Stem Cell Clinic

Stem Cell Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes – Medical News Bulletin

By Stell Cell Research

For over 20 years autologous hematopoietic stem cell treatment (AHSCT) has been a therapy for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus; however, the exact mechanism of action remains unclear. Recent clinical research has also been exploring the use of stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes, another autoimmune disease which affects over 422 million individuals globally.

Type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition where little or no insulin is produced by the pancreas. Immune cells attack pancreatic beta cells which produce insulin, leading to inflammation. Insulin is an essential hormone for energy production as it enables the breakdown of sugars to enter the cells and produce energy. The onset of type 1 diabetes occurs when significant inflammation damages beta cells and results in insufficient maintenance of glucose haemostasis (balance of insulin and glucagon to maintain blood glucose levels).

Therapies currently used in type 1 diabetes treatment include insulin administration, blood glucose monitoring and screening for common comorbidities and diabetes-related complications. However, these treatments fail to reduce the damage on a patients immune system. The use of autologous hematopoietic stem cells as a potential type 1 diabetes therapy is based upon the ability of the stem cells to reset the immune system. Autologous hematopoietic stems cells are retrieved from a patients own bone marrow or peripheral blood (blood which circulates the body and contains red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets) and after conditioning are injected intravenously.

A recent study by Ye and colleagues published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy (2017) investigated the effects AHSCT had on the immune response in recently diagnosed diabetes type 1 patients. The study included 18 patients (12-35 years old) with type 1 diabetes who had been diagnosed within less than 6 months. Of these 18 participants, 10 received a traditional insulin injection as treatment and eight received AHSCT. An additional 15 patients who matched in age, gender and BMI of these two groups were enrolled as a control group.

To test the effects of the treatment on immune response, patients peripheral blood cells were assessed. Samples were taken before they started treatment and then again 12 months after either the AHSCT or insulin-only therapies were administered.

Before treatment, peripheral blood cell distribution was almost equivalent in the two groups; however, after 12 months a significant difference was observed. The results of this clinical trial showed that patients receiving AHSCT exhibited significantly reduced development and function of Th1 and Th17 cells (types of T cells which cause inflammation in autoimmune diseases), compared to those only receiving the insulin treatment.

The inhibition of T-cell proliferation and function, along with decreased production of cytokines (pivotal chemical messengers which aid an immune response) observed in patients receiving AHSCT treatment suggests there is a strong link between the therapy and effects on the patients immune response. This may explain why AHSCT results in better therapeutic effects when compared with insulin-only traditional therapy.

The authors note that the small number of participants and length of the study are the two main limitations. Future clinical studies should include a larger number of patients and long-term follow up, especially since AHSCT can cause damage to the bone marrow and lead to potentially serious infections.

Progression of type 1 diabetes, as mentioned above, results in unavoidable immune damage from inflammation. This study suggests the combination of therapies including AHSCT treatment and high-dose immunosuppressive drugs may be a potential new therapeutic approach to type 1 diabetes. It is hypothesized that this combination has the ability reset the immune system and increase the recovery capacity of beta cells. Further clinical studies are essential though, to shed more light on the mechanism and use of stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes.

Written By:Lacey Hizartzidis, PhD

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Stem Cell Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes - Medical News Bulletin

3D Bone-Like Tissues Grown From Stem Cells – Asian Scientist Magazine

By Stell Cell Research

AsianScientist (June 28, 2017) - Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a cell culture method that generates three-dimensional bone-like tissues from mouse pluripotent stem cells using only small molecules as inducers. The current result, published in Science Advances, is a step toward the generation of three-dimensional tissues in cell culture which mimic or are patterned after our organs.

Three-dimensional tissue-like structures, called organoids, are generated in cell culture using various cell types derived from pluripotent stem cells. These include embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cellscells reprogrammed to act like embryonic stem cells, which can differentiate into most cell types. Our understanding of tissue formation processes, regenerative medicine and drug development stand to benefit from the study and development of such organoids.

