Category Archives: Cell Medicine

Image Caption: These colorful neurons, seen forming connections to one another across synapses, were grown from induced pluripotent stem cells -- ones that were derived from skin cells taken from people with bipolar disorder. New research shows they act, and react to the bipolar drug lithium, differently from neurons derived from people without bipolar disorder. Credit: University of Michigan Pluripotent Stem Cell Research Lab [ Watch the Video: First Stem Cell Study of Bipolar Disorder Yields Promising Results ] April Flowers for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online Bipolar disorder affects 200 million people globally, and yet there are so many questions surrounding the condition. Why are individuals with bipolar disorder prone to manic highs and deep, depressed lows? If there is no single gene to blame, why does bipolar disorder run so strongly in families? And why, with the enormous number of people suffering from bipolar disorder, is it so hard to find new treatments? A new study from the University of Michigan Medical School, funded by the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund, reveals that the answers might actually be found within our stem cells. To derive the first-ever stem cell lines specific to bipolar disorder, the research team used … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise MADISON, Wis. Desperate patients are easy prey for unscrupulous clinics offering untested and risky stem cell treatments, says law and bioethics Professor Alta Charo of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who is studying stem cell tourism. Stem cells are cells that can form many types of cells in the body, and that makes them inherently promising and dangerous. Stem cell tourism refers to people traveling, both within the U.S. and abroad, in pursuit of advertised stem cell therapies to purportedly treat a variety of medical conditions. The evidence for therapeutic use of stem cells is very limited, except for bone marrow stem cells, but patients all over the world are convinced stem cells will cure their disease, says Charo. While there are some very promising results in the early clinical trials for stem cell therapies using embryonic and other kinds of stem cells, the treatments being advertised by these clinics are dubious, mostly ineffective, and sometimes positively harmful. Patients are being hoodwinked, but there are dilemmas about tackling (the treatments) at regulatory or political levels. The outrage over failures in stem cell tourism is limited, Charo says. Patients may pay tens of thousands … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise LOS ANGELES (March 24, 2014) New research suggests that gut microorganisms do not merely influence immune cell function, but also support the production of immune cells that form the first line of defense against infection. By understanding the mechanisms responsible for maintaining and replacing immune cells, researchers hope to one day develop targeted therapies to support and boost immune function in humans. Study investigators from the Regenerative Medicine Institute at Cedars-Sinai collaborated with the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and lead institution the California Institute of Technology. Previous research studies have evaluated the influence of gut microbes on the function of immune cells, but little had been known about their influence on the production of immune cells, a process known as hematopoiesis. In this study, published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, investigators found that mice lacking gut microbes were defective in immune cell production. Immune cell populations have to be maintained and replaced to ensure enough immune cells are available to fight infection. Consequently, the investigators noted that mice lacking gut microbes were more susceptible to bacterial infections. This work provides important clues about the role of gut microbes in … Continue reading →

Miami (PRWEB) March 21, 2014 Stem Cell Training, Inc., a division of the Global Stem Cells Group, and Bioheart, Inc. have announced the successful completion of their first joint stem cell training course held in the U.S. Titled Adipose Derived Harvesting, Isolation and Re-integration Training Course, for the advancement of stem cell procedures, the two companies hosted 14 students in Miami for the training, conducted by Bioheart CSO Kristin Comella. The two-day, hands-on intensive training course was developed for physicians and high-level practitioners to learn techniques in harvesting and reintegrating stem cells derived from adipose (fat) tissue and bone marrow. The objective of the training is to bridge the gap between bench science in the laboratory and the doctors office by teaching effective in office regenerative medicine techniques. Comella, Chief Scientific Officer for Bioheart, has more than 15 years experience in cell culturing and developing stem cell therapies for degenerative diseases, and experience in corporate entities, with expertise in regenerative medicine, training and education, research, product development and senior management. The two companies will conduct 12 stem cell training courses in the U.S. during 2014. For more information, visit the Stem Cell Training, Inc. website, email info(at)stemcelltraining(dot)net, or call 305-224-1858. … Continue reading →

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) March 21, 2014 According to RF Safe, "every major well-designed study ever conducted has found that those who use cellphones regularly for half an hour a day or more for a decade have a doubled risk of brain cancer, and those who began using cellphones as teenagers have four to five times more disease in less than 10 years." John Coates, RF Safe's founder points to highly cited peer reviewed studies when making his case. Such as this study published in US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health Sep:2007 which took into account 16 other studies. Long-term use of cellular phones and brain tumours: increased risk associated with use for > or =10 years http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17409179 Originally named the CHILDRENS WIRELESS PROTECTION ACT, this bill will require all cell phones sold retail (for-profit) in Maine, by law will force cell phone manufacturers information about radio-frequency exposure (Cell Phone Radiation) to be plainly visible on the outside of the cell phones packaging. 3/11/2014 Maines House of Representatives has passed The Wireless Information Act with a House vote of 83 in favor and 56 opposed. http://www.mainelegislature.org/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?LD=1013&SessionID=10 Hawaii passed a similar Bill on 2/20/2014 Hawaii Cell Phone Warning RF … Continue reading →

