Possible stem cell breakthrough for spinal injury patientsRSS Feed

Spinal injury sufferers may be among several groups of patients who could benefit from new research into stem cell therapy.

Scientists at the University of Michigan have developed a new technique of producing stem cells that allows them to predict what type of tissue adult human stem cells will become.

The research findings have extra resonance, coming just after approval was granted for the first-ever human clinical trials of stem cell regenerative therapy on acute spinal cord injury patients.

Assistant professor in mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering Jianping Fu, who is first author on the paper, said the study shows that for the first time scientists can predict stem cell differentiation from day one.

"Normally, it takes weeks or maybe longer to know how the stem cell will differentiate," professor Fu said.

"Our work could speed up this lengthy process and could have important applications in drug screening and regenerative medicine."

News from Serious Law, specialist spinal injury solicitors

Posted by Mathew Dixon

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