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Category Archives: Delaware Stem Cells

Stem-cell battles: Stem-cell research in the USA is facing …

Posted: April 9, 2015 at 6:54 am

Disputes over stem-cell research have been standard operating procedure since James Thompson and John Gearhart created the first human embryonic cell (hESC) lines. Their work triggered an intense and ongoing debate about the morality, legality and politics of using hESCs for biomedical research. Stem-cell policy has caused craziness all over the world. It is a never-ending, irresolvable battle about the moral status [of embryos], commented Timothy Caulfield, research director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. We're getting to an interesting time in history where science is playing a bigger and bigger part in our lives, and it's becoming more controversial because it's becoming more powerful. We need to make some interesting choices about how we decide what kind of scientific inquiry can go forward and what can't go forward.

Stem-cell policy has caused craziness all over the world[i]t is a never-ending, irresolvable battle about the moral status [of embryos]

The most contested battleground for stem-cell research has been the USA, since President George W. Bush banned federal funding for research that uses hESCs. His successor, Barack Obama, eventually reversed the ban, but a pending lawsuit and the November congressional elections have once again thrown the field into jeopardy.

Three days after the election, the deans of US medical schools, chiefs of US hospitals and heads of leading scientific organizations sent letters to both the House of Representatives and the Senate urging them to pass the Stem Cell Research Advancement Act when they come back into session. The implication was to pass legislation now, while the Democrats were still the majority. Republicans, boosted in the election by the emerging fiscally conservative Tea Party movement, will be the majority in the House from January, changing the political climate. The Republicans also cut into the Democratic majority in the Senate.

Policies and laws to regulate stem-cell research vary between countries. Italy, for example, does not allow the destruction of an embryo to generate stem-cell lines, but it does allow research on such cells if they are imported. Nevertheless, the Italian government deliberately excluded funding for projects using hESCs from its 2009 call for proposals for stem-cell research. In the face of legislative vacuums, this October, Science Foundation Ireland and the Health Research Board in Ireland decided to not consider grant applications for projects involving hESC lines. The UK is at the other end of the scale; it has legalized both research with and the generation of stem-cell lines, albeit under the strict regulation by the independent Human Fertility and Embryology Authority. As Caulfield commented, the UK is ironically viewed as one of the most permissive [on stem-cell policy], but is perceived as one of the most bureaucratic.

Somewhere in the middle is Germany, where scientists are allowed to use several approved cell lines, but any research that leads to the destruction of an embryo is illegal. Josephine Johnston, director of research operations at the Hastings Center in Garrison, NY, USAa bioethics centresaid: In Germany you can do research on embryonic stem-cells, but you can't take the cells out of the embryo. So, they import their cells from outside of Germany and to me, that's basically outsourcing the bit that you find difficult as a nation. It doesn't make a lot of sense ethically.

Despite the public debates and lack of federal support, Johnson noted that the USA continues to lead the world in the field. [Opposition] hasn't killed stem-cell research in the United States, but it definitely is a headache, she said. In October, physicians at the Shepherd Center, a spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation hospital and clinical research centre in Atlanta, GA, USA, began to treat the first patient with hESCs. This is part of a clinical trial to test a stem-cell-based therapy for spinal cord injury, which was developed by the US biotechnology company Geron from surplus embryos from in vitro fertilization.

Nevertheless, the debate in the USA, where various branches of governmentexecutive, legislative and legalweigh in on the legal system, is becoming confusing. We're never going to have consensus [on the moral status of fetuses] and any time that stem-cell research becomes tied to that debate, there's going to be policy uncertainty, Caulfield said. That's what's happened again in the United States.

Johnson commented that what makes the USA different is the rules about federally funded and non-federally funded research. It isn't much discussed within the United States, but it's a really dramatic difference to an outsider, she said. She pointed out that, by contrast, in other countries the rules for stem-cell research apply across the board.

The election of Barack Obama as US President triggered the latest bout of uncertainty. The science community welcomed him with open arms; after all, he supports doubling the budget of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) over the next ten years and dismantled the policies of his predecessor that barred it from funding projects beyond the 60 extant hESC linesonly 21 of which were viable. Obama also called on Congress to provide legal backing and funding for the research.

