21-09-2011 00:58 A software company in Illinois seeks adults with autism because of the unique set of skills they often have. Those skills make for a great software tester and help a certain group of people find comfort in a rewarding job. (Sept. 21)
Read the original:
Illinois Company Seeks Adults With Autism - Video
28-12-2010 17:45 This video was taken a few hours after diagnosis and a few hours before we met the neurosurgeon who would end up performing brain surgery the following evening. The ataxic gait had been the most worrying symptom for us pre-diagnosis but we never suspected a brain tumour. Here we are trying to record Iris walking unaided just in case she was too tired to do so during the consultation.
Read more:
Ataxia resulting from brain tumour in 3 year old girl. - Video
04-11-2011 14:41 The Advertising Council, in partnership with Autism Speaks, launched an innovative public service advertisements (PSA) featuring renowned fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger. The PSAs are designed to help raise awareness about autism and to encourage the public to learn the early warning signs of a disorder that now affects one in every 110 American children. http://www.autismspeaks.org
More here:
Autism Speaks/Ad Council Awareness PSA featuring Tommy Hilfiger - Video
23-10-2011 18:24 Autistic people whose condition prevents them from speaking are making breakthroughs with the help of tablet computers and special applications that allow them to communicate, some for the first time. Lesley Stahl reports.
Read more here:
Apps for Autism - Video
20-10-2011 07:30 Christopher Duffley is an amazing kid with an AMAZING God! Born premature, blind, and autistic, Christopher was adopted by his parents before they realized God has gifted this young fellow with the gift of music! This recording is from the 2011 "New Hampshire Night of Worship" celebration where over 1300 followers of Christ gathered to sing praises to Jesus Christ! Please visit Christopher's website at: duffley.com
Read more:
10-Year-Old Blind Autistic Boy Sings "Open the Eyes of my Heart" - Video
23-06-2009 17:30 Ethan has cerebellar hypoplasia. He was diagnosed at age of 18 months(yr 2000), the first part of the video was taken when he was 2 years old by his neurolgist.
Originally posted here:
Living with Cerebellar Hypoplasia (Ataxia) - Ethans Story - Video
12-11-2011 08:41 CBBC Newsround - My Autism and Me LICENCE - all rights reserved by BBC, CBBC Programmes, Newsround In this Newsround Special, 13-year-old Rosie takes viewers into her world to explain what it's like to grow up with autism - a condition which affects how children see life, and the way they relate to others around them. With the help of beautifully crafted animation, Rosie introduces other children who have the condition: Tony, who gets totally obsessed with things but struggles to make friends, Ben, who has suffered from terrible bullying, and Rosie's own little brother Lenny, who turns the house upside-down daily to try and make sense of things. These children tell their own stories in their own words to give a vivid and moving insight into what it's like to be autistic. It's a condition that affects the way you live your life and see the world around you. Our presenter Rosie was born with autism. She says even though living with it is difficult, it makes her unique and who she is. As well as telling her own story, you'll find out how Ben, Tony and Lenny are affected by the condition. Lots of children with autism get bullied at school and can find it hard to get jobs when they grow up. In our special film Rosie wants to tell the world what autism is and what it's like to live with it.
Read more:
BBC - My Autism and Me - Video
Have you recently been diagnosed with a chronic disease? Coming to terms with your diagnosis isn’t easy, but the best way to move forward is to focus on your next steps. What do you need to do now that you know about your condition? From learning about your illness to making impactful lifestyle changes to manage your symptoms, Immortality Medicine is here to share five important steps to take after receiving a chronic disease diagnosis.
Learn About Your Condition
After learning about your diagnosis, one of the first things you should do is research your condition. You want to become an expert on your illness! The more you know about what’s going on in your body, the better equipped you’ll be to make impactful decisions regarding your treatment and management strategies. It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor or nurse about your condition before turning to the internet. Ask them for trusted sources of medical information where you can read more on your own. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, so make sure you know how to spot it!
Review Your Health Insurance
Your health insurance coverage will save you a lot of money as you pursue treatment, tests, and other healthcare visits going forward. Take some time to review your coverage and see if you need to make any changes to your plan. If you don’t have health insurance because you’re self-employed, start looking into your options. Insurers can no longer deny you coverage due to an existing condition, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a suitable health insurance plan that will accommodate your diagnosis. Take a look at the Health Insurance Marketplace or the Freelancers Union to compare plans.
