Category Archives: Stem Cell Doctors


Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute Now Offering Stem Cell Procedures for Rotator Cuff Injuries with Double Board …

Beverly Hills, California (PRWEB) April 21, 2014

Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute is now offering stem cell procedures for rotator cuff injuries including tendonitis and tears. The procedures have been helping patients avoid the need for surgery and are provided by a Double Board Certified orthopedic doctor, Dr. Raj. Call (310) 438-5343 for more information and scheduling.

Shoulder pain due to rotator cuff tendonitis and tears affects millions of Americans. it can lead to considerable disability. For an individual who likes to participate in sports activities, a rotator cuff injury can make it impossible. If surgery is undertaken, it can lead to months of rehabilitation and have potential complications.

Dr. Raj is a Double Board Certified Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon who has been a pioneer in the usage of stem cell procedures for shoulder conditions. This includes using amniotic derived stem cell injections, which contain a lot of regenerative qualities. These include a high concentration of stem cells, growth factors, antimicrobial properties and hyaluronic acid. All of these components assist with repair and regeneration of damaged rotator cuff tissue, and frequently allow the patient to obtain pain relief and avoid surgery.

In addition, Dr. Raj also utilizes bone marrow derived stem cell injections. This procedure involves a short harvesting of bone marrow from the hip area, with immediate processing to concentrate stem cells and injection into the affected area at the same setting. Platelet rich plasma therapy is also offered as well.

Several times, Dr. Raj has been named one of the top orthopedic doctors in Los Angeles. He is also an ABC News Medical Correspondent and a WebMD Medical Expert. For more information and scheduling for stem cells for rotator cuff tears and tendonitis, call (310) 438-5343.

See the original post:
Beverly Hills Orthopedic Institute Now Offering Stem Cell Procedures for Rotator Cuff Injuries with Double Board ...

Silly Putty the Key to Stem Cell Therapies?

Could a component of Silly Putty, the childhood classic from the 1950s that your grandkids probably play with today, help embryonic stem cells turn into working spinal cord cells? Yes, say researchers at the University of Michigan in Ann who published their study online at Nature Materials on April 13th 2014.

A release from the university reports that the team grew the cells on a soft, utrafine carpet made of a key ingredient in Silly Putty. The ingredient, called polydimethylsiloxane, is a type of silicone. This research is the first to directly link physical, as opposed to chemical, signals to human embryonic stem cell differentiation. Differentiation is the process of the source cells morphing into the body's more than 200 cell types that become muscle, bone, nerves and organs, for example.

Jianping Fu, U-M assistant professor of mechanical engineering, says the findings raise the possibility of a more efficient way to guide stem cells to differentiate and potentially provide therapies for diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease), Huntington's or Alzheimer's.

In the specially engineered growth systemthe carpets Fu and his colleagues designedmicroscopic posts of the Silly Putty component serve as the threads. By varying the post height, the researchers can adjust the stiffness of the surface on which they grow cells. Shorter posts are more rigid ike an industrial carpet. Taller ones are softer and plusher.

The team found that stem cells they grew on the tall, softer micropost carpets turned into nerve cells much faster and more often than those they grew on the stiffer surfaces. After 23 days, the colonies of spinal cord cellsmotor neurons that control how muscles movethat grew on the softer micropost carpets were four times more pure and 10 times larger than those growing on either traditional plates or rigid carpets. The release quotes Fu as saying, "This is extremely exciting. To realize promising clinical applications of human embryonic stem cells, we need a better culture system that can reliably produce more target cells that function well. Our approach is a big step in that direction, by using synthetic microengineered surfaces to control mechanical environmental signals." Fu is collaborating with doctors at the U-M Medical School. Eva Feldman, the Russell N. DeJong Professor of Neurology, studies amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. It paralyzes patients as it kills motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Researchers like Feldman believe stem cell therapiesboth from embryonic and adult varietiesmight help patients grow new nerve cells. She's using Fu's technique to try to make fresh neurons from patients' own cells. At this point, they're examining how and whether the process could work, and they hope to try it in humans in the future.

"Professor Fu and colleagues have developed an innovative method of generating high-yield and high-purity motor neurons from stem cells," Feldman said. "For ALS, discoveries like this provide tools for modeling disease in the laboratory and for developing cell-replacement therapies." Fu's findings go deeper than cell counts. The researchers verified that the new motor neurons they obtained on soft micropost carpets showed electrical behaviors comparable to those of neurons in the human body. They also identified a signaling pathway involved in regulating the mechanically sensitive behaviors. A signaling pathway is a route through which proteins ferry chemical messages from the cell's borders to deep inside it. The pathway they zeroed in on, called Hippo/YAP, is also involved in controlling organ size and both causing and preventing tumor growth. Fu says his findings could also provide insights into how embryonic stem cells differentiate in the body. "Our work suggests that physical signals in the cell environment are important in neural patterning, a process where nerve cells become specialized for their specific functions based on their physical location in the body," he said.

