Stem cells are usually thought of as the building blocks of the body—able to give rise to all our cells and organs. But Dr. Lauralyn McIntyre, Dr. Duncan Stewart, Dr. Dean Fergusson and their colleagues are testing the idea that certain stem cells may also be able to help control the body’s immune system to reduce injury and promote healing, while improving its ability to fight infection.

They recently published the results of the world’s first clinical trial of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for septic shock. The trial involved thirty patients, nine of whom were treated with up to 250 million mesenchymal stem cells. No serious adverse events occurred. A randomized, multi-site trial is expected to start next year, with the power to evaluate benefits as well as risks.

The article titled, "Cellular Immunotherapy for Septic Shock (CISS): A Phase 1 Clinical Trial," was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.