Cell Therapy News Volume 10.09 | Mar 16 2009

University of California Davis Researchers Coax Brain Cells to Mimic Inner Ear Sensory Cells
In a recently published study, UC Davis scientists showed that stem cells taken from the lateral ventricle area of the brain can be successfully transformed so that they function like the hair-covered sensory cells of the inner ear.
Article

Scientists Create First Synthetic Ribosome
The research behind the ribosome, could give scientists “unprecedented power to evolve ribosomes to produce unique proteins for compelling applications.
Article

The Making of an Intestinal Stem Cell
Researchers have found the factor that makes the difference between a stem cell in the intestine and any other cell.
Article

Nanofiber Diameter Can Direct Stem Cell Growth
Hopkins researchers show the influence of the fiber diameter of electrospun substrates on neural stem/progenitor cell differentiation and proliferation.
Article

Penn Veterinary Researchers Identify a Critical Growth Factor That Stimulates Sperm Stem Cells to Thrive
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and Pennsylvania State University have identified for the first time a specific “niche factor” in the mouse testes called colony stimulating factor 1, Csf1, that has a direct effect on sperm stem cell self-renewal.
Article

University of Colorado at Boulder Research Team Identifies Stem Cells that Repair Injured Muscles
A University of Colorado at Boulder research team has identified a type of skeletal muscle stem cell that contributes to the repair of damaged muscles in mice, which could have important implications in the treatment of injured, diseased or aging muscle tissue in humans, including the ravages of muscular dystrophy.
Article

Stem Cells Help Foot Bones Heal
An implant consisting of bone ‘scaffolding’ containing stem cells can promote bone healing in patients who have undergone foot and ankle operations, a new report shows.
Article

Stem Cells Replace Stroke Damaged Tissue in Rats
Researchers at The University of Nottingham are among a team of scientists who have shown that by inserting tiny scaffolding with stem cells attached, it is possible to fill a hole left by stroke damage with brand new brain tissue within seven days.
Article

New Zealand Scientist’s Gene Research Could be the Answer to the Obesity Epidemic
A world-leading New Zealand researcher wants to start human trials of gene therapy to control obesity, after proving the technique in animal experiments.
Article

ABSTRACTS, REVIEWS AND SPECIAL REPORTS

Noncanonical Wnt Signaling Orchestrates Early Developmental Events toward Hematopoietic Cell Fate from Human Embryonic Stem Cells
This paper demonstrates that activation of canonical Wnt signaling by Wnt3a promotes proliferation of human embryonic stem cells-precursors already committed to the hematopoietic lineage.
Article

Embryonic Germ Cells Are Capable of Adipogenic Differentiation In Vitro and In Vivo
The objective of this study was to demonstrate that embryoid body–derived cells were capable of adipogenic differentiation in vitro and in vivo using a poly(ethylene glycol)-based hydrogel scaffold.
Article

A New Role of Substance P as an Injury-inducible Messenger for Mobilization of CD29+ Stromal-like Cells
This study shows that substance P is an injury-inducible factor that acts early in the wound healing process to induce CD29+ stromal-like cell mobilization.
Article

Omentum Facilitates Liver Regeneration
In this study Dr. Singh and his colleagues activated the omentum using a foreign body to increase its content of stem cells and growth factors and then used the activated omentum to regenerate the liver.
Article

Modulation of Stem and Progenitor Cell Differentiation, Assays, and Uses Thereof
The current patent covers the use of various thalidomide analogues for preferentially stimulating hematopoietic stem cell (CD34 and CD133) differentiation along the myeloid pathway but not the erythroid pathway.
Article

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Barack Obama Reverses Ban on Funding Stem Cell Research
President Barack Obama reversed the federal funding ban on stem cell research, placing a new emphasis on science within his administration and budget compared to his predecessor.
Article

VIDEO: Obama’s Order on Stem Cells Leaves Key Questions to NIH
President Obama’s open-ended order lifting limits on federal funding for stem cell research raises the prospect that taxpayer money could be used for a much broader, much more controversial array of studies than many scientists, officials and activists anticipated.
Article

