Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Gabriela Sanchez-Petitto, Katayoun Rezvani, May Daher, Hind Rafei, Partow Kebriaei, Elizabeth J. Shpall, Amanda Olson
Summary: Umbilical cord blood transplantation is an attractive alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells, with unique immune tolerance and engraftment kinetics. It has a lower risk of GvHD and comparable clinical outcomes to bone marrow transplantation. However, limitations in cell numbers and delayed engraftment pose challenges for its wider application. Research is being conducted to address these limitations and explore the potential of cord blood in treating various disorders.
STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Jessica M. Sun, Laura E. Case, Mohamad A. Mikati, Joan M. Jasien, Colleen McLaughlin, Barbara Waters-Pick, Gordon Worley, Jesse Troy, Joanne Kurtzberg
Summary: Studies suggest that appropriately dosed allogeneic sibling HLA-matched umbilical cord blood infusion has the potential to improve motor function in young children with cerebral palsy. This treatment is well tolerated and shows no adverse events related to the infusion.
STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Oncology
Jiasheng Wang, Leland Metheny
Summary: Cord blood is an important source for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation and is also being developed for cell therapy products. The unique cellular composition of cord blood, including higher percentages of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells, offers advantages in immune tolerance and off-the-shelf cell therapy development. In addition, cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells have potential in regenerative medicine and inflammatory/autoimmune conditions. This review focuses on recent clinical development of cord blood-derived therapies in oncology.
FRONTIERS IN ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Kylie Crompton, Iona Novak, Michael Fahey, Nadia Badawi, Katherine J. Lee, Francoise Mechinaud-Heloury, Priya Edwards, Paul Colditz, Trisha Soosay Raj, Janet Hough, Xiaofang Wang, Simon Paget, Kuang-Chih Hsiao, Peter Anderson, Dinah Reddihough
Summary: This study investigated the safety and preliminary efficacy of sibling cord blood cell infusion in children with cerebral palsy. The findings suggest that sibling cord blood cell infusion is relatively safe for children with cerebral palsy when conducted in appropriate facilities, but the improvement in motor function and upper extremity skills is limited.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jingyue Zhang, Shiheng Zhang, Yueming Yang, Ling Liu
Summary: The study found that umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCBMSCs) can effectively treat adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy by restoring myocardial function and alleviating inflammatory response.
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Xiaoyu Zhu, Baolin Tang, Zimin Sun
Summary: Umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) has been successfully used in clinics for over 30 years, offering advantages such as reliable source, ease of use, improved outcomes. Over time, UCBT has seen an increasing trend in Asia and China, while decreasing in the United States and Europe annually.
STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Elisha Purcell, Timothy Nguyen, Madeleine Smith, Tayla Penny, Madison C. B. Paton, Lindsay Zhou, Graham Jenkin, Suzanne L. Miller, Courtney A. McDonald, Atul Malhotra
Summary: This study systematically reviewed the effects of UCBCs on brain outcomes in animal models of perinatal brain injury. It found differential benefits of UCBCs across different subgroups, such as greater efficacy in IVH model compared to HI model, UCB-MSCs compared to UCB-MNCs, and local administrative routes compared to systemic routes. However, the study identified a serious risk of bias and overall low certainty of evidence.
STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Pei Tian, Andrew Elefanty, Edouard G. Stanley, Jennifer C. Durnall, Lachlan H. Thompson, Ngaire J. Elwood
Summary: Clinical-grade induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be efficiently created using small volumes of thawed cord blood from public cord blood banks. This study presents a protocol that involves ex-vivo expansion and reprogramming of erythroid progenitor cells derived from cord blood, resulting in iPSC lines that are tested for pluripotency, genomic integrity, and stability.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Diana Vanegas, Laura Nino-Quiroga, Mauricio Chaparro, Bernardo Camacho-Rodriguez, Marcela Estupinan, Ana-Maria Perdomo-Arciniegas
Summary: The translated article discusses the main issues associated with using unrelated umbilical cord blood and haploidentical grafts as alternative donors, emphasizing that selecting the best donor depends on various factors.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Xiaobo Li, Qijing Huang, Xiangxiang Zhang, Changfeng Xie, Muyun Liu, Yueming Yuan, Jianjia Feng, Haoyu Xing, Li Ru, Zheng Yuan, Zhiyong Xu, YaoXiang Yang, Yan Long, Chengfeng Xing, Jianping Song, Xiang Hu, Qin Xu
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of intravenous injection of hUC-MSCs on reproduction and development in rats, finding no significant adverse effects within a certain dosage range, but high doses may lead to mortality in pregnant female rats, highlighting the importance of cautious use.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Morteza Zarrabi, Masood Ghahvechi Akbari, Man Amanat, Anahita Majmaa, Ali Reza Moaiedi, Hadi Montazerlotfelahi, Masoumeh Nouri, Amir Ali Hamidieh, Reza Shervin Badv, Hossein Karimi, Ali Rabbani, Ali Mohebbi, Shahram Rahimi-Dehgolan, Rosa Rahimi, Ensieh Dehghan, Massoud Vosough, Saeed Abroun, Farhad Mahvelati Shamsabadi, Ali Reza Tavasoli, Houman Alizadeh, Neda Pak, Gholam Reza Zamani, Mahmoud Mohammadi, Mohsen Javadzadeh, Mohammad Ghofrani, Seyed Hossein Hassanpour, Morteza Heidari, Mohammad Mehdi Taghdiri, Mohamad Javad Mohseni, Zahra Noparast, Safdar Masoomi, Mehrdad Goudarzi, Masood Mohamadpour, Razieh Shodjaee, Solaleh Samimi, Monireh Mohammad, Mona Gholami, Nahid Vafaei, Leyli Koochakzadeh, Amir Valizadeh, Reza Azizi Malamiri, Mahmoud Reza Ashrafi
Summary: This study showed that intrathecal injection of UCB-MNCs is safe and effective in children with cerebral palsy, improving their motor function and quality of life.
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Yufeng Xi, Guang Yue, Shuqiang Gao, Rong Ju, Yujia Wang
Summary: Perinatal brain injury is a major cause of death and disability in children. Transplantation of human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells has shown significant efficacy and safety in animal and clinical trials for the treatment of perinatal brain injury.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Ying Yang, Ming Zhang, Mengqi Li, Yingchun Li, Wei Yang, Zhuogang Liu, Hongtao Wang
Summary: This study found that adding an unrelated umbilical cord blood unit to haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation can improve the prognosis and enhance the graft versus leukemia effect without increasing the incidence of graft versus host disease.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2022)
Review
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Oldouz Shareghi-oskoue, Leili Aghebati-Maleki, Mehdi Yousefi
Summary: Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a problem for women before the age of 40, characterized by symptoms such as amenorrhea and low estrogen levels. The current treatment approach involves stem cell therapy, particularly HUCMSC transplantation, which has shown to effectively improve ovarian function and treat infertility.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Yan Zhang, Yingjin Pan, Yanhong Liu, Xiheng Li, Liang Tang, Mengna Duan, Jiang Li, Guokun Zhang
Summary: Both UCB-MSCs and UCB-MSC-exo can accelerate wound healing, reduce scar formation, and improve the regeneration of skin appendages, nerves, and vessels, as well as regulate the natural distribution of collagen fibers in wound healing. UCB-MSC-exo also suppress excessive formation of myofibroblasts and collagen I.