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IPS Stem Cells: New Ethical Quandaries – Santa Clara …

Posted: December 27, 2014 at 8:54 am

IPS Stem Cells: New Ethical Quandaries By Sally Lehrman

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When scientists learned how to turn back the clock in a young skin cell, to bring it back to an early-stage cell that could become any other type in the body, both they and ethicists rejoiced. The reprogrammed cell was pluripotent, much like an embryonic stem cell. Maybe even better, it also might be prompted to jump from one cell type to another.

One day, these induced pluripotent stem cells -- iPS cells for short -- might be able to correct any number of life-threatening and disabling conditions. Much sooner, these cells will almost certainly serve as extremely useful models for studying disease.

The researchers used viruses to deliver three to four new genes into the cell nucleus. And with the new information, the skin cells reprogrammed themselves. They behaved almost exactly like embryonic stem cells, which are derived from fertilized eggs. But with these reprogrammed cells, people thought, there would be no moral and political controversy. No embryo would be destroyed.

Recently, new studies have taken the work a step further. Researchers used synthetic RNA instead of viruses to get new instructions into the cell nucleus. This sped up the process and lessened the possibility of side effects such as cancer when the cells finally become a treatment for patients. (They're called RNA-induced pluripotent cells.)

But as researchers and ethicists take a closer look at these iPS cells, they are realizing that the issues posed are as thorny as ever. In fact, the issues may be even more urgent because the new techniques are so much easier and cheaper. The concerns fall into three main areas.

First, the possibility of human cloning from one person's skin cells or human reproduction from cells made into sperm and egg. The possibility is far-off, but real. Scientists already have reported progress that could lead to either. One could become a parent at any age, using tissue from someone either living or dead.

More immediate concerns have to do with control of the original tissue donation and the purposes to which it is applied.

For instance, privacy. Because of the desire to use these cells to study or treat diseases such as Parkinson's, juvenile diabetes or Alzheimer's, it will be important to know the donor's health history. The donor's personal information and health history must always be linked to the cells. It may be impossible to maintain donor privacy.

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The California Cloning and Stem Cell Laws

Posted: December 27, 2014 at 8:54 am

Red Light, Green Light: The California Cloning and Stem Cell Laws

By Margaret R. McLean

The recent signing of stem cell and reproductive cloning legislation by California Governor Gray Davis demonstrates, once again, that the Golden State is ahead of the regulatory pack. The legislation includes a permanent ban on reproductive cloning and an explicit endorsement of stem cell research. The stem cell bill thaws the federally induced chill on such research by opening up opportunities and state funds for study of multipotent and pluripotent stems cells, including those produced by nuclear transplantation.

Both pieces of legislation are rooted in the post-Dolly national debate about cloning. As that debate was reaching impasse in 1997, California enacted a five-year moratorium on the use of cloning technology to produce a child.

As required by that legislation, California appointed a committee to evaluate the "medical, ethical, and social implications" of human cloning. That panel - on which I served - spent over two years listening to specialists and members of the public discuss how the state ought to respond both to the potential to produce cloned human beings through somatic cell nuclear transplantation and to the budding use of this technique to produce human stem cells. The committee's report was delivered to Sacramento in January.

The committee's unanimous conclusion to ban reproductive cloning - cloning to produce a child for rearing - rested chiefly on profound concerns for the physical safety both of the baby produced and of the gestational mother. But reproductive cloning raises many other significant social and ethical problems, including confusing familial relationships, psychological harms to the DNA donor, and commercialization of the family.

The use of nuclear transplantation technology in medical research - "non-reproductive cloning" in the advisory committee's report - raised neither these particular safety nor the relational concerns, and the committee concluded that it was justified by the potential to alleviate the suffering caused by diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson's. Such research, the committee recommended, ought be subject to state regulation and restricted to blastocysts of less than fourteen days. Strikingly, the committee championed regulations that would govern both privately and publicly funded research. Again, the decision was unanimous.

On 22 September, Governor Davis signed the first law in any state explicitly endorsing stem cell research "involving the derivation and use of human embryonic germ cells, and human adult stem cells from any source including somatic cell nuclear transplantation," with oversight from the institutional review boards. Embryos cannot be bought or sold. With another stroke of the pen, Davis signed the permanent ban on human reproductive cloning. This bill also mandates the formation of a nine-member state advisory committee to consider what the prior committee described as "dangerous or unwise applications of our new scientific knowledge of human biology."

