Some might expect an institution like MIT or Harvard to discover a completely new type of stem cell in umbilical cords, but it was first discovered at K-State - by accident.

In 2000, three K-State professors gathered pig umbilical cords to study a group of cells in the connective tissue that possibly could be used to grow other types of cells.

When the professors started studying the umbilical cords, Dr. Deryl Troyer, professor of veterinary medicine, said they found something they were not expecting. He said they found several cells located in the Wharton's jelly, a mucus tissue that protects and insulates cells in the umbilical cord, that showed the typical structure and activity of stem cells.

"We put the Wharton's jelly in the dish and didn't do it in such a way to encourage isolation of the cells, but they grew out in large numbers anyway," Troyer said.

In 2003, Troyer, Duane Davis, professor of animal science and industry and Mark Weiss, professor of anatomy and physiology, co wrote a journal entry on their findings of the new type of treatment using non controversial, readily available stem cells, which they decided to call umbilical cord matrix cells.

After the report was published in several journals, the university and the world soon took notice. A few years later, the Midwest Institute for Comparative Stem Cell Research was established at K-State. The institute receives $350,000 a year as part of the university's Targeted Excellence program, which allots a certain amount of money to a few areas of K-State research.

"That is a big deal because the university thinks this is an area that could move it to the top of land-grant universities," Davis said.

It also is a big deal for countries across the world. Troyer said several labs have been set up, especially in Europe, to study the same matrix cells the K-State professors discovered.

"It just seems like new things are surfacing everyday," Troyer said.

Troyer said after they released a report on their findings in 2003, they decided to focus on different areas of the stem cells' possibilities.

THE RESEARCH Troyer said his research focuses on improving the use of cells as delivery mechanisms, which means the stem cells would be able to hone in on treating damaged cells with immune-system detection and treat them.

"You have a way to use these almost like a Trojan horse," Troyer said. "It's a very intriguing idea."

This type of research would allow for non intrusive treatment - without needles - for illnesses like cancer and Parkinson's disease. He said test results from rat models have shown the matrix cells are effective for treating several different types of cancer, especially breast cancer.

He said he introduced cancer cells to rat models and then fed them genetically engineered stem cells that migrated to the tumors and significantly reduced the size of the tumor. He also said the tumor was reduced even more with a low dose of chemotherapy or other therapeutic treatments.

Weiss, who shares a lab with Troyer and several assistants, said his research focuses more on using the stem cells for cell recovery and regrowth, especially for Parkinson's.

Weiss said stem cells markedly reduced brain-cell degeneration in rats with Parkinson's. He said the researchers have two hypotheses about the usefulness on Parkinson's: the cells can recover dying cells, and they also can improve the immune system.

"We think that Parkinson's disease has collateral damage to the immune system, and this work shows very clearly that the cells have important suppressive abilities," he said.

Though Troyer and Weiss have several assistants within the institution, they said they do not have nearly enough people to study other possible sources of stem cells.

"There's so much we'd like to do, but we can't because there's just not enough people," Troyer said. GETTING THE WORD OUT Now that K-State researchers have tested the effectiveness of stem cells on several diseases in rats, Weiss said they are hoping to take that research to the human drug market and clinics across the United States.

Weiss said the researchers are almost ready to begin the five-year process of getting the matrix-cell treatment studied and approved by the Food and Drug Administration. He compared the approval process to getting a driver's license for the first time.

"We're kind of at the first step," Weiss said. "We have a learner's permit right now. We need to formalize that into a full, independent driver's license."

Weiss said though the stem cells have tested positively in rats, that does not mean it is on track to be approved by the FDA. He said almost 95 percent of drugs are not approved by the FDA. He said the approval process should be a long and arduous five-year project.

"It may be a little faster, or it may be a little slower." Weiss said. "We are trying to be careful so it goes faster though."

"There's a lot of opportunities to mess up and get out of line."

Weiss also said the project possibly will cost more than $100 million just to get the drug on the market. USES IN ANIMALS Duane Davis, one of the three professors to discover the cells, said he focuses on several different uses of the cells, especially in livestock animals.

He said his research is more basic than Weiss' and Troyer's research because much less is known about the cells' possible use in animals like pigs. He said much of the human research, such as the use of genetically engineered homing cells to reduce cancerous tumors, also can be applied to pigs. He also said he is looking at taking stem cells from bone marrow because they are less differential and more basic, which might translate better for livestock treatment.

Weiss said the same matrix cells can be found in several kinds of species, including bovine and canine.

Along with his continuing work on determining the use of stem cells in various livestock species, Davis said he is also in charge of setting up a stem-cell research curriculum for K-State students in veterinary medicine, animal sciences and other related fields of study to receive a certificate.

He said this curriculum would include 15 hours of coursework, seven of which will be required stem-cell research classes.

"This could be incorporated into graduate students' work," Davis said. "This would also be an added benefit to have specialization in this type of field."

Weiss said the program should be ready in the near future. "In a few years, I really hope that will be an option for four or five students," Weiss said.

Almost seven years after their discovery, Davis, Troyer and Weiss still meet about once a week to discuss and collaborate their research. Troyer said they originally established the stem-cell research institution to incorporate multiple areas of study.

"The idea was to foster a lot of interdisciplinary focus on the research," Weiss said. "When we meet, it's really kind of like sparks flying in the room."