The Stem Cell Source - Cord Blood and Beyond

CBR’s State-of-the-Art Lab: A Conversation with VP of Laboratory Operations Kristen Swingle

PublicAffairs — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:07:00 GMT

Your baby’s newborn stem cells have arrived safely at CBR’s laboratory. Now what? How are the stem cells stored? How do you know they’ll be taken care of? What keeps CBR at the forefront of the industry? For answers, we turned to CBR’s VP of Lab Operations, Kristen Swingle.

CBR: What is unique about CBR’s lab? What sets it apart from other cord blood banks?

KS: Where do I begin? Our lab has been processing and storing cord blood since 1992 and was the first family cord blood stem cell bank in the world. CBR’s laboratory operations follow FDA guidelines and we are accredited by the AABB, formally known as the American Association of Blood Banks and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CLIA program. CBR's processing system combined with dry heparin has the highest published rate of cell recovery rate in the industry– 99 percent, which means CBR saves more cells for families.

We’re also unique because of our dedicated staff! Their commitment to quality and rigorous standards, plus the systems that we are continually refining, set us apart from other family banks.

CBR: What happens to the stem cells when they arrive at the lab?

KS: A medical courier picks up the kit at the hospital, the kit is flown to Tucson and another medical courier transports it from the airport to our Receiving and Records department. The sample is immediately scanned into our electronic database and is tracked through every step of our process. Receiving technicians are responsible for logging in the collection and assessing the sample prior to processing. We operate as efficiently as possible so we can freeze and store the stem cells quickly.

If a unit is requested for use, a parent or transplant physician will call the lab to get the ball rolling. We will send a small portion of the stem cells to a testing laboratory and if the physician decides to use the unit for treatment, then we release it.

CBR: How are stem cells recovered from a sample?

KS: Safeguarding precious stem cells starts at the time of collection. CBR uses dry heparin anticoagulant, which we have found improves our recovery of cells. The heparin ensures that the sample is well-maintained from the moment the blood is collected and throughout transit.

When the stem cells arrive at our facility, we analyze the sample to determine viability of the collected cells. We isolate the stem cells and conduct a cell count and sterility analysis to further characterize the sample.

CBR: Does the amount of stem cells recovered from a sample matter in potential medical use?

KS: Without a doubt, more cells are better. This is especially critical in therapies when children undergo chemotherapy or have a blood or immune system deficiency. In these cases, the first part of the treatment is to destroy the blood and immune system. Once the blood and immune cells have been eliminated, the child receives the stem cells from the cord blood. These stem cells then grow in the child’s body and produce new blood and immune cells. Because the patient’s body is starting out with almost no blood and immune cells, you want to give them as many cells as possible in the transplant. In fact, transplant physicians will take into account the number of cells retrieved when determining a treatment plan.

CBR: How are stem cells stored?

KS: All of our stem cells, whether they’re cord blood or cord tissue, are kept in storage vaults called dewars. They’re monitored by our quality control department via a centralized system to ensure that the stem cell storage conditions remain stable. Our monitoring systems are extremely sensitive so if something falls out of line or the environment changes in the dewar, we respond real-time.

CBR: What other steps do you take to ensure quality control in the lab?

KS: Our quality control department makes sure that all equipment is maintained and running smoothly at all times.

We have a rigorous training protocol. This includes ongoing technician proficiency assessments and checks within our production line as we analyze samples. We also have a long-term stability program to ensure the stem cells remain viable for as long as they need to be in storage.

CBR: Is there anything new happening at the lab these days?

KS: The biggest development is the implementation of our paperless system. Recently, we eliminated our processing paperwork and established a fully electronic system. Going forward, all the information we collect is scanned into our database so we can keep track of everything electronically.

Want an inside look at CBR’s labs? Take a quick video tour now.

Animation Illustrates Newborn Stem Cells Effect on Spinal Cord Injury

PublicAffairs — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:05:00 GMT

While we’ve blogged about research using umbilical cord blood stem cells to treat spinal cord injuries in the past (see here and here), a new animation illustrates what intrigues researchers about how stem cells might be helping the healing process. Laboratory and clinical research is looking at stem cells from both cord blood and cord tissue as possible therapies for spinal cord injury.

