StemCell Therapy

1 Introduction

Regenerative medicine is characterized as the process of replenishing or restoring human cells, tissues, or organs to restore or reestablish normal function. This field holds the promise of transforming human medicine, by actually curing or treating diseases once poorly managed with conventional drugs and medical procedures.

It informally started almost 60years ago with the first successful organ transplant performed in Boston by a team led by Dr Joseph Murray, John Merrill, and J. Hartwell Harrison.1 This landmark accomplishment marked a new era in the emerging field of organ transplantation and allowed for the first time for the complete cure of a patient with end-stage organ disease.

The first effective cell therapies with bone marrow transplants followed in the late 1950s and 1960s. A team led by Dr Don Thomas was the first to treat leukemic patients with allogeneic marrow transplants in Seattle.2,3 This was later followed by Dr Robert Good in 1968, where an immunodeficient patient was successfully treated with an allogeneic bone marrow transplant from his sibling at the University of Minnesota.4

Throughout these decades, many attempts on organ transplantation, cell therapies, and gene therapy ended in failure, but this vigorous scientific and clinical interest established the basis of the first wave of successes that regenerative medicine experienced and delivered to the clinic.58

With this paradigm change in medicine, came the first challenges of organ shortage and higher demand for matching bone marrow donors. Organ shortages established a driving force for novel advancements in molecular and cell biology that opened new avenues in several areas in regenerative medicine. The fields of cell transplantation and tissue engineering were proposed as alternatives to tissue and organ shortage by de novo reconstitution of functional tissues and organs in the laboratory for transplantation, and the use of cells for therapy.

The present book you have just started to explore is an introduction for the translational and basic researcher as well as the clinician to the vast field of regenerative medicine technologies. It is the second book in a new series, Advances in Translational Medicine and presents 23 key chapters that describe in detail some of the contemporary regenerative medicine advances in different medical fields. These chapters review the state-of-the-art experimental data available from the bench, along with vital information provided by multiple clinical trials, giving a broad view of current and near future strategies to treat or cure human disease.

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Regenerative Medicine - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

What is regenerative medicine? This fast growing, highly effective treatment option utilizes various treatments that may include stem cells and growth factors including, umbilical allografts, amniotic fluid, mesenchymal stem cells and platelet rich plasma or PRP treatments to heal and restore your body to a healthy level. The very name indicates that regenerative medicine therapies help your body regenerate tissue, bone, discs, cartilage, and cells. This treatment option provides relief from injuries and chronic pain. Regenerative medicine is a natural solution that even helps combat the effects of aging.

Our team of doctors will design a customized treatment program just for you. A custom program is far more effective than a "one size fits all" treatment option. Our solutions are designed to help your body truly heal rather than simply mask your symptoms.

Stem cell therapy is not regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine helps your body restore itself to a healthy state naturally. Patients in pain, those with wounds that wont heal or with damaged cartilage, muscle or ligaments may return to normal life in a short time. Regenerative cell therapy may also help arthritic patients find relief from the swelling, pain and lack of mobility resulting from this condition. It will even help those that have had recent surgery heal more quickly and reduce scar tissue.

There are many sources for stem cells. However, we fell that the mesenchymal stem cells obtained from umbilical cords offer the most potent and effective healing power. Why are young stem cells more favorable than those in our bodies naturally? Our body's own stem cells age as we age and are therefore less effective year after year. The stem cells harvested from the umbilical cord the day of birth show an extremely high rate of replication. To illustrate this, simply think about how much more quickly children heal from injuries than do elder people. This is due to their young, healthy stem cells.

When introduced into an injured or damaged area, stem cells go to work to accelerate and enhance your natural healing process. They are reported to help your body heal muscle tears, ligament or tendon damage, strengthen degenerating bones and cartilage and more. Stem cells are undifferentiated cells meaning that they transform into the exact cells your body needs to heal itself. They even have the ability to help with the inflammation and pain that accompanies arthritis and other conditions.

The most active healing cells contained in your blood are called platelets. When your body signals that it is injured, platelets are attracted to the injured area. They then go to work repairing that area. To focus this healing power intensively on your injury, we extract a small quantity of your blood. The next step is to process it and isolate the platelets in clear plasma. This platelet-rich plasma will then be returned to your injured area. PRP treatments of knees, shoulders, muscles, tendons and other parts of the body have proven remarkably effective.

Most often the fastest relief after a regenerative medicine treatment comes from the anti inflammatory properties of the injection. The longer term results are the result of your body healing itself and restoring the damaged tissue. These procedures regenerate cells, tissue, bone, ligaments, tendons muscles, cartilage, and more. Stem cell treatments are found to help those with heart conditions, alopecia, peripheral neuropathy, skin rejuvenation, hair restoration, etc. Choosing regenerative medical treatment options and regenerative cell therapy helps your body tap into its youthful healing potential. You can expect hair restoration, younger looking skin and improved quality of life.

O-Shots: This life changing, revolutionary use of regenerative medicine utilizes platelet-rich plasma to improve vaginal tone and sexual response. By injecting PRP into anesthetized genital areas, regeneration of tissue in the area is triggered. These PRP injections increase blood flow to these sensitive and responsive tissues. Improved sensation during sexual activity is the result, along with a reduction of urinary incontinence and other symptoms.

P-Shots: The P-shot, or Priapus Shot, offers similar benefits for men. In this case, the patients own platelets are injected into numbed areas of the penis. Growth factors that are abundant in platelet-rich plasma rejuvenate the tissues in the penis involved in creating erections and responding to stimuli. Resulting in more satisfying sexual experiences.

Medical science has moved beyond simply covering up a patients problems with steroids, painkillers and muscle-relaxing drugs and has embraced regenerative medicine and regenerative cell therapy as better solutions to heal pain and injuries. At Campbell Medical Group, we offer cutting-edge regenerative medicine and stem cell treatments that rebuild, regenerate and restore so we can return you to the pain-free and active life you enjoy leading.

Call our office for a free consultation on our cutting edge regenerative medicine in Houston

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Regenerative Medicine | Stem Cell Treatments | PRP | Houston ...

Sessions & Tracks

Scaffolds

Scaffoldsare one of the three most important essentials constituting the basic concept ofRegenerative Medicine, and are included in the core technology of Regenerative Medicine. Every day thousands of surgical procedures are done to replace or repair tissue that has been damaged through disease or trauma. The developing field oftissue engineering(TE) aims to regenerate damagedtissuesby combining cells from the body with highly porous scaffoldbiomaterials, which act as templates fortissue regeneration, to guide the growth of new tissue. Scaffolds has a prominent role in tissue regeneration the designs, fabrication, 3D models, surface ligands andmolecular architecture, nanoparticle-cell interactions and porous of the scaffolds are been used in the field in attempts to regenerate different tissues and organs in the body. The worldstem cell marketwas approximately 2.715 billion dollars in 2010, and with a growth rate of 16.8% annually, a market of 6.877 billion dollars will be formed in 2016. From 2017, the expected annual growth rate is 10.6%, which would expand the market to 11.38 billion dollars by 2021.

RelatedRegenerative Medicine Conferences|Stem Cell Conferences|Stem Cell Congress|Tissue Science Conferences|EuropeConferences

9th Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy conference, March 21-22, 2019 Rome, Italy; 12th Genomics and Molecular Biology conference, April 15-17, 2019 Berlin, Germany; 7th Integrative Biology conference, April 15-16, 2019 Berlin, Germany; Pacific Regenerative Medicine Conference, May 16-19, 2019 Hawaii, USA; Annual conference & Exhibition on Transversal, Translational & Transformative, December 2-5, 2019 Florida, USA; 21st International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, June 27 - 28, 2019 London, United Kingdom; World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2019, May 15 17, London, UK; 6th Annual European Congress on Clinical & Translational Sciences, October 18-20, 2019 Vienna, Austria;

Europe:EuroStemCell (European Consortium for Stem Cell Research);German Stem Cell Network (GSCN);German Society for Stem Cell Research (GSZ);Stem Cell Network North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW);Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research (NCSCR);

USA:California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM);New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF);Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS);International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR);

Asia:

The New South Wales Stem Cell Network;Korean Society for Stem Cell Research;Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine;Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research;Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS);

Cord Blood Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine

Recently,cord blood stems cellsare developed in the treatment of different diseases, including a broad range of cancers,blood disorders, and genetic diseases. In a cordblood transplant, stem cells are infused in to a patients bloodstream for healing and repairing damaged cells and tissue. In a successful transplant, new healthy immune system has been created. The natural power and purity of newborn's cord blood are responsible for healthy development during gestation.Cord bloodapplications have developed beyondtransplant medicineinto the areas ofregenerative medicineincluding brain injuries, autism,Cardiac Problems, andAutoimmune Deficiencies. The latest research in routine transplantation of cord blood are reviewed followed by the critical role ofcord bloodstem cells in regenerative medicine research and novel approaches using cord blood as a source of whole blood for transfusion.

RelatedRegenerative Medicine Conferences|Stem Cell Conferences|Stem Cell Congress|Tissue Science Conferences|EuropeConferences

9th Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy conference, March 21-22, 2019 Rome, Italy; 12th Genomics and Molecular Biology conference, April 15-17, 2019 Berlin, Germany; 7th Integrative Biology conference, April 15-16, 2019 Berlin, Germany; Pacific Regenerative Medicine Conference, May 16-19, 2019 Hawaii, USA; Annual conference & Exhibition on Transversal, Translational & Transformative, December 2-5, 2019 Florida, USA; 21st International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, June 27 - 28, 2019 London, United Kingdom; World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2019, May 15 17, London, UK; 6th Annual European Congress on Clinical & Translational Sciences, October 18-20, 2019 Vienna, Austria;

Related Associations and Societies:

Europe:EuroStemCell (European Consortium for Stem Cell Research);German Stem Cell Network (GSCN);German Society for Stem Cell Research (GSZ);British Association of Tissue Banks;British Association for Tissue Banking;European Tissue Repair Society;Spanish Association of Tissue Bank;European Calcified Tissue Society;European Association of Tissue Banks;

USA:California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM);New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF);Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS);International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR).

Asia:

The New South Wales Stem Cell Network;Korean Society for Stem Cell Research;Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine;Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research;Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS).

