National Stem Cell Centers

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have identified a previously unrecognized form of hormone therapy-resistant prostate cancer, as well as a set of molecules that drive its growth. This discovery opens the door to the development of therapies that treat this specific disease.

New Cancer Subtype May Illuminate Treatment Strategy Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center have identified a previously unrecognized form of hormone therapy-resistant prostate cancer, as well as a set of molecules that drive its growth. This discovery opens the door to the development of therapies that treat....

If you have any scars on your body, then you also have a tangible reminder that the body does not have a perfect healing mechanism. It’s good, but it can be better. That potential is inside us already. The future may be less about healing, and more about re-growing. Leading that push is a doctor at UConn Health in Farmington who has a grand ambition, one that could become the future of medicine.

'I want to regenerate an entire leg by 2030' | Doctor's synthetic artificial stem cells research could revolutionize healing A doctor at UConn Health invented a new class of stem cells as he works to revolutionize healing.

A research team at LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) discovered that exosomes derived from γδ-T cells (γδ-T-Exos) synergized with radiotherapy can control nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by overcoming the radioresistance of NPC cancer stem cells (CSCs) and preserve their tumor-killing and T cell-promoting activities in the immunosuppressive NPC microenvironment. This study provides a proof of concept for a novel and potent strategy by combining γδ-T-Exos with radiotherapy in the control of NPC. The groundbreaking research was published in the prestigious academic journal Journal of Immunotherapy of Cancer.

A New Way To Stop Cancer: Researchers Combine Radiotherapy With Exosomes HKUMed develops a novel therapeutic approach against nasopharyngeal carcinoma by using exosomes derived from γδ-T cells synergized with radiotherapy A research team at LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) discovered that exosomes derived from γδ-T cells (γδ-T-Exos) syn...

After 20 years of perfecting their technique, the team behind the largest islet cell transplant program in the world reports the procedure is a safe, reliable and life-changing treatment for people with hard-to-control diabetes. In results published this week in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, the researchers report on patient survival, graft survival, insulin independence and protection from life-threatening low blood sugars for 255 patients who have received a total of more than 700 infusions of islets at the University of Alberta Hospital over the past two decades. "We've shown very clearly that islet transplantation is an effective therapy for patients with difficult-to-control Type 1 diabetes," says James Shapiro, professor of surgery at the University of Alberta, Canada Research Chair in regenerative medicine and transplant surgery, and lead of the team that developed what has become known as the Edmonton Protocol. "This long-term safety data gives us confidence that we are doing the right thing."

Islet cell transplant program offers an effective treatment for patients with hard-to-control Type 1 diabetes After 20 years of perfecting their technique, the team behind the largest islet cell transplant program in the world reports the procedure is a safe, reliable and life-changing treatment for people with hard-to-control diabetes.

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are highly aggressive cancerous tumors of the brain and spinal cord. Brain cancers like GBM are challenging to treat because many cancer therapeutics cannot pass through the blood-brain barrier, and more than 90 percent of GBM tumors return after being surgically removed, despite surgery and subsequent chemo- and radiation therapy being the most successful way to treat the disease. In a new study led by investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, scientists devised a novel therapeutic method for treating GBMs post-surgery by using stem cells taken from healthy donors engineered to attack GBM-specific tumor cells. This strategy demonstrated profound efficacy in preclinical models of GBM, with 100 percent of mice living over 90 days after treatment. Results are published in Nature Communications. “This is the first study to our knowledge that identifies target receptors on tumor cells prior to initiating therapy, and using biodegradable, gel-encapsulated, ‘off-the-shelf’ engineered stem cell based therapy after GBM tumor surgery,” said Khalid Shah, MS, PhD, director of the Center for Stem Cell and Translational Immunotherapy (CSTI) and the vice chair of research in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Brigham and faculty at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI). “In the future, we will be applying this strategy to promptly identify target receptors after one receives a GBM diagnosis, then administer a gel-encapsulated, off-the-shelf, engineered stem cell therapeutic from a pre-made reservoir.”

