StemCell Therapy

New research has shown that human mini brains can integrate with damaged rat brains to perform functions related to sight a promising step toward a future where lab-grown brain tissue can reverse blindness in people.

The challenge: If the visual cortex the part of the brain that receives and processes information from the eyes is damaged by injury or disease, a person can lose their ability to see.

We still didnt know if organoids implanted in the visual cortex would actually function like natural brain tissue.

Researchers have speculated that grafting brain organoids clumps of lab-grown cells that mimic the structure of real brain tissue onto a damaged visual cortex might give people back some or even all of their vision.

This area of study is still very new, but prior research has shown that the brains of baby rats will accept and integrate grafts from human mini brains. It was a promising sign, but we still didnt know if organoids implanted in the visual cortex would actually function like natural brain tissue.

Whats new? To find out, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania grew brain organoids in their lab for 80 days. They then grafted the clumps of cells into the brains of 46 rats that had sustained injuries to their visual cortices.

After three months, about 82% of the grafts had successfully integrated into the rats brains the lab-grown cells grew in size and number, formed synapses with the rats own neurons, and developed healthy vasculatures.

These organoid neuronswere able to adopt very specific functions of the visual cortex.

To figure out whether the human mini brains were actually becoming functioning parts of the visual cortex, the researchers used fluorescent viruses, which use synapses to travel between neurons, to map the neural network.

By injecting one of these viral tracers into the eye of the animal, we were able to trace the neuronal connections downstream from the retina, said senior author H. Isaac Chen. The tracer got all the way to the organoid.

Once they knew these specific connections had formed between the rats brains and the organoids, the researchers connected electrodes to neurons in the transplanted mini brains. Those allowed them to measure activity in the organoids while the rats were exposed to flashing lights.

We saw that a good number of neurons within the organoid responded to specific orientations of light, which gives us evidence that these organoid neurons were able to not just integrate with the visual system, but they were able to adopt very specific functions of the visual cortex, said Chen.

The caveats: While about 75% of the neurons in the rats own visual cortices responded to the light stimulation, only 20% of those in the grafted human mini brains did.

[T]here were fewer neurons that responded to light than ideal, Chen told Technology Networks. Understanding how to improve this response rate/integration is one of our primary goals for the future.

Neural tissues have the potential to rebuild areas of the injured brain.

The type of vision-impairing damage sustained by the rodents in the study isnt exactly the same type that typically causes blindness in people, either, so thats another area ripe for future study.

[W]hile the aspiration cavity we made is a brain injury of sorts, it is not a good model for conditions like traumatic brain injury and stroke, said Chen. We would like to move our transplantation studies into these types of models in the future.

Looking ahead: As is the case with all rat studies, theres a chance humans would respond to this procedure in a completely different way, so much more research is needed before anyone could try using organoids to repair brain damage in people.

The researchers believe the potential is huge, however.

Neural tissues have the potential to rebuild areas of the injured brain, said Chen. We havent worked everything out, but this is a very solid first step.

Wed love to hear from you! If you have a comment about this article or if you have a tip for a future Freethink story, please email us at [emailprotected].

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Human mini brains illuminate path to curing blindness

I dont understand why curable blindness is a thing. Why dont governments step in and help? Even if youre thinking purely from a financial standpoint its hard to see how they dont roi on taxes from people being able to work again, he wrote in another tweet.

There are plenty of reasons to be skeptical of MrBeast to varying degrees. The New York Times reported that he has berated his employees. He made anti-gay jokes on Twitter as recently as 2017, and hes a young and powerful business owner who idolizes Elon Musk. And, of course, theres the question of his intentions when creating stunt philanthropy content.

Another huge problem: MrBeast's video seems to regard disability as something that needs to be solved. He doesn't say in the video or in any of his subsequent public statements whether he consulted with the video's subjects about how they felt to have their disability treated as a problem. That's something that's been argued over in the days since the video was uploaded.

If Mr Beast TRULY wanted to do something good and TRULY cares about disabled people, he wouldnt monetize their suffering and make them tap dance on video just so he can slap it up on YouTube, healthcare advocate Kendall Brown tweeted.

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Why Are People So Mad About MrBeast's Blindness Video?

Posted on Aug 9, 2004

Raymond V. Gilmartin '63 arrived at Union College in his parents' Ford station wagon in 1959, the first in his family to attend college. Schenectady was the farthest he'd traveled in a day from his Sayville, Long Island home.

