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Could stem cells heal premature lungs, fight infections, build muscles and strengthen bones?
mai 25, 2017
Ottawa researchers closer to finding out, thanks to $1.5 million from the Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine
Researchers from The Ottawa Hospital, CHEO and the University of Ottawa are bringing discoveries made in the lab closer to human trials and therapies, thanks to five new peer-reviewed research grants from the Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine (OIRM) worth just over $1.5 million, part of an overall investment by OIRM of $3.6 million across Ontario. The Ottawa-based grants include:
Healing damaged lungs in premature babies
Dr. Bernard Thébaud (The Ottawa Hospital, CHEO, uOttawa) and colleagues were awarded $550,000 to conduct research necessary to prepare for a clinical trial of umbilical cord stem cell therapy for premature babies with a chronic lung disease called bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), the most common complication of preterm birth. The lungs of these babies are not developed enough to sustain them, so they must receive oxygen through a breathing machine. However, this combination of mechanical ventilation and oxygen damages the lungs and stops their development. There is currently no treatment for BPD. To ensure the success of a clinical trial, the researchers will collect and analyze existing research about umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells for BPD, interview parents and physicians about using stem cells in newborns, calculate whether the treatment is economically viable, and develop a protocol for a clinical trial. If this research is successful, the team hopes to launch a clinical trial in the near future. Collaborators: Dean Fergusson, Steven Seidner, Roger Soll, David Moher, Mario Ruediger, Justin Presseau, Kednapa Thavorn, Manoj Lalu.
Making new blood vessels in newborn lungs
Dr. Thébaud and colleagues were awarded a second $75,000 grant to test a different kind of umbilical cord blood cell called endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) for high blood pressure in the lungs. In newborns this condition doubles the risk of death, and survivors have long-term health problems. Dr. Thébaud’s team was the first to show that EPCs can lower lung blood pressure in newborns and encourage the lungs to grow by making new blood vessels in animal models. This research may lead to a treatment that could benefit patients with other cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, stroke or preeclampsia. Collaborators: Dylan Burger, Mervin Yoder
Translational research for septic shock trials
Dr. Lauralyn McIntyre (The Ottawa Hospital, uOttawa) and colleagues were awarded $750,000 to build upon the first-in-human clinical trial of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy for septic shock. This deadly condition occurs when an infection spreads through the body and over-activates the immune system, causing the heart and other organs to fail. The team will use the funding to perform the phase II randomized controlled trial of MSCs in septic shock, examine and define optimal performance characteristics of MSCs that can be used in future clinical trials, refine a process for freezing them, and find chemical signatures to identify septic shock. Collaborators: Shirley Mei, Kednapa Thavorn, Claudia dos Santos, Jason Acker, Dean Fergusson, Alies Maybee, Duncan Stewart, David Courtman, Tim Ramsay, Paul Hebert, Ian Graham, Dana Devine, Shane English, Margaret Herridge, John Granton, Sangeeta Mehta, Sylvie D’Ebagarie, Mary Ellen Harper, Anthony Gordon.
Designing a drug delivery strategy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Dr. Michael Rudnicki (The Ottawa Hospital, uOttawa) and his team were awarded $75,000 to develop a system to deliver a protein that encourages the expansion of muscle stem cells to all the muscles in the body. The team previously found that a protein called Wnt7a improves muscle regeneration in animal models when injected directly into the muscle. The team will develop an approach to deliver the protein through the blood system so that all muscles can be treated at the same time. This protein has the potential to become a therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic muscle wasting disorder that leads to death in the second or third decade of life.
Examining stem cell therapy for osteoporosis
Dr. William Stanford (The Ottawa Hospital, uOttawa) and colleagues were awarded $75,000 to perform an ancillary clinical trial to determine whether mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplanted into patients for a variety of other conditions also treat age-related osteoporosis. The team recently found that one injection of MSCs could double the rate of bone renewal and restore healthy bone architecture in animal models. To see if this treatment could prevent osteoporosis in affected patients, they will collect serum samples from an ongoing MSC trial in elderly patients, then examine whether the stem cells are causing increased bone formation. This will show whether a larger clinical trial using MSCs to prevent osteoporosis is warranted. Collaborators: Jeffrey Kiernan
These projects are an example of how The Ottawa Hospital is helping to make Ontario Healthier, Wealthier and Smarter. www.healthierwealthiersmarter.ca.
About The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion: The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care. See www.ohri.ca for more information about research at The Ottawa Hospital.
About the CHEO Research Institute: The CHEO Research Institute coordinates the research activities of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and is affiliated with the University of Ottawa. Its three programs of research include molecular biomedicine, health information technology, and evidence to practice research. Key themes include cancer, diabetes, obesity, mental health, emergency medicine, musculoskeletal health, electronic health information and privacy, and genetics of rare disease. The CHEO Research Institute makes discoveries today for healthier kids tomorrow. For more information, visit www.cheori.org and @CHEOhospital
About the University of Ottawa —A crossroads of cultures and ideas: The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities—our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. www.uottawa.ca
About OIRM: Building on more than 50 years of world-leading research in stem cells and regenerative medicine, the Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine (OIRM) was launched in 2014 with a vision to revolutionize the treatment of degenerative diseases and make Ontario a global leader in the development and commercialization of stem cell-based products and therapies. More than 210 research programs at universities and institutions across the province are involved with OIRM, with additional contributions from key clinical and health charity partners and from OIRM’s commercialization partner, the Centre for the Commercialization for Regenerative Medicine (CCRM). OIRM is based in Toronto and was realized with investment from Ontario’s Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science. www.oirm.ca.
Media Contacts:
Amelia Buchanan, Senior Communication Specialist, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute; ambuchanan@ohri.ca; Office: 613-798-5555 x 73687; Cell: 613-297-8315
Adrienne Vienneau, Director, Communications and Public Relations, CHEO Research Institute; avienneau@cheo.on.ca; Office: 613-737-7600 x4144; Cell 613-513-8437
Amélie Ferron-Craig, Media Relations Officer, the University of Ottawa, aferronc@uOttawa.ca
Cell: 613-863-7221
