Cell Therapy News Volume 9.15 | Apr 21 2008

Recruit Top Talent at the 2008 ISCT Annual Meeting
Are you interested in recruiting for a cell therapy-related position in your company or institution? The inaugural Cell Therapy News and ISCT Joint Job Posting program is the perfect opportunity to highlight your organization, profile open positions, and recruit highly qualified cell therapy professionals from a captive audience of cell therapy experts, including scientists, technologists, and business professionals.
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Scientists Uncover the Potential to Control Adult Stem Cells
Professor Cay Kielty, of The University of Manchester, describes how she and her team have uncovered a messaging system that instructs adult stem cells to contribute to tissue repair in response to chemical signals in the body.
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Discovery of Differences in Heart’s Precursor Cells May Advance Treatment Options
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s School of Medicine have shown that not all heart cells are created equal; in response to one signal to differentiate, some will act, while others lie in wait.
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A Pacemaker Without Wires or Batteries
By inserting genes into rat heart cells growing in a dish, researchers were able to create a beating pattern that was faster and more regular than had been seen before.
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Stem Cells Offer Cartilage Repair Hope for Arthritis Sufferers
Scientists at Cardiff University have successfully identified stem cells within articular cartilage of adults, which have the ability to derive into chondrocytes – the cells that make up the body’s cartilage – in high enough numbers to make treatment a realistic possibility.
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Regulating Hematopoietic Stem Cell Homeostasis And Leukemogenesis
Researchers identify the c-Cbl protein as a critical repressor of hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal. In addition to establishing a key role for protein ubiquitylation in hematopoietic stem cell development, this finding posits c-Cbl as a potential target in research into stem cell engineering as well as cell-based leukemia treatments.
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ImmuneRegen Releases Results from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Study Confirming Homspera’s Adult Stem Cell Activity
ImmuneRegen BioSciences, Inc. recently announced Homspera’s ability to enhance formation of early-stage blood cells from adult hematopoietic stem cells.
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New Use of Stem Cells to Heal Lame Horses May Lead to Human Applications
Unencumbered by many of the prohibitions governing the use of stem cells in humans, veterinarians in Canada are speeding ahead with the latest developments to treat injured, high performance horses.
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New Technique Isolates Blood-Forming Stem Cells
In a recent publication, Saul Sharkis, a professor of oncology at the Hopkins medical school, has developed a novel method for isolating mouse hematopoietic stem cells, or blood-forming stem cells.
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Stratatech Completes Patient Enrollment in Phase I/II Clinical Trial
Stratatech Corporation has completed patient enrollment in a Phase I/II clinical trial to evaluate StrataGraft(TM) skin tissue in the temporary management of full-thickness skin wounds that require autografting.
Article

Pluristem’s PLX Cells Show a Statistically Significant Advantage in a Pre-Clinical Study in the Multiple Sclerosis Model
Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. announced recently that a preclinical study utilizing the Company’s placental eXpanded cells showed a statistically significant advantage in ameliorating functional deficiencies in a standard Multiple Sclerosis animal model. PLX cells are mesenchymal stromal cells obtained from the placenta and expanded using Pluristem’s proprietary 3D PluriX(TM) technology.
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University of Miami/Jackson Cardiologists Perform Groundbreaking Stem Cell Procedure on Heart Patient
Doctors performed a groundbreaking stem cell injection during triple-bypass surgery on the first man to participate in this new double-blind study.
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Encouraging Clinical Data Reported From Aastrom’s First EU Compassionate Use Cardiac Patients
Aastrom Biosciences recently announced encouraging data from the first two compassionate use patients treated with the Company’s autologous stem cell therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy, a type of severe chronic heart failure.
Article

Enrollment Completed for Investigator-Initiated Stem & Regenerative Cell Breast Augmentation Study in Japan
The study, which began November 2007, is evaluating a procedure whereby a woman’s fat tissue is enriched with her own adipose derived stem and regenerative cells to create a natural filler. This technique is referred to as ‘cell-enhanced reconstruction.’
Article

ABSTRACTS, REVIEWS AND SPECIAL REPORTS

Direct Reprogramming of Terminally Differentiated Mature B Lymphocytes to Pluripotency
A fundamental unresolved question with whether terminally differentiated cells can be reprogrammed to pluripotency. Their study provides definite proof for the direct nuclear reprogramming of terminally differentiated adult cells to pluripotency.
Article

