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Canadian Stem Cell Foundation Blog
Janet Rossant wins L'Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science Award
Dr. Janet Rossant, a long-time friend of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, has been chosen by UNESCO and the L'Oréal Foundation as one of five outstanding female scientists from around the world.…
Dr. Janet Rossant, a long-time friend of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, has been chosen by UNESCO and the L'Oréal Foundation as one of five outstanding female scientists from around the world.
Dr. Rossant is being recognized for contributing to the understanding of how tissues and organs are formed in the developing embryo, according to a news release from the University of Toronto. Her research is helping combat birth defects and other serious medical conditions.
"I am extremely honoured to receive this award in the company of the other amazing laureates from around the world," says Dr. Rossant. "I hope to use this opportunity to encourage more girls globally to take up careers in science, math, engineering and medicine. The future is theirs to grasp."
Along with her duties as a U of T professor, Dr. Rossant is a senior scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children and is president of the Gairdner Foundation. Originally from the United Kingdom, she trained at Oxford and Cambridge universities before coming to Canada in 1977.
"Janet has been a world leader in advancing the therapeutic potential of stem cells," says James Price, President and CEO of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, where Dr. Rossant chairs the Science Leadership Council. "Having done so much for science, she is completely deserving of this honour."
The Women in Science Awards ceremony takes place in Paris in March. The other recipients are:
- Heather Zar, Professor, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and Director, Medical Research Council Unit, University of Cape Town, South Africa
- Meemann Chang, Professor, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology and Member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Caroline Dean, Professor, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
- Amy T. Austin, Professor, Agricultural Plant Physiology and Ecology Research Institute, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Dr. Rossant is the second Canadian woman to be honoured with the award in recent years. Dr. Molly Shoichet, a University of Toronto biomedical engineering professor, was named a laureate in 2015.
Diabetes Drug May Help to Fight Leukemia
A study led by Dr. Mick Bhatia at McMaster University shows that a readily available drug that induces fat cell production in bone marrow also suppresses leukemia while promoting the production of healthy blood cells.…
A study led by Dr. Mick Bhatia at McMaster University shows that a readily available drug that induces fat cell production in bone marrow also suppresses leukemia while promoting the production of healthy blood cells.
"The focus of chemotherapy and existing standard-of-care is on killing cancer cells but instead we took a completely different approach which changes the environment the cancer cells live in," Dr. Bhatia, Director and Senior Scientist with McMaster's Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, explained in a press. The study published in the journal Nature Cell Biology.
Increasing fat cells in the bone marrow creates an environment that favors the growth of healthy blood cells and blocks out leukemic cells. The team targeted a single cell type in one tissue and had positive results when tested in mice.
Dr. Bhatia believes that there is immediate translational potential with minimal side effects as the drug can be given in a much lower dose and with a shorter duration than in its intended use for diabetes treatment. In an interview with CBC, Dr. Bhatia said that the team is looking to move to clinical trials on humans within two to three years.
Commemorating the discovery of stem cells
A bronze portrait of Drs. James Till and Earnest McCulloch has been placed at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto. Created by artist Ruth Abernathy, she depicts an intense conversation between two colleagues that is interrupted when a friend arrives. …
A bronze portrait of Drs. James Till and Earnest McCulloch has been placed at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto. Created by artist Ruth Abernathy, she depicts an intense conversation between two colleagues that is interrupted when a friend arrives. The two scientists turn to greet their friend with warmth. The piece encourages engagement and stools are provided for visitors to join the discussion.
The installation located at the entrance to the West Atrium between the new glass Atrium and The Heritage Building which is an ideal setting for a discovery made 55 years ago that has propelled science forward with the potential to cure devastating diseases like cancer, diabetes, Parkinson's and heart disease amongst others.
There is a sister installation at Science World in Vancouver that was unveiled about a year ago. Both works were commissioned by Drs. Allen and Connie Eaves who had the privilege to learn from Drs. Till and McCulloch and have gone onto make significant contributions to the field.
Private clinics promoting stem cell services on ClinicalTrials.gov
ClinicalTrials.gov is a searchable database of clinical trials from around the world that are funded by public and private organizations. It's a registry hosted by the USA-based National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide doctors and their patients a resource to find appropriate studies for a variety of conditions. …
ClinicalTrials.gov is a searchable database of clinical trials from around the world that are funded by public and private organizations. It's a registry hosted by the USA-based National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide doctors and their patients a resource to find appropriate studies for a variety of conditions. A search on July 27th showed that there were over 1,400 stem cell clinical trials actively looking for patients.
It's a great resource, and we link to it on our website, but patients should be aware that the studies listed are not vetted by the NIH.
Some private clinics are using the site as part of their marketing efforts to recruit new clients as shown in a recent study published by Leigh Turner, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Center for Bioethics.
"Many individuals use ClinicalTrials.gov to find legitimate, well-designed, and carefully conducted clinical trials. They are at risk of being misled by study listings that lend an air of legitimacy and credibility to clinics promoting unproven and unlicensed stem cell interventions" said Professor Turner in an interview with RegMedNet regarding the study.
Professor Turner found that private clinics used terms such as "pay to participate", "patient-funded" or "patient-sponsored" when listing on ClinicalTrials.gov. Typically, patients are not charged to participate in a clinical trial but may be responsible for costs such as travel expenses.
The NIH recently added a disclaimer on the site that they do not endorse the studies listed and that patients should consult with "a trusted healthcare professional before volunteering for a study". In addition, patients and their caregivers should be given information on how the study will be conducted, what the risks are and what the road to recovery might look like.
For more information regarding stem cell clinical trials, the International Society for Stem Cell Research provides a Web feature called Considering a stem cell treatment. For additional background, we recommend, What you need to know about stem cell therapies, a booklet prepared by the University of Alberta Faculty of Law, Albany Medical College and the Stem Cell Network.
Stem Cell and Artificial Intelligence Researchers Collaborate to Understand Memory
Oscar Wilde once poetically waxed that "Memory… is the diary that we all carry about with us." Two University of Toronto researchers recently published a review paper in journal Neuron that pointed to the fact that we only keep the memories that really matter to us. …
Oscar Wilde once poetically waxed that "Memory… is the diary that we all carry about with us." Two University of Toronto researchers recently published a review paper in journal Neuron that pointed to the fact that we only keep the memories that really matter to us. Like a leather bound diary, our memory has finite amount of space and we erase the memories that we don't have a particular attachment with to make room for new ones. This ultimately helps us with decision making as we only need to scan information that is valuable to us.
"It's important that the brain forgets irrelevant details and instead focuses on the stuff that's going to help make decisions in the real world," says Dr. Blake Richards, co-author of the study, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto's Department of Biological Sciences, and a fellow in CIFAR's Program in Learning in Machines & Brains, in an article posted on CIFAR's website. "If you're trying to navigate the world and your brain is constantly bringing up multiple conflicting memories, that makes it harder for you to make an informed decision," adds Dr. Richards.
Beyond being assured that memory loss is part of a healthy brain and intelligent decision making, the research is interesting because it combined learnings from artificial intelligence (AI) with available stem cell research regarding the role of neural brain cells in memory.
"Canadian researchers are world-class leaders in both stem cell research and artificial intelligence – two fields that have significant potential to transform society. It's truly exciting to continue this line of collaboration so that we can understand something as complex and important as the human brain" says Dr. Alan Bernstein, President and CEO of CIFAR and Chair of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation.
Further collaborations between AI and the field of stem cell research could help researchers predict other types of cellular activity and ultimately accelerate the delivery of new treatment developments to the clinic.
STEMCELL Technologies named Company of the Year 2017 by BC Tech Association
The B.C. Tech Association recognized STEMCELL Technologies Inc. as the Company of the Year at its annual Technology Impact Awards (TIA) held this month.…
The B.C. Tech Association recognized STEMCELL Technologies Inc. as the Company of the Year at its annual Technology Impact Awards (TIA) held this month.
STEMCELL Technologies is one of Canada's largest biotech firms and develops stem cell tools for researchers across the world. The company currently employs close to 1,000 people worldwide and saw its revenue grow 20% in 2016 according to an article posted by Business Vancouver.
Accepting the award, Dr. Allen Eaves, President and CEO, STEMCELL Technologies Inc. said "We want to be the company that is going to help support our health care system, [and] get it out of the terrible mess it's in by providing new and wonderful tools that we will sell to the rest of the world," as quoted by betakit.com.
We've written about Dr. Eaves previously on this site and his dedication to eradicating cancer.
Founded in 1994, the TIAs celebrate BC's leaders and rising stars in the innovation and technology sectors. According to the Association, the technology sector in BC delivers nearly $25 billion in revenue and has been one of the strongest contributors to BC's economic growth over the past decade employing over 90,000 people across 9,000 companies.
Growing Canada's Talent Pool
As Canada looks to grow our innovation economy, which is driven by entrepreneurship and increased productivity, the federal government has introduced a fast track work permit plan for highly skilled foreign workers to address our knowledge gap. …
As Canada looks to grow our innovation economy, which is driven by entrepreneurship and increased productivity, the federal government has introduced a fast track work permit plan for highly skilled foreign workers to address our knowledge gap. The program called Global Talent Stream launched June 12th and expedites the process for qualified and highly skilled talent to receive work permits in Canada within two weeks of applying.
"Being able to quickly attract the best and brightest minds to Canada — above and beyond the ones that already live here — is one way the federal government has listened to the needs of CEOs who are choosing to grow their companies in Canada", notes Dr. Allen Eaves, President and CEO, STEMCELL Technologies Inc. in an opinion piece published in the Vancouver Sun .
Dr. Eaves knows first-hand what it takes to attract good people. Starting with 8 employees in 1993, STEMCELL Technologies has grown to over 1,000 current employees and has plans to expand to over 4,000 in the next 10 years. Over one-third of the staff hold a Doctorate or Masters and the majority of employees have a Bachelor of Science or Engineering degree.
This is good news for the stem cell sector as well as the general economy because of a multiplier effect. According to economist Enrico Moretti, each new high-tech job creates five additional jobs in the service economy. As quoted in the MIT Sloan Management Review, Moretti points out that "for each new high-tech job in a city, five additional jobs are ultimately created outside of the high-tech sector in that city," He cites occupations such as lawyers, teachers, nurses, waiters, hairdressers and carpenters. This is three times higher than in other sectors such as manufacturing.
New award launched to celebrate and promote stem cell science
Applications for the Sartorius & Science Prize for Regenerative Medicine & Cell Therapy are being accepted now. The annual prize will be awarded to a researcher whose work has advanced the field of regenerative medicine and cell therapy.…
Applications for the Sartorius & Science Prize for Regenerative Medicine & Cell Therapy are being accepted now. The annual prize will be awarded to a researcher whose work has advanced the field of regenerative medicine and cell therapy.
The winner will receive $25,000 USD and their application essay will be published in Science magazine. The Grand Prize also includes a 5-year membership to The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and an online subscription to Science.
Details about the prize and the application guide can be found here.
The prize is to raise the awareness for the field and is a collaborative effort between Sartorius, a leading pharmaceutical and laboratory equipment company, and AAAS.
Dr. Molly Shoichet awarded prestigious Killam Prize
Recognized for the contributions she has made throughout her career to advancing the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine, University of Toronto's Dr. …
Recognized for the contributions she has made throughout her career to advancing the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine, University of Toronto's Dr. Molly Shoichet has been awarded a 2017 Killam Prize along with $100,000 to advance her work.
"This award will accelerate our research and our efforts to improve the lives of people everywhere who are living with the effects of cancer, stroke, blindness and other currently irreversible conditions" commented Dr. Shoichet in an article published by the University of Toronto.
Dr. Shoichet's research focuses on using biomaterials to enhance the effectiveness of stem cells in the treatment of conditions such as blindness and stroke. She developed a hydrogel platform to deliver stem cells to the brain and eyes to restore vision by 15 per cent. For that, and her other contributions to the field of stem cell research, Dr. Shoichet received the 2016 Till & McCulloch Award.
Beyond her research endeavors, Dr. Shoichet is a strong advocate for women in science and technology careers and was the L'Oreal-UNESCO Women in Science Laureate, North America for 2015. She also advocates for Canadian innovation and co-authored a piece published last year in iPolitics to promote Canada's global leadership in the field of stem cell research and regenerative medicine.
More doctors treating aching joints with stem cells, even though treatment is costly, unproven and relief is only temporary
It's expensive, only temporary and lacks gold-standard proof that it actually works, but stem cell therapy for bad knees, hips and shoulders is taking hold in Canada.…
It's expensive, only temporary and lacks gold-standard proof that it actually works, but stem cell therapy for bad knees, hips and shoulders is taking hold in Canada.
"The future is obviously injections of biologics," says Dr. Tim Dwyer, an orthopedic surgeon at Women's College Hospital in Toronto who has treated 20 patients' faulty joints with stem cell injections at his private clinic. "One day we will look back and think joint replacement was a fabulous solution 30 years ago that now is quite a barbaric approach."
We have written about these autologous (using a patient's own stem cells) transplants in this space before. The first type, bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) therapy, involves extracting stem cells from a patient's pelvis and spinning them in a centrifuge before re-injecting the refined cells in the damaged joint. The second type, formally known as stromal vascular fractioning, involves removing adipose (fat) cells via liposuction, running them through a centrifuge to collect the stem cells and re-injecting them in the patient's ailing joint. Both are usually done on a same-day outpatient basis.
Neither treatment has been proven effective in large scale, randomized controlled clinical trials in which one group of patients gets the treatment and another gets a placebo — with neither group (nor the researchers conducting the trial, for that matter) knowing who got what until the data is collected and analyzed.
"That is correct, not at this stage," says Dr. Dwyer. "We're basing (the use of the treatment) on cohort studies looking at BMAC in the knee especially."
Dr. Jas Chahal, a colleague of Dr. Dwyer's at Women's College Hospital, believes there is "good basic science," to support the use of stem cell treatments for knees, hips and joints afflicted by osteoarthritis or damaged by injury. "BMAC has various factors in it that probably help inflammation and pain control. There is emerging clinical evidence in the form of case studies, groups of 10 or 20, who have had it and after 12-month follow-up had good results."
However, Dr. Duncan Stewart, the President and Scientific Director of the Ontario Institute for Regenerative Medicine, says patients "should be extremely wary of any stem cell therapy that is fee-based and has not been validated through a complete clinical trial process.
"Clinical trials exist to establish not just whether a treatment will work, but to ensure it is safe for the patient," says Dr. Stewart, CEO of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a leading authority on stem cells who has led or collaborated on more investigator-initiated cell therapy trials than anyone else in Ontario. "There are many promising stem cell therapies out there that are currently in clinical trials, but not all will approved for clinical use – and the only way we can know for sure is by collecting the proper data through a clinical trial that has regulatory and ethical approvals."
For Dr. Dwyer, who sees the BMAC treatment as more effective but will provide the adipose-derived stem cell treatment for patients for whom BMAC isn't appropriate, stem cell injections offer an option where none existed before.
"For 10 years of my career I've had to say 'You're too young to have a knee replacement and a knee scope won't make you better, so there's nothing we can do.' That's not a fun conversation to have three or four times a day."
He charges between $3,000 and $3,500 per injection, none of which is covered by the provincial health insurance plan or by private insurance.
Some researchers and clinicians have taken things a significant step further by taking the BMAC cells and, instead of just running them through a centrifuge, culturing them in a lab to vastly increase the number of stem cells they can re-inject into the patient at a later date. But these treatments are significantly more expensive. Dr. Chahal is part of a team conducting a clinical trial extracting the mesenchymal bone marrow stem cells from patients and doing this kind of ex-vivo expansion and then re-injecting them at concentrations of 1 million, 10 million and 50 million cells. Researchers are currently collecting the data.
Of the 20 patients Dr. Dwyer has treated with the same-day therapy, "a couple" saw no improvement in their conditions. Most report feeling better. "Just yesterday I saw three people — two shoulders and a knee — and they were actually ecstatic. Now that's just a cohort. But it certainly helped those people and they're at the six-month mark."
He points out that joint replacements are also not a sure thing.
"It's not guaranteed that a knee replacement will help. Some 20% of people still have pain afterwards. And there's always the chance that you get an infection, which can be a disaster. A lot of people, including myself, think that joint replacement is a last resort. So, obviously, having an injection that might take the pain away for a year is a very attractive option."
Pain relief, if achieved, likely will be only temporary, says Dr. Dwyer. "We're looking at a year," says Dr. Dwyer. "For some people it will be more, for some it will be less. It will be something that you will need to have repeated. But if you ignore the financial cost of it, which is a significant factor obviously, and just look at whether you would like to have an injection once a year and not have a knee or a hip replacement, the answer is easy."
BMAC and adipose stem cell treatments for arthritic and damaged joints have been around for about a decade and are widely available across the United States, with many Canadians travelling there to undergo them, sometimes paying exorbitant fees.
Here at the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, we get more patient enquiries and blog comments about stem cell treatments for failing joints — be it from either osteoarthritis or injury or overuse — than any other single condition. People are both intrigued and suspicious and are looking for guidance.
What is Health Canada's position on the use of bone marrow aspirate concentrate injections/transplants to treat knees and hips?
The Office of Policy and International Collaboration at Health Canada's Biologics and Genetic Therapies Directorate responded by email to say that "in some cases, autologous cell therapy products that are processed for a particular patient by a regulated health professional pursuant to the scope of their practice may not require federal pre-market regulatory authorization under the Food and Drug Regulations. They added that, based on the information we provided, "we do not have enough information to make a determination regarding the regulatory pathway that would apply to BMAC."
Prof. Leigh Turner, a Canadian who is an Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota's Centre for Bioethics, has followed the proliferation of clinics offering BMAC and adipose treatments in the United States. He says it's "premature" for Canadian orthopedic surgeons and other physicians to charge for "so-called stem cell treatments" administered to patients with joint problems.
"Safety and efficacy of such interventions still needs to be evaluated in carefully designed and properly conducted randomized controlled trials," says Prof. Turner. "Such studies will have to address whether stem cells obtained from BMAC, adipose tissue, or other sources are optimal when treating patients with osteoarthritis. Carefully designed clinical trials should also provide meaningful information about dosing strategies, optimal mode of administering cells, and the frequency with which injections will need to be provided." And all that, says Prof. Turner, is conditional on stem cell interventions beating placebo during the randomized controlled trial process.
Scleroderma update: more lives saved through chemo/transplants
Last fall we told the story of Dan Muscat, an Ontario jeweler whose combination chemo/stem cell transplant treatment helped him recover from scleroderma, an extremely painful, life-threatening autoimmune disease that hardens the skin and attacks internal organs.…
Last fall we told the story of Dan Muscat, an Ontario jeweler whose combination chemo/stem cell transplant treatment helped him recover from scleroderma, an extremely painful, life-threatening autoimmune disease that hardens the skin and attacks internal organs.
We believed then that his transplant, which took place at The Ottawa Hospital over the spring and summer of 2016, was the first time such a therapy had been tried in Canada. It even made news: CTV's Avis Favaro profiled Dan early this year.
It turns out that other Canadian hospitals are trying — and have been using — the innovative therapy, which involves first extracting bone marrow stem cells from a patient to purify them, then wiping out their diseased immune system with chemotherapy, and finally returning the robust stem cells to the patient. The goal is to have these fortified stem cells rebuild a disease-free immune system.
Calgary's Dr. Jan Storek has employed the chemo/stem cell treatment on "four or five" patients since 2011 and has contributed to the international Scleroderma: Cyclophosphamide Or Transplantation (SCOT) study, the results of which have yet to be published. He began working with the treatment in the 1990s at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle.
"I was part of the development of transplants for autoimmune diseases," says Dr. Storek. "Then the University of Calgary hired me to start a research program in bone marrow transplantation including transplantation for autoimmune diseases."
He points to the work of Dr. Sharon LeClercq, a Calgary rheumatologist and expert in systemic sclerosis, without whose involvement there would have been no Canadian participation in a randomized study. "Patients participating in studies, particularly in the three randomized studies leading to this success should also be greatly acknowledged," says Dr. Storek.
One of his transplant recipients is Miaya Killips, pictured above shortly after her 2016 transplant and as she is today. Miaya, who lives in Spruce Grove, Alberta, was diagnosed with scleroderma three years ago. She suffered lung damage, along with hardening of the skin. "I had limited mobility because my joints were tight and I was not able to swallow well — I would choke on food."
These days, things are much better. "Scleroderma-wise, I'm feeling great. My mobility is much better and I don't have the pain I had before. I am not choking when I eat and my lungs have stabilized, which is good because before the transplant my doctor had me on a standby list for a lung transplant."
An electrician by trade, she wants to go back to school as part of a career change. And she and her husband plan to start a family soon, using embryos harvested through in vitro fertilization before she underwent chemotherapy.
We also heard from Shane Knihnitski, a 28-year-old heavy equipment mechanic who underwent a bone marrow stem cell transplant at Saskatoon's Royal University Hospital in February to treat his scleroderma, which had caused large calcium deposits to form at his joints, resulting in considerable pain and restricted mobility.
"Things are turning around," Shane says, "and the skin is starting to loosen up. I wasn't able to see my elbow for two years — it was a big lump like a soft ball — but I can see the bone again."
Dr. Keltie Anderson, Shane's rheumatologist, says that while "it's still very early" Shane has regained "a fairly significant amount of mobility in his hands already.
"When I first started seeing him, he could sort of cup his hands but couldn't make a fist. Now he can bring the fingers all the way to the palm — almost make a full fist. To have such change already is very impressive."
That the stem cell transplant procedure is having good results comes as great news to rheumatologists like Dr. Anderson who, until now, had few weapons with which to fight this painful, life-stealing disease. "Basically, you would do cyclophosphamide (a chemotherapy medication to suppress the immune system) and then cross your fingers.
"In Shane's case he not only has extensive skin involvement, he also had extensive lung involvement. His outlook was quite bleak. And he's a young guy and (he and his wife) just had their first child."
Dr. Mohamed Elemary, who directs the hospital's stem cell transplant program, says Shane was originally referred to Dr. Storek for inclusion in the Calgary study but it had already been completed. "So we started to review the data and see if it was something feasible for him here in Saskatoon. The stem cell transplant unit is run by the cancer centre and by the health region with the University Hospital. We can barely accommodate our patients with malignancies."
After receiving permission to try the treatment with Shane, making sure he was a good candidate for the procedure, and consulting with Dr. Storek, Dr. Elemary went ahead with the transplant two months ago. "Our concerns vanished because he did tremendously well and was out of the hospital almost two weeks after his transplant. I just saw him a couple of weeks ago and I was amazed at the way that he is responding."
The treatment does not come without risks. In Shane's case, he was told there was a 20% chance the treatment could kill him. "But he came through it with flying colours," says Dr. Anderson. "The last time I saw him he looked great. He didn't look like someone who'd just gone through ablative chemotherapy with a stem cell transplant. And he was more upbeat than I'd seen him in a long time."
Dr. Elemary is hoping to get approval to treat another scleroderma patient with stem cells and "with the success of Shane's story" is optimistic that will happen.
In May, Calgary's Dr. Storek, with co-authors Drs. LeClercq and Andrew Daly, will publish a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, reviewing the challenges of integrating the treatment in Canadian hospitals, given that stem cell transplantation programs are set up to treat patients with malignant cancers. Dr, Storek also
Dan Muscat, whose recovery continues, is delighted that more scleroderma patients are getting the treatment. "I'm trying to get the word out. This should be an option for people when they are diagnosed."
Congratulations to Dr. Alan Bernstein – Awarded 2017 Henry G. Friesen International Prize
Dr. Alan Bernstein, Chair of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, has been awarded the 2017 Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research for his significant contributions to health and innovation. …
Dr. Alan Bernstein, Chair of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, has been awarded the 2017 Henry G. Friesen International Prize in Health Research for his significant contributions to health and innovation. The prize, established in 2005, recognizes "exceptional innovation by a visionary health leader".
As the press release notes, there are many examples of Dr. Bernstein's impact on health research and his ability to build strong collaborations.
- As the inaugural President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, he brought together biomedical, clinical and social scientists and set the standard for transdisciplinary research in Canada.
- Serving as the Executive Director of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise in New York, Dr. Bernstein built an international alliance of researchers and funders to accelerate the development of HIV vaccines.
- As the President & CEO of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, he promotes collaboration on a global scale by forging partnerships between international researchers to work on health, social and technological challenges.
Dr. Bernstein's own stem cell and cancer research is rooted in strong partnerships as we wrote about here when he was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame. A fellow of both the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Science, he is an Officer of the Order of Canada.
As the Chair of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, Dr. Bernstein was instrumental in the collaborative effort that brought together 150 scientists, doctors, leaders from health charities, industry experts and philanthropists to craft the Canadian Stem Cell Strategy with a unified vision to deliver 10 new stem cell therapies to the clinic within 10 years.
"Helen Keller is attributed with the quote 'Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much' and Alan's career characterizes the sentiment," noted James Price, President & CEO of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, "We congratulate Dr. Bernstein on this award and thank him for his exemplary leadership".
Stroke champion Antoine Hakim wins 2017 Gairdner Wightman Award
Dr. Antoine Hakim, one of Canada's truly inspirational medical leaders, is this year's winner of the Gairdner Wightman Award.
Dr. Hakim is a long-time friend of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation.…
Dr. Antoine Hakim, one of Canada's truly inspirational medical leaders, is this year's winner of the Gairdner Wightman Award.
Dr. Hakim is a long-time friend of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation. He founded and led the Canadian Stroke Network that, in its early years, shared resources at The Ottawa Hospital with the Stem Cell Network — from which the Foundation sprang.
"We truly admire Tony Hakim for the amazing job he has done to advance stroke prevention and treatment," said James Price, Foundation President and CEO. "He has served as a model for us all in working to improve Canadians' lives."
In today's Ottawa Citizen, health writer Elizabeth Payne describes how, after working as a chemical engineer in Alberta, Dr. Hakim switched to medicine because he wanted to do something "more relevant." On completing his residency in neurology at the Montreal Neurological Institute, he took up stroke as a research interest.
He became North America's strongest advocate for increased use of the clot-busting drug TPA that, when administered in time, can greatly reduce the effects of a stroke.
"The revolution in stroke treatment," the Citizen reports, "is seen in the many 'miraculous' recoveries he has witnessed in patients who come into the hospital severely handicapped and unable to speak and, within 48 hours, walk out of the hospital talking."
At 74, Dr. Hakim continues his to enjoy his work, which gives him the opportunity to "keep pushing frontiers the best way I can."
The other Gairdner 2017 laureates include:
- Japan's Akira Endo for the first discovery and development of statins that have transformed the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
- California's David Julius for determining the molecular basis of somatosensation — how we sense heat, cold and pain.
- Toronto's Lewis E. Kay for the development of modern NMR spectroscopy.
- Italy's Rino Rappuoli for pioneering the genomic approach, known as reverse vaccinology, used to develop a vaccine against meningococcus B.
- Texas's Huda Y. Zoghbi for the discovery of the genetic basis of Rett syndrome and its implications for autism spectrum disorders.
- Brazil's Cesar Victora, for outstanding contributions to maternal and child health and nutrition in low and middle income countries (John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award).
Winning a Gairdner, Canada's top medical price, is often a precursor to even bigger things: 83 Gairdner laureates have gone on to win the Nobel Prize.
