On the weekend, a whos who of hockey legends gathered to pay tribute to Gordie Howe in his hometown of Saskatoon.

In addition to sharing memories about Mr. Hockey, a constant theme of the festivities was his miracle recovery from stroke.

Mr. Howe, 86, suffered two strokes last year and, according to his family, was near death before he travelled to Clinica Santa Clarita in Tijuana, Mexico, in December for experimental stem-cell treatment.

Afterward, Mr. Howe was able to walk again. He regained a lot of weight and he began to resemble his old self. (Most of this is second-hand; Mr. Howe also suffers from dementia and has not or cannot speak of his symptoms or treatment first-hand.)

After his stem-cell treatment, the doctor told us it was kind of an awakening of the body, his son, Marty Howe, told The Canadian Press. They call it the miracle of stem cells and it was nothing less than a miracle.

Mr. Howes Lazarus-like recovery makes for a great tug-at-the-heartstrings narrative for a man whose career has been the embodiment of perseverance and longevity. But if you step back a moment and examine the science, all sorts of alarm bells should go off.

Stem cells, which were discovered in the early 1960s, have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cells, at least in the embryonic stage. They also serve as the bodys internal repair system.

The notion that spinal cords and limbs and heart muscle and brain cells could be regenerated holds a magical appeal.

But, so far, stem-cell therapies have been used effectively to treat only a small number of blood disorders, such as leukemia. (Canada has a public bank that collects stem cells from umbilical-cord blood and a program to match stem-cell donors with needy patients.)

Stem cells also show promise in the treatment of conditions such as spinal-cord injuries, Parkinsons and multiple sclerosis, but those hopes have not yet moved from the realm of science-fiction into clinical medicine.

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The stem-cell miracle is anecdotal

Biotechs may be flush with cash, thanks to the ol bullish IPO market and an uptick in venture funding. But startups remainon the lookout for alternative funding models with crowdsourcing front and center.

This makes British biotech startup Cell Therapyparticularly interesting,itjustraised 689,246 or a bit over$1 million to launch a stem cell therapy for heart failure. This is one of the highest life sciences-related crowdfunding efforts topped only by Scanadu, whose handheld consumer diagnostic tool raised $1.6 million in Indiegogo.

Cell Therapy, which was founded by 2007 Nobel Prize winner Martin Evans, raised the funding on thesite Crowdcube exceeding its goal of 250,000 with backing from nearly 300 investors. It ceded a mere 0.39% in equity to the backers thatinclude investment bankers, hedge fund employees and scientists, CEO Ajan Reginald said.

It was very fast and very efficient, Reginaldtold Reuters. We have spent 5 percent of our time on fundraising, which enables me to spend 95 percent of my time on the business.

Crowdfunding is increasingly becoming an option for early stage biotechs that want to sidestep the traditional venture-backed approach. On one hand, its a relatively simple means to raise a large amount of seed capital but on the other, there are many more (potentially irate) investors to answer to when a companys in its nascence.

New York-based Poliwoggs entire premise is on bringing crowdfunding to healthcare with aims to help companies raise fundsfrom accredited investors beyond the seed stage, with rounds ranging from $2 million to $10 million mark.Notably, ithas its own regenerative medicine fund.

Part of the idea here is that people want to invest in the things they care about, but they havent always had the opportunity to invest in them, CEO Greg Simon told MedCity News.Were giving people the opportunity to put their money where their passion is.

Thats all fine and good to have a passion for a cause, but the traditional accredited investor whos enmeshed in a crowdfunding effort may still not understand the intricacies of what it takes to get results or a return in a tricky field like regenerative medicine.

John Carroll over atFierce Biotechopined that crowdfunding wont make a significant dent in the approach to life sciences crowdfunding. Stem cell therapy, after all, generated tons of media pomp and flair a decade ago, but has yet to deliver on many of its curative promises from back then. VCs are often burnt and reticent, and investors on crowdfunding sites will likely be, as well. Carroll says:

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Cell Therapy may have just raised $1M, but will crowdfunding have a lasting place in biotech?

FAQ Part 4: MEsenchymal Stem cell therapy for CAnadian MS patients (MESCAMS)
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and the Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation have announced a $4.2 million grant in support of the MEsenchymal Stem cell therapy for CAnadian.

