Stem Cell Clinic

New Cambridge research could lead to novel cancer therapies – Business Weekly

By adminOctober 10, 2019Stell Cell Research

Anti-cancer therapies aimed at blocking mitochondrial energy generation may have wider effects on cancer cell behaviour than just preventing proliferation, new Cambridge research into brain development and tumours in the fruit fly suggests.

Cancer cells were once thought to rely on sugar as the primary fuel for their growth, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect.

More recently, it has become clear that other energy sources may be equally important, and much of the growth in cancer cells is fuelled by mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells.

The role of mitochondrial energy generation by oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) in tumour growth has since attracted much attention as a potential therapeutic target for cancer.

In a new study published in eLife, comparing the roles of mitochondrial metabolism in normal brain development and in brain tumours, Jelle van den Ameele and Andrea Brand at the Wellcome Trust/ Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute now show that mitochondria contribute to much more than cell proliferation and growth.

They studied the brains of fruit flies that, remarkably, can develop brain tumours that exhibit many of the hallmarks of human cancer. The researchers discovered that blocking the OxPhos pathway in mitochondria in neural stem cells and brain tumour cells not only reduces cell proliferation, but also limits the diversity of cell types they can generate.

Experimental therapies for cancer based on inhibiting OxPhos are currently being trialled. This new study now demonstrates that these therapies may have far wider effects on stem cell behaviour than simply preventing uncontrolled cell proliferation.

Cell diversity is essential in normal development and for tumour growth, explained first author and Research Associate, Dr Jelle van den Ameele.

At the base of these are the proliferating stem cells. Blocking mitochondrial function slows their growth and at the same time keeps more cells in a stem-cell state. These stem cells could later emerge to grow, metastasise and cause resistance to therapy.

A better understanding of the interactions between metabolism, normal brain cell growth, and the diversity of cell types in tumours, could uncover new therapeutic approaches.

The work was funded by the Wellcome Trust, Royal Society and European Molecular Biology Organization; and by core funding to the Gurdon Institute from the Wellcome Trust and Cancer Research UK.

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New Cambridge research could lead to novel cancer therapies - Business Weekly

Global 3D Bioprinting Market Outlook, 2019-2024 – Market Anticipated to Reach $1.64 Billion by 2024 – ResearchAndMarkets.com – Business Wire

By adminOctober 10, 2019Stell Cell Research

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "3D Bioprinting Market by Component (3D Bioprinters (Microextrusion, Inkjet, Laser), Bioink (Natural, Synthetic, Hybrid)), Material (Hydrogel, Living Cells), Application (Skin, Drug Research), End user (Biopharma, Academia) - Global Forecast to 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The 3D bioprinting market is projected to reach USD 1,647 million by 2024 from USD 651 million in 2019, at a CAGR of 20.4% from 2019 to 2024.

The growth in this market is mainly driven by technological advancements in 3D bioprinters and biomaterials, increasing the use of 3D bioprinting in the pharmaceutical and cosmetology industries, and rising public and private funding to support bioprinting research activities. On the other hand, a shortage of skilled professionals and high development and production costs are hampering the growth of this market.

The major players in the market include Organovo Holdings Inc. (US), CELLINK (Sweden), Allevi Inc. (US), Aspect Biosystems Ltd. (Canada), EnvisionTEC GmbH (Germany), Cyfuse Biomedical K.K. (Japan), Poietis (France), TeVido BioDevices (US), Nano3D Biosciences, Inc. (US), ROKIT Healthcare (South Korea), Digilab Inc. (US), regenHU (Switzerland), GeSiM (Germany), Advanced Solutions Life Sciences (US), and Regenovo Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (China) among others.

Microextrusion technology commanded the largest share of 3D bioprinters segment owing to technological advancements

The component segment of the 3D bioprinting market is segmented into 3D bioprinters and bioinks. The 3D bioprinters market is further sub-segmented on the basis of technology into magnetic 3D bioprinting, laser-assisted bioprinting, inkjet 3D bioprinting, microextrusion bioprinting, and other technologies; whereas bioinks segment is further sub-segmented into natural, synthetic, and hybrid bioinks. The microextrusion bioprinting technology has commanded the largest share of the market in 2019 due to technological advancements in the segment and the increasing research activities.

