In a new study using a rat model of Crohn’s disease, a biodegradable hydrogel composite loaded with stem cells, developed by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers, in a collaborative effort with the Whiting School of Engineering, has shown significant success in treating perianal fistulas (PAF) — one of the many complications of Crohn’s disease.
Tag: Stem Cells
Lab-grown retinal eye cells make successful connections, open door for clinical trials to treat blindness
Retinal cells grown from stem cells can reach out and connect with neighbors, according to a new study, completing a “handshake” that may show the cells are ready for trials in humans with degenerative eye disorders.Over a decade ago, researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison developed a way to grow organized clusters of cells, called organoids, that resemble the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
NIH researchers use 3D bioprinting to create eye tissue
Scientists used patient stem cells and 3D bioprinting to produce eye tissue that will advance understanding of the mechanisms of blinding diseases. The research team from the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, printed a combination of cells that form the outer blood-retina barrier—eye tissue that supports the retina’s light-sensing photoreceptors. The technique provides a theoretically unlimited supply of patient-derived tissue to study degenerative retinal diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Cleveland Clinic Studying Stem Cell Treatment for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Cleveland Clinic was awarded $5.5 million from the National Institutes of Health to develop a stem cell treatment for complex regional pain syndrome, a disease that causes debilitating chronic pain.
The research shows long-term potential for providing patients suffering from chronic pain an alternative to addictive treatments like opioids.
Scientists Receive $4.8M to Pursue Gene Therapy for ‘Incurable’ Disease
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has awarded UC San Diego researchers $4.8 million to advance a gene therapy to treat Friedreich’s ataxia, a rare but devastating neuromuscular disorder.
UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute Launches Stem Cells Into Space
The UC San Diego Sanford Stem Cell Institute leads its first space launch, sending stem cells into space aboard the International Space Station. The NASA-partnered study will take advantage of the microgravity environment of space to study accelerated aging in stem cells.
Stem Cell Grafts and Rehabilitation Combined Boost Spinal Cord Injury Results
In animal models, UC San Diego researchers found that intensive physical therapy in tandem with implanted neural stem cells increased tissue growth, repair and functionality in spinal cord injuries more than those treatments alone
Researchers find that different stem cells are responsible for the repair of different kinds of bone injuries
The discovery that different bone-forming stem cells are responsible for different aspects of bone maintenance and repair will allow us to focus future bone regeneration efforts
UC San Diego Joins NIH ‘Bridge to Artificial Intelligence’ Program
UC San Diego scientists will lead several components of Bridge2AI, a new NIH-funded program to promote the use of AI in health and research.
The Locked Library: Disease Causes Cells to Reorder Their DNA Incorrectly
With super-resolution imaging, Penn Medicine researchers discovered that cells change the physical structure of their genome when they’re affected by disease
See-through zebrafish, new imaging method put blood stem cells in high-resolution spotlight
MADISON — For the first time, researchers can get a high-resolution view of single blood stem cells thanks to a little help from microscopy and zebrafish.Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of California San Diego have developed a method for scientists to track a single blood stem cell in a live organism and then describe the ultrastructure, or architecture, of that same cell using electron microscopy.
Scientists develop blueprint for turning stem cells into sensory interneurons
Key takeaways:
• Just like the real thing. The stem cell–derived interneurons, which play a role in sensations like touch and pain, are indistinguishable from their real-life counterparts in the body.
• Tomorrow’s therapies. In addition to potential treatments for injury-related sensation loss, the discovery could lead to new methods for screening drugs for chronic pain.
• Moving forward. While stem cells from mice were used in the research, scientists are now working to replicate the findings with human cells.
Key Protein Identified for Brain Stem Cell Longevity
A receptor that was first identified as necessary for insulin action, that also is located on the neural stem cells found deep in the brains of mice, is pivotal for brain stem cell longevity, according to a Rutgers study, a finding that has important implications for brain health and future therapies for brain disorders.
Piezo1 Possible Key to Supporting Muscle Regeneration in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Tracing the impact of a single protein, Piezo1, Penn researchers found that restoring it in muscles affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy could improve their ability to heal efficiently
Sending Stem Cells Into Space to Develop Medicine of Tomorrow
Scientists from Cedars-Sinai are gearing up to send stem cells into space to test whether it is possible to produce large batches in zero gravity for use in treating a variety of diseases back on Earth.
Researchers Use Model of Hypothalamus to Implicate Genes Associated with Sleep, BMI, Puberty, and More
A new study has implicated several genes involved in a variety of bodily functions associated with the hypothalamus, a notoriously difficult-to-study region of the brain. The findings could help clinicians identify potential causes of dysfunction for many important traits regulated by the hypothalamus, such as sleep, stress, and reproduction.
Lithium imaging method could shine new light on bipolar disorder, treatment
Researchers reporting in ACS Central Science developed a method for imaging lithium in living cells, allowing them to discover that neurons from bipolar disorder patients accumulate higher levels of lithium than healthy controls.
AMSSM Releases Position Statement on Regenerative Medicine in Sports Medicine
The American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) has released a position statement on Principles for the Responsible Use of Regenerative Medicine in Sports Medicine.
Albert Einstein Cancer Center Researcher Receives NCI Outstanding Investigator Award to Study Two Deadly Blood Diseases
Ulrich G. Steidl, M.D., Ph.D., co-director of the Blood Cancer Institute and associate director of basic science at the Albert Einstein Cancer Center (AECC), has received a prestigious Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
UCI receives 5-year, $5 million CIRM award for training of diverse researchers
The University of California, Irvine has received a five-year, $5 million award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to support a comprehensive doctoral, postdoctoral and clinical researcher training program to prepare the current and next generation of leaders in stem cell biology, gene therapy and regenerative medicine.
The Promise of Regenerative Medicine to Treat Chronic Pain
Regenerative medicine has enormous implications for treatment and prevention of chronic pain including conditions like osteoarthritis, diabetic and peripheral neuropathy, and even spinal cord injuries and degenerative disk disease. According to one expert, there is potential to “[turn] back the time clock.”
Brain Organoids Mimic Head Size Changes Associated with Type of Autism
Stem cell models derived from people with specific genomic variation recapitulate aspects of their autism spectrum disorder, providing a valuable model to study the condition and look for therapeutic interventions.
Why do short-lived lung infections lead to long-lasting lung damage?
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that two populations of stem cells in the lung multiply during and after a viral respiratory infection, sometimes triggering a detrimental remodeling process that can cause persistent lung disease long after the virus has been cleared.
New Blood: Lab-Grown Stem Cells Bode Well for Transplants, Aging Research
UC San Diego researchers develop a method to grow hematopoietic stem cells in culture, with clinical implications for bone marrow transplants and aging research.
Gene “Waves” Drive Sperm Stem Cell Formation
Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are essential for male fertility. Using a technique they developed called iSLAMseq, UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers identified waves of genes responding to a transcription factor that promotes SSC formation. This led the group…
The hunt to find causes and treatments for deadly childhood cancer
Neuroblastoma is the deadliest and most common solid cancer in young children the world over, accounting for 15 per cent of all childhood cancer deaths. But Australian researchers are taking the first steps to find the cause and better treatments for this devastating disease which affects children under the age of five.