Move into an Accommodating Home
Depending on your condition, you may want to move into a new home that’s more accommodating. If, for example, your chronic condition will have an impact on your mobility, moving into an accessible home will help you maintain your independence. You might also want to move to be closer to a hospital or treatment center or live somewhere more supportive of a health-focused lifestyle.
Just remember that you may need some time to save up a down payment for your new home. The more money you can save, the lower your interest rate and monthly mortgage payment. Learn about the down payment process so you can make a realistic savings plan for your big move.
Create an Exercise Plan
Regular exercise will help you maintain mobility and ward off the negative symptoms of your condition. Everyday Health explains that exercise helps lessen the severity of fibromyalgia and improve the overall quality of life for people with chronic pain. Talk to your doctor for safe exercise recommendations. For example, these foam rolling exercises are great for loosening up tight muscles and improving flexibility, which can reduce pain and improve your range of motion.
Make Healthy Dietary Swaps
Like engaging in regular exercise, making healthy dietary swaps is a great way to manage your condition. The American Diabetes Association explains that making healthy lifestyle changes is often very difficult because people try to change too many things at once or choose changes that are too different from their normal routines. Sticking to smaller changes, like swapping a few foods from your diet, is a great place to start without getting overwhelmed. If you need to lower your cholesterol, for example, try swapping butter for olive oil, eating fish instead of red meat, and snacking on homemade popcorn instead of chips.
Receiving a diagnosis of a chronic illness isn’t fun. But with a solid plan of action, you can learn to live with your condition. Review your health insurance options, learn more about your diagnosis, and consider moving into a more accommodating home. Jumping into action after your diagnosis is a great way to move forward and avoid excessive worry.
Immortality Medicine is a science and medical news website for adults interested in the latest breakthroughs in human longevity. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Animals exist in this world from a time a lot earlier than humans. Humans, in general, have the majority of the population and in one way or another is running, responsible and accountable for all the acts being done. The animals have had their natural habitats shortened due to the resource requirements of humans and on the other side, humans have grown fond of having animals as pets as well for different purposes. Pets can be kept for a source of entertainment or as a hobby as well. Well in the last couple of years there has been a lot of awareness created for rescuing animals that might be hurt, abandoned or extremely ill. Rescuing animals right now mostly includes but not limited to cats and dogs. Well rescuing an animal can be a huge responsibility. People who intend to rescue animals hesitate mainly due to the fact they don’t know how they can take care of the rescued animals.
Well to be able to go ahead and take care of the rescued animal in the best possible manner it is suggested to use Wi-Fi nanny cam to be able to have a look any time of the day even without being physically there. The area where you plan to keep the rescued being should have motion sensor lights so that all the movements and behavior of the animal is known and one can be cautious about it or learn from it. So, preparing the place to keep the animal is the first step, so one definitely needs to remove household chemicals from the reachable places, dangling items to be removed and cover-up delicate furniture with a slip or a throw. Well right after getting things ready at the home or any other place one needs to go and gather supplies for the animal that can be a sitting basket, supplementary food, bedding, water bowls or even grooming supplies. Once this is done you need to mentally prepare other people living in that place and set the rules that what are the do’s and don’ts after the animal is here. If any information about the animal before it was rescued is available then all that information shall be kept in consideration.
Building trust with animals is the only way that the rescued animals will be able to heal fully and be as they normally are. Every animal needs space and might act a little differently like eat a lot or chew a lot but through a Wi-Fi nanny, cam one can keep an eye on how the animal is behaving unsupervised or in his own personal space. The animal initially might act up tense or sometimes aggressive as well so patience is the key here, note down the patterns or things that cause changes in behavior and adjust accordingly. If the animal is doing something un-acceptable you have to firmly let him know that this is not to be done again but kindness needs to be maintained. Making animals used to daily noises in your routine is compulsory as well. Make them used to it slowly and gradually so that they can accept it. The animal might show signs of separation anxiety; they might cry, bark or pee a lot when left alone, so in that case, someone should be around most of the time, play with the animal and make them feel wanted.
