Posts Tagged ‘stem cell news’

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World-Renowned Cell-Therapy Researcher, Doris Taylor, PhD, Joins Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital

Friday, January 27th, 2012
World-renowned cell-therapy researcher, Doris Taylor, PhD, joins Texas Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital.
HOUSTON–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–Officials at the Texas Heart Institute (THI) at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital (St. Luke’s) announced today that Doris Taylor, PhD, FAHA, FACC, one of the world’s leading cell therapy and cardiac regeneration scientists, will join THI beginning March 1, 2012.

“I am confident that I am joining a regenerative medicine program that is unparalleled. And, given the breadth of innovation and science in Houston, I have every confidence that building solutions for heart diseases not only has a long history, but a bright future.”

Dr. Taylor’s research includes: Cell and gene therapy for treatment of cardiovascular disease; tissue engineering of bioartificial organs and vasculature; cell-based prevention of disease; stem cells and cancer; and holistic approaches to using cell therapy for treating chronic disease.

Most recently, Dr. Taylor and her team garnered international recognition for work involving “whole organ decellularization” by showing they were able to remove existing cells from hearts of laboratory animals and even humans leaving a framework to build new organs. They repopulated the framework with other adult stem cells then provided a blood supply, and the heart regenerated with the characteristics and functions of a revitalized beating heart.

The hope is that this research is an early step toward being able to grow a fully functional human heart in the laboratory. Dr. Taylor has demonstrated that the process works for other organs as well – opening a door in the field of organ transplantation.

It is significant in that the need for transplants continues to grow, while the supply of donor organs remains critically low.

“Dr. Taylor is certainly one of the stars in the adult human stem cell field, and we feel extremely fortunate to have her join our team,” said Dr. James T. Willerson, THI’s President and Medical Director. “Her work fits very well with our mission and goals, and she certainly helps to solidify THI as a leader in cell therapy, which is one of the most promising hopes for treating cardiovascular disease.”

“The chance to work with Dr. Willerson and the THI team as colleagues is very exhilarating. From molecules, to cells, to organs and tissues, we want to create solutions for people with disease,” said Dr. Taylor. “I am confident that I am joining a regenerative medicine program that is unparalleled. And, given the breadth of innovation and science in Houston, I have every confidence that building solutions for heart diseases not only has a long history, but a bright future.”

The move to Houston will also bring her closer to her family, notes Dr. Taylor.

Dr. Taylor has been serving as director of the Center for Cardiovascular Repair and Medtronic Bakken Chair in Integrative Biology and Physiology at the University of Minnesota. Prior to that she was on the faculty as Associate Professor in Cardiology at Duke University Medical Center.

A native of Mississippi, Dr. Taylor holds a B.S. in biology from Mississippi University for Women and a Doctorate in pharmacology from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.

About the Texas Heart® Institute

The Texas Heart Institute (www.texasheart.org), founded by world-renowned cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Denton A. Cooley in 1962, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the devastating toll of cardiovascular disease through innovative and progressive programs in research, education and improved patient care. Together with its clinical partner, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, it has been ranked among the top 10 cardiovascular centers in the United States by U.S. News & World Report’s annual guide to “America’s Best Hospitals” for the past 21 years. The Texas Heart Institute is also affiliated with the University of Texas (UT) System, which promotes collaboration in cardiovascular research and education among UT and THI faculty at the Texas Heart Institute and other UT components.

About St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System

St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System (StLukesTexas.com) includes St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital in the Texas Medical Center, founded in 1954 by the Episcopal Diocese of Texas; St. Luke’s The Woodlands Hospital; St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital; St. Luke’s Lakeside Hospital; St. Luke’s Patients Medical Center; St. Luke’s Hospital at The Vintage; and St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities, a charity devoted to assessing and enhancing community health, especially among the underserved. St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital is home to the Texas Heart®Institute, which was founded in 1962 by Denton A. Cooley, MD, and is consistently ranked among the top 10 cardiology and heart surgery centers in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Affiliated with several nursing schools and three medical schools, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital was the first hospital in Texas named a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence, receiving the award three times.

