Friends come together for benefit concert for Joni Eickhoff – Grand Island Independent

When Dianne Schneider found out her friend and fellow parishioner Joni Eickhoff was trying to raise money to pay for an unconventional medical treatment for her pulmonary cystic fibrosis, she knew what she had to do perform a concert.

Schneider, who is a longtime music minister at St. Marys Cathedral, didnt think she would ever say that. But a few years ago, Eickhoff encouraged Schneider to record a CD of her music with fellow musician Claudette Sekutera. The CD of contemporary Christian music was recorded in 2012 and half of the funds raised by the sale of the CD have gone to benefit St. Marys Cathedral.

She would always come up and say how beautiful the music was and she was the one who always told me I should record a CD, Schneider remembered. She just wanted so much for me to do a concert back then, but I didnt really want to. I dont know if it was that I didnt want to draw the attention to myself or that deep down I didnt think anyone would come.

When Schneider saw the flyer in church asking for donations for Eickhoffs GoFundMe account, she thought differently.

I kept thinking about it and thought that this is the time for a concert because now it has a purpose, she said.

The benefit concert is scheduled for 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Marys Cathedral. Besides Sekutera, Schneider will perform with Amy and Andy Schneider, Jeanne Allen and Sue Stueben. There is no charge to attend, but a freewill offering will be accepted. A group from Woodmens Insurance has offered to match the proceeds. Schneider will also be selling her CD Gratitude for $10, with half of those proceeds going to Eickhoff as well.

Eickhoff was more than just a little surprised by Schneiders offer.

You talk about tears that come down, Eickhoff said. Shes just one of a kind. Shes my guardian angel.

Pulmonary cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease that causes thickened mucus to block airways, making it difficult to breathe.

Diagnosed in 2015, Joni had all but exhausted conventional medical treatments when she and her husband, Ramon, learned about stem cell treatments at a pulmonary clinic in Dallas, Texas.

The cost was prohibitive, though, as the procedure was not covered by Medicare or insurance. The Eickhoff family set up a GoFundMe account to raise $11,000, which included the cost of transportation to and from the clinic. They posted a flyer at St. Marys Cathedral and shortly after that, Eickhoffs husband was approached by another parishioner who offered to cover the entire cost.

The Eickhoffs accepted the offer on the condition that they be able to pay back the gift. The donor agreed and Joni underwent the procedure on April 20 and has been steadily improving. Since the treatment, her husband said, she has gone from being able to take 56 steps without oxygen to 101 steps without oxygen.

Each time we do a walk test without oxygen, her recovery time has gone to five or six minutes, where before it was only a couple of minutes, he said.

It was very successful, Joni said. All I did was sit in a chair.

Eickhoff said drawing the blood at the clinic was a six-hour procedure over the course of two days, three hours each day. When she asked her doctor when she could expect to see results, the doctor told her three to six months.

Im just doing so good, she said, after just a little over three months. Of course, when I talk, it takes a lot of air.

Eickhoff and her husband have been so encouraged by her results, they want to spread the word about stem cell treatments. Ramon said there are five similar clinics in the United States and they advertise an 82 to 83 percent success rate.

If you can do the stem cell treatment, you can be off oxygen, Joni said. There are 150,000 people that are dying that dont have to.

Colleen Gallion is the associate editor of the West Nebraska Register.

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‘Unexpected fountain of youth’ found in cardiac stem cells, researcher says – FOX31 Denver

Cardiac stem cells derived from young hearts helped reverse the signs of aging when directly injected into the old hearts of elderly rats, astudypublished Monday in the European Heart Journal demonstrated.

The old rats appeared newly invigorated after receiving their injections. As hoped, the cardiac stem cells improved heart function yet also provided additional benefits. The rats fur fur, shaved for surgery, grew back more quickly than expected, and their chromosomal telomeres, which commonly shrink with age, lengthened.

The old rats receiving the cardiac stem cells also had increased stamina overall, exercising more than before the infusion.

Its extremely exciting, said Dr. Eduardo Marbn, primary investigator on the research and director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute. Witnessing the systemic rejuvenating effects, he said, its kind of like an unexpected fountain of youth.

