Mayo Clinic opens its own stem cell laboratory in summer 2014

Mayo Clinic in Arizona, with one of the most active bone marrow transplant programs in United States, will open its own stem cell laboratory in summer 2014. The laboratory will be initially dedicated to storing and processing stem cells used for bone marrow transplants at Mayo Clinic Hospital and Phoenix Children's Hospital.

Mayo Clinic is a regional referral center and performs more than 200 adult stem cell transplants each year and approximately 30 pediatric transplants with Phoenix Children's. The program is accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy and the National Bone Marrow Donor Program.

Stem cell (blood or marrow) transplant is the infusion or injection of healthy stem cells into the body to replace damaged or diseased stem cells. Although the procedure to replenish the body's supply of healthy blood-forming cells is generally called a stem cell transplant, it's also known as a bone marrow transplant, peripheral blood stem cell transplant or an umbilical cord blood transplant, depending on the source of the stem cells. Stem cell transplants can use cells from a person's own body (autologous stem cell transplant), from a donor (allogeneic stem cell transplant) or from an identical twin (syngeneic transplant).

Mayo Clinic's Bone Marrow Transplant program provides consultations, evaluations and treatment for patients who would potentially benefit from a stem cell transplant. Patients who are younger than age 18 are cared for through Mayo Clinic's pediatric program at Phoenix Children's Hospital.

The new 6,200-square-foot lab will be located on the Phoenix campus of Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Mayo Clinic physicians say the new lab will help increase capacity, improve turnaround times for processing and provide the potential for research-related activities including regenerative medicine.

Source: Mayo Clinic