HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that many people may have heard of, frequently featuring in the news, where over time, the conversation has thankfully turned towards potential cures.

It is a virus which attacks the body’s immune system, mainly targeting the T Cell, a particular type of white blood cell. Here it attaches to the CD4 molecule on the surface of a T Cell to replicate within the cell, which in turn destroys the cell. Without these helpful white blood cells, an individual’s immune system is severely compromised, making them more vulnerable to illness.

Spinal cord injuries can be life changing. The spine carries out many important functions in the body as we all know, the most important of which is connecting the brain to other parts of the body. Damage to the cord itself or nerves in the cord can cause changes in sensation, and strength and alter some bodily functions.

You or may not have heard of cord blood banking.  Further to that you may or may not know that it is a good idea to bank umbilical cord blood.

Well, however much or little you may know about it all we hope to give you a quick overview as to why you should bank your baby’s cord blood.

In addition to cord blood storage you are also able to store the umbilical cord stem cells. They are different to the blood cells and are used to treat slightly different health issues.

If you are curious about this option read on to find out more.

When you’re pregnant, you may be considering what you can do with the placenta and umbilical cord of your baby after birth. You might have heard of delayed cord clamping or even optimal cord clamping as well as the possibility of keeping, donating and even storing your placenta. You may also be aware of the potential to store the leftover blood from your baby’s umbilical cord, rich in stem cells, which is known as cord blood banking.

A new Phase 1a open-label single-centre study is underway to assess the safety of administering DUOC-01 cells to adult patients with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS). Cellular therapies like the one are always being worked on, and stem cell treatments are advancing and likely to feature quite a bit in future medicine.