The rest is here:
Silly Putty the Key to Stem Cell Therapies?

StemCell Doctors

by Tracy Smith

Technically, Vitamin D is not a true vitamin because, under the right circumstances, the body can synthesize its own using sunlight and cholesterol. It s really a steroid hormone that strongly affects gene expression and resistance to multiple diseases. It s vitally necessary for life and health, and new discoveries show that it s more important for vibrant, youthful health than we ever thought before. Vitamin D deficiency is chronic around the world, even in developed countries. It s estimated that the incidence of many cancers could be cut in half if we all got enough of this important nutrient. (ILLUSTRATION: Vitamin D3 is often available in gel caplet form.)

Humans and, in fact, most mammals create their own Vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight. But, because excessive exposure to the Sun is known to increase the risk of skin cancer, doctors generally don t recommend being out in the sunlight as a way to get adequate Vitamin D. Instead, supplements are called for.

Vitamin D, in its D3 form known to chemists as cholecalciferol (don t worry, I won t force you to pronounce it!), is absolutely necessary for health. It was first discovered over a century ago when doctors were trying to find a cure for rickets, a serious bone disease that often affects children. It was noticed that this disease started to become much more common during the Industrial Revolution, when large numbers of people moved from the countryside and outdoors work to polluted cities where they worked in dark, dingy factories. Scientists also found that those living in warm, sunny places were much less likely to contract rickets than those living in cloudy, northern, high-latitude climates. Eventually it was discovered that Sun exposure or the taking of cod liver oil could absolutely prevent the disease, proving it to be a deficiency disease, meaning that it is not caused by a virus or other microorganism, but by a simple lack of something essential in the victim s diet. That something proved to be Vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency is very common. A study in France showed that fully 14 percent of otherwise healthy adults had extremely low levels of Vitamin D. Another study, this one of medical professionals living in New England, indicated that 42 percent of them had a Vitamin D deficiency by the end of Winter among those who did not take D3 supplements. But among those who did supplement their diet with D3, the deficiency rate was only 11 percent!

It s pretty clear that without enough of this vitamin, you can get very sick indeed. And it s also clear that many of us, in fact, aren t getting enough. But there s a lot more to Vitamin D3 than preventing rickets. The vitamin has anti-aging and anti-inflammatory aspects, and it has been shown to positively affect your mental outlook, too, helping to combat depression. Vitamin D3 can even help improve the lifespan and survival of the neurons which make up your brain and nervous system. Let s take a look at what it can do for you!

One of the major problems faced by older women is osteoporosis, which greatly increases the risk of bone fractures and hip fractures late in life can sometimes amount to a death sentence. In a study commissioned by the Women s Health Initiative, it was found that women on a Vitamin D3 and calcium carbonate supplementation program had 12 percent fewer hip fractures that women taking a placebo. These effects were seen on fairly high doses of D3 over 800 IU per day.

Vitamin D3 boosts your immune system and your body s ability to fight off all kinds of diseases. Immune system cells have structures with Vitamin D receptors, and it s been shown that being deficient in this vitamin increases your risk of of infection generally and especially increases your risk of autoimmune diseases.

Vitamin D3 helps your body fight off viral respiratory infections.

Vitamin D3 also has been shown to be beneficial in helping your body fight off the flu.

Excerpt from:
StemCell Doctors

Grateful patient donates $6.5M to Shiley Eye Center

Doctors perform eye surgery in an operating room at Shiley Eye Center Wednesday. The center recently received a $6.5 million gift to help establish a new stem cell research laboratory.

A $6.5 million donation from an unnamed patient will help the Shiley Eye Center at UC San Diego strengthen its focus on stem cells, which hold the promise of repairing damage done by diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Dr. Robert Weinreb, the centers director and a widely-published glaucoma researcher, said hes conducting a worldwide search for stem cell scientists to come to Shiley, which last year ranked fourth in National Institutes of Health funding among ophthalmology research centers nationwide.

Stem cells are known for their ability to transform themselves into nearly any other type of cell in the body, and scientists are exploring ways to use this Rosetta stone of biology to repair damage caused by cancer, diabetes and a range of other diseases.

Theres also huge potential for stem cells and the human eye.

Were going to use the stem cells to treat retinal diseases including macular degeneration, to rescue the optic nerve in glaucoma, as well as to replace the diseased layers of the cornea in patients with blinding corneal diseases, Weinreb said.

Vision loss is a growing problem as more and more baby boomers reach retirement age.

Paul Kelly, 83, undergoes a test that measures the curvature of his corneas Wednesday at Shiley Eye Center in La Jolla.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said about 1.8 million Americans have advanced age-related macular degeneration and projects that number to soar to 2.9 million by 2020. In addition, the incidence of glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy is expected to grow significantly in the same time frame.

But theres hope.

Continued here:
Grateful patient donates $6.5M to Shiley Eye Center

Grateful patient donates $6.5 million to Shiley Eye Center

Doctors perform eye surgery in an operating room at Shiley Eye Center Wednesday. The center recently received a $6.5 million gift to help establish a new stem cell research laboratory.

A $6.5 million donation from an unnamed patient will help the Shiley Eye Center at UC San Diego strengthen its focus on stem cells, which hold the promise of repairing damage done by diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration.

Dr. Robert Weinreb, the centers director and a widely-published glaucoma researcher, said hes conducting a worldwide search for stem cell scientists to come to Shiley, which last year ranked fourth in National Institutes of Health funding among ophthalmology research centers nationwide.

Stem cells are known for their ability to transform themselves into nearly any other type of cell in the body, and scientists are exploring ways to use this Rosetta stone of biology to repair damage caused by cancer, diabetes and a range of other diseases.

Theres also huge potential for stem cells and the human eye.

Were going to use the stem cells to treat retinal diseases including macular degeneration, to rescue the optic nerve in glaucoma, as well as to replace the diseased layers of the cornea in patients with blinding corneal diseases, Weinreb said.

Vision loss is a growing problem as more and more baby boomers reach retirement age.

Paul Kelly, 83, undergoes a test that measures the curvature of his corneas Wednesday at Shiley Eye Center in La Jolla.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said about 1.8 million Americans have advanced age-related macular degeneration and projects that number to soar to 2.9 million by 2020. In addition, the incidence of glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy is expected to grow significantly in the same time frame.

But theres hope.

Follow this link:
Grateful patient donates $6.5 million to Shiley Eye Center

New Technology 'Grows' Man-Made Body Parts

Man-made (or lab-grown) organs have gone from science fiction to fact in recent years. While lab-grown ears have become famous thanks to the striking picture of a mouse with an ear grown on its back, recent technology, including 3-D printing and stem cell use, has meant more complex organs are being made by scientists.

Everything from ears to tracheas and, most recently, vaginas has been recreated in a lab setting. But doctors have also refined old-fashioned surgical techniques to give patients who have been disfigured a second nose or even a face through operations.

To show just how far this seemingly fantastical medicine has come, weve found a few of the most impressive man-made body parts.

See More Medical Marvels

A study published this week in the Lancet Medical Journal revealed how researchers were able to grow vaginas in a laboratory setting.

Researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., and Metropolitan Autonomous University in Mexico City took tissue samples from four adolescent female patients from Mexico between the ages of 13 and 18, and then were able to construct vaginal components by culturing and expanding tissues in special incubators.

The patients, who were born with incomplete vaginas because of a genetic disorder, then underwent surgery and had the vaginal tissue implanted. In the years following the surgery, the patients reported normal sexual function.

In China, doctors were able to regrow a mans nose. The twist is that they had to temporarily put the nose on the mans forehead.

The patient identified as Xiaolian, according to Reuters, had an infection that left his nose damaged and disfigured.

To help him, doctors used tissue expanders and reshaped a second nose over a period of months on Xiaolians forehead. Eventually, when surgery is performed, theyll use cartilage from his rib to help strengthen his nose.

Original post:
New Technology 'Grows' Man-Made Body Parts

Scientist denies faking stem cell paper

ByElaine Kurtenbach

The Japanese scientist accused of falsifying data in a widely heralded stem cell research paper says the results are valid despite mistakes in their presentation.

Haruko Obokata, 30, struggled to maintain her composure during a televised news conference packed with hundreds of reporters, but insisted she did not tamper with the data to fabricate results. She said she did not agree with retracting the research that appeared in the scientific journal Nature.

The phenomenon of ordinary cells transforming into stem cells under the influence of external stimulus was "confirmed many times for a fact", Obokata said at the press conference in the western city of Osaka. She said she could replicate her results again if allowed back into the lab to do so.

She has contested allegations of research malpractice made by a panel of scientists at the government-funded Riken Center for Development Biology, where she is employed.

Obokata said Riken had advised her not to speak publicly about the controversy. The event Wednesday, which lasted for over two hours, was her first public appearance in weeks and was made against doctors' orders after seeking hospital treatment Monday.

"I wasn't able to sleep well and was feeling worse and worse," she said. "I take this responsibility severely. I am deeply sorry."

Obokata apologised repeatedly for having used the wrong images and having altered an image in a report on using a simple lab procedure to grow tissue for treating illnesses such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

In an emailed statement, Riken reiterated Obokata's right to an appeal of its findings.