Canadian Stem Cell Foundation commends federal government's support for the stem cell sector
The Canadian Stem Cell Foundation commends the federal government for committing to invest in innovation "superclusters" and for identifying the stem cell/regenerative medicine sector as an area where Canada can excel.…
The Canadian Stem Cell Foundation commends the federal government for committing to invest in innovation "superclusters" and for identifying the stem cell/regenerative medicine sector as an area where Canada can excel.
"We consider today's budget announcement to be a step forward for the stem cell sector in Canada – an industry that is helping to shape our innovation economy," said James Price, President and CEO of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation.
The government's commitment to invest $950 million in business-led innovation superclusters with the greatest potential to accelerate economic growth mirrors the approach taken by the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation in championing the Canadian Stem Cell Strategy. The Strategy is business led and calls for two-thirds of the total investment to be funded by the private sector, with one-third from government.
"The Canadian Stem Cell Strategy will generate more than $1 billion in private and philanthropic investments over its decade-long life, much of which has already been pledged," Mr. Price said. "It is built to deliver 10 new therapies to the clinic within 10 years, create 12,000 jobs and position Canada as a global leader in the field."
The supercluster initiative will launch a competition for funds this year with a focus on six "highly innovative industries" including health and bio-sciences. The recommendation comes after the Advisory Council on Economic Development noted that Canada's "world-class regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy development" could unlock innovation and drive economic growth.
The Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, which has been calling on the federal government to implement the proposed national strategy, looks forward to working with its partners to answer the call for business-led innovation superclusters to advance stem cell therapies to save lives and grow the economy.
"Canada produces some of the best stem cell research in the world," said Mr. Price. "We must now translate our research into commercial success."
BBC program raises concerns over potential dangers of unproven eye treatments
Last week we wrote about three women whose vision was lost or damaged after they were injected with stem cells derived from their own fat tissue in a Florida clinic.…
Last week we wrote about three women whose vision was lost or damaged after they were injected with stem cells derived from their own fat tissue in a Florida clinic.
This week, a Calgary doctor who uses our website "to educate patients on avoiding the 'pop up' shops" offering unproven stem cell treatments, wrote to make us aware of a BBC podcast called Assignment that recently featured an episode titled The Stem Cell Hard Sell.
The UK program focused on another Florida clinic that provides — for a $20,000 fee — eye implants derived from bone marrow stem cells drawn from a patient's pelvis. Central to the piece is the story of an American man named George Gibson who claims he lost sight in one eye after undergoing the procedure.
The treatment is part of a clinical study that's listed with the U.S. National Institutes of Health called The Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study-(SCOTS). However it is unclear if the study is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The BBC program points out that researchers usually do not charge patients for the treatments in a clinical trial or study because the outcomes can't be guaranteed. As we have written in this space before, having patients pay for treatments tends to encourage them to "buy into" seeing favourable results that might not truly be there.
Dr. Paul Knoepfler, an American researcher whose lab conducts stem and cancer cell research at the University of California Davis School of Medicine in Sacramento, writes extensively about unproven stem cell treatments. His blog, The Niche, has dealt with SCOTS, drawing comments from one man who claims his vision was significantly improved and from others — including Mr. Gibson — who warn against the treatment.
A press release about the SCOTS trial, says investigators "hope that the treatment will be shown to improve vision in the vast majority of individuals who are enrolled" and mentions that "previous anecdotal experience with eye disease treated with stem cells has been positive." However a disclaimer states that "no guarantees of specific improvements or visual results are being made" and that "any medical procedure carries risks as well as potential benefits." The study, to include 300 patients, has published two case studies of patients whose vision improved.
Our Towards Treatment section explains that we currently know of no Health Canada of FDA approved stem cell treatments for eye disease. Anyone considering such a treatment or participating in a study or trial should consult with their doctors and medical professionals. As well, the International Society for Stem Cell Research has great information for anyone considering any type of stem cell treatment. You can find it here.
Unproven stem cell treatment leaves three women blind
Three women who believed they were participating in a clinical trial either lost all or most of their vision after being injected with stem cells derived from their own fat in a Florida clinic. …
Three women who believed they were participating in a clinical trial either lost all or most of their vision after being injected with stem cells derived from their own fat in a Florida clinic. The case points to the dangers of unproven treatments offered by private clinics.
Within days of treatment the women, who all suffered from macular degeneration, began to experience severe side effects including bleeding in the eye, detached retinas and vision loss as reported in a study released week in The New England Journal of Medicine. Expert ophthalmologists tried to reverse the damage but were unable.
"There's a lot of hope for stem cells, and these types of clinics appeal to patients desperate for care who hope that stem cells are going to be the answer, but in this case these women participated in a clinical enterprise that was off-the-charts dangerous" said Dr. Thomas Alibini, a lead author of the study, in a press release.
This isn't the first time there have been adverse reactions to unproven treatments offered at clinics, many using stem cells drawn from the patient's own fat, and we've written about it several times on this blog warning patients to be cautious of claims that appear too good to be true.
So how can patients protect themselves? The California Institute of Regenerative Medicine offers this advice:
- There is almost no evidence that the fat/blood stem cell combination the clinic used could help repair the photoreceptor cells in the eye that are attacked in macular degeneration.
- The clinic charged the women $5,000 for the procedure. Usually in Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved trials the clinical trial sponsor will cover the cost of the therapy being tested.
- Both eyes were injected at the same time. Most clinical trials would only treat one eye at a time and allow up to 30 days between patients to ensure the approach was safe.
- Even though the treatment was listed on the clinicaltrials.gov website, there is no evidence that this was part of a clinical trial, and certainly not one approved by the FDA.
Most importantly, patients should check with their doctor before considering any medical treatment or participating in any clinical trial. You can also find great information for patients considering stem cell treatments here that has been produced by the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR).
New report echoes call to build on Canada's stem cell strength
Stem cells have the potential to transform Canadian health care by improving patient outcomes and making the system more efficient, according to a new report by the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA).…
Stem cells have the potential to transform Canadian health care by improving patient outcomes and making the system more efficient, according to a new report by the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA).
Titled Building on Canada's Strengths in Regenerative Medicine, the report was commissioned by the federal government's Ministries of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) and Health Canada
"We especially appreciate Science Minister Kirsty Duncan's efforts at highlighting Canada's academic research strengths in stem cells," said James Price, President and CEO of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation. "This is another good example — this time focusing on academic strengths — of how Canada's depth in stem cells and regenerative medicine is now being widely recognized.
The CCA document follows last month's report by the Finance Minister Bill Morneau's Advisory Council on Economic Growth that singled out the stem cell sector and suggested that building on Canada's "world-class regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy development" could unlock innovation and drive economic growth.
The CCA report, the release of which coincides with the beginning of the two-day PanCanadian Strategic Forum on Cell and Gene Therapy in Montreal, hosted by CellCAN — Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy Network and BioCanRx. It will feature a panel discussion, moderated by Mr. Price and featuring a talk by Dr. Janet Rossant, chair of the steering committee that produced the CCA report, looking at ways to move the field forward.
Among the report's key findings:
- There is a need for a long-term funding strategy to encourage research and development across the country.
- There is an opportunity to accelerate translation of research discoveries into clinical applications.
- There needs to be greater co-ordination between the federal regulators who decide about the safety and efficacy of stem cell/regenerative medicine therapies and the provincial reimbursers who decide what therapies will be covered by health care plans.
UK study further substantiates stem cell treatment for MS
Last summer we blogged about a team at The Ottawa Hospital that had proved a stem cell/chemo combo treatment could halt the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) and — in some cases — help patients recover from the autoimmune disease.…
Last summer we blogged about a team at The Ottawa Hospital that had proved a stem cell/chemo combo treatment could halt the progression of multiple sclerosis (MS) and — in some cases — help patients recover from the autoimmune disease.
Now comes news from the United Kingdom that further substantiates the work of Drs. Harry Atkins and Mark Freedman in showing that using bone marrow stem cell transplants to rebuild an MS patient's immune system can prevent the disease from worsening and dramatically improve mobility and freedom from pain for some.
The Atkins-Freedman study, published in the prestigious Lancet journal, focused on two dozen patients treated over a decade. The UK study, published last week in JAMA Neurology, reviewed 281 patients tracked over five years. Led by Dr. Paolo Muraro of Imperial College London, the study found the treatment prevented symptoms of severe disease from worsening for five years for almost half of the patients treated. Drs. Atkins and Freedman co-authored the UK study and results from their work were included in the review.
Among patients with relapsing MS, nearly three in four saw no worsening of their symptoms five years after treatment, while younger patients with less severe forms of the disease were more likely respond to the therapy. Most of the patients, though, had progressive MS, which is more severe. Among them, one in three experienced no worsening of symptoms, according to a report by Imperial College.
MS occurs when a person's immune system misfires and begins attacking nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Currently, there is no treatment for sever, progressive MS.
In essence, the new approach, which is called autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, involves extracting the patient's own bone marrow stem cells and fortifying them, then destroying their immune system through chemotherapy. The stem cells are then transplanted back into the patient to rebuild the immune system — ideally without the disease.
The stem cell/chemo treatment is not for everyone who has MS — young people with more robust stem cells tend to respond better than older patients — and it comes with risks. Eight patients died following the treatment.
Dr. Muraro said the risks must be weighed against the benefits: "We previously knew this treatment reboots or resets the immune system – and that it carried risks – but we didn't know how long the benefits lasted. In this study, which is the largest long-term follow-up study of this procedure, we've shown we can 'freeze' a patient's disease – and stop it from becoming worse, for up to five years."
