News

A new meta-analysis is highlighting the potential of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a treatment for Crohn’s-related fistulas. In New Zealand, more than 20,000 people are affected by inflammatory bowel disease, one of the highest rates in the world. The analysis pooled data from 25 studies across Europe, North America and Asia, involving […]

Researchers in China have launched a new clinical study investigating the use of cells from umbilical cord blood in people with Alzheimer’s disease. The Phase 1 study which began in July 2025 involves 30 participants. All will continue their usual Alzheimer’s medications and will be randomly assigned to receive either cord blood cells or a […]

Key brain wiring and network efficiency continue developing into the early 30s, according to a major new study analysing brain scans from over 4,200 people. That viral claim that the brain is “fully developed at 25” turns out to be more myth than milestone. Read more here.

Strong social connections may literally slow ageing at the cellular level, according to Cornell University researchers. Using DNA-based tools that measure how fast our cells are ageing, they found that people with deeper, more sustained relationships across their lifetime showed younger cellular profiles and lower chronic inflammation. It’s not about any single friendship — it’s […]

A major meta-analysis published in Pediatrics pooled individual participant data from 11 clinical trials involving 498 children with cerebral palsy and found that cord blood treatment significantly improved gross motor function, with measurable gains at both 6 and 12 months. What is cerebral palsy? Cerebral palsy (CP) is caused by damage to the developing brain, usually occurring […]

A new clinical trial in South Korea is testing whether cord tissue stem cells can improve healing in patients with rotator cuff injuries. In New Zealand, rotator cuff tears are the most common cause of shoulder pain in people over 35, affecting roughly 25% of people over 60 and 50% of those over 80, and […]

A recent peer-reviewed study published in Stem Cells Translational Medicine examined cord blood stored for up to 29 years and found no loss in key measures of stem cell function. Based on current evidence, cord blood remains viable for decades when stored correctly, with no known expiry date. The researchers assessed total nucleated cell (TNC) recovery and […]

When two-year-old Tommy Bacon was diagnosed with juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML) – a rare cancer affecting only 1-2 children per million – his only chance of survival was a stem cell transplant. Tommy’s own cord blood had not been stored at birth. But when his baby sister Aria was born, his parents arranged to have […]

In a world first move, Sweden has introduced legislation allowing grandparents to receive paid parental leave while caring for their grandchildren.  The new law, which took effect last year, enables grandparents to step in and get paid for looking after their grandchildren for up to 3 months of the child’s first year. The goal is […]