However, most studies to date involve cell-to-cell transfer of genetic material, recombinant proteins, the sera of calf fetuses and other substances of unknown composition, which raise safety and cost concerns.

In 2014, a group led by Associate Professor Shinsuke Ohba at the University of Tokyos Graduate School of Medicine developed a protocol that used only four small molecules to induce the formation of bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) from pluripotent stem cells. Building on this protocol in the present study, Ohba and his colleague, Professor Ung-il Chung (Yuichi Tei), succeeded in generating three-dimensional bone-like tissues from mouse pluripotent stem cells embedded within sponges composed of atelocollagencollagen molecules that do not trigger an immune response. These mouse pluripotent stem cells generated osteoblasts and osteocytes (mature bone cells).

In addition, when these stem cell-derived osteoblasts and osteocytes were cultured with progenitors of osteoclasts (bone-resorbing cells) in the sponge, mature osteoclasts were formed. These results suggested that the osteoblasts and osteocytes derived from mouse embryonic stem cells are functional, as they are in living bodies, with the ability to support osteoclast formation.

This research potentially leads to the generation of bone-like tissues in cell culture, in which three cell populations responsible for the formation and maintenance of our bones, namely osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts, function in a three-dimensional manner, said Ohba.

We hope the strategy will contribute to our understanding of the origin and development of bone diseases, and help elucidate the mechanisms underlying the formation and maintenance of bones, as well as promote bone regenerative medicine and the development of drugs for treating bone diseases.

The article can be found at: Zujur et al. (2017) Three-dimensional System Enabling the Maintenance and Directed Differentiation of Pluripotent Stem Cells under Defined Condition.

Source: University of Tokyo. Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

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3D Bone-Like Tissues Grown From Stem Cells - Asian Scientist Magazine

Lack of stem cell donations plagues patients – Times of India

By Stem Cell Treatment

Visakhapatnam: Lack of awareness on the importance of becoming a blood stem cell donor is hindering the treatment of people suffering from blood cancer and other fatal blood disorders like thalassemia and aplastic anaemia.

Since the only cure is a blood stem cell transplant, the need of the hour is to sensitise people of the city on the necessity of becoming a potential blood stem cell donor to save lives, experts say.

According to oncologists based in Vizag, the cases of blood cancer are increasing and the treatment options are very few. Moreover, patients with blood cancer are sent to Hyderabad and other centres for treatment as neither there are donors nor equipment for stem cell transplant in the port city.

For a successful transplant, patients suffering from fatal blood disorders need blood stem cells from a healthy and genetically matched donor. Unfortunately, the probability of finding a genetically matched donor is one in 10,000 to one in over a million.

Only about 25 per cent of the patients find a donor from within their family. Rest need to wait for a life-saving donor.

"The chances of finding a match for patients suffering from these fatal blood disorders could only widen if there are more number of donors registered," says Ravindranath Chava, co-ordinator of a Chennai-based blood stem cell donors registry- DATRI.

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Lack of stem cell donations plagues patients - Times of India

Doctors to offer stem cell treatments – The News (subscription)

By Stem Cell Doctors

Dr. Ren Halverson can empathize with his patients. Like many of those who walk through his doors at Advanced Chiropractic in Brunswick, he has also experienced injuries and the pain they cause.

I had a torn labrum in my right shoulder, a torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder and and torn meniscus in my right knee. I already had two surgeries on my knees, he said. It was a daily challenge treating patients.

In order to help his patients and himself find relief, the chiropractor is always on the lookout for the latest in scientific health developments that might help. He spends countless hours studying the latest in medical innovations. Not too long ago, Halversons research paid off when he came across amniotic stem cells.

Of course, Halverson was already familiar with stem cells and the long term research concerning some for joint treatment. But the new data, methods and results were something he simply couldnt ignore.

World-wide the results with stem cells are off the charts. There are different types of stem cells ... blood marrow, which is best used for blood diseases. Amniotic, which is the membrane surrounding the placenta and is the safeguard between the mothers blood flow and the babys. That is what we are talking about here, he said. It has proven to be best for joint and tendon repair.

