This episode features Dr. Richard Burt, Chief of the Division of Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. Here, he discusses his background & career, his current research work, his book “Everyday Miracles: Curing Multiple Sclerosis, Scleroderma, and Autoimmune Diseases”, and more.
Summary
Dr. Richard Burt on Using Stem Cells to Treat Autoimmune Diseases
Background and Career
Dr. Richard Burt, Chief of the Division of Immunotherapy at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, has been researching the use of stem cells to treat autoimmune diseases for the past 20 years. He is a hematology oncologist who has conducted numerous clinical trials on this promising therapy.
Current Research Work
Dr. Burt's current research is focused on the use of hematopoietic stem cell therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), scleroderma, and other autoimmune diseases. He explains that this therapy is immune-based, not a true stem cell therapy. The therapeutic effect comes from a conditioning regimen using immune-specific drugs and patient selection.
Everyday Miracles: Curing Multiple Sclerosis, Scleroderma, and Autoimmune Diseases
Dr. Burt recently wrote a book called Everyday Miracles, which features 54 individual stories from patients who have been in remission for 10-21 years since their transplant. This book is intended for laypeople who want to learn more about options for treating MS and other autoimmune diseases.
Advances in MS Treatment
Dr. Burt is most excited about the advances in MS treatment using stem cell transplant. He has found that this therapy can offer remissions as long as 10-20 years with no disease activity. Stem cells are not a drug, but rather a supportive blood transfusion.
Congratulations to Dr. Burt on his wife's great work, and thank you for joining us on the Becker's Healthcare Podcast.
Note: This is an AI generated transcript, not edited by a staff writer and is solely intended for educational purposes. If you have any questions/concerns, reach out to podcasts@beckershealthcare.com
This episode aired on 12/23/2022 and can be listened here.
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