Recently, a clinical trial using embryonic stem cells to treat spinal cord injuries was discontinued. Newborn stem cells are not embryonic stem cells and are not controversial.

There are still four active trials looking specifically at cord blood stem cells as a possible treatment for spinal cord injury. Many more are looking at other sources of adult stem cells as potential therapies for spinal injury as well as other diseases and injuries, such as heart defects, leukemia, stroke and diabetes.

Why Bank Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells?

PublicAffairs — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:27:00 GMT

As families become more educated on umbilical cord banking, they may choose to bank their baby’s cord blood and cord tissue for different reasons. Some consider the fact that newborn stem cells are being used today to treat many life-threatening diseases. Others are drawn to current studies evaluating various newborn stem cell types and their potential ability to heal. Parents tell us every day why they chose to bank their baby’s newborn stem cells and we thought we’d share some of their reasons and thoughts with you. The more you know, the better equipped you are to make your decision.

“We were happy to save our first child's cord blood and we are even happier now that CBR is keeping up with research and having the ability to store umbilical cord tissue as well for our second child. Being able to help our children medically is priceless.” – Shirlene R.

“This is our third time banking with CBR, each time has been easy, stress free and very professional. I will continue to recommend CBR to all of my friends and family.” – Kristin G

“Both my spouse and I are medical professionals and would not miss the opportunity to provide for our family. We feel, although a financial investment, it is a small price to pay to save a life.”
– Christina D

Exclusive CBR Research

Three FDA-regulated clinical trials are underway looking at the use of a child’s own cord blood stem cells as a treatment for cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and hearing loss. In each of these trials, CBR has been chosen exclusively in the protocol to ensure consistency in the collection, processing, preservation and release of the cord blood stem cells. Research like this in the scientific community provides some families with a good reason to bank with CBR.

Everyone’s story is a little different, but ultimately, each family in this entry made the decision to bank their baby’s newborn stem cells and to do so with CBR. Perhaps it’s not a simple decision but it’s one worth becoming more educated about.

To learn more about what clients are saying about CBR, visit us on Facebook.

Researchers Begin First-of-Its-Kind Study on Hearing Loss in Children

PublicAffairs — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:39:00 GMT

Let’s “hear” it for new research to help children with hearing loss!

A new clinical trial launching this month will evaluate the safety of a child’s own cord blood stem cells to treat sensorineural hearing loss. It is the first FDA-regulated, Phase 1 safety study exploring the use of cord blood stem cells to treat children with sensorineural hearing loss.

The year-long trial, being conducted at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, will follow 10 children, aged six weeks to 18 months, who have sustained a post-birth hearing loss and who also have access to their own umbilical cord blood stem cells banked at Cord Blood Registry (CBR).Read more about the trial here.

“Children only have 18 months to acquire language skills and, if a child does not hear well, they will not acquire the language skills to speak normally,” said James Baumgartner, M.D., sponsor of the study and guest research collaborator at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston(UTHealth) Medical School.
Sensorineural hearing loss affects approximately 6 per 1000 children, with 9% resulting from acquired causes such as viral infection and head injury.(1,2,3) Most of the time, sensorineural hearing loss cannot be medically or surgically corrected.(4) Current interventions like hearing aids or cochlear implants are designed to augment the diminished function of the injured tissue.(5) In this new clinical trial, however, researchers are evaluating the safety of cord blood stem cells as a potential reparative treatment option for hearing loss in children.

This marks the third such clinical trial where researchers have partnered exclusively with CBR to focus on the use of children’s own cord blood stem cells for study in neurological applications. To ensure consistency in cord blood stem cell processing, storage and release for infusion, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth) and Georgia Health Sciences University, home of the Medical College of Georgia, have all named CBR as their cord blood bank partner in their FDA-authorized protocols. This makes CBR the only family cord blood bank able to link its clients as potential clinical trial participants with researchers conducting these studies.

Visit the CBR Center for Regenerative Medicine to learn more about these ground-breaking clinical trials.

(1) Bergstrom L, Hemenway WG, Downs MP. A high risk registry to find congenital deafness. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 1977;4:369-399.
(2) Billings KR, Kenna MA. Causes of pediatric sensorineural hearing loss: yesterday and today. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1999 May;125(5):517-21.
(3) Smith RJ, Bale JF Jr, White KR. Sensorineural hearing loss in children. Lancet. 2005;365(9462):879-890.
(4) American Speech Language Hearing Association. Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Available at: http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Sensorineural-Hearing-Loss/. Accessed February 2011.
(5) National Institute on Deafness and Communications Disorders. Cochlear Implants. Available at: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/staticresources/health/hearing/FactSheetCochlearImplant.pdf. Accessed February 2011.