Amniotic arent, however, the same as the controversial fetal stem cells that gained so much attention over the past decade. Halverson says these types of stem cells raise no moral or ethical questions. They are also more effective than other types of stem cells in healing musklo-skeletal injuries.

These are offered by willing, cesarean donors. The FDA has approved the process and it is very strictly regulated. The hosts, the mothers who donate, are screened for all blood born pathogens before they are able to donate.

The regenerative field of medicine is something that has proven itself invaluable over the past few decades. It has convinced Halverson to open that door to his patients. After all, he has experienced the positive effects of the treatment first hand.

I wanted to try the stem cell treatment first. I did it about three months ago and the results are just incredible, he said, moving his arms to illustrate his range of motion.

It takes about eight months for the full effects to set in but Im swimming again. I couldnt do that before. In many cases worldwide, patients have been able to fully heal arthritic joints and tendons or cartilage tears without having to have surgery.

He feels the statistics truly speak for themselves. The company Halverson uses has conducted more than 100,000 similar treatments.

Stem cells contain Hyaluronic Acid which provides a scaffold for mesenchymal growth cells to begin the rebuilding process. They also contain natural anti inflammatory agents known as Cytokines.

Halverson says there is not one documented case of a side effect reported.

There has never been a negative reaction. Patient satisfaction is/over 98 percent ... thats just in the U.S. They are doing this heavily in Europe and Israel, he said. The results are unbelievable. Pre- and post -X-rays show remarkable results.

He will however bring on new faces who will run the expanded medical clinic.

Our medical director is Dr. Theresa Cezar, who is a great internist but has extensive experience in physical medicine. We also have Cynthia White who is our nurse practitioner. They are both excellent, he said. We have a really exceptional staff here.

In addition to the stem cell treatments, Halverson is offering an expanded line of medical services, designed to treat musklo-skeletal patients with a cutting edge integrated approach. Those include trigger point injections, state of the art spinal bracing, biomechanics as well as the regeneration therapy, which includes stem cell and Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Halverson is excited about the opportunity to bring these innovative techniques to the Golden Isles. He sees these treatments as a significant building blocks in the future of healthcare, a departure from relying on medication, dangerous opioids and other invasive options.

Ive experienced it and I know it works. Even Medicare says integration with medicine, chiropractic and therapies together are the wave of the future. We are combining what weve already been doing ... the chiropractic and rehabilitation to really take this to the next level, Halverson said.

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Doctors to offer stem cell treatments - The News (subscription)

Scientists Turn Back the Clock on Adult Stem Cells Aging …

By Adult Stem Cells

Reversing the aging process could lead to medical treatments for many chronic conditions

Researchers have shown they can reverse the aging process for human adult stem cells, which are responsible for helping old or damaged tissues regenerate. The findings could lead to medical treatments that may repair a host of ailments that occur because of tissue damage as people age. A research group led by the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and the Georgia Institute of Technology conducted the study in cell culture, which appears in the September 1, 2011 edition of the journal Cell Cycle.

The regenerative power of tissues and organs declines as we age. The modern day stem cell hypothesis of aging suggests that living organisms are as old as are its tissue specific or adult stem cells. Therefore, an understanding of the molecules and processes that enable human adult stem cells to initiate self-renewal and to divide, proliferate and then differentiate in order to rejuvenate damaged tissue might be the key to regenerative medicine and an eventual cure for many age-related diseases A research group led by the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in collaboration with the Georgia Institute of Technology, conducted the study that pinpoints what is going wrong with the biological clock underlying the limited division of human adult stem cells as they age.

We demonstrated that we were able to reverse the process of aging for human adult stem cells by intervening with the activity of non-protein coding RNAs originated from genomic regions once dismissed as non-functional genomic junk, said Victoria Lunyak, Ph.D., associate professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.

