USask professor recognized for pediatric stem cell research

A University of Saskatchewan (USask) professor is being recognized for groundbreaking work in pediatric stem cell research. Dr. Tyler Wenzel, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, was chosen as a Rising Star Awardee by Canada’s Stem Cell Network earlier this year. His focus is on developing a more accessible cure for X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy, a rare and potentially fatal disease.

Dr. Wenzel explains that for patients with X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy, a brain deterioration might occur within two years of diagnosis. Currently, patients in Saskatchewan must be referred to Manitoba or Alberta for treatment, as local facilities lack the capacity for necessary transplants. He is working on using stem cell transplants to cure this brain disease without resorting to risky treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or bone marrow transplants.

Preliminary data shows that Dr. Wenzel’s method using stem cell transplants causes disease markers to disappear, leading to further exploration of whether this method can also make symptoms disappear. If successful, this could mean bypassing traditional treatments for over a dozen pediatric brain diseases, which typically involve chemotherapy or radiation followed by a bone marrow transplant.

If all research continues smoothly, Dr. Wenzel estimates that patients may start receiving treatment in Saskatchewan within a decade. Until then, he is encouraging anyone with X-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy or who has undergone a stem cell transplant to contact the lab for further discussion and to share their experiences.

Dr. Wenzel's work is part of a growing effort at USask to build a biomedical team and facilities that could develop powerful regenerative therapies, potentially curing or managing more diseases in the future.