Lastly feeding the animal according to their nature is very important. One can keep eye on them using cams and motion detector lights that what time do they eat and do they like to eat fast or slow or when it’s hot or cold. Training the animals builds a connection as well, training becomes easier with treats and then they can be made to exercise to stay active. The person who is taking care of the rescued animal should go ahead establish a connection with a doctor as well to keep things right. Well, technology such as the cams and motion detector lights can help note patterns and understand the animal in a better manner as it allows noting down their acts and behaviors when they are alone and feel free. It is suggested to an eye on them through such means till the time they don’t start acting up normal and blend in with the people around.
I bet you know that heart disease is common. I bet you even know it's deadly. But I have two questions for you:
It's true. Not only does cardiovascular disease kill millions of people worldwide each year, it's also almost entirely preventable.
The truth is, most people don't want to change their life. They have the power to change their life, to make themselves far less susceptible to cardiovascular disease, and they simply don't do it.
But why?
There are several reasons why people don't make those lifestyle changes. Let's look a little more closely at each one.
Lack of information
The truth is, plenty of people don't know the risk they are at, much less how to minimize those risks. Consider that in 2015, 82% of the 17 million premature deaths were in low- and middle-income countries, and 37% of those deaths were the result of cardiovascular disease.
Out of the 17 million premature deaths (under the age of 70) due to noncommunicable diseases in 2015, 82% are in low- and middle-income countries, and 37% are caused by CVDs. The truth is, many of those people simply haven't had access to the information because the medical education infrastructure simply isn't there. We have to believe that at least some of those people would make the necessary lifestyle changes if they knew they needed to make them.
Time, energy, and cost
While in the long-term it is quite obviously more expensive to not take care of yourself, many of us live in the short-term, day-to-day. Exercising, eating well, and taking care of our personal health can take time, energy, and cost not all of us are convinced we have. In the middle of a long week, our day may consist of getting up, driving to work, being stressed all day at work with the exception of a smoke break or two, then drive-through dinner on the way home before crashing after a long, hard day. While long-term that lifestyle is not at all sustainable, there are plenty of Americans who can't imagine living another way. This especially true as fast food is subsidized in ways that much healthier options often aren't, and both rural and urban food deserts can also contribute to difficulties in eating well.
Lack of motivation
Of course, some people know they could live healthier, and can afford the time, energy, and cost, and still choose not to make those lifestyle choices. This is likely the category most unhealthy Americans fall into, to be quite frank.
So what lifestyle changes would it take?
The truth is, it wouldn't take much to make a major dent in those risk factors. The following factors, referred to as “life's simple 7” by the American Heart Association, decrease the risk of heart disease by 80%, stroke by 50%, and cancer by 30%. So why wouldn't you make these seven changes?
Those simple seven?
None of those are hard steps to take, and each of them can help make the other steps easier. For instance, quitting smoking makes it easier to exercise, and exercising regularly makes it easier to lose weight. Losing weight has been shown to help with blood pressure, and also makes exercising easier. Eating better makes exercising easier and has been proven to help you lose weight. Reducing your blood sugar makes it easier to exercise, and helps you lose weight. These seven steps each make the other steps easier, so it really isn't nearly as big a step as you might at first think.
Yet most Americans fail at this simple checklist. Roughly one American dies every forty seconds from cardiovascular disease—that's more than 800,000 people each year! Put another way: Roughly the population of Charlotte, North Carolina dies each and every single year from cardiovascular diseases just in the United States.
So why don't we prevent heart disease? I don't know. But I bet we could all do a little better getting the information out there and helping people make healthier lifestyle choices.
Life-Saving Stem Cells - Discover, Learn, ShareNearly everyone inside and outside of the medical and scientific community agrees that stem cell research represents one of the most exciting and promising frontiers for treating people with a myriad of diseases and conditions. Stem cell research and treatments represent perhaps mankind's greatest opportunity to fulfill that ancient call to "heal the sick," relieve suffering and improve the quality of life for untold millions of people.
This website provides scientific facts and concise information for those of us who are not scientists, researchers or medical professionals. You will learn answers toquestions like ..."Who is benefitting from stem cell research and therapies today?" and "What types of stem cells are working?" In addition, basic questions such as"What is a stem cell?""Why do we need stem cell research?" are answered.
