StemSave Science Advisor, Dr. George T.-J.Huang, DDS, MSD, DSc has accepted the position of Director of Stem Cells and Regenerative Therapies in the Department of Bioscience Research in the College of Dentistry at the University of Tennessee.
Endodontics professor Dr. Peter Murray and colleagues from the College of Dental Medicine at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) have brought dental stem cells to the forefront of medicine once more with a recent study revealing a new method of using dental stem cells to grow new, healthy, and genetically identical teeth as an alternative to dental implants or dentures.
As recent studies in Brazil, the US, Korea, China, and Taiwan demonstrate, utilization of dental stem cells in research and the development of treatments to address disease, trauma and injury is expanding. The recent studies focus on the plasticity of dental stem cells and their capacity to differentiate into an array of tissue as well as iPSCs.
Bob Karp/Staff Photographer / Bob Karp/staff photo
After the birth of her youngest son Carlo, Lisa Valastro, wife of TLC’s “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro, made the wise investment of banking the stem cells from Carlo’s cord blood and placenta in the event that he may need them for future medical treatment. Valastro previously banked the cord blood stem cells from each of her four children’s umbilical cords, ensuring that they would each have access to the best possible match for stem cell therapies: their own stem cells.
A recent study at Lund University in Sweden reveals the discovery of a type of stem cell that has the ability to differentiate into new brain tissue. This discovery introduces the possibility of finding ways to repair damage to the brain as a result of disease or injury. Researchers plan to use this study as a springboard for further studies in stem cell therapies to treat neural degenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Cell Stem Cell recently published a new study headed by Principal investigator Songtao Shi, professor at the Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology. The study indicates that autoimmune disorders can be controlled through mesenchymal stem cells treatments.
Scientists at The Danish Stem Cell Center (DanStem) of the University of Copenhagen and the Hagedorn Research Institute are collaborating on research to prevent or reverse diabetes by differentiating adult stem cells into insulin-producing beta cells, which are imperative to healthy pancreatic function.
A symposium, to be held on May 4th in Austin Texas and entitled “Collaborating for Cures: Emerging Translational Research in the Stroke and TBI Care Continuum” is advocating and embracing a multidisciplinary approach to treating traumatic brain injuries and providing cutting-edge medical care.
WorlDental.org reports on the advantages of banking the stem cells from children’s baby teeth and wisdom teeth.
While previously families’ options in banking stem cells were limited to banking umbilical cord blood, families now have an easy and affordable opportunity to bank stem cells: collecting healthy stem cells from the pulp of baby teeth of children; which are naturally shed during their childhood years.
Ireland is the latest to join a number of countries looking to provide stem cell banking at a national level to offer its population “bio insurance” protection.
Professor Colin McGuckin, advisor to the Vatican and Director of the Cell Therapy Research Institute in Lyon, France, recently launched the Adult Stem Cell Foundation of Ireland, providing a specific venue for citizens to store their adult stem cells for future use in cutting edge medical treatments.