Bone and Cartilage Tissue Engineering

This interdisciplinary engineering has attracted much attention as a new therapeutic means that may overcome the drawbacks involved in the current artificial organs and organ transplantation that have been also aiming at replacing lost or severelydamaged tissuesor organs.Tissue engineeringandregenerative medicineis an exciting research area that aims at regenerative alternatives to harvested tissues for organ transplantation withsoft tissues. Although significant progress has been made in thetissue engineeringfield, many challenges remain and further development in this area will require on-going interactions and collaborations among the scientists from multiple disciplines, and in partnership with the regulatory and the funding agencies. As a result of the medical and market potential, there is significant academic and corporate interest in this technology.

RelatedRegenerative Medicine Conferences|Stem Cell Conferences|Stem Cell Congress|Tissue Science Conferences|EuropeConferences

9th Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy conference, March 21-22, 2019 Rome, Italy; 12th Genomics and Molecular Biology conference, April 15-17, 2019 Berlin, Germany; 7th Integrative Biology conference, April 15-16, 2019 Berlin, Germany; Pacific Regenerative Medicine Conference, May 16-19, 2019 Hawaii, USA; Annual conference & Exhibition on Transversal, Translational & Transformative, December 2-5, 2019 Florida, USA; 21st International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, June 27 - 28, 2019 London, United Kingdom; World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2019, May 15 17, London, UK; 6th Annual European Congress on Clinical & Translational Sciences, October 18-20, 2019 Vienna, Austria;

Related Associations and Societies:

Europe:EuroStemCell (European Consortium for Stem Cell Research);German Stem Cell Network (GSCN);German Society for Stem Cell Research (GSZ);Stem Cell Network North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW);Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research (NCSCR);ScanBalt Stem Cell Research Network;

USA:California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM);American Association of tissue banks;New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF);Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS);

Asia:Asia Pacific Association of Surgical Tissue Banking;The New South Wales Stem Cell Network;Korean Society for Stem Cell Research;Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine;Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research;

Stem cells to Battle cancer

Stem cell transplant is treatment in some types of cancers like leukemia, multiple myeloma, or some types of lymphoma. Stem cell transplantation is the procedure that restores blood-forming stem cells in patients who have had theirs destroyed by the very high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy that are used to treat certain cancers.

RelatedRegenerative Medicine Conferences|Stem Cell Conferences|Stem Cell Congress|Tissue Science Conferences|EuropeConferences

9th Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy conference, March 21-22, 2019 Rome, Italy; 12th Genomics and Molecular Biology conference, April 15-17, 2019 Berlin, Germany; 7th Integrative Biology conference, April 15-16, 2019 Berlin, Germany; Pacific Regenerative Medicine Conference, May 16-19, 2019 Hawaii, USA; Annual conference & Exhibition on Transversal, Translational & Transformative, December 2-5, 2019 Florida, USA; 21st International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, June 27 - 28, 2019 London, United Kingdom; World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2019, May 15 17, London, UK; 6th Annual European Congress on Clinical & Translational Sciences, October 18-20, 2019 Vienna, Austria;

Related Associations and Societies:

Europe:EuroStemCell (European Consortium for Stem Cell Research);German Stem Cell Network (GSCN);German Society for Stem Cell Research (GSZ);Stem Cell Network North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW);Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research (NCSCR);

USA:California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM);New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF);Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS);International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR);

Asia:

The New South Wales Stem Cell Network;Korean Society for Stem Cell Research;Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine;Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research;Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS);

Novel Approaches guided in Tissue Engineering

GTR are dental surgical procedures that use barrier membranes to direct the growth of new bone and gingival tissue at sites with insufficient volumes or dimensions of bone or gingiva for proper function, esthetics or prosthetic restoration

RelatedRegenerative Medicine Conferences|Stem Cell Conferences|Stem Cell Congress|Tissue Science Conferences|EuropeConferences

9th Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy conference, March 21-22, 2019 Rome, Italy; 12th Genomics and Molecular Biology conference, April 15-17, 2019 Berlin, Germany; 7th Integrative Biology conference, April 15-16, 2019 Berlin, Germany; Pacific Regenerative Medicine Conference, May 16-19, 2019 Hawaii, USA; Annual conference & Exhibition on Transversal, Translational & Transformative, December 2-5, 2019 Florida, USA; 21st International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, June 27 - 28, 2019 London, United Kingdom; World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2019, May 15 17, London, UK; 6th Annual European Congress on Clinical & Translational Sciences, October 18-20, 2019 Vienna, Austria;

Related Associations and Societies:

Europe:EuroStemCell (European Consortium for Stem Cell Research);German Stem Cell Network (GSCN);German Society for Stem Cell Research (GSZ);Stem Cell Network North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW);Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research (NCSCR);

USA:California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM);New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF);Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS);International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR);

Asia:

The New South Wales Stem Cell Network;Korean Society for Stem Cell Research;Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine;Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research;Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS);

Clinical Medicine

Clinical medicine relates to medicine field that deals mainly with the study and practice of medicine based on the direct examination of the patient. In clinical medicine, medical practitioners assess patients in order to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease

RelatedRegenerative Medicine Conferences|Stem Cell Conferences|Stem Cell Congress|Tissue Science Conferences|EuropeConferences

9th Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy conference, March 21-22, 2019 Rome, Italy; 12th Genomics and Molecular Biology conference, April 15-17, 2019 Berlin, Germany; 7th Integrative Biology conference, April 15-16, 2019 Berlin, Germany; Pacific Regenerative Medicine Conference, May 16-19, 2019 Hawaii, USA; Annual conference & Exhibition on Transversal, Translational & Transformative, December 2-5, 2019 Florida, USA; 21st International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, June 27 - 28, 2019 London, United Kingdom; World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2019, May 15 17, London, UK; 6th Annual European Congress on Clinical & Translational Sciences, October 18-20, 2019 Vienna, Austria;

Related Associations and Societies:

Europe:EuroStemCell (European Consortium for Stem Cell Research);German Stem Cell Network (GSCN);German Society for Stem Cell Research (GSZ);Stem Cell Network North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW);Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research (NCSCR);

USA:California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM);New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF);Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS);International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR);

Asia:

The New South Wales Stem Cell Network;Korean Society for Stem Cell Research;Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine;Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research;Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS);

Clinical trials with Stem Cells

Stem cell treatments and clinical trials have been going on for over 40 years; however we are still in the initial stages of stem cell therapy being utilized as an effective alternative treatment method to traditional pharmaceutical based treatments. Much of the early work in stem cell clinical trials focused on the overall effectiveness and safety of the procedures involved. The primary concern with any new treatment is the long term safety and standardization of results. There have been countless journals and research papers focusing in on these clinical trials that have revealed promising results from these initial trials around the world

RelatedRegenerative Medicine Conferences|Stem Cell Conferences|Stem Cell Congress|Tissue Science Conferences|EuropeConferences

9th Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy conference, March 21-22, 2019 Rome, Italy; 12th Genomics and Molecular Biology conference, April 15-17, 2019 Berlin, Germany; 7th Integrative Biology conference, April 15-16, 2019 Berlin, Germany; Pacific Regenerative Medicine Conference, May 16-19, 2019 Hawaii, USA; Annual conference & Exhibition on Transversal, Translational & Transformative, December 2-5, 2019 Florida, USA; 21st International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, June 27 - 28, 2019 London, United Kingdom; World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2019, May 15 17, London, UK; 6th Annual European Congress on Clinical & Translational Sciences, October 18-20, 2019 Vienna, Austria;

Related Associations and Societies:

Europe:EuroStemCell (European Consortium for Stem Cell Research);German Stem Cell Network (GSCN);German Society for Stem Cell Research (GSZ);Stem Cell Network North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW);Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research (NCSCR);

USA:California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM);New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF);Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS);International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR);

Asia:

The New South Wales Stem Cell Network;Korean Society for Stem Cell Research;Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine;Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research;Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS);

Biomaterials & Bioengineering

Biomaterials are being utilized for the social insurance applications from old circumstances. In any case, consequent development has made them more flexible and has expanded their utility. Biomaterials have reformed the territories like bioengineering and tissue designing for the advancement of novel methodologies to battle perilous infections. Together with biomaterials, immature microorganism innovation is additionally being utilized to enhance the current human services offices. These ideas and innovations are being utilized for the treatment of various maladies like cardiovascular disappointment, cracks, profound skin wounds, and so forth. Presentation of nanomaterials then again is turning into a major seek after a superior and a reasonable social insurance. Mechanical headways are in progress for the advancement of persistent observing and controlling glucose levels by the implantation of sensor chips.

RelatedRegenerative Medicine Conferences|Stem Cell Conferences|Stem Cell Congress|Tissue Science Conferences|EuropeConferences

9th Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy conference, March 21-22, 2019 Rome, Italy; 12th Genomics and Molecular Biology conference, April 15-17, 2019 Berlin, Germany; 7th Integrative Biology conference, April 15-16, 2019 Berlin, Germany; Pacific Regenerative Medicine Conference, May 16-19, 2019 Hawaii, USA; Annual conference & Exhibition on Transversal, Translational & Transformative, December 2-5, 2019 Florida, USA; 21st International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, June 27 - 28, 2019 London, United Kingdom; World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2019, May 15 17, London, UK; 6th Annual European Congress on Clinical & Translational Sciences, October 18-20, 2019 Vienna, Austria;

Related Associations and Societies:

Europe:EuroStemCell (European Consortium for Stem Cell Research);German Stem Cell Network (GSCN);German Society for Stem Cell Research (GSZ);Stem Cell Network North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW);Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research (NCSCR);

USA:California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM);New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF);Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS);International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR);

Asia:

The New South Wales Stem Cell Network;Korean Society for Stem Cell Research;Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine;Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research;Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS);

Biomarkers

Biomarkers, in the hands of clinical investigators, provide a dynamic and powerful approach to understanding the spectrum of diseases with obvious applications in analytic epidemiology, biomarkers and clinical research in disease prevention, diagnosis and disease management. Biomarkers have the additional potential to identify individuals susceptible to particular diseases. This conference is a podium that brings and shares collective knowledge and research explorations in biomarkers study. In the recent years, the information about cancer biomarkers has increased largely providing a huge potential for improving the management of cancer patients by improving the accuracy of detection and efficacy of treatment. Latest technological advancements have enabled the examination of many possible biomarkers and renewed interest in developing new biomarkers. All such developments can be evidenced in this biomarker congress.

