Stem Cell Clinic

City of Hope Researcher Receives Five Grants Totaling $450,000 to Fight Pediatric Brain Tumors

By Stem Cell Treatment

Released: 2/11/2014 6:00 PM EST Source Newsroom: City of Hope Contact Information

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Newswise DUARTE, Calif. Despite continual advances in the treatment of brain tumors, infants and children diagnosed with medulloblastoma a fast-growing tumor in the cerebellum portion of the brain still face significant challenges overcoming this disease. One particularly tricky obstacle is the blood-brain barrier, which prevents cancer drugs from passing into the brain and attacking the tumor. Margarita Gutova, M.D., an assistant research professor in City of Hopes Department of Neurosciences, may have found a way to bypass that hurdle using neural stem cells.

Neural stem cells offer a novel way to overcome this obstacle because they can cross the blood-brain-barrier, migrate to and selectively target tumor cells throughout the brain, Gutova said. The cells also can be engineered to help deliver anti-cancer agents directly to the tumor site, effectively targeting cancer cells while minimizing harm to surrounding normal tissue.

Five foundations Alexs Lemonade Stand Foundation, Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF), The Matthew Larson Foundation for Pediatric Brain Tumors and two anonymous foundations have announced grants totaling $450,000 in support of Gutovas work, allowing her to continue her preclinical studies of this novel treatment method. If additional research proves promising, human clinical trials could begin in three to five years, Gutova said.

Ultimately, Gutova hopes to develop neural stem cells into a potent and highly targeted therapy that is superior to current medulloblastoma treatments: surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Surgery can leave behind residual cancerous cells that will continue to grow after the procedure, and radiation and chemotherapy can affect normal brain tissue.

This is especially damaging to brain and skeletal development, especially for pediatric patients still-growing bodies, Gutova said of current treatments.

In addition to testing the efficacy of neural stem cell-mediated therapy, Gutova will study the intranasal administration of neural stem cells. This novel delivery method is non-invasive and, if proven effective, will reduce the number of complicated procedures and their associated risks that a patient has to endure.

When the traditional treatment protocol failed for my daughter Alex, clinical trials became our best and only option for combating her cancer, said Jay Scott, co-executive director of Alexs Lemonade Stand Foundation. We know firsthand how important these trials are to bettering the lives of childhood cancer patients, and we are dedicated to bringing promising research from the lab to the clinic. We see promise in Dr. Gutovas brain tumor research and are glad to be able to support her efforts.

We are proud to support City of Hope and Dr. Gutovas research. City of Hope is a leader in making a difference every day in the laboratory, clinics and the lives or our young patients, said, Jeri Wilson, executive director of PCRF. I know Dr. Gutova and her colleagues will strive every day to ensure their research delivers the best possible outcomes to families who so richly deserve a cure.

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City of Hope Researcher Receives Five Grants Totaling $450,000 to Fight Pediatric Brain Tumors

CNS STORY: New stem-cell method offers another alternative …

By Stell Cell Research

New stem-cell method offers another alternative to embryonic research

By Nancy Frazier O'Brien Catholic News Service

BALTIMORE (CNS) -- A new method of creating versatile stem cells from a relatively simple manipulation of existing cells could further reduce the need for any stem-cell research involving human embryos, according to leading ethicists.

Although the process has only been tested in mice, two studies published Jan. 29 in the journal Nature detailed research showing success with a process called stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency, or STAP.

Scientists from Japan's RIKEN research institute and Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston were able to reprogram blood cells from newborn mice by placing them in a low-level acidic bath for 30 minutes. Seven to 9 percent of the cells subjected to such stress returned to a state of pluripotency and were able to grow into other types of cells in the body.

"If this technology proves feasible with human cells, which seems likely, it will offer yet another alternative for obtaining highly flexible stem cells without relying on the destructive use of human embryos," said Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, director of education at the National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. "This is clearly a positive direction for scientific research."