Weve been studying new forms of cell therapy for the heart for some 12 years now, Marbn said.

Some of this research has focused on cardiosphere-derived cells.

Theyre progenitor cells from the heart itself, Marbn said. Progenitor cells are generated from stem cells and share some, but not all, of the same properties. For instance, they can differentiate into more than one kind of cell like stem cells, but unlike stem cells, progenitor cells cannot divide and reproduce indefinitely.

From hisown previous research, Marbn discovered that cardiosphere-derived cells promote the healing of the heart after a condition known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, which affects more than 50% of all heart failure patients.

Since heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is similar to aging, Marbn decided to experiment on old rats, ones that suffered from a type of heart problem thats very typical of what we find in older human beings: The hearts stiff, and it doesnt relax right, and it causes fluid to back up some, Marbn explained.

He and his team injected cardiosphere-derived cells from newborn rats into the hearts of 22-month-old rats thats elderly for a rat. Similar old rats received a placebo injection of saline solution. Then, Marbn and his team compared both groups to young rats that were 4 months old. After a month, they compared the rats again.

Even though the cells were injected into the heart, their effects were noticeable throughout the body, Marbn said

The animals could exercise further than they could before by about 20%, and one of the most striking things, especially for me (because Im kind of losing my hair) the animals regrew their fur a lot better after theyd gotten cells compared with the placebo rats, Marbn said.

The rats that received cardiosphere-derived cells also experienced improved heart function and showed longer heart cell telomeres.

The working hypothesis is that the cells secrete exosomes, tiny vesicles that contain a lot of nucleic acids, things like RNA, that can change patterns of the way the tissue responds to injury and the way genes are expressed in the tissue, Marbn said.

It is the exosomes that act on the heart and make it better as well as mediating long-distance effects on exercise capacity and hair regrowth, he explained.

Looking to the future, Marbn said hes begun to explore delivering the cardiac stem cells intravenously in a simple infusion instead of injecting them directly into the heart, which would be a complex procedure for a human patient and seeing whether the same beneficial effects occur.

Dr. Gary Gerstenblith, a professor of medicine in the cardiology division of Johns Hopkins Medicine, said the new study is very comprehensive.

Striking benefits are demonstrated not only from a cardiac perspective but across multiple organ systems, said Gerstenblith, who did not contribute to the new research. The results suggest that stem cell therapies should be studied as an additional therapeutic option in the treatment of cardiac and other diseases common in the elderly.

Todd Herron, director of the University of Michigan Frankel Cardiovascular Centers Cardiovascular Regeneration Core Laboratory, said Marbn, with his previous work with cardiac stem cells, has led the field in this area.

The novelty of this bit of work is, they started to look at more precise molecular mechanisms to explain the phenomenon theyve seen in the past, said Herron, who played no role in the new research.

One strength of the approach here is that the researchers have taken cells from the organ that they want to rejuvenate, so that makes it likely that the cells stay there in that tissue, Herron said.

He believes that more extensive study, beginning with larger animals and including long-term followup, is needed before this technique could be used in humans.

We need to make sure theres no harm being done, Herron said, adding that extending the lifetime and improving quality of life amounts to a tradeoff between the potential risk and the potential good that can be done.

Capicor, the company that grows these special cells, is focused solely on therapies for muscular dystrophy and heart failure with ongoing clinical trials involving human patients, Marbn said.

Capicor hasnt announced any plans to do studies in aging, but the possibility exists.

After all, the cells have been proven completely safe in over 100 human patients, so it would be possible to fast-track them into the clinic, Marbn explained: I cant tell you that there are any plans to do that, but it could easily be done from a safety viewpoint.

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'Unexpected fountain of youth' found in cardiac stem cells, researcher says - FOX31 Denver

New Mayo Clinic facility aims to increase lungs available for transplant – First Coast News

In the coming months, construction will begin on a new facility at Mayo Clinic's Jacksonville campus.

Juliette Dryer, WTLV 7:05 PM. EDT August 09, 2017

Larry Rawdon received two lung transplants from Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville (PHOTO: First Coast News)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - In the coming months, construction will begin on a new facility at Mayo Clinics Jacksonville campus.

