I did go to the launch of the Adult Stem Cells Saved My Life campaign last Saturday. Here is a local news story about the launch:

It was very well done and the testimonies were encouraging as always. The event was held in Kansas City where over 1,500 adult stem cell transplants have taken place! How nice it is to actually see positive results in human patients! Shamefully an intellectually dishonest campaign of junk science and emotional manipulation has largely dismissed or ignored the benefits of adult stem cells and lead many to believe that our greatest hope for therapies and cures lies in research that requires the creation, use and destruction of tiny human beings (despite growing evidence to the contrary). This manipulation and misinformation is what lead Missouri voters to approve “Amendment 2″ in 2006, creating a constitutional right to clone and kill human embryos in our State.

We were going to take our own video of the testimonies while we were there, but they already have a few very nicely done little videos that tell some of the patient’s stories. They are featured on the new website StemCellResearchFacts.org:

Laura Domingues has a spinal cord injury and is now starting to walk again with the help of Adult Stem Cells taken from her own nose. She’s working with Dr. Carlos Lima from Portugual who has been studying olfactory mucosa autografts in human spinal cord injury – you can see his pilot study here. Another patient of Dr. Lima has given her testimony several times as well, which you can see here. More on ASCs and SCI: here, here, here, here and here.

Little Joseph Davis was cured of sickle cell anemia with his little brother’s umbilical cord blood stem cells. These guys were super cute on Saturday. Joe’s little brother went up to the mike and told the audience, “I gave my brother my cord blood and now we can play together!” See this story on sibling cord blood transplantation for sickle cell and the Sickle Cell Information Center’s Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant page for more.

Amy Daniels has had a near complete recovery from Scleroderma- a disease that causes the tissue in the skin, blood vessels, and muscles to harden. More on ASCs and Scleroderma here, here, here, here, and here – for starters.

We also heard from Doug Rice who was at end-stage heart failure and was not a candidate for transplant because of his diabetes. Doug was at death’s door, and preparing for it, until he met with scientists (from Israel and Bangkok) who isolated stem cells from his blood, cultivated them and implanted them into his coronary artery. According to Doug the effects were immediate with his heart increasing to 41 percent efficiency from 11 percent before the procedure. After seeing this man’s testimony and meeting and talking with him for a few minutes I can tell you this man does not look like anyone in the advanced stages of heart failure! Watch video of Doug telling his story here: part 1 and part 2 (Windows media). And yes, there is more on ASCs and heart treatment: here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here)

Tomorrow I’ll be heading to Family Research Council’s Adult Stem Cells Saved My Life Education & Awareness Campaign premier in Kansas City.

Sadly, when most people think of stem cells they only think of those that come from embryos. They even think ESCs have been successful in producing some treatments or cures. However, only adult stem cells are now saving lives and offering real hope to patients with Brain Cancer, Breast Cancer, Leukemias, Lymphomas, Heart Damage, Juvenile Diabetes, Spinal Cord Injury, Sickle Cell Anemia, Multiple Sclerosis, and dozens of other diseases. The FRC event will showcase patient testimonies and a community website that will offer hope to patients and families seeking new treatments. Here is an article about the event from the Catholic News Agency.

I try to keep track of all the ASC successes that I can on this blog. Unfortunately, I get caught up with so many other things that I don’t get around to updates very often – and there’s always a LOT of updating to do! After a quick search through my Google Alerts of the past two weeks here’s some of the latest:
Adult stem cells increased mobility for spinal cord injury patients
Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi ‘feeling great’ after stem-cell treatment on hand (I couldn’t find a story explaining where the stem cells came from, but they are adult)
Experimental Stem Cell Therapy Raises Hope for Pulmonary Fibrosis Patients
Cell therapy for ulcers
First Use Of Antibody And Stem Cell Transplantation To Successfully Treat Advanced Leukemia
Gene and blood Stem Cell Therapy Technique Slows Brain Disease ALD
Stem Cells Repair Acute Lung Injury in Mice

If you aren’t going to the event tomorrow please browse our archives and read about some of the amazing things that have been done in this ethical field of stem cell research!

FoxNews reports:

On May 28, 2008, at the age of 2, Chloe received a 15-minute re-infusion of her stem cells.

“The doctor is really cautious about what she tells patients,” Jenny Levine (Chloe’s mother) said. “She didn’t have a whole lot of results coming in. The best case scenario, we’d see signs of improvement in six months to a year.”