Cancer Biomarkers, Molecular Biomarkers, Genomics biomarkers, Biomarkers in Clinical Research & Development, Biomarkers and Pathology

RelatedRegenerative Medicine Conferences|Stem Cell Conferences|Stem Cell Congress|Tissue Science Conferences|EuropeConferences

9th Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy conference, March 21-22, 2019 Rome, Italy; 12th Genomics and Molecular Biology conference, April 15-17, 2019 Berlin, Germany; 7th Integrative Biology conference, April 15-16, 2019 Berlin, Germany; Pacific Regenerative Medicine Conference, May 16-19, 2019 Hawaii, USA; Annual conference & Exhibition on Transversal, Translational & Transformative, December 2-5, 2019 Florida, USA; 21st International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, June 27 - 28, 2019 London, United Kingdom; World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2019, May 15 17, London, UK; 6th Annual European Congress on Clinical & Translational Sciences, October 18-20, 2019 Vienna, Austria;

Related Associations and Societies:

Europe:EuroStemCell (European Consortium for Stem Cell Research);German Stem Cell Network (GSCN);German Society for Stem Cell Research (GSZ);Stem Cell Network North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW);Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research (NCSCR);

USA:California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM);New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF);Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS);International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR);

Asia:

The New South Wales Stem Cell Network;Korean Society for Stem Cell Research;Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine;Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research;Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS);

Regeneration & Therapeutics

Some parts of our bodies can repair themselves quite well after injury, but others dont repair at all. We certainly cant regrow a whole leg or arm, but some animals can regrow - or regenerate - whole body parts. Regeneration means the regrowth of a damaged or missing organ part from the remaining tissue. As adults, humans can regenerate some organs, such as the liver. If part of the liver is lost by disease or injury, the liver grows back to its original size, though not its original shape. And our skin is constantly being renewed and repaired. Unfortunately many other human tissues dont regenerate, and a goal in regenerative medicine is to find ways to kick-start tissue regeneration in the body, or to engineer replacement tissues.

RelatedRegenerative Medicine Conferences|Stem Cell Conferences|Stem Cell Congress|Tissue Science Conferences|EuropeConferences

9th Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy conference, March 21-22, 2019 Rome, Italy; 12th Genomics and Molecular Biology conference, April 15-17, 2019 Berlin, Germany; 7th Integrative Biology conference, April 15-16, 2019 Berlin, Germany; Pacific Regenerative Medicine Conference, May 16-19, 2019 Hawaii, USA; Annual conference & Exhibition on Transversal, Translational & Transformative, December 2-5, 2019 Florida, USA; 21st International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, June 27 - 28, 2019 London, United Kingdom; World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2019, May 15 17, London, UK; 6th Annual European Congress on Clinical & Translational Sciences, October 18-20, 2019 Vienna, Austria;

Related Associations and Societies:

Europe:EuroStemCell (European Consortium for Stem Cell Research);German Stem Cell Network (GSCN);German Society for Stem Cell Research (GSZ);Stem Cell Network North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW);Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research (NCSCR);

USA:California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM);New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF);Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS);International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR);

Asia:

The New South Wales Stem Cell Network;Korean Society for Stem Cell Research;Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine;Taiwan Society for Stem Cell Research;Stem Cell Society Singapore (SCSS);

Rejuvenation

Rejuvenation is a medical discipline focused on the practical reversal of the aging process. Rejuvenation is distinct from life extension. Life extension strategies often study the causes of aging and try to oppose those causes in order to slow aging. Rejuvenation is the reversal of aging and thus requires a different strategy, namely repair of the damage that is associated with aging or replacement of damaged tissue with new tissue. Rejuvenation can be a means of life extension, but most life extension strategies do not involve rejuvenation.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy, also called biologic treatment, is a kind of disease treatment that lifts the body's common guards to battle the malignancy. It utilizes substances made by the body or in a research facility to enhance or re-establish safe framework work. Immunotherapy may work in these ways: Halting or abating the development of tumor cells, preventing malignancy from spreading to different parts of the body, helping the safe framework work better at crushing disease cells. There are several types of immunotherapy, including: Monoclonal antibodies, Non-specific immunotherapies, oncolytic virus therapy, T-cell therapy, Cancer vaccines

RelatedRegenerative Medicine Conferences|Stem Cell Conferences|Stem Cell Congress|Tissue Science Conferences|EuropeConferences

9th Advanced Cell and Gene Therapy conference, March 21-22, 2019 Rome, Italy; 12th Genomics and Molecular Biology conference, April 15-17, 2019 Berlin, Germany; 7th Integrative Biology conference, April 15-16, 2019 Berlin, Germany; Pacific Regenerative Medicine Conference, May 16-19, 2019 Hawaii, USA; Annual conference & Exhibition on Transversal, Translational & Transformative, December 2-5, 2019 Florida, USA; 21st International Conference on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, June 27 - 28, 2019 London, United Kingdom; World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2019, May 15 17, London, UK; 6th Annual European Congress on Clinical & Translational Sciences, October 18-20, 2019 Vienna, Austria;

Related Associations and Societies:

Europe:EuroStemCell (European Consortium for Stem Cell Research);German Stem Cell Network (GSCN);German Society for Stem Cell Research (GSZ);Stem Cell Network North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW);Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research (NCSCR);

USA:California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM);New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF);Tissue Engineering International & Regenerative Medicine Society (TERMIS);International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR);

Asia:

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Tissue Science Conferences| Regenerative Medicine Conferences ...

Neuropathy occurs in the feet or hands due to nerve damage. When a patient suffers from neuropathy, they can experience so-called neuropathic pain ranging from mild to severe and described as burning, pinpricks, or sudden shocks of electricity, as well as numbness, tingling, and weakness. The peripheral nervous system utilizes nerves to send messages to and from the central nervous system, which includes both the brain and spinal cord. When these peripheral nerves become damaged and their ability to transmit signals, neuropathy results. Although neuropathy is an encompassing diagnosis, there are many causes.

Diabetes can cause chronic neuropathy. High blood sugar levels can damage nerves, predominantly in the feet. This is why neuropathy more often occurs in people whose blood sugar is not under control than those who maintain low blood sugar levels. Diabetic neuropathy as a result of uncontrolled blood glucose levels can create irreversible damage to the nerves. When diabetes is under control, the amount of sugar in the blood remains at a safe level, thus reducing the risk of potential nerve damage.

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10 Causes of Neuropathy - Facty Health

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that can affect the feet with a sensation of burning, tingling or numbness that may be periodic or constant. It is a frequent symptom of nerve trauma or pressure, vitamin B deficiency, alcoholism, diabetes, autoimmune diseases (such as HIV, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis) and diseases of the liver, kidneys and thyroid. Because peripheral neuropathy is involved in so many conditions, treatments vary widely.

Most drugs prescribed specifically for peripheral neuropathy will block or decrease the nerve sensations. They may include codeine, lidocaine, anti-seizure medications and antidepressants. Because some of these can cause dependency over long periods of time, other solutions may be tried first. Rubbing cremes on the feet or immersing them in warm water periodically may be an alternative.

The best treatment for peripheral neuropathy in the feet is to eliminate the cause. If the cause is clear -- abstain from alcohol, supplement vitamin B, brace joints to relieve pressure and so on -- those treatments should relieve the neuropathy. Many causes, however, are chronic and are not easily eliminated.

For those with chronic conditions causing their neuropathy, seeking treatment with a hypnotist trained in medical hypnosis may lead to more complete and convenient pain control than with oral pain relievers. Regular acupuncture treatments, perhaps with moxibustion, may also lead to a decreased pain sensation. In addition, t'ai chi ch'uan (taijiquan) may increase sensory perception for those with numbness in the feet.

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The Best Treatment for Peripheral Neuropathy in Feet ...

Peripheral Neuropathy symptoms usually start with numbness, prickling or tingling in the toes or fingers. It may spread up to the feet or hands and cause burning, freezing, throbbing and/or shooting pain that is often worse at night.

The pain can be either constant or periodic, but usually the pain is felt equally on both sides of the bodyin both hands or in both feet. Some types of peripheral neuropathy develop suddenly, while others progress more slowly over many years.

Symptoms such as experiencing weakness or not being able to hold something, not knowing where your feet are, and experiencing pain that feels as if it is stabbing or burning in your limbs, can be common signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy.

The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may depend on the kind of peripheral nerves that have been damaged.There are three types of peripheral nerves: motor, sensory and autonomic. Some neuropathies affect all three types of nerves, while others involve only one or two.

The majority of people, however, suffer from polyneuropathy, an umbrella term for damage involving many nerves at the same time.

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Peripheral Neuropathy Symptoms | Pain In Fingers, Toes, & Feet.

Peripheral Neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy is a type of damage to the nervous system. Specifically, it is a problem with your peripheral nervous system. This is the network of nerves that sends information from your brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) to the rest of your body.

Peripheral neuropathy has many different causes. Some people inherit the disorder from their parents. Others develop it because of an injury or another disorder.

In many cases, a different type of problem, such as a kidney condition or a hormone imbalance, leads to peripheral neuropathy. One of the most common causes of peripheral neuropathy in the U.S. is diabetes.

There are more than 100 types of peripheral neuropathy, each with its own set of symptoms and prognosis. To help doctors classify them, they are often broken down into the following categories:

Motor neuropathy. This is damage to the nerves that control muscles and movement in the body, such as moving your hands and arms or talking.

Sensory neuropathy. Sensory nerves control what you feel, such as pain, temperature or a light touch. Sensory neuropathy affects these groups of nerves.

Autonomic nerve neuropathy. Autonomic nerves control functions that you are not conscious of, such as breathing and heartbeat. Damage to these nerves can be serious.

Combination neuropathies. You may have a mix of 2 or 3 of these other types of neuropathies, such as a sensory-motor neuropathy.

The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy vary based on the type that you have and what part of the body is affected. Symptoms can range from tingling or numbness in a certain body part to more serious effects such as burning pain or paralysis.

