Newswise — (NEW YORK – April 7) An $8.8 million grant from the New York State Stem Cell Science Program (NYSTEM) will accelerate efforts by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISSMM) to develop new stem-cell-based treatments for chemotherapy-resistant blood cancer and other genetic blood disorders. Specifically, the grant is expected to advance on-going research efforts seeking to increase the number of stem cells in cord blood collections.
Blood stem cell transplantation is the only potential therapy available for most patients with blood cancers. To obtain blood stem cells for transplant, doctors use cord blood collections which contain only limited numbers of stem cells. Mount Sinai researchers have developed a method to increase the number of collected stem cells 35-fold. The grant will move this research ahead to clinical trials in collaboration with biotechnology firms NeoStem and AllCells, leaders in cellular therapy.
Ronald Hoffman, MD, Albert A. and Vera G. List Professor of Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Professor of Gene and Cell Medicine, and Director of the Myeloproliferative Disorders Research Program, ISSMM, will head this research project. Dr. Hoffman has been a leader in stem cell research and his earlier observation of myeloproliferative neoplasms and the biology of human hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells have led to therapeutic trials to improve therapy of this disease.
“We are grateful to NYSTEM for providing a unique opportunity to move our discoveries in the laboratory to a clinical setting,” said Dr. Hoffman. “We are able to build upon 30 years of work to develop new treatment options for our patients.”
“This award creates a synergistic environment between academic centers and biotechnology firms. And ensures promising research continues to keep progressing,” said Dr. Hoffman. “Our partners NeoStem and AllCells are vital contributors in this next phase of research. We are very excited about the journey ahead.”
About Mount Sinai Health SystemThe Mount Sinai Health System is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven member hospital campuses and a single medical school, the Health system has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient services – from community-based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care. The System includes approximately 6,600 primary and specialty care physicians, 12-minority-owned free-standing ambulatory surgery centers, over 45 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, as well as 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the top 20 medical schools both in National Institutes of Health funding and by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
About AllCells, LLCAllCells (www.AllCells.com) is a global biotechnology company founded in 1998 to provide researchers with a reliable supply of biologically relevant, consistent quality primary cells (healthy & diseased) which enable the advancement of scientific research in the areas of cell biology, oncology, virology, hematology, infectious disease and stem cell research. Unlike cell lines, which are typically mutated, transformed or immortalized, primary cells retain their original phenotypes hence better reflect in vivo morphology, metabolism and growth characteristics. These attributes are especially important for in vitro research applications in which in vivo-like models are critically important. By partnering with AllCells, investigators can dramatically reduce the time needed to isolate cells with guaranteed consistency, thereby improving the efficiency, accuracy and relevance of their research studies. AllCells is fully certified in accordance with local, state and federal requirements.
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