ADVISORY/Experts Available to Discuss Easing Restrictions on Stem Cell Research.Business Editors ADVISORY... --(BUSINESS WIRE) TOPIC: Some U.S. lawmakers believe America is falling behind in stem cell stem cell In living organisms, an undifferentiated cell that can produce other cells that eventually make up specialized tissues and organs. There are two major types of stem cells, embryonic and adult. research due to the restrictions imposed by the Bush administration, according to an article by The Associated Press. Stem cells stem cells, unspecialized human or animal cells that can produce mature specialized body cells and at the same time replicate themselves. Embryonic stem cells are derived from a blastocyst (the blastula typical of placental mammals; see embryo), which is very young are generally extracted from human embryos, which has resulted in ethical debates. Scientists hope stem cells can be used in the future to repair organ damage and treat diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and diabetes. Currently, all of the stem cell lines that are available for research contain mouse feeder cells, which limit their use in treating humans. EXPERTS: ExpertSource can offer several highly qualified experts to comment on this story: Dr. Denis Denis, king of Portugal: see Diniz. Rodgerson, of Neostem, can share his expertise regarding adult stem cell Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells found throughout the body that divide to replenish dying cells and regenerate damaged tissues. Also known as somatic (from Greek Σωματικóς, of the body banking and regenerative medicine. He has more than 36 years' experience managing large tertiary care tertiary care Managed care The most specialized health care, administered to Pts with complex diseases who may require high-risk pharmacologic regimens, surgical procedures, or high-cost high-tech resources; TC is provided in 'tertiary care centers', often and reference clinical laboratories. Rodgerson previously was founder and COO of StemCyte, Inc. of Arcadia, where he helped the company become the nation's second largest umbilical cord stem cell bank, with multinational collection centers. To most of the American public, the stem cell debate is frozen in time, with the government's decision to limit research to a specified number of embryonic stem cell Embryonic stem cells (ES cells) are stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of an early stage embryo known as a blastocyst. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4-5 days post fertilization, at which time they consist of 50-150 cells. ES cells are pluripotent. lines. The discussion that so transfixed the nation in 2001 has become arcane once again, receding to the pages of academic journals and the halls of research institutions. But while the debate has ebbed, the value and utility of stem cells as therapeutic agents, not as pawns in a research tug-of-war have never been greater. Where therapy is concerned, the issue still remains the source of the stem cells, but it has become very much a good news story, with nary a villain or moral issue in sight. These adult stem cells are appropriate for therapy, not for research. The promise of storing one's own adult stem cells for later use is the mission of NeoStem, a new Agoura Hills company that is pioneering the world's first adult stem cell bank. The potential for adult stem cell banking boils down to this: we're all walking around with an effective treatment inside our own bodies for diseases we don't yet have and banking one's own stem cells promises to unlock that treatment. PR Contact: Ken Greenberg, 818-719-9292, ken@edgepress.com Dennis Steindler is an expert on adult stem cells who specializes in regenerative medicine, research on adult neural stem cells and their use in testing and treating neurological disease. He has been studying brain injury and repair for almost 30 years. He is a member of the University of Florida's world-renowned multidisciplinary Program in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. He also is a professor of neuroscience and neurosurgery neurosurgery /neu·ro·sur·gery/ (noor´o-sur?jer-e) surgery of the nervous system. neu·ro·sur·ger·y n. Surgery on any part of the nervous system. at the UF College of Medicine, and is affiliated with UF's McKnight Brain Institute and the UF Shands Cancer Center. The major research goal of Steindler's research is to see the use of stem cell therapy stem cell therapy Cell therapy Molecular medicine A technology in which a person's own cells–eg, neuronal stem cells are triggered to revert to their primitive embryonic form, then redifferentiate into mature cells of various organs become a major treatment for debilitating de·bil·i·tat·ing adj. Causing a loss of strength or energy. Debilitating Weakening, or reducing the strength of. Mentioned in: Stress Reduction neurological diseases. He and his team have been working for 25 years on plasticity and regeneration of the injured adult human brain, and current adult stem cell studies in their lab focus on the use of our own indigenous populations of stem cells in the adult brain to participate in self-repair following neurological disease or injury. There is widespread interest in the use of stem cells for cell replacement therapies in human neurological disease; however, we have only begun to appreciate the cell and molecular biology Cell and Molecular Biology may refer to:
au·tol·o·gous adj. 1. repair paradigms. 352-294-0074, steindler@mbi.ufl.edu Dr. Ann Tsukomoto is a pioneer in the field of stem cell discovery and development who combines research scientific credentials and clinical management experience. She joined Stem Cells Inc. in 1998. As vie president of scientific operations, she is responsible for oversight and coordination of all resources related to stem and progenitor cell research. Prior to her role at StemCells, Dr. Tsukomoto was at Systemix, Inc. for nine years where she was co-discoverer of the human hemotopoietic stem cell and co-inventor on the patent. In addition, she transitioned from basic stem cell research to help launch the Company's clinical development program for the hematopoietic stem cell Hematopoietic stem cell A cell that can develop into any type of specialized blood cell. Mentioned in: Umbilical Cord Blood Banking . Dr. Tsukomoto received her Ph.D. degree from the University of California, Los Angeles UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. . PR Contact: Janet Vasquez, 212-825-3210, mail@investorrelationsgroup.com ExpertSource cannot guarantee the immediate availability of these experts or their familiarity with this specific issue. ExpertSource provides academic and industry experts to the media at no charge. Journalists are encouraged to submit queries to ExpertSource when seeking experts on specific subjects. An online registration form is available at http://www.businesswire.com/. |
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