Adult stem cells are important because they help keep human tissues healthy by replacing cells that have gotten old or damaged. Theyre also multipotent, which means that an adult stem cell can grow and replace any number of body cells in the tissue or organ they belong to. However, just as the cells in the liver, or any other organ, can get damaged over time, adult stem cells undergo age-related damage. And when this happens, the body cant replace damaged tissue as well as it once could, leading to a host of diseases and conditions. But if scientists can find a way to keep these adult stem cells young, they could possibly use these cells to repair damaged heart tissue after a heart attack; heal wounds; correct metabolic syndromes; produce insulin for patients with type 1 diabetes; cure arthritis and osteoporosis and regenerate bone.

The team began by hypothesizing that DNA damage in the genome of adult stem cells would look very different from age-related damage occurring in regular body cells. They thought so because body cells are known to experience a shortening of the caps found at the ends of chromosomes, known as telomeres. But adult stem cells are known to maintain their telomeres. Much of the damage in aging is widely thought to be a result of losing telomeres. So there must be different mechanisms at play that are key to explaining how aging occurs in these adult stem cells, they thought.

Researchers used adult stem cells from humans and combined experimental techniques with computational approaches to study the changes in the genome associated with aging. They compared freshly isolated human adult stem cells from young individuals, which can self-renew, to cells from the same individuals that were subjected to prolonged passaging in culture. This accelerated model of adult stem cell aging exhausts the regenerative capacity of the adult stem cells. Researchers looked at the changes in genomic sites that accumulate DNA damage in both groups.

We found the majority of DNA damage and associated chromatin changes that occurred with adult stem cell aging were due to parts of the genome known as retrotransposons, said King Jordan, Ph.D., associate professor in the School of Biology at Georgia Tech.

Retroransposons were previously thought to be non-functional and were even labeled as junk DNA, but accumulating evidence indicates these elements play an important role in genome regulation, he added.

While the young adult stem cells were able to suppress transcriptional activity of these genomic elements and deal with the damage to the DNA, older adult stem cells were not able to scavenge this transcription. New discovery suggests that this event is deleterious for the regenerative ability of stem cells and triggers a process known as cellular senescence.

By suppressing the accumulation of toxic transcripts from retrotransposons, we were able to reverse the process of human adult stem cell aging in culture, said Lunyak.

Furthermore, by rewinding the cellular clock in this way, we were not only able to rejuvenate aged human stem cells, but to our surprise we were able to reset them to an earlier developmental stage, by up-regulating the pluripotency factors the proteins that are critically involved in the self-renewal of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells. she said.

Next the team plans to use further analysis to validate the extent to which the rejuvenated stem cells may be suitable for clinical tissue regenerative applications.

The study was conducted by a team with members from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of California, San Diego, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, International Computer Science Institute, Applied Biosystems and Tel-Aviv University.

Citation: Inhibition of activated pericentromeric SINE/Alu repeat transcription in senescent human adult stem cells reinstates self-renewal. Cell Cycle, Volume 10, Issue 17, September 1, 2011

About the Buck Institute for Research on Aging The Buck Institute is the first freestanding institute in the United States that is devoted solely to basic research on aging and age-associated disease. The Institute is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to extending the healthspan, the healthy years of each individuals life. Buck Institute scientists work in an innovative, interdisciplinary setting to understand the mechanisms of aging and to discover new ways of detecting, preventing and treating conditions such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Collaborative research at the Institute is supported by new developments in genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics technology. For more information: http://www.thebuck.org.

About the Georgia Institute of Technology The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the world's premier research universities. Ranked seventh amongU.S. News & World Report's top public universities, Georgia Tech has more than 20,000 students enrolled in its Colleges of Architecture, Computing, Engineering, Liberal Arts, Management and Sciences and is among the nation's top producers of women and minority engineers.The Institute offers research opportunities to both undergraduate and graduate students and is home to more than 100 interdisciplinary units plus the Georgia Tech Research Institute. For more information: http://www.gatech.edu.

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Adult Stem Cells Save Woman Ravaged by Lupus, Now She Can be a Mom – LifeNews.com

By Adult Stem Cells

Today the Charlotte Lozier Institute announced the release of its latest testimonial video at StemCellResearchFacts.org, a project of the Washington, D.C.-based research and policy group. The video revisits Jackie Stollfus, a lupus survivor whose story was first told in a video released in 2014.

