It has been an exciting year in the world of stem cell research! We have seen some incredible stem cell breakthroughs that may change the face of medicine as we know it in the coming years.

This two-part article will share some of the stem cell milestones that have been achieved in 2016. Some of the findings are amazing and may lead to treatments for illnesses that are currently considered incurable.

January 2016

Startup Nohla Therapeutics to Improve the Use of Umbilical Cord Blood

In January, biotechnology company Nohla Therapeutics announced that it is working on a new technique for propagating the stem cells found in umbilical cord blood.  Being able to increase the number of stem cells in an umbilical cord sample would make it easier to successfully treat conditions including blood cancer, immune system disorders and metabolic disorders.

Scientists Regenerate the First Contracting Muscle Using Stem Cells

In a world first, scientists in Stockholm managed to create new sections of a working diaphragm using stem cells. The diaphragm is a large dome-shaped muscle that helps the lungs expand and contract. New sections of diaphragm could be used to replace damaged or diseased tissue. Scientists have already successfully transplanted working sections of diaphragm into mice.

February 2016

Umbilical Cord Blood Tests to Predict Life-Threatening Allergies

Scientists in Australia discovered that cellular activity in the umbilical cord blood of babies can predict if they will suffer from allergies when they get older. The researchers suggest that an over-active immune system can be identified from activity within a baby’s cord blood. Being able to identify allergies at an early stage could save the lives of thousands of children.

Assessing Stem Cells: New Biomarker Developed

Researchers from UCL have discovered a way to test the viability of induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs). iPSCs are created from genetically modified human cells. Once they are in their pluripotent state, they can be prompted to differentiate in many other types of cells including muscle and bone cells. Being able to assess the viability of iPSCs before a transplant will improve the success rates of procedures and help scientists understand how many viable cells are being used with each transplant.

New Treatment for Cancer: Combining Radiotherapy & Stem Cell Therapy

A group of scientists from different countries has worked together to identify the ways mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) can improve the success rate of radiotherapy treatments. They have discovered that MSCs can help to treat tumours located at a distance from the site of irradiation. This discovery may greatly improve the success of radiotherapy treatments and save thousands of lives.

March 2016

Scientists Discover Stem Cells Capable of Repairing Skull & Face Bones

Scientists from Rochester have identified and isolated the stem cells that help to repair bones in mice. They isolated stem cells that were capable of repairing facial bones in the mice. The discovery may lead to a stem cell treatment for traumatic injuries and birth defects involving the skull.

Using Stem Cells for Better Brain Tumour Treatments

Scientists in Canada have begun researching the role of cancer stem cells in the growth of brain tumours. They hope to isolate these cancer stem cells and develop drugs that specifically target their growth functions. This research may lead to a treatment for aggressive brain cancers that are currently incurable.

Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells Kill Cancer Quicker than Adult Cells
New animal tests indicate that the immune cells found in umbilical cord blood may be more effective at combatting leukaemia than adult cells. They suspect this is because the young cells found in cord blood are more active and are better at recognising cancer cells.

April 2016

First-of-its-kind Cataract Surgery Using Stem Cells Shows Promise

Researchers in the United States and China have worked together to develop a revolutionary new form of cataract surgery involving stem cells. The treatment uses endogenous stem/progenitor cells to regrow the lens in the eye. It has been successfully tested on babies with a congenital defect causing cataracts.

Children to Receive Cord Blood in World’s First Cerebral Palsy Trial

Australian researchers in Melbourne have embarked on a new trial that tests the effectiveness of cord blood stem cells on cerebral palsy. A treatment for cerebral palsy would be one of the most important stem cell milestones as it is such a common condition. Children in the trial will receive a transplant of cord blood stem cells from a sibling.

Scientists Grow Full-Sized, Beating Human Hearts from Stem Cells

One of the most important stem cell milestones in 2016 was the growth of a full-sized human heart from human stem cells. Scientists in the United States used reprogrammed adult skin cells to create heart muscle tissue. The tissue was placed on a scaffold to form the shape of a heart. When an electrical current was applied, most of the cells began beating. An incredible breakthrough that has excited thousands of patient’s awaiting a heart transplant.

May 2016

Testing Stem Cells to Treat Alzheimer’s in First-of-its-kind Trial

There has been a lot of research into Alzheimer’s disease in recent years — much of it involving stem cells. This world’s-first trial is testing the ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. 

Ottawa Hospital’s Experimental Treatment a World First

Septic shock is a fairly common condition in very ill patients. It is a widespread infection that can cause organ failure and very low blood pressure. Scientists in Canada are working on a new treatment that uses mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to reduce inflammation and moderate immune system response to the infection. 

Japanese Researchers Grow Skin and Hair Using Reprogrammed Stem Cells

Researchers from the  Tokyo University of Science successfully used Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) to grow a section of human skin. The skin included all of the components found in human skin, including sebaceous glands and hair follicles. Scientists hope this breakthrough will lead to transplantable skin for burns victims.

June 2016

Stem Cell Breakthrough could be Key in Treating Deadly Blood Diseases

Scientists from the United States have identified some genes that play an important role in the creation and activation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). HSCs are blood cell-forming stem cells that are currently used to treat more than 80 different conditions including various blood cancers, metabolic disorders and immune system disorders. Understanding the genes that control HSCs may allow scientists to modify how these important stem cells function.

Stem Cell Gene Therapy for Fatal Childhood Disease Ready for Trial
Researchers in the UK have created a new stem cell gene therapy that can be used to treat Sanfilippo disease, a fatal childhood disease. The new treatment corrects stem cells within the patient’s body, allowing the produce the correct enzymes necessary for metabolism. The treatment is currently in clinical trials.

Diabetes Treatment Using Stem Cells: No More Insulin Injection

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine and Harvard University have worked together to develop a new stem cell treatment that may cure diabetes.  The treatment turns induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) into healthy pancreatic cells that can successfully produce insulin. The scientists hope this new treatment will remove the need for insulin injections.

Continue Reading: Countdown to Stem Cell Milestones in 2016: Part 2 »

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