Father Pacholczyk, a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Mass., who holds a doctorate in neuroscience from Yale University, said the only "potential future ethical issue" raised by the new STAP cells would be if scientists were to coax them into "a new degree of flexibility beyond classical pluripotency," creating cells "with essential characteristics of embryos and the propensity to develop into the adult organism."

"Generating human embryos in the laboratory, regardless of the specific methodology, will always raise significant ethical red flags," he said.

The Catholic Church opposes any research involving the destruction of human embryos to create stem cells.

Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the U.S. bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, said if the new method were used to create stem cells so versatile that they could form placenta tissue and make human cloning easier, "then we would have serious moral problems with that." But there is no indication so far that the scientists could or would do so, he added.

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CNS STORY: New stem-cell method offers another alternative ...

The Daley Gator | Doctor: Adult Stem Cell Breakthrough …

By Stem Cell Doctors

Adult Stem Cell Breakthrough Will Transform Medicine, Doctor Predicts CNS

A scientific breakthrough that enables researchers to create adult stem cells much faster and easier will radically transform the way medicine is practiced, predicts Dr. Marc Darrow, assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of California/Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine.

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. It will be the standard of care, said Darrow, who teaches regenerative techniques utilizing platelets and adult stem cells to medical residents at UCLA, and who has been using the same techniques to treat patients with joint, tendon, ligament and muscle injuries in his own LA clinic.

Darrow explained that in the past, creating stem cell lines was a very tedious procedure which required using a pipette to take nuclear material from one cell to put into another.

But an article published January 29th in the peer-reviewed journal Nature describes a new technique for creating undifferentiated adult stem cells by immersing blood cells in an acid bath for half an hour.

Biologist Haruko Obokata, a stem cell researcher from Japans RIKEN Center of Developmental Biology, then injected the acid-stressed, florescently-tagged blood cells into a mouse embryo, where they created entire organs including a beating heart.

Its amazing. I would have never thought external stress could have this effect, said study co-author Yoshiki Sasai. (See STAP cells.pdf)

The generation of these cells is essentially Mother Natures way of responding to injury, added co-author Charles Vacanti, director of the Laboratory for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine at the Harvard-affiliated Brigham Womens Hospital.

Our bodies make stem cells all day long and thats probably whats keeping us alive, by regenerating tissue. The whole field of medicine is moving into regenerative medicine, Darrow told CNSNews.com.

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The Daley Gator | Doctor: Adult Stem Cell Breakthrough ...

Breakthrough development in stem cell research

By Stem Cell Doctors

Scientists have recently discovered an innovative method that changes how stem cells will be produced.

Stem cell technology has been around for quite a while, but many patients are wary to participate, and doctors are hesitant to perform procedures involving stem cells because of the controversy over how they are obtained.

Generally, the embryonic stem cell is the easiest type to obtain. This is where the controversy lies because human embryos are destroyed in the harvesting process. Now, scientists and researchers at the Riken Center for Developmental Biology in Japan have found a way to transform cells into stem cells a method that does not cause harm to embryos.

It was recently discovered that stem cells could be produced by using the patients own blood. The procedure is relatively fast, causing a vast number of cells to be produced in a short period of time.

The following procedure has been tested only on mice thus far but has proven to be successful. The procedure involves soaking blood cells in acid for a half an hour, causing a severe shock to the cells. They are then taken out of the acid, set out and stimulated for several days in order to erase the memory of the cells, thus allowing the cells to completely reprogram themselves.

(The discovery) was shocking because it was so easy that scientists didnt know why they hadnt done this before, says Shihuan Kuang, associate professor of animal sciences.

Through extensive research, a scientist by the name of Shinya Yamanaka discovered that when put into extreme conditions, the cells could express different genes, causing them to be able to turn into whatever cell is needed.

This near-fatal shock to the system is proving to be worth the risk since the chemical shocks result in a change in cellular fate, said Kuang.

Although not yet tested on adults, the great potential of this new method to produce stem cells outweighs the risks because it is able to heal ailments that were previously thought incurable.

