The Stem Cell Report with Janet Rossant
Stem cell science has catapulted to the forefront of biomedical research over the last decade, bringing with it the potential to transform human health and the treatment of devastating diseases and disorders. Janet Rossant, an internationally recognized stem cell pioneer and the dynamic editor-in-chief of Stem Cell Reports, explores basic discoveries in stem cell research and its application. Dr. Rossant goes “beyond the paper,” bringing authors together to draw new insights and explore the questions and creativity that drive new breakthroughs. Stem Cell Reports, published by the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR), is an open-access, peer reviewed journal that supports the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine.
The Stem Cell Report with Janet Rossant
Parkinson's Disease, Cell Therapy, and Exercise
The potential of pluripotent stem cells and the ability to scale and differentiate them to generate large numbers of enriched cell populations has created new opportunities and approaches to treat human disease. Preclinical proof-of-principle data demonstrates that stem cell-derived neural grafts can be used to reverse symptoms of multiple neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s Disease. Cell grafts enriched with dopaminergic neurons, can structurally and functionally integrate in the brain of Parkinson’s Disease models to reverse motor deficits, a finding which has launched several clinical trials. While the results in animal models is essential proof-of-concept, the survival and integration of these cells is suboptimal compared to treatments from fetal-derived ventral midbrain grafts. An area of preclinical and clinical research showing promise in influencing neuronal survival and plasticity is exercise. The benefits of exercise on neural function and disease progression have been widely reported and they have also been shown to enhance the survival and integration of transplanted cells in models of some neurological diseases. However, there is limited data on the benefit of exercise on the functional outcomes of neural grafts in Parkinson’s Disease models. The guests on today’s program will discuss their recent study looking at the effect of exercise on cellular engraftment and functional recovery in animal models of Parkinson’s Disease and the implications for clinical outcomes.
Guests
Clare Parish, PhD, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and University of Melbourne, Australia
Niamh Moriarty, PhD, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and University of Melbourne, Australia
Supporting Content
Paper link: Exercise promotes the functional integration of human stem cell-derived neural grafts in a rodent model of Parkinson’s disease
Host
Janet Rossant, Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports and The Gairdner Foundation
About Stem Cell Reports
Stem Cell Reports is the open access, peer-reviewed journal of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) for communicating basic discoveries in stem cell research, in addition to translational and clinical studies. Stem Cell Reports focuses on original research with conceptual or practical advances that are of broad interest to stem cell biologists and clinicians.
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About ISSCR
With nearly 5,000 members from more than 80 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.
ISSCR Staff
Keith Alm, Chief Executive Officer
Yvonne Fisher, Managing Editor, Stem Cell Reports
Kym Kilbourne, Director of Media and Strategic Communications
Megan Koch, Senior Marketing Manager
Jack Mosher, Scientific Advisor
Hunter Reed, Senior Marketing Coordinator