ISRAEL TO ATTEMPT WORLD’S FIRST SPINAL CORD TRANSPLANT IN GROUNDBREAKING MEDICAL PROCEDURE

Israel is set to make medical history with the world’s first human spinal cord transplant using a patient’s own cells, a groundbreaking procedure that could allow paralysed individuals to stand and walk again. Tel Aviv University announced on Wednesday that the surgery is expected to take place in the coming months, marking a historic milestone in regenerative medicine.

According to Professor Tal Dvir, head of the Sagol Centre for Regenerative Biotechnology and the Nanotechnology Centre at Tel Aviv University, the spinal cord transmits electrical signals from the brain to the body, and when trauma severs it, the connection is broken, leaving the patient paralysed below the injury. “Think of an electrical cable that’s been cut: once the ends no longer touch, the signal cannot pass, leaving the patient paralysed below the injury,” Dvir explained.

The new procedure aims to replace damaged sections with a lab-grown spinal cord that fuses with healthy tissue. Animal trials in rats have already yielded remarkable outcomes, with the animals regaining mobility. The breakthrough began three years ago, when Dvir’s team engineered a personalised three-dimensional human spinal cord in the lab.

The process begins by collecting blood cells from the patient and reprogramming them into stem-like cells capable of developing into any cell type. Fat tissue is also extracted to create a customised hydrogel scaffold. The stem-like cells are then developed into spinal cord tissue, which is implanted to replace scarred regions and reconnect the nervous system.

Israel’s Ministry of Health has granted preliminary approval for “compassionate use” trials in eight patients, making Israel the first nation to attempt such a procedure. “This is undoubtedly a matter of national pride. The technology was developed here in Israel, at Tel Aviv University and at Matricelf, and from the outset, it was clear that the first surgery would be performed in Israel, with an Israeli patient,” Dvir said.

Matricelf CEO Gil Hakim added that the technology could set a new global standard for spinal cord repair, addressing a multi-billion-dollar market that currently has no effective solutions. “If successful, this therapy could set a new global standard for spinal cord repair, addressing a multi-billion-dollar market that currently has no effective solutions,” Hakim said. Professor Dvir concluded: “Our mission is to help paralysed patients rise from their wheelchairs. The animal trials showed extraordinary results, and we are optimistic that human trials will be equally promising.”