Muscle weakness

Cramps

Muscle twitching

Loss of muscle and bone

Changes in skin, hair, or nails

Numbness

Loss of sensation or feeling in body parts

Loss of balance or other functions as a side effect of the loss of feeling in the legs, arms, or other body parts

Emotional disturbances

Sleep disruptions

Loss of pain or sensation that can put you at risk, such as not feeling an impending heart attack or limb pain

Inability to sweat properly, leading to heat intolerance

Loss of bladder control, leading to infection or incontinence

Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting because of a loss of control over blood pressure

Diarrhea, constipation, or incontinence related to nerve damage in the intestines or digestive tract

Trouble eating or swallowing

Life-threatening symptoms, such as difficulty breathing or irregular heartbeat

The symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may look like other conditions or medical problems. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

The symptoms and body parts affected by peripheral neuropathy are so varied that it may be hard to make a diagnosis. If your healthcare provider suspects nerve damage, he or she will take an extensive medical history and do a number of neurological tests to determine the location and extent of your nerve damage. These may include:

Depending on what basic tests reveal, your healthcare provider may want to do more in-depth scanning and other tests to get a better look at your nerve damage. Tests may include:

Usually a peripheral neuropathy cant be cured, but you can do a lot of things to prevent it from getting worse. If an underlying condition like diabetes is at fault, your healthcare provider will treat that first and then treat the pain and other symptoms of neuropathy.

In some cases, over-the-counter pain relievers can help. Other times, prescription medicines are needed. Some of these medicines include mexiletine, a medicine developed to correct irregular heart rhythms; antiseizure drugs, such as gabapentin, phenytoin, and carbamazepine; and some classes of antidepressants, including tricyclics such as amitriptyline.

Lidocaine injections and patches may help with pain in other instances. And in extreme cases, surgery can be used to destroy nerves or repair injuries that are causing neuropathic pain and symptoms.

Lifestyle choices can play a role in preventing peripheral neuropathy. You can lessen your risk for many of these conditions by avoiding alcohol, correcting vitamin deficiencies, eating a healthy diet, losing weight, avoiding toxins, and exercising regularly. If you have kidney disease, diabetes, or other chronic health condition, it is important to work with your healthcare provider to control your condition, which may prevent or delay the onset of peripheral neuropathy.

Even if you already have some form of peripheral neuropathy, healthy lifestyle steps can help you feel your best and reduce the pain and symptoms related to the disorder. Youll also want to quit smoking, not let injuries go untreated, and be meticulous about caring for your feet and treating wounds to avoid complications, such as the loss of a limb.

In some cases, non-prescription hand and foot braces can help you make up for muscle weakness. Orthotics can help you walk better. Relaxation techniques, such as yoga, may help ease emotional as well as physical symptoms.

Excerpt from:

Peripheral Neuropathy | Johns Hopkins Medicine

In this section:

Peripheral neuropathy is a type of nerve damage that typically affects the feet and legs and sometimes affects the hands and arms.

This type of neuropathy is very common. Up to one-half of people with diabetes have peripheral neuropathy.1,2

Over time, high blood glucose, also called blood sugar, and high levels of fats, such as triglycerides, in the blood from diabetes can damage your nerves and the small blood vessels that nourish your nerves, leading to peripheral neuropathy.

If you have peripheral neuropathy, your feet, legs, hands, or arms may feel

You may feel extreme pain in your feet, legs, hands, and arms, even when they are touched lightly. You may also have problems sensing pain or temperature in these parts of your body.

Symptoms are often worse at night. Most of the time, you will have symptoms on both sides of your body. However, you may have symptoms only on one side.

If you have peripheral neuropathy, you might experience:

Peripheral neuropathy can cause foot problems that lead to blisters and sores. If peripheral neuropathy causes you to lose feeling in your feet, you may not notice pressure or injuries that lead to blisters and sores. Diabetes can make these wounds difficult to heal and increase the chance of infections. These sores and infections can lead to the loss of a toe, foot, or part of your leg. Finding and treating foot problems early can lower the chances that you will develop serious infections.

This type of diabetes-related nerve damage can also cause changes to the shape of your feet and toes. A rare condition that can occur in some people with diabetes is Charcots foot, a problem in which the bones and tissue in your foot are damaged.

Peripheral neuropathy can make you more likely to lose your balance and fall, which can increase your chance of fractures and other injuries. The chronic pain of peripheral neuropathy can also lead to grief, anxiety, and depression.

Doctors diagnose peripheral neuropathy based on your symptoms, family and medical history, a physical exam, and tests. A physical exam will include a neurological exam and a foot exam.

If you have diabetes, you should get a thorough exam to test how you feel in your feet and legs at least once a year. During this exam, your doctor will look at your feet for signs of problems and check the blood flow and feeling, or sensation, in your feet by

Your doctor may also check if you can feel temperature changes in your feet.

Your doctor may perform tests to rule out other causes of nerve damage, such as a blood test to check for thyroid problems, kidney disease, or low vitamin B12 levels. If low B12 levels are found, your doctor will do additional tests to determine the cause. Metformin use is among several causes of low vitamin B12 levels. If B12 deficiency is due to metformin, metformin can be continued with B12 supplementation.

You can prevent the problems caused by peripheral neuropathy by managing your diabetes, which means managing your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Staying close to your goal numbers can keep nerve damage from getting worse.

If you have diabetes, check your feet for problems every day and take good care of your feet. If you notice any foot problems, call or see your doctor right away.

Remove your socks and shoes in the exam room to remind your doctor to check your feet at every office visit. See your doctor for a foot exam at least once a yearmore often if you have foot problems. Your doctor may send you to a podiatrist.

Doctors may prescribe medicine and other treatments for pain.

Your doctor may prescribe medicines to help with pain, such as certain types of

Although these medicines can help with the pain, they do not change the nerve damage. Therefore, if there is no improvement with a medicine to treat pain, there is no benefit to continuing to take it and another medication may be tried.

All medicines have side effects. Ask your doctor about the side effects of any medicines you take. Doctors dont recommend some medicines for older adults or for people with other health problems, such as heart disease.

Some doctors recommend avoiding over-the-counter pain medicines, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen. These medicines may not work well for treating most nerve pain and can have side effects.

Your doctor may recommend other treatments for pain, including

Diabetes experts have not made special recommendations about supplements for people with diabetes. For safety reasons, talk with your doctor before using supplements or any complementary or alternative medicines or medical practices.

[1] Pop-Busui R, Boulton AJ, Feldman EL, et al. Diabetic neuropathy: a position statement by the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes Care. 2017;40(1):136154.

[2] Izenberg A, Perkins BA, Bril V. Diabetic neuropathies. Seminars in Neurology. 2015;35(4):424430.

Link:

Peripheral Neuropathy | NIDDK

Treatment for peripheral neuropathymay includetreating any underlying cause or any symptoms you're experiencing.

Treatment may be more successfulfor certain underlying causes.For example,ensuringdiabetesis well controlled may help improve neuropathy or at least stop it getting worse.

There are many different possible causes of peripheral neuropathy, some of which can be treated in different ways. For example:

Some less common types of peripheral neuropathy may be treated with medication, such as:

However, the underlying cause may not always be untreatable.

You may also require medication to treat any nerve pain (neuropathic pain)you're experiencing.

Unlike most other types of pain, neuropathic pain doesn't usually get better with common painkillers, such as paracetamol andibuprofenand other medications areoften used.

These should usually be started at the minimum dose, with the dose gradually increased until you notice an effect, becausethe ideal dose for each person is unpredictable. Higher doses may bebetter at managing the pain, but are also more likely to cause side effects.

The most common side effects are tiredness, dizziness or feeling "drunk". If you get these, it may be necessary to reduce your dose. Don't drive or operate machineryif you experience drowsiness or blurred vision. You also may become more sensitive to the effects of alcohol.

The side effects should improve after a week or two as your body gets used to the medication. However, if your side effects continue, tell your GPas it may be possible to change to a different medication that suits you better.

Even if the first medication tried doesn't help, others may.

Many of these medications may also be used for treating other conditions, such as depression, epilepsy, anxiety or headaches. If you're given an antidepressant, this may treat pain even if you're not depressed.This doesn't mean your doctor suspects you're depressed.

The main medications recommended for neuropathic pain include:

There are also some additional medications that can be used to relieve pain in a specific area of the body or to relieve particularly severe pain for short periods. These are described below.

If your pain is confined to a particular area of your body and you can't, or would prefer not to,take the medications above, you may benefit from using capsaicin cream.

Capsaicin is the substance that makes chilli peppers hot and is thought to work in neuropathic pain by stopping the nerves sending pain messages to the brain.

A pea-sized amount of capsaicin cream is rubbed on the painful area of skin three or four times a day.

Side effects of capsaicin cream can include skin irritation and a burning sensation in the treated area when you first start treatment.

Don't use capsaicin cream on broken or inflamed skin and always wash your hands after applying it.

This is a large sticking plaster that contains a local anaesthetic. It's useful when pain affects only a small area of skin. It's stuck over the area of painful skin and the local anaesthetic is absorbed into the skin that's covered.

Tramadol is a powerful painkiller related to morphine that can be used to treat neuropathic pain that doesn't respond to other treatments your GP can prescribe.

Like all opioids, tramadol can be addictive if it's taken for a long time. It will usually only be prescribed for a short time.Tramadol can be useful to take at times when your pain is worse.

Common side effects of tramadol include:

In addition to treating pain, you may also require treatment to help you manage other symptoms you're experiencing as a result of peripheral neuropathy.

For example, if you have muscle weakness, you may need physiotherapyto learn exercises to improve your muscle strength. You may also need to wear splints to support weak ankles or use walking aids to help you get around.

Other problems associated with peripheral neuropathymay be treatable with medication, such as:

In some cases, you may need more invasive treatment, such as botulinum toxin injections for hyperhidrosisor urinary catheterisation if you have problems emptying your bladder.

