Stem cell model developed for hereditary disease

A new study conducted in the US has led to scientists developing a new stem cell model that can be used by hereditary diseases.

Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine reprogrammed stem cells in order to develop into cells that are genetically similar to and react to drugs in a similar way as cells from patients with Gaucher disease.

They will therefore now be able to test potential new therapies in a dish, which could speed up the process toward drug discovery, according to the report, which has been published online in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"We have created a model for all three types of Gaucher disease, and used stem cell-based tests to evaluate the effectiveness of therapies," said senior author Ricardo Feldman, associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Recent research published in the American Society of Haematology found individuals who have undergone stem cell transplants could be at a greater risk of developing heart disease.

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