Within four days, her parents saw a noticeable difference, although Kurtzberg said most kids show benefits three to nine months later.

The rigidity on Chloe’s right side loosened up and her speech started to improve. She was able to ride her toy tractor, which in the past had been too difficult for her to pedal.

“Her life is completely normal, she doesn’t drag her right foot, she can use her right hand,” Jenny Levine said. “She rides a bike, a scooter…we’re taking her skiing this year. She’s fabulous.”

At this time, (Dr. Joanne) Kurtzberg (a professor of pediatrics and pathology at Duke University) said she does not know how long the effects of cord blood will last on kids like Chloe, but if there is a good chance it will be “durable and last indefinitely.” This is essential, since most babies have enough cells for only one infusion.

Read more

Who says adult stem cells can’t produce many different types of cells? Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have successfully produced liver cells from patients’ skin cells:

The scientists took the skin cells and reprogrammed those to form a regenerative tissue. They saw that, those skin derived cells, pluripotent stem cells had the capacity to develop almost 200 cell types in the human body including the liver cells.

Stephen A. Duncan, professor in human and molecular genetics, Medical College of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (MCW-M) led the project along with postdoctoral fellow Karim Si-Tayeb, and graduate student Fallon Noto.

Duncan said, “This is a crucial step forward towards developing therapies that can potentially replace the need for scarce liver transplants, currently the only treatment for most advanced liver disease.”

The researchers are hopeful that this finding can be used to diagnose and treat potentially hazardous metabolic liver diseases.

Liver is the master organ of the body controlling most of the metabolic functions like insulin secretion, digestion and detoxification. Once this is affected, it can result in a wide range of disorders including diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Liver malfunction can be due to infections like Hepatitis, genetic mutation or excessive alcohol consumption.

Scientists have created part of the jaw joint in the lab using human adult stem cells:

They say it is the first time a complex, anatomically-sized bone has been accurately created in this way.

It is hoped the technique could be used not only to treat disorders of the specific joint, but more widely to correct problems with other bones too.

The Columbia University study appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The bone which has been created in the lab is known as the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

Problems with the joint can be the result of birth defects, arthritis or injury.

Although they are widespread, treatment can be difficult.

The joint has a complex structure which makes it difficult to repair by using grafts from bones elsewhere in the body.

The latest study used human stem cells taken from bone marrow.

Read more

In Taiwan:

TaiGen Biotechnology Co., Ltd. announced today that in a phase 1 study in healthy volunteers TG-0054, a chemokine receptor CXCR4 antagonist, was well tolerated and rapidly mobilized stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells from bone marrow into peripheral blood. The number of CD34+ stem cells in circulation after one dose of TG-0054 was equal or higher than reported cell numbers needed for stem cell transplantation in cancer patients. The observed AEs were all mild and transient. A phase 2 study in stem cell transplantation for multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and Hodgkin disease patients is currently being initiated.

Read more

The Denver Post caught up with two fifth-grade boys and their families who spent their summer in Germany. The trip was no cultural excursion, or sightseeing adventure - it was medical tourism.  Born with cerebral palsy, best friends Dominic King and Harrison Spiers visited a European stem cell treatment center where each received injections of their own stem cells. Already the parents have observed progress in both boys.

Looking up now

A slow-motion ballet is unfolding on a gym mat in the family room of Dom inic King’s Englewood home.

Cradled in the arms of physical therapist Kelly Leid, 10-year-old Dom inic rolls gracefully, stretches, pushes, bends, holds — to the accompaniment of his friend, Harrison Spiers, in the next room cheering on the Rockies in his best stadium voice.

The moves may look rhythmic and effortless, but they are hard, tiring work — work that would have been harder, if not impossible, three months ago.

Dominic, like Harrison, has cerebral palsy. And when the boys started fifth grade a few weeks ago, they had amazing stories to share about what they did over summer vacation: After months of fundraising, the best friends went to Germany with their families for a stem-cell treatment that their parents hope will be as life-changing as it is groundbreaking.

Now, back home, their big adventure is behind them. And the work is just beginning. continue

See also: Hope for ischemic brain injury, Stem Cell Research a Miracle for Aussie Toddler with Cerebral Palsy, and XCell-Center Presents Positive Results from Cerebral Palsy Stem Cell Treatment

H/T to Save the Cord

A great story out of Greece where for the first time autologous (adult) stem cells have been used alongside an artificial pump. The idea is to buy time, making the Jarvic “heart” do all the work while the autologous cells rebuild new and healthy heart muscle. If this works as anticipated, not only will lives (and quality of life) be extended for some patients with end-stage heart failure, but in addition, perhaps this combination of therapies will prevent some patients from becoming candidates for transplant.

