Mount Sinai Receives $8.8 million Grant to Further Stem Cell Research
An $8.8 million grant from the New York State Stem Cell Science Program will accelerate efforts by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to develop new stem-cell-based treatments for chemotherapy-resistant blood cancer and other genetic blood disorders.
An $8.8 million grant from the New York State Stem Cell Science Program (NYSTEM) will accelerate efforts by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISSMM) to develop new stem-cell-based treatments for chemotherapy-resistant blood cancer and other genetic blood disorders. Specifically, the grant is expected to advance on-going research efforts seeking to increase the number of stem cells in cord blood collections.
Blood stem cell transplantation is the only potential therapy available for most patients with blood cancers. To obtain blood stem cells for transplant, doctors use cord blood collections which contain only limited numbers of stem cells. Mount Sinai researchers have developed a method to increase the number of collected stem cells 35-fold. The grant will move this research ahead to clinical trials in collaboration with biotechnology firms NeoStem and AllCells, leaders in cellular therapy.
Ronald Hoffman, MD, Albert A. and Vera G. List Professor of Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Professor of Gene and Cell Medicine, and Director of the Myeloproliferative Disorders Research Program, ISSMM, will head this research project. Dr. Hoffman has been a leader in stem cell research and his earlier observation of myeloproliferative neoplasms and the biology of human hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells have led to therapeutic trials to improve therapy of this disease.
“We are grateful to NYSTEM for providing a unique opportunity to move our discoveries in the laboratory to a clinical setting,” said Dr. Hoffman. “We are able to build upon 30 years of work to develop new treatment options for our patients.”
“This award creates a synergistic environment between academic centers and biotechnology firms. And ensures promising research continues to keep progressing,” said Dr. Hoffman. “Our partners NeoStem and AllCells are vital contributors in this next phase of research. We are very excited about the journey ahead.”
About AllCells, LLC
AllCells (www.AllCells.com) is a global biotechnology company founded in 1998 to provide researchers with a reliable supply of biologically relevant, consistent quality primary cells (healthy & diseased) which enable the advancement of scientific research in the areas of cell biology, oncology, virology, hematology, infectious disease and stem cell research. Unlike cell lines, which are typically mutated, transformed or immortalized, primary cells retain their original phenotypes hence better reflect in vivo morphology, metabolism and growth characteristics. These attributes are especially important for in vitro research applications in which in vivo-like models are critically important. By partnering with AllCells, investigators can dramatically reduce the time needed to isolate cells with guaranteed consistency, thereby improving the efficiency, accuracy and relevance of their research studies. AllCells is fully certified in accordance with local, state and federal requirements.
About the Mount Sinai Health System
Mount Sinai Health System is one of the largest academic medical systems in the New York metro area, with more than 43,000 employees working across eight hospitals, over 400 outpatient practices, nearly 300 labs, a school of nursing, and a leading school of medicine and graduate education. Mount Sinai advances health for all people, everywhere, by taking on the most complex health care challenges of our time — discovering and applying new scientific learning and knowledge; developing safer, more effective treatments; educating the next generation of medical leaders and innovators; and supporting local communities by delivering high-quality care to all who need it.
Through the integration of its hospitals, labs, and schools, Mount Sinai offers comprehensive health care solutions from birth through geriatrics, leveraging innovative approaches such as artificial intelligence and informatics while keeping patients’ medical and emotional needs at the center of all treatment. The Health System includes approximately 7,300 primary and specialty care physicians; 13 joint-venture outpatient surgery centers throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and more than 30 affiliated community health centers. We are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals, receiving high "Honor Roll" status, and are highly ranked: No. 1 in Geriatrics and top 20 in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Neurology/Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology/Lung Surgery, Rehabilitation, and Urology. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked No. 12 in Ophthalmology. U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” ranks Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital among the country’s best in several pediatric specialties.
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