In this blog post, leading stem cell researcher Dr. Ian Rogers provides insight on the current state of regenerative medicine research with newborn stem cells.

How do you characterize the current cord blood research environment?
Exciting. There have been some very interesting developments over the last 10 years. It is proving to be much more than fanfare. You now see novel indications for cord blood therapies such as cerebral palsy and type 1 diabetes approaching clinical use through clinical trials, with peripheral vascular disease and spinal cord injury on the horizon. There are some indications that didn’t pan out but the exciting thing is there are some that have—that are working very well, and are going to the clinic.

Do you foresee the type of stem cell being important in future regenerative therapies?
My feeling has always been that there will be no universal stem cell—some will do things better than others. Mesenchymal stem cells will be preferred for many diseases. They are safe, easy to expand, and have the ability to dampen the immune response. You can make bone, muscle, and blood vessels from these cells. The current challenge is to develop a standardized isolation and culture method to characterize and ensure you get all of the potential from the cells.

Is there an advantage to newborn stem cells over other sources in research and medicine?
Yes, stem cells from the umbilical cord—hematopoietic or mesenchymal—have an advantage over other sources because they’re safe, easily accessible, and they’re young. I’m an advocate of the younger the cell, the better.

Dr. Rogers is an Associate Scientist and Assistant Professor at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, in Toronto, Canada. He also serves on the scientific advisory board to the Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation and is a scientific advisor to CBR.