In order to improve the sight of people born with a rare genetic eye disorder, British scientists are pioneering a new stem cell therapy.

Stem cells are transplanted on to the surface of the cornea after being grown in a laboratory until the form sheets. The cells themselves are taken from the patients themselves, living relatives, or even dead donors.

The disorder is called aniridia and is very rare. A team from Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead performed the treatments.

The genetic condition results in loss of vision and pain. Individuals are born with no iris and later develop problems on the surface of the eye.

Most patients go on to become almost completely blind, and until now, little could be done for these individuals. The condition affects up to 1,000 people in the UK.

Stem cell treatment appears to halt the progress of the condition says Dr. Daya, who is an eye specialist from Queen Victoria Hospital.

Four patients reported an improvement in vision and comfort after treatment. They were all treated in only one eye and now await treatment in the other.

The patients had few or no limbal stem cells under the eyelid, which helps keep the surface of the cornea healthy and clear. This lack of limbal stem cells resulted in little or no vision in all patients.

The production of new limbal stem cells must have been triggered somehow by the stem cell transplant said Dr. Daya.

“We think the donor cells have attracted stem cells from the bone marrow to make new limbal stem cells, which have arrived at the eye through the bloodstream,” he said.

Donor cells could also work on other organs such as the pancreas and liver if they can trigger regeneration in the eyes said Dr. Daya.

“Once we understand what has prompted their growth, then we can understand what they can do for other parts of the body,

Rather than receiving two transplants from themselves, researchers are now reporting that younger patients who have been diagnosed with myeloma survived longer if they received a stem cell transplant from themselves but then followed by one from a matched sibling.

Of the total who develop myeloma, a blood cancer, only a fraction would find this protocol to be a good treatment alternative.

“It’s a good study and it gives important perspective, and it will be useful for some patients but it’s a small minority of myeloma patients,” said Dr. Marshall, executive vice president of research and medical programs at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine

When Tonya graduated from McKinney North High School two years ago, her entire life was altered. But it wasn

Daymon is certain that adult stem cell treatment saved his life.

Because of the therapy he received to fight his cancer, Daymon says he is healthy today and working once again.

The same doctor that treated 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong also treated Daymon. From Dr. Lawrence Einhorn, he learned first-hand how stem cell treatments can work during a journey that took a year out of his life and sent him to Indiana University.

Daymon, who worked at Electrolux in Webster City, came home one February evening with as he described,

Kirk, the 23-year-old quadriplegic from Layton, has just returned home after a journey took him to the far east in search of stem cell therapy. Now after receiving a series of 5 stem cell transplant injections over a five-week period in China, he is waiting for miracles.

Kirk was paralyzed in 2004 during a snowmobile accident after breaking two vertebrae in his neck, and has no movement below his chest.

“It is going to be interesting to see what happens in the months ahead,” Kirk said.

Stretching therapy, massage, acupuncture, and of course stem cell injections all played a role in his treatment regimen and will hopefully play dividends in a few months.

Unrelated to the controversial stem cell transplants involving fluid taken from unborn human embryos, Kirk’s treatment consisted of stem cell fluid derived from the blood extracted from discarded umbilical cords. The stem cell spinal fluid was injected into Kirk’s lumbar area and spinal cord in the Shenzhen hospital.

“It’s not an aborted fetus. It is not what they are using,” Kirk said. After the media reported he was traveling to China to receive the stem cell transplant, he received some criticism by e-mail.

But for the desire to improve his quality of life, Kirk offers no apologies.

More than 6,000 stem cell transplants have been performed at the Chinese hospital with no complications whatsoever.

Kirk his family carefully reviewed the procedure before spending their money and he said that, “he’d take 6,000-to-1 odds.”

Walking remains Kirk’s goal, but he realizes that he may not be walking like he did before the snowmobile accident right away. At least not with the first full five-week treatment.

But with the improvements he has made in such short time, he is satisfied.

He can sit a little straighter behind the steering wheel of his truck and can lift his arms a little higher than before. But he still cannot drive himself anywhere.

“I’m able to do things in physical therapy I wasn’t able to do before,” he said after being home just a few days. “Even a little improvement is worth it.”

Last Thursday, Kirk resumed taking business classes at the University of Phoenix because he has been feeling so much better. He also teaches Spanish at an elementary school where he returned to work on Monday.

He seems to be “re-motivated” after his trip to China says his wife Jessi. She believes that in an effort to regain his lost mobility from the accident, Kirk is now working even hared after his treatment.

Before she recommends stem cell transplants to her other clients, Kirk’s physical therapist Jan is taking a wait-and-see approach.