Stem Cell Therapy Engineered To Treat Aggressive Brain Cancer Investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School have devised a novel therapeutic method using stem cells taken from healthy donors to treat glioblastomas post-surgery by attacking glioblastoma-specific tumor cells.

Eliana "Eli" Oviedo-Smith recovers after a bone marrow transplant at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Oviedo-Smith was diagnosed with aplastic anemia before she turned 2, and received the life-saving transfusion from her baby sister, Luna.

Little heroes: baby sister donates stem cells to sibling battling cancer When doctors at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh gave 6-year-old Eliana “Eli” Oviedo-Smith the all clear, her mother announced, “We’re going to Disney.”

Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns recently underwent multiple procedures to address a variety of lingering injuries in hopes of avoiding surgery, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported Sunday. Towns, 26, received stem cell treatment and platelet-rich plasma injections in both knees, his left ankle, left wrist and right finger on Friday. Shelburne reported KAT played through the injuries during Minnesota’s run to the playoffs, which eventually ended in six games against the Grizzlies in Round 1. According to ESPN, Towns dealt with a cyst in his left ankle, a subluxated left wrist with ligament damage and an aggravated joint in his right middle finger (his shooting hand). The star big man also experienced pain in both knees, and notably wore a brace on his right knee during the postseason.

Report: Karl-Anthony Towns Undergoes Stem-Cell Procedure to Avoid Surgery The Timberwolves star center earned his third All-Star selection this season.

Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital in the Capital city has successfully undertaken autologous stem cell (bone marrow) transplantation on a lymphoma patient, using the cryopreservation methodology for the first time. Professor and Head of the Department of Clinical Hematology and Hemato Oncology Prof Priyanka Samal said the procedure was conducted on a 33-year-old male patient.

SUM performs 1st stem cell transplantation using cryopreservation Medical Superintendent of the hospital Prof Pusparaj Samantasinhar said the hospital is trying to extend cutting edge treatment to the people of the State at an affordable cost.

In a new study, researchers describe a process for converting non-neuronal cells into functioning neurons able to restore capacities undermined by Parkinson’s destruction of dopaminergic cells. A symptom of Parkinson’s disease that arises after the illness damages a specific class of neuron located in the midbrain. The effect is to deprive the brain of dopamine, a key neurotransmitter produced by the affected neurons. Researchers from the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, US, have recently released a study which presents a process for converting non-neuronal cells into functioning neurons able to take up residence in the brain, send out their fibrous branches across neural tissue, form synapses, dispense dopamine and restore capacities undermined by Parkinson’s destruction of dopaminergic cells. The study was recently published in Nature Regenerative Medicine. The study revealed that one group of experimentally engineered cells performs optimally in terms of survival, growth, neural connectivity, and dopamine production, when implanted in the brains of rats. The study demonstrates that the result of such neural grafts is to effectively reverse motor symptoms due to Parkinson’s disease. Therefore, stem cell replacement therapy represents a radical new strategy for the treatment of Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Stem cell replacement therapy: a potential treatment for Parkinson’s disease In a new study, researchers describe a process to restore capacities undermined by Parkinson’s destruction of dopaminergic cells.

Newborn babies with brain damage can be given nose drops containing stem cells to treat the damaged spot in their brain, researchers and doctors from UMC Utrecht said in a study that will be published in The Lancet in June. They tested the therapy on ten newborns. Scientists saw that the drops worked, but exactly how effective they are is still under investigation. The research started in 2010. According to the Utrecht hospital, few of the researchers believed that it would work. Neuroscientist Cora Nijboer's team of researchers now knows better. The drops pass through "a kind of sieve bone in the nose." They are then absorbed into the blood vessels of the meninges or the cerebrospinal fluid. "In this way, they migrate within a few hours to the place in the brain where the brain damage is," said Nijboer. Because the damaged area gives off "distress signals," the stem cells are attracted to that area in the brain, the researcher explained. The cells then locally produce substances that activate the repair mechanism of their own brain stem cells. According to professor of neonatology Manon Benders, this works with newborns because their brains and networks are still developing in the first months.

