Meet Our Team: Leah Hochbaum
Every member of the wonderful team of experienced professionals at Cell-El contributes greatly to our study. Today we introduce Leah Hochbaum, MA, OTR/L. Leah coordinates
IVIG Treatment
Another immune-modulating therapy which has been researched for ASD is IVIG- IntraVenous ImmunoGlobulin. Immunoglobulins are antibodies and are part of your blood’s plasma. Human immunoglobulins are extracted from the blood of donors and then injected into the recipient through IV. It is often used as a treatment for those with immunodeficiency, including autoimmune disorders. In the case of ASD- many researchers have found markers in the blood of children with Autism which suggest a type of autoimmune disorder.
Cell-El Immunology
“Since we examined 1000 biomarkers in as many as 200 children, we have a unique platform for developing an assay. Cell-El’s large number of subjects and biomarkers is an innovation in the field. Previous Autism studies only examined a small number of markers within small cohorts of children. Autism is a spectrum condition, with a widely heterogeneous population. I believe that only the combination of several different biomarkers can enable us to develop an objective laboratory tool that will distinguish between neuro typically-developing individuals and those who present with ASD.
Meet Our Team: Dr. Beni Gesundheit
First of all, one can’t truly research a medical treatment for Autism without understanding the medical condition – what it is that you are treating. I first studied what is unique medically to children with Autism making them different from typically developing children. With that Cell-El began.
GI Disease in ASD II
Cell-El Ltd. studies stem cell therapy as a possible treatment for immune dysfunction. During the past decade, ASD associated immune dysfunction has been observed in numerous studies. We have also been observing this dysfunction in our diagnostic study of children with ASD as compared with typically developed children. Our working theory is that immune dysfunction is possibly a root cause of ASD behavioral issues.
GI Disease in ASD I
Cell-El studies stem cell therapy as a possible treatment for immune dysfunction. We have been observing this dysfunction in our diagnostic study of children with ASD. Our working theory is that immune dysfunction is possibly a root cause of ASD behavioral issues. By affecting change at the source, we can bring about change in behavior.
Meet Cell-El’s CEO
Cell El is focused on developing an objective diagnostic test for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and researching stem cell transplant treatment for children with ASD. Our main focus will be on the Biomarker test that has the potential to provide early diagnosis of ASD and become a personalized medicine tool for monitoring treatment effects on individual patients.
Recruiting Now: SCT Study
Cell-El is pleased to announce that we are opening up recruitment for a new group of children in our study: Children (ages 2-12) diagnosed with ASD who are privately undergoing Stem Cell treatment (SCT) outside of Israel.
Stem Cell Therapies
In the research article “Therapeutic properties of mesenchymal stem cells for autism spectrum disorders” published in Medical Hypotheses, Dr. Beni Gesundheit, Founder, CEO and Lead Scientist of Cell-El compares the two approaches to stem cell therapy.
Autism – Stem Cell Journey
In Israeli news and media outlets, Ms. Hanna Abramovich of Israel has shared the amazing progress in her son Avi. Avi presents with ASD. A number of years ago he underwent stem cell therapy. She chose the option of autologous stem cells from the child’s own stored umbilical cord blood.
My Son and SCT
Overview of the Cell-El Stem Cell Therapy Blog Series Cell-El studies stem cell therapy as a possible treatment for immune dysfunction. We have been observing
Cell-El Infant Study: Recruiting Now
Cell El Ltd. is happy to announce that we are now recruiting infant siblings of children diagnosed with ASD and their mothers for our diagnostic research of ASD biomarkers. The infants (age 10-18 months) have an older sibling diagnosed with ASD and therefore are considered high risk for developing ASD as well.
Mothering a Child with ASD
Cell-El is soaring forward with the development of an objective diagnostic tool for ASD. The tool will enable early detection of ASD with greater certainty and ease than methods currently used. One mother shared with us her frustrating experience with the uncertainty produced by the current means of diagnosis.
Cell-El’s Research Update
Cell-El’s research focused on a comparison between the levels of 1,000 inflammatory/ immune-related biomarkers in the blood of about 100 children diagnosed with ASD compared to 100 neuro-typically developing (TD) children. We arrived at 85% accuracy in using these biomarkers to differentiate between the ASD and TD children.
Cell El Diagnostic Study in the News
A Diagnostic Tool that Treats Autism like Cancer. Increasing evidence suggests a link between autism and autoimmune diseases. Now an Israeli startup is developing a diagnostic tool for autoimmune antibody associated autism.
Stem Cell Treatment
Cell-El, Ltd. is specifically focused on rectifying the state of SCT clinical research for ASD. We too believe that further study is warranted with well-researched treatment protocols and, of course, full regulatory approval.
Biomarkers & Behavior
Cell-El Ltd. is striving to correlate changes in biomarkers (see previous post) with behavioral changes/ changes in core symptoms of ASD. One of the tools we use to track these changes is the ATEC – Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist.
ASD Biomarkers
Cell-El, Ltd. is striving to create a diagnostic test for ASD based on biomarkers. What are biomarkers? A biomarker is a biological indicator that can be measured and tells us something about a normal or abnormal biological state or a response to a therapeutic intervention or drug.
Autoimmune Disease & ASD
There has been extensive research examining the prevalence of autoimmune conditions in the families of children with ASD.
Cannabis Treatment
The use of medical cannabis as a possible treatment for ASD has caught the attention of researchers worldwide, with Israel leading in global medical cannabis research.
Microbiota Transfer Therapy
At Cell-El Ltd, we are also taking a high level of interest in Microbiota Transfer Therapy (MTT) – also known as Fecal Microbial Transplantation (FMT) – to repair the microbial biofilms that live in all of our gastro-intestinal (GI) systems as an important part of the human microbiome.
Stem Cell Therapy
One of the treatments for ASD we at Cell El Ltd look forward to observing and researching is Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell (MSC) therapy.
Immune Dysfunction
There is a great deal of interest and work being done related to immune dysfunction in individuals with ASD.
Biomarkers
As we have been discussing, biomarkers are important to help us understand and treat Autism.
Therapy
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder, characterized by deficits in communication, social interactions and sensory perception and by repetitive behavior, typically manifesting in the first three years of life. No curative therapies are available to treat the condition, whose causes remain poorly understood.