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We develop
stem cell technology for potential use in
diabetes research and treatment. Our
research has led to a patent-pending method
for generation of adult stem cells from
cells isolated from tissues. While
embryonic stem cells are capable of
differentiation into all of the various
cells of the body, adult stem cells are more
limited in differentiation capacity
generally including the cell types that
comprise the tissue of origin. Adult stem
cells are now used for transplantation
therapy of blood disorders, e.g., leukemia.
Our present focus is on the application of
adult stem cells to therapeutic replacement
of endocrine organs that produce hormones
essential to physiological regulation of the
body. While use of embryonic stem cells
involves controversial ethical issues and
complex differentiation procedures, we use
tissue-derived adult stem cell lines with
demonstrated differentiation capacity for
our research. In addition to treatment of
diabetes, our novel stem cell generation
technology may provide therapeutic options
to other diseases or conditions resulting
from death or degeneration of specific cells
including, for example, age-related hearing
loss, macular degeneration, muscular
dystrophy, heart attack, and congestive
heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, etc. |