Cord Blood News Volume 10.19 | May 17 2018

TOP STORY

Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation in Patients with Acquired Refractory Aplastic Anemia: A Nationwide Phase II Study

Investigators conducted a prospective nationwide Phase II study to assess the efficacy and safety of unrelated cord blood transplantation in patients with refractory severe aplastic anemia. [Blood] Abstract

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Absence of Early HHV‐6 Reactivation after Cord Blood Allograft Predicts Powerful Graft‐versus‐Tumor Effect

The authors hypothesized that early HHV‐6 reactivation may influence the risk of relapse of the underlying hematologic malignancy. They found that cord blood allografts not complicated by HHV‐6 reactivation by day +28 have a powerful graft‐versus‐tumor effect. [Am J Hematol] Abstract

Allogeneic Umbilical Cord Blood Infusion for Adults with Ischemic Stroke: Clinical Outcomes from a Phase I Safety Study

Scientists hypothesized that intravenous (IV) infusion of banked unrelated allogeneic umbilical cord blood (UCB) would improve functional outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke. They conducted a Phase I open‐label trial to assess the safety and feasibility of a single IV infusion of non‐human leukocyte antigen matched, ABO matched, unrelated allogeneic UCB into adult stroke patients. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Full Article

Topical Application of Culture‐Expanded CD34⁺ Umbilical Cord Blood Cells from Frozen Units Accelerates Healing of Diabetic Skin Wounds in Mice

Scientists report that in vitro cultured umbilical cord blood CD34⁺ cells from frozen units can accelerate wound healing and resulted in the regeneration of full thickness skin. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Full Article

Repeated Injections of Human Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Significantly Promotes Functional Recovery in Rabbits with Spinal Cord Injury of Two Noncontinuous Segments

Investigators showed that human umbilical cord blood-derived MSCs survived, proliferated, and primarily differentiated into oligodendrocytes in the injured area. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

Intravenous Injection of Allogeneic Umbilical Cord-Derived Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Reduces the Infarct Area and Ameliorates Cardiac Function in a Porcine Model of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Different dosages of allogeneic umbilical cord MSCs or the vehicle were delivered intravenously into an acute myocardial infarction porcine model twice after coronary ligation. [Stem Cell Res Ther] Full Article

Endocytosed Factor V Is Trafficked to CD42b⁺ Proplatelet Extensions during Differentiation of Human Umbilical Cord Blood‐Derived Megakaryocytes

Expression of an early marker of megakaryocyte differentiation, CD41, endocytosis of factor V, and the percentage of CD41⁺ cells that endocytosed factor V increased from days 6 to 12 of differentiation. [J Cell Physiol] Abstract

Differentiation of Umbilical Cord Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Hepatocyte Cells by Transfection of miR-106a, miR-574-3p, and miR-451

Umbilical cord derived MSCs were transfected either alone or together with miR-106a, miR-574-3p and miR-451 and their potential hepatic differentiation and alteration in gene expression profile, morphological changes and albumin secretion ability were investigated. [Gene] Abstract

Nanofiber Technology in the Ex Vivo Expansion of Cord Blood-Derived Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Umbilical cord blood (CB) can be used as an alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for transplantation in hematological and non- hematological disorders. The authors review the state-of-the-art of nanofiber technology-based CB-derived HSC expansion. [Nanomedicine] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the cord blood research field.

ECT-001 Is Basis of New Clinical Trial for Multiple Myeloma

ExCellThera Inc. announced that its lead platform, ECT-001, will be used as part of a new Phase I/II clinical trial in patients with multiple myeloma. ECT-001 will be used in this trial to expand blood stem cells from the umbilical cord, which have been shown to have higher tolerance for HLA mismatches than stem cells in an allogeneic transplant. [ExCellThera Inc.] Press Release | Press Release 2

California Cryobank Stem Cell Services LLC Acquires Cord Blood America Inc.

California Cryobank Stem Cell Services LLC announced the recent asset acquisition of Cord Blood America Inc., uniting two of the industry’s most respected stem cell companies. [California Cryobank Stem Cell Services LLC (PR Newswire Association LLC.)] Press Release

KU Medical Center Receives FDA Clearance to Proceed with Phase I Trial in Graft-versus-Host Disease Patients

The University of Kansas Medical Center announced that the FDA has cleared it to begin a first-in-human clinical trial of MSCTC-0010 in patients with de novo high-risk acute or steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (HR/SR aGvHD). KU Medical Center is developing MSCTC-0010, a novel cellular therapy containing umbilical cord-derived Wharton’s Jelly MSCs for the treatment of HR/SR aGvHD. [The University of Kansas Medical Center (Newswise, Inc)] Press Release

Nightingale Expands Blood Biomarker Service with Urine, Spinal Fluid and Cord Blood Services

Nightingale Health announced that in addition to their established CE marked blood biomarker service, they’ll be offering metabolomics analysis of urine, cerebrospinal fluid and umbilical cord blood samples. [Nightingale Health] Press Release

Ruling LDP Approves Bill to Ban Trade of Umbilical Cord Blood in Japan

A Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) policy research division on health affairs approved a draft bill to ban transactions of umbilical cord blood in the nation, except for those involving government-approved institutions. [The Japan Times] Editorial

Europe’s Open-Access Drive Escalates As University Stand-Offs Spread

Bold efforts to push academic publishing towards an open-access model are gaining steam. Negotiators from libraries and university consortia across Europe are sharing tactics on how to broker new kinds of contracts that could see more articles appear outside paywalls. [Nature News] Editorial

Sweden Cancels Agreement with Elsevier over Open Access

A collection of Swedish universities and research institutions will not renew its current contract with Elsevier that expires at the end of June, Times Higher Education reports. The move comes not long after academic institutions in other countries have let publishers’ subscriptions lapse when fee negotiations come to an impasse. [The Scientist] Editorial

Patient Registries to Bolster Cell- and Gene-Therapy Clinical Trial Data

As the first personalized cell and gene therapies are approved from small clinical trials, researchers propose the creation of publicly accessible databases to pull together real-world results. [The Scientist] Editorial

Sacked Japanese Biologist Gets Chance to Retrain at Crick Institute

Prominent cell biologist Yoshinori Watanabe, who was dismissed by the University of Tokyo last month, is attempting to put his past behind him by embarking on an intensive retraining program with Nobel prizewinner Paul Nurse in London. The university dismissed Watanabe after an investigation concluded that he had committed scientific misconduct. [Nature News] Editorial

NEW Annual Sickle Cell Disease and Thalassaemia Conference (ASCAT) 2018
October 22-24, 2018
London, United Kingdom

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the community.

NEW Postdoctoral Position – 3D Chromatin Architecture, Epigenetics and Metabolism (Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Research Scholar – Hematologic Malignancies (Washington University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Leukemia (Oslo Universitetssykehus HF)

Postdoctoral Fellow – B-Cell Lymphoma (University of Texas Health Science Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Hematopoiesis and Leukemia (University of Pennsylvania)

Research Fellow – Hematology, Blood Disorders and Stem Cell Biology (New York Blood Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Molecular and Translational Cancer Biology (Thomas Jefferson University)

Postdoctoral Position – Hematology (Yale Cancer Center)

Bioinformatics Research Scientist – Brain Tumors and Leukemia (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital)

Pathology Faculty Tenure Track – Leukemia and Hematopoiesis (University of Virginia)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

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