Diagnosed at the age of 21 with systemic lupus, an autoimmune disease with no known cure, Stollfus endured years of debilitating symptoms that did not respond to medication before undergoing a transplant of her own bone marrow stem cells. Seven years later, she is healthy, active, and has been able to start a family. Adult stem cells saved my life, gave me a chance to have a life, gave me that chance to be a mom, she says.

Dr. David Prentice, Vice President and Research Director of the Charlotte Lozier Institute and an international expert on stem cells, hailed the new video, saying:

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Autoimmune diseases are notoriously challenging to treat, which makes Jackie Stollfuss recovery that much more striking. As this video shows, adult stem cells are the gold standard for stem cells when it comes to patient-centered science. Jackies story is only the latest example of innovation using adult stem cells. These non-controversial cells have led to validated healing in FDA-approved studies and peer-reviewed publications for patients with various diseases and conditions. Derived from bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, and other ethical sources, they have already been used to help over one million suffering patients around the globe.

Charlotte Lozier Institute President Chuck Donovan praised Congressional efforts to prioritize NIH funding for the most promising research:

The initial successes for these innovative therapies must be followed up with expanded resources to bring more treatments to the clinic and the bedside. The bipartisan, aptly-named Patients First Act (H.R. 2918) introduced by Rep. Jim Banks and Rep. Dan Lipinski is a good example of how policymakers can advance cutting-edge medicine. It directs resources for stem cells where they will do the most good for patients.

StemCellResearchFacts.org, a project of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, was established in 2009 to facilitate and form a worldwide community dedicated to helping individuals, patients and families discover, learn and share the latest advances in adult stem cell research. To that end, the website has published 16 video testimonials backed by peer-reviewed published science. These testimonials feature patients who have undergone successful therapies for a variety of conditions including autoimmune diseases, cancer, spinal cord injury, heart disease, and more using adult stem cells. They also convey the testimony of doctors and researchers on the merits of these treatments.

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A*STAR scientists identify role of key stem cell factor in gastric cancer progression – Biotechin.Asia

By Adult Stem Cells

Understanding stem cell factors in injury repair and Cancer

Last month, scientists from A*STARs Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) have identified a key biological role for the Lgr5, a protein present mainly in the adult stem cells of many tissue types, as a key driving factor in gastric cancer.

Like other organs in the body, the stomach is constantly exposed to a variety of stress factors. Whether its a kick from your Tai Chi instructor or a wild night at the pub, mechanical stress, food habits and alcohol can influence the health of your stomach. A specialized set of cells- adult stem cells help to maintain the health and functionality of the stomach. Adult stem cells help to fuel the process of tissue renewal in the stomach and repair damage caused by stressors.

Lgr5 is specifically expressed in adult stem cells of many organs.Identification of Lgr5 as a marker characterizing stem cells has driven major advances in the understanding of stem cell biology for clinical applications.

According to the World Health Organization, gastric cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer globally. In Singapore, gastric cancer is among the top 10 most common cancers for males and females. The most common cause is infection by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which accounts for more than 60% of cases. Certain types of H. pylori have greater risks than others.

The discovery of Lgr5 expressing Chief cells as a key driver of gastric cancer represents a significant breakthrough in the study of gastric cancer biology and delivers crucial insight into gastric cancer development that should prove invaluable for developing more effective treatments in the clinic.

The two and half year research project was led by Dr. Marc Leushacke, Research Scientist at IMB, under the tutelage of Professor Nick Barker, Research Director. Using a fate mapping study, the team discovered a new population of Lgr5-expressing cells within the lining of the major digestive region of the stomach and characterized the role of these Lgr5-expressing cells during normal conditions, injury repair, and cancer.

The team discovered that Lgr5-expressing Chief cells, function as adult stem cells helping to repair the stomach lining after injury and are also the key cell type involved in gastric cancer following mutations.

