Bernard Thébaud, MD, PhD
The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON
Stem cell-based therapies offer a new hope for organ regeneration including the lung. Preclinical studies have demonstrated the lung protective effects of exogenous administration of a variety of cell therapies in animal models of disease. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) – identified over 40 years ago in the bone marrow as niche cells crucial for the proper functioning of hematopoietic stem cells – have advanced to the forefront of cell-based therapies. This presentation will: 1) summarize the exciting preclinical studies that have provided the rationale for early phase clinical trials in COPD, ARDS and chronic lung disease of prematurity and more recently COVID-related ARDS; 2) highlight controversies and remaining knowledge gaps; and 3) provide insights towards improving the successful clinical translation of cell-based therapies to improve patient outcome.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:
- Learn about the promise of repair cells for lung diseases;
- Understand the rationale for the use of cell-based therapies to prevent/regenerate lung damage using chronic lung disease of prematurity as an example; and
- Appreciate the challenges of clinical translation of disruptive therapies.
CanMEDS Roles Addressed: Medical Expert, Scholar