Stem Cell Decision Worries Some Scientists
While praised by scientists, President Obama’s decision to lift restrictions on federal financing of embryonic stem cell research could cause state governments and philanthropists to pull back on billions of dollars they have pledged for such work.
Article

Some States Push Back Against Stem Cell Research
A showdown is shaping up in some of the nation’s most conservative states over embryonic stem cell research, as opponents draw language and tactics from the battle over abortion to counter President Barack Obama’s plan to ease research restrictions.
Article

Shanghai Team Analyzes Mechanism that Enables Adult Cells to Behave Like Embryonic Stem Cells
Agilent Technologies Inc. recently announced its collaboration with a team from the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences and Tongi University that has achieved new insight into how adult cells can be induced to act like embryonic stem cells.
Article

Sweet Spot for Roche-Genentech Deal Looks Like $95
Genentech’s board is readying itself to agree to turn over the reins of the company to Roche for $95 a share. That’s $2 more than Roche’s offer that was increased Friday to $93 a share.
Article

University of Buffalo to Receive $4.9 Million in Stem Cell Research Funds from New York State
The University at Buffalo will receive $4.9 million in funding to conduct research on stem cells, part of a new investment in stem cell research announced recently by New York State Governor David A. Paterson.
Article

University of California Merced Gets $4M for Campus Stem Cell Project
University officials announced plans Monday to update the school’s Science and Engineering Building for researchers who will examine stem cells at the single-cell level.
Article

Life Injected into Bay Area Stem Cell Companies
With a stroke of President Barack Obama’s pen Monday, shares of nearly every company focused on stem cells surged dramatically.
Article

Drug Investors Lose Patience
As merger mania plays out among the pharmaceutical giants, a different sort of financial frenzy has seized some small, struggling drug makers. Investors are demanding that stragglers close up shop and hand over any remaining cash.
Article

Improved Cryopreservation Outcomes in Potential $100B Tissue Engineering Market Enabled by BioLife Solutions CryoStor(TM)
BioLife Solutions, Inc. recently announced that an independent European comparison of the Company’s CryoStor biopreservation media against traditional in-house formulated culture media/serum/DMSO showed a significant cryopreservation process improvement and better cellular outcomes.
Article

StemEx(R) Receives Orphan Medicinal Product Designation in the EU
The Gamida Cell-Teva Joint Venture announced recently that orphan designation was granted by the European Commission for the investigational medicinal product StemEx(R) for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia.
Article

California Stem Cell Agency Chooses Two Vice Chairs
California’s stem cell research funding agency has chosen two vice chairs: outgoing California Democratic Party chairman Art Torres and San Diego biotech industry insider Duane Roth.
Article

Advanced Cell Technology Prepares IND Filing With the Capability to Produce Stem Cell Lines without the Destruction of the Embryo
Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. announced recently that it is finalizing preparations to file an IND in the second half of this year with the Food and Drug Administration for the Company’s retinal pigment epithelium cell program for the treatment of diseases of the eye.
Article

Cytori Receives Cell Banking Patent for the Celution(R) System 
Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. recently received a patent which covers methods of cooling and cryopreserving stem and regenerative cells processed by the Celution(R) System.
Article

Genzyme Accused of cGMP Deficiencies by FDA
The FDA has found “significant objectionable conditions” at the Genzyme manufacturing facility that makes Lumizyme, creating another issue in the product’s approval process.
Article

NIH Announces American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funding Opportunities
One billion dollars of the $10.4 billion provided to NIH under ARRA has been allocated for federal awards to institutions seeking to construct, renovate or repair biomedical or behavioral research facilities.
Article

Clarification on Required Budget Forms for Grant Applicants Submitting in Response to PA-07-318 (NOT-OD-09-059)
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Clinical Research Curriculum Award (K30) (RFA-RR-09-006)
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2009 Biological Device Application Approvals
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FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (United States)

Determination of Regulatory Review Period for Purposes of Patent Extension; PROFENDER
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Clinical Trials Endpoints for Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Public Workshop
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