A team of dermatologists at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, California has conducted an allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell procedure on a U.S. Navy veteran, marking the first such operation at a U.S. military treatment facility.
The Navy said Wednesday physicians used stem cells from a donor’s bone marrow to address the patient’s skin damage during the medical procedure.
John Trafeli, head of the dermatology research division and the Training and Research for Project Comprehensive Advanced Restorative Effort at NMCSD, led the stem cell transplantation initiative.
The effort marks the start of a clinical trial at the naval hospital that seeks to explore the potential use of regenerative medicine for people who have traumatic brain and musculocutaneous nerve injuries and dental diseases, the Navy added.
NMCSD and biotechnology firm StemCutis initiated the stem cell study as part of a collaborative research and development agreement.
The medical center will host the 2016 Project C.A.R.E. Summit that will be held from September 7 to 9 and feature developments in restorative and regenerative medicine across the military, private sector medical communities.
