Category Archives: Stem Cell Research

Scientists have slowed down the ageing process by implanting stem cells into the brains of animals, raising hopes for new strategies to combat age-related diseases and extend the human lifespan. Implants of stem cells that make fresh neurons in the brain were found to put the brakes on ageing in older mice, keeping them more physically and mentally fit for months, and extending their lives by 10-15% compared to untreated animals. The work, described as a tour de force and a breakthrough by one leading expert, suggests that ageing across the body is controlled by stem cells that are found in the hypothalamus region of the brain in youth, but which steadily die off until they are almost completely absent in middle age. Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York hope to launch clinical trials of the procedure soon, but must first produce supplies of human neural stem cells in the lab which can be implanted into volunteers. Of course humans are more complex, said Dongsheng Cai, who led the research. However, if the mechanism is fundamental, you might expect to see effects when an intervention is based on it. Previous experiments had already hinted that the … Continue reading →

The revised draft National Guidelines for Stem Cell Research, 2017, released recently by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), has earmarked several restrictive areas of research in stem cell such as creation of human pre-implantation embryos by IVF, ICSI, SCNT or any other method with the specific aim of deriving ESC lines for any purpose. The guidelines state that such research needs close supervision and strict adherence to the guidelines. The investigator needs to provide reasoning taking into consideration that the proposed research cannot be carried out with existing ESC lines, or those that can be derived from spare embryos; minimum number of embryos/blastocysts required for such research must be clearly defined; research teams involved should have appropriate expertise and requisite training in derivation, characterization and culture of ESCs. As per the revised guidelines, clinical trials using any type of stem cells (progenitor or differentiated) after major manipulation shall require prior approval of the CDSCO after obtaining approval from IC-SCR and IEC. Clinical trials sponsored by multinationals, employing cell products developed outside India, will also need prior approval from CDSCO following clearance from both IC-SCR and IEC. All international collaborations require approvals from … Continue reading →

By Reuters By Reuters July 8 at 8:47 AM Stem cell tourism in which patients travel to developing countries for unproven and potentially risky therapies should be more tightly regulated, according to a group of international health experts. With hundreds of medical centers around the world claiming to be able to repair tissue damaged by conditions such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinsons disease, tackling unscrupulous advertising of such procedures is crucial. These therapies are advertised directly to patients with the promise of a cure, but there is often little or no evidence to show they will help or that they will not cause harm, the 15 experts wrote in the journal Science Translational Medicine. Some types of stem cell transplant mainly using blood and skin stem cells have been approved by regulators after full clinical trials found they could treat certain types of cancer and grow skin grafts for burn patients. But many other potential therapies are only in the earliest stages of development and have not been approved by regulators. Stem cell therapies hold a lot of promise, but we need rigorous clinical trials and regulatory processes to determine whether a proposed treatment is safe, effective and better than … Continue reading →

Stem cells have saved thousands of lives thanks to their applications in cancer treatments. Many other uses peddled by private clinics are without evidence. Stem cell science is an area of medical research that continues to offer great promise. But as this weeks paper in Science Translational Medicine highlights, a growing number of clinics around the globe, including in Australia, are exploiting regulatory gaps to sell so-called stem cell treatments without evidence that what they offer is effective or even safe. Such unregulated direct-to-consumer advertising typically of cells obtained using liposuction-like methods not only places the health of individuals at risk, but could also undermine the legitimate development of stem cell-based therapies. Many academic societies and professional medical organisations have raised concerns about these futile and often expensive cell therapies. Despite this, national regulators have typically been slow or ineffective in curtailing them. As well as tighter regulations here, international regulators such as the World Health Organisation and the International Council on Harmonisation need to move on ensuring patients desperate for cures arent sold treatments with limited efficacy and unknown safety. Hundreds of stem cell clinics post online claims that they have been able to treat patients suffering from a … Continue reading →

Scientists in the U.S. have identified a molecular pathway that appears to play a key role in the link between a high-fat diet (HFD) and the development of colorectal cancer. The research, led by the Cleveland Clinics Sheerlarani Karunanithi, and Matthew Kalady, suggests that it may one day be possible to develop drugs that reduce tumor growth associated with obesity and a diet that is high in fat. Their research is published today, in Stem Cell Reports, in a paper titled, RBP4-STRA6 Pathway Drives Cancer Stem Cell Maintenance and MediatesHigh-Fat Diet-Induced Colon Carcinogenesis. The Cleveland Clinic teams review of published research indicated that high expression levels of two vitamin A signalling proteinsserum retinol binding protein (RPB4), stimulated by retinoic acid 6 (STRA6)in colorectal cancer tumors is associated with poor prognosis, increased tumor metastasis and recurrence, and resistance to cancer therapy. The RBP4-STRA6 pathway triggers the JAK2-STAT3 signaling cascade. The researchers engineered STRA6- or RBP4-knockdown cancer cells to demonstrate that the RBP4-STRA6 pathway is important for promoting cancer cell proliferation and survival and for maintaining the expression of core stem cell transcription factors. They also found that the RBP4-STRA6 pathway plays a key role in maintaining colon cancer stem cells (CSCs), … Continue reading →