The drug discovery research application segment accounted for the largest share of the 3D bioprinting market in 2019

In terms of applications, the 3D bioprinting market is segmented into research applications and clinical applications. The demand for research applications is further sub-segmented into drug research, regenerative medicine, and 3D cell culture. Among these, the drug research segment accounted for the largest share of the market in 2019, owing to the growing adoption of 3D bioprinting technology by biopharmaceutical companies. While, in terms of clinical applications, the market is segmented into skin, bone & cartilage, blood vessels, and other clinical applications.

Based on material, living cells segment commanded the leading market share in 2019

Based on material, the 3D bioprinting market is broadly segmented into hydrogels, extracellular matrices, living cells, and other biomaterials. Increasing R&D activities for the use of living cells in 3D bioprinting is driving the growth of the living cells segment. Living cells have the ability to fabricate patient-specific tissues in a defined manner. With advances in 3D bioprinting, scientists and researchers are making use of living cells as a biomaterial in 3D bioprinting. These cells can be used to print living tissues as well as organ structures for surgical implantations. However, ethical issues associated with the use of stem cells in 3D bioprinting might hamper the growth of the segment.

The US 3D bioprinting market to hold prominent market share over the forecast period

On the basis of region, the 3D bioprinting market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa). The US held a significant share of the global 3D bioprinting market in 2019. Factors such as new product launches and technological advancements in 3D bioprinting technology and the presence of key players in the region are driving the growth of the 3D bioprinting market in the US. Moreover, extensive research activities and funding for 3D bioprinting will further fuel the market growth in the US.

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Restraints

Opportunities

Challenges

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/y3b5p7

Stem Cell Cartilage Regeneration Market 2019: Prosperous Growth, Recent Trends and Demand by Top Key Vendors like Anika Therapeutics, Biomet,…

By adminOctober 10, 2019Stell Cell Research

Global Stem Cell Cartilage Regeneration Market Report assists industry leaders to make confident capital investment decisions, develop strategic plans, optimize their business portfolio, innovate successfully and operate safely and sustainably. This report has published stating that the global Stem Cell Cartilage Regeneration Market is expected to expand significantly at Million US$ in 2019 and is projected to reach Million US$ by 2026, at a CAGR of during the forecast period.

The report also embraces the absolute growth revenue value of the Stem Cell Cartilage Regeneration market across the globe over the forecast period 2019-2026. The Stem Cell Cartilage Regeneration Market is expected to exceed more than US$ xxx million by 2026 at a CAGR of xx% in the given forecast period.

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Top Key Players:

Anika Therapeutics, Biomet, BioTissue Technologies, DePuy (Johnson & Johnson), Genzyme, CellGenix, EMD Serono, Sanofi Aventis, Smith & Nephew, Zimmer.

Market, By Regions:

The Asia Pacific region is also expected to show the third fastest growth rate / CAGR for 2019-2025 due to its fastest growing region. Europe is also providing the largest share in the global Stem Cell Cartilage Regeneration Market.

As the demand for new innovative solutions increases and more startups arise in the space which leads to growth and excessive demand for the Stem Cell Cartilage Regeneration Market in 2019 to 2025. This research report consists of the worlds crucial region market share, size (volume), trends including the product profit, price, Value, production, capacity, capability utilization, supply, and demand and industry growth rate.

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Finally, all aspects of the Global Stem Cell Cartilage Regeneration Market are quantitatively as well qualitatively assessed to study the global as well as regional market comparatively. This market study presents essential information and accurate data about the market providing an overall statistical study of this market on the basis of market drivers, limitations and its future prospects. The report supplies the international economic competition with the assistance of Porters Five Forces Analysis and SWOT Analysis.

Major Factors:

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Industry Champion Jim Greenwood to Retire Following 2020 Elections – BioSpace

By adminOctober 10, 2019Stell Cell Research

Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Greenwood will step down from his role in 2021 following the 2020 presidential election. During his tenure, he has been a champion for innovation within the pharmaceutical industry to address many challenges in healthcare.

During his 14-year tenure as head of BIO, Greenwood oversaw a significant growth at the organization, more than tripling its size to 176 employees with an 85 million operating budget. BIO now hosts one of the key annual conventions in the industry, drawing more than 18,000 people from across the globe. He also built bridges to help create a strong ecosystem for drug innovation. Following the 2020 election, Greenwood, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives, will help BIOs next leader transition into his role.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Greenwood reminisced about his tenure as head of BIO and his time in the halls of Congress. The lessons he learned in government policy helped him provide strong leadership advocating innovation in drug making at BIO.

