This book is a compilation of the bench experience of leading experts from various research labs involved in the cutting edge area of research. The authors describe the use of stem cells both as part of the combinatorial therapeutic intervention approach and as tools (disease model) during drug development, highlighting the shift from a conventional symptomatic treatment strategy to addressing the root cause of the disease process. The book is a continuum of the previously published book entitled "Stem Cells: from Drug to Drug Discovery" which was published in 2017.
Stem Cell Research takes a multi-disciplinary approach to the topic of human embryonic stem cell research, starting with the breakthrough discovery up through the present day controversy. The book invites the reader to join the conversation by providing a well balanced approach to many of the issues surrounding the development of this controversial scientific field. It includes the thoughts and experiences of scientists, journalists and ethicists as it tried to approach the topic through a variety of different academic disciplines. The book will help the non-scientist understand the biology, research regulations and funding; and simultaneously it will help the scientist better comprehend the full spectrum of ethical, religious, and policy debates.
A landmark book by the senior science writer at Time magazine introduces us to a medical breakthrough that can save our lives. Few people know much about stem cell research beyond the ethical questions raised by using embryos. But in the last decade, stem cell research has made huge advances toward eliminating some of our most intractable diseases. Now this sweeping and accessible book introduces us to this cutting-edge science that will revolutionize medicine and change the way we think about and treat disease. Alice Park takes us from stem cell's controversial beginnings to the recent electrifying promise of being able to create the versatile cells without using embryos at all. She shows us how stem cells give researchers an unprecedented ability to study disease while giving patients the promise of replacing diseased cells with healthy new ones. And she profiles the scientists and leaders-many with their own compelling stories-who have fueled the quest and will continue to shape the field in years to come.
Stem Cells: An Insider's Guide is an exciting new book that takes readers inside the world of stem cells guided by international stem cell expert, Dr. Paul Knoepfler. Stem cells are catalyzing a revolution in medicine. The book also tackles the exciting and hotly debated area of stem cell treatments that are capturing the public's imagination. In the future they may also transform how we age and reproduce. However, there are serious risks and ethical challenges, too. The author's goal with this insider's guide is to give readers the information needed to distinguish between the ubiquitous hype and legitimate hope found throughout the stem cell world. The book answers the most common questions that people have about stem cells. Can stem cells help my family with a serious medical problem such as Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis, or Autism? Are such treatments safe? Can stem cells make me look younger or even literally stay physically young? These questions and many more are answered here.A number of ethical issues related to stem cells that spark debates are discussed, including risky treatments, cloning and embryonic stem cells. The author breaks new ground in a number of ways such as by suggesting reforms to the FDA, providing a new theory of aging based on stem cells, and including a revolutionary Stem Cell Patient Bill of Rights. More generally, the book is your guide to where the stem cell field will be in the near future as well as a thoughtful perspective on how stem cell therapies will ultimately change your life and our world.
This textbook describes the biology of different adult stem cell types and outlines the current level of knowledge in the field. It clearly explains the basics of hematopoietic, mesenchymal and cord blood stem cells and also covers induced pluripotent stem cells. Further, it includes a chapter on ethical aspects of human stem cell research, which promotes critical thinking and responsible handling of the material. Based on the international masters program Molecular and Developmental Stem Cell Biology taught at Ruhr-University Bochum and Tongji University Shanghai, the book is a valuable source for postdocs and researchers working with stems cells and also offers essential insights for physicians and dentists wishing to expand their knowledge. This textbook is a valuable complement to Concepts and Applications of Stem Cell Biology, also published in the Learning Materials in Biosciences textbook series.
The second edition of Stem Cells: Scientific Facts and Fiction provides the non-stem cell expert with an understandable review of the history, current state of affairs, and facts and fiction of the promises of stem cells. Building on success of its award-winning preceding edition, the second edition features new chapters on embryonic and iPS cells and stem cells in veterinary science and medicine. It contains major revisions on cancer stem cells to include new culture models, additional interviews with leaders in progenitor cells, engineered eye tissue, and xeno organs from stem cells, as well as new information on "organs on chips" and adult progenitor cells. In the past decades our understanding of stem cell biology has increased tremendously. Many types of stem cells have been discovered in tissues that everyone presumed were unable to regenerate in adults, the heart and the brain in particular. There is vast interest in stem cells from biologists and clinicians who see the potential for regenerative medicine and future treatments for chronic diseases like Parkinson's, diabetes, and spinal cord lesions, based on the use of stem cells; and from entrepreneurs in biotechnology who expect new commercial applications ranging from drug discovery to transplantation therapies. - Explains in straightforward, non-specialist language the basic biology of stem cells and their applications in modern medicine and future therapy - Includes extensive coverage of adult and embryonic stem cells both historically and in contemporary practice - Richly illustrated to assist in understanding how research is done and the current hurdles to clinical practice