Double the Fun – and Then Some! Preparing for Multiples

PublicAffairs — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:19:00 GMT

Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children, and no theories. – John Wilmot

As this quote reminds us, parenthood is about learning as you go, being flexible and not being too hard on yourself. This is particularly true for parents of multiples. No matter how prepared you are to be a parent, unexpected twists and turns arise for everyone – and if you’re the parent of twins, triplets or more, you can likely expect even more surprises!

We can’t help you with all of the unanticipated bumps in the road, but we can certainly answer your questions about banking your babies’ stem cells and why it’s particularly important for parents of multiples to make an informed decision about preserving this important resource. Following are a few common questions we hear from parents-to-be of multiples, and our answers:

Do I need to bank cord blood for all my children?
By saving cord blood for all of your children, each child will have access to his or her own genetically unique cells. Your baby may use the stem cells as treatment for a number of diseases, however, not generally for inherited genetic conditions. In those cases, a matched sibling's stem cells would be the first choice. For experimental regenerative medicine therapies using cord blood, the child's own stem cells are required.

In addition, saving cord blood for each child in your family increases the likelihood that a family member in need will have access to a matched donor for treatment. In the case of identical twins, it is still important to save cord blood for each child as it is extremely difficult to determine before birth if twins are indeed identical.

How does cord blood collection and storage work for multiple births?
Cord blood collection is the same process for multiples as it is for individual births. The cord blood is collected after the umbilical cords have been clamped and cut. Your healthcare provider does not need to alter the normal birthing process in any way, except to collect your babies’ cord blood. Cord blood collection is a simple, harmless, and completely painless procedure that usually takes about five minutes. Each child’s cord blood is stored separately.

Do other parents of multiples choose to bank cord blood stem cells for all of their children?
Yes! Currently, CBR stores stem cells for 10,465 sets of twins, 308 sets of triples, 12 sets of quadruplets and one set of quintuplets – and counting.

Do you offer reduced pricing to bank stem cells for multiples?
Yes. Our multiple birth pricing plans offer special rates to parents of twins, triplets and more.

Celebrating Families this Holiday Season

PublicAffairs — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:07:00 GMT

“Other things may change us, but we start and end with family.”– Author Anthony Brandt

Perhaps more than any other time of year, the holidays are a time to reflect on the significance of family. At CBR, we’re grateful for the hundreds of thousands of families who’ve entrusted us with their children’s cord blood and tissue stem cells. We wish all of you the best during this special time of year, and hope you’re able to rest and enjoy time with your loved ones.

One of the ways we’re working to help families this holiday season is through our Newborn Possibilities Fund, a charitable program that provides financial support to families with a child enrolled in an FDA-regulated clinical trial evaluating cord blood stem cells for medical treatment.

If you’d like to help us in this mission, consider making a donation to the fund. Your tax-deductible gift will support families participating in clinical trials similar to these ones underway. If you’d like to learn more, please visit Newborn Possibilities.

On behalf of all of us here at CBR, we wish you and your family a happy, healthy holiday season. Best wishes for 2012!

Cord Tissue Basics

PublicAffairs — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:36:00 GMT

CBR’s Content Scientist for Scientific and Medical Affairs, Kate Brown, Ph.D., joins us today to provide expert answers about cord tissue banking. But first, a question for our readers: did you know CBR was the first bank to offer cord tissue banking to U.S. clients?

Cord tissue is being evaluated in laboratory studies for its ability to heal conditions like traumatic brain injury and cartilage damage. As studies continue, CBR is dedicated to educating families on the importance of saving cord tissue stem cells now, for the possibilities they hold for the future.

CBR: What is cord tissue?
KB: A newborn’s umbilical cord tissue has a unique set of stem cells that are promising for cellular therapies, that are being investigated in early stage research. Cord tissue contains mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which can differentiate to form tissues such as bone, cartilage and tendon.