No organization has played a more powerful role than BIO in making sure government leaders embrace thoughtful policy so the science of biotechnology can march forward. I know because I was one of those lawmakers inspired by my BIO education. Through this organization, I came to see the miracles the biotech industry makes possible, Greenwood said in a statement.

Biotechnology, he said, will be the primary tool in meeting the greatest challenges facing the human race in years to come.

Our industry has won many important policy battles over the last 14 years, and weve now ushered in the dawn of a new era of cures. Today, the human genome has been mapped and hundreds of new breakthroughs are in the pipeline as a result. The first gene therapies are starting to be approved by the FDA. CRISPR and gene editing hold transformative potential to not just treat, but actually cure, deadly diseases, he said.

Greenwood joined BIO in 2005 as its second president and CEO following the retirement of founding President Carl Feldbaum. During his tenure, he established BIO as a pragmatic voice on Capitol Hill and cultivated bipartisan support for the drug industry. He also led industry PDFUA negotiations with Congress to promote patient-centered drug development, and he was a driving force behind the establishment of a biosimilars industry to create more affordable biologic drugs once patents expire. Greenwood was instrumental in leading industry negotiations to help pass the 21st Century Cures Act, which approved expanded use of biomarkers, innovative clinical trials and real-world evidence in FDA scientific decisions.

Greenwood has been a staunch defender of the drug industry and innovation in development. In August, Greenwood expressed his concerns about government pricing controls of prescription drugs and how it could stifle innovation in the industry. That is a challenge he said he will continue to address in his remaining months with the organization. Greenwood said he will continue to fight against short-sighted political attacks and will continue to be an advocate for the industry to ensure politicians do not kill innovation in a populist furor and prevent our scientists from delivering a new generation of genomic cures.

The way forward for drug makers is to reaffirm and live by our social contract with patients, making sure we are their most zealous defenders in every policy and pricing discussion. BIO will continue to make the case that innovators and lawmakers each have a moral responsibility to ensure patients never go without the medicine they need while expanding access to therapies in ways that dont kill innovation for patients still waiting for cures to come, he said.

In addition to battling government pricing controls, Greenwood has also been a leader in pushing for greater diversity in the industry. Last year, BIO issued a letter demanding companies achieve gender diversity on its boards of directors within the next six years.

Jeremy Levin, CEO of Ovid Therapeutics and current chairman of the board at BIO, said Greenwoods leadership in the industry has allowed the United States to create a pro-innovation public policy environment that has become the envy of the world. Over the course of the next year-and-a-half that Greenwood will remain with BIO, Ovid said the organization will continue to depend on his leadership as the industry fights short-sighted attempts to drain capital from our sector and curtail the intellectual property rights of innovators.

We are grateful that Jim has agreed to stay on in a transitional role in 2021 to help his successor educate the public and lawmakers about the enormously complex and expensive challenge of bringing new medicines to market the last and only hope for millions of suffering patients across the world, Levin said.

In Congress, Greenwood served as a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee overseeing health care policy. In that role, he helped lead efforts to modernize the FDA, pass the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit for seniors, and lift the ban on embryonic stem-cell research.

Cell Culture Protein Surface Coatings Market will Going to be Worth US$ 623.4 Mn by 2020 – Online News Guru

By adminOctober 10, 2019Stell Cell Research

Cell culture is a complex procedure in which cells are grown under controlled physical conditions outside the natural environment. These cells are used to develop model systems for research, study of cellular structure and functions, stem cell research, drug discovery and genetic engineering. Growing scope of cell culture and its applications has led to increased use of protein coated surfaces, as these provide better adhesion and proper nutrition for growth of the cells during cell culture.

Report Overview @https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/cell-culture-protein-surface-coatings-market.html

Rising investment by government and market players in stem cell research and development activities is one of the major factors driving the cell culture protein surface coatings market. Becton, Dickinson and Company grants a total of USD 100,000 worth reagents every year to 10 scientists pursuing research activities in stem cells. Similarly, the European Union funded four stem cell research projects in its Seventh Framework Program for Research and Technological Development (2007 2013).

