Category Archives: Stem Cell Doctors


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

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

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

Banking wisdom: Teen saving stem cells in hopes of future treatment – LubbockOnline.com

Staff Writer | Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

By Elizabeth Herbert

A-J Media

A 16-year-old Lubbockite with rheumatoid arthritis recently banked her wisdom teeth for their high concentration of stem cells in the hope of using them in a future procedure.

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells, meaning they can become almost any specialized cell; researchers have been studying these cells to learn more about using them to treat ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis.

The oral and facial surgeon who removed the patients teeth, Dr. Robert Ioppolo, said there was virtually no downside to storing the teeth and cells because the procedure, which is necessary for most, is the same for the patient regardless.

Instead of putting (wisdom teeth) in a baggie, we put them in a vial; we put them in a little freezer-type cryopreservation box and off they go to the processing center, he said, so its very straightforward from our perspective, and it just provides an additional service to patients that we didnt have access to a few years ago.

Once the teeth have been sent to process at the Stemodontics lab, Ioppolo said specialists open the teeth and extrapolate the nerve tissue to obtain the stem cells.

The cool thing is that the stem cell population inside of wisdom teeth, especially in somebody thats young and healthy, is at its peak as far as the amount of cells, so the quantity, and also the quality of those cells, he said, so this is kind of a one-time opportunity that folks have to bank the best stem cells that they possibly can from their wisdom teeth.

Rheumatoid arthritis typically impacts adults. The Centers for Disease Control states 7.1% of people aged 18-44 years old report being diagnosed with arthritis; younger groups are not listed on the main, arthritis-related page.

Jamie Fields, the patients mother, said her daughter has undergone knee surgeries and is on medications but has not seen strong improvements in the seven months she has been receiving treatment.

Doctors tried a technique called microfracture in which tiny holes are drilled into the knee to produce new tissue, but this results in fibrocartilage and is more like scar tissue and less like the cushiony cartilage that joints need to function properly, according to an article from the Stanford Medicine News Center.

Preserving her daughters wisdom teeth and stem cells will cost Fields $2,000, but she said her alternative is to grow cells from the cartilage taken from a previous surgery which would cost about $46,000 for the graft alone and does not account for an accompanying procedure.

When I hear about these stem cells, Im like, Well, what if this would work, she said. If thats the route we have to take, then why not try this first?

Aside from surgeries, Fields said her daughters doctor prescribed medications to help slow or stop the dying cartilage behind her knee. There are many options, but medicines tend to have side effects and Fields said she does not want her daughter to have to use multiple, strong pharmaceuticals long-term.

He has a list, and he started her at the bottom of the list on the medications, and then he said we would just go up from there, but that way we dont do anything too harsh thats not needed, she said.

Rheumatoid arthritis tends to worsen with age, and Fields said her daughter, who already has a history of broken bones and surgeries, is impacted by her rheumatoid arthritis to the extent that she cannot participate in gymnastics, cheerleading or other fun activities she has enjoyed.

Fields could keep working down the line of medications most 16 year olds cannot pronounce, or she said she could save her daughters stem cells and wait for orthopedists to create a procedure that would use her daughters cells to help rejuvenate damaged areas.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime (opportunity), Fields said. If we dont do this now, where is she gonna get them from later, of her own?

Michael Longaker, Deane P. and Louise Mitchell Professor for the Department of Surgery and Co-Director for the Institute of Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine at Stanford University, said using stem cells could help a number of issues due to the cells ability to change.

While we do some things really well, like cardiac bypass surgery or hip replacement et cetera, et cetera, itd be great if we could unlock the power of cells that can become other types of cells so that we could regenerate each of these things before they get to the point where they need a major operation, he said.

Stem cells can be found throughout the body, and removing wisdom teeth is a fairly routine procedure; the WebMD website states over 10 million wisdom teeth are removed annually.

Many of these teeth are disposed of, but Longaker pointed out that stem cells in wisdom teeth are unique to the individual and are great sources of stem cells.

In the soft part, the pulp, of those teeth are stem cells that - God forbid - that healthy, young patient whos having them removed, God forbid anything happens to them and they need something or they have a family history of disease - theyre all set and ready to go, he said.

Longakers teams research began with mice and found skeletal stem cells can be manipulated to become cartilage.

They used two major molecules, bone morphogenetic protein 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor, to help the cells start bone formation after microfracture yet stop the process halfway to create cartilage. Longaker said the next step in the research is to focus on larger animals; then human clinical trials can begin.

