NUI Galway to test stem cells on heart disease patients

NUI Galway has announced plans to test adult stem cells on heart disease patients, in a bid to develop new treatments for the illness.

It will be the first time stem-cell treatment is used in this country to treat heart problems.

The trials - due to start in two years - will also focus on arthritis and spinal cord injuries.

Stem Cell Researcher Frank Barry of NUIG says new treatments are especially needed for heart disease.

He said today: “Once the hard tissue is damaged following a heart attack, it's not capable of repairing itself.

“And so the damaged tissue develops into a scar tissue which leads to a loss of heart function and this is a very serious situation obviously.”

Mr Barry added: “We're looking at stem cells as a way of regenerating or remodelling that heart tissue.”