High funding is leading to extensive stem cell research, resulting in increased use of cell culture protein surface coating products. Moreover, diverse applications of stem cells such as development of bone grafts and artificial tissue would fuel the demand for cell culture protein surface coatings during the forecast period. In addition, increasing cell culture applications in toxicology studies and cell-based assays would boost the demand for protein surface coating products. Currently, 2D cell culture is the most preferred technique by researchers worldwide due to lack of compelling data to switch to 3D cell culture.

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Based on the types of coating, the self-coating segment held the majority share of the total market in 2013 in comparison to pre-coating segment. The pre-coating segment is sub-segmented on the basis of different labware such as slides, micro-well/multi-well plates, flasks, petri dishes and cover slips. In terms of revenue, the micro-well/multi-well plates segment held the largest share of the total pre-coating market in 2013. The cell culture protein surface coatings market is also differentiated on the basis of protein sources, which include plant, animal, human and synthetic. The synthetic protein source segment is expected to grow at a faster rate in the global cell culture protein surface coatings market during the forecast period. Growth of the synthetic protein source segment is attributed to the rising demand for animal-free coating surfaces in North America and Europe and better attachment profile of poly-L-lysine and poly-L-ornithine.

Geographically, North America and Europe dominated the cell culture protein surface coatings market in 2013 due to large-scale stem cell research activities and rapid adoption of advanced tools for cell culture. However, Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR due to the presence of untapped opportunities, increasing drug discovery activities, impressive development of healthcare and biotechnology infrastructure and growing trend among the market players to expand business in the region.

The global cell culture protein surface coatings market is characterized by the presence of few big key players such as Corning Incorporated, Greiner Bio-One International AG, Merck Millipore, Sigma-Aldrich Corporation and Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. Cornings acquisition of Becton Dickinson & Company has helped it to gain a dominant share in the global cell culture protein surface coatings market. Competition among these market players is high, which induces them to develop new and better protein surface coatings for cell culture and associated applications.

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Cell Culture Protein Surface Coatings Market will Going to be Worth US$ 623.4 Mn by 2020 - Online News Guru

BEYOND LOCAL: Expert recommends ‘path of cautious optimism’ about the future of stem cell treatment – NewmarketToday.ca

By adminOctober 10, 2019Stem Cell Clinics

This article, written byKatharine Sedivy-Haley, University of British Columbia, originally appeared on The Conversation and is republished here with permission:

When I was applying to graduate school in 2012, it felt like stem cells were about to revolutionize medicine.

Stem cells have the ability to renew themselves, and mature into specialized cells like heart or brain cells. This allows them to multiply and repair damage.

If stem cell genes are edited to fix defects causing diseases like anemia or immune deficiency, healthy cells can theoretically be reintroduced into a patient, thereby eliminating or preventing a disease. If these stem cells are taken or made from the patient themselves, they are a perfect genetic match for that individual, which means their body will not reject the tissue transplant.

Because of this potential, I was excited that my PhD project at the University of British Columbia gave me the opportunity to work with stem cells.

However, stem cell hype has led some to pay thousands of dollars on advertised stem cell treatments that promise to cure ailments from arthritis to Parkinsons disease. These treatments often dont help and may harm patients.

Despite the potential for stem cells to improve medicine, there are many challenges as they move from lab to clinic. In general, stem cell treatment requires we have a good understanding of stem cell types and how they mature. We also need stem cell culturing methods that will reliably produce large quantities of pure cells. And we need to figure out the correct cell dose and deliver it to the right part of the body.

Embryonic, 'induced and pluripotent

Stem cells come in multiple types. Embryonic stem cells come from embryos which makes them controversial to obtain.

A newly discovered stem cell type is the induced pluripotent stem cell. These cells are created by collecting adult cells, such as skin cells, and reprogramming them by inserting control genes which activate or induce a state similar to embryonic stem cells. This embryo-like state of having the versatile potential to turn into any adult cell type, is called being pluripotent.

However, induced pluripotent and embryonic stem cells can form tumours. Induced pluripotent stem cells carry a particularly high risk of harmful mutation and cancer because of their genetic instability and changes introduced during reprogramming.

Genetic damage could be avoided by using younger tissues such as umbilical cord blood, avoiding tissues that might contain pre-existing mutations (like sun-damaged skin cells), and using better methods for reprogramming.