Since the cells are able to become any cell necessary, this new method has endless applications of healing in areas including diabetes, paralysis, blindness, Parkinsons disease and stroke.

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Breakthrough development in stem cell research

Study: Resilience in Parents of Children Undergoing Stem Cell Transplant

By Stem Cell Medical Center

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Newswise A childs illness can challenge a parents wellbeing. However, a study recently published in the journal Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation shows that in the case of a childs stem cell transplant, parents feel increased distress at the time of the procedure, but eventually recover to normal levels of adjustment.

Across all study groups, what we basically showed is that parents are resilient. Overall, parents get better over time, says Jennifer Lindwall, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry at the CU School of Medicine, teaching partner of the University of Colorado Cancer Center.

The study measured psychological distress and positive affect in 171 parent/child pairs from time of admission for a childs stem cell transplant until 6 weeks after the procedure, and also measured depression, posttraumatic stress and benefit-finding at the time of admission for the procedure and at 24 weeks after. Results in pediatric patients were previously reported in the journal Pediatrics. The current study reports the results in parents.

The aim of the study was to examine an intervention to promote positive adjustment of patients and their parents. In one group, children were given humor and massage therapy, in a second group parents were given relaxation/imagery training and massage therapy in addition to the child intervention, and a third group did not receive any additional intervention beyond standard care provided at the hospital, Lindwall says.

Though no significant differences were found across treatment groups, Lindwall and colleagues from St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital showed a consistent finding: In many respects, a parents distress parallels the childs distress. As things get better for the child, they get better for the parent as well. We saw this with distress in the acute period after transplant and also in global measures of depression, PTSD and benefit-finding, Lindwall says. Parents demonstrated remarkable recovery despite facing a significant life challenge.

Lindwall points out that the medical model in some hospital settings views patients and parents from a deficit perspective it seeks to right what is wrong. However, Lindwall and colleagues also see value in exploring the factors that create resilience in parents to understand what has gone right in these cases despite facing significant challenges.

While the study showed the norm is resilience and recovery, there are certainly some parents of children with significant medical illness who dont do well parents who remain distressed. Our challenge now is to predict which parents are at the highest risk for difficulties and to design interventions that can help these parents cope during their childs medical challenges, Lindwall says.

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Study: Resilience in Parents of Children Undergoing Stem Cell Transplant

Two Oncogenes Join to Drive Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma

By Stem Cell Clinic

Released: 2/10/2014 12:00 PM EST Source Newsroom: Mayo Clinic Contact Information

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Newswise JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Patients with a common form of lung cancer lung squamous cell carcinoma have very few treatment options. That situation may soon change.

A team of cancer biologists at Mayo Clinic in Florida is reporting in the Feb. 10 issue of Cancer Cell the discovery of two oncogenes that work together to sustain a population of cells in lung squamous cell carcinoma, which may be responsible for the lethality of the disease. When these cells, termed cancer stem cells, are inhibited, tumors cannot develop.

MULTIMEDIA ALERT: Video and audio are available for download on the Mayo Clinic News Network.

Cancer stem cells are a small population of cells in a tumor that can self-renew and grow indefinitely. They resist most treatments and are thought to be responsible for relapse, says the studys senior author, Alan P. Fields, Ph.D., the Monica Flynn Jacoby Professor of Cancer Studies at Mayo Clinic in Florida.

If you can shut down cancer stem cells, you may be able to stop relapse after therapy, he says.

The study, which is featured on the cover of Cancer Cell, builds upon years of research by Dr. Fields and his colleagues on a cancer-causing gene protein kinase C iota (PKCiota). They were the first to discover the connection between PKCiota and initiation, promotion and spread of lung cancers, including lung squamous cell carcinoma, which accounts for 3040 percent of all lung cancer. The researchers found that the PKCiota gene is errantly repeated numerous times in lung squamous cell carcinoma cells through a genetic alteration termed gene amplification. PKCiota gene amplificationis associated with poor patient survival. Subsequently, they discovered that PKCiota is necessary to maintain cancer stem cells in these tumors, but how it did that was not clear.