UCI-led team develops transplant biomaterial that doesn’t trigger immune response
Irvine, Calif., June 3, 2021 — A multidisciplinary research team led by Jonathan Lakey, Ph.D., professor of surgery and biomedical engineering at the University of California, Irvine, has developed a biomaterial for pancreatic islet transplants that doesn’t trigger the body’s immune response. Based on stem cell technology, hybrid alginate offers a possible long-term treatment for Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune reaction that destroys pancreatic islets’ beta cells, which regulate blood glucose levels.
Research News Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins Medicine
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Johns Hopkins Medicine Media Relations is focused on disseminating current, accurate and useful information to the public via the media. As part of that effort, we are distributing our “COVID-19 Tip Sheet: Story Ideas from Johns Hopkins” every other Wednesday.
Stem Cell Therapy Shows Potential to Heal Intestinal Disease in Premature Infants
WFIRM scientists are tackling necrotizing enterocolitis with a human placental-derived stem cell (hPSC) therapy strategy that is showing promising results.
Chemical cocktail activates stem cells, promotes repair after muscle damage
The technique used in this preclinical study could aid tissue regeneration following severe accidents, surgical resections, or progressive muscle loss due to age or genetic disease.
Stem cell therapy promotes recovery from stroke and dementia in mice
A one-time injection of an experimental stem cell therapy can repair brain damage and improve memory function in mice with conditions that replicate human strokes and dementia, a new UCLA study finds.