The video patient profiles featured on this site emphasize ADULT stem cell advances with the goal of informing and the hope of inspiring you to take action. These real-life stories represent a small sampling of people and the many diseases and conditions now being helped by adult stem cells naturally found in the human body. Stem Cell Research Facts illustrates how current adult treatments and therapies directly impact the lives of patients and their families today - as opposed to debating themerits of other types of stem cell research.
We invite you to discover, learn and share the incredible possibilites of stem cell research. We welcome your feedback and encourage you to return for the latest developments in the world of stem cell research. Thank you!
Go here to see the original:
Adult Stem Cells - Therapies and Treatments
Stem cell facts
Stem cells are cells that have the potential to develop into many different or specialized cell types. Stem cells can be thought of as primitive, "unspecialized" cells that are able to divide and become specialized cells of the body such as liver cells, muscle cells, blood cells, and other cells with specific functions. Stem cells are referred to as "undifferentiated" cells because they have not yet committed to a developmental path that will form a specific tissue or organ. The process of changing into a specific cell type is known as differentiation. In some areas of the body, stem cells divide regularly to renew and repair the existing tissue. The bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract are examples of areas in which stem cells function to renew and repair tissue.
The best and most readily understood example of a stem cell in humans is that of the fertilized egg, or zygote. A zygote is a single cell that is formed by the union of a sperm and ovum. The sperm and the ovum each carry half of the genetic material required to form a new individual. Once that single cell or zygote starts dividing, it is known as an embryo. One cell becomes two, two become four, four become eight, eight become sixteen, and so on, doubling rapidly until it ultimately grows into an entire sophisticated organism composed of many different kinds of specialized cells. That organism, a person, is an immensely complicated structure consisting of many, many, billions of cells with functions as diverse as those of your eyes, your heart, your immune system, the color of your skin, your brain, etc. All of the specialized cells that make up these body systems are descendants of the original zygote, a stem cell with the potential to ultimately develop into all kinds of body cells. The cells of a zygote are totipotent, meaning that they have the capacity to develop into any type of cell in the body.
The process by which stem cells commit to become differentiated, or specialized, cells is complex and involves the regulation of gene expression. Research is ongoing to further understand the molecular events and controls necessary for stem cells to become specialized cell types.
Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 6/3/2015
Stem Cells - Experience Question: Please describe your experience with stem cells.
Stem Cells - Umbilical Cord Question: Have you had your child's umbilical cord blood banked? Please share your experience.
Stem Cells - Available Therapies Question: Did you or someone you know have stem cell therapy? Please discuss your experience.
Medical Author:
Melissa Conrad Stppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Medical Editor:
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Stem Cells: One of the human body's master cells, with the ability to grow into any one of the body's more than 200 cell types.
All stem cells are unspecialized (undifferentiated) cells that are characteristically of the same family type (lineage). They retain the ability to divide throughout life and give rise to cells that can become highly specialized and take the place of cells that die or are lost.
Stem cells contribute to the body's ability to renew and repair its tissues. Unlike mature cells, which are permanently committed to their fate, stem cells can both renew themselves as well as create new cells of whatever tissue they belong to (and other tissues).
Read more here:
Stem Cells: Get Facts on Definition, Types, and Research
Are there stem cell therapies available for eye diseases?
To our knowledge, no stem cell therapy has received Health Canada or U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for treatment of eye diseases at this time. Patients who are researching their options may come across companies with Web sites or materials that say otherwise and offer fee-based stem cell treatments for curing this disease. Many of these claims are not supported by sound scientific evidence and patients considering these therapies are encouraged to review some of the links below before making crucial decisions about their treatment plan.
For the latest developments read our blog entrieshere.
For more about stem cell clinical trials for eye diseasesclick here.(for printed version: http://goo.gl/2i14w)
There is currently no therapy for curing neurodegenerative eye diseases so the idea of transplanting stem cells to regenerate damaged cells holds great appeal. Stem cells have an unparalleled regenerative capacity and the flexibility to grow into hundreds of different types of cells. In theory, this means that they could be harnessed to produce an inexhaustible source of transplantable cells to repair the eye. This would be a tremendous boon in situations such as corneal transplants, where the demand overtakes the availability of donor tissue from cadavers. Other proposed strategies aim to take advantage of the properties of stem cells and their products to protect the many neurons in the eye responsible for vision.