Stem cells used to test drugs

For now, safety concerns mean pluripotent cells have barely made it to the clinic, but they have been used to test drugs.

For drug research, it is valuable yet often difficult to get research samples with specific disease-causing mutations; for example, brain cells from people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Researchers can, however, take a skin cell sample from a patient, create an induced pluripotent stem-cell line with their mutation and then make neurons out of those stem cells. This provides a renewable source of cells affected by the disease.

This approach could also be used for personalized medicine, testing how a particular patient will respond to different drugs for conditions like heart disease.

Vision loss from fat stem cells

Stem cells can also be found in adults. While embryonic stem cells can turn into any cell in the body, aside from rare newly discovered exceptions, adult stem cells mostly turn into a subset of mature adult cells.

For example, hematopoietic stem cells in blood and bone marrow can turn into any blood cell and are widely used in treating certain cancers and blood disorders.

A major challenge with adult stem cells is getting the right kind of stem cell in useful quantities. This is particularly difficult with eye and nerve cells. Most research is done with accessible stem cell types, like stem cells from fat.

Fat stem cells are also used in stem cell clinics without proper oversight or safety testing. Three patients experienced severe vision loss after having these cells injected into their eyes. There is little evidence that fat stem cells can turn into retinal cells.

Clinical complications

Currently, stem cell based treatments are still mostly experimental, and while some results are encouraging, several clinical trials have failed.

In the brain, despite progress in developing treatment for genetic disorders and spinal cord injury, treatments for stroke have been unsuccessful. Results might depend on method of stem cell delivery, timing of treatment and age and health of the patient. Frustratingly, older and sicker tissues may be more resistant to treatment.

For eye conditions, a treatment using adult stem cells to treat corneal injuries has recently been approved. A treatment for macular degeneration using cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells is in progress, though it had to be redesigned due to concerns about cancer-causing mutations.

A path of cautious optimism

While scientists have good reason to be interested in stem cells, miracle cures are not right around the corner. There are many questions about how to implement treatments to provide benefit safely.

In some cases, advertised stem cell treatments may not actually use stem cells. Recent research suggests mesenchymal stem cells, which are commonly isolated from fat, are really a mixture of cells. These cells have regenerative properties, but may or may not include actual stem cells. Calling something a stem cell treatment is great marketing, but without regulation patients dont know what theyre getting.

Members of the public (and grad students) are advised to moderate their excitement in favour of cautious optimism.

Katharine Sedivy-Haley, PhD Candidate in Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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BEYOND LOCAL: Expert recommends 'path of cautious optimism' about the future of stem cell treatment - NewmarketToday.ca

Tech review: Apps that enhance cellphone battery performance – Newsday

By adminOctober 10, 2019Stem Cell Clinics

Another grueling day isnt even close to finished, but your smartphone battery is already more drained than you are. While iPhones and Android devices have built-in battery analyzers, they offer limited information. These apps give you the power to know why your battery is losing strength and lets you take steps to extend its life.

(iOS, Android; free)

One of the few battery apps available in versions for both iPhones and Android devices, Battery HD+ is less of a battery analyzer that it is a battery predictor it tells you how much juice you have left for various tasks. For example, you mighthave power for several hours of internet browsing but far less if you want to watch a video. Battery HD+ calibrates itself to your specific phone to give better estimates of battery time remaining.

(Android; free)

AccuBattery provides detailed statistics on discharging speed, foreground app usage and general battery health without guesswork. Is an ad-heavy app draining too much power over time? AccuBattery can help you find the offending apps that use too much juice and mighthelp you efficiently run your phone longer. AccuBattery also helps in determining whether its not really power-hungry apps that are the problem. It will tell you if your battery may simply need replacing.

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(Android; free)

This app from giant anti-virus software maker Avast gets proactive: It finds those power-mad apps running in the background and if you are not using them, it stops them. (Dont worry: They can be easily restarted when you need them.) Avast says its app can help you get 20 percent more out of your battery, so youll be charging a lot less.

(iOS; free)

While newer versions of iOS have a very good stockBattery Health feature, this app drills down farther to examine and analyze your phones battery and make a decision whether it is healthy or failing. It will also tell you how much time you have left to run various tasks. The apps features and effectiveness vary depending on which iPhone and iOS version you have.

John Montgomery contributed to this story.