The origin of gastric cancer is controversially discussed in the field. Our study definitively identifies Lgr5-labeled corpus cells at the gland base as a major gastric cancer origin and therefore provides clarity to the ongoing discussion. We hope that these findings will contribute to translatable clinical outcomes in the future.- said Professor Barker

For more information, please refer to the original paper Lgr5-Expressing Chief Cells Drive Epithelial Regeneration and Cancer in the Oxyntic Stomach published in Nature Cell Biology on 6 June 2017.

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LMU-DCOM professor awarded grant to study pediatric cancer – Claiborne Progress

By Uncategorized

Courtesy of LMU Adam Gromley, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular/cellular biology at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine.

HARROGATE Adam Gromley, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular/cellular biology at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) has been awarded a $15,000 grant for pediatric cancer research from The Butterfly Fund of East Tennessee Foundation.

Gromleys interest in studying pediatric cancer on the cellular level began at the University of Massachusetts Medical School while researching cell biology. Gromley took a particular interest in a component of the cell called the centrosome. The grant will be used to identify the role the centrosome plays in the development of the rare pediatric cancer rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS).

It was during my postdoctoral studies at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital that I saw firsthand how devastating pediatric cancers are and I decided that I wanted to do whatever I can to contribute to the understanding of how these cancers arise, Gromley said.

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately three percent of all childhood cancers are RMS, with 350 new cases occurring annually. Pediatric cancers like RMS are developed from DNA changes within cells that take place early in life and often before birth. RMS is a type of sarcoma, which are cancers that develop from connective tissues in the body like muscles, fat or bones.

A hallmark of cancer is the accumulation of genetic abnormalities, many of which arise through improper cell division. These dysfunctional cell divisions are typically due to defects in the centrosome. Gromleys research seeks to identify the specific ways by which defective centrosomes lead to cancer by manipulating the protein components of the centrosome.

We will use rhabdomyosarcoma cells in culture to determine if specific centrosome proteins contribute to the unregulated cell divisions that are characteristic of this type of cancer, Gromley said. These studies will help us understand the process by which tumors form, and hopefully this will lead to the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies for combating this disease.

Gromley earned his Ph.D. in biomedical sciences at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in 2004. From 2006 to 2010 Gromley completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Howard Hughes Medical Institute in the Department of Genetics and Tumor Cell Biology at St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. In addition to pediatric cancer research, Gromley is working on a project using genome editing technology to counteract the molecular defects responsible for Angelman syndrome with Jesse Riker, a second-year osteopathic medical student at LMU-DCOM.

The Butterfly Fund of East Tennessee Foundation is a charity based in Knoxville and was established by the families of two young girls who were diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma. This fund supports research, treatment and services dedicated to the defeat of childhood cancers.

Courtesy of LMU Adam Gromley, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular/cellular biology at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine.

http://www.claiborneprogress.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_Adam-Gromley-web.jpgCourtesy of LMU Adam Gromley, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular/cellular biology at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine.

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LMU-DCOM professor awarded grant to study pediatric cancer - Claiborne Progress

Stem cell therapy to treat paralytic dogs draws pet owners from across country to IVRI – Times of India

By Stem Cell Treatment

Bareilly: Dog owners from across the country, including Delhi and Gujarat, are turning up with their paralytic pets at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) here for stem cell therapy. Scientists treat a paralyzed dog by transplanting stem cells from healthy dogs. IVRI is the second institute in the country to offer this treatment, after Madras Veterinary College, Chennai.

According to scientists, no research has been conducted to determine the number of dogs who suffer from paralysis every year in India. However, the institute receives at least four cases every week of spinal trauma which causes paralysis in dogs. IVRI recorded 143 cases of posterior paralysis in 2016. These were treated with stem cell therapy and medicines.

If dogs are treated only with medicines, recovery is witnessed only in a few cases, said Amarpal (who goes by his first name), head and principal scientist, division of surgery, IVRI. On an average, 17% recovery rate was noted among dogs administered only medicines.

