ESC & iPSC News Volume 11.29 | Jul 27 2016

TOP STORY

Replication Fork Stability Confers Chemoresistance in BRCA-Deficient Cells

Investigators showed that loss of the MLL3/4 complex protein, PTIP, protects Brca1/2-deficient cells from DNA damage and rescues the lethality of Brca2-deficient embryonic stem cells. [Nature] Abstract | Press Release

(Ranked by impact factor of the journal)

Structural Organization of the Inactive X Chromosome in the Mouse

Researchers investigated the structure, chromatin accessibility and expression status of the mouse inactive X chromosome in highly polymorphic clonal neural progenitors and embryonic stem cells. [Nature] Abstract

Tissue Mechanics Orchestrate Wnt-Dependent Human Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation

Investigators found that, on a hydrogel-based compliant matrix, human embryonic stem cells accumulate β-catenin at cell-cell adhesions and show enhanced Wnt-dependent mesoderm differentiation. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Natural Underlying mtDNA Heteroplasmy as a Potential Source of Intra-Person hiPSC Variability

Researchers performed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) next-generation sequencing on 84 induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) clones derived from a cohort of 19 individuals, including mitochondrial and non-mitochondrial patients. [EMBO J] Abstract | Grahpical Abstract

Set7 Mediated Interactions Regulate Transcriptional Networks in Embryonic Stem Cells

Scientists showed Set7 expression is increased during mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation and is regulated by the pluripotency factors, Oct4 and Sox2. [Nucleic Acids Res] Full Article

mRNA Cap Methylation in Pluripotency and Differentiation

The authors report that regulated mRNA cap methylation is a feature of embryonic stem cell differentiation. [Cell Rep] Full Article | Graphical Abstract

Characterization and Target Genes of Nine Human PRD-Like Homeobox Domain Genes Expressed Exclusively in Early Embryos

Scientists cloned multiple transcript variants from human embryos and showed that the expression of these genes is specific to embryos and pluripotent stem cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

Investigating the Functionality of an OCT4-Short Response Element in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Investigators demonstrated that the OCT4-short response element is active in pluripotency and this activity is in high correlation with transgene expression in vitro, and the OCT4-short response element is inactivated when pluripotent cells differentiate. [Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev] Full Article

In Vivo Generation of Neural Stem Cells through Teratoma Formation

Investigators attempted to generate in vivo neural stem cells differentiated through teratoma formation using Olig2-GFP transgenic embryonic stem cells [Stem Cells Dev] Abstract

Molecular Obstacles to Clinical Translation of iPSCs

The authors address whether a better understanding of the mechanism underlying the reprogramming process might improve the fidelity of reprogramming and, therefore, the induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) quality. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract

Visit our reviews page to see a complete list of reviews in the ESC & iPSC research field.

ViaCyte Awarded New CIRM Grant to Develop PEC-Direct for High-Risk Type 1 Diabetes

ViaCyte, Inc. announced that the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) approved a grant of $3.9 million to support pre-clinical development of ViaCyte’s PEC-Direct cell therapy product candidate which is being developed for a subset of type 1 diabetes patients. [ViaCyte, Inc.] Press Release

Kite Pharma Licenses Enabling Technology for the Development of Off-the-Shelf Allogeneic T-Cell Therapies

Kite Pharma, Inc. announced that it has entered into an exclusive, worldwide license agreement with The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the University of California, Los Angeles, for technology to advance the development of off-the-shelf allogeneic T-cell therapies from renewable pluripotent stem cells. [Kite Pharma, Inc.] Press Release

Chinese Scientists to Pioneer First Human CRISPR Trial

Chinese scientists are on the verge of being first in the world to inject people with cells modified using the CRISPR–Cas9 gene-editing technique. A team led by Lu You, an oncologist at Sichuan University’s West China Hospital in Chengdu, plans to start testing such cells in people with lung cancer next month. [Nature News] Editorial

Trump vs Clinton: Worlds Apart on Science

Science is slowly coming into focus in the US presidential campaign. Although neither Republican Donald Trump nor Democrat Hillary Clinton has emphasized core research issues, the candidates — and their parties — are beginning to flesh out their positions on climate change, education, biomedical research and other topics that involve the scientific community. [Nature News] Editorial

Scientific Literature: Information Overload

Recent bibliometrics show that the number of published scientific papers has climbed by 8–9% each year over the past several decades. In the biomedical field alone, more than 1 million papers pour into the PubMed database each year — about two papers per minute. For researchers who are already overwhelmed by bench and field work, grant-writing, publishing and other time-eaters, trying to navigate the growing deluge of data has become a second job. [Nature Careers] Editorial

NEW 3^rd Annual Stem Cell Congress 2016
November 9-10, 2016
London, United Kingdom

Visit our events page to see a complete list of events in the ESC & iPSC community.

NEW Postdoctoral Position – Cardiovascular Stem Cell Biology (Yale University)

Technical Sales Representative (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Postdoctoral Positions – Epigenetic Inheritance and Cancer Epigenetics (Columbia University)

Industrial Research Manager – Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering (KU Leuven)

Research Associate – Reprogramming and Chromatin (Imperial College London)

Faculty Position – Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry (University of Poitiers)

Postdoctoral Fellowship(s) – Deciphering the Link Between Adhesion and Pluripotency (The Danish Stem Cell Center)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Pluripotent Stem Cell Technology (University of California, Davis)

Postdoctoral Position – Bone and Stem Cell Research (University of Connecticut Health)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Cancer Biology and Stem Cell Biology Research (City of Hope)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Bioscience Research (The University of Tennessee Health Science Center)

Recruit Top Talent: Reach potential candidates by posting your organization’s career opportunities on the Connexon Creative Job Board at no cost.

Have we missed an important article or publication in ESC & iPSC News? Click here to submit!

Comments or suggestions? Submit your feedback here.