"Riken will give due consideration to the appeal in accordance with our regulations," it said.

Go here to read the rest:
Scientist denies faking stem cell paper

Japan stem cell researcher says results valid – Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, Sports

By ELAINE KURTENBACH AP Business Writer

TOKYO (AP) - The Japanese scientist accused of falsifying data in a widely heralded stem-cell research paper said Wednesday the results are valid despite mistakes in their presentation.

Haruko Obokata, 30, struggled to maintain her composure during a televised news conference packed with hundreds of reporters, but insisted she did not tamper with the data to fabricate results. She said she did not agree with retracting the research that appeared in the scientific journal Nature.

The phenomenon of ordinary cells transforming into stem cells under the influence of external stimulus was "confirmed many times for a fact," Obokata said at the press conference in the western city of Osaka. She said she could replicate her results again if allowed back into the lab to do so.

She has contested allegations of research malpractice made by a panel of scientists at the government-funded Riken Center for Development Biology, where she is employed.

Obokata said Riken had advised her not to speak publicly about the controversy. The event Wednesday, which lasted for over two hours, was her first public appearance in weeks and was made against doctors' orders after seeking hospital treatment Monday.

"I wasn't able to sleep well and was feeling worse and worse," she said. "I take this responsibility severely. I am deeply sorry."

Obokata apologized repeatedly for having used the wrong images and having altered an image in a report on using a simple lab procedure to grow tissue for treating illnesses such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

In an emailed statement, Riken reiterated Obokata's right to an appeal of its findings.

"Riken will give due consideration to the appeal in accordance with our regulations," it said.

Here is the original post:
Japan stem cell researcher says results valid - Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, Sports

Revolutionary stem cell op to repair hearts: Graham read in Good Health about a pioneering way to beat heart failure …

Graham Parker, 41, from County Durham is one of first to benefit from trial Some participants were given stem cells and the rest placebo Stem cells were taken from bone marrow in his hip and injected into heart Years later Graham feels better - but still classed as having heart failure

By Carol Davis

Published: 18:04 EST, 31 March 2014 | Updated: 18:25 EST, 31 March 2014

Graham Parker took part in a trial using stem cells to repair heart damage

A major new trial is using patients' own stem cells to treat heart failure. One of the first to benefit is Graham Parker, 41, an archaeology student from Stanley, County Durham. He tells CAROL DAVIS his story.

Working as a supply teacher a few years ago, I started feeling exhausted. I couldn't walk more than 50 metres without pausing, was constantly breathless and would wake at night coughing.

At first I thought it was a cold or flu, or the stress of a house move. But my mum, a retired nurse, pointed out I'd been ill for two months, and sent me to the doctor.

The GP suspected asthma, and gave me an inhaler. But within a week it was worse and I couldn't walk more than a few yards without retching.

So I saw a second GP. She didn't say what she thought it was - she called an ambulance instead. I was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead, then transferred to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle while they ran several tests, including an ECG (electrocardiogram) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan.

Doctors explained I had heart failure: part of my heart muscle was damaged and the lower pumping chamber had become flabby so couldn't pump blood round my body properly. This was why I was so exhausted.

Read the original here:
Revolutionary stem cell op to repair hearts: Graham read in Good Health about a pioneering way to beat heart failure ...

Revolutionary stem cell op to treat heart failure

Graham Parker, 41, from County Durham is one of first to benefit from trial Some participants were given stem cells and the rest placebo Stem cells were taken from bone marrow in his hip and injected into heart Years later Graham feels better - but still classed as having heart failure

By Carol Davis

PUBLISHED: 18:04 EST, 31 March 2014 | UPDATED: 18:25 EST, 31 March 2014

Graham Parker took part in a trial using stem cells to repair heart damage

A major new trial is using patients' own stem cells to treat heart failure. One of the first to benefit is Graham Parker, 41, an archaeology student from Stanley, County Durham. He tells CAROL DAVIS his story.

Working as a supply teacher a few years ago, I started feeling exhausted. I couldn't walk more than 50 metres without pausing, was constantly breathless and would wake at night coughing.

At first I thought it was a cold or flu, or the stress of a house move. But my mum, a retired nurse, pointed out I'd been ill for two months, and sent me to the doctor.

The GP suspected asthma, and gave me an inhaler. But within a week it was worse and I couldn't walk more than a few yards without retching.

So I saw a second GP. She didn't say what she thought it was - she called an ambulance instead. I was admitted to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead, then transferred to the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle while they ran several tests, including an ECG (electrocardiogram) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan.

Doctors explained I had heart failure: part of my heart muscle was damaged and the lower pumping chamber had become flabby so couldn't pump blood round my body properly. This was why I was so exhausted.

See the rest here:
Revolutionary stem cell op to treat heart failure