This book reviews the state-of-the-art in stem-cell-based therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, and highlights advances in both animal models and clinical trials. It comprehensively discusses most neurodegenerative diseases, including such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Huntington’s diseases, amyotrophic sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and retinal degeneration, in which stem cells could potentially be used for therapy in the future. It also addresses the challenges and problems relating to the translation of stem-cell-based therapies into treatments. As such, the book will appeal to research scientists, physicians, graduate students, and medical professionals in the field of stem cells, neuroscience, neurology, neurorestoratology and major neurological disorders.

This book discusses why specific diseases are being targeted for cell-based retinal therapy, what evidence exists that justifies optimism for this approach, and what challenges must be managed in order to bring this technology from the laboratory into routine clinical practice. There are a number of unanswered questions (e.g., surgical approach to cell delivery, management of immune response, optimum cell type to transplant) that very likely are not going to be answered until human trials are undertaken, but there is a certain amount of “de-risking” that can be done with preclinical experimentation. This book is essential reading for scientists, clinicians, and advanced students in stem cell research, cell biology, and ophthalmology.

Cell Transplantation and Gene Therapy in Neurodegenerative Disease, Volume 166 in the International Review of Neurobiology series, highlights new advances in the field with this new volume presenting interesting chapters written by an international board of authors who cover Challenges in translating a cell therapy to GMP, The challenges in developing a cell therapy for Huntington's disease, Challenges of cell therapies for retinal diseases, Challenges of gene therapy in Huntington's Disease, Technological advances and barriers to gene therapy, Considerations in the development of cell therapy modulation for spinal cord injury treatment, Challenges of developing glial cell therapy for ALS, and more. Other chapters in this comprehensive release include Exploring cell and gene therapy in current animal models of Parkinson's and Huntington's disease, Considerations for the use of biomaterials to support cell therapy in degenerative disease, Neurosurgical challenges/innovations in cell and gene therapy delivery, Neuroimaging: the challenge of harnessing imaging tools to facilitate cell and gene therapy in neurodegenerative diseases/The contribution and challenges for imaging in advanced therapies of movement disorders, Considerations for clinical trial design for novel advanced therapeutics in neurodegenerative disease, and More than a trial participant: The role of the patient in ATMP development and trials for neurodegenerative disease. - Provides the authority and expertise of leading contributors from an international board of authors - Presents the latest release in International Review on Neurobiology serials - Updated release includes the latest information on Cell Transplantation and Gene Therapy in Neurodegenerative Disease

Although the concept of using advanced therapy products such as stem cells seems to be a key strategy in the treatment of various diseases, much information in this area remains unknown. Stem cell products are highly complex, much more complex than chemical-based drugs. More and more often there are data indicating the risk of using stem cells. These risks are determined by various factors that are related to quality, biological activity, and the use itself, and thus administration. Therefore, it is very important to constantly systematize knowledge in this area. This book was created to present both the perspective of basic research, including the manipulation and changes in the properties of cells, and the changes and novelties in therapies themselves.

For many years, the ethical discussion surrounding human embryonic stem cell research has focused on the moral status of the embryo. This text takes a wider moral berth and focuses on numerous ethical, legal and social aspects involved in translating the results of stem cell research into diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Translational Stem Cell Research is broken into ten sections. It opens with an overview of the latest in stem cell research, focusing on specific diseases and the treatment of burn victims. Part II discusses the issues involved in the many steps from bench to bedside, ranging from first research in vitro to clinical trials. Part III covers scientific, regulatory and ethical challenges to basic research, and Part IV details issues regarding stem cell banks. Part V explores ethical, economic and strategic issues involved in collaboration between universities and industry, and Part VI addresses legal problems raised by patents on human stem-cell based inventions plus the extent to which there can be technological solutions to a moral dilemma. Part VII presents imaginative ways of communicating research to the general public and how to create conditions for a constructive dialogue. Part VIII probes psychosocial and cultural factors affecting judgment and decisions about translational stem cell research, and Part IX explores problems and procedures raised by an examination of the evaluation of stem cell research projects in research ethics committees. The book closes with a look into the future of translational stem cell research and stem cell-based therapeutic applications.

Current pharmacotherapies and surgical intervention provide limited benefit in the treatment of neural injuries or halting disease progression and has resulted in significant hope for the successes of stem cell research. The properties of stem cells render them appropriate for cell replacement therapy, endogenous repair, disease modeling as well as high-throughput drug screening and development. Such applications will aide in increasing our knowledge and developing treatments for neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s diseases as well as neural traumas including ischemic brain damage and traumatic brain injury. This Frontiers Research topic encouraged contributions from the general field of stem cell biology, with a particular emphasis on utilizing these cells to develop new therapies for neural repair. Related articles deal with issues such as: breakthroughs in stem cell proliferation/differentiation methodologies, using pluripotent and neural stem cells for transplantation and endogenous repair, the use of patient derived stem cells for disease modeling, using stem cells for drug discovery as well as the ethical issues related to the use of stem cells.

Nanomedicine for Inflammatory Diseases is a cutting-edge resource for clinicians and scientists alike, working at the intersection of development and clinical therapeutics. This text is ideal for graduate level courses in nanomedicine, translational medicine, or inflammatory disease. This book is a progressive hallmark in translational medicine as it unites clinicians treating inflammatory disease with scientists developing experimental nanomedicine therapeutics. The commonality is made through a translational nanomedicine expert – bridging the gap between the laboratory benchtop and the clinical bedside.

Neurodegenerative diseases are major contributors to disability and disease, with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases the most prevalent. This major reference reviews the rapidly advancing knowledge of pathogenesis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases in the context of a comprehensive survey of each disease and its clinical features. The editors and contributors are among the leading experts in the field internationally. Covering basic science, diagnostic tools and therapeutic approaches, the book focuses on all aspects of neurodegenerative disease, including the normal aging process. The dementias, prion diseases, Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonisms, neurodegenerative ataxias, motor neuron diseases, degenerative diseases with chorea, iron and copper disorders, and mitochondrial diseases, are all methodically presented and discussed, with extensive illustrations. In each case the underlying genetics, neuropathological and clinical issues are fully reviewed, making this the most complete as well as the most authoritative reference available to clinicians and neuroscientists.

This book familiarizes the reader with the current landscape of cell-based therapies for the treatment of retinal disease, including diseases that affect the choriocapillaris, retinal pigment epithelium, photoreceptors, and retinal ganglion cells. Instead of utilizing a disease-centric approach to the topic, this book—edited by two world-renowned stem cell scientists—focuses on strategies for developing and transplanting the cells. This includes the creation of replacement cells, cell-based neuroprotection, and in vitro disease modeling and testing. The final chapters briefly review parallel approaches that do not directly utilize cellular transplantation. The use of cellular transplantation to treat retinal disease has recently become a viable and exciting therapeutic approach. The visibility of the retina and its laminar cellular architecture render it an ideal organ for the development of surgically delivered cellular therapies. Having an in-depth understanding of the current state of cell therapy for the eye is an essential first step toward utilizing similar approaches in other organs. Ophthalmologists, translational clinician-scientists, stem cell scientists, and researchers interested in eye disease will find Cellular Therapies for Retinal Disease: A Strategic Approach essential reading and it is also suitable for workshops or courses at the undergraduate or Ph.D. level.