Application for Centre for Regenerative Medicine

A revolutionary new medical Centre, the Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine, has been opened at the University of Edinburgh. The Centre aims to develop new treatments for disease through research into stem cells.
?Stem cells? are master cells that have the ability either to multiply themselves or form the specialised cells that make up different tissues. Scientists and doctors believe that understanding how stem cells behave will lead to development of new treatments. The new treatments may involve replacing cells in the patient that have been damaged by disease. In other cases it may be possible to identify drugs that are able to make the patient?s own cells carry out the repair.
Stem cells will also be used in testing new drugs. At present the effect of new drugs is measured in tests with animals or with cells from animals. Sometimes the results are misleading because of differences between humans and animals. By using human cells for tests, scientists will reduce the number of animals that are used and the frequency with which misleading results cause expensive delays.
Scientists at SCRM have identified a number of diseases which to work on first. These are chosen because Edinburgh scientists lead the field in studying these diseases and stem cells may genuinely help to treat them. One aim is to be able to repair bone more effectively, especially to assist in hip repair. Other research will try to develop treatments to repair the nervous system, in diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis or Motor Neuron Disease. At present many patients with liver disease die before a suitable organ becomes available for transplantation. Stem cells may provide an alternative means of treatment. Stem cells may be used to repair the immune system and give back the patient?s ability to fight infections. In the longer term other programmes will address issues concerned with cancer, diabetes, heart disease and damage to the eye.
SCRM will provide high class training for the basic scientists and the doctors needed for the new treatments to be applied safely and effectively. Finally, SCRM will work hard to ensure commercialisation of its research and work closely with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.
Together these activities in the new Centre will help to position the UK at the forefront of international stem cell science, provide important new opportunities for development of novel therapies and create well paid jobs in the UK.

Research with stem cells offers important opportunities for the development of new treatments for human disease. These treatments may involve replacement of cells that are lost or damaged, either by transplantation of stem cells into patients or administration of new drugs to stimulate the patients own tissues to repair the damage. Alternatively drugs may be administered to prevent the damage from occurring. Stem cell research is also expected to lead to improved and accelerated drug screening and reduce the number of animals that are sued for this purpose.

To address this immense opportunity, the Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine (SCRM) is being created at the University of Edinburgh by bringing together the world leading research groups presently in the Institute for Stem Cell Research in the School of Biological Science with those in the Medical School who have clinical interests in stem cell research and therapy. Uniquely in the UK, SCRM will cover the full spectrum of research that is required to move stem cell research from the bench to the bedside. Research will range from studies of the basic mechanisms that maintain stem cell populations both in people and in the laboratory, through projects to establish reliable procedures for the production of cells suitable for their clinical purpose to clinical trials with stem cells, their derivatives or new drugs.

In the first place, the new knowledge arising from research at SCRM will be applied in developing treatments for repair of the nervous system, liver, bone and cartilage or reconstruction of the immune system and blood systems. These are chosen because of Edinburgh?s research strengths in these areas and their suitability for these treatments. In the longer term other programmes will address issues concerned with cancer, diabetes, heart disease and damage to the eye. To support these programmes, SCRM will develop technologies required to advance this research, including modification of procedures established in the laboratory to make them suitable for large scale clinical use. SCRM will also have an active programme to ensure commercialisation of its research and develop collaborative research programmes with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. To support the critically needed expansion of this field SCRM will provide training for basic scientists and clinicians at all career levels.

Together the activities in the new Centre will help to position the UK at the forefront of international stem cell science and provide important new opportunities for development of new therapies.