There are countless research teams around the globe working to develop stem cell therapies for eye diseases. Their common goals are identifying the best stem cell contenders, understanding the environmental cues that can coax them into becoming photoreceptor neurons, and developing the large scale lab methods required for ramping up the cell production. Researchers agree that one of the biggest challenges will be to figure out how get the transplanted cells to make the right links with other neurons in the eye. These connections are an essential part of restoring the transmission of visual information to the brain.
One of the most important research contributions to date has come from Canadian researchers who identified retinal stem cells, first in the mouse and a few years later in humans. This discovery kindled hope in the research community that retinal damage, long considered permanent, might be reversible. The proof of principle for this concept came from experiments with mice and chicks, where transplanted retinal stem cells could integrate and make a variety of retinal cells, especially photoreceptor neurons.
Stem cell research for eye diseases is moving along a number of different routes and some of the successful stops along the way have been translated into early Phase 1 and 2 clinical studies. These are small trials designed to carefully test the safety of using stem cells to replace or protect cells within the eye. The advances to date in both pre-clinical and clinical studies are quite remarkable, and are providing the basis for a realistic future where stem cell therapies will be a viable option for restoring damaged vision.
Japan has approved the worlds first human tests using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to treat age-related macular degeneration. Find out morehere.
Before basic stem cell research can be translated into the clinic for patients, it must first be rigorously tested and validated. For eye diseases, this involves transplanting stem cells and their products into animal models to test if vision can be improved. Stem cells from a wide variety of sources are being considered, both from inside the eye (limbal and retinal stem cells) and outside the eye (embryonic, induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells, bone marrow and neural stem cells). One of the challenges researchers are finding is getting the transplanted stem cells to take. Some regions of the eye are more hospitable to transplants and successes have come relatively quickly, as in the case of grafting corneal tissue generated from limbal or embryonic stem cells. The retina, on the other hand, is not so welcoming to incoming cells. Researchers are working hard to overcome this by identifying the normal signals within the eye that work on stem cells to promote tissue repair. They are also developing new delivery methods (for example, biodegradable gels seeded with stem cells) that are able to promote more continuous integration of the transplanted cells into the eye.
The road to finding a stem cell therapy for eye diseases is paved with many challenges that will take time to overcome. But the wealth of information generated from labs around the globe is converging to help with the transition from basic research to the clinic. The results are very promising and in time may point to a viable stem cell therapy that accomplishes more than any of the current therapies by supplying an endless source of transplant material to restore vision in patients with injuries and diseases of the eye.
In nature, the master stem cell is the embryonic stem cell because it can make an entire human being. In 2006, scientists devised a method for turning human embryonic stem cells into the outer layer of the retina, called the RPE. This is the crucial layer that absorbs light. Scientists were able to transplant this layer just under the retina in mouse models of macular degeneration. Improved vision in the mice proved that the transplanted cells were able to rescue damaged photoreceptor neurons. Moving forward, researchers are tweaking protocols and adding factors that guide more precisely the way to making RPE cells. This process involves careful screening of any unwanted cells that could cause tumours. In a landmark trial in 2012, human embryonic stem cell-derived RPE were transplanted into two people with different forms of macular degeneration. The researchers are guarding their excitement, however, because although both patients have shown a degree of improvement in vision, it is still uncertain whether the transplanted stem cells are responsible and if they may yet be rejected.
Limbal stem cells are also being investigated for their ability to regenerate corneal tissue in people whose eyes have been badly burned. Provided that one of the eyes is undamaged, a sample of the patients limbal stem cells can be harvested, grown in the laboratory and transplanted back into the patients burned eye. A recent trial tested this approach in over 100 patients and the before and after pictures were remarkable: the cloudy corneas scarred by acid burns became clear, transparent corneas. So far, the effects appear to be long-lasting (up to 10 years) and this bodes well for the future of using this therapy to regenerate damaged corneas.