By: MSSocietyCanada

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FAQ Part 4: MEsenchymal Stem cell therapy for CAnadian MS patients (MESCAMS) - Video

Towards Innovative New Approaches to Therapies
Bruce Torbett of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), develops innovative approaches for gene and stem cell therapy that could lead to more effective treat...

By: Scripps Research Institute

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Towards Innovative New Approaches to Therapies - Video

The Human Genome Unlocked
The Aspen Health Forum, 2009. With the mapping of the human genome complete, scientists are hoping to use stem cell therapy and related interventions to alleviate or even cure diseases. What...

By: The Aspen Institute

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The Human Genome Unlocked - Video

COMPARE CORD BLOOD BANKS

Choosing the right stem cell bank for your family is rarely a quick decision. But when you review the facts, you may find it much easier than you expected. Keep Reading >

1. The collection of cord blood can only take place at the time of delivery, and advanced arrangements must be made.

Cord blood is collected from the umbilical cord immediately after a babys birth, but generally before the placenta has been delivered. The moment of delivery is the only opportunity to harvest a newborns stem cells.

2. There is no risk and no pain for the mother or the baby.

The cord blood is taken from the cord once it has been clamped and cut. Collection is safe for both vaginal and cesarean deliveries. 3. The body often accepts cord blood stem cells better than those from bone marrow.

Cord blood stem cells have a high rate of engraftment, are more tolerant of HLA mismatches, result in a reduced rate of graft-versus-host disease, and are rarely contaminated with latent viruses.

4. Banked cord blood is readily accessible, and there when you need it.

Matched stem cells, which are necessary for transplant, are difficult to obtain due to strict matching requirements. If your childs cord blood is banked, no time is wasted in the search and matching process required when a transplant is needed. 5. Cells taken from your newborn are collected just once, and last for his or her lifetime.

For example, in the event your child contracts a disease, which must be treated with chemotherapy or radiation, there is a probability of a negative impact on the immune system. While an autologous (self) transplant may not be appropriate for every disease, there could be a benefit in using the preserved stem cells to bolster and repopulate your childs blood and immune system as a result of complications from other treatments.

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Stem Cell Research - Stem Cell Treatments - Treatments ...

FAQ Part 2: MEsenchymal Stem cell therapy for CAnadian MS patients (MESCAMS)
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and the Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation have announced a $4.2 million grant in support of the MEsenchymal Stem cell therapy for CAnadian.

By: MSSocietyCanada

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FAQ Part 2: MEsenchymal Stem cell therapy for CAnadian MS patients (MESCAMS) - Video

Knee arthritis; 2 years after stem cell therapy by Harry Adelson, N.D.
Patricia describes her outcome two years after bone marrow and adipose stem cell therapy for her arthritic knee by Harry Adelson, N.D. http://www.docereclinics.com.

By: Harry Adelson, N.D.

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Knee arthritis; 2 years after stem cell therapy by Harry Adelson, N.D. - Video

knowledge center home stem cell research all about stem cells what are stem cells?

Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated cells that are able to differentiate into specialized cell types. Commonly, stem cells come from two main sources:

Both types are generally characterized by their potency, or potential to differentiate into different cell types (such as skin, muscle, bone, etc.).

Adult or somatic stem cells exist throughout the body after embryonic development and are found inside of different types of tissue. These stem cells have been found in tissues such as the brain, bone marrow, blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscles, skin, and the liver. They remain in a quiescent or non-dividing state for years until activated by disease or tissue injury.

Adult stem cells can divide or self-renew indefinitely, enabling them to generate a range of cell types from the originating organ or even regenerate the entire original organ. It is generally thought that adult stem cells are limited in their ability to differentiate based on their tissue of origin, but there is some evidence to suggest that they can differentiate to become other cell types.

Embryonic stem cells are derived from a four- or five-day-old human embryo that is in the blastocyst phase of development. The embryos are usually extras that have been created in IVF (in vitro fertilization) clinics where several eggs are fertilized in a test tube, but only one is implanted into a woman.

Sexual reproduction begins when a male's sperm fertilizes a female's ovum (egg) to form a single cell called a zygote. The single zygote cell then begins a series of divisions, forming 2, 4, 8, 16 cells, etc. After four to six days - before implantation in the uterus - this mass of cells is called a blastocyst. The blastocyst consists of an inner cell mass (embryoblast) and an outer cell mass (trophoblast). The outer cell mass becomes part of the placenta, and the inner cell mass is the group of cells that will differentiate to become all the structures of an adult organism. This latter mass is the source of embryonic stem cells - totipotent cells (cells with total potential to develop into any cell in the body).

