Dr. Yong-Beom Park's Research in Cartilage Regeneration Earns Him Young Investigator Award

DURHAM, N.C., Jan. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Yong-Beom Park, M.D., Ph.D., is named the STEM CELLS Translational Medicine's Young Investigator of 2018 for his research in cartilage regeneration in osteoarthritic patients. The award fosters advancements in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine by honoring a young researcher who is principle author of an article published in SCTM that is deemed to have the most impact and to push the boundaries of novel and insightful research.

In this study, Dr. Park and his team collected stem cells from human umbilical cord blood (hUCB), mixed with a hyaluronic acid hydrogel composite and then implanted them in human knees with osteoarthritis. The results of their research showed promising efficacy in terms of durable cartilage regeneration in osteoarthritis, setting the foundation for further investigation in a larger number of patients. The paper was published in the February 2017 issue of SCTM.

"Millions of people live with the pain of knee osteoarthritis, and having a reliable treatment would be ideal," said Anthony Atala, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of SCTM and director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. "This research shows promising efficacy for the treatment of cartilage injury and warrants further clinical trials."

Dr. Park trained in orthopedics at Chung-Ang University Hospital. After finishing his mandatory military service for three years as a military doctor, he worked at Samsung Medical Center for three years as a clinical fellow in the knee division and research fellow in the stem cell field.

Dr. Park is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, Korea. Read the paper that helped Dr. Park earn the STEM CELLS Translational Medicine Young Investigator Award, titled "Cartilage Regeneration in Osteoarthritic Patients by a Composite of Allogeneic Umbilical Cord Blood‐Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Hyaluronate Hydrogel: Results from a Clinical Trial for Safety and Proof‐of‐Concept with 7 Years of Extended Follow‐Up."

About STEM CELLS Translational Medicine: STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM), co-published by AlphaMed Press and Wiley, is a monthly peer-reviewed publication dedicated to significantly advancing the clinical utilization of stem cell molecular and cellular biology. By bridging stem cell research and clinical trials, SCTM will help move applications of these critical investigations closer to accepted best practices. SCTM is the official journal partner of Regenerative Medicine Foundation.

About AlphaMed Press: Established in 1983, AlphaMed Press with offices in Durham, NC, San Francisco, CA, and Belfast, Northern Ireland, publishes two other internationally renowned peer-reviewed journals: STEM CELLS® (http://www.StemCells.com), celebrating its 37th year, is the world's first journal devoted to this fast paced field of research. The Oncologist® (http://www.TheOncologist.com), also a monthly peer-reviewed publication, entering its 24th year, is devoted to community and hospital-based oncologists and physicians entrusted with cancer patient care. All three journals are premier periodicals with globally recognized editorial boards dedicated to advancing knowledge and education in their focused disciplines.

About Wiley: Wiley, a global company, helps people and organizations develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Our online scientific, technical, medical and scholarly journals, combined with our digital learning, assessment and certification solutions, help universities, learned societies, businesses, governments and individuals increase the academic and professional impact of their work. For more than 200 years, we have delivered consistent performance to our stakeholders. The company's website can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com.

About Regenerative Medicine Foundation (RMF): The non-profit Regenerative Medicine Foundation fosters strategic collaborations to accelerate the development of regenerative medicine to improve health and deliver cures. RMF pursues its mission by producing its flagship World Stem Cell Summit, honouring leaders through the Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Action Awards, and promoting educational initiatives.

SOURCE STEM CELLS Translational Medicine