First Cystic Fibrosis Cord Blood Collection

Collection and storage provided free of charge by BioCell and CyGenics

28-Apr-2006

At The Mercy Hospital in Werribee baby Aiden Brundell donated his cord blood in the hope that his stem cells could one day rejuvenate his sister Mikaela's lungs, which are failing from cystic fibrosis (CF). According to CyGenics, this first collection of cord blood from the sibling of a child with CF is a major step towards treating the deadly effects of Australia's most common severe genetic condition among children, for which there is no cure.

Aiden's cord blood collection and storage was free of charge, thanks to a donation by Biocell Pty Ltd and its parent company CyGenics Ltd. Professor Bob Williamson, spokesperson for Cystic Fibrosis Victoria, said the generosity of Biocell and CyGenics to Cystic Fibrosis Australia could extend to collecting as many as 36 cord bloods over three years for families with cystic fibrosis in Australia and New Zealand. This represents a commitment valued at more than A$100,000 (approximately US$75,000) over the three years.

Professor Williamson said, "Everyone agrees that the use of cells from cord blood poses no ethical problems. They are adult stem cells, but because they are taken at birth they are far more flexible and grow more easily than most such cells."

"The latest research in Australia, Germany and the United States shows that stem cells from cord blood can give cells that are very similar to lung cells. In a mouse model for cystic fibrosis, the cells help to cure the disease. And here in Melbourne, at The Alfred Hospital, it has been shown that when lungs are transplanted into patients, they appear to take up stem cells from the recipient and integrate them into the airways."

https://www.bionity.com/en/news/54327/first-cystic-fibrosis-cord-blood-collection.html