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by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – Israeli biotech company Matricelf is pioneering a breakthrough that could transform paralysis treatment worldwide — repairing spinal cord injuries with tissue engineered from a patient’s own cells.
Each year, around half a million people suffer spinal injuries that often lead to lifelong paralysis. Now, Matricelf’s team says they are closer than ever to reversing that outcome.
“A drug cannot bring back a new liver, brain, or spinal cord,” said Gil, one of the company’s lead scientists. “What we are offering is the potential to cure diseases that drugs cannot.”
Inside the company’s Tel Aviv–area lab, researchers extract fatty tissue and blood from patients to generate stem cells that are turned into personalized neural tissue — used to replace damaged sections of the spinal cord. “The fatty tissue provides the scaffolding that allows the cells to form functional neural networks,” explained Dr. Tamar, a senior researcher.
The project builds on research by Prof. Tal Dvir of Tel Aviv University’s Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, where paralyzed rats regained mobility within days of treatment. After these results, Israel’s Ministry of Health approved the first “compassionate use” clinical trials for eight Israeli patients.
“It’s part of our national pride to have this tested here first,” said Gil.
The process takes about six months from cell collection to implantation. Once transplanted, the new tissue begins transmitting signals to the host, gradually reestablishing communication between the brain and spinal cord.
The research carries special urgency in Israel, where many soldiers and reservists have suffered spinal injuries during the war against Hamas. Early trials will target patients with clearly defined localized injuries.
“We know exactly where the communication is cut off,” Gil said. “By placing our implant there, we can restore the circuit — literally close the loop.”
If successful, the innovation could redefine rehabilitation medicine and offer new hope to millions. As one researcher summarized, “We’re not just repairing tissue — we’re restoring lives.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
The U.S. State Department has determined that the Palestinian Authority paid more than $200 million to terrorists and their families in 2025, despite claims by PA President Mahmoud Abbas that the controversial “pay-to-slay” program had been ended.
Atomic scientists on Tuesday moved the symbolic “Doomsday Clock” to 85 seconds to midnight, the closest humanity has ever come to theoretical self-annihilation—yet the warning is not meant to declare destiny. For people of faith, the tightening of the hour carries prophetic weight, echoing past moments when global shaking preceded awakening, repentance, and renewal, serving as a call to restrain destructive paths and realign human choices toward life, wisdom, and peace.
Activists and doctors said Tuesday Iran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests could be as high as 36,500, far more than at least 6,159 people, reported earlier, as a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group arrived in the Middle East amid rising tensions and warnings of possible further unrest.
Four and a half years of difficult legal proceedings have ended for two Christian nurses in Pakistan’s Punjab province after both were acquitted of blasphemy charges, Christians told Worthy News Tuesday.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned Tuesday that Europe remains incapable of defending itself without American military support, saying European nations would need to more than double current defense spending to stand on their own.
TikTok has agreed to settle a landmark U.S. lawsuit accusing social-media companies of deliberately addicting and harming children, just days before the case was due to go to trial, attorneys for the plaintiffs confirmed Tuesday.
India and the European Union have finalized a historic free trade agreement after nearly two decades of negotiations, leaders said Tuesday, in a pact set to reshape global commerce amid rising economic uncertainty and strained ties with the United States.
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
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