CBR: How is cord tissue different from cord blood?
KB: The primary cells in cord tissue are different from the primary cells found in cord blood. Cord tissue is a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells, which create structural and connective tissue, while cord blood is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells, which create the blood and immune system. Since cord blood and cord tissue contain different types of stem cells, they may help repair the body in different ways. Scientists continue to discover unique cells within cord tissue.

CBR: How is cord tissue collected and banked?
KB: CBR provides clients with access to the full potential of cord tissue by offering minimum manipulation of the tissue after it’s collected. After your baby's umbilical cord has been clamped and cut and after cord blood collection, your doctor or midwife collects a 4- to 8-inch segment of the umbilical cord and places it in the specially designed CordCup® that comes in the collection kit. Cord tissue collection is safe for both the mother and baby and can be done after vaginal or C-section births.

The cord tissue is then cryogenically frozen in CBR's storage tanks for long-term preservation. If your baby's stem cells are needed for therapies in the future, the cord tissue can be processed to extract the cells using the best available technology at that time. There is no guarantee that experimental therapies will be available in the future.

CBR: What happens if I choose not to collect my newborn’s cord tissue?
KB: If you do not save your baby's cord tissue, it is discarded as medical waste.

CBR: What are some potential uses for cord tissue?
KB: Stem cells in cord tissue are being evaluated in laboratory studies for their ability to heal spinal cord, brain and cartilage injuries. The science behind cord tissue is developing quickly, but this research is at an early stage and medical treatments are not available today and may never become available.

For more information about cord tissue collection and banking, please visit our site.

Stem Cell Therapy for Sports Injuries

PublicAffairs — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:28:00 GMT

New York Yankees pitcher Bartolo Colon’s career was presumed over. He had no contract and was afflicted with injury and effects of aging. But Colon was not ready to give up. He elected to have stem cells taken from his own body and injected into his injured shoulder and elbow in hopes of reinvigorating his once vital pitching career.

By the end of the season, Colon had won eight games with the third lowest earned run average amongst the Yankees’ starting pitchers. He pitched 63 more innings than he had in the last two years combined – the most he’d thrown in six seasons. Overall, Colon’s 2011 season was his best since he won the 2005 Cy Young Award as the American League’s best pitcher.

Did Colon’s stem cell injection contribute to this success?

This question and the use of stem cells as a treatment option were recently discussed on NPR’s Science Friday with Ira Flatow. “You’re trying to enhance the healing process,” said Dr. Rick Lehman, an orthopedic surgeon and medical director of the U.S. Center for Sports Medicine, in regards to the procedure. “[Stem cells] are going to recruit blood supply and they’re going to supposedly enhance the healing of the ligament...and improve the healing mechanics, [which will] allow the damaged tissue to heal, certainly much better than it would in a conventional manner.”

Other athletes are turning to stem cells as a treatment option as well. Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning underwent a stem cell procedure to aid the bulging disks in his neck and back.

To hear the entire NPR segment, click here.

This was an experimental procedure and there are no published results that support this treatment.

Clinical Trial Uses Bone Marrow Stem Cells to Replace Blood Vessels in Children

PublicAffairs — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 19:19:00 GMT

An FDA-regulated clinical trial launched earlier this year at Yale-New Haven Hospital means that for the first time in the U.S., tissue-engineered blood vessels are being implanted in humans. The implants are made from a synthetic scaffold seeded with stem cells from the patient’s own bone marrow. The implants are used to connect a major cardiac vein to the artery that carries blood to the lungs.

The Phase I trial will enroll and track six children and could radically alter the future treatment of congenital heart defects, which affect around 3,000 babies born each year in the U.S. Traditionally, synthetic materials are used to graft and patch the small ventricles of an infant’s heart. But synthetic materials can’t grow with the baby and can become calcified and trigger blood clots. In fact, synthetic grafts are the main cause of morbidity and mortality incidents after surgery.

The vessels were developed by a group at Yale including Christopher Breuer, a pediatric surgeon, and Toshiharu Shinoka, a cardio surgeon. According to an article that appeared this summer in Science, these physicians’ work suggests that inflammation, long seen as an enemy of transplants and artificial implants alike, seems to play a key role in the transformation of the cell-filled scaffold into a healthy blood vessel.