The bills' roots in the advisory committee recommendations show that citizen panels can aid the legislative process. Now California must address federal attempts to criminalize the very research it just encouraged.

Margaret R. McLean is the Director of Biotechnology and Health Care Ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics.

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The California Cloning and Stem Cell Laws

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Can a bodys own stem cells help heal a heart?

Posted: October 19, 2014 at 4:55 pm

If you skin your knee, your body makes new skin. If you donate a portion of your liver, whats left will grow back to near-normal size. But if you lose a billion heart cells during a heart attack, only a small fraction of those will be replaced. In the words of Ke Cheng, an associate professor of regenerative medicine at N.C. State, The hearts self-repair potency is very limited.

Cheng has designed a nanomedicine he hopes will give the heart some help. It consists of an engineered nanoparticle that gathers the bodys own self-repair cells and brings them to the injured heart tissue.

In this case, the self-repair cells are adult stem cells. A stem cell is a very rich biological factory, Cheng said. Stem cells can become heart muscle, or they can produce growth factors that are beneficial to the regrowth of heart muscle.

After a heart attack, dying and dead heart cells release chemical signals that alert stem cells circulating in the blood to move to the injured site. But there just arent very many stem cells in the bloodstream, and sometimes they are not sufficiently attracted to the injured tissue.

Matchmakers with hooks

The nanomedicine Cheng designed consists of an iron-based nanoparticle festooned with two different kinds of hooks one kind of hook grabs adult stem cells, and the other kind of hook grabs injured heart tissue. Cheng calls the nanomedicine a matchmaker, because it brings together cells that can make repairs with cells that need repairs.

The hooks are antibodies that seek and grab certain types of cells. Because the antibodies are situated on an iron nanoparticle, they and the stem cells theyve grabbed can be physically directed to the heart using an external magnet. Cheng calls the nanomedicine MagBICE, for magnetic bifunctional cell engager.

The magnet is a first pass to get the iron-based particles and antibodies near the heart. Once there, the antibodies are able to identify and stick to the injured heart tissue, bringing the stem cells right where they need to go. Using two methods of targeting the magnet and the antibodies improves the chances of being able to bring a large number of stem cells at the site of injury.

In addition to providing a way to physically move the stem cells to the heart, the iron nanoparticles are visible on MRI machines, which allows MagBICE to be visualized after its infused into the bloodstream.

Cheng doesnt foresee much toxicity from the nanomedicine unless someone is allergic or particularly sensitive to iron. In fact, the iron-based nanoparticle that forms the platform for the antibodies is an FDA-approved IV treatment for anemia.

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Delaware Stem Cell Treatment | Stem Cell Treatments

Posted: September 9, 2014 at 2:50 pm

Delaware Stem Cell Treatment Worldstemcells.com is one of the leading stem cell therapy and treatment providers for residents of Delaware and across the nation. Our cutting edge technology and compassionate staff truly set us apart from the competition. We are a US based company that understands your needs and concerns when looking for a stem cell treatment center. Our treatment center is located in Cancun, Mexico.

Conditions we treat include but not limited to:

Getting Started With Your Stem Cell Therapy and Treatments Here at World Stem Cells LLC we try to make the process of receiving stem cell transplants as easy as possible. We will help you figure out what your needs are and help you reach your goals as fast as possible. Follow the steps below on what to do.

Option 1 1.) Go to any page on our website and fill out the contact form. 2.) Fill in the required information and select the condition you would like to treat with stem cell therapy. 3.) Be sure to include any special information in the comments section. 4.) Click the submit button and we will contact you in a timely manner. 5.) Thats it, youre done!!!

REQUEST INFORMATION NOW!

Option 2

Call 800-234-1693 and speak with a representative regarding your stem cell therapy needs and requirements.

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Delaware Stem Cell Treatment | Stem Cell Treatments

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Core mechanism for root growth identified

Posted: August 25, 2014 at 1:50 pm

6 hours ago PLETHORA in root cells

PLETHORA proteins and plant hormone auxin orchestrate root growth together.

During plant growth, dividing cells in meristems must coordinate transitions from division to expansion and differentiation. Three distinct developmental zones are generated: the meristem, where the cell division takes place, and elongation and differentiation zones. At the same time, plants can rapidly adjust their direction of growth to adapt to environmental conditions.

