Category Archives: Iowa Stem Cells

IOWA AND STEM CELLS: Braley/Ernst Race has National Impact

By Don C. Reed

Iowa Congressman Bruce Braley strongly supports embryonic stem (ES) cell research.

For me, this isnt a Republican or Democratic issueits a personal one. My own nephew suffers from juvenile diabetes, and I stand with former First Lady Nancy Reagan in support of the research that might one day save his life.

http://braley.house.gov/...

His Republican rival, Joni Ernst, takes the opposite position. Ms. Ernst has sponsored personhood legislation which would give legal rights to fertilized eggs. This would almost certainly criminalize ES research, as well as threatening the existence of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) procedures, along with other perhaps unintended consequences.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...

Her partys platform is crystal clear: calling for a ban on all embryonic stem cell research, both public and private.

http://thinkprogress.org/...

Does this matter, in an Iowa Senatorial race?

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IOWA AND STEM CELLS: Braley/Ernst Race has National Impact

When 25-year-old Russell Evans arrived at Genesis Medical Center two months ago, he was motionless, lying in a hospital bed.

That's a sharp contrast to the Evans who showed up all smiles Wednesday, walking down a corridor at Genesis Medical Center-West Central Park Avenue in Davenport.

It's one example of what to expect from the new Neuroscience Institute at Genesis in apartnership with University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinicsthat was announced Wednesday.

Evans was involved in a one-vehicle accident in late July. He was riding in a truck that rolled on a gravel road, throwing him from the vehicle and injuring his spine in the neck and lower back areas.

He was treated at University Hospitals. Shortly after arriving in the emergency department, his parents were asked to enroll him in a neurological research study on a new drug that helps to stabilize the spinal cord after a traumatic injury.

The drug is safer than an alternative treatment that involves the use of stem cells, said Dr. Conway Chin, who oversees the project at Genesis.

The study involves Genesis as well as the University of Iowa.

Chin also supervises Evans' care in Davenport, which involves nurses and therapists who work especially to help Evans regain movement on his right side.

That Evans has recovered so much from a traumatic spinal injury is unusual, Chin said.

The rehabilitation unit at Genesis that is helping Evans is an example of how the hospital is working with specialists from the University of Iowa. That relationship is taking a step ahead with the Neuroscience Institute, officials said.

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Genesis launches new Neuroscience Institute

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Cedar Rapids IA Resources - Stem Cells: Get Facts on Uses ...

Institute has raised $400K in donations

BY ALYSSA GUZMAN | SEPTEMBER 19, 2014 5:00 AM

This year, the John Paul II Medical Research Institute received the most donations it has ever seen.

We received funds through the Ice Bucket Challenge, institute President Jay Kamath said. There wasnt a whole lot that we did on the marketing base to gather funds. It was the efforts of the people who conducted the videos.

Thus far, the institute, which has taken a stance against using embryonic stem cells in research, has received more than $400,000 in donations.

Those who have views that align with the institute have decided to send donations its way.

When the Ice Bucket Challenge came up, there were a lot of people who were opposed to giving to the ALS Foundation because they use embryonic cells [for research], Kamath said.

Instead, the John Paul institution uses induced pluripotent stem cells and other adult stem cells.

Such cells have many of the same features as the embryotic stem cells, but instead of extracting them from an embryo, cells are taken from patients and are genetically reprogrammed into a very primitive embryotic life stem cell.

Alan Moy, the founder of the institute, said his Catholicism influenced his choice to not use embryotic stem cells.

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Institute has raised $400K in donations

IOWA CITY An Iowa City-area research institute that pledges to avoid using embryonic stems cells has received more than $400,000 in donations from the Ice Bucket Challenge.

Several Catholic archdioceses, including those in Cincinnati, St. Louis and Dubuque, recommended Catholics divert donations from the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association to the John Paul II Medical Research Institute because the ALSA has one study using embryonic stem cells.

Using stem cells from aborted fetuses is opposed by some religious groups.

Weve received donations from all 50 states and 37 countries, said Jay Kamath, CEO of the JP2 Institute. A good portion of that has been earmarked for ALS.

The ALSA started the Challenge July 29, asking people to post videos of themselves being doused with icy water and/or make a donation to an ALS charity. The national group raised more than $100 million from the viral drive.

The JP2 Institute, founded in 2008 by Dr. Alan Moy, an Iowa City pulmonologist, has developed a platform for research on adult stem cells, but so far hasnt done any studies on ALS. The non-profit is trying to raise $1 million to set up a clean room so researchers can do clinical studies themselves, rather than outsourcing to other laboratories.

The institute employs three researchers at the University of Iowas BioVentures Center in Coralville.

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Iowa City-area institute gets $400,000 from Ice Bucket ...

