Research - November 2012 Archives

ROCHESTER, Minn. — November 28, 2012.  Next week, more than 1,200 people from 25 countries are expected to attend the 8th Annual World Stem Cell Summit" in West Palm Beach, Fla., a gathering sponsored by Mayo Clinic. As those close to the science explore potential stem cell applications, many patients have questions about what stem cells are and how they are being used. Timothy Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., director of Mayo Clinic's Regenerative Medicine Consult Service, answers some of the most commonly asked questions about stem cells: MULTIMEDIA ALERT: Multimedia resources, including a Medical Edge package, are available for journalists to download on the Mayo Clinic News Network. What are stem cells? Stem cells are the body's raw materials. These cells have the ability to renew themselves or change to become specialized cells with a more specific function, such as blood cells, brain cells, heart muscle or bone. Where do stem cells come from? Adult stem cells are found in tissues of the body, such as bone marrow. Emerging evidence suggests that adult stem cells may be more versatile than previously thought and have the ability to create other types of cells. Amniotic fluid stem cells come from the liquid that surrounds a developing fetus in the amniotic sac. More study of amniotic fluid stem cells is needed to understand their potential. Embryonic stem cells are a general stem cell found in embryos. Use of this type of stem cell has significantly declined due to the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells. Induced pluripotent stem cells, commonly known as iPS cells, are derived from an adult stem cell that behaves like an embryonic stem cell. This new technique may help researchers avoid the controversy that comes with embryonic stem cells and prevent immune system rejection of the new stem cells. Mesenchymal stem cells are adult stem cells found in tissues such as bone marrow, blood and the fallopian tube. They can become bone, cartilage, fat and possibly other cells.

Should physicians and researchers, policy makers or the public want to know about diabetes in Minnesota, or available health care options, it's now just a click away. The Minnesota Health Atlas is an online resource where county-by-county data, focused to help the state's diabetic population. It is a unique resource, not available elsewhere in the country. The MN Health Atlas is funded by the Decade of Discovery in Diabetes, a major initiative of the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics. The goal of the Decade of Discovery is to prevent, optimally treat, and ultimately cure type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The partnership includes Mayo Clinic, the University of Minnesota, and the State of Minnesota. "As programs and projects for preventing diabetes roll out across the state, the Minnesota Health Atlas will be increasingly valuable and help inform strategies for diabetes care over large populations," says David Etzwiler, executive director of the Decade of Discovery. "This will be an ongoing, sustainable resource," emphasizes Nilay Shah, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic researcher and program co-director for the Decade of Discovery. "We will be adding information and improving usability as we go forward." The Minnesota Health Atlas collects reported information related to diabetes and population health and makes it available in maps, charts, tables, and data downloads at the county level. Multiple years of data allow for trend analysis and provide a useful tool for monitoring the changing status of diabetes health — even at a local level. Maps show diabetes prevalence as well as factors that impact population health, including obesity, income and employment levels, age, drug prescriptions, personal activity, and cost of care, to name just a few. Some data come from such agencies as the U.S. Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Minnesota Department of Health. Other unique data sources were developed for the MN Health Atlas.