StemCell Therapy

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By Marla Vacek Broadfoot, PhD

The human gut is a remarkable thing. Every week the intestines regenerate a new lining, sloughing off the equivalent surface area of a studio apartment and refurbishing it with new cells. For decades, researchers have known that the party responsible for this extreme makeover were intestinal stem cells, but it wasnt until this year that Scott Magness, PhD, associate professor of medicine, cell biology and physiology, and biomedical engineering, figured out a way to isolate and grow thousands of these elusive cells in the laboratory at one time. This high throughput technological advance now promises to give scientists the ability to study stem cell biology and explore the origins of inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal cancers, and other gastrointestinal disorders.

But it didnt come easy.

One Step Forward . . .

When Magness and his team first began working with intestinal stem cells some years ago, they quickly found themselves behind the eight ball. Their first technique involved using a specific molecule or marker on the surface of stem cells to make sure they could distinguish stem cells from other intestinal cells. Then Magnesss team would fish out only the stem cells from intestinal tissues and grow the cells in Petri dishes. But there was a problem. Even though all of the isolated cells had the same stem cell marker, only one out of every 100 could self-renew and differentiate into specialized cells like a typical stem cell should. (Stem cells spawn cells that have specialized functions necessary for any organ to work properly.)

The question was: why didnt the 99 others behave like stem cells? Magness said. We thought it was probably because theyre not all the same, just like everybody named Judy doesnt look the same. There are all kinds of differences, and weve been presuming that these cells are all the same based on this one name, this one molecular marker. Thats been a problem. But the only way to solve it so we could study these cells was to look at intestinal stem cells at the single cell level, which had never been done before.

Magness is among a growing contingent of researchers who recognize that many of the biological processes underlying health and disease are driven by a tiny fraction of the 37 trillion cells that make up the human body. Individual cells can replenish aging tissues, develop drug resistance, and become vehicles for viral infections. And yet the effects of these singular actors are often missed in biological studies that focus on pooled populations of thousands of seemingly identical cells.

Distinguishing between the true intestinal stem cells and their cellular look-a-likes would require isolating tens of thousands of stem cells and tracking the behavior of each individual cell over time. But Magness had no idea how to accomplish that feat. Enter Nancy Allbritton, PhD, chair of the UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering. The two professors met one day to discuss Magness joining the biomedical engineering department as an adjunct faculty member. And they did discuss it. And Magness did join. But the meeting quickly turned into collaboration. One of Allbrittons areas of expertise is microfabrication the ability to squeeze large devices into very small footprints. During their meeting, Allbritton showed Magness her latest creation, a device smaller than a credit card dotted with 15,000 tiny wells for culturing cells.

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A Single-Cell Breakthrough

MIAMI (PRWEB) March 17, 2015

GlobalStemCellsGroup.com has announced plans to participate in the 25th annual Argentine Congress of Aesthetic Medicine April 9 and 10 2015. More than 1,000 physicians from around the world will descend on Buenos Aires for the conference to learn and share new findings in aesthetic medicine.

Following the congress, Global Stem Cells Group and Estanislao Janowski, M.D., a plastic surgeon specializing in stem cell application in aesthetic and cosmetic medicine will conduct an intensive, hands-on course on stem cell harvesting, isolation and re-integration, to be held April 11. Janowski, a GSCG faculty member and long-time collaborator is the owner and president of Bioplastica, an aesthetic surgical center featuring the latest stem cell applications in cosmetic and anti-aging medicine.

This will be the third year Global Stem Cells Group participates in the conference, hosted by the Argentina Society of Aesthetic Medicine (SOARME). A soon-to-be-named GSCG faculty member will also deliver a keynote speech to congress attendees.

The international event, which will be held at the Catholic University of Argentina in Buenos Aires, will feature acclaimed stem cell aesthetic practitioners from Argentina and the U.S. SOAME is a member of the Argentine Medical Association (A.M.A.) and of the International Union of Aesthetic Medicine (U.I.M.E.). SOAME has the scientific support of the John F. Kennedy University in Buenos Aires and a host of national and international scientific organizations.

For more information visit the Global Stem Cells Group website, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

About the Global Stem Cells Group:

Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. is the parent company of six wholly owned operating companies dedicated entirely to stem cell research, training, products and solutions. Founded in 2012, the company combines dedicated researchers, physician and patient educators and solution providers with the shared goal of meeting the growing worldwide need for leading edge stem cell treatments and solutions.

With a singular focus on this exciting new area of medical research, Global Stem Cells Group and its subsidiaries are uniquely positioned to become global leaders in cellular medicine.

Global Stem Cells Groups corporate mission is to make the promise of stem cell medicine a reality for patients around the world. With each of GSCGs six operating companies focused on a separate research-based mission, the result is a global network of state-of-the-art stem cell treatments.

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Global Stem Cells Group to Participate in the 25th Argentine Congress of Aesthetic Medicine in Buenos Aires April 9-10 ...

The human gut is a remarkable thing. Every week the intestines regenerate a new lining, sloughing off the equivalent surface area of a studio apartment and refurbishing it with new cells. For decades, researchers have known that the party responsible for this extreme makeover were intestinal stem cells, but it wasn't until this year that Scott Magness, PhD, associate professor of medicine, cell biology and physiology, and biomedical engineering, figured out a way to isolate and grow thousands of these elusive cells in the laboratory at one time. This high throughput technological advance now promises to give scientists the ability to study stem cell biology and explore the origins of inflammatory bowel disease, intestinal cancers, and other gastrointestinal disorders.

But it didn't come easy.

One Step Forward . . .

When Magness and his team first began working with intestinal stem cells some years ago, they quickly found themselves behind the eight ball. Their first technique involved using a specific molecule or marker on the surface of stem cells to make sure they could distinguish stem cells from other intestinal cells. Then Magness's team would fish out only the stem cells from intestinal tissues and grow the cells in Petri dishes. But there was a problem. Even though all of the isolated cells had the same stem cell marker, only one out of every 100 could "self-renew" and differentiate into specialized cells like a typical stem cell should. (Stem cells spawn cells that have specialized functions necessary for any organ to work properly.)

"The question was: why didn't the 99 others behave like stem cells?" Magness said. "We thought it was probably because they're not all the same, just like everybody named Judy doesn't look the same. There are all kinds of differences, and we've been presuming that these cells are all the same based on this one name, this one molecular marker. That's been a problem. But the only way to solve it so we could study these cells was to look at intestinal stem cells at the single cell level, which had never been done before."