Strategic Forum on cell therapies asks, 'Where do we go from here?'
What will it take to move regenerative medicine forward so that it can deliver more cures and treatments for age-old diseases?…
What will it take to move regenerative medicine forward so that it can deliver more cures and treatments for age-old diseases?
That's the subject of the First PanCanadian Strategic Forum on Cell and Gene Therapy to be held March 9 and 10 at the Westin Montreal.
"The cell and gene therapy ecosystem in Canada is coming to a level of maturity where we're going to be ready to reap the fruit from it," says Dr. Anne-Marie Alarco, former Chief Scientific Officer of CellCAN — Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy Network. "But it's not going to happen passively. We have to put action in place."
CellCAN is organizing the Forum in partnership with the Centre for Commercialization of Cancer Immunotherapy (C3i) and BioCanRx.
There is a sense of urgency to begin harvesting the "low hanging fruit," says Dr. Alarco. Otherwise, she says, Canada could miss out.
Unlike the annual Till & McCulloch Meetings, which focus on the most recent scientific advances in cell therapies and regenerative medicine, the Strategic Forum will concentrate on what's needed to move therapies into the clinic. Organizers expect to draw a range of academics, scientists, health agency representatives, government regulators, venture capitalists and business leaders from pharma and biotech.
"The idea is to bring together all the major stakeholders," says Dr. Alarco, "to determine where we are in terms of cell therapies and gene therapies. We have all the elements for what we hope will be an interactive conversation. Hopefully, we will come up with a number action items."
Lectures and workshops will consider ways to overcome barriers to implementing cell and gene therapies in Canada; build on effective commercialization for the benefit of all Canadians; and identify reimbursement possibilities for developing novel therapies..
Keynote speaker Dr Janet Rossant, President & Scientific Director of the Gairdner Foundation and Chair of the steering committee of the Council of Canadian Academies Workshop on Regenerative Medicine. Their soon-to-be-released report was commissioned by the federal government.
As well, speakers from the United Kingdom, Japan and California will discuss steps taken in their jurisdictions to move the science from the researchers' laboratories to the patients' bedsides.
"It is the medicine of the future," says Dr. Alarco. "We hope to have action items in for this to become a reality for Canadians."
Is Canada ready for The Next Big Thing in cancer treatment?
Think of cancer immunotherapy as an inside job: While chemotherapy and radiation destroy cancer cells from the outside, cancer immunotherapy deploys the patient's own immune system to attack the disease from within.…
Think of cancer immunotherapy as an inside job: While chemotherapy and radiation destroy cancer cells from the outside, cancer immunotherapy deploys the patient's own immune system to attack the disease from within.
Cancer immunotherapy's arsenal of immunotherapies ranges from monoclonal antibodies that can target malignant cells, inhibitors that help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells, vaccines that trigger an anti-cancer response, and re-engineered and expanded T-cells designed to kill specific cancer cells.
For patients, the life-enhancing prospects of not having to endure the toxic side-effects of chemo and radiation are almost as appealing as the life-saving cures that this revolutionary field of oncological research is poised to deliver.
"The evidence suggests we are at the beginning of a whole new era for cancer treatments," Prof. Peter Johnson, Director of Medical Oncology at Cancer Research UK, told the Daily Mail in 2015. Things have only accelerated since then for The Next Big Thing in cancer care.
The cancer immunotherapy revolution is moving fast and turning the oncology world upside down, according to Dr. Lambert Busque, Chief Medical Officer of the Centre for Commercialization of Cancer immunotherapy (C3i). Established last year by Canada's Networks of Centres of Excellence, C3i predicts that immunotherapy could be used in the majority of advanced cancer cases in less than a decade.
Which raises the question: is Canada ready for this revolution in cancer care?
"There is a lot of knowledge and competence in Canada," says Dr. Busque, whose C3i organization operates out of the Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont's Integrated University Center of East Montreal. But, he says, Canada needs greater capacity to translate immunotherapies into patient care and to help Canadian companies compete in a rapidly growing global market.
To address those concerns, C3i is partnering with CellCAN Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy Network and BioCanRx to host next month's PanCanadian Strategic Forum on Cell and Gene Therapy in Montreal. Dr. Busque will moderate a panel discussion on what it will take for Canada to become a world leader in commercializing cancer immunotherapy, drawing on the C3i model.
"We designed C3i to be very close to the clinic," says Dr. Busque. "Because treatment and health care is part of the public sector while development is done in the private sector, the key is to make the link between them, to have a structure to help Canadian inventions mature rapidly and have better access to markets. If we have no instrument to do that, the development will go outside the country."
Canada, in fact, could become a hub for cancer immunotherapy development if 3Ci can succeed strengthening collaborations with major pharmaceutical firms in driving clinical trial development. Dr. Busque cites C3i's access to a "state of the art" certified Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) cell manufacturing unit as critical for conducting trials and developing cell-based and biological therapeutics.
C3i is also making the development of biomarkers a priority. Because not all cancer patients respond in the same way with the same immunotherapy, researchers worldwide have focused their attention on developing biomarkers that can predict therapy outcomes and help doctors tailor treatments to a particular patient or type of patient.
"Biomarkers will be crucial in the development of therapies," says Dr. Busque. "So we are developing a biomarker unit with next generation computer sequencing to do cutting edge analysis of cellular biomarkers."
Having already built a network of oncology centres across Quebec, C3i hopes to create linkages across Canada to expand access to patients for larger scale clinical trials.
"We're not alone. We're going to be one piece of a large puzzle in Canada. There are so many great contributions being made across Canada. We hope to be a catalyst in respect to Canadian collaborations because Canada can be extremely successful."
Advisory Council on Economic Growth highlights Canada's stem cell strength
Building on Canada's "world-class regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy development" could unlock innovation and drive economic growth, according to an Advisory Council on Economic Growth report released Monday.…
Building on Canada's "world-class regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy development" could unlock innovation and drive economic growth, according to an Advisory Council on Economic Growth report released Monday.
The Advisory Council, created by Finance Minister Bill Morneau to find ways to unleash Canada's economic potential, focused on four sectors in which "Canada has a strong endowment, untapped potential and significant global growth prospects." The four include: agriculture and food (agfood); advanced manufacturing; energy and renewables; and health care and life sciences.
"It's a clear victory for the stem cells to be included in this report," says James Price, President and CEO of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation. "It shows that our message is getting through and that the Government of Canada recognizes the powerful potential of stem cells and regenerative medicine to not just deliver cures for a number of diseases but significantly boost the economy. "
The Foundation champions the Canadian Stem Cell Strategy, a 10-year private-public partnership that aligns the efforts of Canada's research scientists, medical professionals, industry partners and philanthropists to move therapies into the clinic, create thousands of high-quality jobs and secure a share of the burgeoning regenerative medicine global market for Canada.
The Advisory Council favours such private-public partnerships, stressing that "government and business should work together to identify and remove the unnecessary obstacles to economic growth" and noting that such partnerships "would help raise our collective ambition and unleash Canada's real and inclusive growth potential."
As well, the report, the second of two the Advisory Council has submitted to Minister Morneau as he prepares the federal budget, suggests Canada "seize opportunities (for example by convening private and public actors and setting a sector wide aspiration)."
The Canadian Stem Cell Strategy "creates a roadmap for government and business to work together to do exactly that," says Mr. Price. "It would clear hurdles for Canada to commercialize more research, bring more clinical trials on stream, develop more therapies and products, and create more jobs."
Canada stands among the top nations in stem cells and regenerative medicine. The building block cells were discovered by two Canadians — Drs. James Till and Ernest McCulloch — in Toronto in the 1960s and subsequent generations of researchers have made some of the most important discoveries in the field worldwide. Clinical trials are underway in Canada using stem cells to treat type 1 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and septic shock, while doctors at The Ottawa Hospital have successfully used stem cells to treat autoimmune disease such as multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease and scleroderma.
However, Canada is falling behind in terms of funding, with other jurisdictions, particularly California and Japan, investing billions to find new therapies, develop new products and reap the economic benefits.
Minister Morneau established the Advisory Council in March 2016 to develop advice on policy actions "for strong and sustained long-term economic growth." The first report, released in October, gave recommendations on investing in infrastructure, attracting foreign investment and enhancing economic immigration.
Globe series highlights Till & McCulloch's remarkable stem cell discovery
Sometimes popular recognition takes time. After more than 50 years, Drs. James Till and Ernest McCulloch are finally getting their moment in the spotlight of public appreciation.…
Sometimes popular recognition takes time. After more than 50 years, Drs. James Till and Ernest McCulloch are finally getting their moment in the spotlight of public appreciation.
The Globe & Mail's ongoing Great Canadian Inventions series, which highlights people, products and discoveries that have changed the world, today features the two great men who proved the existence of stem cells back in the early 1960s. The series runs throughout 2017 to mark the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
The Globe's public health reporter André Picard reports that the discovery "is considered among the most seminal medical findings of the past century, on par with the discovery of the double-helical structure of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick."
Stem cells have revolutionized cancer treatment and set the stage for the emergence of new therapies for a wide range of currently incurable diseases. New treatments are already succeeding in overcoming autoimmune diseases like MS.
