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Altering Muscle Environment To Change Stem Cell Behaviour

Our Partnership

We are co-funding a project called 'Altering the muscle environment to influence stem cell behaviour' by Professor Jennifer Morgan of University College, London

Why Can Stem Cells Help?

This research is based on the theory that injecting a certain type of healthy stem cell, called a satellite cell, into a patient may offer a way to treat DMD. When muscles are injured or wasted, satellite cells start to become active and repair muscle damage. Therefore injecting these cells may be a way to treat the muscle wasting of DMD

This project is all about finding ways to make these stem cell transplants better in a mouse model of Duchenne. Previously researchers have found that treating a specific area of the muscle with radiation before satellite cells are injected can improve the way the cells repair the damaged muscle. The problem with this is that the level of radiation needed to achieve this is not safe. First, this study will look at how radiation improves the efficiency of stem cell transplants. Once this is discovered, the hope is that this will help researchers find other drugs or techniques which will have the same beneficial effects as radiation, without the danger.

What Is Happening With Clinical Trials?

This project will help advance the study of stem cell transplantation for DMD, increasing the possibility of a clinical trial. 

The project was funded through the Duchenne Forum. The other members of the Duchenne Forum are MDUK, The Duchenne Research Fund, Harrison's Fund and Alex's Wish.

Published on 4 July 2016

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