Stem Cells From Fat

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/3874702.html

By: Steve Nicoles, Reporter
KCRG.com...Cedar Rapids, IA

CORALVILLE - The controversy surrounding embryonic stem cells is not going away, but a group of doctors in Coralville has side-stepped the debate while still moving forward with stem cell research.

A new source for stem cells has doctors thinking big. If you thought liposuction was just for Hollywood, think again. It is as popular as ever right here in Iowa.

But what happens to the pounds and pounds of fat sucked out of stomachs? The fat is generally discarded and thrown away in the trash can, but a local company wants the fat. All of it.

Dr. Alan Moy is the president and CEO of Cellular Engineering Technologies, or CET. He said, “So we ask them to save that and donate it to science."

CET is taking your fat and harvesting its stem cells. The process includes melting the fat until it separates. Moy said, “Isolated specific stem cells from that discarded fat."

Those stem cells are more generic than cells from bone marrow. So doctors believe they can use the cells to treat almost anything and anyone. Right now their focus is Parkinson's disease. Moy said, “The outcome of this research is definitely geared toward treatment."

Moy says fat is readily available. His company has liters of the lipo lard. And adults get liposuction, so he says the morality issue surrounding embryonic stem cells is moot. So with more research, America's fat, which is commonly considered bad, could end up saving countless lives.

Moy hopes to have companies testing his theories in another year or two.

Story Created: Sep 8, 2006 at 5:38 PM CST
Story Updated: Sep 11, 2006 at 7:46 AM CST