Stem cells are also good for the economy. The article cites STEMCELL Technologies, the Vancouver-based biotech company founded by former Till & McCulloch postgraduate student Dr. Allen Eaves, as a key player in a burgeoning field that is expected to produce a $49-billion global market within four years.
James Price, President & CEO of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, notes in the Globe piece that the Till & McCulloch discovery initially didn't get the attention it deserved. "But they set the stage for all the current stem cell research and helped make Canada a magnet for talent and investment in biotech."
The article comes after last fall's unveiling of the Till & McCulloch statue outside doors of BC's Telus Science World in Vancouver. A duplicate statue is to be installed in downtown Toronto this spring. It marks a considerable turnaround in recognition. In 2004, CBC Television ran a series called The Greatest Canadian, compiling a list of the 100 greatest Canadians ever. They followed it with a 2007 series on 50 of the Greatest Canadian Inventions. While Don Cherry was featured in the former and the Wonder Bra in the latter, Till & McCulloch and stem cells were left out of both.
The Globe series, however, got right to it in recognizing Till & McCulloch: they are the second Canadians to be featured this year after a Jan. 9th article celebrated how Jacques Plante changed the game of hockey by popularizing the goalie mask.
Dr. Till, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, remains busy as a leading advocate for opening access to scientific journals. Dr. McCulloch died in 2011. The remarkable story of Till & McCulloch's stem cell discovery and their amazing legacy is told in Dreams & Due Diligence, published by University of Toronto Press and available through their website or via Amazon books.
CTV tells story of Dan Muscat's '180-degree' turnaround
In this blog and in our Fall/Winter newsletter we told the story of Dan Muscat, the St. Thomas, Ontario jeweler who has seen remarkable reductions in the symptoms of his scleroderma — a painful and deadly disease that turns the skin of its victims into cement-like hardness and then petrifies their internal organs.…
In this blog and in our Fall/Winter newsletter we told the story of Dan Muscat, the St. Thomas, Ontario jeweler who has seen remarkable reductions in the symptoms of his scleroderma — a painful and deadly disease that turns the skin of its victims into cement-like hardness and then petrifies their internal organs.
Over the summer, Dan underwent an experimental stem cell therapy at The Ottawa Hospital under the care of Dr. Harry Atkins, who has done outstanding work in treating patients with other autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Stiff Person's Syndrome and Crohn's disease using a combination chemotherapy/stem cell approach.
Avis Favaro reported on Dan's "180-degree" turnaround on CTV National News last night, telling Dan's powerful story. You can watch it here.
After the initial report, the CTV website provides a four-minute interview with Dan that goes into greater detail, along with interviews with Dr. Atkins and James Price, President and CEO of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation, who says "Dan's story is an exciting one for the field."
As Ms Favaro says at the end of her report, Dan continues to get improve and is now able to walk three kilometres on a treadmill. While the extreme treatment isn't for all scleroderma patients — it comes with potentially fatal risks — it offers new hope where none existed before.
In the wake of the CTV story on Dan, The Ottawa Hospital has produced an online resource for people seeking more information about chemo/stem cell treatments for scleroderma and other autoimmune diseases like MS and Stiff Person's Syndrome. You can find it here.


text:
Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off
Repetitive, long, and pretty boring. I couldn't get into it and I fail to see the genius.
Digging: Swallow the Sun - The Morning Never Came
Album Rating: 4.0so this basically fucking rules
Album Rating: 4.0something along those lines ya
Album Rating: 4.0"Someone doesn't listen to doom."
pretty much this
Digging: Converge - The Dusk in Us
Album Rating: 4.5yea :]
Album Rating: 4.5yea
Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off"Repetitive, long, and pretty boring. I couldn't get into it and I fail to see the genius."
Considering that nearly every BTBaM album and Opeth album are classics to you,I just can't value your opinion with a bit of bias
Album Rating: 4.5give it a few more spins cmon
Album Rating: 4.5you should be "cumin on" this
Album Rating: 4.5yea! :]
Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Offyea
Album Rating: 4.0cmon cmon
Digging: Fleurety - The White Death
Album Rating: 4.5yea like seriously
Digging: Chelsea Wolfe - Hiss Spun
Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound OffIf I were to combine Esoteric with dark ambient - what will I get?
Does such an ungodly thing exist??
album is still massive
Album Rating: 4.5might drop my rating to a 4 on this
Album Rating: 4.5no.
Bands: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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text:
life on floating islands of Los Uros
Isla Los Uros Travel Blog› entry 21 of 26 › view all entries
We decided to book a boat tour to the islands through our hotel. It was cheaper than through the TI or at the dock. We had a super quick breakfast and were picked up by a bus for our tour. We stopped at a few other hotels before getting dropped off at the dock. We were instructed to walk to the 5th boat, except you got there by climbing over all the other boats before it. Hmmm, interesting. Not my favorite. I'm not a huge fan of water to begin with and here we are walking along very rocky boats stepping in and out of them and balancing along the seats. But I made it without falling in.
Once on board, we were entertained by a musician seeking donations before finally departing.
Our first stop was Apu Kontiki, a floating reed island that was part of Isla Los Uros. This island culture is fascinating and I'm really glad we got to stop. We were given a demonstration of how the islands are constructed. A Quechua man and woman demonstrated while our guide spoke in English and Spanish. The islands are built on 3 meter thick root mass that floats. Several root masses are tied together into one island, which is then staked and anchored to the lakebed to keep the island from drifting.
We were given some time to wander around the island and climb up the little tower for a nice view. The families were selling handicrafts but also make money by agreeing to have these tour groups visit their island.
This other island was much the same as the first, but it had a fish shaped tower. We didn't stay long. Back on our boat we settled in for a long ride to the next island, Taquile. The water got a little choppier once we got farther out into the lake.


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Dr. Tate graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1996. She works in Charlotte, NC and specializes in Psychiatry. Dr. Tate is affiliated with Carolinas HealthCare System University, Carolinas Medical Center, Carolinas Medical Center Mercy and Carolinas Medical Center Pineville.
Medical School: University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; Graduated 1996
Please verify insurance information directly with your doctor's office as it may change frequently.
501 Billingsley Rd
Charlotte, NC 28211
(704) 444-2400
Fax: (704) 358-2966
Practice Website: carolinasrehabilitation.org
Accepting New Patients: Yes
Medicare Accepted: Yes
Medicaid Accepted: Yes
Not Available


text:
Thursday, January 19, 2006
MOREHEAD - Georgia Fern Crager, age 74, of Partin Street, Clearfield, Kentucky, passed away on Monday, January 16, 2006, at her residence.
She was born on November 25, 1931, in Clearfield, and was the daughter of Louie G. Crager and Mary Ethel Stewart Crager. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by two brothers, Ralph David Crager and Louie Isadore Crager. She is survived by one sister, Norma Jane Cloyd of Clearfield, Kentucky; one brother, Fred T. Crager of Clearfield, Kentucky; 6 nieces; 4 nephews; several great nieces and nephews; cousins; and other family and friends.
She was a graduate of Breckinridge Training School, attended Morehead State and graduated from the Nazarene School of Nursing, Lexington, Kentucky. In 1990, Georgia retired as a registered nurse from Bethesda Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. Georgia was devoted to her family. She was an avid reader, enjoyed crocheting, traveling and her summer visits to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. She was a member of the Johnson Church of God, Cranston Road, and served on the Board of the Stewart Cemetery Association.
Funeral services
were conducted at 3 p.m. Wednesday, January 18, 2006, at Northcutt & Son
Home for Funerals Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Ben Furman officiating and a
eulogy by John Carter of Arlington, Virginia, a close friend of the family;
burial was in the Stewart Cemetery at Clearfield. Nieces served as pallbearers.
Honorary pallbearers were nephews and great nieces and nephews.


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Below is a list of the current ISPA Board of Directors. The ISPA Board of Directors is comprised of five volunteers who have been elected by the ISPA membership to serve for a term of up to two years (depending on position) to continue the progress of guiding and structuring the sport, however deal with ISPA business via email on a daily basis. The Board meets regularly, at least once per month (times vary because of multiple time zones that Board members are in) via Skype conference call.
Alexander van Riesen
Born in Sweden in 1971
Segway Polo: Stood on a Segway the first time in 2008 and said "you just have to use this machine to play a form of polo – segway polo". Googled and found that such a sport where already in creation! Where teams had formed in USA, Barbados and Germany among other places. Directly then created the team Stockholm Saints in 2008 as well as founding Stockholm Segway Polo Club in 2010. Sthlm Saints played in its first major tournament, Woz Challenge Cup (World Cup), in 2010 in Barbados, coming fifth place out of eight. Have participated in every World Cup ever since. 2012 he took initiative for Stockholm Segway Polo Club to arrange Woz Challenge Cup in Stockholm, acting as a Chief Event Manager. In 2013 Sthlm Saints became World Champions at the World Cup in Washington DC, USA.2014-2016 he was Vice Chairman on the BoD of ISPA. Has a big heart and passion for Segway Polo: "The Sport of Equals", and a ambition to let more people of all ages experience this great sport.
Professional background: Founder, CEO, Entrepreneur and Management Consultant. A results-oriented person with over 20 years experience working with sales, marketing, business development, technology /digital development (web, social media, mobile and e-commerce), management, strategy and organizational consulting. Have had consistent success in creating and executing on strategies, leveraging teams, establishing new IT-solutions, change management projects, rolling out programs, establishing new solutions as well as forming partnerships and alliances.
