A pioneering three-year partnership between the University of Sheffield's Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) and Liverpool-based cell therapy manufacturer BioGrad hopes to advance the understanding of stem cell therapies and create new opportunities for treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Symptoms can include tremors, stiffness and difficulties with movement, speech and balance, alongside non-motor symptoms such as depression and sleep disorders. While current treatments can help manage symptoms, there is still no cure.
At the heart of the collaboration is a research project led by Professor Heather Mortiboys and her team at SITraN. Using stem cells collected through BioGrad's pioneering women's biobank — including samples from menstrual blood, placentas and umbilical cords — researchers will generate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These cells can then be transformed into neurons, the type of cells most affected in Parkinson's disease.
These laboratory-grown neurons will provide researchers with powerful new models for studying Parkinson's and testing potential therapies.
It is an extremely exciting time for stem cell replacement therapies in Parkinson's with clinical trials taking place around the world. However, there is more work to be done to understand different sources of cells for this. We are excited to be working with Biograd to investigate their great cellular collection as a potential resource in this area.
Professor Heather Mortiboys
Head of Neuroscience
Stem cells are often described as the body's building blocks because they have the ability to develop into many different cell types.
In recent years, stem cell research has transformed our understanding of conditions ranging from cancer to genetic diseases. Menstrual stem cells are abundant, can be collected non-invasively, and have the ability to develop into multiple cell types. They also multiply rapidly, making them particularly valuable for research and potential therapeutic applications.
By creating Parkinson's-relevant neurons from these cells, researchers hope to better understand the disease and identify new treatment opportunities.
Philanthropic support is essential to accelerating discoveries like these.
By supporting this project, donors can help advance cutting-edge Parkinson's research and invest in the next generation of scientists working to improve the lives of people affected by this devastating condition.
Every gift will help move this research forward and bring us closer to the breakthroughs that patients and families urgently need.