One step closer to a cure

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BOULDER - For more than a decade Professor Brad Olwin has been studying adult stem cells to determine how and if they could be used to heal damaged muscle tissue. He and his research team at the University of Colorado at Boulder are now much closer to finding the answer.

Olwin, who works in the university's molecular, cellular and development department has conducted tests to this point on mice. The study has focused on taking adult stem cells from healthy muscles of mice and injecting them into damaged muscle tissue of mice. Following the injection, the damaged muscle tissue displayed recovery.

The hope is that the research study will eventually have application to human diseases, such as muscular dystrophy.

The next step in Olwin's study will involve identifying adult stem cells from muscle tissue in humans and studying how they will react on mice. Human trials with adult stem cells are still several years away.

"It gets very exciting and we're at a time right now in my research where I don't know if we've had a more exciting time," Olwin said. "We're optimistic."

That optimism is also felt by families impacted by muscular dystrophy.

"It was good news," Brian Horan, father of three boys with muscular dystrophy, said.

His sons were diagnosed 16 years ago and most days since, he and his wife, Kim have hoped a cure would be found.

"There is always optimism and it definitely sparks new hope, but also too there's a ton of question," he said.

The Horans and their sons, Ryan, Aaron and Ian, have been actively involved in fundraising efforts with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Those fundraising efforts have helped to allow the Muscular Dystrophy Association to fund Brad Olwin's research project at CU Boulder.

The Horans say muscular dystrophy has taught them to live one day at a time. They just hope one day will become the day when they find a cure.