Thomas Whitfield

“My guess is while working on his Phd on the Hepatitis C Virus p7 ion channel; vaccine development, biophysics, structural biology and drug inhibition studies, one of his test mice unexpectedly got all hairy, probably something to do with ion channels, the same way that minoxidil is thought to work on potassium ion channels but maybe he figured out a better pathway- possibly using the SGK3 pathway which other researchers have noted as essential to hair bulb health. Seeing as he is not bald himself I’m guessing that he was not driven to discover this therefore it was more likely an accidental discovery via his research. I did a google search on him. Turned up this: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/3/bb3/1b4 “• DPhil (PhD) in Biochemistry: Structural and functional analysis of the Hepatitis C Virus p7 ion channel; vaccine development, biophysics, structural biology and drug inhibition studies” One of minoxidils purported methodology of action was on ion channels. However more recently there has been a discovery that a deficiency specifically of SGK3 in knockout mice creates weak hair follicle bulbs that don’t mature and migrate down into the scalp, creating weak thin hair. If you do a search of pubmed you can find quite a few references to the SGK family and their effect on potassium ion channels. So yes it may be a bit of a leap but I’m guessing he got an unexpected result in one of his lab mice either by opening up or blocking an ion channel and seeing unexpected growth and is trying to work it up into humans.”

He is in stealth mode right now writing and applying for patents in various countries around the world. He seems very very confident in the success of this treatment.

Comments anyone?

» “My guess is while working on his Phd on the Hepatitis C Virus p7 ion
» channel; vaccine development, biophysics, structural biology and drug
» inhibition studies, one of his test mice unexpectedly got all hairy,
» probably something to do with ion channels, the same way that minoxidil is
» thought to work on potassium ion channels but maybe he figured out a better
» pathway- possibly using the SGK3 pathway which other researchers have noted
» as essential to hair bulb health. Seeing as he is not bald himself I’m
» guessing that he was not driven to discover this therefore it was more
» likely an accidental discovery via his research. I did a google search on
» him. Turned up this: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/3/bb3/1b4 “• DPhil (PhD)
» in Biochemistry: Structural and functional analysis of the Hepatitis C
» Virus p7 ion channel; vaccine development, biophysics, structural biology
» and drug inhibition studies” One of minoxidils purported methodology of
» action was on ion channels. However more recently there has been a
» discovery that a deficiency specifically of SGK3 in knockout mice creates
» weak hair follicle bulbs that don’t mature and migrate down into the scalp,
» creating weak thin hair. If you do a search of pubmed you can find quite a
» few references to the SGK family and their effect on potassium ion
» channels. So yes it may be a bit of a leap but I’m guessing he got an
» unexpected result in one of his lab mice either by opening up or blocking
» an ion channel and seeing unexpected growth and is trying to work it up
» into humans.”
»
» He is in stealth mode right now writing and applying for patents in
» various countries around the world. He seems very very confident in the
» success of this treatment.
»
» Comments anyone?

His website says “new hair compilation.” Compilation is kind of a strange word to use in my opinion.

–noun 1. the act of compiling: the compilation of documents.
2. something compiled, as a reference book.

Synonyms:
2. collection, assemblage, assortment.
Synonyms: accumulating, accumulation, aggregating, anthology, assembling, assortment, collecting, collection, collocating, combining, compiling, consolidating, garner, garnering, gathering, incorporating, joining, treasury, unifying

Personally, I think this whole deal seems pretty shady.

First off, it seems that what he will be selling is NOT a drug. How else could it be available in 12 months? What else but a drug is going to work? If it is a natural substance then it is not patentable unless of course its a delivery or some sort of formulation of a natural substance.

Next, the website seems suspicously crappy for an endeavor such as this.

Third, if he had something that was going to be revolutionary, it seems he would have garnered the attention of many biotech or pharm companies at this point. There is basically one article in popular press on this guy.

I think this whole thing smells like a scam.

Roster, I agree with compolation being a suspicious word choice. Also the line about “Lets make drugs, etc…history” makes it seem that this is going to be a collaborative effort with the end user. Based on his previous start up it probably is going to be some information management technology product where users input family histories and therapies used and he does some statistical analysis on the other said. I seriously doubt he is going to come out with a drug…even a preapproved one would still take more than a yr. Of course, i hope i am wrong.

btw if you go to “bulbpark.com” there is another link to the site.

» Also the
» line about “Lets make drugs, etc…history” makes it seem that this is
» going to be a collaborative effort with the end user. Based on his
» previous start up it probably is going to be some information management
» technology product where users input family histories and therapies used
» and he does some statistical analysis on the other said.

That was precisely my thought. Perhaps some sort of online community for balding people in conjunction with some services related to hair loss.

Then again, who knows.

» Personally, I think this whole deal seems pretty shady.
»
» First off, it seems that what he will be selling is NOT a drug. How else
» could it be available in 12 months? What else but a drug is going to work?
» If it is a natural substance then it is not patentable unless of course
» its a delivery or some sort of formulation of a natural substance.
»
» Next, the website seems suspicously crappy for an endeavor such as this.
»
» Third, if he had something that was going to be revolutionary, it seems he
» would have garnered the attention of many biotech or pharm companies at
» this point. There is basically one article in popular press on this guy.
»
»
» I think this whole thing smells like a scam.