Mayo Clinic announced a partnership with Maryland-based United Therapeutics Corporation to build and operate a lung restoration center in 2015.

Theres only one other center right now in the country thats actually doing what we do, Windell Smith, Mayo Clinic operations administrator, said. And thats in Silver Springs, Maryland.

The lung restoration center will house a process called ex vivo lung perfusion, or EVLP. Dr. David Erasmus, medical director of the lung transplant program at Mayo Clinic, said the lungs are taken from a donor to a restoration center and hooked up to an artificial circulatory system.

And then they can be evaluated to see if they may be viable or made viable for transplant, Dr. Erasmus said.

Erasmus said the benefits of EVLP are two-fold. Right now, borderline lungs are usually discarded because doctors dont want to take the risk on a lung that may not be viable. While lungs are undergoing EVLP, doctors can monitor how they would respond inside the body and make a more informed decision whether to proceed with transplant or discard the lungs.

We can measure the pressure in the lungs, we can measure the pressure in the circulation of the lungs, we can measure blood gas tests on those lungs and we can take X-rays, Erasmus said. We can also do some of the procedures that we would do in a living person. We can do bronchoscopies where we look down into the airways of those lungs.

The lungs can also be treated to improve their condition for transplant.

One can introduce antibiotics or steroids or other types of therapies such as potentially stem cell therapy, Erasmus said. All sorts of interventions might be tried on these lungs.

Since Mayo Clinics program has not yet started, Erasmus said its difficult to predict the impact it will have on the number of lung transplants. However, he said a similar program yielded a 25 percent increase.

We would get more patients transplanted, we may be able to get them transplanted quicker, Erasmus said. The more people we transplant, the more likely we are to transplant patients that are a little lower down on the list.

Jacksonville resident Larry Rawdon received two lung transplants at Mayo. The first, a single lung transplant in 2005; the second, a double lung transplant in 2008 when his body rejected the first lung.

I still remember being able to take the first full deep breath Id been able to take in the previous three years, Rawdon said of his first transplant.

Rawdon, who started showing symptoms of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2002, was on the verge of death when he received his second transplant.

You know unless somethings done, youre not going to survive whats happening to you, he said.

Rawdon, a former Broadway cellist, took up the harmonica to strengthen his lungs and diaphragm post-surgery. He now teaches classes to other people in Mayo Clinics lung transplant program.

I used to enjoy more things, but now I enjoy things more, he said.

Rawdon is planning a Christmas trip to New York City to see his two daughters and recently celebrated his 48th wedding anniversary with his wife, Katie.

Mayo Clinic staff tell First Coast News a date has not yet been set for construction to begin, but its expected to start in the fall. Construction is expected to take two years.

2017 WTLV-TV

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Surrey teen rallies stem cell donors to help with ‘desperate’ need for South Asians – Surrey Now-Leader

Joban Bal in front of one of his tents during his swab drive calling for people to join the stem cell donor registry, which is in desperate need. (Photo: Alex Wilks)

Thirty-seven South Asian Canadian patients in desperate need of a stem cell transplant, says CBS

Alex Wilks, Surrey Now-Leader contributor

SURREY Canadian Blood Services (CBS) is in desperate need of donors to add to the registry and a Surrey teen wants to help.

Eighteen-year-old Joban Bal organized a stem cell swab event to help CBS build up the donor list.

He held his event on Saturday (July 29) during the annual Miri Piri Nagar Kirtan celebration at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara.

I saw the great need in hospitals for blood donors and especially stem cell donors, explained Bal. Essentially its rare that diseases do occur that need a stem cell donor but then that donation can make a real impact on a persons life.

Bal has been driven for the cause since high school where he launched Tamanawis Secondary Schools first blood donor clinic and stem cell swabbing campaigns.

I think of it as an investment in our future. Getting the younger generation really into blood donation because were trying to build up that community engagement with it, he said.

Bal is the founder of the One Blood for Life Foundation and a 2017 Winner of Surreys Top 25 under 25 Awards. Alongside a group of enthusiastic volunteers he hopes to recruit donors and educate people about the importance of blood and stem cell donation.

