Whole Earth Catalog: the old Google, according to Steve Jobs
It is the stuff of dreams in academic medicine: an NIH (National Institutes of Health) research grant. Get one of these and you’re pretty much assured of getting tenure and succeeding at any major U.S. university. It is the ultimate stamp of approval from the government and society that your thoughts and ideas have merit and value.
And I was just awarded one!
NIH Funds the Artificial Testicle
Yes, the federal grant that we submitted recently to build a human artificial testicle was funded. To be clear, this grant is not about creating a testicular implant for a man who is missing a real one. We did that a decade or so ago. This award is to develop a sperm making biological machine. I wrote it along with Dr. Connie John, CEO at MandalMed, Inc., a biotechnology company in the Bay Area. We now have a couple of years to create human artificial sperm in a dish, or more formally, a “bioreactor.” A fancy dish to be sure.
You’ve seen the posts on how successful this research has been in mice models using various stem cells as a starting point: embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells and early germ line (spermatogonial) stem cells. In labs all over the world, real, live, fertile sperm have been made in animal models from each of these stem cell precursors. Honestly, given this success over the past several years, surely we can figure out how to do the same in humans.
Why Do I Need NIH Funding?
Funny thing is, I am not in academic medicine anymore. No tenure to deal with and no need to prove anything to anyone but myself and to legions of loyal patients who depend on cutting edge innovation for their infertility care. Personally, feeling the suffering of patients with infertility is far more motivating than doing science for the sake of science, or for the sake of tenure.
Not to compare myself to Steve Jobs in any way, but I can’t help think one of his favorite mottos from the Whole Earth Catalog. This is what guided him in his quest to build a better computer for everyone: “Stay hungry; stay foolish.” It feels absolutely fabulous to be able to dream it, write it and finally to do it. The essence of science for the good of people.
Press Release
Effort to Build Artificial Testicle Awarded NIH Grant
Source: The Turek Clinic
Proposal to make human sperm from stem cells receives government funding
Newswise — SAN FRANCISCO, CA. January 9, 2012. Dr. Paul Turek, Director and Founder of The Turek Clinic, a men’s health medical practice, and Dr. Constance John, chief executive of MandalMed, Inc, a San Francisco-based biotech company, were recently awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to construct an artificial human testicle and research how sperm are made from stem cells.
“Fertile sperm can be made from various stem cells in mice, but making human sperm from these same sources has been elusive,” says Turek, a practicing male infertility specialist in San Francisco. In this project, they will try to produce mature human sperm in a live laboratory model of a human testicle.
This work extends on previously published research by Dr. Turek on human testicular stem cells, the forerunners of sperm. Dr. John is an expert on human Sertoli cells, which critically nurture sperm as they develop in the testicle. “This grant is quite an honor and comes after several years working together on this idea,” notes Turek. “We have assembled a great group of scientists who are very committed to its success.”
A functioning artificial testicle has important implications for the field of reproductive biology. It could shed enormous light on the intricate details behind the mysterious and complicated process of spermatogenesis or sperm production. Even further, it could be used to later develop patient-specific, fertile sperm for men who simply do not make sperm due to genetic or acquired causes.
About Paul Turek, MD
Paul Turek, MD is founder of The Turek Clinic and a former professor and endowed chair at the University of California San Francisco. As a men’s reproductive health expert, he has pioneered innovative techniques for treating male infertility, including Testicular Mapping. In addition to his appointment to the Cooperative Reproductive Network Advisory Board, Dr. Turek sits on the Advisory Board for the Men’s Health Network, Fertile Hope and is President-Elect of the Society of Male Reproduction and Urology. He is Chief Medical Officer at MandalMed, Inc, and is also Past-President of the American Society of Andrology and of the Northern California Urology Society and is an Editorial Board member of several journals including Systems Biology in Reproductive Medicine, the Asian Journal of Andrology and the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.
A complete biography of Dr. Turek is available on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_J._Turek.
About The Turek Clinic
The Turek Clinic, founded in 2008, is a men’s reproductive health practice specializing in male infertility, vasectomy, vasectomy reversal, varicocele repair, and other minimally invasive procedures using innovative and cutting-edge techniques. For more information, visit www.TheTurekClinic.com, www.TurekVasectomy.com, or Dr. Turek’s blog (here).
About MandalMed, Inc.
MandalMed is a privately held biotechnology company located in San Francisco- the home of more bioscience companies than any other region in the world. MandalMed’s mission is to develop pharmaceutical products of worldwide significance. Areas where there is a great need for better treatments, including cancer and neurological conditions, are the targets of MandalMed’s research and development programs. For more information, see www.MandalMed.com.
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ANKA
February 16, 2012
Mr. Thurek.
