My interview!

[Bald Russian]

As i promised i did a phonecall to institute where is working Terskih's team.
Alexey Terskih - team leader, he is living and working in USA.
His brother and rest team are working in Moscow.
His brother was absent, so i spoke with Ekaterina Vorotelyak.
We spoke about many other things, but this is main content. She made impression on me how very educated and qualified scientist, she hold hand on pulse of cutting edge treatments:
-Greetings and my congratulation with nice article. My name is %username%, i'm spokesman of forum community on BTT.
-Greetings, %username%. What is BTT?
-Community of bald/balding guys that trying to beat alopecia. Do you have a bit of time to answer on a few question for my interview?
-Yes, go on.
-We were inspired with your article "Derivation of Hair-Inducing Cell from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells". But also exist many sceptics that saying "another experiment on mouse"... And first question (joachim):"How do we create the iPS cells from a persons skin cells?"
-Well it is hard to explain and I suppose you will not understand, but we starting with harvesting skin fibroplast, it is much easier way. Of course IPSc can be made from any cell, but from fibroplast is much easier.
-(joachim):"Do we still need genetic editing or some special and maybe illegal medical tricks to create such cells?"
-No need, everything is solved and legal.
-(joachim):"Are there still issues to be solved to get the required iPS cells?"
-Theoretically - there is no issues, everything is done already.
-(joachim):"What stops us to make a proof of concept trial with real humans?"
-Russian government not funding development, because society dont care about bald guys. Society think that it is not a desease.
-That is terrible.
-Yes, all hope only on Alexey, he is pushing this method in USA, so i dont know about his progress on that field.
-What do you think about if our community will funding you? We can make a project on kickstarter.
-Oh, that will be nice, but I'm scientist, not finansist, i dont know how much money it will need and i havent time to solve financial question, sorry.
-Can you help me if I give you necessary amount of money?
-We are scientists, not a doctors, here needs technology and technical equipment, we have a lab only, its hard to reproduce such necessary number of IPSc to help you. We just made experiment to show to others that this is possible.
-So not even a chance?
-Even if would be a chance, i would never try it myself on human. It is huge responsability. IPSc can lead to cancer. IPSc are not known well yet.
-So there will not be any trials in Russia?
-No funding, government even cant buy a ticket (means for each team member) (~4000 euro for each) to visit Wold Hair Congress so...
-That is horrible to know, so only last chance is hope that Alexey will start human trials in USA, but FDA approval will going to take another 5 years...
-Sad, but true. Dont you want have a cancer right? (laughting)
-Oh, i cant be sure now what is most great deal, to have a hair and cancer or be healthy bald.
-Hahaha, hold on, keep your head up.
-You know, many new drugs are tested in Russia (to high corruption level, easy to approve any drug). Dont you know, maybe Alexey will try human trials Russia?
-Dont know really.
-But if he will aprove here first in world, your team will get uncountable amount of money.
-Hahaha nice, but cant say anything, because i dont know his plans.
-Thats for spending you time on me. have a nice day.
-Goodbye.

[Tenma]

Very interesting info.! Thanks for sharing. Its exciting to know things are moving forward

[mikes23]

In Japan they are testing ips cells in humans already, but its only a pilot study. So they are only testing 6 patients and injecting the cells in these people's eye's. If those results prove safe I hope this Russian team tries it In humans to. And if this teams goes through the FDA we are f*cked.

[sdsurfin]

I think the important thing is that it's possible. Teams like Dr. Xu's at Upenn are trying to do the same thing, and someone somewhere will get funding to do it. If it's possible it will get done, and it's great that the study was completed in the USA. It's not surprising that the russian government is not forking over any money for this, or anything else science related really. Their economy is ****ed. I also wouldn't be surprised if different teams start creating cells in more and more efficient and safe ways.

That being said, I truly hope that teams like jahoda and lauster take notice of this. I have long suspected that the reason DP cells from the back of the head don't induce great hair is that they are no longer new cells. Hair growth and loss definitely has some kind of built in biological timer. The fact that a baby has about the same hair pattern as an old man is a testament to this, there's a biological clock aspect to it, and DP cells that have been around for 30 years are not gonna act like new ones. But freshly engineered ones obviously have more of a potential to do so. It really is only a matter of time until someone creates a functioning and strong follicle from purely human cells. The FDA is pretty necessary, waiting sucks but that's just the way it is. Besides, any research conducted in the US is going to be mirrored from now on in asia.

[hellouser]

-Russian government not funding development, because society dont care about bald guys. Society think that it is not a desease.

LOL, and people call me a debbie downer when I point out this truth. Even researchers acknowledge that bald men are getting snubbed.

[hellouser]

-No funding, government even cant buy a ticket (means for each team member) (~4000 euro for each) to visit Wold Hair Congress so...
-That is horrible to know, so only last chance is hope that Alexey will start human trials in USA, but FDA approval will going to take another 5 years...

You should have mentioned the possibility of a quick turn around using Japan's clinical trials. USA is a joke for biotechs, nothing is going to come out in the next 10+ years thanks to the FDA.

[Bald Russian]

it's great that the study was completed in the USA.

Cant agree with you, now enjoy +5/10 years away. Are you immortal or something? For me another 5 years is very expensive.

Their economy is ****ed.

Not a reason, if u mean that ***ed by sanction. Even with good economics Putin prefer to buy another sport-car then give money to researchers, he is stupid redneck thats the reason.

I also wouldn't be surprised if different teams start creating cells in more and more efficient and safe ways. It really is only a matter of time until someone creates a functioning and strong follicle from purely human cells.

I think you don't understand something, russians already solved last puzzle, you cant reach more then already 100% efficiency. There is no problems with ways and full functional follicle is created already. But to say truth, 1 problem exists - orientation.
But not a real problem, like Ekaterina sayed, hair can be grown in lab then transplanted in scalp like fut/fue.

[Jonathan]

The day we see Vladimir Putin having a full head of hair we know its working.

[noisette]

Thank you bro, to share your interview and spending you time for us

[Vox]

But not a real problem, like Ekaterina sayed, hair can be grown in lab then transplanted in scalp like fut/fue.

First of all, thank you for posting the content of this very interesting interview here.

Regarding your remark, I don't understand why a new transplantation technique based on lab-grown hair is not used today. In theory this would produce an unlimited amount of hair. If it is possible right now to have hair follicles from the lab, and transplant them on human scalp, then what's the catch?

Also, what's your own, as a Russian, personal experience in relation to Ekaterina's comment on society's view of baldness (not thinking of it as a disease)? And at which point is baldness socially acceptable in Russia, especially in younger age?