Investing in Parkinson's stem cell therapy research
There's an exciting innovation in stem cell research being developed right here in Sheffield that's set to transform understanding of Parkinson's disease. Can you help fund the SITraN X Biograd Studentship and make this pioneering vision a reality?
A breakthrough waiting to happen
Stem cell research has led to some amazing discoveries in recent years. Its capacity to bring about new breakthroughs is limitless.
But what exactly are stem cells? They're the building blocks of the body's organs, tissues, blood, and immune system. In recent years, they've been used to treat serious illnesses like cancer and genetic disease. Scientific research is revealing more and more ways this pioneering therapy can save lives. None more so than at the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), where exciting research innovations are being developed.
Professor Heather Mortiboys and her team (pictured below) at SITraN are at the forefront of Parkinson's research in the UK. Now they're partnering with leading medical organisation BioGrad on a pioneering stem cell project.
This research could hold the key to major breakthroughs in cell replacement therapy and rapid drug discovery to change the future for Parkinson's patients globally.
This research combines SITraN’s world-leading Parkinson’s expertise with BioGrad’s innovations. Together, our partnership could unlock major breakthroughs for patients. But we need funding to make it happen.
Dr Natalie Kenny
BioGrad CEO
The power of period blood
Professor Mortiboys' team is working with a rich source of stem cells that has long been overlooked: period blood.
Period blood has a unique advantage over its more commonly used bone marrow counterpart; it's abundant, and collection is simpler and more cost-effective. There are other advantages too. Menstrual stem cells are ‘multipotent.' This ability to transform into many different cells makes them incredibly useful for repairing damaged tissues and organs. They multiply much faster than other adult stem cells too, so scientists can get the quantities needed for research and treatments more quickly. With low immunogenicity, they're also less likely to be rejected by the body's immune system.
This discovery offers amazing potential for the future of cell replacement therapy, and brings women to the forefront of medical advancements.
The impact for Parkinson’s disease
A diagnosis of this progressive brain condition can be devastating for patients and their families. Tremors, rigidity, memory loss, chronic pain, speech difficulties... These are just some of the difficulties Parkinson's patients face. Current treatments can reduce symptoms, but as yet, there's no cure for the increasing number of sufferers across the world.
More research is needed to find answers, and quickly. That's exactly what the SITraN X BioGrad stem cell research is aiming to do.
Your role in the breakthrough: Fund the path to new therapies
Funding, and the right people, are needed to take this vital project from vision to reality. Investing in this research brings us closer to the life-changing therapies that people living with Parkinson's urgently need.
With your support, Professor Mortiboys will recruit an exceptional doctoral candidate to join her team and lead the project. Using period, placental and umbilical cord blood, they'll create induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from these sources. They'll then transform them into neurons, the type of cells most affected in Parkinson's. These neurons will form the basis of testing for novel drugs and therapies. The total cost of the project is £161,000.
- Cell replacement therapy: Providing a source of healthy stem cells for cell replacement therapy in Parkinson’s.
- Rapid drug discovery: Establishing a swift and accessible way to model Parkinson’s in a lab setting, paving the way for a new era of drug development.
Can you help make this happen with a gift today?
Start a conversation
If you'd like to discuss making a transformational gift to support the Biograd X SITraN PhD Studentship, please contact Emma Davey at e.davey@sheffield.ac.uk or +44 (0)7875 405953.