The newly released study defines the process. The researchers discovered that PKCiota and a second oncogene, SOX2, found in the same region of chromosome 3 known as 3q26, are coordinately amplified and overexpressed in a majority of lung squamous cell carcinomas. The study further shows that these two oncogenes are also functionally linked in these tumors.

We now know that PKCiota activates SOX2, meaning that these two genes are not just genetically linked by amplification, but also biochemically and functionally linked in promoting lung squamous cell carcinoma, says the studys lead author, Verline Justilien, Ph.D., an instructor of cancer biology at Mayo Clinic in Florida.

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Two Oncogenes Join to Drive Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Ground Breaking New Website REGENX, provides credible and up to date information on Stem Cell research straight from …

By Uncategorized

Manchester UK (PRWEB UK) 10 February 2014

RegenX Content The content posted on RegenX is generated through Dr. Stephen Richardson and a number of other stem cell experts in a collaborative effort between Brickhouse Publications and the University of Manchester. Dr. Richardson's 10 years of experience working with adult stem cells, coupled with the expertise of top-notch scientists, provides website visitors with the most current research information. The website is designed for people of all ages to read and comprehend, making it truly accessible to all.

In order to break down the complex concepts about stem cells and regenerative medicine, the website was designed with many visuals to aid in understanding. For those who learn best through reading text, there are many articles and informational bits. In addition, there are also many short animations, including a spoof news video, to help the general public understand the science behind research.

As far as the different topics are concerned, RegenX presents visitors with a wide range of information, building up from the simple to the complex. Some information simply shares the basics around stem cell and regenerative medicine research, while other pieces delve into more technical details. There are even informational pieces available that discuss the ethics around stem cell research, specifically. There is even a stem cell quiz on the website so readers can take to see where they stand on their understanding of the research and use.

Out in the general public, there is not very much accurate information shared about stem cell and regenerative medicine research. The media does not help as it often mis-portrays the benefits. Most often, the mis-portrayals lie in the legality and morality of the issue. Unfortunately, the misunderstood issues surrounding stem cell research can be huge roadblocks for those trying to advance the science around it.

Educational Outreach In order to address some of the misunderstandings about stem cell research, RegenX provides teacher packs that complement the site. These packets can be used in schools, colleges, and universities, to help educate the public. The classroom activities presented are usually animated or in video format, making it more engaging and easy to understand. In addition to helping students learn, the videos also help classroom teachers who are lacking the information to build some background knowledge. The teacher packets also include debate and discussion topics for students to process the information.

Included in the teacher packets from RegenX are interviews with stem cell research experts. Their information is research-based as they all work at the University of Manchester. In addition to discussing stem cell and regenerative medicine, the experts also share information about the jobs and the research currently conducted at the University. They even talk about their careers and what they needed to do in order to earn the privilege of conducting such research.

Funding The RegenX website is funded with monies from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the University of Manchester. Their reason for funding the project was to offer unbiased, scientifically accurate information for people from a variety of backgrounds. Their intended audience is not purely scientists, but also children and adults of all ages from all walks of life.

Staying Updated In order to keep people updated in a fast-changing field, the website has Facebook and Twitter pages to complement it. These social media networks allow RegenX to relay a great deal of updated information in a quick way. They are also able to reach a larger population of readers at any time of the day to keep them posted as well.

Making sure that people are getting the most updated information as quickly as possible is one way to build a community, which was the initial goal of Dr. Stephen Richardson. He wanted to make sure that there was a community of individuals who have slight or intense interest in stem cell and regenerative medicine research. It is also healthy to generate debate around the latest information in the field.

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Ground Breaking New Website REGENX, provides credible and up to date information on Stem Cell research straight from ...