Stem cell doctors falsifies PRC chairman signature Anthony Taberna talks about the revocation of the corporate registration of the Philippine Society for Stem Cell Medicine for submitting a falsified document... By: ABS-CBN News … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 18-Mar-2014 Contact: Anita Srikameswaran 412-578-9193 University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences PITTSBURGH, March 18, 2014 Stem cells derived from human muscle tissue were able to repair nerve damage and restore function in an animal model of sciatic nerve injury, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The findings, published online today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggest that cell therapy of certain nerve diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, might one day be feasible. To date, treatments for damage to peripheral nerves, which are the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, have not been very successful, often leaving patients with impaired muscle control and sensation, pain and decreased function, said senior author Johnny Huard, Ph.D., professor of orthopaedic surgery, and Henry J. Mankin Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery Research, Pitt School of Medicine, and deputy director for cellular therapy, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. "This study indicates that placing adult, human muscle-derived stem cells at the site of peripheral nerve injury can help heal the lesion," Dr. Huard said. "The stem cells were able to make non-neuronal support cells to promote regeneration of the damaged nerve fiber." The researchers, led by … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 17-Mar-2014 Contact: Jenny Eriksen Leary jenny.eriksen@bmc.org 617-638-6841 Boston University Medical Center (Boston) Boston Medical Center (BMC) and Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) physicians have helped create the first set of clinical guidelines for treating patients with pulmonary hypertension in sickle cell disease. Elizabeth Klings, MD, director of the pulmonary hypertension inpatient and education program at BMC and associate professor of medicine at BUSM, spearheaded the development of these guidelines, which are published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Several studies conducted in the past decade have demonstrated that cardiopulmonary complications, including pulmonary hypertension, are primary risk factors for death in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Pulmonary hypertension (PH) affects between six and 11 percent of adults with SCD and is an independent risk factor for death in these patients. This complication is often under-recognized and many patients are not diagnosed early in the course of their disease. A group of 24 national physician leaders in pediatric and adult hematology, pulmonology and cardiology convened to develop guidelines specific to these patients. Funded by the American Thoracic Society and endorsed by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association and the American College of Chest Physicians, these … Continue reading →

By: Jet Villa, InterAksyon.com March 17, 2014 7:45 AM FILE PHOTO InterAksyon.com The online news portal of TV5 MANILA - Five doctor-incorporators of the Philippine Society for Stem Cell Medicine (PSSCM) face charges and may have their medical licenses revoked for submitting a fabricated endorsement from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Among them are chairman of the Philippine Medical Association Leo Olarte, PSSCM treasurer and legal counsel; Bu Castro, secretary; Rey Melchor Santos, president; Oscar Tinio, vice president; and Jose Asa Sabili, chairman. In a statement, PRC Chairperson Teresita Manzala on Sunday said she directed the Professional Regulatory Board of Medicine (PRBOM) to initiate, investigate, and file charges against the five doctors before the PRCs legal division for unprofessional, dishonorable, and unethical conduct. Earlier on 10 January 2014, the SEC cancelled the registration of the PSSCM for submitting a fabricated document. In an order signed by SEC Acting Director Ferdinand Sales, the commission said the PSSCM had committed fraud in procuring its Certificate of Incorporation for its application for corporate registration. Wherefore, premises considered, the Certificate of Registration of Philippine Society for Stem Cell Medicine with SEC Registration No. CN201303986, approved on March … Continue reading →

By: Jet Villa, InterAksyon.com March 17, 2014 7:45 AM FILE PHOTO InterAksyon.com The online news portal of TV5 MANILA - Five doctor-incorporators of the Philippine Society for Stem Cell Medicine (PSSCM) face charges and may have their medical licenses revoked for submitting a fabricated endorsement from the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Among them are chairman of the Philippine Medical Association Leo Olarte, PSSCM treasurer and legal counsel; Bu Castro, secretary; Rey Melchor Santos, president; Oscar Tinio, vice president; and Jose Asa Sabili, chairman. In a statement, PRC Chairperson Teresita Manzala on Sunday said she directed the Professional Regulatory Board of Medicine (PRBOM) to initiate, investigate, and file charges against the five doctors before the PRCs legal division for unprofessional, dishonorable, and unethical conduct. Earlier on 10 January 2014, the SEC cancelled the registration of the PSSCM for submitting a fabricated document. In an order signed by SEC Acting Director Ferdinand Sales, the commission said the PSSCM had committed fraud in procuring its Certificate of Incorporation for its application for corporate registration. Wherefore, premises considered, the Certificate of Registration of Philippine Society for Stem Cell Medicine with SEC Registration No. CN201303986, approved on March … Continue reading →