The owner of Roosevelt Field mall, Walt Whitman Shops and Smith Haven Mall is going big on e-commerce. Simon Property Group, the biggest U.S. mall owner, is testing a new website, shoppremiumoutlets.com, where it will offer online value shopping from its premium outlet malls. Simon owns 107 malls and 69 premium outlets, including Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in upstate New York.

If you expect the automatic emergency braking systems on many new cars to prevent you from hitting a pedestrian, you might be making a fatal mistake. AAA says its research shows the pedestrian detection component of the braking systems fails to operate in many ordinary driving situations and doesn't work at all at night. AAA notes that 75 percent of fatal pedestrian accidents happen after dark.

Responding to ubiquitous online marketing by stem cell clinics selling unapproved treatments for everything from achy joints to Alzheimers, Google said it will no longer accept ads for unproven or experimental medical techniques, including most stem cell therapy, cellular therapy and gene therapy. Google said it was taking the step after seeing a rise in bad actors trying to take advantage of patients by offering untested, deceptive treatments.

By Peter King Special to Newsday

Original post:
Tech review: Apps that enhance cellphone battery performance - Newsday

BEYOND LOCAL: Expert recommends ‘path of cautious optimism’ about the future of stem cell treatment – TimminsToday

By adminOctober 10, 2019Stem Cell Treatment

This article, written byKatharine Sedivy-Haley, University of British Columbia, originally appeared on The Conversation and is republished here with permission:

When I was applying to graduate school in 2012, it felt like stem cells were about to revolutionize medicine.

Stem cells have the ability to renew themselves, and mature into specialized cells like heart or brain cells. This allows them to multiply and repair damage.

Because of this potential, I was excited that my PhD project at the University of British Columbia gave me the opportunity to work with stem cells.

Embryonic, 'induced and pluripotent

Stem cells come in multiple types. Embryonic stem cells come from embryos which makes them controversial to obtain.

Stem cells used to test drugs

For now, safety concerns mean pluripotent cells have barely made it to the clinic, but they have been used to test drugs.

For drug research, it is valuable yet often difficult to get research samples with specific disease-causing mutations; for example, brain cells from people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

This approach could also be used for personalized medicine, testing how a particular patient will respond to different drugs for conditions like heart disease.

Vision loss from fat stem cells

For example, hematopoietic stem cells in blood and bone marrow can turn into any blood cell and are widely used in treating certain cancers and blood disorders.

Clinical complications

Currently, stem cell based treatments are still mostly experimental, and while some results are encouraging, several clinical trials have failed.

A path of cautious optimism

While scientists have good reason to be interested in stem cells, miracle cures are not right around the corner. There are many questions about how to implement treatments to provide benefit safely.

Members of the public (and grad students) are advised to moderate their excitement in favour of cautious optimism.

Katharine Sedivy-Haley, PhD Candidate in Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Continue reading here:
BEYOND LOCAL: Expert recommends 'path of cautious optimism' about the future of stem cell treatment - TimminsToday

Golf: Brooks Koepka healthy again after stem cell treatment but game rusty – The Straits Times

By adminOctober 10, 2019Stem Cell Treatment

LAS VEGAS (REUTERS) - Brooks Koepka is healthy again but his game was ailing as he shot a mediocre one-under 70 in his first start of the new PGA Tour season at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas on Thursday (Oct 3).

A day after revealing he had undergone stem cell treatment on a troublesome left knee, Koepka was far from his best at TPC Summerlin, trailing early Canadian leader Nick Taylor by seven strokes.

The 29-year-old world No. 1, whose rust was evident, ran up five birdies and four bogeys.

Koepka said stem cells were injected into his knee the day after the Tour Championship in late August.

"Finally feel 100 per cent, which is nice, and hopefully stay that way for the rest of the season," he said. "I'd been battling it there for the last four months of that season.

"My patella tendon was partially torn ... I also had a wrist injury."

Those concerns did not stop Koepka from a magnificent season in the Majors. He won the PGA Championship, was runner-up at the Masters and US Open, and fourth at the British Open.

Makes one wonder what he can do in 2020 if he can put in some time on the range.

"Last year I didn't practise at all," said the American. "I finally feel good enough where I can actually practise and feel prepared coming into golf tournaments. I'll be practising this year."