Brain damage in babies can be treated with stem cells in nose drops: Utrecht researchers Newborn babies with brain damage can be given nose drops containing stem cells to treat the damaged spot in their brain, researchers and doctors from UMC Utrecht said in a study that will be published in The Lancet in June. They tested the therapy on ten newborns. Scientists saw that the drops worke...

This is the emotional moment a father from the US finally met the stem cell donor who saved his life. Patrick Languzzi, from Boston, had a 3% chance of surviving blood cancer before he found that all-important donor from a stranger who lives in Chorley - Alex Christopher. Due to strict confidentiality associated with stem cell transplants, for months the pair only had very limited information about each other - until they were finally able to reach out online. But that was not enough, both wanted nothing more than to meet in person and so Patrick flew 3,000 from America to meet Alex and the pair shared an emotional embrace at Heathrow airport in London.

Dad travels 3,000 miles to meet stranger who saved his life | ITV News Patrick Languzzi was given a 3% chance of survival before he was given a stem cell transplant thanks to the donation from a complete stranger from Chorley | ITV News Granada

Researchers at the University of Virginia were able to change the course of stem cells, making them turn into brain cells instead of becoming heart cells-- simply by turning off a single gene.
The findings, peer-reviewed in the journal Nature, could help scientists understand how specific genes affect the development of the human body and the role they play in developmental diseases, potentially leading to new therapies.

By turning off one gene, scientists transform stem cells - study The research could help scientists understand how specific genes affect the development of your body and the role they play in developmental diseases, potentially leading to new therapies.

Early next week, a medical courier will board a trans-Atlantic flight with a bag of stem cells that can save Tim Corriveau’s life. The 53-year-old Salem man has battled an aggressive, mutated form of acute myeloid leukemia for five months. Doctors made it clear that his best chance of survival is a stem cell donation. Determined to be active in the search for a donor, Tim and his wife, Jody Corriveau, partnered earlier this year with Be the Match, an organization that manages a global transplant registry, to host a registration event in Salem. Though well-attended, it wasn’t one of the couple’s three children, other family members or strangers who ended up getting the call that they were needed right away. The couple was told of a woman in Europe — her identity kept secret, which is common — who was already in the registry.

Salem man who hosted stem cell drive will undergo lifesaving transplant SALEM, N.H. — Early next week, a medical courier will board a trans-Atlantic flight with a bag of stem cells that can save Tim Corriveau’s life.

Using testicular tissue frozen for decades, scientists say it may be possible to restore fertility in men. In experiments with mice, the animals successfully created s***m after receiving a tissue implant that had been cryopreserved for almost a quarter of a century. A team from the University of Pennsylvania says the technique could enable young boys undergoing cancer treatments to have children in the future.

Male fertility could be restored using tissue frozen for over 20 years! A team from the University of Pennsylvania says the technique could enable young boys undergoing cancer treatments to have children in the future.

Marelyn Salgado, with her twins, Left to Right, Aaron and Ryan, 7, at AdventHealth Orlando, on Friday, May 6, 2022. Salgado donated her stem cells to her twins, in order to cure them of sickle cell disease, an inherited blood disorder that they have been struggling with their entire life.

Florida mom donates stem cells to cure 7-year-old sons of sickle cell disease The only cure for sickle cell disease, which deforms red blood cells and can be fatal, is a stem cell or bone marrow donation.

In a study published May 02, 2022 in Nature Communications, scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine used human brain organoids to reveal how a genetic mutation associated with a profound form of autism disrupts neural development. Using gene therapy tools to recover the gene's function effectively rescued neural structure and function.