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Peripheral neuropathy - Illnesses & conditions | NHS inform

Polyneuropathy (poly- + neuro- + -pathy) is damage or disease affecting peripheral nerves (peripheral neuropathy) in roughly the same areas on both sides of the body, featuring weakness, numbness, and burning pain.[3] It usually begins in the hands and feet and may progress to the arms and legs and sometimes to other parts of the body where it may affect the autonomic nervous system. It may be acute or chronic. A number of different disorders may cause polyneuropathy, including diabetes and some types of GuillainBarr syndrome.[4][5][6]

Polyneuropathies may be classified in different ways, such as by cause,[1] by presentation,[3] or by classes of polyneuropathy, in terms of which part of the nerve cell is affected mainly: the axon, the myelin sheath, or the cell body.[7][8]

Among the signs/symptoms of polyneuropathy, which can be divided (into sensory and hereditary) and are consistent with the following:[3]

The causes of polyneuropathy can be divided into hereditary and acquired and are therefore as follows:[1]

In regards to the pathophysiology of polyneuropathy, of course, the former depends on which polyneuropathy. For instance in the case of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, one finds that it is a autoimmune disease. Here, T cells involvement has been demonstrated, while in terms of demyelination, antibodies alone are not capable.[16]

The diagnosis of polyneuropathies begins with a history and physical examination to ascertain the pattern of the disease process (such as-arms, legs, distal, proximal) if they fluctuate, and what deficits and pain are involved. If pain is a factor, determining where and how long the pain has been present is important, one also needs to know what disorders are present within the family and what diseases the person may have. Although diseases often are suggested by the physical examination and history alone, tests that may be employed include: electrodiagnostic testing, serum protein electrophoresis, nerve conduction studies, urinalysis, serum creatine kinase (CK) and antibody testing (nerve biopsy is sometimes done).[3][2]

Other tests may be used, especially tests for specific disorders associated with polyneuropathies, quality measures have been developed to diagnose patients with distal symmetrical polyneuropathy (DSP).[17]

In terms of the differential diagnosis for polyneuropathy one must look at the following:

In the treatment of polyneuropathies one must ascertain and manage the cause, among management activities are: weight decrease, use of a walking aid, and occupational therapist assistance. Additionally BP control in those with diabetes is helpful, while intravenous immunoglobulin is used for multifocal motor neuropathy.[3]

According to Lopate, et al., methylprednisolone is a viable treatment for chronic inflammatory demyelinative polyneuropathy (which can also be treated with intravenous immunoglobulin). The authors also indicate that prednisone has greater adverse effects in such treatment, as opposed to intermittent (high-doses) of the aforementioned medication.[3][21]

According to Wu, et al., in critical illness polyneuropathy supportive and preventive therapy are important for the affected individual, as well as, avoiding (or limiting) corticosteroids.[22]

See the original post:

Polyneuropathy - Wikipedia

What is ophthalmology?Ophthalmology is a branch of medicine which deals with the eyes and visual system, and diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases and conditions affecting them.Ophthalmology is a mixed medical and surgical specialty, and deals with a diverse range of issues. Eye health services are very important, as eye problems, such as cataracts, are very common, affecting a large number of people across the UK, and as the population ages, the incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) increases. If these diseases are caught early enough, they can be treated and managed with the expertise of ophthalmologists.What conditions does an ophthalmologist treat?Although the eye is a small organ, its importance cannot be overstated, and, due to the complexity of our visual mechanics, the eyes can be affected by a number of different problems and diseases. As such, ophthalmologists have to be trained to deal with a wide variety of visual problems. Some of these eye problems are very common for instance, cataract surgery is the second most common operation performed on the NHS in England.Some of the conditions ophthalmologists treat include:Which subspecialties are included under ophthalmology?Sub-specialty interests for ophthalmologists include:

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The best Ophthalmologists in 2019 | TopDoctors

If you are experiencing an eye emergency involving sudden vision loss or the acute onset of pain or double vision, call 911 or seek emergency care immediately. The UK Chandler Emergency Department has ophthalmology providers on call 24/7.

UK Advanced Eye Care provides expert eye care for all ages ranging from simple eye exams to diagnosing and treating the most complex eye diseases in a new state-of-the art facility.

Using the widest range and most up-to-date technology in the state, our fellowship-trained specialists are able to diagnose and treat various eye diseases and conditions including:

Having our entire team of optometrists, general ophthalmologists and specialists together in one location allows for improved efficiency, increased continuity of care, and ease of referrals for further testing, surgical consultation or treatment.

At UK Advanced Eye Care, we are proud of our patient care services. We are hiring full-time ophthalmic technicians and patient care coordinators. We offer competitive benefits and on-the-job training.

Contact Philip Moss if you are interested: 859-323-0729 or philip.moss@uky.edu.

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Advanced Eye Care | UK HealthCare

You've probably wondered how you developed diabetes. You may worry that your children will develop it too.

Unlike some traits, diabetes does not seem to be inherited in a simple pattern. Yet clearly, some people are born more likely to develop diabetes than others.

Type 1 andtype 2 diabeteshave different causes. Yet two factors are important in both. You inherit a predisposition to the disease, then something in your environment triggers it.

Genes alone are not enough. One proof of this is identical twins. Identical twins have identical genes. Yet when one twin hastype 1 diabetes, the other gets the disease at most only half the time. When one twin has type 2 diabetes, the other's risk is at most 3 in 4.

In most cases of type 1 diabetes, people need to inherit risk factors from both parents. We think these factors must be more common in whites because whites have the highest rate of type 1 diabetes.

Because most people who are at risk do not get diabetes, researchers want to find out what the environmental triggers are. One trigger might be related to cold weather. Type 1 diabetes develops more often in winter than summer and is more common in places with cold climates. Another trigger might be viruses. Perhaps a virus that has only mild effects on most people triggers type 1 diabetes in others.

Early diet may also play a role. Type 1 diabetes is less common in people who were breastfed and in those who first ate solid foods at laterages.

In many people, the development of type 1 diabetes seems to take many years. In experiments that followed relatives of people with type 1 diabetes, researchers found that most of those who later got diabetes had certain autoantibodies in their blood for years before. (Antibodies are proteins that destroy bacteria or viruses. Autoantibodies areantibodies'gone bad' that attack the body's own tissues.)

If you are a man with type 1 diabetes, the odds of your child developing diabetes are 1 in 17. If you are a woman with type 1 diabetes and your child was born before you were 25, your child's risk is 1 in 25; if your child was born after you turned 25, your child's risk is 1 in 100.

Your child's risk is doubled if you developed diabetes before age 11. If both you and your partner have type 1 diabetes, the risk is between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4.

There is an exception to these numbers. About 1 in every 7 people with type 1 diabetes has a condition called type 2 polyglandular autoimmune syndrome. In addition to having diabetes, these people also have thyroid disease and a poorly working adrenalgland. Some also have otherimmune systemdisorders. If you have this syndrome, your child's risk of getting the syndromeincluding type 1 diabetesis 1 in 2.

Researchers are learning how to predict a person's odds of getting diabetes. For example, most whites with type 1 diabetes have genes called HLA-DR3 or HLA-DR4. If you and your child are white and share these genes, your child's risk is higher. (Suspect genes in other ethnic groups are less well studied. The HLA-DR7 gene may put African Americans at risk, and the HLA-DR9 gene may put Japanese at risk.)

Other tests can also make your child's risk clearer. A special test that tells how the body responds toglucosecan tell which school-aged children are most at risk.

Another more expensive test can be done for children who have siblings with type 1 diabetes. This test measures antibodies toinsulin, to islet cells in thepancreas, or to anenzymecalled glutamic acid decarboxylase. High levels can indicate that a child has a higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes has a stronger link to family history and lineage than type 1, and studies of twins have shown that genetics play a very strong role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Yet it also depends on environmental factors.Lifestyle also influences the development of type 2 diabetes.Obesitytends to run in families, and families tend to have similar eating and exercise habits.

If you have a family history of type 2 diabetes, it may be difficult to figure out whether your diabetes is due to lifestyle factors or genetic susceptibility. Most likely it is due to both. However, dont lose heart. Studies show that it is possible to delay or prevent type 2 diabetes by exercising and losing weight.

Have you recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes?Join our free Living With Type 2 Diabetes program and get the information and support you need to live well with diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes runs in families. In part, this tendency is due to children learning bad habitseating a poor diet, not exercisingfrom their parents. But there is also a genetic basis.

If you would like to learn more about the genetics of all forms of diabetes, the National Institutes of Health has publishedThe Genetic Landscape of Diabetes. This free online book provides an overview of the current knowledge about the genetics of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, as well other less common forms of diabetes. The book is written for healthcare professionals and for people with diabetes interested in learning more about the disease.

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Genetics of Diabetes | ADA

Please save the date for oursecond Career Club of the fall semester!We are very excited to listen to Dr. Robyn Baldens talk about: Medical Science Liaison and other opportunities at Merck nextFriday,September 20th at12:00 PMinNMR/Rm. N127

Dr. Balden is a physician scientist and Regional Medical Scientific Director for Anesthesia/Surgery, South/Central US Medical Affairs division of Merck Research Labs. This role integrates internal and external scientific exchange and collaboration in order to facilitate and support clinical and drug development programs and maximize patient safety and outcomes related to existing pharmaceuticals including clinical trials, investigator-initiated studies, medical education, and scientific content creation.Her role at Merck began in 2018 as Associate Director, Medical Science Liaison for Anesthesia/Surgery, South/Central US, subsequent to gaining experience conducting medical research and directing business development for clinical trials at the Texas Center for Drug Development in Houston, TX. At the Texas Center for Drug Development she engaged in medical affairs focusing on coordination of clinical research for various therapeutic areas, serving as a supporting investigator for clinical trials, scientific discussion and account management with key physician leaders, and development of medical educational materials. Prior to this role she was a surgical intern, resident anesthesiologist, and clinical scholar at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, where she initiated clinical studies for novel anesthetic regimens.

Dr. Balden received her MD and PhD in Neuroscience from Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. Her passions involve the intersection of medicine and science with neuroimmunology and neuroendocrinology. She also collaborates with advocacy and student organizations, has written several academic papers on Vitamin D, and served as a member of the Vitamin D Councils Board of Directors contributing as a volunteer writer, podcast contributor, and graphic designer for the Vitamin D Council. Shelives with her family in Houston, TX and enjoys painting, design, traveling, scuba diving, outdoors, live music, reading, cooking, and gardening.

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Ph.D. in Genetics at Texas A&M University

By Linda Cole

Modern day veterinarians have an essential role in the health and welfare of our pets, as well as livestock and wildlife. Vets are well-versed in the science of animal health, and they promote public health by identifying and combating infectious zoonotic diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. Advances in medical science have provided veterinary professionals with sophisticated equipment, tests, procedures and medicines to treat our pets. However, the history of veterinary science dates back much further than you may realize.

The first known people to dabble in the field of veterinary medicine began around 9000 BC in Middle East countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Turkey and Iraq. Sheepherders had a crude understanding of medical skills which were used to treat their dogs and other animals. From 4000 to 3000 BC, Egyptians took earlier medical skills and made further advancements. Historical records and Egyptian hieroglyphs record how they used herbs to treat and promote good health in domesticated animals.