Koepka, an especially dangerous competitor when he has a chip on his shoulder, was controversially beaten for PGA Tour Player of the Year in a vote by his peers.

Never mind his Major record, Koepka was bested by season-long FedEx Cup winner Rory McIlroy. The tour did not reveal the vote totals.

Koepka shrugged off the snub, making a comparison with the NBA's dominant player of the past decade.

"LeBron (James) has only won four MVPs (most valuable player awards) and I'm pretty sure he's been the best player for more than just four years," Koepka said.

"I don't play for awards. I just play to win, win trophies, win tournaments."

While Koepka left some money on the table on Thursday, Canadian Taylor struck with six birdies, as well as an eagle at the short par-four 14th, where his 315-yard tee shot stopped five feet from the cup.

Taylor led by two strokes from a trio including veteran Phil Mickelson with half the field back in the clubhouse.

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Golf: Brooks Koepka healthy again after stem cell treatment but game rusty - The Straits Times

New Viral Vector for Sickle Cell Gene Therapy Likely to Be More Effective, NIH Study Says – Sickle Cell Anemia News

By adminOctober 10, 2019Stem Cell Treatment

A newly designed viral vector the vehicle that delivers a gene therapyto a patients cells for use insickle cell anemia is more efficient than earlier vectors at introducing healthy copies of genes into stem cells and can be produced in greater amounts, studies in animal models show.

The study Development of a forward-orientated therapeutic lentiviral vector for hemoglobin disorders was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that binds oxygen, allowing oxygen to be transported around the body. Mutations in the HBBgene, which encodes a component of hemoglobin, causessickle cell.

Gene therapies involve either altering the mutated gene or introducing a healthy version of that gene to the body. Still under development for sickle cell, an estimated 27 patients have undergone experimental gene therapy. One strategy involves removing hematopoietic stem cells (which function to produce blood cells) from a patients bone marrow. A healthy copy of the HBB gene is then introduced into the cells using a modified, harmless virus known as a viral vector. The cells are then transplanted back into the patient where they will produce healthy red blood cells.

Traditionally, viral vectors for sickle cell have been designed in a way known as reverse structural orientation. This means that the HBB gene is translated or read from right to left, like reading an English sentence backwards. The reverse structural orientation design ensures that a key section of the gene (known as intron 2), which is necessary for the production of high levels of the HBB gene, is retained during viral vector preparation.

However, this design makes preparing the viral vectors more difficult, and decreases the efficiency of introducing the gene into the stem cells.

Researchersat the National Institutes of Healthdesigned a new viral vector, one in which the HBB gene is forward orientated and read from left to right. Genes essential for the virus were inserted into intron 2, meaning that only vectors that retained intron 2 would be produced (a type of positive selection).

Our new vector is an important breakthrough in the field of gene therapy for sickle cell disease, John Tisdale, MD, chief of the Cellular and Molecular Therapeutic Branch at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the studys senior author, said in a press release.

Its the new kid on the block and represents a substantial improvement in our ability to produce high capacity, high efficiency vectors for treating this devastating disorder, he added.

The researchers compared the new vectors to traditional reverse-orientated vectors in mouse and monkey models. The new vectors were four to 10 times more efficient at introducing the healthy HBBgene into the stem cells, and could carry up to six times more HBB genes compared to the conventional vectors.

Furthermore, the new vectors remained incorporated into the cells of monkeys up to four years after a transplant. These vectors could also be produced in greater amounts, which may lessen the time and costs required for large-scale vector production.

The researchers hope that these characteristics will make gene therapy for sickle cell disease more effective and increase its use. The new vector design still needs to be tested in clinical trials in patients.

Our lab has been working on improving beta-globin vectors for almost a decade and finally decided to try something radically different and it worked, Tisdale said.

These findings bring us closer to a curative gene therapy approach for hemoglobin disorders, he added.

Patricia holds her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from University Nova de Lisboa, and has served as an author on several research projects and fellowships, as well as major grant applications for European Agencies. She also served as a PhD student research assistant in the Laboratory of Doctor David A. Fidock, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University, New York.

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Margarida graduated with a BS in Health Sciences from the University of Lisbon and a MSc in Biotechnology from Instituto Superior Tcnico (IST-UL). She worked as a molecular biologist research associate at a Cambridge UK-based biotech company that discovers and develops therapeutic, fully human monoclonal antibodies.