The Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (CSCRM) is a consortium of Case Western Reserve University (Case), University Hospitals of Cleveland (UH) and The Cleveland Clinic. The two grants, to be disbursed over five years, were awarded to Stanton Gerson, M.D., director of the Cleveland Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine; George Muschler, M.D., an orthopaedic surgeon at The Cleveland Clinic; and Jaroslow Maciejewski, M.D., a hematologist at the Clinic. All three are faculty members of the Case School of Medicine.
The grants represent two of five awards made nationwide by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, for stem cell research in the area of aging.
"Competition for funding is keen and the multiple awards to Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine members underscores the quality and competitive merit of the innovative stem cell work being conducted at the center," Dr. Gerson said. "Cutting-edge clinical research on adult stem cells continues to lead to clinical trials in stem cell failure, cancer and orthopedic disorders, areas in which the Clinic and UH are nationally recognized."
Dr. Gerson received a grant for his project "Declining DNA Repair in Aging Hematopoietic Stem Cells," a study to test the hypothesis that deterioration of blood stem cells in bone marrow contributes to anemia and bone marrow failure in the aging process. The ability to divide and faithfully produce more cells is an important part of a stem cell's ability to contribute therapeutically. However, as cells age, they may not be able to divide properly.
Dr. Gerson's team will study the ability of stem cells from individuals, ages 50 to 90, to withstand DNA damage associated with aging and with environmental toxins. In addition to being director of the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Dr. Gerson is director of the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and University Hospital's Ireland Cancer Center.
Stem cells have the potential to develop into various cell types and function as a "repair system" for the body. Theoretically, stem cells can divide without limit to replenish other cells for an individual's lifetime. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential to remain a stem cell or to develop with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell or a blood cell.
Drs. Muschler and Maciejewski received a grant for their project "Optimizing Assays of Human Stem Cells in Bone Marrow," a study that focuses on understanding the relationship between the stem cells in bone and marrow and the health of bone and marrow tissue during aging. Bone marrow contains multiple types of stem cells, including hematopoietic stem cells that form blood and connective tissue stem cells and progenitors that can form bone marrow stroma, bone, fat, cartilage and other tissues.
Using bone marrow samples from patients ages 30 to 90 undergoing elective hip replacement they will examine how the number and function of these cells changes with age and the relationship between the stem cell pool and tissue health.
Commenting on the significance of these awards, Dr. Muschler states, "These grants create an exciting opportunity for us, and reinforce the expanding role and leadership that Cleveland is taking in linking state-of-the-art stem cell research to clinical problems and applications."
About the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine
The Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (www.stemcellcenter@case.edu) is a non-profit consortium of Case Western Reserve University, The Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Athersys, Inc. and The Ohio State University. Established in 2003 through a $19.4 million award from the State of Ohio as a Wright Center of Innovation, the Center has 28 investigators at its member institutions working on six different adult stem cell types in the research areas of cancer, orthopaedics, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and vascular disease.
About Case Western Reserve University
Case is among the nation's leading research institutions. Founded in 1826 and shaped by the unique merger of the Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University, Case is distinguished by its strengths in education, research, service, and experiential learning. Located in Cleveland, Case offers nationally recognized programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dentistry, Engineering, Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing, and Social Sciences. The Commission on Presidential Debates selected Case to host the U.S. vice presidential debate on Oct. 5, 2004. http://www.case.edu.
The Case School of Medicine is the largest medical research institution in Ohio and 16th largest among the nation's medical schools for research funding from the National Institutes of Health. The School of Medicine is recognized throughout the international medical community for outstanding achievements in teaching. Annually, the School of Medicine trains more than 600 M.D. and M.D./Ph.D. students. The medical school is affiliated with University Hospitals of Cleveland (primary affiliate), MetroHealth Medical Center, the Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and The Cleveland Clinic, with which it opened the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University this year.
About University Hospitals of Cleveland
University Hospitals of Cleveland is part of the University Hospitals Health System (http://www.uhhs.com/) in northern Ohio. The 947-bed, tertiary medical center is the primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University and includes Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, among the nation's best pediatric hospitals; Ireland Cancer Center, northern Ohio's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center (the nation's highest designation); and MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women.
About The Cleveland Clinic
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a not-for-profit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. The Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. U.S. News & World Report consistently names The Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. Approximately 1,200 full-time salaried physicians at The Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Florida represent more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. In 2003, patients came for treatment from every state and from nearly 90 countries. The Cleveland Clinic website address is www.clevelandclinic.org.