News
Mayo Clinic first in U.S. to test stem cell use in clinical trial for pediatric congenital heart disease
Mayo Clinic recently announced the first stem cell-based clinical trial for congenital heart disease. The clinical trial aims to determine how stem cells derived from autologous umbilical cord blood can help children with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a rare defect where the left side of the heart is critically underdeveloped.
Read the full news release and watch a video describing the research:
Mayo Clinic to co-host 2013 World Stem Cell Summit in San Diego
The Genetics Policy Institute (GPI) has announced details of the 9th annual World Stem Cell Summit — the largest and most comprehensive multi-track interdisciplinary stem cell conference aimed at uniting the global stem cell community and accelerating cures. Mayo Clinic, California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, and Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute have joined GPI to organize the summit, which will be held at the Hilton Bayside San Diego, December 4-6, 2013.
Read more on the Advancing the Science blog.
First-in-humans study introduces next generation cell therapy
Translating a Mayo Clinic stem-cell discovery, an international team has demonstrated that therapy with cardiopoietic (cardiogenically-instructed) or "smart" stem cells can improve heart health for people suffering from heart failure. This is the first application in patients of lineage-guided stem cells for targeted regeneration of a failing organ, paving the way to development of next generation regenerative medicine solutions. Results of the clinical trial appear online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Read the full news release and watch a video describing the research:
A piece of his heart – from cells in his arm
Bill Weir's recent "Nightline" report was inspired by a previous visit to Mayo's Transplant Center when he stopped at the lab of Timothy Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Todd and Karen Wanek Program for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Here, Weir learned of a new discovery that could one day replace transplants for some patients with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, or HLHS.
Dr. Timothy Nelson and the entire Todd and Karen Wanek Family Program for HLHS team are currently using the technology shown in his video below, in conjunction with genetics research and clinical research, to gain insight into Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and to ultimately develop innovative treatment options for people with HLHS.