Marian Waterman, Aileen Anderson awarded $2.6 million in CIRM grants

Irvine, Calif., April 29, 2010 — Two UC Irvine scientists will receive grants totaling more than $2.6 million to study the underlying biology of stem cells aimed at treating spinal cord injury, cancer and other disorders.

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine grants to Marian Waterman and Aileen Anderson are intended to support research on the fundamental properties and mechanisms of human stem cells. Continue Reading »

Prototype hardware and software to implement sip and puff on an iPhone for environment controls. Continue Reading »

A protein called fibrinogen that is known to help form blood clots also triggers scar formation in the brain and spinal cord, according to new research in the April 28 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. Researchers found that fibrinogen carries a dormant factor that activates when it enters the brain after an injury, prompting brain cells to form a scar. Scars in the brain or spinal cord can block connections between nerve cells and often keep injury patients from reaching full recovery. Continue Reading »

People who suffer a spinal cord injury often end up at least partially paralyzed. It used to be that they had little hope of walking again, but there have been huge strides made in getting paraplegics moving again.

Getting paralyzed patients truly up and walking on their own is still a ways off, but getting moving with the help a variety of assistive devices is starting to happen right now. Continue Reading »

Many researchers are coming to believe they can achieve as much using adult stem cells as using controversial human embryonic stem cells.

A year after President Barack Obama eased restrictions on research into embryonic stem cells and pledged billions in new stimulus money for it, researchers are almost giddy with enthusiasm about progress in the field. They’re confident stem cells will treat — maybe someday cure — heart disease, diabetes, spinal cord injury and other disorders. Continue Reading »

Long-time philanthropist, champion of spinal cord injury awareness, and University of Miami alumnus, Marc Buoniconti has been named to the UM Board of Trustees. Joshua Moore will serve as the student representative on the board, which is responsible for governing the University, one of the largest private research universities in the southeastern United States.

Buoniconti presently serves as the president of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, its fundraising arm. Continue Reading »

Urinary bladder and renal dysfunction are secondary events associated with spinal cord injury (SCI) in humans. These secondary events not only compromise quality of life but also delay overall recovery from SCI pathophysiology.

Furthermore, in experimental models the effects of SCI therapy on bladder and renal functions are generally not evaluated. In this study, we tested whether simvastatin improves bladder and renal functions in a rat model of experimental SCI. Continue Reading »

[USPRwire, Fri Apr 16 2010] Stem Cell Treatment can be magical in saving incurable disease suffering patients. The Stem Cell Global Foundation, leading stem cell therapy provider has released results from a follow-up study of many spinal cord injury patients treated with autologous bone marrow stem cell -The Forbidden Therapy That Actually Works! Continue Reading »

Richard Borgens and his colleagues from the Center for Paralysis Research at the Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine have a strong record of inventing therapies for treating nerve damage. From Ampyra, which improves walking in multiple sclerosis patients to a spinal cord simulator for spinal injury victims, Borgens has had a hand in developing therapies that directly impact patients and their quality of life. Another therapy that is currently undergoing testing is the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to seal and repair damaged spinal cord nerve cells. Continue Reading »

[USPRwire, Fri Apr 16 2010] Stem Cell Treatment can be magical in saving incurable disease suffering patients. The Stem Cell Global Foundation, leading stem cell therapy provider has released results from a follow-up study of many spinal cord injury patients treated with autologous bone marrow stem cell -The Forbidden Therapy That Actually Works!

Most people feels that they can’t stand again after meeting with spinal injury but stem cell treatment proves it wrong and ignited a ray of hope to the ample number of patients suffering from same disease. Continue Reading »