Targeting microRNAs could unmask hidden vulnerability in breast cancer stem cells
Researchers in Italy have identified a pair of microRNA molecules that help maintain a population of cancerous stem cells that drive the growth of breast cancers and initiate tumor relapse after treatment. The study, which will be published April 2 in the Journal of Cell Biology (JCB), reveals that targeting these microRNAs makes cancer stem cells more susceptible to some chemotherapies and could potentially improve the prognosis of patients with aggressive forms of breast cancer.
Placental Stem Cells Show Promise for Treating Preemies’ Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Article title: Human placental-derived stem cell therapy ameliorates experimental necrotizing enterocolitis Authors: Victoria G. Weis, Anna C. Deal, Gehad Mekky, Cara Clouse, Michaela Gaffley, Emily Whitaker, Cole B. Peeler, Jared A. Weis, Marshall Z. Schwartz, Anthony Atala From the authors:…

Researchers devise more efficient, enduring CAR gene therapy to combat HIV
A UCLA research team has shown that using a truncated form of the CD4 molecule as part of a gene therapy to combat HIV yielded superior and longer-lasting results in mouse models than previous similar therapies using the CD4 molecule.

Weizmann Institute Scientists Grow Advanced Mouse Embryos Outside the Uterus
In a first, the Weizmann Institute’s Prof. Jacob Hanna and his group have grown mouse embryos in an artificial uterus. The feat allows scientists to study the early stages of development, with potential implications that include understanding why implantations fail and the gestational conditions behind developmental disorders, as well as reduced need for laboratory animals.

Chemical cocktail creates new avenues for generating muscle stem cells
A UCLA-led research team has identified a chemical cocktail that enables the production of large numbers of muscle stem cells, which can self-renew and give rise to all types of skeletal muscle cells.
Individualized brain cell grafts reverse Parkinson’s symptoms in monkeys
Grafting neurons grown from monkeys’ own cells into their brains relieved the debilitating movement and depression symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison reported today.

Human Lung and Brain Organoids Respond Differently to SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Lab Tests
UC San Diego School of Medicine researchers are using stem cell-derived organoids to study how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with various organ systems. Their findings may help explain the wide variety in COVID-19 symptoms and aid the search for therapies.

Evan Snyder named Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering
The American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) has elected to its College of Fellows Evan Y. Snyder, M.D., Ph.D., professor and founding director of the Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. Snyder was nominated, reviewed, and elected by his peers and members of the College of Fellows for his seminal contributions to regenerative medicine.

‘Mini brain’ organoids grown in lab mature much like infant brains
A new study from UCLA and Stanford University researchers finds that three-dimensional human stem cell-derived ‘mini brain’ organoids can mature in a manner that is strikingly similar to human brain development.
Mount Sinai Researchers Identify Mechanisms That Are Essential for Proper Skin Development
Mount Sinai researchers have discovered that Polycomb complexes, groups of proteins that maintain gene expression patterns, are essential for proper skin development, according to a paper published in Genes & Development on February 18.

How a Single Gene Alteration May Have Separated Modern Humans from Predecessors
UC San Diego researchers discovered a single gene alteration that may help explain cognitive differences between modern humans and our predecessor, and used that information to develop Neanderthal-like brain organoids in the lab.

Scientists are a step closer to developing ‘smart’ stem cells – made from human fat
A new type of stem cell – that is, a cell with regenerative abilities – could be closer on the horizon, a new study led by UNSW Sydney shows.

UCLA scientists develop method to more efficiently isolate and identify rare T cells
Scientists from the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA have developed a technique that will enable researchers to more efficiently isolate and identify rare T cells that are capable of targeting viruses, cancer and other diseases.

University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Leads Groundbreaking Trial for COVID -19 Treatment
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine researchers led a unique and groundbreaking randomized controlled trial showing umbilical cord derived mesenchymal stem cell infusions safely reduce risk of death and quicken time to recovery for the severest COVID-19 patients, according to results published in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine in January 2021.

Leaders in stem cell science, regenerative medicine combine efforts in 2021
Leaders in stem cell science and regenerative medicine will combine two separate courses into one in June 2021.

Advances in Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine Highlighted in New Regenerative Medicine Essentials Course Co-Located with 2021 World Stem Cell Summit
Leaders in stem cell science and regenerative medicine will combine two separate courses into one in June 2021.

Lab-Grown Human Brain Organoids Mimic an Autism Spectrum Disorder, Help Test Treatments
UC San Diego researchers used brain organoids to identify two drug candidates that counteract the genetic deficiencies that cause Rett syndrome, a rare form of autism spectrum disorder.

Scientists discover how COVID-19 virus causes multiple organ failure in mice
UCLA researchers are the first to create a version of COVID-19 in mice that shows how the disease damages organs other than the lungs. Using their model, the scientists discovered that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can shut down energy production in cells of the heart, kidneys, spleen and other organs.

Development of New Stem Cell Type May Lead to Advances In Regenerative Medicine
DALLAS – Dec. 3, 2020 – A team led by UT Southwestern has derived a new “intermediate” embryonic stem cell type from multiple species that can contribute to chimeras and create precursors to sperm and eggs in a culture dish.