Okyanos Heart Institute Hosts Networking Reception for the International Stem Cell Society (STEMSO) World Conference …

By Uncategorized

Freeport, Bahamas (PRWEB) February 11, 2014

Matt Feshbach, CEO of Okyanos Heart Institute whose mission it is to bring a new standard of care and better quality of life to patients with coronary artery disease using cardiac stem cell therapy, announces the company will host a hard hat reception for conference attendees at their new facility in Freeport. The conference, titled Bridging the Gap: Research to Point of Care, brings together medical scientists, clinicians, regulatory experts, and investors to discuss progress in the field of research and clinical protocols and the process of taking promising therapies to fight chronic disease to market in a responsible manner. Gold Sponsor Okyanos Heart Institute hosts a networking reception for conference attendees at their facility in Freeport on Friday, February 21st from 5:00 7:00 p.m. The company is calling the reception a hard hat reception metaphorically as the construction is not yet completed.

Chief Medical Officer Howard Walpole, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.C., F.S.C.A.I. and Chief Science Officer Leslie Miller, M.D., F.A.C.C. will host the reception, along with CEO Matthew Feshbach and offer tours of the commercial cath lab which will offer stem cell therapy to qualified patients with advanced coronary artery disease under the new laws and regulations in The Bahamas.

Douglas Hammond, president of STEMSO, states, STEMSO will continue to provide a proactive and positive voice for organizations and jurisdictions using adult stem cells for therapies and transplants. The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, and our Gold Sponsor Okyanos Heart Institute provide an excellent example of the results that can be brought about with realistic, modern and balanced regulations that serve the national economic interest, patient needs for life-saving medicine and the business advantages for commercialization and translation of adult stem cells.

The reception in our facility will showcase the capabilities in The Bahamas to deliver high quality healthcare to patients in need, says Walpole. It will also provide an informal forum for relevant discussion on bridging the gap between research and point of care between scientists, regulatory experts, clinicians and government officials, and help to address issues of paramount importance such as patient safety and effective tracking of progress once the patients return home. We are proud to host this reception at Okyanos Heart Institute.

Treating patients with adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells (ADRCs) is showing existing promise in clinical trials, states Leslie Miller, M.D., F.A.C.C. an investigator in more than eighty clinical trials for heart failure. The next step in delivering stem cells to patients outside of clinical trials is close. I am enormously excited about the opportunity with this conference to engage in meaningful discussion around what parameters must exist to treat heart failure patients safely and tracking the effectiveness of these new options, which previously were unavailable to patients who have had heart attacks and/or stents, and who continue to worsen after exhausting all other interventions available to them.

The complete agenda for the conference can be found on STEMSOs website at http://www.stemso.org. Other speakers include stem cell researchers, scientists and practitioners from around the world with leading discoveries in the field, and investors in the healthcare space.

Registration is open for attending and exhibiting on STEMSOs website.

About Okyanos Heart Institute: (Oh key AH nos) Based in Freeport, The Bahamas, Okyanos Heart Institutes mission is to bring a new standard of care and a better quality of life to patients with coronary artery disease using cardiac stem cell therapy. Okyanos adheres to U.S. surgical center standards and is led by Chief Medical Officer Howard T. Walpole Jr., M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.C., F.S.C.A.I. Okyanos Treatment utilizes a unique blend of stem and regenerative cells derived from ones own adipose (fat) tissue. The cells, when placed into the heart via a minimally-invasive catheterization, stimulate the growth of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. The treatment facilitates blood flow in the heart and supports intake and use of oxygen (as demonstrated in rigorous clinical trials such as the PRECISE trial). The literary name Okyanos (Oceanos) symbolizes flow. For more information, go to http://www.okyanos.com.

Okyanos LinkedIn Page: http://www.linkedin.com/company/okyanos-heart-institute Okyanos Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/OKYANOS Okyanos Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/#!/OkyanosHeart Okyanos Google+ Page: https://plus.google.com/+Okyanos/posts Okyanos You Tube Physician Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/okyanosforphysicians

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Okyanos Heart Institute Hosts Networking Reception for the International Stem Cell Society (STEMSO) World Conference ...

What Is Stem Cell Treatment? | eHow

By Stem Cell Treatment

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Bronwyn Timmons

Based in Colorado, Bronwyn Timmons has been writing professionally since 2009. Her work has appeared on a variety of websites, covering topics such as career and education planning, wedding planning, home improvement, crafts and gardening. Timmons is pursuing her bachelor's degree in mortuary science.

Stem cell research is on the rise, giving hope to patients and providing treatment for many diseases and disorders. While stem cell treatments are a fairly new science, they can have life-saving effects.

Stem cell treatments consist of removing healthy regenerative cells from the patient and transplanting them into the affected area. This treatment helps repair and reverse a variety of conditions and diseases.

Regenerative cells can be harvested from the patient's bone marrow, fat or peripheral blood. This is done to eliminate the risk of cell rejection in the patient.

Typically, four to six treatments are administered depending on how the condition reacts to the stem cell treatment. Treatments are given over a period of seven to 12 days.

Stem cell treatments are effective at treating autoimmune diseases, cerebral palsy, degenerative joint disease, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal injuries and type 2 diabetes. It is thought that in the future, stem cell treatment can be used to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Stem cell therapy can reduce pain and discomfort; it can help patients suffering from arthritis regain mobility. In serious cases, such as cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis, stem cell treatments can be life-saving.

Because stem cell treatment is a new science, little is known about its long term effects. According to Cell Medicine, no side effects have been reported by patients other than pain at the injection site.

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What Is Stem Cell Treatment? | eHow

Global Stem Cells, Inc., Bioheart, Inc., and Paul Perito Urology Announce Plans to Launch Stem Cell Clinical Trials …

By Stem Cell Treatment

Miami, FL (PRWEB) February 11, 2014

Global Stem Cells Group, Bioheart, Inc., and Paul Perito Urology announce plans to launch stem cell clinical trials for treatment of Erectile Dysfunction (ED).

Paul Perito, M.D. of Perito Urology in Coral Gables, Florida and the principal investigator of the trial study, titled, "An Open-label, Non-randomized, Single-center Study to Assess the Safety and Effects of Autologous Adipose-derived Stromal Cells Delivered into the Corpus Cavernosum in Patients with Erectile Dysfunction," aims to assess the safety and efficacy of stem cell implantation therapy in patients with ED.

The cell therapy in this study will be composed of stem cells derived from a patients own adipose (fat) tissue, harvested by syringe liposuction. The adipose stem cells will then be delivered into the corpus cavernosum of the penis.

Clinical trials will be held at Perito Urology, in cooperation with Global Stem Cells Group and Bioheart. Up to 20 patients will be enrolled.

Fort Myers Florida-based Emcyte Corporation, a leading provider of biotechnology products for platelet rich plasma and bone marrow concentrate grafting procedures, will be providing systems and kits to be used in the trial.

To learn more about Global Stem Cells Group's clinical trials, and for investor information, visit the Global Stem Cell Group website, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

About the Global Stem Cell Group:

Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. is the parent company of six wholly owned operating companies dedicated entirely to stem cell research, training, products and solutions. Founded in 2012, the company combines dedicated researchers, physician and patient educators and solution providers with the shared goal of meeting the growing worldwide need for leading edge stem cell treatments and solutions. With a singular focus on this exciting new area of medical research, Global Stem Cells Group and its subsidiaries are uniquely positioned to become global leaders in cellular medicine.

Global Stem Cells Groups corporate mission is to make the promise of stem cell medicine a reality for patients around the world. With each of GSCGs six operating companies focused on a separate research-based mission, the result is a global network of state-of-the-art stem cell treatments.

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Global Stem Cells, Inc., Bioheart, Inc., and Paul Perito Urology Announce Plans to Launch Stem Cell Clinical Trials ...

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