Study uses brain organoids to reveal how autism-linked genetic mutation disrupts neural development In a study published May 02, 2022 in Nature Communications, scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine used human brain organoids to reveal how a genetic mutation associated with a profound form of autism disrupts neural development.

Deep in the human brain, a very specific kind of cell dies during Parkinson’s disease. For the first time, researchers have sorted large numbers of human brain cells in the substantia nigra into 10 distinct types. Just one is especially vulnerable in Parkinson’s disease, the team reports May 5 in Nature Neuroscience. The result could lead to a clearer view of how Parkinson’s takes hold, and perhaps even ways to stop it.

A very specific kind of brain cell dies off in people with Parkinson’s Of out 10 kinds of dopamine-making nerve cells, only one type is extra vulnerable in Parkinson’s disease.

A mom has told ITV Central she's 'eternally grateful' to a woman on the stem cell register who saved her six-year-old son's life. At just seven months old, Alfie Commons was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Alfie, from Sawley in Derbyshire, underwent chemotherapy but doctors told his family his only chance of survival would be a bone marrow transplant. Alfie‘s parents and his brother Billy were not a stem cell match so an international search began to find a suitable donor. Two months later, their prayers were answered in the form of a stranger, a German woman called Christin Bouvier.

How a stranger in Germany saved the life of a six-year-old in Derbyshire | ITV News A mum is urging people to join the stem cell register, after a stranger saved her son's life. He was diagnosed with leukaemia at seven months old. | ITV News Central

A MAN from Basingstoke is encouraging residents to become members of the stem cell donor register, after being diagnosed with blood cancer. Mart Roe needed a stem cell transplant after being diagnosed with myeloma cancer two years ago. Back in August 2020 Mart said he “just woke up” with a bad back and thought it would be something that “would just go away.” He said: “It got worse and worse and it wasn’t until October time that I got to the doctors and they did some tests and I had an MRI scan.” Following the scan, Mart had a bone marrow biopsy.
He added: “At that point, I had a spinal cord compression because one of the vertebrates had collapsed and they found another four with fractures.” He had a back brace made and went through six months of chemotherapy following the diagnosis. Mart is now in complete remission following a stem cell transplant in November and has now returned to work as a duty manager in the Festival Place security team after 18 months. He is now encouraging residents to become a doner and said “it gives people another chance at life”.

'It gives people another chance at life': Cancer survivor bids to raise awareness about the stem cell register A MAN from Basingstoke is encouraging residents to become members of a stem cell donor register, after being diagnosed with blood cancer.

In a study recently published in Stem Cell Reports, researchers Wei Li, Zugou Liu and colleagues from Xiamen University, China and Harvard Medical School, USA, evaluated how sleep deprivation impacts corneal stem cells. Their experiments in mice showed that short-term sleep deprivation increased the rate at which stem cells in the cornea multiplied. At the same time, sleep deprivation altered the composition of the protective tear film, reducing the tear film antioxidants in sleep-deprived mice. The researchers found that the tear film composition had a direct impact on corneal stem cell activity and, encouragingly, application of tear drops containing antioxidants reversed the excessive stem cell activity. The study revealed that serious effects on corneal health, such as thinning and ruffling of the cornea and loss of transparency, were seen after long-term sleep deprivation. Further, corneas of long-term sleep-deprived mice contained less stem cells, suggesting that persistent stimulation of stem cell activity over longer periods led to exhaustion and loss of corneal stem cells. These data suggest that sleep deprivation negatively affects the stem cells in the cornea, possibly leading to vision impairment in the long run.

Sleep deprivation negatively affects the stem cells in the cornea Sleep deprivation, which means getting too little high-quality sleep, is a serious health problem. More than one-third of people in the USA report getting less than the recommended minimum of seven hours sleep per night.

