These are my favorite stories to post. 22 year old Tyler Colosimo, diagnosed with leukemia, has received stem cell transplants from umbilical cord blood which are greatly improving his condition. He is one of roughly 13,000 patients who are unable to find suitable bone marrow donors, including blood relatives. Without biologically matched donors these patients have a very slim chance … Read More
Pope Endorses Stem Cell Research
What?! I thought the Catholic church, among others, was supposed to be “anti-stem cell research”. Of course if you’re only referring to stem cell research that involves the destruction of innocent human life, which the media and many on the left generally are when they use the term “stem cell research”, then we are. But we’re smart enough to recognize … Read More
Patients First
Since President Bush vetoed legislation aimed at expanding funding for embryonic stem cell research an Illinois Democrat and a Virginia Republican have introduced HR 2807, also known as the Patients First Act. The purpose of the bill is to: (1) intensify research that may result in improved understanding of or treatments for diseases and other adverse health conditions; (2) promote … Read More
Stem Cell News
Can You Hear Me Now? Stem Cells Enhance Hearing Recovery: Researchers have shown that bone marrow stem cells injected into a damaged inner ear can speed hearing recovery after partial hearing loss. Cord Blood May Preserve Insulin Levels In Children With Type 1 Diabetes: Umbilical cord blood may safely preserve insulin production in children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, … Read More
I’m Back!
I got back from South Dakota and my friends’ beautiful wedding yesterday evening. I did have free wireless but not a lot of blogging time. In the news while I was gone: A New Milestone in Stem Cell Research In the first trial of its kind in the world, 60 patients who have recently suffered a major heart attack will … Read More
Stem Cells Help Primates with Parkinsons
NEW HAVEN, Conn., June 13 (UPI) — A U.S. study has demonstrated primates suffering severe Parkinson’s disease significantly improved after being injected with human neural stem cells. Researchers from Yale, Harvard, the University of Colorado and the Burnham Institute said the primates were able to walk, move and eat better and exhibited diminished tremors after receiving the stem cells. Although … Read More
Adult Stem Cells Revert to Embryonic Stem Cells!
From the Washington Post (H/T: LifeEthics.org): Research reported this week by three different groups shows that normal skin cells can be reprogrammed to an embryonic state in mice. The race is now on to apply the surprisingly straightforward procedure to human cells. If researchers succeed, it will make it relatively easy to produce cells that seem indistinguishable from embryonic stem … Read More
Working on a Cure for Blindness
LONDON, June 5 (UPI) — British researchers hope to make stem-cell treatment of blindness caused by macular degeneration routine within a decade… Lyndon da Cruz of the University College London Institute of Opthamology has had some success transplanting retinal pigment epithelium cells within patients’ eyes. Now Cruz and his colleagues hope to use cells grown in a petri dish. The … Read More
House Vote Coming Up
This week the House is supposed to vote on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, S. 5. This is the bill to expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and is expected to pass, though the President is still expected to veto it when it makes it to his desk. In an interview with Life News, Family Research Council’s … Read More
New Therapies Using Stem Cells
I was perusing google news stories about stem cell research this evening and this delightful little article from the Salt Lake Tribune caught my eye. Some clips: Adult stem cells are less versatile than embryonic stem cells – but also less controversial, easier to come by and may be marketed for new therapeutic uses in the U.S. much sooner. In … Read More