Technological advances are paving the way for studies with retinal stem cells. An implantable device has been developed that can be loaded with human retinal stem cells, genetically modified to make a factor that protects neurons and supports their survival. The device can be implanted into the back of the eye where it releases a continuous supply of the protective factor. A big advantage of this method is that graft rejection is minimized because the genetically modified cells are trapped in the device and do not come into contact with the immune system. Early clinical trials in patients with various eye diseases have shown that the device is well tolerated and appears to slow the rate of vision loss. Other trials are testing for adverse effects, rejection or shifting from the site of implantation. This method points to a pot
entially safe way of delivering stem cells that could make protective factors to treat diseases such as glaucoma or AMD.
Readers may wish to peruse the recommended sites and articles below for more information about eye disease and the possible applications of stem cells to treat these conditions.
AMD Alliance International(www.amdalliance.org) CNIB(www.cnib.ca) The Foundation Fighting Blindness (Canada)(www.ffb.ca) Foundation Fighting Blindness(www.blindness.org) The London Project (UK)(www.thelondonproject.org) National Eye Institute(www.nei.nih.gov) Vision Action Plan(www.who.int/blindness/Vision2020_report.pdf)
Originally posted here:
Eye Diseases | Canadian Stem Cell Foundation
The city of Oakland does not have the same snap and sizzle as San Francisco, but it will soon have something that the famed city-by-the-bay will not have the headquarters of an internationally known, $3 billion, stem cell research agency.
Californias taxpayer-financed program, which is arguably the largest, single source of stem cell research funding in the world, is leaving San Francisco this fall and moving across the bay to the sunnier and cheaper climes of Oakland.
The reason is that the agency is no longer the beneficiary of free space in San Francisco and cant afford to pay sky-high rent to stay there.
The stem cell agency enjoyed its rent free location as the result of a bidding war in 2005 among cities in California to acquire the agency headquarters. San Francisco offered a package that it calculated at $18 million. It also helped San Francisco that Bob Klein, the first chairman of the agency, lived on the San Francisco peninsula.
The agency and its auditor estimate that CIRM saved $12 million in rent and related benefits during the 10 years it has been in San Francisco. That money, however, will ultimately be spent on research or agency expenses.
That includes the rent for the new digs that will run $697,560 annually. The base rate for the 17,097 square feet is $3.40 a foot. The agency will have 14,411 square feet on the 16th floor of the 27-story building and 2,686 on the 15th.
In response to a query, Kevin McCormack, CIRMs senior director for communications, said,
The agency is expected to run out of cash for new awards in less than five years but will have ongoing functions related to its existing awards.
Costs for tenant improvements are still being calculated along with costs for the move.
Under the San Francisco lease, the owner provided free parking, a significant benefit for the agency employees, which number about 55. Parking can run to $15 to $20 a day in the agency's current neighborhood, according to sanfrancisco.bestparking.com.
In Oakland, employees will have to pay for their own parking, but the agency is looking into government assistance programs. The location is near a BART station, a mass transit overhead rail system that runs through much of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Over the years, Oakland has presented a changing face to the public. In World War II, it was part of what was described as a second gold rush as the result of defense plant operations. In 1966 , the city was the headquarters of the Black Panthers, whose co-founder, Huey Newton, attended high school there. Today Oakland is involved in a wave of gentrification that has created tension within the community.
It may be fitting for the agency to return to what is known as the East Bay area in California. Its first, temporary headquarter was located in Emeryville, just three miles up the road from its new space.
See the rest here:
California Stem Cell Report
Introduction Stem Cells are unique in that they have the potential to develop into many different cell types in the body, including brain cells, but they also retain the ability to produce more stem cells, a process termed self renewal. There are multiple types of stem cell, such as embryonic stem (ES) cells, induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, and adult or somatic stem cells. While various stem cells can share similar properties there are differences as well. For example, ES cells are able to differentiate into any type of cell, whereas adult stem cells are more restricted in their potential. The promise of all stem cells for use in future therapies is exciting, but significant technical hurdles remain that will only be overcome through years of intensive research.
The NINDS supports a diverse array of research on almost all stem cells, from studies of the basic biology of stem cells in the developing and adult mammalian brain to studies focusing on nervous system disorders such as ALS or spinal cord injury. For example, investigators are looking at how ES cells can be used to derive dopamine-producing neurons that might alleviate symptoms in patients with Parkinsons disease or how somatic stem cells can generate myelin producing oligodendrocytes for remyelination following acute and chronic brain injury. Although there is much promise for using stem cells to treat neurological diseases in humans, there is much work to be done before stem cell-based therapies are ready for the clinic.
