Disclosed herein are methods and compositions to treat solid tumors. In one embodiment, the method of treating a solid tumor in a patient includes administering at the tumor site a therapeutically effective amount of cytochrome P450 producing cells encapsulated in a capsule and administering a prodrug which is activated by cytochrome P450, wherein the prodrug is administered at least three or more cycles, and wherein each cycle comprises three consecutive daily administration.

Biomedical devices for implantation with decreased pericapsular fibrotic overgrowth are disclosed. The device includes biocompatible materials and has specific characteristics that allow the device to elicit less of a fibrotic reaction after implantation than the same device lacking one or more of these characteristic that are present on the device. Biocompatible hydrogel capsules encapsulating mammalian cells having a diameter of greater than 1 mm, and optionally a cell free core, are disclosed which have reduced fibrotic overgrowth after implantation in a subject. Methods of treating a disease in a subject are also disclosed that involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of the disclosed encapsulated cells to the subject.

The invention relates to three-dimensional tissue units which are hollow and which comprise, when organized about an internal opening, at least one layer of living human retinal pigment epithelium cells which are differentiated, the basal face of each cell pointing outwards and the apical face pointing towards the internal opening. The invention also relates to these tissue units for use in the treatment of retinopathies, and to a method for preparing these tissue units and an implantation kit.

This disclosure relates to genetically engineered microorganisms for treating or reducing the risk of bacterial infections or dysbiosis, and further discloses methods of making and using such microorganisms.

The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by restoring an ASD patient's gut microbiota. These methods can be used with ASD patient with or without ongoing gastrointestinal symptoms. Provided here is a method for ASD treatment in a subject in need thereof comprising or consisting essentially of administering a therapeutic composition comprising a fecal microbe or a fecal microbiota preparation to the subject. Also provided here is a method comprises administering an antibiotic to a human subject; subjecting the human subject to a bowel cleanse; and administering purified fecal microbiota to the human subject. Further provided are evaluation and quantitative characterization of patient symptom improvements upon treatment described here.

In one aspect of the invention, a microcapsule includes a film encapsulating a material. The film is formed by complexation of at least two mutually attractive components initially present in an aqueous dispersion comprising a continuous phase and a dispersed phase. The at least one first component is initially present in the continuous phase and the at least one second component is initially present in the dispersed phase. According to another aspect of the invention, provided is a process for forming microcapsules including the step of injecting a dispersed phase having at least a first component into a continuous phase having at least a second component, where the first component and the second component are mutually attractive, such that a film is formed by complexation of the first charged component and the second charged component.

Disclosed are methods and compositions for the prevention and treatment of dysbiosis and associated conditions. In particular, described herein are compositions of microbial consortia, including minimal microbial consortia, that can prevent and/or cure dysbiosis and associated conditions. In certain embodiments, the microbial consortia comprise certain members of the taxa Clostridiales, Bacteroidetes, Prevotella, and/or Parabacteroides.

The present disclosure relates to materials and methods for extracellular vesicle (e.g., exosome)-mediated delivery of cargo (e.g., endogenous and/or exogenous) to non-bovine mammalian (e.g., human) cells. For example, exosomes isolated from bovine milk for delivering cargo to non-bovine mammalian (e.g., human) cells are provided.

Embodiments of the present invention may provide synergistic continuity approaches to treatment of biological cells which may mitigate damage thereto including but not limited to preserving a collection of biological cells (6) harvested from a in vivo source (7) perhaps in a holding media (10) which may be adapted from an anticipated cell damage limiting regimen (8) and even a predetermined use (9). Some embodiments of the present invention provide a uniform environment (15) around biological cells.

Biomedical devices for implantation with decreased pericapsular fibrotic overgrowth are disclosed. The device includes biocompatible materials and has specific characteristics that allow the device to elicit less of a fibrotic reaction after implantation than the same device lacking one or more of these characteristic that are present on the device. Biocompatible hydrogel capsules encapsulating mammalian cells having a diameter of greater than 1 mm, and optionally a cell free core, are disclosed which have reduced fibrotic overgrowth after implantation in a subject. Methods of treating a disease in a subject are also disclosed that involve administering a therapeutically effective amount of the disclosed encapsulated cells to the subject.