Stem Cell Clinic

Japan stem cell researcher still backing discredited study

Haruko Obokata, center on stage, a researcher of Japanese government-funded laboratory Riken Center for Development Biology, bows in apology at the beginning of a press conference at a hotel in Osaka, western Japan Wednesday, April 9, 2014. The scientist accused of falsifying data in a widely heralded stem-cell research paper said that despite mistakes in her work the results are valid. AP

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Japan stem cell researcher still backing discredited study

Maligned stem cell researcher insists results valid

Elaine Kurtenbach, The Associated Press Published Wednesday, April 9, 2014 7:55AM EDT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Maligned stem cell researcher insists results valid

Gloria Arroyos stem cell therapy doc blamed for cancer patient's death

A doctor offering stem cell therapy may face charges for the death of a cancer patient who allegedly underwent treatment similar to that administered to former president and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

This was after it was found out that she is not a licensed doctor in the Philippines.

A report on GMA News TV's "News To Go" on Wednesday said a complaint has been filed against Dr. Antonia Carandang-Park at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) by Bernard Tan, who claims that his daughter, Kate, died after going through the said alternative treatment.Cancer patient Kate Tan received stem cell therapy from Dr. Antonia Carandang-Park, Gloria Arroyo's doctor.

Park owns the Tagaytay-based Green & Young Health and Wellness Center where Arroyoburdened by persistent trouble with her cervical spinesought treatment in 2012.

In an interview with GMA News, Tan said his daughter, who had Hodgkin's lymphoma (a type of cancer of the blood), was given "the same treatment that [Park] did with Gloria," which included "juicing diet, vegetable diet... acupuncture coffee enema, at 'yun na nga, stem cell."

Stem cell therapy introduces new adult stem cells into damaged tissue in order to treat disease or injury.

"Ang sabi niya, 'Give me three months, magaling na 'yan,'" Tan told GMA News. He added that his family was easily convinced to take their daughter to Park's wellness center because "Presidente na ng Pilipinas ang pumunta doon."

"Siguro naman na-scrutinize na nila 'yan, na-background check na nila 'yan," he said. "Kumbaga, 'yung credibility no'n, nag-build up na."

Kate was fed nothing but bananas and vegetable juices for three months, and had eight rounds of "embryonic" stem cell treatment, he said.

However, the 23-year-old lost even more weight, prompting the family to seek the assistance of a different doctor. Kate had eight rounds of 'embryonic' stem cell treatment, her father Bernard Tan said.Seven months later, in July 2013, Kate passed away.

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Gloria Arroyos stem cell therapy doc blamed for cancer patient's death

NIH Stem-Cell Program Closes

The director of the agency's Center for Regenerative Medicine resigned on March 28 after just one clinical-trial award had been made

Therapies based on induced pluripotent stem cells, here differentiating into retinal cells on a scaffold, were the focus of the Center for Regenerative Medicine. Credit: NIH

Stem-cell researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have been left frustrated and confused following the demise of the agencys Center for Regenerative Medicine (CRM). The intramural programs director, stem-cell biologist Mahendra Rao, left the NIH, in Bethesda, Maryland, on 28March, and the centers website was taken down on 4 April. Although no official announcement had been made at the timeNaturewent to press, NIH officials say that they are rethinking how they will conduct in-house stem-cell research.

Researchers affiliated with the center say that they have been left in the dark. When contacted byNatureon 7April, George Daley, a stem-cell biologist at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of the centers external advisory board, said that he had not yet been told of Raos departure or the centers closure.

The CRM was established in 2010 to centralize the NIHs stem-cell program. Its goal was to develop useful therapies from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells adult cells that have been converted into embryonic-like stem cells and shepherd them towards clinical trials and regulatory approval. Its budget was intended to be $52million over seven years.

Rao took the helm in 2011. Relations seem to have soured last month owing to an NIH decision to award funding to only one project aiming to move iPS cells into a clinical trial. Rao says he resigned after this became clear. He says that he had hoped that five trials would be funded, especially because the center had already sorted out complex issues relating to tissue sources, patents and informed consent.

James Anderson, director of the NIHs Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives, which administered the CRM, counters that only one application that made by Kapil Bharti of the National Eye Institute in Bethesda and his colleagues received a high enough score from an external review board to justify continued funding. The team aims to use iPS cells to treat age-related macular degeneration of the retina, and hopes to commence human trials within a few years. Several other proposals, which involved the treatment of cardiac disease, cancer and Parkinsons disease, will not receive funding to ready them for clinical trials. Anderson stresses that Bhartis trial will not be affected by the CRMs closure.

Other human iPS-cell trials are further along. For example, one on macular degeneration designed by Masayo Takahashi at the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan, began recruiting patients last August.

Anderson says that the CRM will not continue in its current form. The field is moving so fast that we need to rethink. To that end, the NIH plans to hold a workshop in May to gather stem-cell researchers together and decide what to do with the program and its remaining budget. To me thats just smart science, he says. If somethings not on track you dont keep spending money on it.

