SASM
08-03-2007, 09:09 AM
I just wanted to pass along this info...in case someone is intersted. Throughout all of my pregnancies, I have been unable to donate my cord blood to a bank. This has been an EXTREMELY difficult ordeal for me, especially after desperately trying to find someone...ANYONE...to take the blood and failing after TONS of research and countless phone calls and emails throughout the years. Add to this the fact that my DH, who is a healthcare professional, would not support my search. Fast forward to this pregnancy, it looked as though my result would be the same ~ another failure. HOWEVER, I was wrong. I found a doctor out of Johns Hopkins University who is researching Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and ways succesfully transplant stem cells without having a donor!! This is part of his response in descibing his research:
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In reference to the type of research we conduct, you may look my lab up in the Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center faculty research lstings, on the Cancer Center website. Our lab is conducting research to try to learn how we may create unlimited supplies of blood stem cells for transplantation. We are using federally-approved human embryonic stem cells and converting them into hematopoietic stem cells. Someday we may be able to use human embryonic stem cells to create unlimited amounts of blood stem cells for patients by growing them in a dish, without relying on donors!!This may make it easier to get blood stem cells for transplantation since there aren't enough donors as generous as you out there. You can also go to the NIH website to learn more about the fascinating potential of human embryonic stem cells:
http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/defaultpage.asp
In the meanwhile, the cord blood stem cells that we can get for
research are used to compare the blood stem cells we get from human embryonic stem cells. Cord blood stem cells serve as our "gold standard". We will compare the gene expression, and cell characteristics profile of our "artificial" human embryonic stem cell-derived blood cells to the gold standard of "real" cord blood stem cells. hope this abbreviated explanation is adequate.
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Just thought that I'd pass this info along in case someone is in the same situation as me. I am soooooooo excited!!!!! Bone marrow and stemm cell transplantation is soooo important to me.
Email me if you'd like his contact information. :)
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In reference to the type of research we conduct, you may look my lab up in the Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center faculty research lstings, on the Cancer Center website. Our lab is conducting research to try to learn how we may create unlimited supplies of blood stem cells for transplantation. We are using federally-approved human embryonic stem cells and converting them into hematopoietic stem cells. Someday we may be able to use human embryonic stem cells to create unlimited amounts of blood stem cells for patients by growing them in a dish, without relying on donors!!This may make it easier to get blood stem cells for transplantation since there aren't enough donors as generous as you out there. You can also go to the NIH website to learn more about the fascinating potential of human embryonic stem cells:
http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/basics/defaultpage.asp
In the meanwhile, the cord blood stem cells that we can get for
research are used to compare the blood stem cells we get from human embryonic stem cells. Cord blood stem cells serve as our "gold standard". We will compare the gene expression, and cell characteristics profile of our "artificial" human embryonic stem cell-derived blood cells to the gold standard of "real" cord blood stem cells. hope this abbreviated explanation is adequate.
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Just thought that I'd pass this info along in case someone is in the same situation as me. I am soooooooo excited!!!!! Bone marrow and stemm cell transplantation is soooo important to me.
Email me if you'd like his contact information. :)