Skip to main content

CureCast

The podcast feeding the movement to cure paralysis
Episode 114

On the Nose? (Episode 114)

Guest: James St John


In Chapter 8 of Kate Willette’s advocacy bible, “Don’t Call it a Miracle,” she tells us the story of a human cell with special, regenerative characteristics. A cell that, although not a stem cell, perpetually repairs and replaces neural tissue throughout our life. It's called an olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) or glia (OEG). Parts of the story seemed like the wild west with questionable scientists taking some risky chances, pulling cells out of people's noses and injecting them into their spinal cords, leading to catastrophe. Other, more conservative scientists were doing work that resulted in almost unbelievable results in one human. 

The chapter ended by turning the light on the most cautious of researchers, at Griffiths University in Australia, meticulously isolating the OECs and running a safety trial injecting the cells in 6 human beings. The study did no functional good - that wasn’t it’s aim - BUT it did no harm. That was back in 2002. Obviously, this left many of us at the edge of our seats (though many of us couldn't feel it) and left us asking, “Ok, so now what? Who is going to move this work forward?”

Our guest today is the answer to that question. Dr. James St John and his team at Griffiths University, supported and encouraged by SCI advocates there, are moving forward. But with some significant changes from those original experiments. James will tell us about their upcoming clinical trial, why this work is important and why NOW is the right time to do it.  

Don't forget to email us your thoughts and inquiries about this episode at curecast@u2fp.org. Thanks for listening! 
 

Listen on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Soundcloud

Bumper music: Dig a Hole by Freaque

Guest Bio

Prof James St John is Head of the Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research.

James is a translational neuroscientist specialising in the creation and delivery of therapies to repair injuries and diseases of the nervous system. He has a particular interest in understanding the biology of the olfactory system (sense of smell) and the therapeutic use of glial cells to repair the nervous system.

The three main areas of research are:
(1) spinal cord injury, (2) peripheral nerve injury, and (3) the role of microbes in neurodegeneration.

The major project of the Centre is the translation of a cell transplantation therapy to repair spinal cord injury. This therapy is now progressing to a clinical trial that will commence in early 2025 in Queensland, Australia. The community co-designed therapy uses transplantation of olfactory glial cells within three-dimensional nerve bridges to repair the injury site of chronic spinal cord injury. When combined with intensive, long-term rehabilitation it is anticipated that the therapy will commence the restoration of motor, sensory and autonomic function. The trial is designed to identify the types of chronic spinal cord injuries that respond to the treatment. 

Since the commencement of the Centre, Prof St John has been lead investigator on more than $40 million of research projects funded by philanthropy, state and federal government including NHMRC and MRFF funding.

Prof St John obtained his PhD in 1996 in Agricultural Science from the University of Melbourne. He then applied his expertise in carbohydrate synthesis and manipulation to determining the role of carbohydrates in the development and regeneration of the mammalian brain. He held positions as an NHMRC post-doctoral fellow at the University of Melbourne and University of Queensland, and has been chief investigator of NHMRC and ARC grants at the University of Queensland and Griffith University. In 2007 he took up the position of Group Leader at the Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery at Griffith University and in May 2016 he became Head of the Clem Jones Centre for Neurobiology and Stem Cell Research.

Connect with James St John here:

Related Articles

Related Resource

This Episode Sponsored By: