A special thanks for this review of the recent ICMS conference goes to Dr. Feinerman. He has agreed to be our official roving reporter and review the many stem cell conferences he attends. This is a dedicated doctor!
BREAKTHROUGHS IN STEM CELL SCIENCES:
MEETING OF THE ICMS IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA , RED ROCK RESORT, NOVEMBER 2009
REPORTED BY BURTON FEINERMAN, M.D., PRESIDENT, STEMCELLREGENMED, INC.
We live in amazing years of exciting new biomedicine technology in which stem cells, gene therapy, nanotechnology and tissue engineering will play increasing roles. Diseases such as ALS, Parkinsonism, Alzheimer?s, multiple sclerosis, autism, brain damage, diabetes, severe heart disease, COPD, chronic kidney disease and advanced cancer are now being challenged by these treatments. Even the quest for healthy aging and anti-aging treatments are within our reach. Research has even questioned the possibility of prolonging or reviving life through cryogenics, hypothermia and the introduction of suspended animation of human beings . This used to sound like science fiction is now being experimentally tackled in the laboratories. Current research focuses on the debate of using autologous stem cells from a patient?s blood, bone marrow or fatty tissue. There is also accelerated research on developing specific tissue stem cell lines from umbilical cord blood and the potential use of induced pluripotent stem cells that are the patient?s own somatic stem cells reversed back to almost embryone blastomere level. The ICMS meeting focused primarily on autologous stem cells and iPS cells.
The two most outstanding speakers were Michael West. Ph.D and Henry Young, Ph.D. who represent amongst the best in stem cell modern science. Their work reaches out to the future of biotechnology medicine.
Many years ago Michael West, Ph.D. raised the question of the ?immortal cell? in his classic book. He went on to be President of Geron Corporation and later Advanced Cell Technology and currently Biotime, Inc.. He has raised scientific eyebrows now with his new ideas involving regenerative medicine cloning and use of telomerase mediated therapy in which telomerase is used to immortalize human cells. He described methods of telomerase diagnostics; telomerase inhibition as a form of anti-tumor therapy. The introduction of telomerase into cultured human cells transforms otherwise aging cells into immortal cells. Recently a new nutritional supplement has appeared on the market that is reported to prolong cellular aging by activating telomerase.Dr. West?s past work has led to new methods of discovering induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) which may be used to treat muscular dystrophy, diabetes, Parkinson?s disease and many other currently incurable diseases.
Dr. West noted that the telomeres which lie at the end of our chromosomes become shorter and shorter as we age. As this reaches an endpoint genetic material could not continue to be copied and led to the final aging of the cell. Telemere length was stable in germ line cells such as sperm. It was Dr. West?s group discovered the enzyme telomerase that allowed strands of telomere DNA to spin out and thus keep germ cells immortal. Although the possibility of immortal aging occurred there was also the realization that telomere length was also related to serious degenerative chronic diseases. Ips cells have activated telomerase genes which can maintain the length of the telomeres and might be a step towards reversing cellular aging..
Researchers have been able to taken a patient?s own skin cells and revert them back to Ips cells capable of being transferred into any human cell type. Thus emerges the potential to treat patients with ALS, Parkinsonism, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, COPD etc.
Henry Young, Ph. D., Professor Anatomy, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA
Dr. Young was the first to clone from a single cell mesodermal stem cells; also pluriipotent epiblastic stem cells; an also an adult totipotent blastomere like stem cell. Dr. Young has used sketetal muscle to isolate these cells but more recently has developed a technique in getting these cells from human peripheral blood. He described his research on the capabilities of adult derived stem cells to aid in tissue repair and regeneration. His pioneering work I believe will lay the basis for amazing therapeutic advances in treating debilitating degenerative diseases in the future. Dr. Young is cautious about the use of iPS cells fearing that they are similar to embryonic cells and thus have the potential for tumors. He does continue to do research in reverting human somatic cells back to the blastomere stage. Dr. Young pointed out that pluripotent stem cells can go through the pulmonary pass effect an important fact when treating patients.
Other speakers at the conference included:
Christopher Centeno, M.D. , Broomfield, Colorado, published the first reports on using mesenchymal stem cells for orthopedic injuries. He reported on the use of these cells as well as the use of autologous stem cells and cartilage stem cells for repair of severe osteoarthritis.
Augusto Brazzini, M.D. , Professor, San Martin University, Lima, Peru reported his results using autologous stem cells for the repair of hearts following myocardial infarction.
Tamara Jorquiera, M.D. and Ajejandro Mesples, M.DS. also reported their results treating patients post heart failure with autologous stem cells given into coronary vessels or myocardium.
Yael Porat, Ph.D. is C.E.O. of BiogenCell in Netaya, Israel reported methods for the manufacturing and banking of stem cell products for preclinical and clinical studies.