Stem cells from wisdom teeth would work best for things in the mouth such as bone and cartilage, but Longaker said the cells can be backed up, de-differentiated and guided in a dish to the point where the cell can become almost anything; once the cell is fully differentiated, or has changed into a specific type of cell the specialist intended, it can be implanted.

You take the stem cells from teeth and back them up, so to speak, so they can become almost any type of cell, and then you would guide them down the exit ramp, so to speak, to where you want them to go, he said.

It may be years before orthopedists use stem cells to improve arthritic conditions, but Longaker, who banked his own sons wisdom teeth, said advances happen regularly and that one never knows when their stem cells will be useful.

As a stem cell biologist, having someone already store stem cells that I could guide to become something else, God forbid they need it, that really makes sense to me, he said. I dont see a reason not to do it if a parent or patient wants to do it.

Although banking her daughters wisdom teeth will not yield immediate results, Fields said she believes god guided her on this path and that she has more to gain than to lose.

Our faith is really strong, and I believe that God has led us on this path to hopefully find something that we can do to help her because weve been on this path for so long and with no answers, she said.

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Banking wisdom: Teen saving stem cells in hopes of future treatment - LubbockOnline.com

Mohammed Hussain Alqahtani Discusses the Future of Plastic Surgery – The Jerusalem Post

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.

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, "It's 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 aren't 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.

See more here:
Mohammed Hussain Alqahtani Discusses the Future of Plastic Surgery - The Jerusalem Post

The story of how a biotech co. came to the aid of an ill 9-year-old boy – Stockhouse

Nine years old. All of a boy. Pale in complexion with short brown hair, Cal’s hazel eyes smile beyond his predicament.

Running out of his classroom to his beloved music room, Cal was engrossed in his thoughts of playing Mozart’s Minuet in G Major perfectly for Miss Smith.

STOP his brain screamed! As he stopped to catch his breath, barely 40 feet from his classroom, Cal needed oxygen.

Defensively switching to a cheerful smile to cope with the classmates who ran by, Cal weaved to the wall, untangling his puffer from the ear buds in his pocket. The inhaler worked. Cal caught a breath as the medication permeated his lungs. Cal’s body continuously yearned the oxygen his lungs failed to produce. With his chest tightening relieved temporarily, Cal walked, then rested and walked the last 400 feet to the music room.

Misdiagnosed four times with asthma, Cal finally, the day before, learned he needed a heart and lung transplant. He was terminally ill. With Cal at her side, the Doctors at MSU gave his Mom the bad news: Cal had idiopathic pulmonary hypertension and a congenital heart defect. With a heart/lung transplant, he was given five to seven years to live. Unfortunately, without it, his lung condition would worsen very rapidly.

Cal struggled to remember the exact term the doctor used to describe his condition. Idiopathic, he remembered. Ruminating for the term, Cal greeted Miss Smith with a smile and a hello!”as he stepped into the classroom and sat at the piano. Idiopathic pulmonary hypertension,” Cal blurted unconsciously aloud. Pardon me,” asked Miss Smith? Cal shrugged his shoulders and smiled as he turned to Miss Smith: Mozart Minuet in G Major, Miss Smith,” he said.

Just then, Cal flashed the look on the doctor’s face when he told him that he had an inoperable hole in his heart, too. Inoperable because his lung pressure was three times normal. That explained the tightness in his chest.

Composed. Cal closed his eyes, smiled to himself, opened his eyes and started playing Mozart’s Minuet in G Major on the piano, perfectly.

Six days later, Cal’s Mom found ACP-01 online. Was it the answer to her prayers? It certainly seemed promising.

Two appointments later with Dr. G, Cal was told his own stem cells converted into angiogenic cell precursors (ACP) by Hemostemix (TSX-V:HEM, OTC: HMTFX, Forum) could treat his lung condition and perhaps reverse it. Dr. G explained his options: 1. Cal could wait and hopefully be eligible for a heart/lung transplant, if a donor match could be found in time. Or, 2. Immediately, Cal could use his own stem cells to regenerate lung function in a week. If it worked, he would regain lung function he thought was lost forever.

Looking at his Mom, Cal saw could read her face Finally, Cal, I think our prayers may be answered.”

Within two months of the procedure, Cal’s lung pressures decreased 50% and stabilized. Within three months, Cal's heart repair surgery was a go! Verified by imaging, following ACP-01 treatment, Cal’s heart was remodelling itself back to its normal size.

Cal has since lived nine years without medication and one year, the 10th since his procedure, with medication. Cal will undergo a second ACP-01 treatment shortly.

A true story, Cal is one of 500 hundred compassionate care patients who have been treated with their own stem cells processed into ACP-01. Like nearly 80% of recipients, Cal regained a quality of life he thought was lost forever.

