We have been successful in advancing our work from the bench to the bedside. We have particular expertise in regulatory guidelines and the manufacture of clinical grade stems and stem cell products. Dr Badiavas has been awarded five Investigational New Drug (IND’s) Applications from the FDA for this work. Among our primary focuses has been on the use of cellular therapy, using both autologous and allogeneic stem cells for the treatment of burns and chronic wounds. Our work has also advanced to the use of clinical grade extracellular vesicles derived from stem cells for the treatment of wounds, burns and inherited skin genodermatoses. In recent work we have demonstrated that extracellular vesicles can transfer both Collagen VII protein and mRNA to Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Cells that are missing the Collagen VII gene. This has now led to a new FDA IND and clinical trial that will take place in the near future.
Our laboratory has also benefited from excellent collaborations within theDepartment, some of which have led to unique preclinical models to advance our work in regenerative medicine. Professor Davis has been a key collaborator in this. We also have close ties to our internationally recognized burn unit by our collaborations with Dr Carl Schulman. We have also had close collaborations with our Bone Marrow Transplant Division and the Diabetes Research Institute.
Our laboratory also has had a history of working well with industry and in obtaining US and international patents for our work.