Stem cell transplantation is a procedure that replaces unhealthy blood-forming cells with healthy cells. It can be used to treat illnesses such as leukemia, lymphoma and various forms of cancer.

I dont want to say its personal. I want to say its more community oriented, explained Bal. I havent per se ever been affected by it, but I dont think it should take the point to where I am personally affected to see the impact it has.

It only takes about ten minutes to register. Donors are then briefed on what to expect if they are ever called in to donate. Following that is a quick cheek swab.

There are over 400,000 people in our registry and most people will never ever be called to be a match because it is that hard to find a match, said Territory Manager for CBS Sarah Jasmins.

Currently 37 South Asian Canadian patients are in desperate need of a stem cell transplants she emphasized.

They dont have a match, she said. Our registry right now is only six per cent South Asian and the important thing about a stem cell transplant is that the odds are youre only going to find somebody within your own ancestry.

So what were doing today is actually appealing to the South Asian population and getting them to join our registry, she adds.

Jasmins aims to build up the South Asian representation on the registry and with the help of Bal encourage people to donate blood as well.

It goes hand-in-hand. Usually somebody that requires a stem cell transplant also requires blood transfusions, she explained.

Bal chose to set up his red and white donor tents at the Miri Piri festival last weekend because of its unique South Asian diversity.

Its really important to bring awareness across cultural barriers and language barriers, he said. Because when we realize it theres something that connects us all, its blood. Regardless of what race, gender, ethnicity or if your old or young.

CBS requires donors to be between the ages of 17 to 35, in general good health and willing to help all Canadian patients.

I feel like every multicultural event should include something of this nature, explained Bal. It really is very closely integrated to community involvement. If we break down barriers between education and bring it to community events where we can facilitate this, we have the people; we have the resources, lets connect the two.

Joban Bal (far left) and some of his volunteers. (Photo: Alex Wilks)

One of the two swab tents set up on the parade route. (Photo: Alex Wilks)

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Surrey teen rallies stem cell donors to help with 'desperate' need for South Asians - Surrey Now-Leader

Tampa Florida Stem Cell Clinic – Don’t Operate – Regenerate

Dont Operate Regenerate

Chronic pain in your neck, shoulder, elbow, hips, lower back, knees, ankles, and other joints is frustrating to manage. If your joint pain treatment has been a series of minor temporary fixes and, more often, disappointing failures, you may feel like surgery is your only option. The truth is, you can heal joint pain without invasive procedures, using the bodys own regenerative stem cells and Tampas Regenerative Orthopedic Institute is one of the regions most experienced specialists.

Back surgeries and joint replacements have serious risks, limited rates of success, and long recovery periods. However, our stem-cell and blood platelet procedures are available in our Tampa joint therapy center without surgical risks like general anesthesia and slow, painful recovery times, while also being available at a fraction of the cost.

Conditions We Treat

Non-surgical therapies like stem cells and Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) harness the bodys healing potential through a natural process that combines growth factors and bioactive cells to repair joints and end knee pain, shoulder pain, back pain, cartilage damage, ligament damage, tendonitis, and injured discs without surgery.

See Treatment Options

The state-of-the-art science behind stem-cell joint therapy is a key area of practice for Dr. Erick Grana, one of Tampas top Physiatrist and Pain Management Specialists. Board-certified in Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, Dr. Grana has been performing spinal injections and non-surgical joint therapies for more than 12 years.

See Dr. Granas Philosophy

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Dorothy Jean Kercheval Garrigan – The Messenger (subscription)

Dorothy Jean Kercheval Garrigan, known to everyone as Dotty, passed away in her home during the early morning hours of Monday, July 10, 2017. Dotty was born April 26, 1951, and was preceded in death by her parents H.C. (Kirpy) Kercheval and Mary Beth Tomblinson Kercheval.

She is survived by her husband, Mike, of 47 years; children Mollie (Greg) Robinson, John Mark (Anne) Garrigan, David (Mary) Garrigan, Katie (Schuyler) Redpath; 14 grandchildren; her mother-in-law, JoAnn Garrigan Minton; siblings Howard Kercheval, Woody (Kea) Kercheval, Lib (Brad) Locke and Sam (Cindy) Kercheval; and one uncle, Jack Kercheval.

