The Medical Research Council has announced funding for seven awards totalling £4.7 million under its translational stem cell research scheme. This includes nearly £3 million for four early stage clinical trials involving adult stem cells.

These trials will assess various aspects of stem cell biology - using stem cell transplantation to address blindness and bone repair, to activate dormant stem cells within the body to treat Addison's disease and to target the elimination of cancerous stem cells responsible for chronic myeloid leukaemia.

The MRC Translational Stem Cell Funding Scheme was launched last year to specifically support the application of stem cell research, with the primary aim of driving promising stem cell science towards clinical application. This mechanism has been designed to support research on a broad range of stem cell types, building on the excellence of stem cell research in the UK.

Translational Stem Cell Research Committee (TSCRC) chairman Professor Ian Greer said: The projects funded are primarily focused on transplanting or stimulating the patient's own stem cells, which reflects what is currently achievable in clinical settings using stem cell technology. Progress is also being made towards the therapeutic use of embryonic stem cells, although the complexity of manipulating such cells in the laboratory prior to transplantation means that the first clinical trials may still be several years away.

The clinical trial projects funded are:

Mr Francisco Figueiredo
Newcastle University,
Using cultured limbal epithelium stem cells (LSC) to treat limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD)

Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) is an eye disease caused by the loss or dysfunction of limbal stem cells (LSC), causing the outer layer of the cornea to breakdown resulting in severe pain and blindness. This project aims to treat patients using LSC grown in the laboratory without using animal products, which can increase the risk of disease transmission. It also aims to develop a freezing method to supply clinical grade LSC for transplantation at other UK centres.

Professor Tessa Holyoake
University of Glasgow
Developing drug combinations to eradicate Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) stem cells

Patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) are currently treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). Continuous TKI drug therapy can convert CML from a progressive and fatal disease to a chronic condition. However some CML stem cells fail to die in response to TKI as the drugs invoke a process known as "autophagy" in the stem cells, which enables them to survive. This study will assess drug combinations of TKI and autophagy-inhibitors versus TKI alone to treat CML.

Professor David Marsh
University College London
Using autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to treat human fractures

Although most bone fractures heal well, the significant minority that don't have a severe impact on patient quality of life. Preclinical work suggests that the patient's own mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) could be used to stimulate bone formation. However, their ability to promote healing is inconsistent which may be due to variations in cell phenotype. This study will measure the increase in bone mineral content after treatment with MSC and will characterise the varying phenotypes of implanted cells.

Professor Simon Pearce
Newcastle University
Reviving adrenocortical stem cells (ACSC) in autoimmune Addison's disease

Around 8,500 people in the UK suffer from Addison's disease, an autoimmune condition where steroid hormones in the adrenal cortex are destroyed by the immune system. Once the condition is diagnosed and treated with replacement steroid tablets, the levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), a master regulatory hormone, fall leading to a reduction in function of any remaining adrenocortical stem cells (ACSC). This project aims to replace ACTH and stimulate stem cells back into activity, potentially restoring adrenal gland function.

Source
Medical Research Council