In a normal pregnancy, the blastocyst stage continues until implantation of the embryo in the uterus, at which point the embryo is referred to as a fetus. This usually occurs by the end of the 10th week of gestation after all major organs of the body have been created.

However, when extracting embryonic stem cells, the blastocyst stage signals when to isolate stem cells by placing the "inner cell mass" of the blastocyst into a culture dish containing a nutrient-rich broth. Lacking the necessary stimulation to differentiate, they begin to divide and replicate while maintaining their ability to become any cell type in the human body. Eventually, these undifferentiated cells can be stimulated to create specialized cells.

Stem cells are either extracted from adult tissue or from a dividing zygote in a culture dish. Once extracted, scientists place the cells in a controlled culture that prohibits them from further specializing or differentiating but usually allows them to divide and replicate. The process of growing large numbers of embryonic stem cells has been easier than growing large numbers of adult stem cells, but progress is being made for both cell types.

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What are Stem Cells? - Medical News Today

Advanced stem cell treatments instead of surgery - Denver Regenerative Medicine
If you #39;re tired of treating a chronic injury with prescription drugs, and you #39;ve been told surgery is your next option, there may be a different treatment for you. Dr. Joel Cherdack of...

By: Denver Regenerative Medicine

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Advanced stem cell treatments instead of surgery - Denver Regenerative Medicine - Video

Neck and Shoulder arthritis two years after stem cell therapy by Harry Adelson, N.D.
Steve describes his outcome two years after stem cell therapy for his arthritic neck and shoulder by Dr Harry Adelson http://www.docereclinics.com.

By: Harry Adelson, N.D.

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Neck and Shoulder arthritis two years after stem cell therapy by Harry Adelson, N.D. - Video

George Sipple, USA TODAY Sports 8:51 p.m. EST February 3, 2015

Hockey great Gordie Howe, part owner of the Western Hockey League's Vancouver Giants, looks on during a team news conference in Vancouver, British Columbia.(Photo: Darryl Dyck, AP)

Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe has made such a dramatic recovery after having stem cell therapy in December in Tijuana, Mexico, that he's heading to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, this weekend for a dementia fundraiser involving Wayne Gretzky.

The Kinsmen Arena there will be renamed the Gordie Howe Kinsman Arena.

Dr. Murray Howe raced from Toledo, Ohio, to Lubbock, Texas, in late October, unsure whether his father, who had suffered a massive stroke, would still be alive when he got there. Gordie Howe was being cared for by his daughter, Cathy, and family members were advised to get there quickly if they wanted to see him again.

Murray Howe told the Detroit Free Press in a telephone interview Tuesday he was heading back to Lubbock on Wednesday to help accompany his father, along with other family members, to Saskatoon for the public appearance at a Friday night dinner.

USA TODAY

Sidney Crosby finds balance in life in the spotlight

Gordie Howe's younger brother, Vic, who played for the New York Rangers in the 1950s, died Saturday at age 85 in Moncton, New Brunswick. Murray Howe said Gordie would not be able to attend his brother's funeral, but would be with two sisters, Helen and Vi, while in Saskatoon and the family would gather there for a memorial service for their brother.

Although the event in Saskatoon had been planned for more than a year, the Howe family told organizers in August that Gordie probably wouldn't be able to attend because of declining health. They definitely didn't think he'd be able to attend following a series of stokes that he had in the months that followed.

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Gordie Howe making dramatic recovery after stem cell therapy

For patients with brain cancer, radiation is a powerful and potentially life-saving treatment, but it can also cause considerable and even permanent injury to the brain. Now, through preclinical experiments conducted in rats, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center researchers have developed a method to turn human stem cells into cells that are instructed to repair damage in the brain. Rats treated with the human cells regained cognitive and motor functions that were lost after brain irradiation. The findings are reported in the February 5 issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell.

During radiation therapy for brain cancer, progenitor cells that later mature to produce the protective myelin coating around neurons are lost or significantly depleted, and there is no treatment available to restore them. These myelinating cells--called oligodendrocytes--are critical for shielding and repairing the brain's neurons throughout life.