The NIH Stem Cell Information Web page provides additional information about stem cell research at NIH. Also, see MedlinePlus for more health information regarding stem cells.
To learn more about investigational therapies, including stem cells, one can search the National Institutes of Health (NIH) online clinical trials database, which has information about federally and privately funded clinical research studies on a wide range of diseases and conditions. You can access this database at ClinicalTrials.gov to learn about the location of research studies in need of participants, as well as their purpose and criteria for patient participation. The NIH also maintains a clinical research website that has additional information and can be found here: NIH Clinical Research Trials and You
NINDS Repository The NINDS also supports a repository that offers human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines for research on neurological disorders. A list of available cell lines can be found here: Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
NINDS Stem Cell Research on CampusThe Intramural Research Program of NINDS is one of the largest neuroscience research centers in the world. Investigators in the NINDS intramural program conduct research in the basic, translational, and clinical neurosciences. Their specific interests cover a broad range of neuroscience research including stem cell biology. Listings of NINDS intramural researchers by laboratory affiliation and research areas are available online.
NIH Policy and ImplementationThe Director of the NINDS, Dr. Story Landis is the Chair of the NIH Stem Cell Task Force, which was created to enable and accelerate the pace of stem cell research and to seek the advice of scientific leaders in stem cell research. For comprehensive information on NIH policies related to stem cell research, visit the NIH Stem Cell Information web page.
NIH Center for Regenerative Medicine (NIH CRM)NIH CRM is a community resource that works to provide the infrastructure to support and accelerate the clinical translation of stem cell-based technologies, and to develop widely available resources to be used as standards in stem cell research. The Center provides services and information to both the intramural and extramural NIH communities that facilitate the use of stem cell technologies for therapeutic purposes and for screening efforts. Further information about NIH CRM can be found here: NIH Center for Regenerative Medicine
Funding OpportunitiesNINDS supports a wide array of stem cell research, both basic and disease-related. Funding mechanisms supported by NINDS can be found here: Funding Mechanisms
Additionally, those interested in targeted funding solicitations can search the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. One can do key word searches for entries such as neurological disease and stem cell or regenerative medicine. A link to the NIH Guide can be found here: NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts
NINDS Contact InformationDavid Owens, Ph.D. Program Director do47h@nih.gov Phone: (301) 496-1447
Read the original:
Information on Stem Cell Research: National Institute of ...
The physician-scientists and researchers at Childrens Hospital Boston believe that stem cell biology holds the key to treatments for a wide range of currently untreatable or incurable diseases. Much of our current work centers on specific diseases and the ways in which stem cells might be used to model and understand those diseases. Critical work is also underway to explore how the power and nature of stem cells might be harnessed in the development of general and patient-specific therapies.
To achieve this, we are intensively exploring all pathways availableincluding embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent cells (iPS cells) and adult stem cells. By engaging on multiple fronts, we increase our ability and potential to unlock the door to treatments for many diseases. Already, clinical trials are underway on a drug discovered by the Zon Lab that has the potential to boost production of blood stem cells, with significant implications for the treatment of patients with leukemia. The Daley Lab has created more than 20 disease-specific iPS cell lines that will enable researchers to track the origins of a specific disease and to attempt to change its course. Many other exciting investigations are underway and are discussed in these pages.
Take a virtual tour through the Daley Lab to learn more:
Our team of scientists are exploring ways to understand and treat blood, neurological, kidney, lung and heart disease; cancer and diabetes; disorders of the muscular and immune systems; and congenital and genetic disorders. Every day brings the potential for new insights, new discoveries, and new hope that the vast promise of stem cells can be realized, and that people suffering from these diseases both children and adults can be cured. We are committed to the realization of that goal.
To date, there are more than a dozen diseases represented in the Stem Cell Programs research and the program is constantly adding new diseases to its research roster. Visit this page and our newsroom often for updates on our research.
View original post here:
Research on Diseases | Boston Children's Hospital - Stem cell