You are here

Home » News

Press Releases from AlphaMed Press

February 20, 2020
Growth Factor-Modified Stem Cells Help Repair Spinal Cord Injuries in Rats

DURHAM, N.C. FEBRUARY 19, 2020 - A new study released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine is the first to illustrate the presence of oxygen-deprived clusters throughout the damaged site of a compressed spinal cord. It is also the first to show how transplanting basic growth factor with the use of a viral vector to target the oxygen-deprived sites enhances the injured spinal cord’s recovery.

The study, conducted on a rat model that the study’s researchers developed just for their investigation, could eventually have great implications for cellular treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) in humans.

January 30, 2020
Rohan Kulkarni named winner of STEM CELLS Young Investigator Award

Durham, NC - Rohan Kulkarni, Ph.D., is named STEM CELLS's Young Investigator of 2019 for his work on the aging process of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). This award fosters advancements in the fields of stem cells and regenerative medicine by honoring a young researcher who is principle author of an article published in STEM CELLS that is deemed to have the most impact and to push the boundaries of novel and insightful research.

Dr. Kulkarni's work shows that young mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can rejuvenate aged HSCs via an intercellular transfer of microvesicles (MVs) harboring autophagy-inducing mRNAs. Such pretreatment of aged HSCs could improve the efficacy of autologous transplants and also expand donor cohort.

January 16, 2020
Study Shows More Effective, Safer Way to Develop Stem Cells for Treating Brain Damage

DURHAM, N.C. JANUARY 15, 2020 - When it comes to regenerating damaged brain cells, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) induced using an EP4 antagonist are superior to MSCs induced without the antagonist, according to a new study released today in the STEM CELLS Translational Medicine journal. The study, conducted on mice by researchers at the Institute of Cellular and System Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan, and the University of California, Los Angeles, provides information that could be used to develop new treatments for brain damage, including those caused by stroke and Parkinson’s disease.

January 9, 2020
Mohamad Khazaei's Research in Spinal Cord Injury Earns Him Young Investigator Award

Durham, NC - Mohamad Khazaei, Ph.D., scientific associate in Dr. Michael Fehlings' lab at Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, is the latest recipient of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine's (SCTM) Young Investigator Award. Launched in 2013, the award fosters advancements in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine by honoring a young researcher who is the principal author of an article published in SCTM that, over the course of a year, is deemed to have the most impact.

January 8, 2020
MSC-Donated Mitochondria Increase Functional Viability of Islet Beta Cell Transplantation for Treating Diabetes

DURHAM, N.C. (JAN. 08, 2020) - Allogenic transplantation of insulin-secreting islet β-cells offers the possibility of treating type 1 diabetes (T1D); however, the stress islets undergo during preparation for transplantation compromises their functional viability and poses a major obstacle to their adoption as a treatment for the majority of patients. A study released today in STEM CELLS offers information to help overcome this drawback.

Previous studies have shown that mouse mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can boost donor islet β-cells’ survival and function during the co-culturing process prior to transplantation. But the STEM CELLS study is the first to show that mitochondria – the organelles that power a cell — are what is behind the improvement.

January 6, 2020
New Protocol Could Signal Shift in Bone Regenerative Medicine

DURHAM, N.C. (JANUARY 06, 2020) - A new, safe and efficient way to coax stem cells into bone cells is reported in a recently published article from STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM). The protocol, developed by researchers at the University of Sydney, Australian Research Centre (ARC) for Innovative BioEngineering, could lead to a shift in the treatment of bone regenerative medicine.

Large bone defects and loss due to cancer or trauma can result in scar tissue that impairs the bones’ ability to repair and regenerate. The current gold standard therapy, autografting, has inherent drawbacks, including limited availability and donor site morbidity. This leaves researchers seeking an alternative source of bone cells — and makes bone tissue engineering a growing field with considerable translational potential.

December 31, 2019
Study Indicates Treating Perianal Fistula With Patient’s Own Stem Cells Promotes Sustained Healing

DURHAM, N.C. (DECEMBER 30, 2019) - A study published today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine indicates that treating cryptoglandular perianal fistula with autologous adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) is safe and can in fact promote long-term and sustained healing. This condition affects about two out of every 10,000 people per year — most often, young men — according to the National Institutes of Health. While most patients can be treated successfully with surgery, there is a a high rate of recurrence and frequent side effects such as fecal incontinence and, thus, impaired quality of life.

December 30, 2019
Study Shows How Diabetes Developed in Pregnancy Might Program Baby’s Stem Cells for Health Issues in Adulthood

DURHAM, N.C. DECEMBER 27, 2019 - Researchers have come to suspect that women who contract gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy pass along to their offspring a preponderance for type 2 diabetes and other health complications while the child is still in the womb. A new study released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine further lends credence to that idea.

GDM, a type of diabetes that happens only during pregnancy, results from hormones released by the placenta that prevents the body from using insulin effectively. It affects about 6 to 15 percent of all pregnant women. This condition is associated with short-term adverse obstetric and perinatal complications, and with long-term health consequences for offspring.

December 3, 2019
Fat Grafting Improves Range of Motion in Limbs Damaged by Radiation Therapy

DURHAM, N.C. DECEMBER 03, 2019 - A new study released today in STEM CELLS outlines how fat grafting – which previous studies have shown can reduce and even reverse fibrosis (scar tissue) buildup – also improves the range of motion of the affected limb. The study, conducted by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine, was conducted on mice.

November 25, 2019
Multiple Doses of Stem Cells Show Potential in Treating Severe Asthma

DURHAM, N.C. (November 20, 2019) - A study released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM) describes how multiple doses of a type of stem cell called mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) might offer a new way to treat people suffering from severe asthma.

An asthma attack is triggered by allergens entering the lungs and causing swelling of the airways. This sets off a domino effect that results in narrowing of the airways from the nose and mouth to the lungs. The most severe cases can lead to death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 13 people have asthma. There is no cure, but it can be managed in most cases with proper prevention and treatment.

Pages