A team led by neurosurgeon Viviane Tabar, MD, and research associate Jinghua Piao, PhD, of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, wondered whether stem cells could be coaxed to replace these lost oligodendrocyte progenitor cells. They found that this could be achieved by growing stem cells--either human embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells derived from skin biopsies--in the presence of certain growth factors and other molecules.

Next, the investigators used the lab-grown oligodentrocyte progenitor cells to treat rats that had been exposed to brain irradiation. When the cells were injected into certain regions of the brain, brain repair was evident, and rats regained the cognitive and motor skills that they had lost due to radiation exposure. The treatment also appeared to be safe: none of the animals developed tumors or inappropriate cell types in the brain.

"Being able to repair radiation damage could imply two important things: improving the quality of life of survivors and potentially expanding the therapeutic window of radiation," said Dr. Tabar. "This will have to be proven further, but if we can repair the brain effectively, we could be bolder with our radiation dosing, within limits." This could be especially important in children, for whom physicians deliberately deliver lower radiation doses.

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The above story is based on materials provided by Cell Press. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Human stem cells repair damage caused by radiation therapy for brain cancer in rats

Nicholasville, KY (PRWEB) February 04, 2015

Rescued when he was only 4 weeks old, Nakiia, a 15-year-old Panther, has been living in severe pain after a jumping incident. Jan Hall, Nakiias owner has dedicated her life to rescuing animals. Nakiia, the namesake of her rescue foundation The Nakiia Foundation is the love of her life. Witnessing this fabulous animal in such pain was too much for Jan to bear. The Doctors treating Nakiia decided to undertake a revolutionary medical procedure, which centers on regenerative medicine.

Newman Veterinary Center in DeLand Florida performed MediVets Adipose (fat)-derived stem cell therapy. The male Florida panther underwent this procedure, more commonly performed on domestic animal such as dogs, cats and horses. The procedure is an effort to ease the pain from severe arthritis in his joints. This was a last stage effort for the panther that can no longer continue to live in such pain.

Though stem cell treatments have been performed in exotic animals before, it is still a rare and exciting undertaking. Utilizing MediVet Biologics procedure, Dr. Ted Oliver was able to ensure the process will produce the best possible results. MediVets procedure is completed in one day and in-clinic.

Stem Cell treatments in the past have often been controversial when embryonic cells where involved, with adipose or fat tissue Nakiias own adult stem cells could be easily concentrated and activated with minimal risk. Until recently Veterinarians only had the option of utilizing outside labs for processing of autologous cells, with the one step surgical treatment available from MediVet Biologics, Veterinarians all around the country can eliminate the costs and variability in shipping by utilizing an onsite simple procedure.

During the procedure, Dr. Oliver removed about four tablespoons of belly fat from the panther. The fat was then processed in-clinic by a trained technician. The cells are incubated, isolated and activated by a patented process. Dr. Oliver carefully re-administered the cells directly back into Nakiia. Nakiias excess cells will be stored for future use eliminating the need to surgically re-harvest additional tissue.

MediVets primary mission and goal is to help all animals live a pain free life. In regenerative medicine and biologic intervention age is not a disease rather a challenge that presents us many opportunities to develop cutting edge treatments to combat issues related to the aging process. Our partnerships with progressive Veterinarians such as Newman Veterinary Centers allow us to extend affordable cutting edge treatments to animals who otherwise potentially have limited treatments available. We look forward to following Nakiias progress." - Jeremy Delk, CEO of MediVet Biologics.

Newman Veterinary Center was honored to be a part of Nakiias stem cell procedure. The excitement that this 146-lb. cat brought to our clinic was unparalleled. We have very high hopes that Nakiia will be feeling much better very soon. - Erica Kent Director of Operations at Newman Veterinary Centers.

Nakiias story will air on Wednesday, February 4th on CBS WKMG (local 6) with Mike Holfeld, Investigative Reporter.

About MediVet Biologics MediVet Biologics is the Worlds leading provider of Veterinary regenerative medicine. The central Kentucky based company was founded in 2009 and quickly gained favor in the Veterinary industry with the advent of in-clinic adipose derived stem cell and platelet rich plasma treatments. Since gaining wide appeal in the small and large veterinary market MediVet Biologics has developed a strong biologic pipeline that includes, among other cutting edge treatment options, patient specific immunotherapy services.