They hope their discoveries may one day lead to the building of more complex organs. “We figure if you start with blood vessels, that’s going to be the first step in making just about anything,” Breuer told the publication Medicine@Yale. “Plus, there’s an immediate need for vessels in vascular and cardiovascular surgery.”

“Regenerative Medicine Is Where It’s at!”

PublicAffairs — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:48:00 GMT

When you’re expecting, how do you know what advice to take and what to write off as an old wives’ tale? Go straight to an expert! Dr. Jeff Thurston’s highly acclaimed book, 1000 Questions About Your Pregnancy, has the answers you need. Doctor Thurston draws from nearly 30 years of Ob/Gyn experience and the delivery of more than 5,000 babies to give readers quick, reassuring answers. After the recent release of the fourth edition, we found time with the busy doctor, author and father to ask him a few of our own burning questions about cord blood banking.

CBR: What is the most frequently asked question from moms about cord blood banking?
JT: The one I get the most is, “Would you tell me to bank my newborn’s stem cells if I were your daughter having your grandchild?” And my answer: My daughter IS pregnant and she doesn't have to ask! She has heard me say for years that I would beg, borrow or steal to have been able to have my own children's cord blood preserved.

CBR: What is the most frequently asked question by dads?
JT: Dads ask me, “What is the total cost and what are the chances of us ever really needing this?” So I talk them through costs and then I explain that when stem cells were only being used as replacement for bone marrow transplants used in various [types of] leukemia, lymphomas and immune disorders, of which there are roughly 80 that can be treated with cord blood stem cells. But that is almost passé now. Regenerative medicine is where it’s at! Stem cells can be used to regenerate tissues — neural, cardiovascular, skin, eye or muscular.

CBR: In your book, you offer “no nonsense” answers. Why is that so important?
JT: Patients are unsure and truly looking for guidance, not introduction to more controversy. If a physician believes something is the right thing to do, he or she ought to be willing to say so definitively and state their case. I tell patients even if there were no proven uses at all for stem cell collection yet, I would still advocate for them to collect because of the future potential.

CBR: Why do you think it’s important for parents to consider cord blood banking, and what would you tell parents who are weighing their options for cord blood banking?
JT: It is critical for parents to do their due diligence on cord blood banking for several reasons:
• First, this is a one-time opportunity for them
• Second, while stem cells can be obtained from some adult tissues, typically those are much less proliferative and less flexible than cord blood stem cells
• Third, make sure the cord blood company you choose is experienced and financially sound. As the number of new potential uses changes, so do start-up businesses who want in on a good thing. Companies like CBR,who have been around for a long time, are the least likely to fail and lose your irreplaceable cord blood stem cells. At the same time, CBR is also the most experienced at processing, storage and transplants.
• And lastly, new uses in terms of regenerative medicine are being explored daily. There are now clinical trials using a child’s own stem cells for treatment of cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, juvenile diabetes and other adult stem cell research for heart diseases, spinal cord injury, burns, dementias, eye problems, and autoimmune diseases like lupus, Crohn's disease, scleroderma, and so on.

1000 Questions About Your Pregnancy is newly updated with simple, concise answers for expectant parents. It’s available on Amazon, Kindle, Nook and iTunes.

Transplant Survivors: Where Are They Now

PublicAffairs — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:54:00 GMT

At CBR we are honored to assist families—sometimes during a time of great need—when a child is experiencing a life threatening illness. What makes this company special are the relationships we form with our clients and we wanted to share this update we received recently from one of our transplant survivors, Katherine Teasley. After surviving surgery to remove a brain stem tumor which had left her several grade levels behind her peers in school, Katherine was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. As part of her treatment for the aplastic anemia, she received an infusion of her own cord blood. We hope it brings the same smile to your face as it did for us to learn that Katherine has caught up in school and is just about to start high school.

Hello my name is Katherine Teasley. I am 14 years old now and just came home from camp. I live near Palm Springs, California so it was nice to get out of the desert and up into the mountains. At camp I was doing lots of arts, crafts and swimming with friends. In a couple of weeks I’ll be starting my freshman year at High School. I can’t believe it, I‘m so excited. Time has flown by so fast!

I am so lucky to be alive and not on any medication today. I had bone marrow failure when I was nine years old. My blood did not make any new blood cells in my bone marrow. I did not really feel any pain but I was going to die! I was in the hospital for a long time. My parents saved my cord blood and doctors gave it back to me in 2006, after chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. It took a few weeks before I was able to go home to my own house. The really freaky thing is that no one knows what happened with my health unless I tell them.