Magness is among a growing contingent of researchers who recognize that many of the biological processes underlying health and disease are driven by a tiny fraction of the 37 trillion cells that make up the human body. Individual cells can replenish aging tissues, develop drug resistance, and become vehicles for viral infections. And yet the effects of these singular actors are often missed in biological studies that focus on pooled populations of thousands of seemingly "identical" cells.

Distinguishing between the true intestinal stem cells and their cellular look-a-likes would require isolating tens of thousands of stem cells and tracking the behavior of each individual cell over time. But Magness had no idea how to accomplish that feat. Enter Nancy Allbritton, PhD, chair of the UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering. The two professors met one day to discuss Magness joining the biomedical engineering department as an adjunct faculty member. And they did discuss it. And Magness did join. But the meeting quickly turned into collaboration. One of Allbritton's areas of expertise is microfabrication -- the ability to squeeze large devices into very small footprints. During their meeting, Allbritton showed Magness her latest creation, a device smaller than a credit card dotted with 15,000 tiny wells for culturing cells.

"It was like a light bulb went off, and I realized I was looking at the answer to a billion of our problems," Magness said.

Micro Magic

Each microwell is as thick as a strand of hair. By placing individual stem cells into the microwells, Magness and postdoctoral fellow Adam Gracz, PhD, could watch the cells grow into fully developed tissue structures known as mini-guts. Each microwell could be stamped with a specific address, which would allow researchers to track stem cells that were behaving as expected and those that weren't.

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A Single-Cell Breakthrough: newly developed technology dissects properties of single stem cells

IMAGE:Brain tumor stem cells (orange) in mice express a stem cell marker (green). Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are studying how cancer stem cells make... view more

Credit: Yi-Hsien Chen

Scientists are eager to make use of stem cells' extraordinary power to transform into nearly any kind of cell, but that ability also is cause for concern in cancer treatment. Malignant tumors contain stem cells, prompting worries among medical experts that the cells' transformative powers help cancers escape treatment.

New research proves that the threat posed by cancer stem cells is more prevalent than previously thought. Until now, stem cells had been identified only in aggressive, fast-growing tumors. But a mouse study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that slow-growing tumors also have treatment-resistant stem cells.

The low-grade brain cancer stem cells identified by the scientists also were less sensitive to anticancer drugs. By comparing healthy stem cells with stem cells from these brain tumors, the researchers discovered the reasons behind treatment resistance, pointing to new therapeutic strategies.

"At the very least, we're going to have to use different drugs and different, likely higher dosages to make sure we kill these tumor stem cells," said senior author David H. Gutmann, MD, PhD, the Donald O. Schnuck Family Professor of Neurology.

The research appears online March 12 in Cell Reports.

First author Yi-Hsien Chen, PhD, a senior postdoctoral research associate in Gutmann's laboratory, used a mouse model of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) low-grade brain tumors to identify cancer stem cells and demonstrate that they could form tumors when transplanted into normal, cancer-free mice.

NF1 is a genetic disorder that affects about 1 in every 2,500 babies. The condition can cause an array of problems, including brain tumors, impaired vision, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, heart defects and bone deformities.

The most common brain tumor in children with NF1 is the optic glioma. Treatment for NF1-related optic gliomas often includes drugs that inhibit a cell growth pathway originally identified by Gutmann. In laboratory tests conducted as part of the new research, it took 10 times the dosage of these drugs to kill the low-grade cancer stem cells.

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Stem cells lurking in tumors can resist treatment

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Newswise Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified a gene variant that may be used to predict people most likely to respond to an investigational therapy under development for Alzheimers disease (AD). The study, published March 12 in Cell Stem Cell, is based on experiments with cultured neurons derived from adult stem cells.

Our results suggest that certain gene variants allow us to reduce the amount of beta amyloid produced by neurons, said senior author Lawrence Goldstein, PhD, director of UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Clinical Center and UC San Diego Stem Cell Program. This is potentially significant for slowing the progression of Alzheimers disease. AD is the most common cause of dementia in the United States, afflicting one in nine people age 65 and older.

The genetic risk factor investigated are variants of the SORL1 gene. The gene codes for a protein that affects the processing and subsequent accumulation of beta amyloid peptides, small bits of sticky protein that build up in the spaces between neurons. These plaques are linked to neuronal death and related dementia.

Previous studies have shown that certain variants of the SORL1 gene confer some protection from AD, while other variants are associated with about a 30 percent higher likelihood of developing the disease. Approximately one-third of the U.S. adult population is believed to carry the non-protective gene variants.

The studys primary finding is that variants in the SORL1 gene may also be associated with how neurons respond to a natural compound in the brain that normally acts to protect nerve cell health. The protective compound, called BDNF, short for brain-derived neurotrophic factor, is currently being investigated as a potential therapy for a number of neurological diseases, including AD, because of its role in promoting neuronal survival.

For the study, UC San Diego researchers took skin cells from 13 people, seven of whom had AD and six of whom were healthy control subjects, and reprogrammed the skin cells into stem cells. These stem cells were coaxed to differentiate into neurons, and the neurons were cultured and then treated with BDNF.

The experiments revealed that neurons that carried disease-protective SORL1 variants responded to the therapy by reducing their baseline rate of beta amyloid peptide production by, on average, 20 percent. In contrast, the neurons carrying the risk variants of the gene, showed no change in baseline beta amyloid production.

BDNF is found in everyones brain, said first author Jessica Young, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Goldstein laboratory. What we found is that if you add more BDNF to neurons that carry a genetic risk factor for the disease, the neurons dont respond. Those with the protective genetic profile do.

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Boosting A Natural Protection Against Alzheimer's Disease

A new study by University of Alberta law researchers reveals sometimes overly optimistic news coverage of clinical translation of stem cell therapies--and as spokespeople, scientists need to be mindful of harnessing public expectations.

"As the dominant voice in respect to timelines for stem cell therapies, the scientists quoted in these stories need to be more aware of the importance of communicating realistic timelines to the press," said researcher Kalina Kamenova, who co-authored the study with professor Timothy Caulfield in the University of Alberta's Health Law Institute, based in the Faculty of Law.

Their analysis of media coverage showed that most news reports were highly optimistic about the future of stem cell therapies and forecasted unrealistic timelines for clinical use. The study, published in the latest issue of Science Translational Medicine, examined 307 news reports covering translational stem cell research in major daily newspapers in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom between 2010 and 2013.