Dotty had a contagious spirit and a warm smile for everyone she encountered. Her favorite flower was the sunflower, and she brought sunshine into every situation she entered.

A service honoring her life will be at noon Thursday with a time of fellowship beginning at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Madisonville.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the following: Door of Hope Blessing Closet, First Presbyterian Church Water to the World Mission, or Baptist Health Hospice.

The family expresses its deepest gratitude to the physicians, nurses, and staffs of the Merle Mahr Cancer Center, Baptist Health Madisonville, and the Vanderbilt-Ingram Stem-Cell Clinic; all of whom encouraged and treated her with the greatest of care and respect.

Thanks to the many friends who have shown love in ways too numerous to mention to our family during the past three years.

Tomblinson Funeral Home Sebree Chapel is handling the arrangements. Condolences may be made at tomblinsonfuneralhome.com.

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Private clinics are peddling untested stem cell treatments it’s unethical and dangerous – Yahoo News UK

Getty Images/Spencer Platt

Stem cell science is an area of medical research that continues to offer great promise. But as this weeks paper in Science Translational Medicine highlights, a growing number of clinics around the globe, including in Australia, are exploiting regulatory gaps to sell so-called stem cell treatments without evidence that what they offer is effective or even safe.

Such unregulated direct-to-consumer advertising typically of cells obtained using liposuction-like methods not only places the health of individuals at risk, but could also undermine the legitimate development of stem cell-based therapies.

Many academic societies and professional medical organisations have raised concerns about these futile and often expensive cell therapies. Despite this, national regulators have typically been slow or ineffective in curtailing them.

As well as tighter regulations here, international regulators such as the World Health Organisation and the International Council on Harmonisation need to move on ensuring patients desperate for cures arent sold treatments with limited efficacy and unknown safety.

Hundreds of stem cell clinics post online claims that they have been able to treat patients suffering from a wide range of conditions. These include osteoarthritis, pain, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and infertility. The websites are high on rhetoric of science often using various accreditation, awards and other tokens to imply legitimacy but low on proof that they work.

osteoporosis strong bones workout old lady

Donna McWilliam/APRather than producing independently verified results, these clinics rely on patient testimonials or unsubstantiated claims of improvement. In so doing these shonky clinics understate the risks to patient health associated with these unproven stem cell-based interventions.

Properly administered informed consent is often overlooked or ignored, so patients can be misled about the likelihood of success. In addition to heavy financial burdens imposed on patients and their families, there is often an opportunity cost because the time wasted in receiving futile stem cells diverts patients away from proven medicines.

The many recent reports of adverse outcomes demonstrate the risks of receiving unproven cell therapies are not trivial. In the USA three women were blinded following experimental stem cell treatment for macular degeneration (a degenerative eye disease that can cause blindness). One man was rendered a quadriplegic following a stem cell intervention for stroke. And a woman whose family sought treatment for her dementia died in Australia.

Other notorious cases involving the deaths of patients include the German government shutting down the X-Cell Centre and the Italian government closing the Stamina Foundation it had previously supported.

Read More

REUTERS/Juan Carlos UlateAt present, the only recognised stem cell treatments are those utilising blood stem cells isolated from bone marrow, peripheral blood (the cellular components of blood such as red and white blood cells and platelets) or umbilical cord blood.

Hundreds of thousand of lives have been saved over the last half-century in patients with cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, as well as rare inherited immune and metabolic disorders.

A few types of cancer and autoimmune diseases may also benefit from blood stem cells in the context of chemotherapy. Different stem cells are also successfully used for corneal and skin grafting.

All other applications remain in the preclinical research phase or are just starting to be evaluated in clinical trials.

Often dismissed by for-profit clinics as red tape hampering progress, the rigour of clinical trials allows for the collection of impartial evidence. Such information is usually required before a new drug or medical device is released into the marketplace. Unfortunately, in the case of for-profit stem cell clinics, their marketing has gazumped the scientific evidence.

Action is required on many fronts. Regulators at both an international and national level need to tackle regulatory loopholes and challenge unfounded marketing claims of businesses selling unproven stem cell interventions.

