Imagine a simple, handheld device, really no larger than a highlighter, that could heal injuries and repair joints using stem cells? Such a stem cell joint repair device is being developed right now by a research team from the University of Wollongong and St. Vincent's Hospital in Australia. The "biopen" is essentially a handheld 3D printer that uses stem cells from the host to repair cartilage injuries by using "bioink" to create a 3D scaffold over the injured joint, basically a blueprint from which the stem cells will differentiate and heal in the manner needed. THE ULTIMATE TOOL FOR STEM CELL JOINT REPAIR? Though the idea of the biopen seems like something out of a movie, the research team has already seen some real-world success with a 2017 clinical trial on sheep that healed [...]

The elderly are often the hardest hit by seasonal viruses such as the flu due to the weakening of their immune system and its lessened ability to process the flu vaccine. However, a clinical trial from Longeveron LLC seeks to reverse this trend by integrating a stem cell therapy with the flu vaccine to improve the immune response of elderly patients, thus making the vaccine more effective. The Miami-based biomedical company was recently awarded a $750,000 USD grant from Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund to aid the trial, which will be conducted alongside a research team at Johns Hopkins University. HOW DOES THE TREATMENT WORK? The clinical trial will seek to use mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) taken from the bone marrow of stem cell donors to improve immune function in elderly patients before they [...]

Heart failure, the deterioration of the heart's ability to pump enough blood often resulting in death, affects 600,000 Canadians. The risk of death within a year after a heart failure diagnosis is 35 per cent. While doctors can implant a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) to help pump blood, patients with them can face serious complications that often result in death. However, the MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute in Virginia is currently prepping a clinical trial that will use a stem cell treatment for heart failure to help improve the condition of patients suffering from the ailment, including those with LVADs. MSCS AND STEM CELL HEART REPAIR According to MedStar physician Dr. Stephen Epstein, stem cell heart repair is promising because mesenchymal stem cells can combat inflammation common in patients with heart failure. "If we are [...]

Some people may think that when alcoholism is referred to as a disease, people are being figurative. That's not the case, alcoholism was recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association as far back as 1956 and it's easy to see why. Frequent use of alcohol and other addictive substances changes your brain chemistry, causing brain inflammation that builds dependence and alters your behaviour. Kicking the bottle isn't just a matter of willpower, it comes with a host of withdrawal systems and complications. In addition, your brain can remain inflamed long after you've stopped drinking. However, a medical cure for alcoholism could be available in our lifetime thanks to stem cell therapy. According to a study from the University of Chile, researchers were able to reduce alcohol intake in rats by 80-90 per cent using [...]

Vision loss is one of the greatest fears people have about growing older. However, stem cell eye repair could eliminate at least one form of blindness in the coming years. A Phase 1 clinical trial at the UK's Moorfields Eye Hospital successfully restored sight to two patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration using a revolutionary retinal stem cell treatment for blindness. WHAT IS AMD? AMD is one of the most common forms of age-related vision loss, affecting more than a million Canadians. The most common symptoms of AMD are blurred vision, dark shadows over the eyes and even visual hallucinations in extreme cases. The disease comes in two varieties: dry, and the less common wet form, which is what the patients at Moorfields suffered from. The wet version occurs when abnormal blood vessels appear [...]

Stem cell Injection therapy continues to show positive results in treating arthritis-related symptoms, though regenerative medicine isn't a main stream treatment yet. In this week's blog, we explain why stem cell and PRP injections are the present and the future when it comes to treating arthritis symptoms. MAKING THE CASE FOR STEM CELL INJECTION THERAPY The articular cartilage that lines the heads of moving joints lacks blood vessels or nerves, slowing down the body's repair process after acute injuries or chronic inflammation. Cartilage tissue has low cell content, with chondrocytes (cells that secrete the matrix of a cartilage and become embedded in it) making up 5% of the tissue. Stem cells create chondrocyteswhich in turn create cartilage. So, it's no surprise scientists are researching methods to differentiate stem cells into patient-derived chondrocytes for transplanting. [...]