In our view, given the Company’s current valuation ($7,600,000), Hemostemix represents one of the best biotech risk reward investments on the market.

For more information, Contact: Thomas Smeenk, Co-Founder, President & CEO 905-580-4170

FULL DISCLOSURE: Hemostemix Inc. is a client of Stockhouse Publishing.

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The story of how a biotech co. came to the aid of an ill 9-year-old boy - Stockhouse

Where Amy Coney Barrett Stands on IVF – Glamour

Nobody knows how Barrett, if confirmed to the Supreme Court, would vote on Roe v. Wade, or how it will affect the business of IVF. (The industryis estimated to be worth$25 billion globally, and is predicted to grow to $41 billion by 2026, according to Catherine Waldby, author of The Oocyte Economy: The Changing Meaning of Human Eggs.) But overturning Roe v. Wade, chipping away at abortion access, or even supporting personhood legislation threaten not only fertility treatment like IVF, but stem-cell research, contraceptives, and even the treatment of miscarriages (including one proposed bill that would mandate funerals for miscarriages).

IVF is pro-family.

Infertility is a disease, says Lora Shahine, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist specializing in infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss at Pacific NW Fertility and IVF Specialists in Seattle, referring to the World Health Organizations definition of infertility as a disease. For people trying to build a family, IVF is the only medical treatment to the disease. Its that simple. You would be limiting the ability of Americans to build families. For someone who is dedicated to families, that seems kind of intuitive. IVF is pro-family.

Should Amy Coney Barrett be seated to the Supreme Court, with her publicly stated positions that would severely hamper fertility treatments making them less effective and less safe, we fear that reproductive health care would be set back many decades, endangering the families for which we care, the doctors wrote in Fertility and Sterility.

IVF parents like me are speaking out with the hashtag #ThanksIVF.

Most of us know someone (or are that someone) who has used IVF to help build their families, tweeted Pietro Bortoletto, M.D. (@BortolettoMD). We are all worried about SCOTUS nominee ACB's view on IVF.

While some criticize IVF, I remain grateful that this path to parenthood exists, says infertility advocate Jennifer Jay Palumbo. To meet my son or to look in the eyes of any other child conceived through assisted reproductive technology and dismiss their existence is unconscionable. While there are many family-building options available, we all have the right to explore the God-given gift of medical science first to try to have a biological child, if thats what we wish.

Amy Klein is the author of The Trying Game: Get Through Fertility Treatment and Get Pregnant Without Losing Your Mind.

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Where Amy Coney Barrett Stands on IVF - Glamour

Regeneron, Trump, and the alleged hypocrisy of the pro-life movement – Christian Post

By Michael Brown, CP Op-Ed Contributor | Thursday, October 15, 2020

Have you heard the latest? Trump cannot be pro-life since he used and is promoting the anti-COVID drug Regeneron, which was allegedly developed with the help of fetal tissue. And pro-life organizations are being hypocritical by refusing to condemn the drug. Is there any truth to these charges?

As reported by the UK Metro, Trump faces hypocrisy allegations after it was revealed Regeneron is made from stem cells originally taken from an embryonic kidney. That kidney was taken during an elective abortion performed in the Netherlands during the 1970s.

More bluntly, the MIT Technology Review claimed, Trumps antibody treatment was tested using cells originally derived from an abortion.

The Trump administration has looked to curtail research with fetal cells. But when it was life or death for the president, no one objected.

As for pro-life organizations, a lengthy headline on Business Insider stated, Antiabortion groups say they stand behind Trump's use of a drug tested on cells derived from an aborted fetus because the president was not involved with that abortion.

How should pro-life Trump voters respond to these concerns?

Lets say that Regeneron was actually developed with the help of fetal tissue. Does anyone actually think that doctors came to Trump and said, Mr. President, we have an experimental drug that was tested and developed using tissue from an aborted baby from the 1970s. How do you feel about using this?

Only the most hardened anti-Trumper could imagine such a scenario. In the world of reality, the very thought of it is absurd. And, even if the fetal tissue charges are true, who knew about this? Was this something that any of the doctors would have been aware of? I very seriously doubt it, especially when, as we shall see, Regeneron itself denies the charge.

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It is therefore completely ridiculous to claim that Trump is being hypocritical in using Regeneron, as if he knew the alleged history of the drug.

But that leads us back to the big question: Did Regeneron use fetal tissue from a baby aborted in the 1970s?

Another headline on Business Insider stated, One of Trump's COVID-19 treatments was developed using tissue that originally came from an abortion. He's tried to ban this kind of research.