Researchers need to more clearly communicate their findings and the necessary next steps to responsibly take their science from the laboratory to the clinic. And they should acknowledge that this will take time.

Patients and their loved ones must be encouraged to seek advice from a trained reputable health care professional, someone who knows their medical history. They should think twice if someone is offering a treatment outside standards of practice.

The stakes are too high not to have these difficult conversations. If a stem cell treatment sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

NOW WATCH: How grown men can actually look good in shorts

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Private clinics are peddling untested stem cell treatments it's unethical and dangerous - Yahoo News UK

Private clinics’ unproven stem cell treatment is unsafe and unethical … – Business Standard

Professional medical organisations have raised concerns about these expensive cell therapies

Stem cell science is an area of medical research that continues to offer great promise. But as this weeks paper in Science Translational Medicine highlights, a growing number of clinics around the globe, including in Australia, are exploiting regulatory gaps to sell so-called stem cell treatments without evidence that what they offer is effective or even safe.

Such unregulated direct-to-consumer advertising typically of cells obtained using liposuction-like methods not only places the health of individuals at risk but could also undermine the legitimate development of stem cell-based therapies.

Many academic societies and professional medical organisations have raised concerns about these futile and often expensive cell therapies. Despite this, national regulators have typically been slow or ineffective in curtailing them.

As well as tighter regulations here, international regulators such as the World Health Organisation and the International Council on Harmonisation need to move on ensuring patients desperate for cures arent sold treatments with limited efficacy and unknown safety.

So whats on offer?

Hundreds of stem cell clinics post online claims that they have been able to treat patients suffering from a wide range of conditions. These include osteoarthritis, pain, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and infertility. The websites are high on the rhetoric of science often using various accreditation, awards and other tokens to imply legitimacy but low on proof that they work.

Rather than producing independently verified results, these clinics rely on patient testimonials or unsubstantiated claims of improvement. In so doing these shonky clinics understate the risks to patient health associated with these unproven stem cell-based interventions.

Properly administered informed consent is often overlooked or ignored, so patients can be misled about the likelihood of success. In addition to heavy financial burdens imposed on patients and their families, there is often an opportunity cost because the time wasted in receiving futile stem cells diverts patients away from proven medicines.

The many recent reports of adverse outcomes demonstrate the risks of receiving unproven cell therapies are not trivial. In the USA three women were blinded following experimental stem cell treatment for macular degeneration (a degenerative eye disease that can cause blindness). One man was rendered a quadriplegic following a stem cell intervention for stroke. And a woman whose family sought treatment for her dementia died in Australia.

Other notorious cases involving the deaths of patients include the German government shutting down the X-Cell Centre and the Italian government closing the Stamina Foundation it had previously supported.

Whats approved?

At present, the only recognised stem cell treatments are those utilising blood stem cells isolated from bone marrow, peripheral blood (the cellular components of blood such as red and white blood cells and platelets) or umbilical cord blood.

Hundreds of thousand of lives have been saved over the last half-century in patients with cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, as well as rare inherited immune and metabolic disorders.

A few types of cancer and autoimmune diseases may also benefit from blood stem cells in the context of chemotherapy. Different stem cells are also successfully used for corneal and skin grafting.

All other applications remain in the preclinical research phase or are just starting to be evaluated in clinical trials.

Often dismissed by for-profit clinics as red tape hampering progress, the rigour of clinical trials allows for the collection of impartial evidence. Such information is usually required before a new drug or medical device is released into the marketplace. Unfortunately, in the case of for-profit stem cell clinics, their marketing has gazumped the scientific evidence.

The action is required on many fronts. Regulators at both an international and national level need to tackle regulatory loopholes and challenge unfounded marketing claims of businesses selling unproven stem cell interventions.

Researchers need to more clearly communicate their findings and the necessary next steps to responsibly take their science from the laboratory to the clinic. And they should acknowledge that this will take time.

Patients and their loved ones must be encouraged to seek advice from a trained reputable health care professional, someone who knows their medical history. They should think twice if someone is offering a treatment outside standards of practice.

The stakes are too high not to have these difficult conversations. If a stem cell treatment sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

For more information on recognised stem cell treatments visit the National Stem Cell Foundation of Australia and Stem Cells Australia, Choice Australia, EuroStemCell, International Society for Stem Cell Research, and International Society for Cellular Therapy.