More than four decades later, the former engineering student and award-winning athlete is at home the world over, be it partnering with the leaders of foreign nations and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or dispensing life-saving drugs to combat HIV and AIDS in South Africa.

As chairman, president and CEO of the pharmaceutical giant Merck and Co., Gilmartin has been hailed by The Economist as a role model for the new breed of socially concerned, non-celebrity executives for his philanthropic work and for being a business leader with a social conscience.

As Gilmartin himself likes to relate with amusement, members of the investment community asked, Who IS this guy? when he moved into the top spot at Merck in 1994, the first time in a century the company had chosen a leader from outside its ranks.

Gilmartin took an unlikely path toward pharmaceutical CEO. During his years at Union a time he describes as exhilarating he studied electrical engineering; excelled in football, wrestling and lacrosse; won numerous athletic and academic prizes and also broadened his perspective by taking such courses as History of the English Novel.

Attending Union was a critical opportunity for someone from a small-town high school to have exposure to the humanities, to social and intellectual diversity, he says. It built my confidence about what I could aspire to.

He credits Union for helping him learn to balance multiple responsibilities and sort out values and priorities. Going to chemistry lab was, for example, considered a higher priority than football practice, he recalls.

After business school at Harvard and holding positions as a development engineer at Eastman Kodak (1963-66), management consultant at Arthur D. Little (1968-76) and CEO of Becton Dickinson & Co. (1976-94), Gilmartin arrived at Merck in 1994 and quickly turned his outsider status into an advantage.

He introduced a highly inclusive management style, asking his new colleagues to identify key issues and advise how they would face challenges.

That helps unleash an organization's creative talents, Gilmartin says. I focus clearly on the success of Merck and not on my success. If Merck succeeds, I'll do fine.

By concentrating on Merck's core business of developing breakthrough drugs and divesting non-drug businesses, Gilmartin has led the firm through tremendous growth, launching 17 new drugs and increasing annual revenues from $15 billion to nearly $50 billion since his arrival.

He traces this success to the philosophy stated in 1950 by Chairman George W. Merck: Medicine is for the people. It is not for the profits. The profits follow.

One of the reasons we're here at all is because of these values, Gilmartin says. Even though our mission is to discover medicines, we also have a responsibility to help people gain access to those medications.

Since 1987, before Gilmartin took the reins, Merck has donated $1 billion of the drug Mectizan to treat 30 million people annually for river blindness in sub-Sahara Africa.

Under Gilmartin's leadership, the company has continued its mission of providing medicine to those who need it most.

It has donated $100 million worth of vaccines for hepatitis and other diseases to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and committed $50 million through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Republic of Botswana to help combat AIDS in a nation where 40 percent of all adults are infected.

More than ever, the business world has an important leadership role to play in terms of closing the gap in health and other vital social issues, Gilmartin says. Not only do I think it's possible to succeed while maintaining ethical standards, I think it's the only way.

WORK: Chairman, presidentand CEO of Merck and Co.

PASSION: Fighting AIDS

FAMILY: Married to Gladys Higham; three grown children

HOME: Park Ridge, N.J.

DEGREES: B.S., electricalengineering, Union, 1963; M.B.A., Harvard, 1968; Hon. LL.D.,Union, 1999

INTERESTS: Skiing, tennis, sailing

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES: Trustee (1990-98); Trustee Board of Advisors (1988-90); class president (1984-88); ReUnion co-chairman (1988); Friend of Union Athletics

A strong supporter of Union College, Merck CEO Ray Gilmartin has attended all but one of his class ReUnions.

It's great to see what became of these brilliant and creative people who used to work on Concordiensis or be on the football fields or in the labs. I'm always impressed by the people from Union, he says.

As good as the school was when I was a student, I have seen it become stronger and stronger over the years. It's important for alumni to continue to support the school so others can have the same opportunities, or more, in college.Speaking at commencement in 1999, Gilmartin offered this advice: Climb higher. Believe in yourself. Follow your instincts. Pursue what you enjoy. He also quoted writer Tom Wolfe: The future will be nothing like you imagine.

Clearly, it's an aphorism that applies to his life.

In 1963, when I graduated from Union, I had no idea I'd ever be fortunate enough to be able to do the things in that picture, he says, referring to the photo of him dispensing drugs in Africa that appeared last year in The Economist.

Union helped me take a major step forward.