Vedic literature, which was written around 1500 BC, refers to four sacred texts from India written in the Sanskrit language that forms the basis of the Hindu religion. The Kahun Papyrus from Egypt dates back to 1900 BC. Both texts are likely the first written accounts of veterinary medicine. One of the sacred texts documents Indias first Buddhist king, Asoka, who ensured there were two kinds of medicine: one for humans and one for animals. If he discovered there was no medicine available for one or the other, he ordered healing herbs to be bought and planted where they were needed.

The Kahun Papyrus is the oldest known papyrus medical text. Its divided into 34 sections that deal with specific topics. One of the topics is animal gynecology. Tomb drawings predating the Kahun Papyrus by a couple thousand years document early Egyptian understanding of gynecology. Trained specialists were skilled obstetricians and given the name of overseer of cattle. They were charged with examining cattle, attending to pregnancies, and the birthing of calves to ensure their health and survival.

Archaeologists found fragments of a papyrus that was a medical textbook from somewhere around 1850 BC, indicating that Egyptians were familiar with the anatomy of animals, could recognize early warning signs of certain diseases in dogs, birds, fish and cattle, and used specific treatments to deal with them. The Romans, Greeks, Babylonians, Hindus, Arabs and Hebrews also practiced animal medicine. A man named Urlugaledinna, who lived in Mesopotamia in 3000 BC, was considered an expert in his ability to heal animals. Around 500 BC, a Greek scientist named Alcmaeon dissected animals to study them.

Early attempts to regulate and organize the treatment of animals were mainly focused on horses because of their economic importance to society. During the Middle Ages, farriers combined their trade of horseshoeing with general horse doctoring. When the Lord Mayor of London, which is different from the Mayor of London, learned about the poor care horses in London were receiving in 1356, he persuaded all farriers within a seven mile radius of the city to form a fellowship to improve and regulate how they treated horses. The fellowship led to the creation in 1674 of the Worshipful Company of Farriers.

The first veterinary school was founded in Lyon, France in 1761 by Claude Bourgelat, and thats when the profession of veterinary medicine officially began. The school focused on studying the anatomy and diseases of sheep, horses and cattle in an effort to combat cattle deaths from a plague in France. Cattle plagues were common throughout history, but attempts to learn how to fight microorganisms had to wait until the invention of the microscope sometime in the 1590s. The first vaccinations for cattle were developed in 1712 and used to eradicate a plague in Europe.

Over the next ten years, veterinary schools were established in Germany, Sweden and Denmark. In 1791, the London Veterinary College was established and developed veterinary science at a professional level dedicated to animal medicine. The wellbeing and health of horses was their initial focus for years, because of the use of horses in the Army. Eventually they turned their attention to cattle and other livestock, and finally added dogs and other animals.

The first veterinary school established in the United States was the Veterinary College of Philadelphia in 1852, which operated until 1866. In 1883, the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania was established and is the oldest accredited veterinary school still in operation. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) was established in 1863, and the Bureau of Animal Industry under the USDA was set up in 1884 and in operation until 1900. Its purpose was to protect the public from infectious diseases through contaminated meat, eradicate diseases in animals and improve the quality of livestock.

Top photo by Bainbridge Bethesda/FlickrBottom photo by Anne Worner/Flickr

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A Quick History of Veterinary Medicine | CANIDAE

Have you been told that steroid injections or invasive surgery are your only options to treat your knee pain? Interventional orthopedics provides a non-surgical alternative that uses your own cells to repair the damage.

Recent researchshows that some of the most popularorthopedic kneesurgeriesincluding meniscectomies have no benefit and are not more effective than placebo or sham surgery. Moreover, knee replacement is extremely traumatic and carries associated risks, and even successful surgeries minimally require months of painful rehab to regain strength and mobility. Most surgeries also accelerate degeneration that leads toosteoarthritis and exacerbate the biomechanical problems that initially led to the need for the surgery. Regenexx urges patients suffering from knee injuries or degenerative conditions to consider all of their options.

At Regenexx we inventeda new approachto orthopedic care we call Interventional Orthopedics. This approach involves the use ofimage guidance (flouroscopy and ultrasound) to precisely placehigh-dose stem cells or platelets from your body directly where they are needed in a specific joint structure. These cells then work in the site of your injury to grow into new, healthy tissue, a process that will only occur if the cells have been placed exactly where they need to go in order to achieve positive outcomes for the patient.This precise approach to orthopedic care cant be replicated by a surgeon or nurse in a chiropractors office. Interventional Orthopedics requiresthousands of hours of trainingfollowing a standardized protocol process to become a licensed Regenexx physician.

The innovative Regenexx procedures restore knee function and mobility and decrease pain without the need for surgery by regenerating damaged tissue. Duringthis outpatient procedure, ourexpert physiciansuseprecise image guidanceto injectcustom concentrationsofyour bodys natural healing agentsinto the exact areas of damage to tighten and stabilize your knee joint for better function and mobility.

This page contains an extensive library of educational resources on kneeconditions and our patented kneeprocedures created by Regenexx and our founder, Chris Centeno, M.D.. We encourage you to research your options.

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Stem Cell Therapy For Knees | Relief Without Surgery!

This is a whole new era where were moving beyond little edits on single genes to being able to write whatever we want throughout the genome.

-George Church, Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School

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How are scientists putting natures machinery to use for the good of humanity, and how could things go wrong?

Biotechnology is nearly as old as humanity itself. The food you eat and the pets you love? You can thank our distant ancestors for kickstarting the agricultural revolution, using artificial selection for crops, livestock, and other domesticated animals. When Edward Jenner invented vaccines and when Alexander Fleming discovered antibiotics, they were harnessing the power of biotechnology. And, of course, modern civilization would hardly be imaginable without the fermentation processes that gave us beer, wine, and cheese!

When he coined the term in 1919, the agriculturalist Karl Ereky described biotechnology as all lines of work by which products are produced from raw materials with the aid of living things. In modern biotechnology, researchers modify DNA and proteins to shape the capabilities of living cells, plants, and animals into something useful for humans. Biotechnologists do this by sequencing, or reading, the DNA found in nature, and then manipulating it in a test tube or, more recently, inside of living cells.

In fact, the most exciting biotechnology advances of recent times are occurring at the microscopic level (and smaller!) within the membranes of cells. After decades of basic research into decoding the chemical and genetic makeup of cells, biologists in the mid-20th century launched what would become a multi-decade flurry of research and breakthroughs. Their work has brought us the powerful cellular tools at biotechnologists disposal today. In the coming decades, scientists will use the tools of biotechnology to manipulate cells with increasing control, from precision editing of DNA to synthesizing entire genomes from their basic chemical building blocks. These cells could go on to become bomb-sniffing plants, miracle cancer drugs, or de-extincted wooly mammoths. And biotechnology may be a crucial ally in the fight against climate change.

But rewriting the blueprints of life carries an enormous risk. To begin with, the same technology being used to extend our lives could instead be used to end them. While researchers might see the engineering of a supercharged flu virus as a perfectly reasonable way to better understand and thus fight the flu, the public might see the drawbacks as equally obvious: the virus could escape, or someone could weaponize the research. And the advanced genetic tools that some are considering for mosquito control could have unforeseen effects, possibly leading to environmental damage. The most sophisticated biotechnology may be no match for Murphys Law.

While the risks of biotechnology have been fretted over for decades, the increasing pace of progress from low cost DNA sequencing to rapid gene synthesis to precision genome editing suggests biotechnology is entering a new realm of maturity regarding both beneficial applications and more worrisome risks. Adding to concerns, DIY scientists are increasingly taking biotech tools outside of the lab. For now, many of the benefits of biotechnology are concrete while many of the risks remain hypotheticals, but it is better to be proactive and cognizant of the risks than to wait for something to go wrong first and then attempt to address the damage.

Satellite images make clear the massive changes that mankind has made to the surface of the Earth: cleared forests, massive dams and reservoirs, millions of miles of roads. If we could take satellite-type images of the microscopic world, the impact of biotechnology would be no less obvious. The majority of the food we eat comes from engineered plants, which are modified either via modern technology or by more traditional artificial selection to grow without pesticides, to require fewer nutrients, or to withstand the rapidly changing climate. Manufacturers have substituted petroleum-based ingredients with biomaterials in many consumer goods, such as plastics, cosmetics, and fuels. Your laundry detergent? It almost certainly contains biotechnology. So do nearly all of your cotton clothes.

But perhaps the biggest application of biotechnology is in human health. Biotechnology is present in our lives before were even born, from fertility assistance to prenatal screening to the home pregnancy test. It follows us through childhood, with immunizations and antibiotics, both of which have drastically improved life expectancy. Biotechnology is behind blockbuster drugs for treating cancer and heart disease, and its being deployed in cutting-edge research to cure Alzheimers and reverse aging. The scientists behind the technology called CRISPR/Cas9 believe it may be the key to safely editing DNA for curing genetic disease. And one company is betting that organ transplant waiting lists can be eliminated by growing human organs in chimeric pigs.

Along with excitement, the rapid progress of research has also raised questions about the consequences of biotechnology advances. Biotechnology may carry more risk than other scientific fields: microbes are tiny and difficult to detect, but the dangers are potentially vast. Further, engineered cells could divide on their own and spread in the wild, with the possibility of far-reaching consequences. Biotechnology could most likely prove harmful either through the unintended consequences of benevolent research or from the purposeful manipulation of biology to cause harm. One could also imagine messy controversies, in which one group engages in an application for biotechnology that others consider dangerous or unethical.

Sugarcane farmers in Australia in the 1930s had a problem: cane beetles were destroying their crop. So, they reasoned that importing a natural predator, the cane toad, could be a natural form of pest control. What could go wrong? Well, the toads became a major nuisance themselves, spreading across the continent and eating the local fauna (except for, ironically, the cane beetle).

While modern biotechnology solutions to societys problems seem much more sophisticated than airdropping amphibians into Australia, this story should serve as a cautionary tale. To avoid blundering into disaster, the errors of the past should be acknowledged.

The world recently witnessed the devastating effects of disease outbreaks, in the form of Ebola and the Zika virus but those were natural in origin. The malicious use of biotechnology could mean that future outbreaks are started on purpose. Whether the perpetrator is a state actor or a terrorist group, the development and release of a bioweapon, such as a poison or infectious disease, would be hard to detect and even harder to stop. Unlike a bullet or a bomb, deadly cells could continue to spread long after being deployed. The US government takes this threat very seriously, and the threat of bioweapons to the environment should not be taken lightly either.

