Recently conducted studies in collaboration with the University of Louisville have confirmed that significant quantities of very small embryonic-like stem cells can be obtained from the peripheral blood of humans following stimulation with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). A group led by Dr. Mariusz Ratajczak, world renowned investigator in adult stem cells and co-inventor of NeoStem’s exclusively licensed VSEL^TM technology, at the University of Louisville has published preliminary work that would indicate that these stem cells have a role in cardiac regeneration and may help identify those at risk for cardiovascular disease.