“I think there are a lot of unknowns,” said Jan, who has a master’s degree in science in physical therapy.

She must remain objective says Jan. Also, when measuring any improvements, Jan must factor in Kirk’s significant increase in physical therapy since the stem cell transplant.

Kirk now attends the clinic four to five times per week. Each session lasts anywhere between five to six hours per day. Before the treatment, he would spend 90 minutes per day at the clinic only one or two times per week.

Also, it could take three to six months before any progress can be measured according to Kirk’s family.

“What we hope is, is that (Kirk) did come back motivated and we can tap into that,” she said.

A power-assisted wheel chair used to make things easier for Kirk, but perhaps an indication of his renewed motivation is that he has switched to a manual wheelchair now.

“His attitude has probably been the biggest change,” Jan said. Kirk is interested in going to his limits now to improve his condition.

“I think the motivation is to see if he can get the maximum potential from (the transplant) he received,” Jan said.

As he works to achieve all his goals, he will be under many watchful eyes says Jan. Of all her clients, Kirk is the first to receive a stem cell transplant in her sixteen years as a physical therapist.

Doctoral students from the Division of Physical Therapy at the University of Utah are monitoring his progress. Also, being treated at the clinic are 40 other patients suffering from spinal-cord related injuries. Kirk’s unique treatment has sparked intense interest among patients and family members alike.

“It’s not a common thing right now,” Jan said of stem cell transplants.

“I’m just waiting and watching,” she said. She is interested to see Kirk and his progress just like everyone else.

It is the hope of Kirk’s family that their journey over the Pacific Ocean was not in vain. They continue to wait and watch.

“I think he has done well,” Jon said of his son who returned home Feb. 17.

“(Kirk) feels good about things.”

After the first successful stem cell treatment in India for spinal cord injuries, a 23-year-old man who was paralyzed from the waist down was able to walk. After only two months of adult stem cell therapy, he has regained the ability to walk. Doctor

It is almost definite that a presidential veto will obstruct the democratic controlled house and their recent effort to drive embryonic stem-cell research forward by expanding federal funding. The decision to boost funding won by a 253-174 vote, but fell under the 290 required to take precedence over any potential, and in this case expected, executive branch intervention.

Proponents of the bill say a veto would obstruct scientific efforts that could guide the way to prospective breakthroughs for the treatment of many diseases. But contrary to what many have been led to believe, that is not the case.

Adult stem cells, an ethical alternative to those that are derived from embryos, have proven themselves to be more effective thus far and have accomplished astonishing breakthroughs far beyond anything managed by their embryonic counterparts.

Almost 1,300 clinical trials are presently underway involving adult stem cells, and they are responsible for the treatment and cures for more than 70 diseases. A wider assortment of mature stem cells can be created using adult stem cells as science persistently proves. The January issue of Nature Biotechnology highlighted perhaps the most promising of these results.

Stem cells derived from the amniotic fluid that fills sacs surrounding the fetus emerged as an equal rival to embryonic stem cells. While preserving the imperative advantage of verified success over embryonic stem cells, they are also equivalent in terms of versatility compared to embryo derived cells. The discovery was reported by Anthony who is the director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Since there are no realistic applications for embryonic stem cells at the moment, those on the hunt for more embryonic stem cell funding from taxpayer dollars have felt distraught with the discovery. At least 10 years stand in the way of approved embryonic stem cell treatments according to researchers, and not even one single clinical trial has been performed using embryo derived cells thus far.

An advantage once held by embryonic cells was their capacity to replicate. Outside the body, adult stem cells cannot be multiplied for extended periods of time, where embryonic cells can expand indefinitely. However, with the ability to double every 36 hours, amniotic stem cells grow just as rapidly as embryonic cells. Without any indication of slowing, they have now been expanding the same amniotic stem cell line for two years at Wake Forest University.

Perhaps, one advantage still holds true for embryonic stem cells, and that is their potential to possibly develop into all 220 varieties of human cells. They can differentiate into all three subtypes of cells, or

Swinging his legs in an airport chair while waiting, five-year old Brendan is becoming impatient.

His sister Tori and both of his parents have been gone for over a month and he is excited to see them.

With the hope that it would bring back the girl everyone used to know, Tori was accompanied by her parents on a journey to China to undergo stem cell therapy.

Brendan tackled his family with hugs and kisses as soon as he saw them walk off the jet ramp.

“It’s been a long trip,” said Tim, Tori’s father, tearing up. “But hopefully we’ll see some improvements.”

Now they are glad to reunite with family and friends even though they may be worn out from the 44 hours of traveling.