In Arabidopsis thaliana roots, many aspects of zonation are controlled by the plant hormone auxin and auxin-induced PLETHORA transcription factors. Both show a graded distribution with a maximum near the root tip. In addition, auxin is also pivotal for tropic responses of the roots.

Ari Pekka Mhnen from the University of Helsinki, Finland, with his group and Dutch colleagues has found out with the help of experimentation and mathematical modelling how the two factors together regulate root growth.

"Cell division in the meristem is maintained by PLETHORA transcription factors. These proteins are solely transcribed in the stem cells, in a narrow region within the meristematic cells located in the tip of the root. So PLETHORA proteins are most abundant in the stem cells," Ari Pekka Mhnen, Research Fellow financed by the Academy of Finland says.

Outside the stem cells the amount of PLETHORA protein in the cells halves each time the cells divide. In the end there is so little PLETHORA left in the cells that they cannot stay in the dividing mode. This is when the cells start to elongate and differentiate.

Auxin is the factor taking care of many aspects of root growth. If there is enough PLETHORA in the root cells, auxin affects the rate of root cell division. If there is little or no PLETHORA in the cells, auxin regulates cell differentiation and elongation. In addition to this direct, rapid regulation, auxin also regulates cell division, expansion and differentiation indirectly and slowly by promoting PLETHORA transcription. This dual action of auxin keeps the structure and growth of the root very stable.

When PLETHORA levels gradually diminish starting from the root tip upwards, the cell division, elongation and differentiation zones are created. And this inner organisation stays even if the growth direction of the root changes.

"The gravity and other environmental factors can change the auxin content of the cells, and quite rapidly. This all affects the growth direction of the root. And of course it is important for the plant to maintain the organization while directing their roots there where water and nutrients most likely are to be found."

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Core mechanism for root growth identified

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Stem Cell Companies – A Comprehensive Overview

Posted: August 23, 2014 at 9:58 am

Over the last decade, as research into the application of stem cell technology advanced a large array of stem cell companies has been formed. While there are identifiable focus areas for companies within this space, the purpose of these companies often vary greatly as businesses are trying to create niches within this lucrative industry. This site aims to help you understand the different types of stem cell companies that exist out there and the typical services they offer. Whether you are doing research for investment or medical purposes we hope to be able to help you navigate the maze of companies and relationships involved in stem cell technology and treatments.

Lets start by taking a look at some prominent players in the market:

Based in Boston USA, 3Dm stem cell company innovates treatments for regenerating tissues and healing wounds. Its product is PuraMatrix, an award winning therapy. They incorporate nanotechnology which , when injected into the body, releases stem cell proteins for the purposes of bone and heart regeneration. The treatment was in preclinical trials in 2007. The treatment in essence looks at the building blocks of the cell and engineers a solution to synthesising amino acids. In 2010 the stem cell company found itself among the top 100 with exceptional potential globally.

Aastrom in Michgan USA on the other hand, also treats heat disease with their product ixmyelocel-T. This innovation harnesses the bodys ability to heal itself and also treats critical limb ischemia (CLI). CLI is a vascular/arterial obstruction causing the flow of blood to extremities.

Their Ixmyelocel-T (see diagram) employs their own system for processing cells assisting to expand these organisms many times more than naturally present in a small sample of bone marrow.

Image courtesy of http://www.aastrom.com/

The product is designed to treat patients who suffer from not only CLI but also Dilated cardiomyopathy or DCM. This is a disease whereby the hearts ability to process blood becomes compromised which in turn affects the other organs. This focus falls on the heart muscle and ventricles, ailing men more often than women.

In treatment, stem cell companies such as Aastrom begin with extracting cells from the patient to ensure optimal immune integration. The bone marrow is activated on a cellular level to multiply to three hundred times the normal cell ratio. A variety of relevant cells are targeted and used in the treatment to assist with the immune system optimisation. The process is conducted in the least invasive manner possible for bone marrow transplants with duration of fifteen minutes for extraction and twenty for the outpatient procedure. Stem cell companies such as Aastrom offer the surety of a 400 patients treated successfully.

Celgene in New Jersey focus primarily on treating the source instead of symptom. They specialise in the following;

The stem cell company is also concerned with developing an immune-modulatory agent and therapies for cells and tissues designed to better understand various complexities in diseases.

