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Dr. Mina Sedrak receives $3.6 million NIH grant to improve recovery and reduce accelerated aging after stem cell transplant

Dr. Mina Sedrak has received a $3.6 million NIH grant to develop strategies for improving physical recovery and reducing frailty in older adults after hematopoietic cell transplantation. The grant will support a multisite randomized clinical trial testing the effectiveness of combining exercise with a senolytic therapy in improving phy...

A simple message helps keep stem cell donors on track

Researchers from the University of Osaka found that adding a sentence about limited donor compatibility increased donors' willingness to progress through pre-donation testing. This simple message resulted in a 7.3% increase in donor completion rates, offsetting nearly half of projected donor declines.

SourceThe University of Osaka·JournalJournal of Economic Behavior & Organization·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateJul 1, 2026

Protective regimen allows successful stem cell transplant even without close genetic match between donor and recipient

Researchers have discovered that a chemotherapy drug can improve outcomes in stem cell transplants when donors and recipients are unrelated and have significant genetic differences. The study showed comparable survival rates and lower risks of complications among patients receiving transplants with more or less extensive genetic mismat...

Fred Hutch at ASH: Plenary session on socioeconomic barriers to transplant, new leukemia treatments and phasing out ‘cumbersome’ urine test

Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center are addressing socioeconomic barriers to access to life-saving transplants for blood disorders. New leukemia treatment regimens have shown promise in clinical trials, while a prediction model highlights improved survivorship and quality of life outcomes for older patients after transplant.

'Black box' of stem cell transplants opened in world-first blood study

Researchers tracked the long-term dynamics of transplanted stem cells in patients' bodies up to three decades post-transplant. They found that younger donors produce more vital stem cells, while older donors experience reduced immunity and higher relapse risk. The study provides new insights into donor selection and transplant success.

SourceWellcome Trust Sanger Institute·JournalNature·TypeObservational study·DateOct 30, 2024

USC’s Rong Lu and Caltech’s Michael B. Elowitz win the NIH Director’s Transformative Research Award for their new approach to study blood and immune cell production in bone marrow

Researchers from USC and Caltech develop a new method to study hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells within the bone marrow without extracting them. This breakthrough could inform efforts to optimize bone marrow transplantation and provide insights into various health conditions, including cancer and heart disease.

Survival gap eliminated for Black cord blood recipients with blood cancers, study finds

A retrospective analysis of over 2,600 patients found that Black children were more likely to suffer severe graft-versus-host disease but overall survival rates improved across all racial groups. The study suggests that cord blood transplants are a vital lifeline for many patients and improve care for those without a matched donor.

SourceUniversity of Virginia Health System·JournalTransplantation and Cellular Therapy·DateOct 1, 2024

First sustained remission of HIV infection following a bone marrow transplant in the absence of protective mutation

A groundbreaking study published in Nature Medicine reports the first sustained remission of HIV infection following a bone marrow transplant in a patient without the CCR5-delta 32 mutation. Despite remaining susceptible to HIV, the virus remains undetectable nearly three years after antiretroviral treatment was stopped.

SourceInstitut Pasteur·JournalNature Medicine·TypeCase study·DateSep 5, 2024

Blood stem cell breakthrough could transform bone marrow transplants

Melbourne researchers have developed a breakthrough in creating lab-grown human blood stem cells, which can be used to treat childhood blood disorders. The cells closely mimic those found in the human embryo and can create specific matched blood cells for transplantation, reducing complications and addressing donor shortages.

SourceMurdoch Childrens Research Institute·JournalNature Biotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 2, 2024

Emory researchers help discover source of deadly fungal infections in bone marrow transplant patients, new study finds

A new study found that heteroresistance, a phenomenon where a tiny fraction of bacteria remain resistant to antibiotics, is also present in fungal bloodstream infections in bone marrow transplant patients. The research identified the specific species of fungi responsible and developed a machine learning model to detect this type of inf...

SourceEmory Health Sciences·JournalNature Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 2, 2024

Half-matched family donors offer best outcomes for Hispanic patients undergoing bone marrow transplants

A new study found that bone marrow transplants from half-identical relatives offer significantly better outcomes for Hispanic patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), who face challenges in finding fully matched donors. The transplants resulted in a 70% lower risk of relapse compared to those from fully matched donors.

SourceUniversity of Southern California - Health Sciences·JournalLeukemia Research·TypeObservational study·DateMay 15, 2024

Testing for residual cancer cells before blood cell transplant therapy is important and practical, new study finds

A new study published in JAMA Oncology highlights the importance of testing for measurable residual disease (MRD) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) undergoing bone marrow transplants. The researchers found that detecting MRD can help predict cancer recurrence and improve patient outcomes.

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalJAMA Oncology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 2, 2024

Systemic changes induced by ASCOT in plasma proteome of women with impaired ovarian reserves

Researchers found that ASCOT reverses some age-related protein expression changes, enriching processes related to the complement cascade and immune system in patients with poor ovarian response. In contrast, patients with premature ovarian insufficiency showed enrichment in responses to oxygen-containing compounds and growth hormones.

SourceImpact Journals LLC·JournalAging-US·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 9, 2024

Three doses of COVID-19 vaccine leads to catch-up antibody responses among the particularly vulnerable

A study from the University of Gothenburg found that even vulnerable people with compromised immune systems achieved good antibody levels after three doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. This is particularly significant for those at risk of severe Covid-19, as they showed catch-up antibody responses and high levels of hybrid immunity.

SourceUniversity of Gothenburg·JournalInfectious Diseases·TypeObservational study·DateAug 1, 2023

Antibody treatment prevents graft versus host disease, a major bone marrow transplant complication, in advanced preclinical tests

Researchers have developed an experimental antibody treatment that largely prevented graft versus host disease in the intestines, without causing broad immune suppression. The treatment blocked donor T-cell attack and increased survival rates in preclinical models.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateJun 28, 2023

Study sets new standard for graft-versus-host disease prevention after stem cell transplant

Researchers have developed a new standard for preventing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) after stem cell transplant, showing improved efficacy and reduced side effects compared to the current gold standard. The new regimen achieved higher rates of patient survival without GVHD complications, making it a more effective option for patie...

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJun 22, 2023

Screening newborns for "bubble-baby" disease saves lives

A new study shows that newborn screening for severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) has significantly increased the survival rate of children after bone marrow transplantation from 73% to 87%. Children diagnosed at birth have a 92.5% survival rate without infection, while those diagnosed later have lower rates.

SourceUniversity of Montreal·JournalThe Lancet·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 21, 2023

National study recommends starting SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination three months after bone marrow transplant

A large, prospective study led by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center recommends that cancer patients receive SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination three to four months after bone marrow transplant. The study found that early vaccination can provide crucial protection against severe COVID-19 in this vulnerable population.

SourceFred Hutchinson Cancer Center·JournalEClinicalMedicine·TypeObservational study·DateMay 16, 2023

Researchers overcome stem cell delivery barrier, paving the way for regenerative medicine

Scientists have developed a new method to deliver genetic information to stem cells using nanoparticles coated with a specific polymer, enabling more efficient control over cellular differentiation. This innovation has the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of regenerative medicine treatments.

SourceXi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 8, 2023