Jorge Tuma Mubarak, M.D. , Lima, Peru has been active in stem cell regenerative medicine pioneering new techniques and he reported on his results of implantation in cardiac patients since 2005.
BREAKTHROUGHS IN STEM CELL SCIENCES:
MEETING OF THE ICMS IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA , RED ROCK RESORT, NOVEMBER 2009
REPORTED BY BURTON FEINERMAN, M.D., PRESIDENT, STEMCELLREGENMED, INC.
We live in amazing years of exciting new biomedicine technology in which stem cells, gene therapy, nanotechnology and tissue engineering will play increasing roles. Diseases such as ALS, Parkinsonism, Alzheimer?s, multiple sclerosis, autism, brain damage, diabetes, severe heart disease, COPD, chronic kidney disease and advanced cancer are now being challenged by these treatments. Even the quest for healthy aging and anti-aging treatments are within our reach. Research has even questioned the possibility of prolonging or reviving life through cryogenics, hypothermia and the introduction of suspended animation of human beings . This used to sound like science fiction is now being experimentally tackled in the laboratories. Current research focuses on the debate of using autologous stem cells from a patient?s blood, bone marrow or fatty tissue. There is also accelerated research on developing specific tissue stem cell lines from umbilical cord blood and the potential use of induced pluripotent stem cells that are the patient?s own somatic stem cells reversed back to almost embryone blastomere level. The ICMS meeting focused primarily on autologous stem cells and iPS cells.
The two most outstanding speakers were Michael West. Ph.D and Henry Young, Ph.D. who represent amongst the best in stem cell modern science. Their work reaches out to the future of biotechnology medicine.
Many years ago Michael West, Ph.D. raised the question of the ?immortal cell? in his classic book. He went on to be President of Geron Corporation and later Advanced Cell Technology and currently Biotime, Inc.. He has raised scientific eyebrows now with his new ideas involving regenerative medicine cloning and use of telomerase mediated therapy in which telomerase is used to immortalize human cells. He described methods of telomerase diagnostics; telomerase inhibition as a form of anti-tumor therapy. The introduction of telomerase into cultured human cells transforms otherwise aging cells into immortal cells. Recently a new nutritional supplement has appeared on the market that is reported to prolong cellular aging by activating telomerase.Dr. West?s past work has led to new methods of discovering induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) which may be used to treat muscular dystrophy, diabetes, Parkinson?s disease and many other currently incurable diseases.
Dr. West noted that the telomeres which lie at the end of our chromosomes become shorter and shorter as we age. As this reaches an endpoint genetic material could not continue to be copied and led to the final aging of the cell. Telemere length was stable in germ line cells such as sperm. It was Dr. West?s group discovered the enzyme telomerase that allowed strands of telomere DNA to spin out and thus keep germ cells immortal. Although the possibility of immortal aging occurred there was also the realization that telomere length was also related to serious degenerative chronic diseases. Ips cells have activated telomerase genes which can maintain the length of the telomeres and might be a step towards reversing cellular aging..
Researchers have been able to taken a patient?s own skin cells and revert them back to Ips cells capable of being transferred into any human cell type. Thus emerges the potential to treat patients with ALS, Parkinsonism, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, COPD etc.
Henry Young, Ph. D., Professor Anatomy, Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA
Dr. Young was the first to clone from a single cell mesodermal stem cells; also pluriipotent epiblastic stem cells; an also an adult totipotent blastomere like stem cell. Dr. Young has used sketetal muscle to isolate these cells but more recently has developed a technique in getting these cells from human peripheral blood. He described his research on the capabilities of adult derived stem cells to aid in tissue repair and regeneration. His pioneering work I believe will lay the basis for amazing therapeutic advances in treating debilitating degenerative diseases in the future. Dr. Young is cautious about the use of iPS cells fearing that they are similar to embryonic cells and thus have the potential for tumors. He does continue to do research in reverting human somatic cells back to the blastomere stage. Dr. Young pointed out that pluripotent stem cells can go through the pulmonary pass effect an important fact when treating patients.
Other speakers at the conference included:
Christopher Centeno, M.D. , Broomfield, Colorado, published the first reports on using mesenchymal stem cells for orthopedic injuries. He reported on the use of these cells as well as the use of autologous stem cells and cartilage stem cells for repair of severe osteoarthritis.
Augusto Brazzini, M.D. , Professor, San Martin University, Lima, Peru reported his results using autologous stem cells for the repair of hearts following myocardial infarction.
Tamara Jorquiera, M.D. and Ajejandro Mesples, M.DS. also reported their results treating patients post heart failure with autologous stem cells given into coronary vessels or myocardium.
Yael Porat, Ph.D. is C.E.O. of BiogenCell in Netaya, Israel reported methods for the manufacturing and banking of stem cell products for preclinical and clinical studies.
Jorge Tuma Mubarak, M.D. , Lima, Peru has been active in stem cell regenerative medicine pioneering new techniques and he reported on his results of implantation in cardiac patients since 2005.