Stem cells have long been used to treat blood cancers and some immune diseases. But some doctors are offering stem cell treatments for diseases still under clinical trial. Photograph: Mauricio Lima/AFP/Getty Images Medical and legal experts from around the world have united to call for more stringent regulation of stem cell therapies to prevent people pursuing unproven and potentially deadly treatments overseas. In a perspective piece for the US journal Science Translational Medicine, 15 experts from countries including the UK, the US, Canada, Belgium, Italy and Japan wrote that national efforts alone would not be enough to counter an industry offering unproven treatments to vulnerable patients. Stem cell-based interventions are classified under diverse and potentially incompatible national regulatory frameworks, the authors wrote. Approaches for international regulation not only need to develop consistent rules over the commercialisation of medical practices and products but also need to give them teeth by developing cross-border partnerships for compliance. Stem cells found in bone marrow and umbilical cord blood have long been used to successfully treat blood cancers including leukaemia and some immune diseases. But those are among the few proven treatments. Legitimate and ethics-approved clinical trials by academic centres are also occurring, exploring the … Continue reading →

July 3, 2017 Arabidopsis thaliana. Credit: Wikipedia. Researchers at Dartmouth College have identified how a well-known plant hormone targets genes to regulate plant growth and development. The finding could allow scientists to establish organ-growing stem cells for grains like rice and corn, and may ultimately lead to solutions to stubborn agricultural problems. The study, appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, describes how cytokinin activates the transcription factor ARR10 to control gene expression in the Arabidopsis plant - a member of the mustard family commonly used as a model in plant biology. Cytokinin is a hormone that regulates numerous processes in plants, including cell division, growth of shoots and roots, grain yield and greening. "The question has always been how cytokinin regulates so many different processes within a plant," said Eric Schaller, a professor of biological sciences at Dartmouth College. "Now we know the genes that are the primary targets of cytokinin, and we can provide the toolbox for manipulating the plant hormone response." According to the paper, results from the analysis "shed light on the physiological role of the type-B ARRs in regulating the cytokinin response, the mechanism of type-B ARR activation, and the basis by … Continue reading →

The arthritis in Maureen Munsies ankles was so intense until barely a year ago, she literally had to crawl on hands and knees to get upstairs. The pain, she recalls now, took my breath away, and played havoc with the avid hikers favourite pastime. In desperation, Munsie turned to a Toronto-area clinic that provides a treatment many experts consider still experimental, unproven and of questionable safety. The 63-year-old says the stem cells she received at Regenervate Medical Injection Therapy 18 months ago were transformational, all but eliminating the debilitating soreness and even allowing her to hike Argentinas Patagonia mountains two months ago. For me its been a life saver, Munsie says. Ive been able to do it all again I dont have any of that pain, at all. Canadians drawn to the healing promise of stem cells have for years travelled outside the country to such places as Mexico, China or Arizona, taking part in a dubious form of medical tourism. But Regenervate is one of a handful of clinics in Canada that have begun offering injections of stem cells, satisfying growing demand but raising questions about whether a medical idea with huge potential is ready for routine patient care. … Continue reading →

San Francisco, California, July 03, 2017: TMR Research announces a new report on the global stem cell assay market. The report examines the historical growth trajectory exhibited by the global stem cell assay market and its latest figures, and further provides reliable forecasts for the stem cell assay market based on complete analysis of the markets database. The report also takes a close look at the regional and competitive dynamics of the global stem cell assay market in order to shed light on the dynamics of the global market more clearly. The report is titled Stem Cell Assay Market Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 2025. Testing antineoplastic drugs in order to check their potency in cancer treatment has emerged as a major application for the global stem cell assay market. The testing covers impurity, toxicity, and other aspects of the tumors and provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of various aspects of the tumor. The comprehensive figures provided by stem cell assays has driven the demand from the global stem cell assay market. The growing diversity of applications of stem cell assays is likely to be a major driver for the global stem cell assay … Continue reading →

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 … Continue reading →