STEM CELL RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Rehabilitation
Claire Kerr, Iona Novak, Nora Shields, Alice Ames, Christine Imms
Summary: This study aimed to explore how healthcare professionals' perceptions of supports and barriers to routine clinical assessment for children with cerebral palsy evolved in the presence of a knowledge translation intervention. The findings showed that while the participants felt supported in implementing routine assessment, they also encountered various obstacles in the process. Moreover, the study revealed that over time, healthcare professionals began to reflect more deeply on the complexities of children and families' engagement with assessment and the impact on the therapist-child-family relationship.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Review
Pediatrics
Megan Finch-Edmondson, Madison C. B. Paton, Ingrid Honan, Claire Galea, Annabel Webb, Iona Novak, Nadia Badawi, Amit Trivedi
Summary: This review examines the null findings in infant neurodevelopment trials and identifies several features that may have contributed to these results. The study suggests that future trials should adopt more sophisticated approaches in trial design, outcome assessment, and analysis.
Article
Pediatrics
Natalie Fairbairn, Nadia Badawi, Claire Galea, Antoinette Hodge, Alison Loughran-Fowlds, Iona Novak
Summary: This study examined the risk of developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and motor impairment for 8-9 year old children who had undergone newborn surgery. The results showed that children who had undergone cardiac surgery were more likely to have lower scores and increased risk of DCD compared to controls and those who had undergone non-cardiac surgery. These findings suggest that the surgical population should be considered at a higher risk of DCD.
PEDIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Catherine Morgan, Nadia Badawi, Iona Novak
Summary: Cerebral palsy is a common physical disability in children, and early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for improving outcomes. A study explored parents' perspectives on early diagnosis and the Goals, Activity, Motor Enrichment (GAME) intervention for cerebral palsy. Mothers of infants at high risk for cerebral palsy expressed the importance of early diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention, despite the challenges involved. They found the GAME intervention beneficial due to its goal-based and home-based approach, and believed that therapist collaboration and communication played a role in their success.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Lynda McNamara, Catherine Morgan, Iona Novak
CLINICS IN PERINATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Brian V. Y. Chow, Catherine Morgan, Caroline Rae, Iona Novak, Suzanne Davies, Robert D. Herbert, Bart Bolsterlee
Summary: This study used MRI and DTI to measure and reconstruct the skeletal muscle architecture in the lower legs of human infants. The results showed that the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscles had greater volumes and physiological cross-sectional areas (PCSAs) compared to the lateral gastrocnemius (LG) muscles. However, the ankle-to-knee moment arm ratios, fascicle lengths, and pennation angles were similar between MG and LG muscles. The study also found that the cross-sectional area of the MG muscles increased primarily in infancy and adulthood.
JOURNAL OF BIOMECHANICS
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Bithi Roy, Annabel Webb, Karen Walker, Catherine Morgan, Nadia Badawi, Iona Novak
Summary: This study aimed to confirm the risk factors and identify any previously unknown variables of perinatal stroke. The results showed that perinatal stroke is associated with multiple risk factors including smoking, low Apgar scores at 1 and 10 minutes, neonatal infection, and hypoglycemia. Emergency caesarean section, resuscitation at birth, and abnormal cord blood gas were additional risk factors.
JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Catherine Morgan, Nadia Badawi, Roslyn N. Boyd, Alicia J. Spittle, Russell C. Dale, Adrienne Kirby, Rod W. Hunt, Koa Whittingham, Kerstin Pannek, Rachael L. Morton, William Tarnow-Mordi, Michael C. Fahey, Karen Walker, Kristina Prelog, Catherine Elliott, Jane Valentine, Andrea Guzzetta, Shannon Olivey, GAME Study Team, Iona Novak
Summary: This is a randomized controlled trial on early intervention for cerebral palsy (CP) children. The trial aims to investigate the efficacy of an early and sustained Goals-Activity-Motor Enrichment approach on improving motor and cognitive skills in infants with suspected or confirmed CP. The study requires 150 participants per group and the outcomes will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journal publications, international conferences, and consumer websites.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Katherine Benfer, Roslyn N. Boyd, Yvette Roe, Ruth Fagan, Carly Luke, Leeann Mick-Ramsamy, Koa Whittingham, Iona Novak, Margot Bosanquet, Lynda McNamara, Gulam Khandaker, Lucy Fogarty, Yvonne Cadet-James, Alan Ruben, Tracy Comans, Anthony Smith, Robert S. Ware
Summary: This study aims to evaluate a culturally-adapted parent-delivered early intervention programme for First Nations Australian infants at high risk of cerebral palsy (CP). The study will conduct a randomised assessor masked controlled trial, recruiting infants with birth/postnatal risk factors. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journal publications and national/international conference presentations.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Leanne Sakzewski, Dayna Pool, Ellen Armstrong, Sarah Elizabeth Reedman, Roslyn N. Boyd, Catherine Elliott, Iona Novak, Stewart Trost, Robert S. Ware, Tracy Comans, Rachel Toovey, Mark D. Peterson, Megan Kentish, Sean Horan, Jane Valentine, Sian Williams
Summary: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of Active Strides-CP and usual care in children with bilateral cerebral palsy. The study includes 150 children, divided into two groups, and will conduct an 8-week intervention and compare it with usual care. The primary outcome measure is GMFM-66.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Amanda Khamis, Nadia Badawi, Catherine Morgan, Iona Novak
Summary: Cerebral palsy can lead to oropharyngeal dysphagia, which affects a large percentage of children with CP. This pilot study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a feeding intervention program called babiEAT, and explored its preliminary efficacy on health and caregiver QoL.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Editorial Material
Clinical Neurology
Iona Novak, Madison C. B. Paton, Alexandra R. Griffin, Michelle Jackman, Remy K. Blatch-Williams, Megan Finch-Edmondson
EXPERT REVIEW OF NEUROTHERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Brian V. Y. Chow, Catherine Morgan, Caroline Rae, David I. Warton, Iona Novak, Suzanne Davies, Ann Lancaster, Gordana C. Popovic, Rodrigo R. N. Rizzo, Claudia Y. Rizzo, Maria Kyriagis, Robert D. Herbert, Bart Bolsterlee
Summary: This study used MRI and artificial intelligence methods to investigate the synchronous growth of human lower leg muscles. The findings showed that the muscles in the lower leg do not grow synchronously, with faster growth in infancy and before the age of 5. This finding is important for early detection of abnormal growth and targeted interventions for muscle-related conditions.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Christian P. Brizard, Ngaire J. Elwood, Remi Kowalski, Stephen B. Horton, Bryn O. Jones, Darren Hutchinson, Diana Zannino, Bennett J. Sheridan, Warwick Butt, Michael M. H. Cheung, Salvatore Pepe
Summary: This study investigated the feasibility and safety of using autologous cord blood stem cell therapy via a novel infusion technique during the Norwood procedure in neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The results demonstrated that delivering a large number of autologous cord blood mononuclear cells without cryopreservation using the intracoronary infusion technique was feasible and safe, with potential benefits for early cardiac remodeling and improvement of right ventricle function.
JOURNAL OF THORACIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Roslyn N. Boyd, Iona Novak, Catherine Morgan, Samudragupta Bora, Leanne Sakzewski, Robert S. Ware, Tracy Comans, Michael Collingwood Fahey, Koa Whittingham, Stewart Trost, Kerstin Pannek, Alex Pagnozzi, Sarah Mcintyre, Nadia Badawi, Hayley Smithers Sheedy, Kirsten Rebecca Palmer, Andrea Burgess, Afroz Keramat, Kristie Bell, Ashleigh Hines, Katherine Benfer, Laura Gascoigne-Pees, Shaneen Leishman, Stina Oftedal
Summary: This study aims to investigate the impact of early intervention on school readiness and cost-effectiveness in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Randomized trials and questionnaires will be used to compare the early intervention group with the usual care group, assessing school readiness and associated risk factors. The results will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, and professional organizations.