Researchers

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) comprises many complex cell types that work together to transmit electrical signals from the body’s sensory receptors to the central nervous system (CNS) and vice versa. Peripheral nerve cells relay the electrical signals through the long, thin part of the cell called an axon. Schwann cells create nodes of myelin…

The human body has many lines of defense against infection, keeping us healthy and free of disease. One immediate line of defense is the innate immune system, which is comprised of white blood cells that are ready to fight against bacterial or fungal infection at birth. One of the most numerous and important cells of…

On August 30, 2017, the FDA approved the first US CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of ALL patients. According to FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb, “We’re entering a new frontier in medical innovation with the ability to reprogram a patient’s own cells to attack a deadly cancer.” Check out this brief video about how…

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a group of bone marrow disorders where the bone marrow is incapable of producing healthy mature blood cells. Through a process called hematopoiesis, blood stem cells or hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) within the bone marrow give rise to blood cells, such as white blood cells, platelets, and red blood…

RNA-guided CRISPR-Cas9 nuclease is a genome-editing tool that allows researchers to edit parts of the genome by removing, adding, or altering sections of the DNA sequence. CRISPR-Cas9 targets double-stranded DNA using single guided RNA (sgRNA) that shepherds the nuclease to the target DNA sequence. Once at the target, CRISPR-Cas9 creates a double-stranded DNA break. Consequently,…

Chromosome aneuploidies are common genetic defects that can lead to diseases such as Down syndrome. Current methods of aneuploidy testing exist, primarily in the form of chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis. Although precise, these tests are invasive and may result in intrauterine infection and miscarriage. Recently, fetal genetic material (found in maternal blood) has been…

Adult stem cells have the ability of self-regeneration and differential plasticity, which allows them to play a key role in cell-mediated cardiovascular regenerative therapies. One such adult stem cell, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC), is widely used in preclinical and clinical studies on the regeneration of cardiac function and structure after acute myocardial infarction. A primary…

CAR-T Cell Therapy Treatments for cancers of the blood have been historically based on surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy with more recent treatments focused on adoptive T cell therapy (ACT). ACT is most commonly applied by isolating tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, which are naturally enriched from tumor-specific T cells, expanded in culture, and reintroduced back into the…

Joshua Wood, PhD, recently published an article in association with the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.  Josh serves as our VP of Clinical Operations at StemExpress.  “Although the vasculogenic potential of circulating and cord blood (CB)-derived endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFC) has been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo, little is known about the…