Archive for the ‘Regenerative medicine’ Category
To the stars and beyond: Assessing the impact of the $100 Genome
We live in a time of extraordinary medical advances. So far in 2013, we’ve seen the successful transplantation of a bioengineered kidney into rats, an infant reportedly cured of HIV using anti-retroviral drugs that are currently on the market, and discovered a protein that has the potential to ‘reverse aging’ in the heart. These ‘small…Read more
Using stem cells to cure… extinction?
In last week’s Right Turn, we talked about how stem cells are responsible for the colours and patterns of bird feathers—and birds, as the graphic on the right demonstrates, are basically just tiny dinosaurs. Given that there is much promise in stem cell research (and also a great deal of hype), it makes one wonder:…Read more
Right Turn: A tail is a tail. Or is it?
. Entire limb or organ regeneration is held out to be the holy grail of regenerative medicine. As an example, we look to certain reptiles such as salamanders, geckos and lizards, which have the incredible ability to regrow limbs or tails. Lots has been written on what we currently know about limb regeneration and whether…Read more
How many facilities? Centralized vs. decentralized manufacture
When it comes to the cell therapy commercialization crunch there are some fundamental questions that need to be answered. Is your product going to be frozen or fresh? How will the product be administered? What is your dosing strategy? And the one that I’m going to focus on in this blog: Will your manufacturing strategy…Read more
Creating an ecosystem for Canadian RM commercialization
James Till and Ernest McCulloch identified stem cells 50 years ago in Toronto, and their legacy is a vibrant community of scientists who are leaders in this field of research. But what does that mean in terms of producing products and therapies to heal and cure patients? While Canada is an acknowledged leader in the…Read more
All business (no hype) in commercializing regenerative medicine
My grandmother, at 97, is excited about stem cell research because she sees the possibilities. Regenerative medicine IS an exciting field. It’s on the cutting edge of science and fans and critics alike debate its merits regularly in the press and in blogs. Every day, we read stories with headlines that proclaim stem cells will…Read more
The Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine: Turning Corners
The health-care landscape is changing: the previous model of the blockbuster pharmaceutical is being challenged by new therapies that have the potential to offer more effective treatments. In this new contribution to Signals Blog, I describe the present landscape for regenerative medicine commercialization. The current health-care system is being pushed to the brink. Driven by…Read more
Scientists lose the paper cranes and become experts in nucleic acid origami for siRNA delivery
It takes precision, focus and persistence to perfect the art of origami. So perhaps it is no accident that researchers have needed to apply the same skills to overcome challenges in siRNA delivery, right down to the folding. A couple of years ago, my fellow blogger Paul Krzyzanowski introduced us to RNA interference (RNAi) technology….Read more
Narrowing in on a career: a graduate student contemplates the business side of regenerative medicine
By S. Amanda Ali As a fifth year PhD student in the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto, thoughts of what-to-do-next are always lurking in the back of my mind. Having ruled out conventional routes for graduate students in biomedical science – postdoctoral fellowships, medical school, other professional schools – I’ve considered…Read more
Zombies and regenerative medicine (a Halloween special)
with Roshan Yoganathan and Lisa Willemse Are zombies real? And yes, we mean creepy, flesh-eating, run-for-the-hills zombies — not that state you find yourself in on a Monday morning before you’ve had a double espresso. Unless you’re a zombie yourself, it’s quite likely you’ve picked up on their current popularity in gaming, film and television…Read more