Megan Munsie, Deputy Director - Centre for Stem Cell Systems and Head of Education, Ethics, Law & Community Awareness Unit, Stem Cells Australia, University of Melbourne and John Rasko, Clinical Haematologist and President-Elect, International Society for Cellular Therapy., University of Sydney

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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Private clinics' unproven stem cell treatment is unsafe and unethical ... - Business Standard

Stem Cells Play a Role in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Relapse – Technology Networks

Leukemia researchers led by Dr. John Dick have traced the origins of relapse in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to rare therapy-resistant leukemia stem cells that are already present at diagnosis and before chemotherapy begins.

They have also identified two distinct stem-cell like populations from which relapse can arise in different patients in this aggressive cancer that they previously showed starts in blood stem cells in the bone marrow.

The findings provide significant insights into cell types fated to relapse and can help accelerate the quest for new, upfront therapies, says Dr. Dick, a Senior Scientist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, and Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Stem Cell Biology and is Co-leader of the Acute Leukemia Translational Research Initiative at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research. This study was primarily undertaken by post-doctoral fellow Dr. Liran Shlush and Scientific Associate Dr. Amanda Mitchell.

"For the first time, we have married together knowledge of stem cell biology and genetics areas that historically have often been operating as separate camps to identify mutations stem cells carry and how they are related to one another in AML," says Dr. Dick, who pioneered the cancer stem cell field by identifying leukemia stem cells in 1994.

A decade ago, he replicated the entire human leukemia disease process by introducing oncogenes into normal human blood cells, transplanting them into xenografts (special immune-deficient mice that accept human grafts) and watching leukemia develop a motherlode discovery that has guided leukemia research ever since.

The researchers set out to solve the mystery of AML relapse by analysing paired patient samples of blood taken at the initial clinic visit and blood taken post-treatment when disease recurred.

"First, we asked what are the similarities and differences between these samples. We carried out detailed genetic studies and used whole genome sequencing to look at every part of the DNA at diagnosis, and every part of the DNA at relapse," says Dr. Dick. "Next, we asked in which cells are genetic changes occurring."

The two-part approach netted a set of mutations seen only at relapse that enabled the team to sift and sort leukemic and normal stem cells using tools developed in the Dick lab a few years ago to zero in on specific cell types fated to relapse.

"This is a story that couldn't have happened five years ago, but with the evolution of deep sequencing, we were able to use the technology at just the right time and harness it with what we've been working on for decades," he says.

Today's findings augment recent research also published in Nature (Dec.7, 2016) detailing the team's development of a "stemness biomarker" a 17-gene signature derived from leukemia stem cells that can predict at diagnosis which AML patients will respond to standard treatment.

Dr. Dick says: "Our new findings add to that knowledge and we hope that we will soon have a new biomarker that will tell whether a patient will respond to standard chemotherapy, and then another to track patients in remission to identify those where treatment failed and the rare leukemia stem cells are coming back.

"These new kinds of biomarkers will lead to new kinds of clinical trials with targeted chemotherapy. Right now, everybody gets one size fits all because in AML we've never had any opportunity to identify patients upfront, only after they relapse. Now we have the first step to identify these patients at the outset and during remission."

The research was funded by the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium via Genome Canada and the Ontario Genomics Institute, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Terry Fox Foundation, a Canada Research Chair and The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.

This article has been republished frommaterialsprovided byUHN. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

Reference:

Shlush, L. I., Mitchell, A., Heisler, L., Abelson, S., Ng, S. W., Trotman-Grant, A., . . . Dick, J. E. (2017). Tracing the origins of relapse in acute myeloid leukaemia to stem cells. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature22993

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Stem Cells Play a Role in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Relapse - Technology Networks

NBA Star John Salley Partners with Stem Cell Centers of Excellence … – Market Exclusive

WEST PALM BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2017 / Steve Nudelberg, Principal Thinker of On the Ball Ventures, is pleased to announce the partnership between John Salley and Stem Cell Centers of Excellence.