This is being widely reported as established fact. But is it true?

In an official statement for the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute, David Prentice, Ph.D. and Tara Sander Lee, Ph.D., wrote:

The Regeneron therapy given to the president was made in Velocimmune humanized mice, a novel platform that uses genetically modifiedmouse embryonic stem (ES)cells to generate antibodies describedhereandhere.Development of Regenerons antibody cocktail is detailed in the journalScience, describing how they identified their antibodies made from Velocimmune miceandblood from recovered patientspreviously infected with SARS-CoV-2.The final antibody pair used in theREGN-COV2 therapycocktail was then produced inChinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells.Results from Regenerons REGN-COV2 clinical trials to treat COVID-19 patients are reportedhere.

Mouseembryonic stem cells and genetic modifications to make such mice date back to 1981, have been extensively studied, and were instrumental in the discovery of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, another fully ethical alternative to fetal material, as discussed in thisNaturereview.iPSCs are much easier to use thanhuman embryonic stem cells,more flexible in their uses, and are not ethically controversial. No one has ever advocated against using mouse embryonic stem cells for development of therapies only against destruction of human lives.

In a statement made to The Christian Post, Alexandra Bowie, a spokesperson for Regeneron, explained, We did not use human stem cells or human embryonic stem cells in the development of REGN-COV2. We did use the HEK293T cell line to test our antibodies ability to neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 virus (they were used to make pseudovirus that looks like the Spike protein).

HEK293s are considered immortalized cells and are a common and widespread tool in research labs. The cell line was originally derived by adenovirus transformation of human embryonic kidney cells in 1977.

After this, it was further transformed at Stanford in the 80s with SV40 T-antigen (hence the T). HEK293T wasnt used in any other way and fetal tissue was not used in this research.

Im not a medical doctor or a scientist, but it seems clear from these descriptions (and from what I could glean from Regenerons technical article published in the journal Science, also cited above) that there is hardly a direct connection between the drug and an aborted baby.

Still, there is so much misinformation going viral online that Dr. Tara Lee started a Twitter account just to rebut the misconceptions. (Lees Twitter bio identifies her as Researcher, Clinical Scientist, Science Policy Advisor. PhD. Senior Fellow & Director of Life Sciences @lozierinstitute. For LIFE in this world and the next.)

She summarized the evidence in simple and clear terms: NO human embryonic stem cells or human fetal tissue were used to produce the treatments President Trump received period.

So, Regeneron denies that it used embryonic cells and other scientists deny it. This completely undermines the charge that pro-life groups are being hypocritical for not condemning the use of the drug (and the presidents promotion of it).

That being said, some pro-life groups have, in fact, opined that, even if testing for the drug could be traced back to an abortion in the 1970s, Trump had nothing to do with any of this and is therefore not being hypocritical in promoting the drug.

Is there some hypocrisy in this response?

Thats a fair question, and its the type of question that ethicists debate. If you could save the lives of many people using a drug that was developed with the help of aborted fetal cells, is that justifiable?

My answer to those accusing the president with hypocrisy is threefold. First, as stated here, its unlikely in the extreme he had any idea of the alleged abortion connection. Second, scientists from Regeneron deny any connection to human fetal cells, and Trump would presumably take them at their word. Third, if Regeneron had been developed with the help of an aborted baby, there would then be a serious ethical debate as to its use.

Still, with all that being said, it is grasping at straws to question the pro-life commitment of these organizations (along with that of President Trump). Thats because we are comparing the willful killing of more than 60 million babies in the womb, often out of convenience, with the possible, distant connection of a life-saving drug to a baby aborted in the 1970s. Who would seriously make such a comparison?

When it comes to the question of the benefit of embryonic cells in the development of medical cures, Dr. Lee noted that, Fetal tissue from aborted babies is not required for medical advancements. After 100+ years of research, no therapies have been developed that needed aborted fetal tissue to begin with. Newer & better ethical alternatives are available & being used now to make humanized mice.

There is, therefore, no justification for using embryonic fetus cells in medical research, and the Regeneron drug does not contradict this at all.

Of course, as readers here know well, I have no problem identifying President Trumps many, evident shortcomings, some of which can be quite destructive. And I continue to shake my head over some of the things he says.

But to call him a hypocrite or to question his pro-life commitment because he used Regeneron is to reveal ones anti-Trump animus. It indicts the accuser far more than it indicts the accused.

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Dr. Michael Brown(www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicatedLine of Fireradio program. His latest book isEvangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test?Connect with him onFacebook,Twitter, orYouTube.

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Regeneron, Trump, and the alleged hypocrisy of the pro-life movement - Christian Post