Cord Blood News Volume 6.14 | Apr 17 2014

Comparable Long-Term Outcome of Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation with Related Bone Marrow or Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation for Patients Aged 45 Years or Older with Hematologic Malignancies after Myeloablative Conditioning
Researchers investigated whether bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells from older sibling donors or cord blood from unrelated donors provided a better outcome in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for relatively older patients who were candidates for myeloablative conditioning. [Biol Blood Marrow Transplant] Abstract

Human Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells Plasticity Augments Scar-Free Skin Wound Healing with Hair Growth
Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cells (WJ-MSCs) seeded on decellularized amniotic membrane scaffold transplantation on the skin injury of SCID mice model demonstrates that combination of WJ-MSCs and decellularized amniotic membrane scaffold exhibited significantly better wound-healing capabilities, having reduced scar formation with hair growth and improved biomechanical properties of regenerated skin compared to WJ-MSCs alone. [PLoS One] Full Article

A Novel Reduced-Intensity Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation Using a Recombinant G-CSF Combined with High-Dose Ara-C for Active Myeloid Malignancies
Non-remitting patients with hematologic myeloid malignancies have poor prognosis. To overcome this problem, researchers investigated the use of reduced-intensity preconditioning umbilical cord blood transplantation combined with recombinant G-CSF with high-dose Ara-C, fludarabine, melphalan, and 4 Gy of TBI in a Phase I/II study in patients with non-remitting myeloid hematologic malignancies. [Bone Marrow Transplant] Abstract

Antimicrobial Activity in Cord Blood Units: Occurrence and Levels of Antibiotics
Antibiotic prophylaxis treatment at delivery is highly recommended for reducing the risk of infection for mothers positive for group B streptococcus. It is therefore expected that some cord blood (CB) products will contain residual antibiotics. Investigators aimed to determine the incidence and level of β-lactam antibiotics in CB products. [Transfusion] Abstract

Human Umbilical Cord Blood Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Suppresses Inflammatory Responses and Neuronal Apoptosis during Early Stage of Focal Cerebral Ischemia in Rabbits
Scientists investigated the effects of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells on inflammatory responses and neuronal apoptosis during the early stage of focal cerebral ischemia in rabbits. [Acta Pharmacol Sin] Abstract

3D Microenvironment of Collagen Hydrogel Enhances the Release of Neurotrophic Factors from Human Umbilical Cord Blood Cells and Stimulates the Neurite Outgrowth of Human Neuronal Precursor Cells
Researchers tested a collagen hydrogel provides human umbilical cord blood cells a proper 3D microenvironment that stimulates the release of various neurotrophic factors. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

Osmotic Parameters of Red Blood Cells from Umbilical Cord Blood
Researchers aimed to characterize the osmotic parameters of red blood cells from umbilical cord blood: osmotically inactive fraction, hydraulic conductivity, permeability to cryoprotectant glycerol, and corresponding Arrhenius activation energies. [Cryobiology] Abstract

First Volunteers to Receive Blood Cultured from Stem Cells in 2016
Red blood cells cultured in a laboratory will be trialed in human volunteers for the first time within the next three years, as part of a long-term research program funded by the Wellcome Trust. The £5 million Strategic Award was granted to a consortium led by the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, and will follow on from previous research that proved that red blood cells could be generated from stem cells. [Wellcome Trust]
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NEW Assistant/Associate Professor – Blood Bank and Transfusion Medicine (University of Virgina Health System)

Postdoctoral Position – Hematopoiesis (Albany Medical Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Research (Washington University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Hematopoietic Stem Cell and Leukemia Research (City of Hope)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Mammalian Hematopoietic and Erythroid Development (The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

Postdoctoral Position – Human Stem Cell Biology and Hematopoiesis (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Director of GMP/GLP Quality Operations (University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Pluripotent Stem Cells (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – PSC Biology and Bioengineering (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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