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Florida Panther Receives Cutting Edge Stem Cell Procedure from MediVet Biologics

Freeport, Grand Bahama (PRWEB) February 04, 2015

In just a few short months since Okyanos opened its doors, remarkable results are becoming a daily reality. In light of these mounting successes, Okyanos, the leader in cell therapy, has augmented its adult stem cell therapy for severe heart disease and expanded their offerings to include treatments for patients with other chronic unmet needs. Now, patients like Patsy and Dylan are experiencing the tangible benefits that Okyanos cell therapy provides.

Patsy, 72 years old, lived a normal life until 2012 when a diagnosis of congestive heart failure (CHF) put a halt to her active lifestyle. Patsys health quickly deteriorated. Despite open heart surgery, a pacemaker and medications, all were insufficient to arrest her physical decline. Faced with a heart transplant as her next option and fearful of the idea, Patsy began searching for another alternative.

I was looking at going to Mexico, and my cardiologist was talking to me about being a part of a clinical trial where they inject two different kinds of drugs into the heart, but I was hesitant about that idea and worried I would get the placebo. A friend knew I had a heart problem, and she recommended Okyanos.

Patsys arrival at Okyanos quickly allayed any apprehension as she said, I couldnt ask to be treated any better than if they were my own sisters or brothers. It was truly amazing. You just dont get that kind of care in regular hospitals.

After just a few short months since her mid-October (2014) treatment with Okyanos cell therapy, Patsy is noticing improvements. Im doing better. I can already tell the difference. Im getting up the stairs more easily. Im doing the laundry again. I have more energy, and when you have more energy and you feel better, your point of view on life is betterit really makes a big difference.

Dylan is another success. At 16, Dylan had dreamt of a career playing tennis but began experiencing extreme pain with his hips locking up, causing him to fall to the ground. He was diagnosed with a rare condition that causes abnormal growth of tissue lining the joints that can later break off and damage cartilage. After 2 surgeries to clean out his hips, constant pain and an inability to walk without a limp, run or bend over, the condition worsened. After speaking with doctors, it was clear that continuation of regular surgeries would further deteriorate Dylans hips. Determined to see her son walk normally, Dylans mother discovered Okyanos and both decided to move forward with cell therapy.

Dylan underwent cell therapy wherein stem cells were separated from his own fat tissue for direct injections into the hip as well as delivery by IV to address underlying causes of ischemia, inflammation and abnormal immune response. Ten days later, Dylan was pain-free and able to walk normally, run and bend over.

Im pinching myself. Its amazing. No, its miraculous! says Elena about her sons recovery. If Dylan had not had the cell therapy, we would have kept doing other treatments and crossed our fingers. At 20 years old, his future would have been hip replacement surgery and a lifetime of problems walking, painful movement and an inability to bend down.

Stem cell therapy is a relatively simple and minimally-invasive same-day procedurea stark contrast from open heart surgery or hip surgeryyet offers patients the hope of a more normal life. Patients like Patsy concur, Its going to give people hope. And give them a life. You get to a point with a body where you push and push and run out of energy. Thats not really life to me. I think stem cell therapy can give back life.

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Okyanos Cell Therapy Success Brings Hope for a Normal Life

Published 04 February 2015

International Stem Cell, a California-based biotechnology company developing novel stem cell-based therapies and biomedical products, announced that the company has completed manufacturing of the cell bank of clinical-grade human neural stem cells using its patented process for the recently announced phase 1/2a clinical trial in Parkinson's disease.

The cell bank contains over 2.6 billion human cells, sufficient to meet the company's foreseeable clinical trial requirements.

"Completing the production of clinical-grade cells using the previously published protocol is one of the final steps before starting our clinical program," said Ruslan Semechkin, Ph.D., ISCO's Chief Scientific Officer.

"Because of the complexity involved in manufacturing live human cell products, having our own GMP facility is not only a strategic advantage, but also allows us to control the production costs. We continue to anticipate, subject to regulatory agency approval, beginning the clinical trial in early 2015 and will provide a further update in the near future."

ISCO's master cell bank of human parthenogenetic neural stem cells (ISC-hpNSC) is produced in compliance with current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) and the chemistry and manufacturing controls (CMC) discussed in the previously reported pre-IND meeting with the FDA. The cells are karyotypically normal hpNSCs and free of measurable contaminants of human or animal origin.

The production of hpNSCs from undifferentiated pluripotent human parthenogenetic stem cells in the master cell bank uses qualified reagents and a standardized protocol developed by ISCO. The undifferentiated human stem cells are derived from the parthenogenetic line and were recently cleared by the FDA for use in clinical trials.