While the field of stem cell research holds tremendous promise, "it has also been surrounded by tremendous hype, and we wanted to quantify that in some degree," Caulfield said. "Pop culture representations have an impact on how the public perceives the readiness of stem cell research, and that in turn feeds into stem cell tourism, marketing of unproven therapies and even the public's trust in research. We wanted to provide findings that would help inform the issue."

Their study found that 69 per cent of all news stories citing timelines predicted that therapies would be available within five to 10 years or even sooner. At the same time, the press overlooked challenges and failures in therapy translation, such as the discontinuation of the first FDA-approved clinical trial of an embryonic stem cell-derived therapy for spinal cord injuries in 2011. The biotech company conducting the trial was a leader in embryonic stem cell therapies and its decision to stop its work on stem cells was considered a significant setback for the field.

As well, ethical concerns about the use of human embryonic stem cells were displaced from the forefront of news coverage, while the clinical translation of stem cell therapies and new discoveries, such as hockey star Gordie Howe's recent treatment, grabbed the headlines instead.

"Our findings showed that many scientists have often provided either by implication or direct quotes, authoritative statements regarding unrealistic timelines for stem cell therapies and media hype can foster unrealistic public expectations about clinical translation and increased patient demand for unproven stem cell therapies," Caulfield noted.

While stem cell therapy research is progressing and has seen a dramatic increase in the past decade of clinical trials for treatments, the vast majority of these studies are still in the safety-testing stage and involve a limited number of participants, Kamenova noted.

"The approval process for new treatments is long and complicated, and only a few of all drugs that enter pre-clinical testing are approved for human clinical trials. It takes on average 12 years to get a new drug from the lab to the market, and additional 11 to 14 years of post-market surveillance," she added.

The science world is under pressure to come up with cures for what ails us, but "care needs to be taken by the media and the research community so that advances in research and therapy are portrayed in a realistic manner," Caulfield said.

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Media portray unrealistic timelines for stem cell therapies

(March 5, 2015) - Gender equality has not yet been achieved in science, medicine, and engineering, but The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF), through its Initiative on Women in Science and Engineering, is committed to making sure progress is made. NYSCF convened the Inaugural Meeting of its Initiative on Women in Science and Engineering (IWISE) Working Group in February 2014, where the group put forward seven actionable strategies for advancing women in science, medicine, and engineering, and reconvened in February 2015 to further develop the strategies.

NYSCF began this initiative after an analysis of its own programs. "We found that the ratio of men and women in our own programs was OK but it could certainly be improved," said Susan L. Solomon, CEO and Co-Founder, of NYSCF. "We wanted to take action and actually make tangible progress, so we brought together many of the leading men and women who have already committed time, energy, and resources towards this problem."

Today, the recommendations were published in Cell Stem Cell. They were divided into three categories: direct financial support strategies, psychological and cultural strategies, and major collaborative and international initiatives. The group chose to highlight the most high-impact and implementable strategies from a larger list developed during the meeting. They also sought to promote promising, long-term initiatives that will require significant collaboration among multiple stakeholders with the aim of connecting potential partners.

"Advancing women in science and medicine is of critical importance to the academic and research enterprise in our country," said Dr. Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President of Rockefeller University. "This paper is important as it not only brings attention to this key issue but also outlines creative strategies that can help break down barriers to gender equality in science."

Changing financing structures, embedded cultural norms, and tying funding to gender balance to enact real change are the pillars underlying the seven strategies recommended by the Working Group.

"The brain power provided by women in science is essential to sustaining a thriving US society and economy. It is time to move beyond just lamenting its loss and embrace the actions called for in this timely report," Dr. Claire Pomeroy, President, the Lasker Foundation and a member of the IWISE Working Group.

The seven strategies include:

1) Implement flexible family care spending 2) Provide "extra hands" awards 3) Recruit gender-balanced external review committees and speaker selection committees 4) Incorporate implicit bias statements 5) Focus on education as a tool 6) Create an institutional report card for gender equality 7) Partner to expand upon existing searchable databases of women in science, medicine, and engineering

The IWISE Working Group reconvened in February 2015 to continue to work on the Institutional Report Card for Gender Equality. The paper published today includes the proposed Phase 1 Institutional Report Card, and the group plans to release the Phase 2 report card once finalized.

###

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Achieving gender equality in science, engineering and medicine

Despite the progress made by women in science, engineering, and medicine, a glance at most university directories or pharmaceutical executive committees tells the more complex story. Women in science can succeed, but they are succeeding in fields that may not even be conscious of the gender imbalances. These imbalances manifest themselves in the number of women that are invited to speak at conferences, the percentage of grants awarded to women scientists, and the higher rates of attrition of women at every stage of the career ladder compared to those of men.

In the March 5 issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell, the Initiative on Women in Science and Engineering Working Group, a collection of more than 30 academic and business leaders organized by the New York Stem Cell Foundation, present seven strategies to advance women in science, engineering, and medicine in this modern landscape.

"We wanted to think about broad ways to elevate the entire field, because when we looked at diversity programs across our organizations we thought that the results were okay, but they really could be better," said Susan L. Solomon, co-founder and CEO of the New York Stem Cell Foundation and a member of the working group. "We've identified some very straightforward things to do that are inexpensive and could be implemented pretty much immediately."

The working group's seven strategies are broken into three categories: the first two are direct financial support strategies, the next three are psychological and cultural strategies, and the final two are major collaborative and international initiatives.

1. Implement flexible family care spending

Make grants gender neutral by permitting grantees to use a certain percentage of grant award funds to pay for childcare, eldercare, or family-related expenses. This provides more freedom for grantees to focus on professional development and participate in the scientific community.

2. Provide "extra hands" awards

Dedicate funds for newly independent young investigators who are also primary caregivers to hire technicians, administrative assistants, or postdoctoral fellows.

3. Recruit gender-balanced review and speaker selection committees

Adopt policies that ensure that peer review committees are conscious of gender and are made up of a sufficient number of women.

Read the rest here:
Seven strategies to advance women in science

Published February 10, 2015

A British biotech company founded by a Nobel prize winner has raised what it says is a record 691,000 pounds ($1 million) via crowdfunding to help launch a stem cell-based regenerative medicine for use following heart trauma.

Cell Therapy, based in the Welsh capital Cardiff, says the medicine has the potential to reduce scarring of the heart muscle caused by a heart attack or failure.

Chief Executive Ajan Reginald, previously at Roche, said crowd funding was a quick way to raise money for final stage trials or commercial launches.

"It was very fast and very efficient," he told Reuters on Monday. "We have spent 5 percent of our time on fundraising, which enables me to spend 95 percent of my time on the business."