As reported on http://mms.businesswire.com

 

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Posted in adult stem cells, cellular health, stem cell news, stem cell transplant, Stem Cell Worx | 76 Comments »

How Sugar Damages Cells and Causes Diabetes

Sunday, December 18th, 2011

Problems associated with higher-than-desired sugar levels are myriad.  Most stem from the central problem of excess glucose flooding into blood vessel cells.

Everyone with glucose-handling difficulties is at increased risk of developing life-threathening conditions ranging from heart disease and stroke to blindness, nerve damage, depression, and kidney disease.  These dire complications are the result of hyperglycemia (excess glucose in the bloodstream).  There is now evidence that those with high “normal” fasting glucose levels suffer a greater incidence of disorders that are associated with diabetic conditions.

An increasing number of scientific studies reveal that sugar toxicity is a causative factor in a host of degenerative diseases and premature aging.  One only has to look at the multiple diseases suffered by diabetes to appreciate the lethal effects of protein glycation and carbonylation, major complications related to excess sugar (glucose) levels.  Non-diabetes also encourter destructive protein-damaging glycation and carbonylation processes, albeit at a lower rate than diabetes.

Taking steps to guard against glycation would appear to be a mandatory part of a health maintenance program.

Avoid food cooked at high temperatures to reduce the formation of AGEs (Advanced Glycation Ends) in the body.

[AGEs are the end-products of glycation reactions, in which a sugar molecule bonds to either a protein or lipid molecule without an enzyme to control the reaction].

In pre-diabetes, a patient’s blood glucose levels are abnormally evalated, but often not enough to warrant diagnosis of type II diabetes early on. Most pre-diabetic patients experience few if any symptoms, and thus have no idea that they are at risk of developing diabetes.  That is why it is so important to guard against sugar toxicity before a diabetic state manifests.  See the symptoms below.

There are good sugars and bad sugars.

Bad sugars, often referred to as simple sugars, are those in foods that do not offer any other nutritional benefit. Examples of simple sugars include foods like soda, sweets, sugar cereals, juice drinks, and refined grains.

Good sugars, or complex carbohydrates, are present in foods that provide nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, protein, and fibre. Examples of complex carbohydrates include foods like fruit, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.

Careful monitoring of your weight and your food choices will help you prevent diabetes.

Focus on lean proteins at each meal, and restrict your sugar and starch intake.  You also need to choose fibre-rich whole grains to release glucose in a steady stream to moderate blood sugar levels.  Good food choices include:

  • Dietary fibres
  • Eggs
  • Flaxseed oil
  • Lamb
  • Lean Beef
  • Low-fat Cottage Cheese
  • Nuts and Seeds (raw: almonds, sesame seeds, hazelnuts, cashews)
  • Poultry
  • Soy products
  • Cold-water fish
  • Veal
  • Yoghut

An accurate measurement of underlying glucose impairment is the hemoglobin A1C blood test.  But be on the look out for these symptoms:

  • Blurred vision
  • Excessive thirst
  • Extreme hunger
  • Increased urination
  • Increased fatigue
  • Irritability
  • Numbness/tingling in fingers and toes
  • Weakness or fatigue
  • Weight gain.

The key to living a long life unemcumbered by disease is to identify aging parts of your body that may be experiencing decline before disease strikes and take action immediately to treat them.  This can be accomplished by comprehensive annual check-ups that include advanced screening methods and thorough blood testing.

By taking action early, utilizing an integrative program of healthy diet, targeted nutrients, bioidentical hormones, and nutritional supplementation, you can ensure a bright healthy future free from silent diseases that rob aging adults of their helpful vigor.

 

Reference: Life Extension Special Edition Magazine

 

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Posted in diabetes, nutritional supplement, stem cell diabetes, Stem Cell Worx | 4,840 Comments »

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