Cord Blood News Volume 3.06 | Feb 17 2011

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    Justin.choi
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    Cord Blood News 3.06, February 17, 2011

         In this issue: Science News | Current Publications | Industry News | Policy News | Events
     

    TOP STORY
    Development of IL-22 Producing NK Lineage Cells from Umbilical Cord Blood Hematopoietic Stem Cells in the Absence of Secondary Lymphoid Tissue
    IL-22 producing NK cells can be generated in the absence of secondary lymphoid tissues. Hematopoietic stem cells-derived NK22 cells will be valuable in understanding this rare NK subset and creates the opportunity for human translational clinical trials. [Blood]

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    SCIENCE NEWS
    Erg Gene Key to Blood Stem Cell ‘Self-Renewal’
    Scientists have begun to unravel how blood stem cells regenerate themselves, identifying a key gene required for the process. The discovery that the Erg gene is vitally important to blood stem cells’ unique ability to self-renew could give scientists new opportunities to use blood stem cells for tissue repair, transplantation and other therapeutic applications. [Press release from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute discussing online prepublication in Genes and Development]

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    CURRENT PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by Impact Factor of the Journal)

    ERG Dependence Distinguishes Developmental Control of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Maintenance from Hematopoietic Specification
    Using in vitro and in vivo models of hematopoiesis and hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) development, researchers provide strong evidence that ERG is at the center of a distinct regulatory program that is not required for hematopoietic specification or differentiation but is critical for HSC maintenance during embryonic development. [Genes Dev]

    The Performance of Laminin-Containing Cryogel Scaffolds in Neural Tissue Regeneration
    Researchers showed that bioactive scaffolds generated by cryogelation of dextran or gelatin linked to laminin promoted differentiation of human cord blood-derived stem cells into artificial neural tissue in vitro. [Biomaterials]

    Human Wharton’s Jelly Stem Cells Have Unique Transcriptome Profiles Compared to Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Other Mesenchymal Stem Cells
    The data in the present study, which is the first detailed report on human Wharton’s jelly stem cell (hWJSC) transcriptomes, provide a foundation for future functional studies where the exact mechanisms of these unique properties of hWJSCs can be confirmed. [Stem Cell Rev]

    Coordinated Involvement of Cathepsins S, D and Cystatin C in the Commitment of Hematopoietic Stem Cells to Dendritic Cells
    Findings uncover a novel biochemical cluster that is subject to time-controlled and rigorously balanced expression to mediate specific stem cell commitment at the crossroads towards tolerance or immunity. [Int J Biochem Cell Biol]

    Cord Blood CD133 Cells Define an OV6-Positive Population That Can Be Differentiated In Vitro into Engraftable Bipotent Hepatic Progenitors
    Researchers have identified a reservoir of immature hepatic precursors within human cord blood, which can derive engraftable bipotent progenitors. [Stem Cells Dev]

    Isolation and Characterization of Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Umbilical Cord Blood: Reevaluation of Critical Factors for Successful Isolation and High Ability to Proliferate and Differentiate to Chondrocytes as Compared to Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Bone Marrow and Adipose Tissue
    Data indicate that viable cord blood (CB)-mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) could be obtained consistently and that CB should be reconsidered as a practical source of MSC for cell therapy and regenerative medicine using the well established CB banking system. [J Cell Biochem]
     
    Successful Treatment of a Child with T/Myeloid Acute Bilineal Leukemia Associated with TLX3/BCL11B Fusion and 9q Deletion
    Researchers report a pediatric case of bilineal T/myeloid acute leukemia associated with del (9q)(q13q22) and TLX3/BCL11B fusion due to the cryptic t(5;14)(q35;32). The patient has been in extended remission following ALL-based chemotherapy and a matched unrelated cord blood transplant. [Pediatr Blood Cancer]
     
    Immunitary Bioeconomy: The Economization of Life in the International Cord Blood Market
    This paper examines an emerging bioeconomy centered on the international banking and trade in cord blood. [Soc Sci Med]

    INDUSTRY NEWS
    Cord Blood America Announces Purchase of Minority Interest in Spanish Stem Cell Storage Company
    Cord Blood America, Inc. announced that it has purchased a minority interest in Stem Cells VIDAPLUS, a Spanish-owned company which preserves umbilical cord stem cells at the Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology of the Red Cross in Frankfurt, Germany. [Cord Blood America, Inc. Press Release]

    A Total of $6.5 Million in New Financing for the Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau
    In its continued efforts to meet the priorities of the Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau at CHU Sainte-Justine, the Fondation Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau is proud to announce that it has pledged to remit $6,444,524 in new financing to the Centre de cancérologie Charles-Bruneau over the next five years. These funds will be earmarked primarily for the fundamental research program on neuroblastoma as well as the research program on cord blood. [CNW Group]

    UMASS Medical School’s Human Stem Cell Bank Makes Available First Seven Stem Cell Lines
    The first seven stem cell lines grown and banked at the University of Massachusetts (UMASS) Medical School’s Human Stem Cell Bank are ready for worldwide distribution to researchers working on discovering new therapeutic treatments for diseases such as cancer, juvenile diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, among others. [EurekAlert!]

    UCSF Stem Cell Building Opens, a Milestone for Pioneering Program
    The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) celebrates the official opening of the Ray and Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine Building, a testament to the power of perseverance in the stem cell field. [University of California, San Francisco Press Release]

    ERYtech Pharma Announces Appointment of Marc Beer to the Supervisory Board
    ERYtech Pharma, an emerging specialty pharma company, is pleased to welcome Marc Beer as a new board member. [ERYtech Inc. Press Release]

    BME Grad Student Team Scores in Business Plan Competition
    A team of Johns Hopkins biomedical engineering (BME) graduate students tied for first place in the 2011 Georgia Bowl Business Plan Competition, hosted Feb. 4 and 5 by Kennesaw State University. Team members presented their business plan for TheraCord, a system that the students developed to improve the process of umbilical cord blood collection. [Johns Hopkins University Press Release]

    Scientists Warn Against Stifling Effect of Widespread Patenting in Stem Cell Field
    A team of scholars urges the scientific community to act collectively to stem the negative effects of patenting and privatizing of stem cell lines, data and pioneering technologies. This means grappling with the ambiguity of several fundamental distinctions typically made in ethics, law, and common practice, the experts insist. [Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics Press Release]

    Pace Picks Up for Clinical Trials to Evaluate Stem Cell Therapies
    Stem cell science remains a fast-moving frontier — that much was made clear by leading scientists discussing their latest discoveries during a scientific symposium honoring the opening of the Ray and Dagmar Dolby Regeneration Medicine Building on the University of California, San Francisco Parnassus campus. [University of California, San Francisco Press Release]

    POLICY NEWS

    National Institutes of Health (United States)

    Food and Drug Administration (United States)

    Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (United States)

    European Medicines Agency (European Union)

    Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (United Kingdom)

    Therapeutic Goods Administration (Australia)

    EVENTS

    Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the cord blood community.

    JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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    Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cell Biology (Joslin Diabetes Center/Harvard Stem Cell Institute)

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    Manager Clinical Affairs (Bioheart, Inc.)

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    Postdoctoral Scholar (University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine)

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