StepAhead Australia - Traralgon, Sat Sep 4th 2010

PO Box 1048 TRARALGON Victoria 3844 +61 (0)3 5174 7299

Salamanders can repair
a broken spinal cord.
One day humans will too.

As a result of intense research around the world, discoveries are being made almost daily into the secrets of regenerating spinal cords.

StepAhead Australia’s mission is to apply that research to patients as soon as possible.

A CURE CAN BE A REALITY AND WE WILL FIND IT.

“Our sole focus is to support an international effort to find a cure for chronic spinal cord injury (cSCI).”

The Department of Health and Aging recognises StepAhead as the peak Australian entity involved in the drive to find a cure for cSCI.

Our function is to:

raise funds, manage and direct the translation of basic and clinical research to a cure for chronic spinal cord injury; and
connect the world’s leading researchers and clinicians with patients to apply the latest findings in the march towards a cure for spinal cord injury.

NEWSLETTERS

25
Feb

2009 Annual Scientific Meeting.

StepAhead Australia's Annual Scientific Meeting held over 2 days, from the 12th -13th November, 2009 at St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne was wonderfully received by those in attendance and a highlight of the year for StepAhead Australia.

Here’s where you come in.

We need your help to speed things along.

We need your support to enable us to remove the barriers between discoveries and treatments and find a solution for cSCI today and not tomorrow.

That’s the StepAhead Australia challenge to you.

Facts & Figures

Spinal cord injury affects approximately 20,000 Australians.

Find out more >>

Current projects

We’re not all talk!
We’re about action in finding a cure.

Find out more >>

StepAhead Australia Office

PO Box 1048
TRARALGON
Victoria 3844
+61 (0)3 5174 7299

Dealing with immune rejection of transplanted stem cells

Much of the current hope of using stem cells for medical purposes involves the use of cell banks created from embryonic stem cells or cell lines.

Creating induced pluripotent stemcells without inserting DNA

In recent years a very exciting revolution has occurred in stem cell science. One of the most promising findings is that a mature adult cell can be reprogrammed to stem cell like state.

Substrate can determine stem cell fate

The work described in this news release demonstrates that slight variations in the type of surface or scaffolding stem cells grow upon can determine what type of cell they develop into.

First embryonic stem cell treatment for humans in US is now back on track

A landmark study for stem cell research and treatment of humans is now ready to resume after a lengthy delay.

Tumor supressor gene may be important in controlling axon regeneration

In a potentially valuable basic science study researchers have found that the inhibition of a tumor suppressor gene (PTEN) can produce regeneration of cut axons.

Neural stem cells continue to show promise in spinal cord injury treatment

A team in Japan has produced a substantial degree of recovery in paralyzed mice by transplanting neural stem cells (NSCs) into the spinal cord and then administering a commonly used drug in humans, Valproic acid (marketed as Depakote).

Salamanders can repair a broken spinal cord. One day humans will too.