Researchers modify umbilical cord blood cells - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

Researchers modify umbilical cord blood cells

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JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -

Only a quarter of people in need of a blood stem cell transplant find a matching donor leaving the rest to find an alternative like umbilical cord blood transplants.

This process usually takes much longer than finding a match until now.

Researchers at M-D Anderson Cancer Center took umbilical cord blood cells and grew more in the lab before transplanting them.

They were able to significantly accelerate the time it took for infection-fighting cells to develop, from 24 days to 15.

The process to make platelets also became faster.

Patients who have had their blood supply destroyed by chemo and radiation could benefit from this new procedure.

There are more studies planned. The research was partially funded by a regenerative medicine company.

- Study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
- Study conducted at the University Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

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