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Stem Cell Companies - A Comprehensive Overview

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California Stem Cell Report: California Stem Cell Agency …

Posted: August 23, 2014 at 9:58 am

The California stem cell agency this morning announced that one of its early stage clinical trials has produced encouraging safety data in its search for a therapy that could eradicate AIDS.

Randy Mills, president of the stem cell agency, said,

Calimmune has a powerful scientific pedigree. Nobel Laureate David Baltimore, one of the firms founders, is chairman of the Calimmune board. He also once served on the governing board of the stem cell agency, formally known as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM).

The Calimmune Web site says that the company was formed in 2007 around stem cell technology discovered in the labs of Baltimore, while he was at Caltech, and Irvin Chen at the UCLA AIDS Institute in early 2000. Delaware state records show that the firm was incorporated in 2006.

In addition to Baltimore, another member of the the Calimmune board is Harry George, managing general partner of Solstice Capital, whose Tuscons office shares the same address as Calimmune.

Calimmune and the stem cell agency discussed the therapy at today's session of BIO2014 in San Diego, which is attended by about 15,000 persons in the biotech industry.

Here is a copy of the Calimmune contract with the stem cell agency.

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Stem Cell Doctors, Physician Team, Our Doctors

Posted: August 23, 2014 at 9:58 am

ALABAMA

ALASKA

ARIZONA ARIZONA STEM CELL TREATMENT CENTER TEAM

Robert M Dryden, M.D., FACS, is Medical Director of the Arizona Stem Cell Treatment Center and Arizona Centre Plastic Surgery. Dr. Dryden completed his undergraduate training at the University of California at Davis, where he was Phi Beta Kappa (U. C. Berkeley chapter) and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Societies after only three years. He then matriculated at the University of California, School of Medicine where he was first in his class, elected to Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and a recipient of the prestigious Merck Award. After doing a rotating surgical and medical internship at the University Oregon in Portland, he completed a residency in ophthalmology at the University California in San Francisco. He was the first fellow in the prestigious fellowship in eye and facial plastic surgery under Drs. Crowell Beard and Marvin Quickert at the University of California. He subsequently spent two years at the National Institutes of Health as a member of the United States Public Health Service and consulted and performed cosmetic and reconstructive surgery at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. Dr. Dryden has been practicing and teaching in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona and at the University of Arizona Medical School since 1971. His practice includes eye and facial reconstructive plastic surgery, general cosmetic surgery, bio-identical hormone replacement and stem cell deployment as the Medical Director of the Arizona Center Stem Cell Treatment Center. Dr. Dryden is board certified in ophthalmology as well as board certified in General Cosmetic Surgery by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery where he has been both a Trustee and Treasurer. Dr. Dryden was one of the initial founding members of the American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive surgery and has served as President and Treasurer of the organization. He also served as a President of the American Society of Cosmetic Breast Surgery. He has published over 90 articles in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters in various textbooks. He is a Clinical Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine and Mentor of a fellowship in general cosmetic surgery and has taught doctors from around the world. Additionally, he has spoken and taught both nationally and internationally for 40 years. He is a pioneer in the use and development of the latest innovative surgical techniques in eyelid surgery, facial cosmetic surgery, liposuction surgery and breast surgery.

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PHOENIX STEM CELL TREATMENT CENTER TEAM

Steven M. Gitt, M.D., F.A.C.S. specializes in cosmetic surgery, offering the latest and most innovative techniques in: facial rejuvenation, breast augmentation, laser surgery, liposuction and body contouring and all facets of cosmetic surgery. His patients describe him as caring, compassionate, and understanding and as an excellent listener and communicator. As the founder and medical director of North Valley Plastic Surgery, established in 1993, Dr. Gitt graduated college with distinction from UCLA in 1982 and from medical school with distinction from Wayne State University in 1986. Dr. Gitt was elected to membership in the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) national medical honor society in 1985. Following completion of training in General Surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, and Plastic Surgery training at the renowned University of Michigan medical center, Dr. Gitt obtained certifications from the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Gitt also holds the prestigious Certificate of Advanced Education in Cosmetic Surgery. He was the founder and original medical director of the Comprehensive Wound Healing Center at Paradise Valley Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Gitt is a board certified plastic surgeon. He is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Always on the leading edge of technology, Dr. Gitt has offered endoscopic procedures such as brow and face lifting, abdominoplasty, and breast augmentation since 1994, carbon dioxide laser resurfacing since 1995, and Photoderm-Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL) since 1996. He has also accumulated extraordinary experience in Fotofacial and Fotofacial-plusT IPL treatments