The company, whose founder Martin Evans shared the 2007 Nobel Prize for medicine for groundbreaking stem cell research, used website Crowdcube to raise nearly three times its original target from more than 300 investors.

Reginald said the backers included investment bankers, hedge fund employees and scientists.

"Crowd funding allows investors to look in detail at a company in their own time," he said, adding that some 10,000 investors had seen the pitch.

The company would publish data from clinical trials of the drug, called Heartcel, next month, before final stage trials with a view to a launch in 2016.

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British biotech firm sets crowdfunding record with heart drug

Orphan Designation Provides 7-Year Post Approval Marketing Exclusivity, Tax Credits and Elimination of FDA Prescription Drug User Fees

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwired - February 10, 2015) - Targazyme Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing enzyme technologies and products to improve efficacy outcomes for stem cell transplantation, immunotherapy, gene therapy and regenerative medicine, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug designation to TZ101 to prevent and reduce the severity and incidence of graft vs. host disease (GVHD) in patients eligible for hematologic stem cell transplant.

GVHD is a serious, life-threating complication of stem cell transplantation.Orphan drug status confirms the importance of Targazyme's novel treatment approach to prevent and reduce the incidence and severity of GVHD in patients with blood cancers where stem cell transplant is prescribed.TZ101 could potentially transform hematopoietic stem cell transplantation by reducing patient morbidity and mortality from GVHD, which occurs in a large percentage of these patients and is very difficult to manage clinically.

"Our work with TZ101 demonstrates impressive increases in the persistence and activity of regulatory T cells in preclinical models of GVHD," said Dr. Elizabeth J. Shpall, Deputy Chair of the Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center."We are looking forward to beginning clinical trials on this promising modality for preventing GVHD in our patients undergoing stem cell transplantation."

Orphan Drug Designation by FDA confers financial benefits and incentives, such as potential Orphan Drug grant funding to defray the cost of clinical testing, tax credits for the cost of clinical research, a 7 year period of exclusive marketing after Approval and a Waiver of Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) filing fees which are now greater than $2 million.

"The granting of Orphan Drug status for TZ101 for prevention of GVHD in stem cell transplant patients, as well as our previous Orphan Drug designation of TZ101 for cord blood transplantation, provides additional validation of our innovative platform technologies," said Lynnet Koh, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Targazyme."TZ101 and our second product, TZ102 are enabling technologies for improving efficacy outcomes for multiple cell-based therapeutic approaches used to prevent and treat a variety of different diseases for which there is a high unmet medical need.In addition to initiating our registration trial with TZ101 in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, we plan to embark on our cancer immunotherapy trial later this year."

About Targazyme, Inc.

Targazyme Inc. is a San Diego-based, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel enzyme-based platform technologies and products to improve clinical efficacy outcomes for stem cell medicine, auto-immunotherapy, gene therapy and regenerative medicine.

The company's clinical-grade fucosyltransferase enzymes and small molecule products (TZ101 and TZ102) are off-the-shelf products used at the point-of-care to treat therapeutic cells immediately before infusion into the patient using a simple procedure that is easily incorporated into existing medical practice.The company has received a number of world-wide patents, multiple FDA orphan drug designations and major medical/scientific awards and grants.

Targazyme has partnerships and collaborations with Kyowa Hakko Kirin and Florida Biologix, as well as various medical research institutions including The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Texas Transplant Institute, Case Western/University Hospitals, Scripps Hospitals, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, UCLA Medical Center, Stanford University Medical Center, University of Minnesota Medical Center, University of California San Diego, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Indiana University, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and New York Blood Center.For more information please go to http://www.targazyme.com.

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Targazyme Inc. Receives Orphan Drug Designation to TZ101 for Use With Regulatory T Cells to Prevent & Reduce the ...

When it comes to gene expression -- the process by which our DNA provides the recipe used to direct the synthesis of proteins and other molecules that we need for development and survival -- scientists have so far studied one single gene at a time. A new approach developed by Harvard geneticist George Church, Ph.D., can help uncover how tandem gene circuits dictate life processes, such as the healthy development of tissue or the triggering of a particular disease, and can also be used for directing precision stem cell differentiation for regenerative medicine and growing organ transplants.

The findings, reported by Church and his team of researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and Harvard Medical School in Nature Methods, show promise that precision gene therapies could be developed to prevent and treat disease on a highly customizable, personalized level, which is crucial given the fact that diseases develop among diverse pathways among genetically-varied individuals. Wyss Core Faculty member Jim Collins, Ph.D., was also a co-author on the paper. Collins is also the Henri Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering & Science and Professor in the Department of Biological Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The approach leverages the Cas9 protein, which has already been employed as a Swiss Army knife for genome engineering, in a novel way. The Cas9 protein can be programmed to bind and cleave any desired section of DNA -- but now Church's new approach activates the genes Cas9 binds to rather than cleaving them, triggering them to activate transcription to express or repress desired genetic traits. And by engineering the Cas9 to be fused to a triple-pronged transcription factor, Church and his team can robustly manipulate single or multiple genes to control gene expression.

"In terms of genetic engineering, the more knobs you can twist to exert control over the expression of genetic traits, the better," said Church, a Wyss Core Faculty member who is also Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at Harvard and MIT. "This new work represents a major, entirely new class of knobs that we could use to control multiple genes and therefore influence whether or not specific genetics traits are expressed and to what extent -- we could essentially dial gene expression up or down with great precision."

Such a capability could lead to gene therapies that would mitigate age-related degeneration and the onset of disease; in the study, Church and his team demonstrated the ability to manipulate gene expression in yeast, flies, mouse and human cell cultures.

"We envision using this approach to investigate and create comprehensive libraries that document which gene circuits control a wide range of gene expression," said one of the study's lead authors Alejandro Chavez, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow at the Wyss Institute. Jonathan Schieman, Ph.D, of the Wyss Institute and Harvard Medical School, and Suhani Vora, of the Wyss Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard Medical School, are also lead co-authors on the study.

The new Cas9 approach could also potentially target and activate sections of the genome made up of genes that are not directly responsible for transcription, and which previously were poorly understood. These sections, which comprise up to 90% of the genome in humans, have previously been considered to be useless DNA "dark matter" by geneticists. In contrast to translated DNA, which contains recipes of genetic information used to express traits, this DNA dark matter contains transcribed genes which act in mysterious ways, with several of these genes often having influence in tandem.

But now, that DNA dark matter could be accessed using Cas9, allowing scientists to document which non-translated genes can be activated in tandem to influence gene expression. Furthermore, these non-translated genes could also be turned into a docking station of sorts. By using Cas9 to target and bind gene circuits to these sections, scientists could introduce synthetic loops of genes to a genome, therefore triggering entirely new or altered gene expressions.

