype and pluripotency analysis) will be available on each line. As the reprogramming is organized in batches and it takes six to nine months to generate a fully QCed iPSC line, iPSC lines for the different genetic conditions selected from Simons Searchlight will become available in batches during the next one to two years. At the moment, there are no plans to create iPSCs from the probands family members. However, we are considering the generation of isogenic controls for select samples, either by rescuing mutations in samples from individuals with genetic changes or by introducing common mutations in a well characterized control iPSC line.

To stay up-to-date on readily available iPSCs, please visit SFARI iPS cell models resource page. Requests to order cell lines can be made through SFARI Base.

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SFARI | New collaboration between SFARI and Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation will generate hundreds of iPSC lines for autism research - SFARI News