Each batch of hpNSC is subjected to standardized quality control testing to ensure viability, sterility and appropriate cellular composition before clinical use. The existing master cell bank and current production scale are sufficient to supply our anticipated product needs through pivotal clinical trials. The cell bank was produced at the company's state of the art GMP manufacturing facility located in Oceanside, Calif.

ISC-hpNSCs are a novel therapeutic cellular product derived from the Company's proprietary human pluripotent stem cells. Neural stem cells are self-renewing multipotent cells that are precursors for the main cell types of the central nervous system.

The ability of ISC-hpNSCs to differentiate into dopaminergic neurons and express brain-protecting neurotrophic factors offers a new opportunity for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. ISCO's preclinical program includes animal studies to assess the safety and tolerability of our novel cell therapy as well as doses ranging efficacy to be used to design the first clinical trial in Parkinson's disease patients.

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International Stem Cell completes cell bank manufacturing for Parkinson's disease clinical trial

Gordie Howe has made such a dramatic recovery after having stem cell therapy in December in Tijuana, Mexico, that hes heading to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, this weekend for a dementia fundraiser involving Wayne Gretzky.

The Kinsmen Arena there will be renamed the Gordie Howe Kinsman Arena.

Murray Howe raced from Toledo, Ohio, to Lubbock, Texas, in late October, unsure whether his father, who had suffered a massive stroke, would still be alive when he got there. The Detroit Red Wings hockey legend was being cared for by his daughter, Cathy, and family members were advised to get there quickly if they wanted to see him again.

Murray Howe told the Free Press in a telephone interview Tuesday he was heading back to Lubbock today to help accompany his father, along with other family members, to Saskatoon for the public appearance.

Gordie Howes younger brother, Vic, who played for the New York Rangers, died Saturday at age 85 in Moncton, New Brunswick. Murray Howe said Gordie would not be able to attend his brothers funeral, but would be with two sisters, Helen and Vi, while in Saskatoon, and the family would gather there for a memorial service for their brother.

Although the event in Saskatoon had been planned for more than a year, the Howe family told organizers in August that Gordie probably wouldnt be able to attend because of declining health. They definitely didnt think hed be able to attend following a series of strokes that he had in the months that followed.

But Howe has made a drastic recovery, to the point that family members told the organizers if theres an extra chair for him, he thinks he can make it.

Murray Howe said he was very skeptical when representatives from Stemedica reached out a following the news of Gordie Howes massive stroke.

Stem cells werent even on my radar, Murray Howe said, who did a bunch of research before his father agreed to pursue the therapy.

Stemedica has a stem cell trial in the U.S., but patients have to wait six months following their stroke before they can begin to the therapy. The stem cell trial by Novastem at Clinica Santa Clarita in Mexico did not require a six-month wait.

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Howe to Assist Dementia Fundraiser

Peek the American black bear (Courtesy: Topeka Zoo)

Peek the bear is shown undergoing a CT scan at St. Francis Health Center in this photo from the Topeka Zoo.

St. Francis Health Center staff watch as a CT scan is performed on Peek the black bear. (Courtesy: Topeka Zoo)

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - An American black bear at the Topeka Zoo may be the first bear ever to undergo stem cell treatment for a spinal problem.

Zoo Director Brendan Wiley says Peek, who is 20-years old, started losing control of her hind legs two weeks ago. The condition worsened and zoo staff says pain medication was not having any impact on the situation.

One of the unique things about this scenario is that Peek hasnt acted like anything is hurting her. It is like the front half of her body can no longer communicate with the back half, said Animal Care Supervisor Shanna Simpson.

The zoo worked with St. Francis Health Center to perform a CT scan. Peek was tranquilized and transported to St. Francis' imaging facilities.

"Our first priority is human patient safety and access," says Brent Wilkins, director of Imaging Services at St. Francis Health. "We work with the Topeka Zoo to accommodate animals that need CT scans in off hours when one of our CT scanners is available. We made sure the bear was separated from any other patients and performed a high-level decontamination and cleaning of the area, called a terminal cleaning, after the bears visit."

The scan revealed an area of Peek's spine with spinal stenosis, a narrowing of her spinal column, causing pressure on the spinal cord.