The ability to manipulate multiple genes in tandem so precisely also has big implications for advancing stem cell engineering for development of transplant organs and regenerative therapies.

"In order to grow organs from stem cells, our understanding of developmental biology needs to increase rapidly," said Church. "This multivariate approach allows us to quickly churn through and analyze large numbers of gene combinations to identify developmental pathways much faster than has been previously capable."

See the article here:
Activating genes on demand: Possible?

Report Details

Translational Regenerative Medicine - new study showing you trends, R&D progress, and predicted revenues Where is the market for regenerative medicine heading? What are the commercial prospects for this market and related technologies? Visiongain's brand new report shows you potential revenues and other trends to 2025, discussing data, opportunities and prospects.

Visiongain's report lets you assess regenerative medicine: cell-based therapies that aim to restore function and regenerate diseased tissues. Our 260 page report provides 145 tables, charts, and graphs. Discover the most lucrative areas in the industry and the future market prospects. Our new study lets you assess forecasted sales at world market, submarket and national level. You will see financial results, interviews, trends, opportunities and revenue predictions.

Forecasts from 2015-2025 and other analyses show you commercial prospects Besides revenue forecasting to 2025, our new study provides you with recent results, growth rates, and market shares. There you will find original analyses, with business outlooks and developments. Discover qualitative analyses (including SWOT and Porter's Five Forces), company profiles and commercial developments. Read the full transcript of an exclusive expert opinion interview from industry specialists informing your understanding and allowing you to assess prospects for investments and sales: Dr Antonio SJ Lee, CEO and Managing Director, MEDIPOST America Inc.

You find prospects for key submarkets and products In addition to analyses of the overall world market, you see revenue forecasts for these three submarkets to 2025: Stem cell therapies Gene Therapies Tissue engineering products

Products that can significantly increase disease-free survival and improve patient tolerance will achieve success. In the long term, we forecast these curative therapies to be adopted by many healthcare systems globally.

Our investigation shows business research and analyses with individual revenue forecasts and discussions. You find dynamics of the industry and assess its potential sales, seeing agents likely to achieve the most success.

To see a report overview please email Sara Peerun on sara.peerun@visiongainglobal.com

See revenue forecasts for products How will leading products perform to 2025 at the world level? Our study forecasts sales of currently marketed and pipeline regenerative medicine products including these: Osteocel Plus Trinity ELITE and Trinity Evolution Prochymal Apligraf Dermagraft ReCell Neovasculgen Glybera Talimogene Laherparepvec (T-Vec)

Discover how high revenues can go. You will see what is happening, understanding trends, challenges and opportunities.

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Translational Regenerative Medicine: Market Prospects 2015-2025

Riverside, ON and Brea CA (PRWEB) February 26, 2015

The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center announces a series of free public seminars on the use of adult stem cells for various degenerative and inflammatory conditions. They will be provided by Dr. Thomas A. Gionis, Surgeon-in-Chief.

The seminars will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2015, at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm at Courtyard Riverside Downtown / Marriott, 1510 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92507; Tuesday, March 10, 2015, at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm at Ayres Suites Ontario at the Mills Mall, 4370 Mills Circle, Ontario, CA 91764; and Saturday, March 21, 2015, at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm at Embassy Suites Hotel, 900 E Birch Street, Brea, CA 92821. Please RSVP at (949) 679-3889.

The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center (Irvine and Westlake), along with sister affiliates, the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center (Miami; Boca Raton; Orlando; The Villages, Florida) and the Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group (Manhattan, New York), abide by approved investigational protocols using adult adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) which can be deployed to improve patients quality of life for a number of chronic, degenerative and inflammatory conditions and diseases. ADSCs are taken from the patients own adipose (fat) tissue (found within a cellular mixture called stromal vascular fraction (SVF)). ADSCs are exceptionally abundant in adipose tissue. The adipose tissue is obtained from the patient during a 15 minute mini-liposuction performed under local anesthesia in the doctors office. SVF is a protein-rich solution containing mononuclear cell lines (predominantly adult autologous mesenchymal stem cells), macrophage cells, endothelial cells, red blood cells, and important Growth Factors that facilitate the stem cell process and promote their activity.

ADSCs are the bodys natural healing cells - they are recruited by chemical signals emitted by damaged tissues to repair and regenerate the bodys injured cells. The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center only uses Adult Autologous Stem Cells from a persons own fat No embryonic stem cells are used; and No bone marrow stem cells are used. Current areas of study include: Emphysema, COPD, Asthma, Heart Failure, Heart Attack, Parkinsons Disease, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Lou Gehrigs Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohns Disease, Muscular Dystrophy, Inflammatory Myopathies, and degenerative orthopedic joint conditions (Knee, Shoulder, Hip, Spine). For more information, or if someone thinks they may be a candidate for one of the adult stem cell protocols offered by the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center, they may contact Dr. Gionis directly at (949) 679-3889, or see a complete list of the Centers study areas at: http://www.IrvineStemCellsUSA.com.

About the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center: The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center, along with sister affiliates, the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center and the Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group, is an affiliate of the California Stem Cell Treatment Center / Cell Surgical Network (CSN); we are located in Irvine and Westlake, California. We provide care for people suffering from diseases that may be alleviated by access to adult stem cell based regenerative treatment. We utilize a fat transfer surgical technology to isolate and implant the patients own stem cells from a small quantity of fat harvested by a mini-liposuction on the same day. The investigational protocols utilized by the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center have been reviewed and approved by an IRB (Institutional Review Board) which is registered with the U.S. Department of Health, Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP); and our studies are registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). For more information, visit our websites: http://www.IrvineStemCellsUSA.com, http://www.MiamiStemCellsUSA.com, or http://www.NYStemCellsUSA.com.

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The Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center Announces Adult Stem Cell Public Seminars in Riverside, Ontario, and Brea ...

The Villages, Florida (PRWEB) February 25, 2015

The Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center announces a series of free public seminars on the use of adult stem cells for various degenerative and inflammatory conditions. They will be provided by Dr. Thomas A. Gionis, Surgeon-in-Chief and Dr. Nia Smyrniotis, Medical Director.

The seminars will be held on Tuesday March 3, 2015, at 1:00pm, 3:00pm, 5:00pm and 7:00pm at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites The Villages, 1205 Avenida Central, The Villages, FL 32159. There will be a Social Hour with the Doctors after the 7:00pm session. Please RSVP at (561) 331-2999, all events are by reservation only.

The Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center (Miami; Boca Raton; Orlando; The Villages), along with sister affiliates, the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center (Irvine; Westlake Villages, California) and the Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group (Manhattan, New York), abide by approved investigational protocols using adult adipose derived stem cells (ADSCs) which can be deployed to improve patients quality of life for a number of chronic, degenerative and inflammatory conditions and diseases. ADSCs are taken from the patients own adipose (fat) tissue (found within a cellular mixture called stromal vascular fraction (SVF)). ADSCs are exceptionally abundant in adipose tissue. The adipose tissue is obtained from the patient during a 15 minute mini-liposuction performed under local anesthesia in the doctors office. SVF is a protein-rich solution containing mononuclear cell lines (predominantly adult autologous mesenchymal stem cells), macrophage cells, endothelial cells, red blood cells, and important Growth Factors that facilitate the stem cell process and promote their activity.

ADSCs are the bodys natural healing cells - they are recruited by chemical signals emitted by damaged tissues to repair and regenerate the bodys injured cells. The Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center only uses Adult Autologous Stem Cells from a persons own fat No embryonic stem cells are used; and No bone marrow stem cells are used. Current areas of study include: Emphysema, COPD, Asthma, Heart Failure, Heart Attack, Parkinsons Disease, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Lou Gehrigs Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohns Disease, Muscular Dystrophy, Inflammatory Myopathies, and degenerative orthopedic joint conditions (Knee, Shoulder, Hip, Spine). For more information, or if someone thinks they may be a candidate for one of the adult stem cell protocols offered by the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center, they may contact Dr. Gionis or Dr. Smyrniotis directly at (561) 331-2999, or see a complete list of the Centers study areas at: http://www.MiamiStemCellsUSA.com.

About the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center: The Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center, along with sister affiliates, the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center and the Manhattan Regenerative Medicine Medical Group, is an affiliate of the California Stem Cell Treatment Center / Cell Surgical Network (CSN); we are located in Miami, Boca Raton, Orlando and The Villages, Florida. We provide care for people suffering from diseases that may be alleviated by access to adult stem cell based regenerative treatment. We utilize a fat transfer surgical technology to isolate and implant the patients own stem cells from a small quantity of fat harvested by a mini-liposuction on the same day. The investigational protocols utilized by the Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center have been reviewed and approved by an IRB (Institutional Review Board) which is registered with the U.S. Department of Health, Office of Human Research Protection (OHRP); and our studies are registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). For more information, visit our websites: http://www.MiamiStemCellsUSA.com, http://www.IrvineStemCellsUSA.com , or http://www.NYStemCellsUSA.com.

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The Miami Stem Cell Treatment Center Announces Adult Stem Cell Public Seminars in The Villages, Florida

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A new study led by researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and the University of California (UC), San Diego School of Medicine shows that certain stem cell culture methods are associated with increased DNA mutations. The study points researchers toward safer and more robust methods of growing stem cells to treat disease and injury.

"This is about quality control; we're making sure these cells are safe and effective," said Jeanne Loring, a professor of developmental neurobiology at TSRI and senior author of the study with Louise Laurent, assistant professor at UC San Diego.

Laurent added, "The processes used to maintain and expand stem cell cultures for cell replacement therapies needs to be improved, and the resulting cells carefully tested before use."

The findings were published February 25 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

Growing Stem Cells

Because these human stem cells, called "pluripotent stem cells," can differentiate into many types of cells, they could be key to reversing degenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, or repairing injured tissue, such as cardiac muscle after a heart attack. Stem cells are relatively rare in the body, however, so researchers must culture them in dishes.

While all cells run the risk of mutating when they divide, previous research from Loring and her colleagues suggested that stem cell culturing may select for mutations that favor faster cell growth and are sometimes associated with tumors.

"Most changes will not compromise the safety of the cells for therapy, but we need to monitor the cultures so that we know what sorts of changes take place," said the paper's first author Ibon Garitaonandia, a postdoctoral researcher working in Loring's lab at the time of the study.

How to Reduce Mutations

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New study shows safer methods for stem cell culturing

Boston, MA (PRWEB) February 25, 2015

Anyone familiar with the founding principles of Asymmetrex, LLC will appreciate the new editorial from its director and the collection of authors he assembled as Associate Editor for the Frontiers Research Topic, titled Stem Cell Genetic Fidelity. Both the introductory editorial and the individual articles are currently available online, ahead of issue in the form of the Frontiers e-book later this year.

Central to the stem cell mechanisms investigated and reviewed by the nine articles is the still controversial proposal of immortal strands in adult tissue stem cells. Based on the experimental observations of K. Gordon Lark in the 1960s, John Cairns predicted the existence of immortal strands of the DNA genetic material about a decade later.

In studies with cultured mouse tissues and plant root tips, Lark had noted that when some cells divided, they seemed to violate well-established genetic laws. These were the Mendelian laws of inheritance, name after Gregor Mendel, who laid their foundation. Each of the 46 human chromosomes has two complementary strands of DNA. One DNA strand is older than the other, because it was used as the template for copying the other. As a result of this inherent age difference in chromosome DNA strands, when the two DNA strands are split to make two new chromosomes before cell division to produce two new cells one chromosome in each of the 46 pairs of new chromosomes has the oldest DNA strand.

Mendels laws maintain that each new sister cell should randomly get a similar number of chromosomes with the oldest DNA strands. But Cairns hypothesized that adult tissue stem cells had a mechanism to ignore Mendels laws. Instead, one of the two cells produced by an asymmetric stem cell division retained all, and only, the chromosomes with the oldest DNA strands. Cairns called these immortal strands. By continuously retaining the same complete set of oldest template DNA strands, Cairns envisioned that tissue stem cells could significantly reduce their rate of accumulation of carcinogenic mutations, which primarily occur by chance when DNA is being copied.

Cairns presented his concept of immortal strands in tissue stem cells in a 1975 report to account for a large discrepancy that he had noted between human cancer rates and human cell mutation rates. He estimated that human cancer rates, though still undesirable, fell far short of expectations based on generally known rates of human cell mutation.

Whereas some scientists continue to view Cairns immortal strand hypothesis as folly, others consider it genius. In the last decade, progress in evidence for immortal strands in stem cells of diverse animal tissues and animal species accelerated greatly. However, little progress has occurred in defining their role in normal tissue stem cells or diseases like cancer.