Hobbies & Interests: Are spanning over a wide area from Segway Polo, Sailing, Diving, Snowboarding and Traveling among others.
Mark Weller
Vice Chairman
Born in the UK in 1974
Started playing Segway Polo in 2013
Introduced Segway Polo to the UK in 2014 and co-organised the UK's first ever International Segway Polo Tournament in April 2015, followed by the UK's first National Tournament 2015 and Warwick Winter Tournament 2015.
Tournaments: Zurich Cup 2013, Zurich Cup 2014, Woz Cup 2015.
Hobbies: Squash, rackell ball, skiing, Bikram yoga, mountain biking, but mostly playing Segway Polo.
History: Previously played and taught horse polo, during which time he'd also met his now wife April Weller. But when he came across Segway Polo, which he referred to as the 'Sport of Equals', he was hooked. On discovering the sport, he enjoyed the games and its community so much that he then embarked on a tour of Germany visiting the various teams and playing alongside them. Shortly after deciding the sport was one to offer everyone an opportunity to play in the UK, he bought an additional 11 Segways, a van and all of the essential equipment required for playing games. Together with April, they left the world of traditional polo, created 'UK Segway Polo' and set about introducing the sport to the UK. The sport has been enjoying a steady growth and with the support of existing UK players, the first ever UK based Club is undergoing creation and has been named 'Warwick Segway Polo Club'. Aside from also providing coaching at the practice sessions, Mark is also currently reviewing the fundamental Segway Polo rules to look into whether any adjustments might benefit the sport, whilst simultaneously maintaining its overall appeal.
Michael O'Connor
Born in Atchison, Kansas USA in 1961, two grown children, one grandson
Raised in Indiana, lived 30 years in Northern California, now in Dallas, TX
Currently working as Director of Sales Engineer for Oracle Corporation
Hobbies: Yoga, travel, wake boarding, technology, motorsports
Segway Polo: Major Tournaments: WozCup 2011, 2012, 2015 and Euro-Cup in 2016
Having started practicing in the spring of 2011, I volunteered to assist with Woz Cup 2011 preparation in Folsom, CA. Much to my surprise, I was invited to play on the Folsom Breakout. From that amazing experience I knew this sport and fellow players would become an important part of my life. Although the Folsom Breakout existing only for a brief time, the connections I made allowed me to continue to develop my game and resulted in new friends and opportunites to travel, play with many wonderful teams and to participate in over a dozen tournaments. Perhaps more importantly, the sport has enabled me to develop what I trust will prove to be life-long friends and extended family. If you've not yet tried Segway Polo, I encourage you to check it out. You'll be glad you did!
Reto Jungkind
Reto was born and raised in Ascona (in the Italian speaking part of Switzerland) and has been living in Geneva for almost 20 years. He is the operations manager of Cityhwheels, a company specialized in Segway tours and events and has been infected with the Segway Polo virus since the 2015 Woz Challenge Cup in Cologne. Whenever his "home Team" (the Swiss "Helvetic Vipers") cannot play due to insufficient number of players, and if time allows it, he is always ready to join another team that is looking for a player. So far he has been a guest-player with the "X-Turtles", the "Hannover Hot Wheels" and the "Funky-Move Turtles", as well as on an ad-hoc teams at the "Niklaus Turnier" in Solingen. Reto is eager to make a contribution to the Sport of Equals, has already started refereeing games at the Euro/Klingen Cup in Solingen and at the ISPA European Championship in Denia and now commits to foster and further Segway Polo as ISPA's Secretary.


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I was introduced to the novels of Roger Smith by Dave Zeltserman. The typically blurb shy Massachusetts author had nothing but raves for Smith's debut novel, Mixed Blood:
"This is a very dark, violent book where the violence is played straight and not for laughs, and plays almost like a Parker book if Parker ever ended up in Capetown, and found himself a family man and his 4-year old son kidnapped. While this is a first novel, it doesn't read like one. Not one moment of slack from beginning to end."
Of course, the blurb and Zelterman's near constant praise wasn't enough to sell me on Mixed Blood. In recent years, I've been gun shy about purchasing internationally penned noir/hardboiled novels, especially after the lack luster glut of Icelandic novels which have invaded U.S. shores and—no pun intended—have left me cold.
But I finally relented and purchased Mixed Blood and rapidly devoured the debut novel in two all too brief sittings, leaving me wanting more.
Smith quickly followed up with Wake Up Dead and fulfilled the promise of Mixed Blood and delivered one of the most breathless thrillers in recent memory.
I contacted Smith in hopes to entice the South African to write a piece for my little thug of a publication, Crimefactory magazine (Which, to my surprise, he enthusiastically agreed to.) and along with the piece, he also agreed to sit down and participate in the first of a series of print interviews I'll be conducting for Spinetingler magazine.
I hope you enjoy it.
Check out the review after the jump.
Keith Rawson: Before becoming a novelist you worked in the film industry, what did you do in film and how long were you involved in it?
Roger Smith: I can say in all honesty that over the last 30 years I have done every job in the movie industry with the exception of hair-styling. I even did make-up, once. Years ago, on an ultra-cheapo movie, the make-up artist walked off set and I got drafted in. Man, not my finest hour.
As a twenty-year old I started off as an animator, long before the computer graphics revolution. Everything was done by hand back then, frame by frame. After a few months my brain started melting and I fled out into the world of live-action film, where I began as a gofer and later worked as a camera assistant, a cameraman, an editor and then as a director, producer and screenwriter.
I have written a huge amount of stuff for movies and TV in Africa – everything from sit-coms to drama series. No soaps, I'm pleased to say.
When did you decide to make the jump from film to writing novels and what was your motivation to do so?
My motivation was hunger, pure and simple. At the beginning of 2007 all the screenwriting work I had lined up for the year evaporated. Projects were cancelled, finance disappeared, and I was left staring at an empty year. So I did the craziest thing a grown man can do: I mortgaged my apartment and sat down and wrote my first thriller, Mixed Blood. Happily, I sold it!
Why did you decide to focus on crime fiction and who or what influenced that decision?
I've always loved crime fiction, especially the edgy American stuff. As a teenager I lapped up the Parker series by Richard Stark/ Donald Westlake, Jim Thompson's dark opuses, as well as the early, gritty, work of Elmore Leonard.
I always wanted to write crime, but I grew up in apartheid South Africa, and the quickest route to irrelevancy in the 80s and 90s would have been writing crime fiction. So I founded a non-racial movie co-operative that produced anti-apartheid films, and did what little I could to oppose the sick bastards who ran my country back then.
Thankfully, apartheid ended by the mid-nineties, and South Africa went from being pariah of the world to everybody's darling under Nelson Mandela. Unfortunately, the bubble burst when Mandela moved on: crime and corruption replaced apartheid as our number one social ill. We now have the highest homicide statistics in the world. One in four South African women will be raped in her lifetime, and children are raped and murdered at a rate that defies belief. South Africa's top cop – still commissioner of police and head of Interpol at the time of his arrest – is on trial for racketeering and taking bribes from organized crime.
So writing crime set in South Africa isn't only relevant now, for me it's about the only way to stay sane.
I recently read that your first novel, Mixed Blood, has been optioned for film. What production company/studio bought the option? Is there a director or actors attached to the project?
The Mixed Blood movie is in development with GreeneStreet films, NYC. Kelly Masterson is adapting, and Phillip Noyce (The Quiet American, Patriot Games, Salt) is on board to direct. Samuel L. Jackson will play Zulu detective, Disaster Zondi.
How far along in the process is it to actually being filmed and how much involvement do you have in it?
The screenplay is done, and shooting is scheduled for late 2010 in Cape Town.
As a screenwriter, I've adapted books by other writers and know that the best thing for the project is for the author to remain in the background. Kelly Masterson wrote the twisty neo-noir Before the Devil Knows You're Dead – one of my favorite movies of recent years – and I'm excited to see how he translates my book to the screen. I look forward to watching the movie with a box of popcorn in my hands.
You paint Cape Town as an intensely violent city in both Mixed Blood and Wake Up Dead, how much of that is fiction and how much of it is fact?
My books are fiction, of course, but they are a very realistic depiction of Cape Town. All of Cape Town, not just the tourist spots.
The Cape Flats – the flipside of the Cape Town picture postcard – is about as violent a place as you'll find outside of a war zone. Forty years ago, the apartheid government dumped anybody who wasn't white out in this windswept maze of shacks and matchbox houses. Ruled by drug lords and gangsters, the Flats has the highest number of rapes and murders in South Africa, and sex crimes against children are off the charts.
You've been criticized for the amount of violence in your novels, what is your attitude when you read these kinds of reactions and does it ever cause you to second guess yourself when you're writing?
As I've said, I live in – and write about – an extremely violent country. I don't portray anything that doesn't happen every day in South Africa. I loathe the comic book porno-violence of a lot of European and U.S. crime writing (and movies, TV and video games, for that matter) where bloodshed is used to titillate. People aren't turned on by what I write – they're shocked. As they should be. Each day children are raped and slaughtered out on the Cape Flats, just miles from where I live. My partner – who grew up out on the Flats – counsels abused children, and tells me stories that give me nightmares. If this was happening anywhere in the West there would be an outcry. Here it barely makes the newspapers.