Developed nations, and even impoverished ones, have the resources and know-how to produce bioweapons. For example, North Korea is rumored to have assembled an arsenal containing anthrax, botulism, hemorrhagic fever, plague, smallpox, typhoid, and yellow fever, ready in case of attack. Its not unreasonable to assume that terrorists or other groups are trying to get their hands on bioweapons as well. Indeed, numerous instances of chemical or biological weapon use have been recorded, including the anthrax scare shortly after 9/11, which left 5 dead after the toxic cells were sent through the mail. And new gene editing technologies are increasing the odds that a hypothetical bioweapon targeted at a certain ethnicity, or even a single individual like a world leader, could one day become a reality.

While attacks using traditional weapons may require much less expertise, the dangers of bioweapons should not be ignored. It might seem impossible to make bioweapons without plenty of expensive materials and scientific knowledge, but recent advances in biotechnology may make it even easier for bioweapons to be produced outside of a specialized research lab. The cost to chemically manufacture strands of DNA is falling rapidly, meaning it may one day be affordable to print deadly proteins or cells at home. And the openness of science publishing, which has been crucial to our rapid research advances, also means that anyone can freely Google the chemical details of deadly neurotoxins. In fact, the most controversial aspect of the supercharged influenza case was not that the experiments had been carried out, but that the researchers wanted to openly share the details.

On a more hopeful note, scientific advances may allow researchers to find solutions to biotechnology threats as quickly as they arise. Recombinant DNA and biotechnology tools have enabled the rapid invention of new vaccines which could protect against new outbreaks, natural or man-made. For example, less than 5 months after the World Health Organization declared Zika virus a public health emergency, researchers got approval to enroll patients in trials for a DNA vaccine.

Biotechnology doesnt have to be deadly, or even dangerous, to fundamentally change our lives. While humans have been altering genes of plants and animals for millennia first through selective breeding and more recently with molecular tools and chimeras we are only just beginning to make changes to our own genomes (amid great controversy).

Cutting-edge tools like CRISPR/Cas9 and DNA synthesis raise important ethical questions that are increasingly urgent to answer. Some question whether altering human genes means playing God, and if so, whether we should do that at all. For instance, if gene therapy in humans is acceptable to cure disease, where do you draw the line? Among disease-associated gene mutations, some come with virtual certainty of premature death, while others put you at higher risk for something like Alzheimers, but dont guarantee youll get the disease. Many others lie somewhere in between. How do we determine a hard limit for which gene surgery to undertake, and under what circumstances, especially given that the surgery itself comes with the risk of causing genetic damage? Scholars and policymakers have wrestled with these questions for many years, and there is some guidance in documents such as the United Nations Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights.

And what about ways that biotechnology may contribute to inequality in society? Early work in gene surgery will no doubt be expensive for example, Novartis plans to charge $475,000 for a one-time treatment of their recently approved cancer therapy, a drug which, in trials, has rescued patients facing certain death. Will todays income inequality, combined with biotechnology tools and talk of designer babies, lead to tomorrows permanent underclass of people who couldnt afford genetic enhancement?

Advances in biotechnology are escalating the debate, from questions about altering life to creating it from scratch. For example, a recently announced initiative called GP-Write has the goal of synthesizing an entire human genome from chemical building blocks within the next 10 years. The project organizers have many applications in mind, from bringing back wooly mammoths to growing human organs in pigs. But, as critics pointed out, the technology could make it possible to produce children with no biological parents, or to recreate the genome of another human, like making cellular replicas of Einstein. To create a human genome from scratch would be an enormous moral gesture, write two bioethicists regarding the GP-Write project. In response, the organizers of GP-Write insist that they welcome a vigorous ethical debate, and have no intention of turning synthetic cells into living humans. But this doesnt guarantee that rapidly advancing technology wont be applied in the future in ways we cant yet predict.

Its nearly impossible to imagine modern biotechnology without DNA sequencing. Since virtually all of biology centers around the instructions contained in DNA, biotechnologists who hope to modify the properties of cells, plants, and animals must speak the same molecular language. DNA is made up of four building blocks, or bases, and DNA sequencing is the process of determining the order of those bases in a strand of DNA. Since the publication of the complete human genome in 2003, the cost of DNA sequencing has dropped dramatically, making it a simple and widespread research tool.

Benefits: Sonia Vallabh had just graduated from law school when her mother died from a rare and fatal genetic disease. DNA sequencing showed that Sonia carried the fatal mutation as well. But far from resigning to her fate, Sonia and her husband Eric decided to fight back, and today they are graduate students at Harvard, racing to find a cure. DNA sequencing has also allowed Sonia to become pregnant, since doctors could test her eggs for ones that dont have the mutation. While most peoples genetic blueprints dont contain deadly mysteries, our health is increasingly supported by the medical breakthroughs that DNA sequencing has enabled. For example, researchers were able to track the 2014 Ebola epidemic in real time using DNA sequencing. And pharmaceutical companies are designing new anti-cancer drugs targeted to people with a specific DNA mutation. Entire new fields, such as personalized medicine, owe their existence to DNA sequencing technology.

Risks: Simply reading DNA is not harmful, but it is foundational for all of modern biotechnology. As the saying goes, knowledge is power, and the misuse of DNA information could have dire consequences. While DNA sequencing alone cannot make bioweapons, its hard to imagine waging biological warfare without being able to analyze the genes of infectious or deadly cells or viruses. And although ones own DNA information has traditionally been considered personal and private, containing information about your ancestors, family, and medical conditions, governments and corporations increasingly include a persons DNA signature in the information they collect. Some warn that such databases could be used to track people or discriminate on the basis of private medical records a dystopian vision of the future familiar to anyone whos seen the movie GATTACA. Even supplying patients with their own genetic information has come under scrutiny, if its done without proper context, as evidenced by the dispute between the FDA and the direct-to-consumer genetic testing service 23andMe. Finally, DNA testing opens the door to sticky ethical questions, such as whether to carry to term a pregnancy after the fetus is found to have a genetic mutation.

The modern field of biotechnology was born when scientists first manipulated or recombined DNA in a test tube, and today almost all aspects of society are impacted by so-called rDNA. Recombinant DNA tools allow researchers to choose a protein they think may be important for health or industry, and then remove that protein from its original context. Once removed, the protein can be studied in a species thats simple to manipulate, such as E. coli bacteria. This lets researchers reproduce it in vast quantities, engineer it for improved properties, and/or transplant it into a new species. Modern biomedical research, many best-selling drugs, most of the clothes you wear, and many of the foods you eat rely on rDNA biotechnology.

Benefits: Simply put, our world has been reshaped by rDNA. Modern medical advances are unimaginable without the ability to study cells and proteins with rDNA and the tools used to make it, such as PCR, which helps researchers copy and paste DNA in a test tube. An increasing number of vaccines and drugs are the direct products of rDNA. For example, nearly all insulin used in treating diabetes today is produced recombinantly. Additionally, cheese lovers may be interested to know that rDNA provides ingredients for a majority of hard cheeses produced in the West. Many important crops have been genetically modified to produce higher yields, withstand environmental stress, or grow without pesticides. Facing the unprecedented threats of climate change, many researchers believe rDNA and GMOs will be crucial in humanitys efforts to adapt to rapid environmental changes.

Risks: The inventors of rDNA themselves warned the public and their colleagues about the dangers of this technology. For example, they feared that rDNA derived from drug-resistant bacteria could escape from the lab, threatening the public with infectious superbugs. And recombinant viruses, useful for introducing genes into cells in a petri dish, might instead infect the human researchers. Some of the initial fears were allayed when scientists realized that genetic modification is much trickier than initially thought, and once the realistic threats were identified like recombinant viruses or the handling of deadly toxins safety and regulatory measures were put in place. Still, there are concerns that rogue scientists or bioterrorists could produce weapons with rDNA. For instance, it took researchers just 3 years to make poliovirus from scratch in 2006, and today the same could be accomplished in a matter of weeks. Recent flu epidemics have killed over 200,000, and the malicious release of an engineered virus could be much deadlier especially if preventative measures, such as vaccine stockpiles, are not in place.

Synthesizing DNA has the advantage of offering total researcher control over the final product. With many of the mysteries of DNA still unsolved, some scientists believe the only way to truly understand the genome is to make one from its basic building blocks. Building DNA from scratch has traditionally been too expensive and inefficient to be very practical, but in 2010, researchers did just that, completely synthesizing the genome of a bacteria and injecting it into a living cell. Since then, scientists have made bigger and bigger genomes, and recently, the GP-Write project launched with the intention of tackling perhaps the ultimate goal: chemically fabricating an entire human genome. Meeting this goal and within a 10 year timeline will require new technology and an explosion in manufacturing capacity. But the projects success could signal the impact of synthetic DNA on the future of biotechnology.

Benefits: Plummeting costs and technical advances have made the goal of total genome synthesis seem much more immediate. Scientists hope these advances, and the insights they enable, will ultimately make it easier to make custom cells to serve as medicines or even bomb-sniffing plants. Fantastical applications of DNA synthesis include human cells that are immune to all viruses or DNA-based data storage. Prof. George Church of Harvard has proposed using DNA synthesis technology to de-extinct the passenger pigeon, wooly mammoth, or even Neanderthals. One company hopes to edit pig cells using DNA synthesis technology so that their organs can be transplanted into humans. And DNA is an efficient option for storing data, as researchers recently demonstrated when they stored a movie file in the genome of a cell.

Risks: DNA synthesis has sparked significant controversy and ethical concerns. For example, when the GP-Write project was announced, some criticized the organizers for the troubling possibilities that synthesizing genomes could evoke, likening it to playing God. Would it be ethical, for instance, to synthesize Einsteins genome and transplant it into cells? The technology to do so does not yet exist, and GP-Write leaders have backed away from making human genomes in living cells, but some are still demanding that the ethical debate happen well in advance of the technologys arrival. Additionally, cheap DNA synthesis could one day democratize the ability to make bioweapons or other nuisances, as one virologist demonstrated when he made the horsepox virus (related to the virus that causes smallpox) with DNA he ordered over the Internet. (It should be noted, however, that the other ingredients needed to make the horsepox virus are specialized equipment and deep technical expertise.)