In his new editorial, Sherley reveals that he is firmly in the camp that views the immortal strand hypothesis as genius. Before founding Asymmetrex, as a laboratory head in two different independent research institutes Fox Chase Cancer Center and Boston Biomedical Research Institute and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology he developed new tools and approaches for investigating immortal strand functions, which are now a focus for commercial development in the new company. Immortal strands and cellular factors associated with them have significant potential to provide specific biomarkers for tissue stem cells. There is a significant unmet need for such invaluable tools in stem cell research, drug development, and regenerative medicine.

About Asymmetrex (http://asymmetrex.com/)

Asymmetrex, LLC is a Massachusetts life sciences company with a focus on developing technologies to advance stem cell medicine. Asymmetrexs founder and director, James L. Sherley, M.D., Ph.D. is an internationally recognized expert on the unique properties of adult tissue stem cells. The companys patent portfolio contains biotechnologies that solve the two main technical problems production and quantification that have stood in the way of successful commercialization of human adult tissue stem cells for regenerative medicine and drug development. In addition, the portfolio includes novel technologies for isolating cancer stem cells and producing induced pluripotent stem cells for disease research purposes. Currently, Asymmetrexs focus is employing its technological advantages to develop facile methods for monitoring adult stem cell number and function in clinically important human tissues.

Excerpt from:
New Commentary from Asymmetrex LLC Director Anticipates Forthcoming E-Book on Stem Cell Genetic Fidelity

Durham, NC (PRWEB) February 25, 2015

A new study published in the latest issue of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine reveals how a particular type of stem cell generated from fat tissue may outperform other types of stem cells in speeding up the healing of wounds caused by type 1 diabetes. In the study, ulcers in a mice model treated with these cells healed significantly faster than those treated with general types of stem cells.

Slow-healing wounds present one of the most common and perplexing complications associated with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. If left untreated, they can lead to amputation, and even death. In fact, diabetes is the leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation in the United States, according to the American Diabetes Association. Despite this, there are very few consistently effective treatments for speeding the wound-healing process in patients.

Addressing this issue, researchers at the University of Tokyo (UT) School of Medicine partnered with colleagues at the Research Center for Stem Cell Engineering, National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Ibaraki, Japan) to test whether a type of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) called Muse, which is harvested from adult adipose tissue (that is, fat), might work better than other types of MSCs in treating diabetes wounds. Previous studies had shown that Muse which stands for multilineage differentiating stress-enduring cells do not have high proliferative activity, but they do generate multiple cell types of the three germ layers without inducing unfavorable tumors. Thus, Muse cells appear to be safer than other induced pluripotent or multipotent cells and might have better therapeutic potential than general (non-Muse) MSCs.

The study details how researchers isolated the Muse cells from human tissue and then injected them into skin ulcers in diabetic mice. Study leader Kotaro Yoshimura, M.D., of UTs Department of Plastic Surgery said that, After 14 days the mice treated with Muse-rich cells showed significantly accelerated wound healing compared to those treated with Muse-poor cells. The transplanted cells were integrated into the regenerated skin as vascular endothelial cells and other cells. However, they were not detected in the surrounding intact regions.

In fact, not only had the wounds of the mice treated with the Muse cells completely healed after the 14-day period, but the healed skin was thicker than that of the non-Muse treated wounds, too.

Were not sure yet why the Muse cells seem to work better, Dr. Yoshimura stated, but they expressed upregulated pluripotency markers and some angiogenic growth factors, and our animal results certainly suggest a clinical potential for them in the future. These cells can be achieved in large amounts with minimal morbidity and could be a practical tool for a variety of stem cell-depleted or ischemic conditions of various organs and tissues.

Fat tissue has been gaining attention as a practical source of adult stem cells, said Anthony Atala, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of STEM CELLS Translational Medicine and director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. This study suggests the future clinical potential for Muse cells.

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The full article, Therapeutic Potential of Adipose-Derived SSEA-3-Positive Muse Cells for Treating Diabetic Skin Ulcers, can be accessed at http://www.stemcellstm.com.

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Researchers Hone in on Stem Cell that Speeds Healing of Stubborn Diabetes Wounds

Figure 1. Stem CellRecruiting Hydrogels Based on Self-Assembling Peptides

The Materials for Biomaterials session Best Contribution Award presented by Steve Zinkle goes to Yongmee Jung, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, for the oral presentation Self-assembling peptide nanofiber coupled with neuropeptide substance P for stem cell recruitment.

As a winner of the above Materials Today Asia Contribution Award, Yongmee Jung and Soo Hyun Kim discuss their work with us.

Stem cellbased therapy in regenerative medicine may be one of the best approaches for wound healing and tissue regeneration. Many studies have shown that the trophic effects of transplanted stem cells enhance the treatment of lung, liver, and skin injuries, as well as myocardial infarction [1]. However, although stem cell transplantationincluding cell isolation and cell culture in vitroresults in a good prognosis, there are some limitations, such as high cost, invasiveness, the shortage of cell sources, and the risk of tumorigenesis [2]. To overcome these limitations, technologies for recruiting endogenous stem cells to the site of injury may provide another promising approach, mimicking in situ tissue regeneration by the bodys own wound healing process. Unlike cell-based therapies, this strategy does not need outside cell sources or in vitro cell manipulation. Host stem cells can be mobilized using granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), or stromal cellderived factor-1 alpha (SDF-1), each of which upregulates adhesion molecules and activates chemokine signaling [3]. It has been reported that substance P (SP), another candidate for recruitment of host stem cells, is an injury-inducible factor that acts early in the wound healing process to mobilize CD29+ stromal-like cells, and thus could be used for tissue regeneration [1].

To achieve effective delivery of SP for an extended period and improve the engraftment of recruited cells at the injured site, scaffolds can be constructed from hydrogels with microenvironments similar to the native tissue. Of particular interest are self-assembling peptide (SAP)based hydrogels, which are typically composed of alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acids organized into 510 nm fibers and assembled into three-dimensional nanofibrous structures under in vivo conditions [4]. The resulting structure resembles nanostructured environments such as collagen hierarchical structures that promote adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of cells. Furthermore, SAP is versatile enough to incorporate specific motifs based on the desired function with chemical coupling by peptide bond [5].

Recently, we designed bioactive peptide hydrogels that are able to recruit mesenchymal stem cells by coupling SAP to SP. The mixture of SAP and SP-coupled SAP can successfully maintain its nanofibrous structure and be assembled into a 3D scaffold at physiological conditions.

