Presented by Michael Griffin, Ph.D. & Johnathon Anderson, Ph.D.
Originally Broadcast June 7, 2023
continue reading →Breaking News: FDA Approves Phase I for Human Tongue Stem Cell Initiative to Treat Dysphagia
Great news received during National Dysphagia Awareness Month: UC Davis in Sacramento, CA released their 2016 Annual Newsletter this week which included the announcement of much anticipated, fantastic news regarding FDA approval to launch their human tongue stem cell clinical trial to determine the safety of the treatment in 20 people. Click Here to read the UC Davis newsletter.
Dr. Peter Belafsky and his research team at UC Davis started this project over five years ago. The NFOSD, whose mission is in part to support research initiatives, became involved in the fundraising efforts which raised over $40,000 in under 3 months. The NFOSD is grateful to the the fundraisers and the donors who dedicated their time and money to make this research idea a reality. To learn more about this initiative at its beginning, read an interview conducted with Dr. Belafsky’s team: Click Here.
By summer of 2013, the research team moved the investigation to the lab hypothesizing that by increasing muscle mass in a human tongue via adult human stem cell infusion, the tongue would become stronger and improve the swallowing function. To review the steps that were completed during this portion of the initiative: Click Here. The upcoming study period for this Phase 1 open label clinical trial will span the next 2 years. The NFOSD will share more results as they are available.
Advancing the treatment of swallowing disorders in our lifetime is the mission of the NFOSD. We do this by providing patient support, promoting education, raising awareness, and as mentioned above, supporting research. We need for your help to raise additional funding needed to carry out this research initiative and other investigations aimed at treating dysphagia. If you are willing and able to donate, we ask that you visit our donation site: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/NFOSD2016.
Congratulations to the UC Davis Team!
Breaking news – A potential game changer for patients with profound oropharyngeal dysphagia
Breaking news – The Swallow Expansion Device (SED) – a potential game changer for patients with profound oropharyngeal dysphagia. In early January 2015 the SED was implanted into Jeff Mauerman, a cancer survivor who is feeding tube dependent due to oropharyngeal dysphagia. This is the first FDA Approved Clinical Trial that allows a Medical Piercing to Control a Body Sphincter (Part 1 of 2)
Byline: Ed Steger, President, National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders
Disclosure: Dr. Peter Belafsky is the Medical Director of the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders.
[Editor’s note. This story is based on an interview between Jeff Mauerman and Ed Steger that was conducted on February 4, 2015. This is five weeks after surgery and two months before he will know the extent, if at all, to which he will be able to swallow again.]
Real Science; Real Hope! – Adult Stem Cell Human Tongue Infusion Initiative Moves into the Lab (update 2)
Pictured at left: Myoblasts (muscle) cells under high power magnification growing in culture.
On March 9th and 29th, we published two articles about a ground breaking swallowing treatment initiative to infuse adult stem cells into a human tongue by Christmas day 2014. The high level project hypothesis is that by increasing muscle mass in a human tongue by way of an adult human stem cell infusion, this will create a stronger tongue resulting in an improved swallowing function. This article summarizes the work to date taking place at the Institute for Regenerative Cures (IRC) at the University of California Davis Campus.
Real Science; Real Hope! – Adult Stem Cell Human Tongue Infusion Initiative (Update)
On March 9, 2013 we published an article on a ground breaking swallowing treatment initiative to infuse adult stem cells into a human tongue by Christmas day 2014. [Click here to view that article].
Two days later, on March 11, 2013, we received an “A List” tour of the UC Davis Institute for Regenerative Cures (IRC). The NFOSD would like to thank our hosts Dr. Peter Belafsky (Phase I trial Principal Investigator), Dr. Jan Nolta (IRC director), Gerhard Bauer (Director of Good Manufacturing Practices), and Jane McClusky (tour facilitator extraordinaire).