Interdisciplinary teams, aided by the opening of the Ray and Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine Building, are striving to realize the promise of cell-based therapies. The new facility is a hub for scientists collaborating to advance all aspects of stem cell research.
With the help of a $19 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, researchers hope to file an investigational new drug application to treat glioblastoma within four years. Another program is making progress in understanding the origins of brain tumors.
The first neural stem cell trial in the United States to treat a disease caused by lack of myelin — the rare and fatal childhood disorder Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease — could provide proof of concept for a cell-based approach to treating other demyelinating disorders. Research also is underway to defeat dymelinating disorders, such as MS, by examining cell-based model systems.
Collaborative research at UCSF reveals the potential of cell-based therapies to treat epilepsy, while minimizing the risks and side effects associated with today's treatments. Complementary clinical research is aimed at developing novel surgical tools to transplant cells to the human brain.
A rapidly deepening understanding of neuronal degeneration, enabled by a technique developed at UCSF, may offer hope for patients who have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and possibly those who have other neurological disorders.
See information on upcoming continuing medical education courses.
The UCSF Physician Liaison Service provides assistance and information to referring physicians, medical groups and health plans. Please call the Physician Liaison Service or visit www.ucsfhealth.org/health_professionals.
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Email: referral.center@ucsfmedctr.org
The UCSF Transfer Center is open 24 hours daily to coordinate the transfer of your patients to UCSF Medical Center from hospitals throughout the region.
Phone: (415) 353-9166
Fax: (415) 353-9172
