Finding new treatments for degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Multiple Sclerosis and neural injuries, spinal cord and head trauma as well as treating cardiovascular diseases (heart and blood vessel repair) through stem cell technologies

Animal stem cells and cloning, animal agriculture, veterinary and biomedicine applications.

Human stem cells have great potential for finding and restoring damaged tissues throughout the body and speeding the drug discovery process. We are developing a combined approach of both the cells needed to restore the damaged area and using these cells in a Petri dish to discover new compounds to treat diseases such as Alzheimer's. Through collaborations with others, including scientists at Georgia Tech and Emory, we are developing therapies and drug delivery tools. 

Animal stem cells and cloning benefits are far reaching, from treating race horse bone and cartilage damage to pig stem cells to treat diabetes in humans.  Our platform technology will launch genetic progress in agricultural, veterinary and biomedical industries.  It will enable farmers to have access to the best genetics faster than is currently possible with traditional animal breeding. Cloning facilitates safe and low cost production of life saving drugs in the milk of dairy cattle. We can produce animals resistant to diseases like mad cow disease. .

New neural stem cell technology developed in my lab was transferred to a commercial entity, Aruna Biomedical  This is the first commercialized product derived from human embryonic stem cells using federally approved stem cell lines. Cloning procedures are being developed to improve the efficiencies and reduce the cost of cloning animals.

• We have produced neurons that have neural functions
• We are working with the Navy to use our neural cells as biosensors for environmental toxins
• We have vascular stem cells that have characteristics that may make them suitable for transplantation
• We collaborate with a new Georgia company that will produce stem cells for neural research and drug disc 
• We developed a method to test new compounds for Alzheimer's disease using our neural stem cells
• One of five NIH stem cell training centers and have taught Scientists from Georgia to Bombay India new stem cell techniques
• In the area of cloning, we have produced in Georgia more than 50 cloned calves and 100 cloned pigs.
• We were also able to the first to clone an animal that had been dead 48 hours. This opportunities in agriculture and preserving endangered species.

Support from the Georgia Research Alliance and the opportunity to participate in commercial opportunities.  We have started three new companies in the above areas.