One option could be to allow CRM projects to be absorbed by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, an NIH institute established in 2011 to translate basic research into therapies. But Anderson says that participants at the workshop will also discuss whether the NIH needs to replace the CRM with another dedicated stem-cell program.

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NIH Stem-Cell Program Closes

Stem Cell Institute Public Seminar on Adult Stem Cell Therapy Clinical Trials in New York City May 17th, 2014

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 09, 2014

The Stem Cell Institute, located in Panama City, Panama, will present an informational umbilical cord stem cell therapy seminar on Saturday, May 17, 2014 in New York City at the New York Hilton Midtown from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Speakers include:

Neil Riordan PhD Clinical Trials: Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Autism and Spinal Cord Injury

Dr. Riordan is the founder of the Stem Cell Institute and Medistem Panama Inc.

Jorge Paz-Rodriguez MD Stem Cell Therapy for Autoimmune Disease: MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus

Dr. Paz is the Medical Director at the Stem Cell Institute. He practiced internal medicine in the United States for over a decade before joining the Stem Cell Institute in Panama.

Light snacks will be served afterwards. Our speakers and stem cell therapy patients will also be on hand to share their personal experiences and answer questions.

Admission is free but space in limited and registration is required. For venue information and to register and reserve your tickets today, please visit: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/stem-cell-institute-seminar-tickets-11115112601 or call Cindy Cunningham, Patient Events Coordinator, at 1 (800) 980-7836.

About Stem Cell Institute Panama

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Stem Cell Institute Public Seminar on Adult Stem Cell Therapy Clinical Trials in New York City May 17th, 2014

NIH stem-cell programme closes

Bradley J. Fikes

Stem-cell biologist Mahendra Rao expected five projects to receive support to set up clinical trials.

Stem-cell researchers at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) have been left frustrated and confused following the demise of the agencys Center for Regenerative Medicine (CRM). The intramural programmes director, stem-cell biologist Mahendra Rao, left the NIH, in Bethesda, Maryland, on 28March, and the centres website was taken down on 4 April. Although no official announcement had been made at the time Nature went to press, NIH officials say that they are rethinking how they will conduct in-house stem-cell research.

Researchers affiliated with the centre say that they have been left in the dark. When contacted by Nature on 7April, George Daley, a stem-cell biologist at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of the centres external advisory board, said that he had not yet been told of Raos departure or the centres closure.

The CRM was established in 2010 to centralize the NIHs stem-cell programme. Its goal was to develop useful therapies from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells adult cells that have been converted into embryonic-like stem cells and shepherd them towards clinical trials and regulatory approval. Its budget was intended to be $52million over seven years.

Rao took the helm in 2011. Relations seem to have soured last month owing to an NIH decision to award funding to only one project aiming to move iPS cells into a clinical trial. Rao says he resigned after this became clear. He says that he had hoped that five trials would be funded, especially because the centre had already sorted out complex issues relating to tissue sources, patents and informed consent.

James Anderson, director of the NIHs Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives, which administered the CRM, counters that only one application that made by Kapil Bharti of the National Eye Institute in Bethesda and his colleagues received a high enough score from an external review board to justify continued funding. The team aims to use iPS cells to treat age-related macular degeneration of the retina, and hopes to commence human trials within a few years. Several other proposals, which involved the treatment of cardiac disease, cancer and Parkinsons disease, will not receive funding to ready them for clinical trials. Anderson stresses that Bhartis trial will not be affected by the CRMs closure.

NIH

Therapies based on induced pluripotent stem cells, here differentiating into retinal cells on a scaffold, were the focus of the Center for Regenerative Medicine.

Other human iPS-cell trials are further along. For example, one on macular degeneration designed by Masayo Takahashi at the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan, began recruiting patients last August.

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NIH stem-cell programme closes

Stem Cells Show Promise for Stroke Recovery

Brenda Goodman HealthDay Reporter Posted: Monday, April 7, 2014, 4:00 PM

MONDAY, April 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- In an early test, researchers report they've safely injected stem cells into the brains of 18 patients who had suffered strokes. And two of the patients showed significant improvement.

All the patients saw some improvement in weakness or paralysis within six months of their procedures. Although three people developed complications related to the surgery, they all recovered. There were no adverse reactions to the transplanted stem cells themselves, the study authors said.

What's more, the researchers said, two patients experienced dramatic recoveries almost immediately after the treatments.

Those patients, who were both women, started to regain the ability to talk and walk the morning after their operations. In both cases, they were more than two years past their strokes, a point where doctors wouldn't have expected further recovery.

The results have encouraged researchers to plan larger and longer tests of the procedure, which uses stem cells cultured from donated bone marrow.

An expert who was not involved in the research called it a promising first step.

"It's a small, early human study. It takes multiple steps to get to something clinically useful, and this is a nice, early step," said Dr. Steven Cramer, clinical director of the Stem Cell Research Center at the University of California, Irvine.

The findings were to be presented Monday at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons annual meeting, in San Francisco. The results of studies presented at meetings are considered preliminary until they've been published in peer-reviewed medical journals.

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Stem Cells Show Promise for Stroke Recovery