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Cellular Therapy Laboratory Manager
Center Valley, PA (Aesculap)
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Cellular Therapy Laboratory Manager
Seattle, WA (Seattle Cancer Care Alliance)
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Stem Cell Laboratory Medical Technologist
Saudi Arabia (National Guard Health Affairs)
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Stem Cell Laboratory Supervisor
Saudi Arabia (National Guard Health Affairs)
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Quality Management Supervisor
Saudi Arabia (National Guard Health Affairs)
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Medical Director
Tucson, AZ (Cbr Systems, Inc.)
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New Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine to Lead Way in Caring for Wounded
The Department of Defense announced the creation of the new, federally-funded institution, the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine during a briefing recently at the Pentagon.
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Repeal of Michigan’s Stem Cell Research Ban Seeks Spot on Ballot
Hoping to overturn the state’s ban on embryonic stem cell research, a ballot question committee is moving forward with plans to place an initiative on the November ballot allowing voters to decide whether the research should be legal in Michigan.
Article

House Backs Funds Ban for Stem Cell Research
The House quickly signed off Tuesday on legislation that would impose a Louisiana ban on use of public funds for most embryonic stem cell research.
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Germany Allows More Stem Cell Use
A compromise measure passed by a majority of Germany’s lower house of parliament increases the number of stem-cell lines available to scientists from 40 to 400.
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Japanese Lawmakers Set Up Group for Stem Cell Research
A suprapartisan group that supports stem cell research was set up Wednesday by 40 lawmakers.
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Affitech Participates in the Newly Formed Norwegian Stem Cell-Based Tumour Therapy Center
The human antibody company Affitech AS announced recently its membership in the newly inaugurated Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Based Tumor Therapy.
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International Stem Cell Corporation Announces Collaboration with The University of Cambridge to Study Parthenogenetic Stem Cells
Top brains in Cambridge and California have joined forces in a bid to create a true stem cell bank that could offer on-demand delivery of stem cells matched to a patient’s own immune system.
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Buck Institute and Q Therapeutics Form Stem Cell Collaboration to Combat Parkinson’s Disease
The Buck Institute for Age Research and Q Therapeutics, Inc. announced recently an agreement to collaborate on novel routes to combat Parkinson’s disease.
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1.1 Million Euro Stem Cell Project Combines Expertise of DASGIP With The Fraunhofer Institute For Cell Therapy And Immunology
DASGIP AG, a manufacturer of parallel cultivation systems for cell culture and microbiology and the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology located in Leipzig, Germany announce a cooperative effort in stem cell research.
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CellCyte Genetics Says Finances are “Precarious”
CellCyte Genetics is running short of cash for its ongoing operations, according to regulatory documents filed Monday.
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U.S. Patent Office Upholds StemCells, Inc.’s Patents In Reexamination Decisions
StemCells, Inc. announced recently that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has upheld two of the Company’s neural stem cell patents, with only minor amendments, thereby rejecting the arguments raised by Neuralstem, Inc. in its reexamination petitions of last year.
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Tengion Appoints David P. Holveck to its Board of Directors
Tengion Inc. announced recently that it has appointed David P. Holveck to its Board of Directors. Mr. Holveck brings extensive experience to Tengion, having served as President, CEO, Director and Group Chairman at public and private companies.
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IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence Grant [P20]
This Funding Opportunity Announcement is to provide an opportunity to continue building on the successes of the IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence program to further augment and strengthen the state’s biomedical research capacity.
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HHS Names First Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority
The Department of Health and Human Services recently announced the selection of Robin Robinson, Ph.D., as the first director of the Biomedical Advanced Research Development Authority.
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Human Cell, Tissues and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products Alphabetical List of Registered Establishments
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Guidance For Certain Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products (HCT/Ps) Recovered From Donors Who Were Tested For Communicable Diseases Using Pooled Specimens or Diagnostic Tests
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FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (United States)

Guidance for Industry; E15 Definitions for Genomic Biomarkers, Pharmacogenomics, Pharmacogenetics, Genomic Data, and Sample Coding Categories
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Draft Guidance for Sponsors, Industry, Researchers, Investigators, and Food and Drug Administration Staff: Certifications to Accompany Drug, Biological Product, and Device Applications
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FDA Plans to Open China Office in May
U.S. food and drug regulators will start working in China next month once Beijing gives its final approval, the top U.S. health official said Tuesday.
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FDA Soon May Support Biomarker Tests
The Food and Drug Administration is poised to throw its support behind a powerful new method of predicting the safety of experimental drugs, a step that could help pharmaceutical companies bring treatments to market more quickly – and reduce patients’ risk.
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14th ISCT Annual Meeting

May 17-20, 2008
Downtown Miami, Florida

Full details at: www.celltherapysociety.org