In an effort to reduce some of the effects of Tori’s brain damage, her treatment on the 20th floor of the Chinese clinic was composed of electronic muscle treatment, acupuncture, aggressive physical therapy, and of course stem cells.

After being trapped in a submerged vehicle that flipped into a canal in a car accident, Tori was deprived of oxygen for more than 25 minutes. It was on that day, June 19th, 2005, that Tori and her entire family’s lives completely changed. Tori’s ability to eat, speak, and her mobility were all taken away that day due to the anoxic brain injury she suffered.

Improvements in eating, better control of her body, and more successful communication were results that the family hoped for more than a month ago when discussing the stem cell treatment and trip to China. And Tori’s circumstances have already begun to improve.

“Tori’s flexibility and joint range is greatly improved,” her father Tim said in an e-mail interview from China. “Whether that is purely a result of the physical therapy or a combination of physical therapy and the stem cells is really unknown.”

She has gained greater control of her arms, particularly her right one. And other improvements include her increased mobility and ability to eat food by mouth.

“She even held a cookie and brought it to her own mouth for a bite. She definitely could not do that prior to this trip,” Tim said, adding that his wife Maria believes Tori is also more responsive and quicker to react.

Before the journey to China, that is what Maria hoped she would see.

“I hope it helps,” she said in a Jan. 5 interview. “I don’t expect a miracle. Even just something little, like eating better or communicating more.”

In the two to six-month period following the stem-cell treatment, they are hoping for even more development. Most patients see the most results during that time explained Tim.

“We want to hear meaning from her voice, perhaps a definitive ‘Mom’ or ‘Dad,’ ‘yeah’ or ‘no’,” he said. Improved muscle control is also a hope he added.

Tim said they may try a second round of hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatment, and will continue the electronic muscle and acupuncture treatment, emphasizing that they wouldn’t just be waiting around for results to manifest themselves.

And if they see positive results from the first stem cell treatment, a second trip could appear on the agenda as well.

“Whether it is for the stem-cell treatment she received this time (adult stem cells taken from an umbilical cord) or for some other types that are becoming available now and that I am researching, I don’t know,” Tim said.

Maria was grateful that Tori at the very least had the opportunity to undergo the procedure.

“It was a privilege that she was able to go there and get this treatment,” she said. “There are so many people that can benefit from it. It was fortunate she was able to go.”

Yesterday, a ground-breaking stem cell treatment allowed women to create their own breast implants.

Encouraging stem cells to form breast tissue, scientists were able to initially harvest the cells from the women’s own fat.

Unlike the synthetic implants that are used by Hollywood stars, the outcome from the stem cells produce in a more natural appearance.

Women who have undergone the procedure say they have had no problems, and the Japanese research team responsible has carried out trials on dozens of women.

Plastic surgeons should be able to use the treatment within the next five years.

The method proved to be convincing for British surgeons. They called the procedure an “appealing” new technique.

The procedure involves extracting stem cells from fat, which can develop into many diverse tissues in the body.

The stem cells are combined with common fat cells and then injected back into the a patient’s breasts by Dr. Yoshimura and his team at the University of Tokyo.

The hope is the stem cells will lead to the development of new fat cells and persuade blood vessels to grow into new breast tissue and nourish it.

Without suffering any adverse side effects, 38 women have been treated with the technique since 2004 when it was first used.

Further tests are still considered necessary since the long-term efficacy has not been entirely demonstrated.

Current obstacles include the fact that slender patients may not have an adequate amount of fat to spare, but this could potentially be remedied in the future by using donor fat cells that have been tested for immune compatibility. But more pressing may be that compared to existing synthetic implants, the technique can increase breast size by only half as much.

However, the stem cell enhanced breasts avoid problems that plagued older silicone implants such as leaking. The effect is also more natural looking believes Dr. Yoshimura.

“Natural implants” can already be made using fat. But doctors say that since they lack a blood supply, they can shrink over time.

The stem cell enhancement would not be susceptible to this problem.

Dr. Yoshimura said: “I believe that within five years my procedure will be available as plastic surgery and that it will prove very popular.”

Proclaiming that stem cells can produce longer-lasting and shapelier implants as well as eliminate the need for extra surgery is Dr. Jeremy. He is a scientist at the University of Illinois.

In 2005, the U.S. doctor presented his work in Washington at that American Association for the Advancement of Science conference.

In order to generate varying sizes and shapes of implants, Dr. Jeremy changed stem cells into fat producing, or adipose cells in his tests.

These were cultivated in the laboratory and then injected beneath the skin of laboratory mice.

Upon observation, they were the same size and shape after being removed four weeks later.

An interest for patient use has risen among several British plastic surgeons.