UCL Stem Cell Research
- Group Leaders
- Disease Areas
- Seminars and Events
- Research Highlights
- Industrial Partners
- International Collaborations
- Science Policy Advice
- Public Engagement
- MSc and PhD programmes
- Undergraduate courses
- Educational Materials
- External Scientific Advisory Board
- Member Login
Stem-cell-based, tissue engineered tracheal replacement in a child: a 2-year follow-up study
The first child stem cell-supported trachea transplant is functioning well two years on. The follow-up of the procedure, published in The Lancet on 26 July 2012, shows that the new organ has
strengthened and does not appear to have induced any signs of rejection.
In a video interview, UCL Prof Martin Birchall describes the case, and explains how stem-cell based, tissue engineered transplants might offer new therapeutic options for patients, including children, with failing organs.
Transplant of patient-derived stem cells into mice with muscular dystrophy
Scientists led by Dr Francesco Saverio Tedesco and Professor Giulio Cossu have reprogrammed muscular dystrophy patients' fibroblast cells into stem cells and then differentiated them into muscle precursor cells. The muscle cells were then genetically modified and transplanted into mice. Their work is published in Science translational Medicine on 27 June 2012.
Read "Transplantation of Genetically Corrected Human iPSC-Derived Progenitors in Mice with Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy"
Restoration of vision after transplantation of photoreceptors
Professor Robin Ali and Dr Rachel Pearson have shown for the first time
that transplanting light-sensitive photoreceptors into the eyes of
visually impaired mice can restore their vision. The research is
published in Nature, 18 April 2012.
Step towards creating intestine transplant using patient’s own cells
UCL Dr Paolo de Coppi and colleagues have reported a new protocol that creates a natural intestinal scaffold, as a base for developing functional intestinal tissue. This work, published online in Biomaterials on 3 February 2012, represents a step towards creating intestine transplant using patient’s own cells.
Read "A rat decellularized small bowel scaffold that preserves villus-crypt architecture for intestinal regeneration"
Haemophilia gene therapy shows early success
Tracheobronchial transplantation with a stem-cell-seeded bioartificial nanocomposite
New gene identified for familial motor neuron
UCL Professor John Hardy is part of an international team that has identified a
new gene for motor neurone disease.
Their findings are published in Neuron, 21 September 2011.
Gene therapy success for children born without functioning immune system
Two papers published on 24 August 2011 in Science Translational Medicine report success in two established gene therapy programmes to cure children born unable to fight infection. The programmes, which looked at X-SCID and ADA-SCID, were led by Professors Adrian Thrasher and Bobby Gaspar of the UCL Institute of Child Health. 14 out of 16 patients across the two programmes were successfully treated.
"Long-Term Persistence of a Polyclonal T Cell Repertoire After Gene Therapy for X-Linked Severe Combined Immunodeficiency"
"Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene Therapy for Adenosine Deaminase–Deficient Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Leads to Long-Term Immunological Recovery and Metabolic Correction"
First targeted treatment success for Duchenne
A team of UCL scientists together with the MDEX Consortium chaired by UCL
Professor Francesco Muntoni show that a gene-based drug treatment was effective
in restoring the dystrophin protein that is missing in sufferers of Duchenne
Muscular Dystrophy , in 7 out of 19 trial participants. Their findings
are published in The Lancet, 25 July 2011.
Turning back the cellular
clock could repair damage after a heart attack
UCL Professor Paul Riley explains how his team restored the ability of mouse heart cells to differentiate and repair damage caused by a heart attack. Their findings are published in Nature, 8 June 2011.
Page last modified on 26 jul 12 11:16