Please! please! please! please!
Help! Help! Help!
Please help to azoospermia.
Be fast and please
Paul Turek, MD
February 16, 2012
Anka, is it comments like this one of yours that fuels the fire of this research. Godspeed!
Monica M. Seeger
February 21, 2012
Fabulous! Congratulation!
Monica
IJ
February 27, 2012
Please help and harry dont waste any more time. Please please
thank you so much
Paul Turek, MD
February 28, 2012
OK! Again, I’ll work as fast as I can!
Asho
February 27, 2012
Dr. Turkey, My husband is diagnosted Sertoli Cell Sydrome. We are married 10 years and no child yet………. please please help
I am worry after few years my eggs get expired. thanks
Paul Turek, MD
February 28, 2012
Ok, I’ll work as fast as I can! In the meantime, consider current therapies to learn more about whether your husband has sperm, like FNA mapping (http://www.theturekclinic.com/testicular-mapping.html).
H
March 16, 2012
please I’m sure a lot of men all over the world including me needing this
and hope it can release testosterone by taking materials already in the blood and make chemical reaction and produce it naturally, like artificial heart or something
I’m an engineer and really thinking about making this and dedicate the rest of my life for making this even if I will have to study bio-chemistry and pay all the money I have, I’m not married I guess no one will care about me, so I’m thinking of full dedication
please its the mans worst dream to have his testicles removed
Paul Turek, MD
March 17, 2012
Dear someone, you are not alone. I see this artificial sperm-making testicle as the first step. Testosterone producing cells may also be possible down the line. The ability of this research to help reproductive age men in many ways is certainly part of my dream and the solitary goal of this research.
egxer
March 18, 2012
Thanks Dr Paul for your amazing work, I’m 22 years old male, I’m in a bad condition with my testicle, it became very swollen after varicocele, and then I took alphintern, it kept reducing its size, and not stopping, even I stopped alphintern, I made doppler and ultrasound three days ago,
it showed epididymo-orchitis
now after three days its getting even smaller
its totally numb since its swollen and still
can it be saved Dr, please help me I don’t have a good doctor here
otherwise I’ll have to buy your amazing invention in future
Paul Turek, MD
March 18, 2012
Dear Egxer, Obviously, although I would like to, it is impossible to give care over the internet. Feel free to call the office at 415-392-3200 and maybe I can help find good care for you where you are located.
Atif
April 6, 2012
Dear Dr Turek,
You’ve probably been asked this question hundred’s of times but I was diagnosed with sertoil only cell syndrome and me a my wife have been married for 5 years. I wish to know how advanced are we with this research and will the day come when clnical trails be available.
I am 31 and my wife is 29 at the moment, will this be available for us???
Are their any other treatments which will be available in the near future??
Thank You Kindly,
Atif
Paul Turek, MD
April 6, 2012
Atif, assuming that you have had a thorough investigation for pockets of sperm with mapping or microdissection and either has failed, then I would say that it will be 5-7 years before patient-specific artificial sperm can be safely made for humans. I know that seems like a long time, but science needed to learn the basics of stem cells to be able to move this field forward.
kj
April 9, 2012
hi dr. paul turek…..
i’m korean man Who lost both testicles
i wonder
this artifitial testicle(you are making) can make testosterone hormon??
or that only producing sperm??
if you give me answer
i’m very thank you
god bless you!
Paul Turek, MD
April 9, 2012
KJ, at this point, everyone’s goal is to make sperm. However, what we learn from this process will certainly help us work out some of the details of the other half of testis function–male hormone production.
MT
April 30, 2012
Hello Dr Turek,
Is your FNA mapping and MR Spectroscopy technique available out of US ? (in europe to be precise)
I was diagnosed with N.O. azoospermia , had 6 biopsy and found very low sperm count (in 2 out of 6 biopsy) with a succesfull pregnancy.
But now i want to try again but i am afraid of loosing too much testes material with biopsy.
Thanks
MT
Paul Turek, MD
April 30, 2012
Dear MT, CONGRATULATIONS! What a (relatively) nice problem to have. Your concern appears to be the effect on testicular health, and specifically, permanently lowering testosterone levels, of having repeated TESE procedures. It is a valid one. I try to do things just once precisely for this reason (and because I make more friends by doing these kinds of things just once!)
First question is whether they froze any extra sperm from your first procedure? If not, then you have 3 options: 1) try again the same way and hope that it goes well; 2) Consider FNA Mapping (http://www.theturekclinic.com/testicular-mapping.html) to “know where before you go” next time and reduce the extent of the procedure, 3) wait until metabolomic imaging (http://turekonmenshealth.com/2010/02/07/metobolomics-the-picture-of-fatherhood/) is available to define pockets of sperm (several years).