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Raymond V. Gilmartin: Man with a global vision

This heartwarming video of a colorblind boy seeing color for the first time will make you cry  Indiatimes.com

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This heartwarming video of a colorblind boy seeing color for the first time will make you cry - Indiatimes.com

What Is Amyloidosis? All About The Rare Disease That Pervez Musharraf Suffered From  ABP Live

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What Is Amyloidosis? All About The Rare Disease That Pervez Musharraf Suffered From - ABP Live

OverviewWhat is blindness?

Blindness is the inability to see or a lack of vision. In the most severe cases, theres an inability to see even light. It also means that you cant correct your vision with eyeglasses, contact lenses, eye drops or other medical therapy, or surgery. Sudden vision loss is an emergency. Its important to seek immediate medical help.

You might wonder about color blindness, which is not blindness in the traditional sense. Another name for this issue is color deficiency. You perceive colors in a different way. You can inherit this condition or acquire it because of disease or damage that occurs in your retina or optic nerve. If you can only see black, white or shades of gray, you have achromatopsia.

You may also hear about preventable blindness or avoidable blindness. These terms refer to blindness that happens to people that have a diseases that is treatable but they never receive care. This often happens because of a lack of access to eye care or healthcare. For instance, people who never receive care for diabetes may develop diabetes-related retinopathy. People who dont receive care for hypertension may develop hypertensive retinopathy.

Blindness is common throughout the world and in the U.S. It can happen to anyone.

In the U.S., an estimated 3.4 million people over age 40 are legally blind. There are many more people with low vision. There are about 43 million people in the world living with blindness, according to one estimate. This number could climb to 60 million by 2050.

With complete blindness there is a lack of vision and the inability of the eye to detect light.

Symptoms that you may have while vision loss develops include:

There are many causes of blindness, including injuries, infections and medical conditions.

Eye injuries, or ocular trauma, can happen in many ways. It usually affects only one eye. Damage can result from:

Many infectious diseases can lead to vision loss and sometimes blindness. These include:

Many non-infectious diseases can cause blindness, but some in only the most severe stages of the disease. These include:

A provider will test each eye for sight, giving you a thorough eye exam. Its possible for blindness to affect only one eye.

Tests may include:

The type of treatment available depends on your condition. Providers can treat some forms of blindness with medications or glasses but cant treat other types, such as the ones where your eyes are missing or completely damaged. In these cases, your provider may recommend visual rehabilitation. The goal of vision rehabilitation is to enhance visual functioning so you can meet your visual goals and improve your quality of life. Often, this happens through low-vision training, therapy and using low-vision devices.

Treatment exists for some forms of blindness, depending on the cause and how extensive the eye damage is.

You cant prevent some types of blindness. But blindness is preventable in many cases.

Some governments and societies are working to stop blindness caused by preventable diseases, like trachoma. Theyre making medicines more available in large areas of the world.

On a personal level, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of partial or total blindness. These include:

If youre completely or partially blind, there are options. It may help to learn as much as you can about your condition.

Living with blindness affects your life and the lives of your family and friends. It affects your mobility, your ability to care for yourself or others, your employment it even affects how you relax and have fun. Some of these issues may be even more pressing for older adults.

Ask your ophthalmologist about ways of coping with low or no vision or recommendations for services that can help you. These services can include:

Get immediate medical help if you:

You probably have many questions for your provider. They may include:

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Hearing a diagnosis of blindness may bring on many emotions because of the inevitable impact on your life. Its important and practical to get whatever support you need. Members of your healthcare team are there to answer questions and help to provide tools to make sure you have the best quality of life.

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Blindness (Vision Impairment): Types, Causes and Treatment

WASHINGTON -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called on the public to immediately discontinue use of EzriCare Artificial Tears, saying the eye drops could be linked to infections that have resulted in hospitalization, vision loss and one death.

The CDC issued its warning Wednesday after 55 patients in 12 states were identified with infections caused by a strain of the extensively drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria between May and January.

Most patients reported using artificial tears. The majority of patients who used artificial tears reported using EzriCare Artificial Tears, a preservative-free, over-the-counter product packaged in multidose bottles, the CDC said. Patients and healthcare providers should immediately discontinue using EzriCare artificial tears pending additional guidance from CDC and the Food and Drug Administration.

Testing by the CDC identified the presence of the outbreak strain in opened EzriCare bottles with different lot numbers collected from two states.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is found in the environment and skin and typically enters eye drops through contamination with environmental agents during handling, David Chen, an ophthalmologist at Singapores National University Hospital, told The Washington Post in an email. The bacteria can lead to corneal infections (microbial keratitis), which can lead to permanent visual damage or blindness if not properly treated, he wrote.