Apparently this uses ‘innovative biochemical technology’. He’s said before that the product will actually ‘regrow’ hair. What it exactly is and if it’s amazingly effective I don’t know. But it’s certainly not a scam in my opinion. And it’s certainly not a new-fangled wig or some other crap. I’m backing Whitfield, he’s got something.

do you remember where it said that it would regrow hair…going back to the original article i did find this line which does seem support that:

“Current treatments don’t work properly or they are inconvenient or they are simply very, very expensive. We have come up with a solution that’s quite easy and much cheaper.”

» do you remember where it said that it would regrow hair…going back to the
» original article i did find this line which does seem support that:
»
» “Current treatments don’t work properly or they are inconvenient or they
» are simply very, very expensive. We have come up with a solution that’s
» quite easy and much cheaper.”

Yeah, the guy sent me an email saying a few things about it. Originally I thought it was just for prevention, but he says it will regrow hair too - to what extent I don’t know. The ‘biochemical technology’ thing is from a short piece about him at that Kauffmann global scholars group thing where he’s studying at the moment.

» » do you remember where it said that it would regrow hair…going back to
» the
» » original article i did find this line which does seem support that:
» »
» » “Current treatments don’t work properly or they are inconvenient or
» they
» » are simply very, very expensive. We have come up with a solution that’s
» » quite easy and much cheaper.”
»
»
» Yeah, the guy sent me an email saying a few things about it. Originally I
» thought it was just for prevention, but he says it will regrow hair too -
» to what extent I don’t know. The ‘biochemical technology’ thing is from a
» short piece about him at that Kauffmann global scholars group thing where
» he’s studying at the moment.
where you have contacted him? Some official email adress? I’m signed up on his site… but from 2 months ago to now no news… nothing… tell us some more… post here the email, thanks…

Yes, I would LOVE for him to have something useful. But does he? I highly doubt it for the reasons I mentioned above. It all just sounds way to good to be true. I mean, really, some young rogue biochemist has a NON DRUG highly effective treatment he will be unleashing on society in 12 months. He has gotten almost no popular press and no details have been released. Be realistic. No way!!

» Yes, I would LOVE for him to have something useful. But does he? I highly
» doubt it for the reasons I mentioned above. It all just sounds way to good
» to be true. I mean, really, some young rogue biochemist has a NON DRUG
» highly effective treatment he will be unleashing on society in 12 months.
» He has gotten almost no popular press and no details have been released.
» Be realistic. No way!!
yes, he’s doing only a SHOW… the time of people who believe to similiar announce on internet is over… if you have something serious, post it, if not, you’re a cunning… with other commercial planes…

» I’m backing Whitfield, he’s got something

Yes, I see that he’s got some naive people who believe in him

if you ever talk to him again, ask him why he thinks he doesn’t need FDA (or the European equivalent) approval? Whether his biochemical compound works or not I have no idea. But if we understood why it doesn’t need approval (or why it can be approved so fast) it would be easier to guess what he is doing and whether this is a serious approach.

» » I’m backing Whitfield, he’s got something
»
» Yes, I see that he’s got some naive people who believe in him

Haha! I said I think he’ll come out with something. Whether it’s really effective or not is anyone’s guess. How dare you call me naive, you cheeky git! Aren’t these forums supposed to allow people to have their own opinions? I posted my opinion and I don’t give two hoots what you think about.

I sent the guy an email saying that I hope it’s not a wig or something (lol) and he seemed to think what he had would be ‘revolutionary’ and would actually restore hair. Obviously anyone trying to market a business would say something similar regardless of how effective the product is, but it’s my opinion that there’s at least something to what he’s doing - especially if he’s confident enough to mention it in a blurb about him at the Kauffmann scholarship website. Either way, if he’s saying it’ll be out within a year we’ll know pretty soon if he’s full of hot air.

And why do you even bother to speculate what kind of drug or technology it might be? There could be many reasons why he doesn’t need to go through clinical trials and you know nothing about any one of them. I entitle you to your opinion and I welcome discussion on user’s opinions, but don’t call me naive just for voicing mine.

» … And why do you even bother …

Yes, you’re right, goodbye.

I’m still tryng to understand where did you have contacted the researcher…

» I’m still tryng to understand where did you have contacted the
» researcher…
and… what’s that this Kauffmann scholarship ??

» » I’m still tryng to understand where did you have contacted the
» » researcher…
» and… what’s that this Kauffmann scholarship ??

I just emailed him from the first version of his website and he got back to me from his personal email address. Kauffmann Scholarship: http://sites.kauffman.org/globalscholars/meet.cfm

» » » I’m still tryng to understand where did you have contacted the
» » » researcher…
» » and… what’s that this Kauffmann scholarship ??
»
» I just emailed him from the first version of his website and he got back
» to me from his personal email address. Kauffmann Scholarship:
» http://sites.kauffman.org/globalscholars/meet.cfm
i don’t find nothing about thomas w on this site…:expressionless:

» » » » I’m still tryng to understand where did you have contacted the
» » » » researcher…
» » » and… what’s that this Kauffmann scholarship ??
» »
» » I just emailed him from the first version of his website and he got
» back
» » to me from his personal email address. Kauffmann Scholarship:
» » http://sites.kauffman.org/globalscholars/meet.cfm
» i don’t find nothing about thomas w on this site…:expressionless:

Are you kidding? Just scroll down the page. He’s one of the 2009 global scholars.