Bhaskar
08-19-2007, 02:23 AM
Sometimes the inspiration for scientific research comes from the most unexpected places.
Jeff Kaufman's bedroom.
For much of the past 18 years, he has resided there, gradually losing the ability to move, speak or breathe on his own, as nearly all of his nerve cells that control movement have died off as the result of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
But the gears in the brain of the former lawyer have been turning, his ideas put into words through a novel computer device set up at his bed that allows him to communicate by grinding his teeth.
The driving force behind an annual ALS fund-raiser, Kaufman and his event have generated more than $2.3 million for research, including a University of Wisconsin-Madison study published Wednesday that could be an important development in finding new treatments for the disease.
The study, published in the journal Public Library of Science (PloS) One, found that genetically engineered fetal stem cells implanted in rats with ALS provided substantial protection for motor neurons, the nerve cells that die in ALS.
"It's clearly an important step," said Chris Henderson, co-director of the Columbia University Motor Neuron Center.
The study included techniques that have raised ethical concerns in the past - using fetal tissue to create chimeras, creatures that contain both human and animal cells. The techniques followed National Institutes of Health guidelines and were approved by the university's institutional review board.
....
More : http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=641749
Jeff Kaufman's bedroom.
For much of the past 18 years, he has resided there, gradually losing the ability to move, speak or breathe on his own, as nearly all of his nerve cells that control movement have died off as the result of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
But the gears in the brain of the former lawyer have been turning, his ideas put into words through a novel computer device set up at his bed that allows him to communicate by grinding his teeth.
The driving force behind an annual ALS fund-raiser, Kaufman and his event have generated more than $2.3 million for research, including a University of Wisconsin-Madison study published Wednesday that could be an important development in finding new treatments for the disease.
The study, published in the journal Public Library of Science (PloS) One, found that genetically engineered fetal stem cells implanted in rats with ALS provided substantial protection for motor neurons, the nerve cells that die in ALS.
"It's clearly an important step," said Chris Henderson, co-director of the Columbia University Motor Neuron Center.
The study included techniques that have raised ethical concerns in the past - using fetal tissue to create chimeras, creatures that contain both human and animal cells. The techniques followed National Institutes of Health guidelines and were approved by the university's institutional review board.
....
More : http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=641749