We confirmed the ability of this SP-coupled SAP to attract stem cells both by in vitro cell migration assay and by in vivo real-time cell tracking assay. In vitro, many cells migrated through the 8-m membrane pores and settled onto the lower surfaces of Transwell plates under the influence of SP-coupled SAP. In vivo, we injected the hydrogels into the subcutaneous tissue in nude mice and injected labeled human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) into the tail vein. The migration of the injected cells was tracked in real time using a multispectral imaging system, which demonstrated that the labeled hMSCs supplied via intravenous injection were recruited to the hydrogel-injected site (Figure) [6]. We then applied our bioactive peptide hydrogels, SAP coupled with SP, to several disease models to evaluate their stem cell recruitment abilities and treatment effects on injured tissues. We have studied the effects of these hydrogels on animal models of ischemic hind limb, calvarial defect, myocardial infarction, osteoarthritis, and skin wounds. We observed in each case that in the group treated with SP-coupled peptide hydrogels, many MSCs were recruited to the injured sites, and cell apoptosis and fibrosis of injured tissues were both conspicuously decreased. Moreover, the regeneration of site-specific tissues was enhanced with the injection of stem cellrecruiting peptide hydrogels in various defect models, and tissue functions were accordingly improved without cell transplantation [2, 5, 6]. In conclusion, we have developed injectable bioactive peptides that can recruit MSCs and have evaluated their therapeutic potential on animal defect models. By applying these peptide hydrogels, we were able to deliver SP over an extended period and provide 3D microenvironments to injured regions, allowing bioactive peptides to recruit MSCs successfully, prevent cell apoptosis, and promote tissue regeneration leading to a full recovery of defects. We expect that stem cellrecruiting hydrogels based on SAP could be one of the most powerful tools for tissue regeneration without cell transplantation through the recruitment of endogenous stem cells.

This work was supported by the KIST Institutional Program

1. H. S. Hong, et al., Nat. Med., 15 (2009), pp. 425435 2. J. H. Kim, et al., Biomaterials, 34 (2013), pp. 16571668 3. T. Lapidot, I. Petit, Exp. Hematol., 30 (2002), pp. 973981 4. S. Zhang, et al., Semin. Cancer Biol., 15 (5) (2005), pp. 413420 5. J. E. Kim, et al., Int. J. Nanomedicine, 9 (Suppl 1) (2014), pp. 141157 6. S. H. Kim, et al., Tissue Eng. Part A, E-Pub (2014)

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Stem cellrecruiting hydrogels based on self-assembling peptides for tissue regeneration

MIAMI (PRWEB) February 24, 2015

In answer to industry-wide requests for more accessible solutions to stem cell procedures, Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. and Regenestem have announced the launch of two new stem cell harvesting and isolation kits.

The Regenestem BMAC 60 mL concentrating system is a high performing concentrating system for bone marrow aspirate. This kit come complete with a bone marrow filter, a bone marrow aspirating needle and a locking syringe to help maintain suction during the aspirating process. The BMAC 60 kit includes bone marrow concentrate up to 11 times the baseline values, to produce 6-8 mL BMC from a 60 mL sample of bone marrow aspirate.

The Regenestem 60 mL Adipose Derived Stem Cell (ADSC) Kit System includes all the tools and consumables for the extraction of adipose-derived stem cells from 60 mL of lipoaspirated fat. The ADSC kit is currently being used in clinical procedures for lung disease, intra-articular injections for osteoarthritis of the knee and hip, cosmetic surgery and acne scarring, dermal injections, stem cell enriched fat transfer, wounds, chronic ulcers and other chronic conditions. The enzymatic component used to obtain the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) is provided by Adistem.

The Regenestem ADSC Kit System is available in three versions:

Gold, to conduct in-office stem cell procedures with certified GMP components for reliable performance.

Platinum, with all the benefits of the basic (gold) kit plus a sterilized PRP close system with vortex engineering method to minimize platelet loss. One set of individually packed Tulip Gems instruments are added for safe and precise adipose tissue extraction.

Titanium, the perfect state-of-the-art deluxe kit system used by a growing number of regenerative medicine physicians and recognized as the perfect preparation for virtually all clinical applications. Built with Emcyte technology, the Regenestem Titanium kit has been independently reviewed and proven in various critical performance points that make a difference in patient outcomes.

The Titanium kit is currently being used in topical procedures such as intra-articular injection for osteoarthritis of the knee and hip, cosmetic surgery and acne scarring, dermal injection, stem cell enriched fat transfer, wounds chronic ulcers among other chronic conditions.

According to Global Stem Cells Group CEO Benito Novas, the entire Global Stem Cells Group faculty and scientific advisory board worked together to develop the kits.

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Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. Announces Launch of New Stem Cell Harvesting Products

MIAMI (PRWEB) February 16, 2015

Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. announced an alliance with India-based stem cells company Advancells.com, to share protocols and expand GSCG operations in the India subcontinent with stem cell training and a new treatment center.

Advancells, a pioneer stem cell company with some of the most advanced protocols in the world, focuses on therapeutic applications of regenerative medicine primarily used in stem cells generated from the patients own body. Advancells delivers technologies for safe and effective treatments using their flagship technologies including autologous stem cell therapy from bone marrow and adipose tissue to patients worldwide; Global Stem Cells Group will implement some Advancells technologies in the Regenestem Netowork of worldwide clinics.

Since 2005, Advancells has safely treated thousands of patients for a range of diseases and medical conditions in its various clinics around the globe. Advancells is supported by physicians, stem cell experts and clinical research scientists to continually monitor and improve the effectiveness of its quality management system with excellence and innovation.

"We are pleased to partner with Global Stem Cells Group, to combine our knowledge and expand our ability to bring stem cell medicine to patients worldwide, says Advancells CEO Vipul Jain. I am looking forward to a long and productive alliance.

For more information, visit the Global Stem Cells Group website, email bnovas(AT)stemcellsgroup.com, or call 305-224-1858.

About the Global Stem Cells Group:

Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. is the parent company of six wholly owned operating companies dedicated entirely to stem cell research, training, products and solutions. Founded in 2012, the company combines dedicated researchers, physician and patient educators and solution providers with the shared goal of meeting the growing worldwide need for leading edge stem cell treatments and solutions. With a singular focus on this exciting new area of medical research, Global Stem Cells Group and its subsidiaries are uniquely positioned to become global leaders in cellular medicine.

Global Stem Cells Groups corporate mission is to make the promise of stem cell medicine a reality for patients around the world. With each of GSCGs six operating companies focused on a separate research-based mission, the result is a global network of state-of-the-art stem cell treatments.

About the Regenestem Network:

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Global Stem Cells Group Announces Alliance with Advancells