The dazzling promise of stem cell medicine: does it work and will it save us? Two experts look at the hype For decades, we've been anticipating the dawn of regenerative medicine. Again and again, we've been promised that stem cells will soon cure just about every ill imaginable. If not tomorrow, then the next day, or the day after that, and so on. We're still waiting. This book is an antidote to hype and a salve to soothe the itch for stem-cell salvation. In it, Professor John Rasko, a leading physician-scientist, and writer-historian Carl Power take us on a wild historical tour of this scandal-prone field. They expose all the dirty little secrets that the hype merchants prefer to ignore - the blunders and setbacks, confusions and delusions, tricks and lies. You'll meet Alexis Carrel, who discovered how to cultivate cells in a test tube: celebrity surgeon, scientific genius and suspected Nazi sympathiser, he opened the field of modern cell science with an experiment so bogus it blocked the way forward for the next 50 years. You'll meet Don Thomas, who developed bone marrow transplantation - the first successful stem-cell therapy - but only after a miserable decade in which most of his patients died. Alongside true stem-cell pioneers, you'll meet charlatans who cooked their data and claimed fake cures - sometimes with fatal consequences. Is there any good news? Which of the many promises of stem-cell research have been kept? And what of the future? Rasko and Power insist that we can only know where we're going if we have a sense of where we've been. Their study tears down the hype surrounding stem cells in order to reveal what's still worth hoping for. PRAISE 'If you love some scandal with your science - or some science with your scandal - this is THE book for you. Brilliant stuff' Adam Spencer, University of Sydney 'Science, skulduggery and snake oil salesmen ... it is a revolution in medicine but who knew the story of stem cell science was such a ripping yarn!' Fran Kelly, ABC Radio National Breakfast 'Science isn't magic: it's a human enterprise. This enthralling book tells of high achievement and astonishing blunders in a vital field of research' Robyn Williams, science journalist and broadcaster 'A masterpiece in myth-busting which helps separate fact from fiction in the world of regenerative medicine. It shines a light on some episodes in medical history many would rather forget but also shows a way forward for stem cell research breakthroughs grounded in solid science' Sophie Scott, national medical reporter, ABC 'The stem cell revolution: myths, mistakes but mighty medical masterpiece' Sir Gustav Nossal, AC CBE FRS FAA, Australian of the Year 2000 'A compelling (and compulsory) read for anyone entranced by the latest media-promoted breakthroughs in medical research, or planning translation of new biomedical research into clinical practice' Ian Frazer, AC, FRCPE, FRCPA, FAA, FTSE Australian of the Year 2006, Australian Living Treasure 2012 'Is it really stem cells' turn to revolutionise health care? When you come across a train wreck, keep reading! You'll discover that stem cells reveal medicine in its most provocative and challenging light' Antony Basten AO FAA FTSE 'Flesh Made New is a revelation for the general reader about what lies beneath the surface of exciting scientific advances ... The book shows the value of patience and trust in robust evidence-based scientific research, and where things go off the rail, for whistleblowers and experts like the authors of this book' Lucy Turnbull AO, businesswoman, urbanist and philanthropist
During the last two decades, stem cells have progressed from merely a concept to a vibrant field of regenerative medicine which is aimed at addressing the root cause of the problem rather than conventional methods of intervention that mostly provide symptomatic relief.Stem cell therapy either alone or in combination with the other established treatment strategies is a hope for patients who suffer from the 'incurable' diseases such as Alzheimer, diabetes, myocardial infarction etc. Besides aspirations in the clinical perspective, stem cells provide excellent in vitro disease models for drug development.Given the significance of the field, the proposed book will be a compilation of the bench experience of experts from various research labs involved in the cutting edge area of stem cell research.
Saving lives versus taking lives: These are the stark terms in which the public regards human embryo research--a battleground of extremes, a war between science and ethics. Such a simplistic dichotomy, encouraged by vociferous opponents of abortion and proponents of medical research, is precisely what Jane Maienschein seeks to counter with this book. Whose View of Life? brings the current debates into sharper focus by examining developments in stem cell research, cloning, and embryology in historical and philosophical context and by exploring legal, social, and ethical issues at the heart of what has become a political controversy. Drawing on her experience as a researcher, teacher, and congressional fellow, Jane Maienschein provides historical and contemporary analysis to aid understanding of the scientific and social forces that got us where we are today. For example, she explains the long-established traditions behind conflicting views of how life begins--at conception or gradually, in the course of development. She prepares us to engage a major question of our day: How are we, as a 21st-century democratic society, to navigate a course that is at the same time respectful of the range of competing views of life, built on the strongest possible basis of scientific knowledge, and still able to respond to the momentous opportunities and challenges presented to us by modern biology? Maienschein's multidisciplinary perspective will provide a starting point for further attempts to answer this question.
Patient specific and disease specific stem cell lines have already introduced groundbreaking advances into the research and practice of ophthalmology. This volume provides a comprehensive and engaging overview of the latest innovations in the field. Twelve chapters discuss the fastest growing areas in ophthalmological stem cell research, from disease modelling, drug screening and gene targeting to clinical genetics and regenerative treatments. Innovative results from stem cell research of the past decade are pointing the way toward practicable treatments for retinitis pigmentosa, age related macular degeneration, and Stargardt disease. What future directions will stem cell research take? Researchers, graduate students, and fellows alike will find food for thought in this insightful guide tapping into the collective knowledge of leaders in the field. Stem Cells in Ophthalmology is part of the Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine series dedicated to discussing current challenges and future directions in stem cell research.
