Eva Feldman, M.D., Ph.D.
Russell N. DeJong professor of Neurology
Director of the Taubman Institute
Director of the Program for Research & Discovery
New Hope in the Battle against ALS
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) — also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease — is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes nerve cells to weaken and die. Some 30,000 Americans currently have the disease, which progressively destroys the neurons that control voluntary muscles, leaving affected people unable to move, speak and eventually breathe. It is almost invariably fatal, and until now, there has been no effective treatment.
Eva Feldman has been studying ALS her entire medical career, and after years of painstaking laboratory study, has developed the first stem cell treatment for the disease. With the support of Taubman Institute funding, she is currently leading a human clinical trial to test this new therapeutic approach, which represents the first time that stem cells have been injected into the human spinal cord. The trial is still in Phase 1, which tests the safety of the procedure. So far, 11 ALS patients have undergone this revolutionary therapy, with no serious side effects. Feldman hopes to begin Phase 2 of the trial, which begins to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment, within two years.
At the same time, her team of scientists is working to improve the ability of the stem cells to deliver life-preserving proteins to the nerve cells under attack in ALS. They are also adapting this stem cell model to the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, which afflictes more than 5 million people in America alone.
Besides being the director of the Taubman Institute, Feldman also directs the U-M Program for Neurology Research Discovery, whose 30 scientists study a wide variety of nerve diseases, including muscular dystrophy and spinal cord injury. She is one of the world’s authorities on diabetic neuropathy. Last year she discovered a previously unknown link between triglycerides, a common fat in the blood, and the progression of nerve damage in patients. Her laboratory is working to understand the mechanism behind this connection and ways to help preserve nerve function through therapeutic intervention.
Research Findings:
- The first stem cell trial for ALS treatment wins FDA approval
- Triglycerides may provide early warning for diabetes nerve loss
- Progress Report, May 2010 (PDF, 190KB)
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Taubman Emerging Scholars Program
Request for applications
Applications are being accepted for the Taubman Institute Emerging Scholars Program.
The applicant must be a junior member of the faculty at the University of Michigan; generally, that means holding an assistant professor title. The applicant must have either an M.D. or an M.D./Ph.D. It is required that candidates both conduct basic research and treat patients.
Applicants should submit a two-to-three page research proposal, as well as a current CV. Priority will be given to proposals involving translational research. Please submit material to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . The deadline is May 7, 2012.
Young Friends host festive NYC fundraiser
Reception introduced scholar candidate Dr. Parag Patil
About 125 supporters of cutting-edge medical research mixed socializing and science May 9 at a cocktail party in Manhattan hosted by the Young Friends of the Taubman Institute's New York City chapter.
The event introduced Dr. Parag Patil, a University of Michigan physician-researcher and a prospective Young Friends Emerging Scholar. Here's a clip from Dr. Patil's appearance on the TV program "The Doctors," where he demonstrates how deep-brain stimulation has helped a patient with Parkinson's disease.
Emerging Scholars are early-career clinician-scientists who show great promise in research aimed at new cures or treatments; through the Taubman Institute, donors support them with three-year grants while their labs earn the credentials to win broader funding support.
The Young Friends event, which raised a significant contribution toward the Emerging Scholars program, was held at the ABC Carpet & Home showrooms at 888 Broadway, Attendees enjoyed cocktails, appetizers, a silent auction and a presentation by Dr. Patil. The silent auction included jewelry, fashion items, a Botox consultation and treatment, Morgan Hotel Group rooms and the opportunity to bid on a meeting and photo with former President William Jefferson Clinton.
Taubman Research
Dr. Max Wicha: Some treatments actually increase cancer stem cells
Avastin and Sutent have been found to increase the growth of breast cancer stem cells in mice, according to Taubman Scholar Dr. Max Wicha, director of the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center.
