smwelder
Distinguished member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2010
- Messages
- 186
- Reason
- PALS
- Diagnosis
- 11/2010
- Country
- US
- State
- CALIFORNIA
- City
- san diego
Dear Shon,
Thanks for your interest in my labs research on repair of the central nervous system (CNS: brain and spinal cord). First of all may I say how sorry I am to hear of your unfortunate circumstances. I also must tell you that I am a medical research scientist and not a clinician and I therefore cannot directly administer therapies . However my research team is developing two highly promising nervous system repair technologies that we hope to be able to make available for use by the general public within the next couple of years. You are right in being excited about our latest results with specific sub-types of beneficial human astrocytes derived from human stem cells (called glial precursor cells) in our experimental spinal cord injury studies. I have just written a lay person style overview of the GDA technology that is posted on the Unite 2 Fight Paralysis website. The overview describes why these discoveries are important breakthroughs for future treatment of persons such as yourself with traumatic nervous system injuries and ALS.
Here is the link to the article: HumanGDAOverview - Unite 2 Fight Paralysis
If you follow other links in the article you can learn more about astrocytes, how scientists are now realizing that astrocytes are just as important as neurons for signal transmission through the nervous system, that these cells in many respects control how neurons make new connections and the activity of the connections (called synapses), and why therefore being able to make specific types of highly beneficial astrocytes with stem cell technology holds such promise for CNS repair. There are also links to the original scientific papers which are available for you to read at no cost. The remarkable 70% increase in protection of injured spinal cord motor neurons is particularly important for the use of these cells in treating ALS. This is a brand new technology and although these cells are not at present available for clinical trials – my research team is working hard with scientists in several countries around the world and here in the United States to make these amazing cells available for people like you as quickly as possible.
Shon, there are many scientists working hard around the world to find new cures for both your conditions. The science is moving forward very fast. I am happy for you to keep in touch with me so that you can learn of our progress in moving to clinical trials.
All the best,
Stephen Davies.
Associate Professor
Department of Neurosurgery,
University of Colorado
School of Medicine.
Thanks for your interest in my labs research on repair of the central nervous system (CNS: brain and spinal cord). First of all may I say how sorry I am to hear of your unfortunate circumstances. I also must tell you that I am a medical research scientist and not a clinician and I therefore cannot directly administer therapies . However my research team is developing two highly promising nervous system repair technologies that we hope to be able to make available for use by the general public within the next couple of years. You are right in being excited about our latest results with specific sub-types of beneficial human astrocytes derived from human stem cells (called glial precursor cells) in our experimental spinal cord injury studies. I have just written a lay person style overview of the GDA technology that is posted on the Unite 2 Fight Paralysis website. The overview describes why these discoveries are important breakthroughs for future treatment of persons such as yourself with traumatic nervous system injuries and ALS.
Here is the link to the article: HumanGDAOverview - Unite 2 Fight Paralysis
If you follow other links in the article you can learn more about astrocytes, how scientists are now realizing that astrocytes are just as important as neurons for signal transmission through the nervous system, that these cells in many respects control how neurons make new connections and the activity of the connections (called synapses), and why therefore being able to make specific types of highly beneficial astrocytes with stem cell technology holds such promise for CNS repair. There are also links to the original scientific papers which are available for you to read at no cost. The remarkable 70% increase in protection of injured spinal cord motor neurons is particularly important for the use of these cells in treating ALS. This is a brand new technology and although these cells are not at present available for clinical trials – my research team is working hard with scientists in several countries around the world and here in the United States to make these amazing cells available for people like you as quickly as possible.
Shon, there are many scientists working hard around the world to find new cures for both your conditions. The science is moving forward very fast. I am happy for you to keep in touch with me so that you can learn of our progress in moving to clinical trials.
All the best,
Stephen Davies.
Associate Professor
Department of Neurosurgery,
University of Colorado
School of Medicine.