Many diseases have a basis in our DNA, and until recently, doctors had very few tools to address the root causes. That appears to have changed with the recent discovery of a DNA editing system called CRISPR/Cas9. (A note on terminology CRISPR is a bacterial immune system, while Cas9 is one protein component of that system, but both terms are often used to refer to the protein.) It operates in cells like a DNA scissor, opening slots in the genome where scientists can insert their own sequence. While the capability of cutting DNA wasnt unprecedented, Cas9 dusts the competition with its effectiveness and ease of use. Even though its a biotech newcomer, much of the scientific community has already caught CRISPR-fever, and biotech companies are racing to turn genome editing tools into the next blockbuster pharmaceutical.

Benefits: Genome editing may be the key to solving currently intractable genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis, which is caused by a single genetic defect. If Cas9 can somehow be inserted into a patients cells, it could fix the mutations that cause such diseases, offering a permanent cure. Even diseases caused by many mutations, like cancer, or caused by a virus, like HIV/AIDS, could be treated using genome editing. Just recently, an FDA panel recommended a gene therapy for cancer, which showed dramatic responses for patients who had exhausted every other treatment. Genome editing tools are also used to make lab models of diseases, cells that store memories, and tools that can detect epidemic viruses like Zika or Ebola. And as described above, if a gene drive, which uses Cas9, is deployed effectively, we could eliminate diseases such as malaria, which kills nearly half a million people each year.

Risks: Cas9 has generated nearly as much controversy as it has excitement, because genome editing carries both safety issues and ethical risks. Cutting and repairing a cells DNA is not risk-free, and errors in the process could make a disease worse, not better. Genome editing in reproductive cells, such as sperm or eggs, could result in heritable genetic changes, meaning dangerous mutations could be passed down to future generations. And some warn of unethical uses of genome editing, fearing a rise of designer babies if parents are allowed to choose their childrens traits, even though there are currently no straightforward links between ones genes and their intelligence, appearance, etc. Similarly, a gene drive, despite possibly minimizing the spread of certain diseases, has the potential to create great harm since it is intended to kill or modify an entire species. A successful gene drive could have unintended ecological impacts, be used with malicious intent, or mutate in unexpected ways. Finally, while the capability doesnt currently exist, its not out of the realm of possibility that a rogue agent could develop genetically selective bioweapons to target individuals or populations with certain genetic traits.

Videos

Research Papers

Books

Informational Documents

Articles

Organizations

The organizations above all work on biotechnology issues, though many cover other topics as well. This list is undoubtedly incomplete; please contact us to suggest additions or corrections.

Special thanks to Jeff Bessen for his help researching and writing this page.

Excerpt from:
Benefits & Risks of Biotechnology - Future of Life Institute

The Graduate School has just published a piece by MGM student, Nicole Stantial, and her teammates from the Emerging Leaders Institute on the project they executed to help graduate students and postdocs better understand U.S. health insurance. You can find the piece here: https://gradschool.duke.edu/professional-development/blog/understanding-duke-health-insurance-emerging-leaders-institute-project

Yadav receives Young Scientist Award. Vikas Yadav, a Postdoc in Joe Heitmans lab, receives Young Scientist awards from two science academies National Academy of Science, India (NASI) and Indian National Science Academy (INSA). The awards (INSA Medal for Young Scientist and NASI-Young Scientist Platinum Jubilee) are being given for his research work during his PhD with Prof. Kaustuv Sanyal at JNCASR, Bengaluru, India in a collaboration with the Heitman lab. The awards are considered to be the highest recognition of promise, creativity and excellence in a young Scientist. He characterized centromeres in the human fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans and identified the role of RNAi machinery in the regulation of centromeres length and structure. This work along with his other contributions was published in PNAS, PLoS biology, mBio and mSphere. Please click here to read more on this accomplishment.

Hoye Awarded a F32 from NINDS. Mariah Hoye, a postdoc in Debby Silvers lab, was recently awarded a F32 from NINDS for her work on a new intellectual disability gene, DDX3X, which codes for an RNA helicase. Previous work in the lab found that depletion of Ddx3x during embryonic brain development led to more neural progenitors and less neurons in mice. Dr. Hoye is now using a conditional knockout mouse to better understand the unique requirements for Ddx3x in neural progenitors and neurons during brain development. Specifically, Dr. Hoye is interested in understanding how DDX3X controls neural progenitor fate decisions, as loss of Ddx3x impairs neurogenesis. As an RNA helicase, DDX3X functions in multiple aspects of RNA processing, but has a prominent role in translation initiation of mRNAs with highly structured 5 UTRs. Dr. Hoye is employing a genome-wide translational analysis, ribosome footprinting, to identify mRNAs in neural progenitors which require DDX3X for their translation. Identifying these DDX3X-dependent mRNAs may inform mRNAs whose translation is required for neural progenitor fate decisions

Congratulations to Giny Fouda (secondary MGM Faculty) and Eleanor Semmes and Stephen Kirchner who are both MD/PhD students in MGM who were elected to the Duke University School of Medicine chapter of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society for the fall 2019. Twice a year the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Medical Honor Society elects a small number of new members. The criteria include scholastic achievement, leadership capabilities, ethical standards, fairness in dealing with colleagues, demonstrated professionalism, achievement and/or potential for achievement in medicine, and a record of service to the school and community at large. Membership in AOA is a distinction that accompanies a physician throughout his or her career. In the fall the society elects a small number of faculty and alumni. The competition is especially stiff for faculty as only 3 are elected each year.

Celebration for Jinks-Robertson. The Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology held a special celebration to honor Sue Jinks-Robertson, PhD, Professor and co-Vice Chair in the department, on being elected to the National Academy of Sciences.

please click here for more photos

Congratulations Jackie Lin.Please congratulate Jackie Lin on her acceptance to medical school at the University of California San Francisco. Jackie was an undergraduate researcher in the Heitman lab.

Passing of Dr. Wolfgang Bill Joklik. It is with great sadness to inform you that Dr. Wolfgang Bill Joklik, Virologists and James B. Duke Professor Emeritus of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, died in Durham, North Carolina on July 7, 2019. He chaired the department for 25 years.

In 1981 Dr. Joklik founded the American Society for Viriology, the first scientific society specifically for virologists, and served a two-year term as its founding president.

Trained as a biochemist, Dr. Joklik was one of the pioneers of Molecular Virology. His work on the mechanisms underlying how viruses infect cells, multiply and cause disease laid the groundwork for the development of vaccines and antiviral agents. He published more than 250 research papers and reviews, and for 25 years was Editor-in-Chief of and a major contributor to Zinsser Microbiology, one of the two leading texts for medical students. He was Editor-in-Chief of Virology, the primary journal in its field, for eighteen years. He was a member/chairman of numerous Study Sections and Committees of the National Institutes of health and the American Cancer Society.

The Joklik Distinguished Lectureship, founded in MGM in 2010 is held annually to honor Dr. Joklik. The tenth annual Joklik lecturer this year will be Tom Shenk from Princeton. His talk will be presented at the annual MGM Departmental Retreat, September 6-8, 2019 in Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Please join in extending your deepest condolences to Dr. Jokliks entire family and community of friends.

A mass of Christian burial for Dr. Joklik will be offered on Friday, July 12, 2019 at 10:00am at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Durham, NC.

To read the entire obituary, please click here .

The flags on Duke Universitys campus have been lowered to half staff in honor of Dr. Joklik.

Dr. Jokliks Lifetime Achievement Award Video (produced in 2013)

Kutsch receives German Research Foundation (DFG) fellowship. Congratulations to Miriam Kutsch, postdoc in the Coers lab, on being awarded this fellowship. The 2-year DFG research fellowship is intended to support German early career scientists conducting innovative research at an international institution. Miriams research aims to understand an immune defense program directed at bacteria entering the host cell cytosol of human cells. In her research, she applies innovative biochemical and cell biological approaches to determine how the human defense protein GBP1 catches and conquers bacterial invaders.

Sullivan named Associate Dean for Research Training. Beth Sullivan, PhD, Associate Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology has been named Associate Dean for Research Training for the Duke School of Medicine. Dr. Sullivan, a human geneticist whose lab studies mechanisms of genome stability and centromere function, will oversee the Office of Biomedical Graduate Education and coordinate activities with the Office for Postdoctoral Affairs. She will provide leadership and broad strategic vision for all areas related to research training for biomedical Ph.D. students and postdoctoral appointees. Learn more at the Duke Med School blog: click here.

JNCASR has been featured in the top 10 list of Nature Index normalized ranking. Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) (www.jncasr.ac.in)is a multidisciplinary research institute situated in Bangalore, India. It is relatively young yet well-known around the world. The mandate of JNCASR is to pursue and promote world-class research and training at the frontiers of Science and Engineering covering broad areas ranging from Materials to Genetics. It provides a vibrant academic ambience hosting more than 300 researchers and around 50 faculty members. The Centre is funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and is a deemed university. JNCASR has been featured in the top 10 among the academic instituions in a recently published Nature Ranking (normalized) 2018 (https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01924-x). Kaustuv Sanyals group (www.jncasr.ac.in/sanyal) at JNCASR collaborates extensively with Joe Heitmans group in the Duke University Medical Center. This collaboration led to many discoveries and publications including a recent paper in PNAS that has been cosidered for JNCASRs recent ranking.

Heitman and Heaton receive ASM Award at the 2019 ASM Microbe Meeting. Joseph Heitman, M.D., Ph.D., James B. Duke Professor and Chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Nicholas Heaton, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, received the 2019 ASM Microbe Award at the 2019 ASM Microbe conference in San Francisco, CA (June 20-25, 2019). ASM Microbe tweeted the awards here.

Congratulations Daniel Snellings.MGM graduate student Dan Snellings won first prize for best Oral Presentation in the Basic Sciences Category at the International Scientific Conference on Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia, held in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico last week. This conference, held every two years, brings together physicians and scientists from around the world who are studying this hereditary vascular disease. Dans presentation showcased his discovery that the vascular malformations in HHT contain bi-allelic (germline plus somatic) mutations in the causative genes. His work overturns a long-standing but incorrect assumption that HHT is caused by haploinsufficiency of the gene product.

Martinez featured on Duke Health News for a recent study published in Cell. David Martinez, PhD, Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology along with Dr. Sallie Permar conducted research focusing on improving maternal vaccines that also protect newborns. To read more about the research, click here. To read the full manuscript, click here.

To read more, click here.

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Category:Genetic engineering - Wikimedia Commons