However, the best response was recorded among severely affected dogs when they were treated using stem cells, where almost all the patients responded to treatment to variable extent, said the scientist. Though we have cases where recovery was 100%, the average recovery rate is about 50%. The experiment proved the efficacy of stem cell therapy in cases of paralysis due to spinal trauma, said Amarpal.

The paralytic dog is first administered anesthesia before the stem cells are injected into its spinal cord. It takes only one session for a dog to undergo the therapy and it is discharged the same day.. After this, the owner has to bring his pet for check-ups for two or more times so that vets can monitor how the animal is responding to the treatment and if it is suffering from any reaction, said Amarpal.

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Stem cell therapy to treat paralytic dogs draws pet owners from across country to IVRI - Times of India

The doctor is in again – VVdailypress.com

By Stem Cell Doctors

Rene Ray De La Cruz Staff Writer @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

VICTORVILLE After a 60-year medical career, William Jacobson recently hung up his stethoscope. But he couldn't stay away too long. Instead, he has picked up his stethoscopre again after a few short months.

I retired in October, but I got bored and realized this old body and mind still have a lot to offer the community, said Dr. Jacobson, 85, from his newly opened clinic located on 11th Street, just across from Victor Valley Global Medical Center in Victorville.

Jacobson and his staff said theyre hosting an open house at noon July 21 at his clinic and are hoping that old and new friends will drop by.

When I started working for Desert Valley Hospital, I was one of five doctors who specialized in family medicine, said Jacobson, who moved to the High Desert from the East Coast in the late 1990s. I tried to stay retired, but then I got bored and tried to pick up a part-time job. Thats when I knew it was time to open a clinic.

Besides his new practice, Jacobson is also the medical director for Green Valley Home Health Care Services and Hospice Services, according to Community Liaison Betty Stevenson.

Hes an old-school doctor who really loves his patients and what he does, Stevenson said. When people discover that hes back, hes going to have a full calendar.

Wearing a bright white physicians lab coat, Jacobson pointed to his computer monitor and told the Daily Press this technological wonder is one of the biggest changes hes seen in medicine over the decades.

Jacobson, who grew up on a farm in the small town of Hagerman, New Mexico, said computer-based medical programs have been a major benefit for patients and medical staff around the world, but a nightmare to him.

These programs are so sophisticated, and inputting patient information is just not for me, said Jacobson, as his iPhone 6 Plus rang on his desk. These advances are wonderful, but a definite challenge to me.

Jacobson said advances in medicine, such as stem cell research and new drugs that pinpoint effectiveness rather than offering a shotgun effect, are the second biggest change hes seen over the years.

Even in the eight months that I was gone, theres been many advances in medicine, Jacobson said. Theres a lot to keep up with and there are constant changes, and I hope that my brain can handle it.

Jacobson said despite having an aortic valve replacement at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center four years ago and back surgery for a ruptured disc, he feels good and younger than ever.

He graduated from Pacific Union College in Napa Valley and Loma Linda University with a medical degree in 1957. A Naval physician for 10 years his office was once aboard the U.S.S. Northampton Jacobson ended his military career in 1967 and he opened a practice in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he later opened a medical rehabilitation center and gym.

Jacobson headed to California in 1994, He worked at a clinic in Redlands and at a Loma Linda University Medical Center-based clinic in Sun City before moving to the High Desert.

Ive always been fascinated with medicine. I used to read my mothers large medical book all the time as a child, Jacobson said. I was also inspired by my two uncles. One was a gynecologist and the other a general practitioner.

Jacobson said the biggest challenge in opening the clinic and coming out of retirement was city officials, health insurance companies and other people in the industry treated him like he just graduated from medical school.

It was a challenge to get back on the saddle, but were here and ready to start caring for people, Jacobson said. Im going to do what I love for as long as I can.

Dr. Jacobsons clinic is located at 15203 11th St., Suite D, in Victorville. For more information, call 760-241-0080.

Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLa Cruz@VVDailyPress.com or on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

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