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Ryan B. Tsujimura, M.D. graduated magna cum laude from the University of Washington in Seattle with a B.S. in Biology. He remained in Seattle where he graduated at the top of his class and earned his Medical Degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Tsujimura initiated his postgraduate training at the Oregon Health Sciences University (University of Oregon) in Portland, Oregon where he did his internship in General Surgery. He then moved to Phoenix where he finished his residency in General Surgery. During this time he became Chief Resident of the Burn Unit and then Chief Resident of Surgery in his last year of training. He was given various awards during his training, but the most meaningful was the distinction made by the Chairman of Surgery/Program Director and Mentor: Ive been training surgeons for over a decade, youre the best surgeon Ive been fortunate enough to train. Certified by the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Tsujimura took an Attending Trauma Surgeon at Maricopa County Hospital. This gave him the opportunity to give back to the community and to teach future surgeons. To help influence the surgeons of tomorrow. During this time, he also entered practice and joined the staff of the Scottsdale Healthcare System performing general and vascular operations. Dedicated to patient care, he rapidly became the surgeon to turn to in a time of need. In the continued pursuit to perfect his skills, Dr. Tsujimura took an educational leave from a busy practice to obtain still further training at the Nationally Accredited by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and RRC (Residency Review Committee), Plastic/Reconstructive and Hand Surgery program at the University of Tennessee. While there, he published and lectured on various topics in Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery. He also became Administrative Chief Resident. Even during his training in plastic surgery, because of his surgical experience he was frequently called to the operating room by staff surgeons in times of crisis.

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Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants – Christiana Care …

Posted: August 22, 2014 at 5:54 am

Bone marrow and stem cell transplants can be life-saving for people with blood cancers, solid tumors and some non-cancerous blood disorders. The Helen F. Graham CancerCenter's Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Christiana Hospital offers today's most advanced and sophisticated techniques for patients who need peripheral blood stem cells (those that mature into red or white blood cells, or platelets) or bone-marrow transplants, including the newest, low-dose chemotherapy "mini" transplants. Transplants may be autologous (self-donated) or allogeneic (from a related or unrelated donor).

The hematologists/oncologists who specialize in bone-marrow and stem-cell therapy are part of a multidisciplinary team of experts ready to assist you and your family as you face the challenges of recovery. This team may include members of the Lymphoma Multidisciplinary Center who meet regularly at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center.

As a candidate for bone marrow or stem cell transplantation, you will be assisted by a nurse navigatoran oncology-certified or master's prepared oncology nursewho will be on hand to answer your questions throughout your entire treatment. Your nurse navigator will work closely with the members of your treatment team to help you get the care and support services you need, both in and out of the hospital.

Your evaluation and treatment team may include the following:

Together, these specialists, in consultation with your primary-care doctor, will work with you to create the most appropriate and effective plan of treatment for your blood disorder.

New techniques for stimulating stem cells and the use of peripheral blood stem cells have led to shorter treatment times and better results for many patients. Similarly, low-dose, immunosuppressive chemotherapy and radiation prior to transplant has become a viable option, especially for older patients.

Participation in clinical research studies such as those sponsored by the National Cancer Institute's Community Clinical Oncology Program, particularly in the Cancer and Leukemia Group B, as well as in other national and local studies, offers access to the very latest treatment protocols. A research nurse will meet with you to discuss potential participation in a clinical treatment study.

We participate in the donor-matching program and will tailor your transplant to your bodyand your disease. Membership in the National Marrow Donor Program enables searches on a national and international level to locate potential bone-marrow donors who may be unrelated but whose tissue is the right match for you. We also participate in the International Bone Marrow Transplant Registry and the Autologous Blood and Marrow Transplant Registry.

The Bone Marrow Transplant Unit is one of the only such programs in our region, serving patients in Delaware and surrounding communities in Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The majority of the bone-marrow and stem-cell transplants are performed on an outpatient basis. However, the bone-marrow transplant program operates a fully equipped inpatient unit for procedures requiring longer hospital stays. We can assist you and your family to find overnight accommodations when necessary.

Christiana Care Helen F. Graham Cancer Center 4701 Ogletown-Stanton Road, Newark, DE 19713 directions 302-623-4500

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