Australia and Israel partner on stem cell medical researchTuesday 8th December 2009 | 11:54 AM« Back to ListingThe joint research effort is thanks to a grant announced in late October from the Eva and Les Erdi AUSiMED Fellowship in Neurological Diseases. The grant will see a gifted Israeli scientist work closely with Professor Claude Bernard from Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories and Professor Tamir Ben Hur from the Hadassah University Medical Centre in Israel. They will work collaboratively on MS and other conditions such as stroke, brain trauma, spinal cord injury and Alzheimer's. The program will explore new insights into the control and repair of nerve cells (remyelination) by endogenous stem cells, as well as transplanted stem cells. Monash University has a strong and growing association with AUSiMED - Hadassah Australia's Australia-Israel Medical Research Initiative. This initiative builds collaborations between clinicians and researchers in Australia and Israel. "On behalf of Hadassah Australia and Hadassah Medical Center, we thank Eva and Les Erdi for their generous support of the Eva and Les Erdi AUSiMED Fellowship in Neurological Diseases. We are very excited to see such a valuable collaboration under way," said Dr Elane Zelcer, CEO and National Convenor of AUSiMED. Hadassah Australia supports and represents Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem. It is a not-for-profit organisation and one of its key initiatives is the AUSiMED program. Professor Benjamin Reubinoff, director of Hadassah University Medical Research, was in Australia in late November to meet with a number of Australian organisations focused on stem cell research, and was guest speaker at an Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce boardroom luncheon in Melbourne. Another keynote speaker was Professor Alan Trounson PhD, former head of Monash University's stem cell centre, who is President of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, based in San Francisco. Professors Reubinoff and Trounson spoke of a range of medical research programs under way using stem cell technology, and said funding was vital to ensure cures for major diseases were found. Professor Trounson noted that the Californian Government had authorised $US3 billion of state bonds to be issued to fund stem cell research in California, with $US300 million of research grants allocated each year. "Investment by government essential to stimulate biotechnology sector," Professor Trounson said. "The benefits will be coming through in terms of cures and better quality of life, as well as significantly reduced health care costs as cures for common diseases are found." Professor Trounson said international partnerships and collaborations were critical to success, adding his institute had formed a research relationship with Victoria through $4 million of funding provided by the State Government to invest in four projects that are part of bigger research programs. To date the California Institute has provided in excess of 300 research and faculty grants totalling $US1 billion to 46 Californian institutions researching diseases such as Type 1 diabetes, cancers, heart disease, HIV/AIDS and other diseases Professor Reubinoff said research at Hadassah University was focused on neural cells and taking the research from the laboratory to patients as quickly as possible. He said the research into multiple sclerosis being done jointly with Monash University was exciting. "In two years we will start clinical trials, subject to funding. We will see a new revolution in medicine." Published by Seeking Media. http://www.seekingmedia.com.au/ |