Every South African has had direct experience of violent crime. I have been robbed at knife point. Friends of mine have been shot in carjackings and home invasions. In most parts of the world criminals try to avoid violence, knowing that if they wound or kill, the police will be more zealous in pursuing them, and, if convicted, they face severe sentences. But in South Africa criminals deliberately inflict pain on their victims, beating, raping and killing them.
All of this has found its way into my books, Mixed Blood and Wake Up Dead.
For those who are unfamiliar with Wake Up Dead, would you mind briefly summarizing the novel?
Keith, this is the jacket copy I wrote for the book, and I think it sets the scene without too many spoilers:
On a blowtorch-hot night in Cape Town, South Africa, American ex-model Roxy Palmer and her gunrunner husband, Joe, are carjacked, leaving Joe lying in a pool of blood. As the carjackers make their getaway, Roxy makes a fateful choice that changes her life forever.
Disco and Godwynn, the ghetto gangbangers who sped away in Joe's convertible, will stop at nothing to track her down. Billy Afrika, a mixed-race ex-cop turned mercenary, won't let her out of his sight because Joe owed him a chunk of money. And remorselessly hunting them all is Piper, a love-crazed psychopath determined to renew his vows with his jailhouse "wife," Disco.
As these desperate lives collide and old debts are settled in blood, Roxy is caught in a wave of escalating violence in the beautiful and brutal African seaport.
Your two protagonists, Roxy Palmer and Billy Afrika, have the feel of being neither hero or villain, they simply exist without a moral compass. How difficult was it to write these kind amoral characters and yet make them so sympathetic?
I'm not really drawn to squeaky-clean middle-class characters, or quaint and colorful working-class stereotypes. I like to write people who are up against it, out on the fringes of society. In both my books, I purposely created a cast of characters who are nearly all compromised. This to me is more interesting. And more realistic.
I agree that most of my characters are amoral – reflections of a corrupt and amoral society – but I would argue that my books are very moral. Not that I have some omniscient authorial voice lecturing the reader on good and evil – I avoid that like the plague – but justice is seen to be done: street justice, karmic payback, whatever. The very bad guys meet very bad ends. And the not-so-good-guys take their knocks too. Nobody is left unscathed
In Wake Up Dead I wanted to take on the challenge of writing a female protagonist, and Roxy Palmer just seemed to jump fully formed onto the page. I loved writing her, and enjoyed the fact that her good looks and street smarts catapulted her from a Florida trailer park – living with an alcoholic mother and a succession of "daddies", the last of whom was an amateur photographer who took her picture and her cherry by the time she was fourteen – to the runways of Paris and Rome, and then to Cape Town where she married South African Joe for his money.
Yes, Roxy grabs an opportunity and does a very bad thing, setting off a chain of events that leaves her fighting for her life. There's nothing calculated or premeditated about what she does. She acts on impulse, like she always has. But I like to believe that although Roxy isn't a "good" character in the straightforward sense, that she is believable and sympathetic.
Likewise Billy Afrika. Here's a guy who grew up rough on the Flats, ended up in a gang as a kid, then got set alight and left for dead. What nearly killed him saved his life: a policeman rescued him, took him to hospital and later became his mentor when Billy joined the cops. When his mentor was killed by the savage Piper, Billy handed in his badge and became a mercenary to support the family of his dead partner. And when he comes back to Cape Town he does whatever is necessary to try and save the family. So, again, this is a tormented character, a flawed man, but still a man who is acting selflessly, and even though his methods may be questionable, his motivation is not.
How difficult was it to work with such a large cast of characters in Wake Up Dead? Did you work on the characters parts separately and then tie it together as a whole or did you write the novel straight through?
I guess my background in screenwriting has made me familiar with creating an ensemble cast. I always flesh out my characters before I start the writing process, so that I have clear idea of their motivations and back stories. I also create a mini "character arc" for each of them, and that gives me some kind of roadmap.
Prior to writing I always have three major dramatic events locked down: the opening, which is the catalyst for the story, the mid-point of the book – usually where the conflicts begin to escalate – and some idea of the ending, although that often changes.
Then I sit down and write in a linear progression from beginning to end. As soon as my characters take life on the page, they grab me by the throat and drag me along with them, deep into their dark and messed up lives. I don't have to think too much, just go along for the roller coaster ride.
I usually get a first draft out pretty quickly – in 8 to 12 weeks – and only then do I really begin to understand what I've written, and can start to hone and tighten the work through a number of further drafts.
You portrayal of Pollsmoor Maximum Security prison is very detailed. How much research went into accurately depicting Cape Town prison life?
I went into Cape prisons. I met with ex-convicts and spoken to them at length, and read all the available research material in print and on the Internet. I consulted with experts on the prison gang subculture. People who are familiar with Pollsmoor say my depiction of the place is very accurate.
Now on the flip side of the ease in which you wrote Roxy Palmer, how difficult—or easy—was it to write Wake Up Dead's bleak antagonist, Piper? (Who, I might add, is one of the darkest villains I've encountered in quite some time)
Glad you enjoyed him, Keith. I love creating villains – the process probably allows me to exorcise my own dark side. Piper was great to write: a genuinely evil being, capable of the most extreme acts of violence, but with a really sick streak of sentimentality running through him.
And Piper is rooted very much in reality. Doing research for Wake Up Dead, I met guys like him. They had a similar story to tell: under apartheid, going to prison was inevitable if you weren't white. And in the racially segregated prisons they quickly found they had power over weaker brown men. They joined the prison gangs, wore the tattoos of rank, murdered fellow inmates as part of initiation rites. Found that they never wanted to leave this world of brutal discipline and unbreakable codes. Every time they came up for parole they committed another crime and had time added on to their sentences, and gained more power in the gangs.
I wanted Piper to be more than a run-of-the-mill psycho, so I gave him a weakness: his sick love for the beautiful and tragic Disco, one of the men who carjack Roxy and her husband at the beginning of the book.
The relationship between Piper and Disco is all about power and abuse. As a child on the Cape Flats, Piper was sexually abused, like many children are, and grew up to be an abuser, like many do. Disco, cursed with a pretty face, is gang raped on his first night in prison, until Piper becomes his protector. Disco has to pay a price for the protection. Piper makes Disco his "wife" and rapes him for the duration of his sentence, and brands his body with crude tattoos, a sign of ownership.
When Disco comes up for parole Piper gets him to swear that he will commit a crime, deliberately get caught, and returned to prison. Disco has no intention of doing that, and lives in terror being sent back to Pollsmoor, into the arms of Piper. And Piper is so obsessed that he breaks out of prison to bring Disco back to Pollsmoor with him. On the outside he commits a string of barbaric rapes and murders – forcing Disco to participate – knowing they will both be sent back to Pollsmoor Prison for life. Until death does them part.
Billy Afrika seems like an ideal character to start an ongoing series with, are there any plans for his return in future novels?
Even though I enjoyed my time with Billy, I have no immediate plans for him. But you never know . . .
And as a follow up to that question, are you feeling any pressure from your editors and readers to create a series character? And do you have any reluctance in creating a sustained, multi-book character?
I made a conscious decision to write stand-alone thrillers rather than a series. I believe series are better suited to mysteries, where the hero may be beaten, battered and betrayed, but he'll always survive because the author wants readers queuing up at the bookstore for the next installment.
Not so in a stand-alone thriller, where characters are placed in extreme jeopardy that may cost them their lives. To me this juices up the experience for the reader and raises the stakes to the ultimate. This is the level of intensity at which I like to write – an intensity that a series can't match.
Also, I don't do first-person stuff, I'm really drawn to multiple points-of-view, where the reader is always a couple of steps ahead of the characters, riding shotgun with the flawed heroes and villains alike. I try to generate suspense through the anticipation of what will happen when these messed-up people collide.
Having said that, I have reprised one of the characters from Mixed Blood – Zulu Detective Disaster Zondi – for my third book, Dust Devils. But he is part of ensemble cast and plays a supporting role.
So now the inevitable question of what's next? When can we expect a new novel and what are you currently working on right now?
Dust Devils will be out in early 2011. It's quite a change from the first two books, in that is opens in familiar territory with a hit in Cape Town, then becomes a bloody road trip across South Africa, ending in a Zulu tribal valley, where AIDS, savage feuds, and poverty have left the population decimated. It plays out against a background of political corruption and tribal customs in conflict with 21st century Africa.
Right now I'm working on a fourth thriller, which goes deep into the world of child abuse and murder in Cape Town.
Looking forward to Dust Devils and the fourth novel, Roger. Thank you so much for your time.


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Bmore hounds coming to KC to visit mom; I lived there for a long time but that was a LONG time ago & now don't get back but once/year. She lives in Lenexa. Have been to the Thai Place which I don't remember where it was but think I could find it again, it was worth it!
Other places I've gleaned from this board: La Cocina Puerco, 40Sardines, Cassis, Yia Yia's (what a name, but we went a few years ago & had a great dinner).
Anything else not to be missed? We all love a good Margarita. Will of course go for que, probably Hayward's; mom also likes Zarda & it's nearby. Sushi is a non-starter, also probably Indian in that category, don't really care about breakfast.
If we head into KC, Bluebird? Lidia's?
Thanks in advance!