Bioethics@

Compiled by Kristen Hessler

khessler@iastate.edu For the Biotechnology Outreach Education Center Iowa State University

In this activity, you will break into groups to review various ethical positions on stem cell research. All groups will read the introductory material from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Then each group (NIH, CAMR, President Bush, Do No Harm) will read its own groups statement on stem cell research and fill out the questionnaire (PDF file). We will then convene to discuss each groups ethical views on stem cell research and their arguments for their views. Each group will be asked to select a representative to present their groups views and arguments.

After completing this activity, participants will be able to:

a. Identify common positions in the debate about the ethics of stem cell research; b. Analyze ethical arguments; c. Formulate, defend, and discuss productively with others their own views about the ethics of stem cell research.

Introduction: "Embryonic Stem Cells: Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison"

National Institutes of Health (NIH): "Stem Cell Basics"

Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR): "Fast Action!"

The White House: President George W. Bush: Remarks by the President on Stem Cell Research

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ISU Bioethics Outreach--Stem Cells - Iowa State University

Ames IA Stem Cell Treatment | 1.800.872.0222

A Ames Iowa stem cell treatment is a cutting edge medical therapy in which specific diseases or injuries are treated by introducing various types of stem cells into damaged tissue. The most extensively used Ames IA stem cell treatment therapy is the transfusion of bone marrow from one patient to another to fight conditions such as leukemia and lymphoma. This type of Ames Iowa stem cell treatment allows the recipient to regenerate their immune system and fight of the cancer. In the last few decades, physicians have discovered numerous types of stem cells and many new and promising advances in medical treatments.

Stem cells can be taken from a variety of sources including bone marrow cells, autologous adipose cells, and umbilical cord cells. Each type of cell is useful in a Ames Iowa stem cell treatment that targets different types of conditions. Stem cells have unique properties that allow them to be used in a Ames IA stem cell treatment primarily that they can reproduce other stem cells and are precursor cells which have the ability to change into several other different types of cells. Stem cell therapy can literally allow the body to regenerate nerves and other cell types that were previously thought unrepeatable.

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Ames IA Stem Cell Treatment | Ames Iowa Cancer Stem Cell ...

DUBUQUE (KWWL) - The Archbishop of the Dubuque Diocese is asking Catholics participating in the ice bucket challenge to donate to the John Paul II Medical Research Institute in Iowa City instead of the ALS Association.

As of Wednesday, The ALS Association has received $94.3 million in donations, most of which are attributed to the recent ice bucket challenge.

Archbishop Michael Jackels has now released a statement urging Catholics participating to donate to another organization helping to fight ALS.

"Donating to the ALS Association is inconsistent with Catholic moral teaching as it promotes stem cell research that destroys embryonic human beings, Jackels said. Catholic individuals, parishes, schools, and other entities in the Archdiocese of Dubuque, if they participate in the Ice Bucket Challenge, are asked to send their donations to the John Paul II Medical Research Institute in Iowa City."

Other Catholic archbishops have asked the same of their congregations, and the ALS Association has responded to the church by saying, The ALS Association primarily funds adult stem cell research. Currently, The Association is funding one study using embryonic stem cells (ESC), and the stem cell line was established many years ago under ethical guidelines set by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS); this research is funded by one specific donor, who is committed to this area of research. In fact, donors may stipulate that their funds not be invested in this study or any stem cell project.

To read Jackels full statement, click here: http://www.dbqarch.org/about/archbishop-jackels/messages-from-archbishop-jackels/

To read the ALS Association's full statement, click here:http://www.alsa.org/news/media/press-releases/statement-on-stemcell-research.html

To learn more about the John Paul II Medical Research Institute, click here:http://jp2mri.org/

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Catholics asked to NOT donate to the ALS Association

Richmond, VA - The Catholic Diocese of Richmond is joining a growing number of Catholic church authorities that are warning members about religious conflicts related to the recent ice bucket challenge phenomenon.

Last week 29 Catholic Schools that fall under Richmond's umbrella were notified.

On Tuesday 146 parishes were also informed by letter.

A spokeswoman said thediocese supports all the work being done to take on ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, butthey want members to research where it is they send their money to benefit the cause.

Leaders point out that the ALS Association does some testing using embryonic stem cells - which the Catholicchurchconsiders immoral.

The suggestion is to donate to groups that use adult stem cells in their research and not embryonic stem cells.

"Embryonic stem cell research... as part of that research an embryo is destroyed. So, of course, we cannot support any research that destroys a human embryo because all life is sacred at all stages of human development,"said Diana Snider who is the diocese's communications manager.

The Catholic church endorses groups like the John Paul II Medical Research Institute, based in Iowa, which does not use embryonic stem cells in their research.

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Catholic Church At Odds With Ice Bucket Challenge