Biologist launches stem cell test to cure Multiple Sclerosis symptoms

The hope by molecular biologist Thomas E. Lane and the University of California at Irvine scientific team, is that the stem-cell treatment can repair damage to the myelin and nerves that are damaged by the neurological disease.

“The promise of cell-replacement strategies to treat MS is significant,” Lane is quoted in a UC Irvine press release issued Thursday (Jan. 28). “Imagine being able to infuse people with cells that could make new myelin or transform into healthy nerve cells. That’s the focus of our effort.”

He is one of 15 scientists who won a grant of $742,500 funding from the Collaborative MS Research Center Awards from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Lane discovered a way to prevent the illness from damaging the central nervous system, and now he is working with stem cells.

With MS, the T-cells in the immune system of the body attack the myelin, which is the protective coating of the nerves. The T-cells also attack the nerve fibers and results in numbness of the limbs, paralysis, loss of vision and other symptoms.

A number of other studies at UC Irvine are also being funded to help study MS.

“With the knowledge acquired from these studies, we believe we’ll lay the foundation for the creation of safe and effective treatments to improve quality of life for people with MS,” Lane says. “UCI has long been a leader in MS research and patient care, and it’s exciting to be part of the significant impact our researchers and clinicians make in this field.”