Combination strategies to promote repair and functional recovery following stroke

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In Canada, it is estimated that stroke costs the Canadian economy almost $3 billion per year. Stem cell based therapies hold great promise for the treatment of stroke. This research will lay the foundation for clinical approaches to treat stroke by addressing current challenges with cell based therapies. Our team of researchers and industry partner will take advantage of innovations in stem cell biology, cell transplantation, and bioengineering to promote both tissue and functional repair in preclinical models of stroke. Our measures of success are functional assays undoubtedly the most relevant outcome for translation. We will perform our studies in chronic stroke models, as chronic stroke has been less well studied despite the serious impacts including premature death, poor quality of life and large adverse economic effects on families, communities and society in general. With the goal of developing clinically relevant strategies to treat the stroke-injured brain we will combine a novel, proprietary human cell source engineered by our industry partner, that permits patient specific cells to be used for cell transplantation. These cells are outside of ethical concerns and able to avoid rejection after transplantation. Importantly, the cells are designed to only make brain specific cells so will not form inappropriate cell types following transplantation. We will combine the cell transplantation with novel bioengineered tools to deliver drugs that promote brain plasticity and cell survival by reducing the negative environmental factors found in the injured brain. Further, to enhance cell survival - a significant challenge for cell based therapies - our preclinical studies will utilize a novel, patented drug that inhibits cell death. Together, these preclinical studies using combinatorial strategies will set the stage for clinical trials to treat stroke.