Turning stem cells into bone with nanoclay-reinforced hydrogel

Assistant Professor Alireza Dolatshahi-Pirouz and colleagues have developed a hydrogel that combines synthetic materials with living cells and can turn stem cells into bone without adding external growth or differentiation factors. More than 50 percent of women and 20 percent of men over the age of 50 will experience a bone fracture during their lifetime. One way to prevent these fractures—particularly in the most sensitive parts of the skeleton—is delivery of stem cells by means of an injectable carrier, which safeguards the cells on the way into the body. Using a systematic combinatorial approach, the research team has tested 63 different nanoengineered hydrogels and introduced an optimal biomaterial that not only protects the cells but also facilitates the spontaneous differentiation of the stem cells into bone cells. Usually, external growth factors and differentiation factors, which can be both toxic for the body and also quite expensive, are needed to turn stem cells into the desired type of cells.
Osteoporosis causes the bones to become brittle and fragile due to loss of density. Patients with this type of disease could in the future benefit from the nano-reinforced hydrogel. Alireza Dolatshahi-Pirouz explains: "Bone is a dynamic tissue that is continually being built, broken down and rebuilt in a process called remodeling. This process is controlled by many interacting factors, and once this balance is disturbed, the problem arises. When we get older such an imbalance is often caused by hormonal changes and is intensified by our cells becoming less effective and fewer in numbers. The idea behind this novel system is to bring a semi-synthetic scaffold into the body that attracts stem cells and provides the requirements to turn them into bone cells, and thereby, bring the balance back to the bone remodeling cycle."

Spotlight

Other News
Medical

Personalis and ClearNote Health Announce Partnership to Advance Epigenomic Technology

Personalis, Inc. | February 05, 2024

Personalis, Inc. a leader in advanced genomics for cancer, and ClearNote Health, Inc., a pioneer in epigenomic technologies, today unveiled an alliance through which Personalis will expand its pharmaceutical service offerings by distributing ClearNote’s cutting-edge epigenomic 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) platform. “We have built a unique pharma channel based on our industry-leading tissue and MRD assays and ClearNote Health’s blood-based epigenomic approach is complementary to our offering as it helps our customers deepen their understanding of a patient’s response to immunotherapies,” said Chris Hall, CEO and President of Personalis. “Commercial partnerships such as this broaden our portfolio and are expected to appeal to a wide range of biopharma customers and accelerate our revenue growth.” Echoing this sentiment, Dave Mullarkey, CEO of ClearNote Health, remarked, “Partnering with Personalis presents an excellent opportunity to bring our 5hmC technology to the forefront of cancer research. This alliance is a testament to the synergy between our two companies, enabling us to expand our reach and significantly impact the biopharmaceutical industry. Together, we can accelerate the development of personalized therapies and make a real difference in the lives of patients.” ClearNote Health’s Epigenomics Platform represents a groundbreaking advance in cancer detection, offering real-time insights into disease-specific pathways. By tracking changes in 5hmC levels coupled with artificial intelligence-based analytical methods, the platform can detect cancer earlier, monitor disease progression, understand mechanisms of resistance, and identify promising drug targets and biomarkers. These insights are invaluable for optimizing drug development programs and delivering more effective treatments to patients. The Epigenomics Platform identifies changes in gene activation and gene regulation by labeling specific changes in the 5hmC landscape from plasma-derived cell-free DNA. This rich biological information, as part of clinical trials, enables the monitoring of cancer therapies in real time and contributes to an understanding of drug resistance mechanisms. The partnership marks a pivotal moment in cancer research, leveraging the strengths of both companies to offer unparalleled solutions in the biopharmaceutical industry. About ClearNote Heath, Inc. ClearNote Health is a cancer detection company focused on enabling people at risk for high-mortality cancers to live longer, healthier lives. Utilizing a standard blood draw, the company applies its proprietary epigenomic platform, combining biology and artificial intelligence, to identify DNA-based changes in biology as cancer develops. With lead programs in non-invasive early detection of pancreatic and ovarian cancers in patients at the highest risk for these diseases, ClearNote Health identifies cancers before they progress and when patients are most likely to benefit from treatment. ClearNote Health’s first commercially available test is the Avantect™ Pancreatic Cancer Test, which detects the presence of pancreatic cancer signals in patients at high risk of the disease, including those recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. ClearNote Health is headquartered in San Diego, with additional presence in the San Francisco Bay area and internationally. The company’s CLIA- and CAP-accredited laboratory is located in San Diego, Calif. About Personalis, Inc. At Personalis, we are transforming the active management of cancer through breakthrough personalized testing. We aim to drive a new paradigm for cancer management, guiding care from biopsy through the life of the patient. Our highly sensitive assays combine tumor-and-normal profiling with proprietary algorithms to deliver advanced insights even as cancer evolves over time. Our products are designed to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) and recurrence at the earliest time points, enable the selection of targeted therapies based on ultra-comprehensive genomic profiling, and enhance biomarker strategy for drug development. Personalis is based in Fremont, California.

Read More