My experiences made me want to be a doctor like my grandfather and to have my own family. When I have my own kids I will save their cord blood. You don’t know if they will ever need it, but they will have it to use, if they do.

I wish everyone one in the world would save their children’s cord blood, so it can be used to fight cancer and save lives like it saved mine. I feel so glad my mom and dad did it for me.

I have just one more thing. Thank you, Cord Blood Registry for taking such good care of my cord blood.

-Katherine Teasley

Ultimate use of cord blood stem cells will be determined by the treating physician who will consider if they are applicable for the condition and should come from the patient or a suitable donor (like an HLA matched sibling). There is no guarantee that treatments being studied in the laboratory or in clinical trials will be available in the future.

New Study First in North America to Use Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells in MS Therapy

PublicAffairs — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:55:00 GMT

A recently launched Phase 1 trial at the Cleveland Clinic conducted in collaboration with Case Western Reserve University is the first North American clinical trial to test adult mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation as a new therapy for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). MSCs are found in bone marrow and cord tissue.

According to a Cleveland Clinic press release these stem cells “have a wide range of effects that decrease the activity of immune cells which are over-active in MS,” said Jeffrey Cohen, M.D., of Cleveland Clinic’s Mellen Center, who is heading the study. “In addition, in numerous laboratory studies, MSCs were able to migrate from the blood into areas of inflammation or injury in the nervous system and reduce damage by developing into cells resembling neurons (nerve cells) and glia (support cells) and, probably more importantly, by creating a tissue environment that encourages intrinsic repair mechanism.”

The trial involves patients with relapsing MS who have moderate to severe disability, but who are still able to walk. Bone marrow will be removed from the participant’s hip, and MSCs will be grown in a laboratory. Then, the cells will be readministered intravenously to see if the procedure is safe and improves MRI findings and neurologic function. The research is funded in part through a $2.75 million, four-year grant from the United States Department of Defense.

Cohen recently told FoxNews.com, “We’ve had a number of effective treatments for MS that slow down the disease, but nothing that repairs the damage that has already occurred, and many of us think that stem cells are one of the most promising approaches to accomplish that.”

The Fox story also included the first patient enrolled in the trial, Bill White, a veteran of the Navy and former gym owner. Two months after the infusion, White said he has not had any side effects. He said he has better eye movement and muscle movement. “My whole left side was even worse, I couldn’t lift my leg,” White said. “It’s little things like that and all of a sudden I’m noticing, and I’m excited.”

News of this study adds to a growing body of laboratory and clinical research looking at MSCs as a potential therapy for chronic diseases and illnesses for which there are currently no cures.

Television’s World Report airs “Stem Cell Revolution”

PublicAffairs — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:10:00 GMT

Restoring Hope for Those who Felt Hopeless

At CBR, we’re always pleased to see journalists cover stem cell research showing potential therapies. That’s why we wanted to call your attention to the World Report which recently aired “Stem Cell Revolution,” Featuring poignant patient stories and interviews with doctors illustrating how stem cells have been used recently, the segment also covers what the future could hold for the field. After one courageous cancer patient received a reinfusion of his own stem cells he remarked, “I’m beginning a new chapter in my life. It’s given me new faith…and tremendous optimism.” He’s not alone in feeling optimistic. One doctor devoted to stem cell therapy views it as a way of “rebooting the body.”

The Next Frontier

Also featured in the segment is Dr. Anthony Atala, renowned stem cell researcher at Wake Forest University’s Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Dr. Atala is currently using stem cells to fabricate the structures of brand-new body parts, such as kidneys, livers and hearts. Although the technology has not advanced yet to construct fully-functioning organs for transplant, the segment recognizes the importance of these developments. “Without recent breakthroughs with stem cells, researchers wouldn’t even be this close.”

Check out the video and be amazed for yourself at the power of adult stem cells.

Cord Tissue Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Humans Shows Positive Results

PublicAffairs — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 23:31:00 GMT

The first reported human clinical application of umbilical cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) was recently published in Transplantation.(1) The study found that the use of cord tissue MSCs was feasible, safe and effective in treating patients with graft versus host disease (GvHD), which is a serious and potentially fatal complication of stem cell transplantation.