Patient outcomes the CDC identified included permanent vision loss resulting from cornea infection, hospitalization and one death due to systemic infection.

EzriCare, a distributor based in Lakewood, N.J., told the Washington Post that it was not aware of any testing that definitively links the Pseudomonas aeruginosa outbreak to EzriCare Artificial Tears but immediately took action to stop any further distribution or sale of the product.

The product is manufactured by India-based Global Pharma Healthcare, which sells the product under other brand names, and is working with the FDA on a potential recall, EzriCare said.

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CDC urges people to stop using brand of artificial tears linked to ...

Health News Roundup: U.S. FDA says India-made eye drop linked to some infections, blindness and one death; China records 3,278 COVID-related deaths between Jan 27 and Feb 2 and more  Devdiscourse

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Health News Roundup: U.S. FDA says India-made eye drop linked to some infections, blindness and one death; China records 3,278 COVID-related deaths...

I had two strokes at 29 and gone blind -I've been accused of faking my sight loss  Daily Mail

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I had two strokes at 29 and gone blind -I've been accused of faking my sight loss - Daily Mail

Avi Fischer, M.D., joins as SVP, Medical Affairs and Innovation; J.C. Simeon assumes role of SVP, Quality

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Orchestra BioMed Strengthens Senior Leadership Team

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Feb. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLRX), a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of fibrosis, today announced senior management’s participation in the following investor events in February:

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Pliant Therapeutics to Participate in Upcoming Investor Events

2022 Total Revenues Estimated at $214 Million, Representing 52% YoY Growth

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Catalyst Pharmaceuticals Reports Preliminary Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2022 Total Revenues and Provides Full Year 2023 Revenue Guidance

– Russ Trenary, President and Chief Executive Officer of Outlook Therapeutics to present on Tuesday, February 14th at 4:20 PM ET – – Russ Trenary, President and Chief Executive Officer of Outlook Therapeutics to present on Tuesday, February 14th at 4:20 PM ET –

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Outlook Therapeutics® to Present at the SVB Securities Global Biopharma Conference

XIAN, China, Feb. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bon Natural Life Limited (Nasdaq: BON) ("BON" or the "Company"), one of the leading bio-ingredient solutions providers in the natural, health and personal care industries, will issue its FY2022 earnings release for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021 before the market open on Friday, February 10, 2023.

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Bon Natural Life Limited Announces FY2022 Earnings Release Date and Webcast

VLN®, a cigarette with 95% less nicotine than conventional cigarettes, is now available for the 75% of Colorado smokers that are willing to switch brands to help them cut back

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Nearly Three Out of Four Colorado Smokers Want to Quit and Now Have a New Option That “Helps You Smoke Less”  

New Agreement Enhances High-Parameter Panels on Cytek Cell Analysis Systems New Agreement Enhances High-Parameter Panels on Cytek Cell Analysis Systems

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Cytek® Biosciences Partners with Bio-Rad to Expand Reagent Portfolios

Collaboration will establish a platform cGMP line to support Elektrofi’s planned clinical trials of injectable biologics Collaboration will establish a platform cGMP line to support Elektrofi’s planned clinical trials of injectable biologics

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Elektrofi Announces Collaboration with Thermo Fisher Scientific to Strengthen Manufacturing Capabilities for Future Clinical Trials

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Derm-Biome Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a Vancouver based biopharmaceutical company focused on skin health, is pleased to announce that it has been invited to present at the 2023 OBIO Investment Summit (OIS) in Toronto on Friday, February 10th at 11:51am EST. The Summit is Canada’s premier health science investment event, a forum that connects global investors with Canada’s best technology innovators. Since 2018 summit companies have raised $1.3 billion.

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Derm-Biome Pharmaceuticals to Present at the 2023 OBIO Investment Summit on February 10, 2023

The second Phase 2 clinical trial known as APEX-2 will augment the VT-X7 safety and efficacy data collected in the APEX trial. The second Phase 2 clinical trial known as APEX-2 will augment the VT-X7 safety and efficacy data collected in the APEX trial.

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Osteal Therapeutics Announces First Subject Enrollment in Second Phase 2 Clinical Trial of VT-X7 Combination Product for Treatment of Periprosthetic...

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Opiant Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: OPNT) announced today that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) approved the previously announced Merger Agreement (the Agreement) for Opiant to be acquired by Indivior PLC (LSE: INDV).

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Opiant Pharmaceuticals Announces CFIUS Approval for Proposed Acquisition by Indivior PLC