Treatable Conditions

Stem cells hold the promise of treatments and cures for more than 70 major diseases and conditions that affect millions of people. Some of those conditions include…

AIDS: A disease characterized by the weakening of the immune system, with the development of certain infections and/or cancers, as well as a decrease in the number of certain cells in a person’s immune system.

ALS: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a.k.a. Lou Gehrigs Disease, is a disease that damages motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, causing these neurons to shrink and disappear until the muscles no longer receive signals to move.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: A progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person’s memory and ability to learn, reason and make judgments. It’s the most common form of dementia, a group of conditions that gradually destroy brain cells and lead to progressive decline in mental function.

AUTISM: A developmental disorder that affects the brain and makes communicating/interacting with people difficult. Some of the cells and connections in the brain of a child with autism don’t develop properly or get damaged. The cause of the disease is still unknown.

BLINDNESS: A retinal degenerative disease that causes progressive loss of central vision. Also known as macular degeneration.

CANCER: A group of many related diseases that all start due to abnormal growth of atypical cells. Cancer cells continuously grow, usually clumping together to form tumors that destroy the normal cells surrounding the tumor and damage the body’s healthy tissues.

CYSTIC FIBROSIS: A disease caused by a defective gene that makes the body produce an abnormally thick and sticky fluid called mucus. This mucus builds up in the breathing passages of the lungs and the pancreas, resulting in life-threatening lung infections and serious digestion problems. The disease may also affect the sweat glands and a man’s reproductive system.

DEAFNESS: The death of tiny hair cells inside the ear where cells do not naturally re-grow.

DIABETES: A disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. Either the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or the cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy. Over the years, high blood glucose damages nerves and blood vessels, leading to complications such as heart disease and amputation.

HEART DISEASE: It occurs when the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become hardened and narrowed due to plaque buildup – a mixture of fatty substances including cholesterol and other lipids. Blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart can be reduced or even fully blocked with a growing plaque. Plaques may also rupture and cause blood clots that block arteries.

HEMOPHILIA: A rare inherited bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot normally. People with hemophilia may bleed for a longer time than others after an injury or accident. They also may bleed internally, especially in the knees, ankles and elbows.

LUPUS: A chronic, long-lasting autoimmune disease in which the immune system, for unknown reasons, becomes hyperactive and attacks normal tissue. This attack results in inflammation and brings about various symptoms.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: A chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system in which gradual destruction of myelin occurs in patches throughout the brain or spinal cord (or both). This interferes with the nerve pathways and causes muscular weakness, loss of coordination and speech and visual disturbances.

PARKINSON’S: A brain disorder that occurs when certain nerve cells in a part of the brain die or become impaired. Normally cells produce a vital chemical known as dopamine, which allows smooth, coordinated function of the body’s muscles and movement. When approximately 80% of the dopamine-producing cells are damaged, symptoms of the disease appear.

RETT SYNDROME: A debilitating neurological disorder that deprives little girls of communication and motor skills, leaving them completely dependent on others for every basic need. Although the gene that causes RS is known (MECP2), the neurobiology of the disorder is not understood.