We’ve talked about the stem cell hamburger in the past and have even reported on its ground-breaking taste test which took place today where University of Maastrict researcher Mark Post would allow a number of guests to wrap their mouths around this artificially engineered meat. The result? It tastes weird. (more…)
Stem-Cell Burger Served To Taste Testers Lacks Flavor original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Stem cell treatment can be said to be a medical wonder worthy of the 21st century, as it does amazing stuff such as bringing sight to the blind. Well, there is a group of researchers over at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who were able to make use of human embryonic stem cells so that this will eventually repair brain damage suffered in mice. This particular study saw researchers implant human stem cells into the brains of mice. In the first place, these mice were genetically altered so that they ended up with brain damage right from the get go, in order to not reject transplant cells from other species.
When the human stem cells were in the brain, they eventually morphed into a couple of common types of neurons which will eventually bring healing to such neurological defects. Once the stem cell transplant was complete, the mice managed to score significantly better compared to cognitive and memory tests. This is definitely a step forward in stem cell therapy, but it still does not hold any key to unlock the issue of conditions like Alzheimer’s, Down syndrome and traumatic brain damage. It might still be the seed for what would eventually be effective drug therapies.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Smartphone With Braille-based “Display” For The Blind Developed In India, iPads To Assist Wounded Veterans In Home Care Situation, 
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Taylor Binns started to go blind due to complications with his contact lenses, and it gave him the window of opportunity to adjust himself for a life without vision. However, fate dealt him a kinder hand, as an innovative treatment that relies on stem cells has altered his final destiny, while returning him the gift of sight. Part of his eyes were damaged because contact lenses made him legally blind, but as to how often that happens in contact lens users, I shall not turn over that stone.
What we know is, doctors performed a stem cell transplant on Taylor Binns to help him regain his sight, and thanks to the medical team over at the Toronto Western Hospital, everything turned out to be hunky dory at the end. Do bear in mind that corneal transplant was out of the question in Binns’ case, as the doctors decided to settle for a limbal stem cell transplant, and we are happy to report that Binns is well today, and is fully capable of seeing just like any other normal person.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: ViSi Mobile Monitor Assists Doctors On Their Rounds, NASA Using LED Lights To Cure Insomnia In Space,
While scientists increasingly understand the genetics of cancer, they’ve never been able to track how single cancerous cells form tumors in the body, or work out how tumors grow back seemingly from nowhere. New research, however, sheds some light on that problem—and suggests that tumors are fueled by cancer stem cells. More »
Parkinson’s is a horrible degenerative disorder of the central nervous system which is sadly incurable. But now a team of scientists from Johns Hopkins has been able to grow the brain cells which are usually destroyed by the disease from skin stem cells—and they’re confident it will help them develop new treatments. More »
Dr. Paolo Macchiarini is no stranger to world firsts, and less than a year after performing a synthetic windpipe transplant, the Karolinska Institute Professor has coordinated no less than two successful transplants of synthetic sections of larynx. Amazingly, both patients were able to breathe and talk normally straight after surgery, the basic functions we take for granted that they either struggled with or were simply unable to do before. The implants consisted of personally designed synthetic scaffolds coated with the candidates’ own stem cells, so there’s neither the chance of rejection nor the burden of life-long immunosuppressant therapy. Despite the amazing feat, Dr. Macchiarini ain’t done yet, claiming this is the first of many steps towards building a synthetic, complete larynx — voice box and all. Jump past the break for the official PR issued by Harvard Bioscience, the company responsible for growing what’s in that tub.
Regenerative medicine pioneer continues changing lives with first successful laryngotracheal implants originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 05:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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