In anticipation of future treatment, Dr. Larry Snyder and Dr. Travis Gratton, veterinarians from Topeka's University Small Animal Hospital were contacted. Before Peek was transported for the CT scan, the two harvested fat cells, which they converted to stem cells to inject back into her. The theory behind the treatment is that the stem cells can stimulate damaged area to repair and heal itself.

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Topeka Zoo Black Bear Undergoes Stem Cell Therapy

Peek, a 20-year-old American Black Bear living at the Topeka Zoo, is undergoing treatment, including a CT scan, for back condition, zoo director Brendan Wiley said Monday.

Peek came out of her den two weeks ago and her keeper noticed the bears hind legs were wobbly. Peek was given pain medication. However, the condition quickly worsened, Wiley said in a news release.

Peek within the next seven days continued to lose control of her rear legs.

One of the unique things about this scenario is that Peek hasnt acted like anything is hurting her, said Shanna Simpson, animal care supervisor. It is like the front half of her body can no longer communicate with the back half. Peeks illness required the use of a CT scan, which used equipment the zoo doesnt have, Wiley said.

Zoo veterinarian Shirley Llizo brought in Larry Snyder and Travis Gratton, of University Bird and Small Animal Hospital, to help harvest fat cells from Peek. This would allow the fat cells to be converted to stem cells to be injected.

Peek was tranquilized Jan. 22 and transported to the zoos hospital so the fat cells could be harvested. After the harvest, Peek was transported to St. Francis Health Center, where she was met by Brent Wilkins, director of imaging services, and his staff.

After confirming Peek would fit in the 72-centimeter CT scanner, Wilkins was able to do the scan, and radiologist James Owen found an area of Peeks spine was experiencing spinal stenosis. This is a narrowing of the spinal column that causes pressure on the spinal cord, according to zoo officials.

Our first priority is human patient safety and access, Wilkins said. We work with the Topeka Zoo to accommodate animals that need CT scans in off hours when one of our CT scanners is available. We made sure the bear was separated from any other patients and performed a high-level decontamination and cleaning of the area, called a terminal cleaning, after the bears visit. Were very happy to help our friends at the zoo in keeping the animals healthy.

After the CT scan, Peek went back to the zoo, where she received the stem cell therapy. Stem cell therapy treatment in bears is new technology, Wiley said. It is believed that Peek is the first bear to undergo this type of therapy, Wiley said in a news release. In the event Peek should need a second round of stem cell therapy, a cryogenic lab in Kentucky is maintaining the rest of the sample that was produced from Peeks fat cells.

Last week, Peek showed her first sign of improvement. However, she is still considered to have a poor prognosis, Llizo said.

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Topeka Zoo's bear gets CT scan, stem cell therapy

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Newswise The governing board of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) has awarded two University of California, San Diego researchers almost $3 million in combined funding to pursue new technologies intended to accelerate advances moving stem cell therapies out of the lab and into the clinic.

The funding was part of almost $30 million in new Tools and Technologies awards announced at CIRMs monthly meeting in San Francisco.

Sometimes even the most promising therapy can be derailed by a tiny problem, said Jonathan Thomas, JD, PhD, chair of the CIRM Board. These awards are designed to help find ways to overcome those problems, to bridge the gaps in our knowledge and ensure that the best research is able to keep progressing and move out of the lab and into clinical trials in patients.

Shaochen Chen, PhD, professor in the Department of Nanoengineering in the Jacobs School of Engineering and a member of the Institute of Engineering in Medicine at UC San Diego, received a $1.3 million in CIRM funding for development of 3D bioprinting techniques using human embryonic stem cell-derived heart muscle cells to create new cardiac tissue.

Millions of Americans suffer from cardiovascular disease, specifically congestive heart failure in which a heart valve ceases to work properly. Current treatment often calls for a valve transplant, but donor availability does not meet need.

Chen and colleagues are exploring the possibility of engineering healthy cardiac tissues bioprinted from heart muscle cells, called cardiomyocytes, created from human embryonic stem cells. These tissues could then be implanted in a damaged heart, restoring function.

Shyni Varghese, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Bioengineering at the Jacobs School of Engineering and director of the Bio-Inspired Materials and Stem Cell Engineering Laboratory, received a $1.4 CIRM grant to improve in vivo function of transplanted stem cells.

Vargheses lab focuses upon the complex interactions of cells with their surrounding microenvironment, and how the conditions necessary to promote normal, healthy survival and growth occur.

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Two UC San Diego Scientists Receive Stem Cell Technology Grants