On June 24, 2017, John Salley had his first stem cell procedure to harvest his own stem cells and create relief in his shoulders and knees. On the Ball, in keeping with our mantra to create ideas and opportunities to grow business, felt that John Salley would be a natural addition to enhance the national roll out of Stem Cell Centers of Excellence treatment clinics. As a spokesperson for the vegan lifestyle and long-time friend of On the Ball, John has a keen understanding of how the body functions and how stem cell treatment is a natural alternative for the athlete community. John is a perfect conduit, says Steve Nudelberg

John Salley, Entrepreneur, NBA Star, Actor, Philanthropist, and Vegan, has suffered years of agonizing pain after a lucrative career in the NBA. He was set to have surgery on his knees and shoulders but, in keeping with his vegan, clean philosophy, Salley partnered with Stem Cell Centers of Excellence to advocate for using your own bodys stem cells to heal itself. I am excited to be part of the future with the team at Stem Cell Centers of Excellence. Two things jump to mind after my recent treatment: one, I cant wait for my body to start healing itself and, two, I feel secure in knowing that my stem cells, which are not getting any younger, are now stored and will be ready should I need them for future use at any time, says John Salley.

Superstar athlete and wellness expert John Salley is the ideal individual to represent Stem Cell Centers of Excellence as we continue educating the public about the benefits of stem cells and the bodys ability to heal itself, said Mike Tomas, President and CEO of U.S. Stem Cell Inc. John has seen first-hand how injuries to athletes, and sports enthusiasts alike, can be devastating with long recovery times. Cutting-edge stem cell treatments for individuals with orthopedic as well as neurological conditions are an excellent option for these patients to improve their quality of life.

With a new clinic in Miami, FL and additional clinics opening soon around the country, Stem Cell COE provides comprehensive stem cell treatments using the U.S. Stem Cell Inc. (OTCQB: USRM) innovative technologies and the latest USSC regenerative medicine research. After treatment, the bodys own healing potential may naturally repair and regenerate damaged tissue. U.S. Stem Cells team of scientists have pioneered in-clinic regenerative medicine protocols and helped thousands of patients to naturally heal. The company is at the forefront of this innovative technology and will continue to create unique solutions for patients in need. For more information or to make an appointment, visit http://www.stemcellcoe.com.

On the Ball has been in business for over twenty-two years. Starting out as a sports marketing company to a traditional marketing agency to business development resource. Acclaimed for its strategic thinking and sales-focused abilities, On the Ball specializes in all things sales. By investing time and talent in emerging ideas, the agency can specifically help companies grow.

About U.S. Stem Cell, Inc.

US Stem Cell, Inc. (formerly Bioheart, Inc.) is an emerging enterprise in the regenerative medicine / cellular therapy industry. We are focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of cell based therapeutics that prevent, treat or cure disease by repairing and replacing damaged or aged tissue, cells and organs and restoring their normal function. We believe that regenerative medicine / cellular therapeutics will play a large role in positively changing the natural history of diseases ultimately, we contend, lessening patient burdens as well as reducing the associated economic impact disease imposes upon modern society.

Our business, which includes three operating divisions (US Stem Cell Training, Vetbiologics, and US Stem Cell Clinic), includes the development of proprietary cell therapy products, as well as revenue generating physician and patient based regenerative medicine / cell therapy training services, cell collection, and cell storage services, the sale of cell collection and treatment kits for humans and animals, and the operation of a cell therapy clinic. Management maintains that revenues and their associated cash in-flows generated from our businesses will, over time, provide funds to support our clinical development activities as they do today for our general business operations. We believe the combination of our own therapeutics pipeline combined with our revenue generating capabilities provides the Company with a unique opportunity for growth and a pathway to profitability.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Except for historical matters contained herein, statements made in this press release are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as may, will, to, plan, expect, believe, anticipate, intend, could, would, estimate, or continue, or the negative other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent our managements beliefs and assumptions only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

The Company is subject to the risks and uncertainties described in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the section entitled Risk Factors in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

Contact:

Aziel Shea [emailprotected] (561) 596-9402

SOURCE: U.S. Stem Cell, Inc.

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NBA Star John Salley Partners with Stem Cell Centers of Excellence ... - Market Exclusive