Lifeline Cord Blood

Since the first human cord blood transplant, performed in 1988, the safety and efficacy of umbilical cord blood transplantation in both children and adults with a variety of malignant and non-malignant diseases have been clearly established.

New Uses For Cord Blood Banking

Cord blood banking is something you have probably heard something about, because it is a very popular trend among new parents. Cord blood banking is done during the delivery process of a newborn, and it is when a nurse places a needle into the umbilical cord to get blood and stem cells.

Scientists from the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast are teaming up to develop a cure to an illness that can lead to blindness in premature babies, thanks to funding from the children’s charity Action Medical Research.

To conclude, the obtained results demonstrate the effectiveness of the  cryopreserved umbilical cord blood TNCs (Pancrostem) as part of the complex treatment of patients suffering from necrotic pancreatitis. The were no immune or allergic reactions registered. The use of the cell therapy significantly decreased the frequency of postoperative complications, improved overall survival, and hastened the recovery of patients with this difficult and often fatal condition.

If you’re having a kid, you’ll have to decide at some point (preferably before the missus goes into labor) if you want to bank the kid’s cord blood. So, it would be good to have a little knowledge on the subject beyond your mother-in-law’s assurance that planting it under the old oak tree out back will bring Junior good fortune.

THE HERALD SUN

DURHAM -- Duke Medicine has received a $10.2 million gift that will help it expand research and treatment programs for children and adults with cancer, cerebral palsy, stroke and brain injuries suffered at birth...

JOANNE KURTZBERG

Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg is president of the Cord Blood Association (CBA).She is an internationally renowned expert in pediatric hematology/oncology, pediatric blood and marrow transplantation, umbilical cord blood banking and transplantation, and novel applications of cord blood in the emerging fields of cellular therapies and regenerative medicine.Dr. Kurtzberg pioneered the use of umbilical cord blood as an alternative stem cell source for unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.She established the internationally known pediatric transplant program at Duke, which treats children with cancer,blood disorders,immune deficiencies, hemoglobinopathies, and inherited metabolic diseases. In 1998, she established one of the largest unrelated donor cord blood banks in theworld,the Carolinas Cord Blood Bank.In2010,Dr. Kurtzberg created the Robertson Clinical and Translational a Therapy Program, focusing on the development of cord blood and cord tissue derived therapies, at Duke.

A medication used to treat joint and skin conditions might also help people whose only hope of surviving cancer is receiving stem cells from a donor, according to research by a University of British Columbia scientist.

Insight into the world of stem cell research. This 15-minute film uses innovative hand-drawn animation, beautiful cell photography and documentary interviews to capture the fascination and complexity of this cutting-edge area of science.

Funds Will Support Research Into Safety and Efficacy of Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Transplantations to treat Beta Thalassemia Major

Americord Registry announced today that it has provided funding to Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. Funding will support research into the safety and efficacy of umbilical cord stem cell transplantations to treat Beta Thalassemia Major. Specifically, in this trial umbilical cord blood is used to reduce the occurrence of Graft-Versus-Host Disease in patients receiving haploidentical HSCT transplants to treat Beta Thalassemia Major.

In general sibling donors are better than unrelated donors for stem cell transplants.
The exact comparison depends on the patient's diagnosis and the stage of disease. The two important measures of patient outcome after a stem cell transplant are: long-term survival, and the amount of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) that the patient suffers.

Baby steps for cure to Alzheimer's - Human umbilical cord blood reverses symptoms in mice

G.S. Mudur

New Delhi, May 20: Neuroscientists in India have shown what they say is the first reversal of the behavioural symptoms associated with an Alzheimer's disease-like illness in laboratory mice using cells extracted from human umbilical cord blood.

Umbilical cord blood, which is rich in stem cells, can be extracted and frozen for later use.
Injecting autistic children with blood from their umbilical cord may significantly alleviate their symptoms, a study suggests.

© Business Wire 2009

Cellerant Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel hematopoietic stem cell-based cellular and antibody therapies for blood disorders and cancer, announced today that it has dosed its first patient in a Phase 1 IND trial of CLT-008 for haematological malignancies. CLT-008 is an off-the-shelf cell-based biologic designed to rapidly produce mature neutrophils...

Alzheimer's disease (AD), which affects an estimated 26 million people worldwide, is the fourth leading cause of death among the elderly and the leading cause of dementia. Predictions are that the number of AD cases will quadruple by 2050.

Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital and Cord Blood Registry (CBR) are launching the first US FDA-approved, phase I safety study on the use of cord blood stem cells to treat children with sensorineural hearing loss.

Horizon, Lifeblood – BBC

Amazing research in to cord blood, found in baby's umbilical cords that can save lives due to the high number of stem cells it contains. Brilliant video from BBC show Life Blood.

By Martin Hutchinson

A scheme to store blood taken from the umbilical cords of newborns and use it to save lives has been launched. Cord blood, like bone marrow, can help patients survive deadly diseases such as leukaemia. For now, the Anthony Nolan Trust Cord Blood Bank can take cord blood at just one hospital, with plans for more UK collection centres...

Cord blood can be used to treat a variety of diseases, including leukemia, by increasing the body’s natural immune system and increasing healthy blood count. A genetic match, either from the donor or a sibling, increases the chances of success.

The thought or sight of blood can make many people feel squeamish or faint, but for new parents a conversation about blood cannot always be avoided. The impact of cord blood banking been so large that July has been declared National Cord Blood Awareness Month and 27 states, including Wisconsin, mandate cord blood donation education. This remarkable 30-year-old medical science already has life-altering applications for a variety of illnesses, and ongoing clinical trials continue to explore future possibilities. But why?