Because of their prospective impact on immune suppression, injury recovery and tissue engineering, MSCs are of increasing interest to researchers across a broad spectrum of regenerative medicine applications including autism, bone injury, cardiomyopathy, diabetes, HIV, liver failure, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and stroke.(2)

Overcoming Graft v. Host Disease

In the study recently published in Transplantation (1), the investigators first compared the form and structure, surface markers, and behavior of cord tissue MSCs to those found in bone marrow. They found thatMSCs obtained from cord tissue had similar appearance, superior proliferative potential and more immunosuppressive effects compared to bone marrow MSCs. Because of these unique properties and the relative ease of collection, isolation and culture, the investigators infused cord tissue MSCs expanded in the lab, into two patients with severe steroid-resistant acute GvHD. There were no side-effects or severe infections noted in either patient during the treatment period showing the MSCs were safe. The GvHD also improved dramatically in both patients following each infusion indicating the treatment was successful.

This study could pave the way for future studies of cord tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells to better understand how to maximize treatment for this serious transplant complication. However, GvHD may only be scratching the surface of the possible future applications for cord tissue MSCs.

Considering that collecting cord tissue from newborns is easy, safe and noninvasive compared to harvesting from bone marrow, the authors of this study concluded that these cells appear to be the ideal candidates for cell-based therapies. The authors of the study also indicated that cord tissue may be an alternative MSC source for clinical applications, just as cord blood itself has become a good source of hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation.(1) By collecting and saving cord tissue from newborns, families will have access to a rich source of MSCs which hold great promise for stem cell therapies in the future.

Graft versus host disease (GvHD) is a frequent immune incompatibility reaction of stem cell transplantation with often serious to fatal complications. GvHD occurs when donor cells recognize the recipient as foreign, and attack his or her organs and other tissues. GvHD is usually treated with steroids, but some patients may develop steroid resistance and require complicated treatment regimens.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are found in bone marrow, cord blood and inparticularly high concentrations in cord tissue.(3) They give rise to the cells of bone, fat, cartilage and other connective tissues. Cord tissue MSCs are being studied in more than 25 clinical trials to date according to the National Institutes of Health web site clinicaltrials.gov.

References:
1. Wu KH, Chan CK, Tsai C, et al. Effective treatment of severe steroid-resistant acute graft-versus-host disease with umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Transplantation. 2011;91(12):1412-6.
2. U.S. National Institutes of Health. Clinicaltrials.gov. Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal stem cells. Accessed September15, 2011.
3. Secco M, Zucconi E, Vieira NM, et al. Multipotent stem cells from umbilical cord: Cord is richer than blood! Stem Cells 2008; 26: 146.

Memorial Hermann Foundation in Houston, Texas Awarded Newborn Possibilities Fund Grant for TBI clinical trial!

PublicAffairs — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:12:00 GMT

We are proud to announce that the Newborn Possibilities Fund (NPF) has awarded grant funding to support an innovative clinical trial for children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) led by Dr. Charles Cox at the University of Texas Health Science Center in collaboration with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. The trial is investigating the use of a child’s own cord blood stem cells as therapy for TBI in children ages 18 months to 17 years. To ensure consistency in cord blood stem cell processing, storage and release for infusion, Cord Blood Registry, CBR, is the exclusive partner for this trial making the company the only family stem cell bank providing clients for this study. The grant will provide travel-related financial support to and from the trial site in Houston for participating families.

“Using cord blood is a critical link in the next step of UTHealth’s programmatic approach to researching stem cell therapies for brain injury,” Dr. Cox said. “Implementing this novel therapy has required strong partnerships with Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and the CBR Center for Regenerative Medicine, and is possible through a critical infrastructure investment by the state of Texas and private philanthropy.”

The NPF was created to help overcome financial barriers for families who qualify for participation in clinical research for conditions where limited treatment options currently exist, such as cerebral palsy and traumatic brain injury. The NPF directs financial grants to nonprofit organizations that help cover the cost of travel for families who have a child who is eligible to participate in cord blood stem cell FDA-regulated trials. The Fund is administered by Tides, a public charity, on behalf of CBR. Please visit the NPF website for more information or to make a donation. Thank you for your support!