More than 10 million strokes occur worldwide every year, leaving at least half of patients with life-altering disabilities. Yet therapies for stroke are limited, and many patients have only modest improvements in motor and cognitive function. The need for better treatments has sparked interest in two therapies in particular: transplanted stem cells and electrical current. Although hundreds of studies in animals — and a handful in humans — have demonstrated that stem cells transplanted into the brain can improve stroke outcomes, the challenge has been finding the best way to deliver and use the cells. Another challenge: how to use electricity to stimulate those cells and the brain. Now, Stanford Medicine researchers have developed a tool that solves both problems. It can deliver and electrically stimulate transplanted stem cells and stimulate injured brain tissue. It also helped the researchers identify a protein that encourages the brain to heal.

New tool delivers and electrically stimulates stem cells to promote stroke recovery More than 10 million strokes occur worldwide every year, leaving at least half of patients with life-altering disabilities.

A method to turn human stem cells into cartilage cells showed promise for repairing damaged joint tissue in a pig model of knee cartilage injury. The findings, funded in part by NIA and published in Regenerative Medicine, provide a potential new therapeutic strategy that may help repair damaged cartilage and prevent osteoarthritis. In the new study, an international team of researchers refined a stem cell-based procedure that produces longer-lasting, higher-quality cartilage.

Stem cell strategy for repairing joint damage shows promise in pig model A new strategy to treat damaged cartilage, developed in an NIA-supported study, uses stem cells to create healthy new cartilage.

A cancer survivor from Massachusetts got to meet the young woman who helped save his life. Clark, a 61-year-old Needham man, was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia, an uncommon type of cancer that developed in his bone marrow. He received treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston but was in need of a blood stem cell donor. Through the Gift of Life Marrow Registry, Clark's match was identified as a 24-year-old woman from New York named Anna. On Monday, Gift of Life hosted a sunset soiree on the rooftop of The Envoy Hotel, which is where Clark got to thank Anna in person for the very first time and the two shared a heartfelt hug.

Cancer survivor from Massachusetts meets blood stem cell donor The 61-year-old man from Needham got his chance to hug the 24-year-old New York woman who helped save his life.

A gel that’s injected into the ear could reverse hearing loss. Called FX-322, the one-off jab works by encouraging dormant stem cells inside the ear to grow into healthy new auditory cells capable of transmitting sounds to the brain. The new drug prompts these dormant cells to grow into cilia. These tiny hair-like cells pick up sounds and turn them into electrical impulses that are sent along the auditory nerve to the brain for processing.

New drug prompts growth of stem cells to reverse hearing loss Around 11 million people in the UK are affected by hearing loss, eight million of whom are aged 60 or older. Short-term hearing loss can occur as a result of ear infections or wax build-up.

Mick Chivers signed up to be a stem cell donor last spring and was found to be a match for a leukemia patient in February. He was committed to helping a man he never met.

Giving a stranger a new life: One student's story about donating stem cells Mick Chivers signed up to give stem cells. When it came time to help an elderly man with leukemia, the 20-year-old didn't let multiple setbacks stop him from giving a stranger a second chance at life.

In proof-of-concept experiments, Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have successfully cultivated human muscle stem cells capable of renewing themselves and repairing muscle tissue damage in mice, potentially advancing efforts to treat muscle injuries and muscle-wasting disorders in people. A report on the experiments was published April 7 in Cell Stem Cell. To make the self-renewing stem cells, the scientists began with laboratory-grown human skin cells that were genetically reprogrammed to a more primitive state in which the cells have the potential to become almost any type of cell in the body. At this point, the cells are known as induced pluripotent stem (IPS) cells, and they are mixed with a solution of standard cell growth factors and nutrients that nudge them to differentiate into specific cell types. In the laboratory, scientists have long been able to transform IPS cells into various types of cells, including skin and brain cells. What has been far more difficult, say the researchers, is the ability to turn IPS cells into self-renewing stem cells for a particular organ. The research team, led by Gabsang Lee, Ph.D., D.V.M., professor of neurology and member of the Institute of Cell Engineering at Johns Hopkins Medicine, coaxed IPS cells to turn into muscle stem cells using a nutrient-rich broth. Further studies are planned, Lee says, to examine the recipe further to determine which ingredients may be key to brewing the muscle stem cells.