Dying patient saved by artificial heart and stem cell treatment hailed as world first

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:51 PM on 24th September 2009

A British surgeon has saved a man dying of heart failure by giving him an artificial heart and injecting him with stem cells to rebuild the damaged muscle in a world-first operation.

Professor Stephen Westaby, based at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital, led the team that operated on Ioannis Manolopoulos in Thessaloniki, Greece to fit him with the mechanical pump.

Artificial hearts are used in only a handful of patients in the UK and Mr Westaby believes that the use of the patient’s own cells extracted from his bone marrow represents the first time the two treatments have ever been combined.

Mr Manolopoulos, who is recovering after the operation two weeks ago, said: ‘If things go well, I must go to church and pray because I feel very lucky to get this device and have the chance of a normal life.’ continue

See also: Man Treated for Heart Failure With Own Cardiac Stem Cells

Today is Stem Cell Awareness Day as proclaimed by Governors Arnold Scwartzenegger of California and Jim Doyle of Wisconsin (h/t Mary Meets Dolly). So check out some of the latest advancements in adult stem cell research:

Neuralstem Receives FDA Approval to Commence First ALS Stem Cell Trial:

ROCKVILLE, Md., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE Amex: CUR) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its Investigational New Drug (IND) application to commence a Phase I trial to treat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease) with its spinal cord stem cells.

British surgeons are pioneering a new technique which uses stem cells to repair damaged bones. This research could help prevent the need for artificial hip replacements.

Study reveals benefit of adult stem cells for acute lung injury:

UCSF scientists have demonstrated that adult human mesenchymal stem cells reverse the effects of injury in a novel human lung preparation in the lab. The finding, they say, could lead to the development of stem cell therapies for patients with acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome, conditions that presently have a high rate of mortality and no pharmacological treatments.

UW-Madison researcher saved by stem cells. Kurt Saupe is is cancer-free after receiving a bone marrow transplant for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a rare and lethal disease among middle age adults.

“Liposuction leftovers” easily converted to iPS cells:

Globs of human fat removed during liposuction conceal versatile cells that are more quickly and easily coaxed to become induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, than are the skin cells most often used by researchers, according to a new study from Stanford’s School of Medicine.

Positive Results in the MARVEL Phase II/III Clinical Trial for patients with heart failure. According to this story the stem cells were derived from the patients’ leg muscles.

And here are a few articles highlighting some research facilities specifically working to advance ethical stem cell research:

Adult stem cell research creating miracles in Covington:

In the emerging field of adult stem cell therapy, Drs. Gabriel Lasala and Jose Minguell of TCA Cellular Therapy, LLC, are conducting ground breaking innovative research into the regenerative properties of adult stem cells.

“This is like penicillin was a century ago,” said Lasala about his research.

A visit to their facility in Covington is like meeting Louis Pasteur when he proved the germ theory of disease. Working through scientific protocols and funding their studies themselves, Lasala and Minguell have successful treated limb ischemia or peripheral vascular disease, saving people from amputation surgery due to gangrene from diabetes.

They have successfully treated cardiac and other vascular conditions as well.

Tulane enters into agreement to produce adult stem cells (see here as well)

Adult stem cells derived from bone marrow avoid the ethical debate that surrounds embryonic stem cells and may be the future of regenerative medicine. Tulane University is recognized as a leader in the production of adult stem cells for research use.

Stemnion uses placentas, not embryos, to get stem cells for burn therapy:

The company obtains its stem cells from placentas of full-term newborns born at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC. Placentas, usually discarded after births, are a rich source of stem cells that can be coaxed to accelerate healing by simply being sprinkled onto a wound, Strom said.

Scientists are working to make stem cells catalyze the growth of more specialized tissues, by draping them on biodegradable frameworks in the shape of tissues and organs.

Stay tuned to Adult Stem Cell Awareness for more! Be sure to also follow us on Twitter

At 7 p.m. Central time tonight (Sept. 1) Total Living Network will air the stem cell documentary Lines That Divide with a stem cell discussion/debate to follow. Tune in at this link.

h/t Wesley Smith