Soldiers in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are surviving at higher rates than in previous wars, but many have suffered serious injuries that doctors are powerless to heal.

But now there’s hope, thanks to new stem cell techniques and a share of a new U.S. Army grant. The OMLC received $1.5 million to develop new stem cell therapies

“For most of them we have almost no therapy or treatments to restore a normal life,” said Dr. Kenton Gregory, Medical Director at the Oregon Medical Laser Center at Providence St. Vincent’s.

He referred to the thousands of soldiers who’ve been injured by powerful explosions in Iraq, men and women who suffered muscle, tissue, blood vessel and brain damage.

“If the muscle dies or the nerve dies, the arm is there but it’s useless,” said Dr. Gregory.

Dr. Kenton says the future is promising.

Followed by a KGW photographer, Dr. Kenton showed the lab where a type of centrifuge can take bone marrow and separate the stem cells.

He said those cells can be grown into the type of damaged tissue. For soldiers who’ve suffered tissue damage, the cells can be injected directly into the injured area. Dr. Kenton says he hopes in 2-3 years, the damaged tissue will regenerate itself.

“It’s an unbelievable opportunity to use the healing power of our own bodies to regenerate arm and leg tissue,“ said Dr. Kenton.

He added that the technique is already being used successfully in Germany and Japan, and that it appears the ideal time to treat wounded soldiers is 4-7 days after the injury. Dr. Kenton said since the stem cells are taken from the patient’s own body, there’s no chance of rejection.

The $85 million research project is being directed jointly by the OMLC and the Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Dr. Kenton is no stranger to innovation helping soldiers on the battlefield. His team created a revolutionary bandage in 2002 made using ground up shrimp shells.

The ingredient from the shells, chitosan, stops bleeding by causing the blood to clot.