Lab grown, self-renewing muscle stem cells can repair muscle tissue damage in mice In proof-of-concept experiments, Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have successfully cultivated human muscle stem cells capable of renewing themselves and repairing muscle tissue damage in mice, potentially advancing efforts to treat muscle injuries and muscle-wasting disorders in people.

Burjeel Medical City’s Bone marrow transplant unit has successfully performed the very first bone marrow transplant from a donor to a child in the UAE. The highly advanced, matched sibling transplant treatment was successfully carried out on a five-year-old girl from Uganda, with the donor being her 10-year-old sister. The patient responded well to the treatment and is due to be discharged from Burjeel Medical City within a few days, following 5 weeks admission to the hospital.

Burjeel Medical City successfully performs the first bone marrow transplant from a donor to a child The highly advanced, allogeneic stem cell bone marrow transplant is the first of its kind to be performed in the United Arab Emirates.

This month, a team of researchers at Osaka University declared an experimental treatment involving four patients suffering from corneal disease a success. The patients, who ranged in age from their 30s to 70s, received transplanted stem cells grown in the lab, known as iPS cells. Three had improved sight, and all were free of side effects one year later. "This could be a revolutionary treatment that could overcome the challenges that existing treatment has faced, such as a shortage of cornea donors or transplant rejection," Koji Nishida, an Osaka University professor of ophthalmology, said at a news conference.

Japan investing in stem cells to help cope with world's oldest population Japan is trying to carve a niche in "regenerative medicine" by culturing healthy cells to replace diseased, injured or non-functioning ones.

More than 10 million strokes occur worldwide every year, leaving at least half of patients with life-altering disabilities. Yet therapies for stroke are limited, and many patients have only modest improvements in motor and cognitive function. The need for better treatments has sparked interest in two therapies in particular: transplanted stem cells and electrical current. Although hundreds of studies in animals — and a handful in humans — have demonstrated that stem cells transplanted into the brain can improve stroke outcomes, the challenge has been finding the best way to deliver and use the cells. Another challenge: how to use electricity to stimulate those cells and the brain. Now, Stanford Medicine researchers have developed a tool that solves both problems. It can deliver and electrically stimulate transplanted stem cells and stimulate injured brain tissue. It also helped the researchers identify a protein that encourages the brain to heal. The device is a tiny conductive polymer implant that’s 1 millimeter wide by 3 millimeters long and about a quarter as thick as a credit card. Conductive polymer is a dark-colored organic compound with the consistency of flexible plastic and the ability to conduct electrical current. The electricity that powers the device comes from an external generator that’s attached with wires. The charge and surface interactions of the polymer hold the stem cells in place.

Electrically stimulated stem cells aid stroke recovery in rodents, Stanford researchers find Stanford scientists have developed a device that delivers and electrically stimulates stem cells to promote stroke healing.

MIT spinout Frequency Therapeutics has come up with a new treatment method for hearing loss. The biotechnology company is aiming to reverse hearing loss through a regenerative therapy that stimulates the growth of hair cells within the cochlea. The clinical trials conducted by the company included more than 200 patients who have been dosed and showed noteworthy improvements Now the company is working on a trial of 124-person and the preliminary results are expected to be available early next year. The trials proved the efficiency of the treatment by resulting in the improvement of the participants’ ability to perceive speech. “Speech perception is the number one goal for improving hearing and the number one need we hear from patients,” said Chris Loose, co-founder, and CEO of Frequency Therapeutics.

A new regenerative drug from MIT scientists can reverse hearing loss MIT spinout Frequency Therapeutics is aiming to reverse hearing loss with a new kind of regenerative therapy that enhances the growth of hair cells.