The Derby City Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association Network- Serving Kentuckiana.
Message From the President
Dear Members & Friends-
An article in last month’s issue titled, “Free Lasik for Quads” generated questions about contact info. The telephone number is 312-338-1234. The website address is www.kraffeye.com .
As of this writing no speaker is scheduled, but we hope to have one. A video will be shown in lieu of a speaker if none is scheduled.. Pizza and soft drinks will be provided.
March’s meeting will be held at 6:30 at Frazier Rehab, 4th floor dining hall.
- David Allgood
From the Courier-Journal, December 13, 2005 –ed
UofL ACHIEVES ‘AMAZING’ FIND WITH STEM CELLS By Laura Ungar
University of Louisville researchers have coaxed stem cells from adult mice to change into brain, nerve, heart and pancreatic cells—a discovery that could lead to treatments for a host of human diseases and possibly end the national debate over the use of embryonic stem cells.
“We have found a counterpart for the embryonic stem cells in adult bone marrow. This could negate the ethical concerns,” said Dr. Mariusz Ratajczak, leader of the research team and director of the stem cell biology program at Uof L’s James Graham Brown Cancer Center.
The next step is to replicate the experiment with similar cells identified in adult humans.
“It’s huge,” says Ryan Reca, one of the researchers.
“It’s an amazing discovery.”
Others agreed, although they, like Ratajczak, cautioned that it’s early in the research process and that more study is needed.
If the cells from adult humans are found to act like those in mice, and other scientists can duplicate the process on a larger scale, the discovery goes from “very important” to “incredibly important,” says Dr. Stephen Emerson, chief of hematology/oncology at the University of Pennsylvania, where Ratajczak used to work.
It could lead to expanded research and “be transforming,” he said.
