Stem cell breakthrough could help Alzheimer's

SCIENTISTS from Glasgow and Southampton Universities have made a breakthrough that could lead to dramatic advances in stem-cell therapies and treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

The development of a new nanoscale plastic could transform the way stem cells are grown and enable scientist to create far larger and stronger yields.

A report published in the journal Nature Materials suggests the plastic is a simple solution to a problem which has limited the ability to develop therapies.

Dr Matthew Dalby from the University of Glasgow said: "It's been difficult to grow stem cells in sufficient numbers and maintain them as stem cells for use in therapy. Our technology could be the first step in developing large-scale stem cell culture factories allowing the creation of a wide range of therapies for diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease."