UNIVERSITIES
University of California, Los Angeles
UCLA stem cell researchers have cured 18 children with Bubble Baby disease that "safely restores immune systems in children ... using the patient's own cells with no side effects" (1). Because of this groundbreaking gene therapy, the BSCRC faculty received $3.2 million for the creation in CIRM grants. (2)
Lund University(image 4) | How It Was DoneAn illustration of how the procedure was accomplished. (image 5) |
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Parkinson's DiseaseAn infographic of what Parkinson's Disease is. (image 6) |
Harvard University
Like many other universities dedicated to uncovering the mysterious of the human body, Harvard University has made many contributions to stem cell research. One of the recent contribution was the creation of "toxin-secreting stem cells" which were genetically altered and produced by Khalid Shah and his team. (3) These stem cells are engineered with a resistant to the toxin capable of killing solid tumors and a mutation that allows them to secrete the toxin. Another group of researchers has been able to "grow functioning heart tissue that also carry ... Barth syndrome" using organ-on-a-chip technology. With this technology, the scientists were able to pin point to one specific gene, Tafazzin, to be "the cause of weak muscle contractions". (4) Hopefully with further understanding, there will be treatment to Barth syndrome.
Lund University
Sweidish researchers from Lund researchers might have found a new treatment for Parkinson's disease. The researchers took "human embryonic stem cells ... and grew them into motor neurons" which were then transplanted into rats with Parkinson's disease. "...over the course of five months, their dopamine levels rose back to normal". This breakthrough might be the start of the first treatment for Parkinson's disease that will be "able to successfully reverse the effects of the disease" (5).