ESC & iPSC News Volume 5.27 | Jul 14 2010

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    ESC & iPSC News 5.27, July 14, 2010.
    In this issue:  Science News |  Current Publications |  Industry News |  Policy News |  Events
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    TOP STORY

    Biologists Find Way to Lower Tumor Risk in Stem Cell Therapies
    Researchers report that they have identified a new signaling pathway critical for unlimited self propagation of embryonic stem cells. [Press release from the University of California, San Diego discussing online prepublication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA]

    STEMcircles_645x110

    SCIENCE NEWS

    Stem Cell Researchers Successfully Treat Spinal Cord Injuries in Mice
    Researchers have succeeded in restoring the mobility of mice with damaged spinal cords using induced pluripotent stem cells. [Press release from The Mainichi Daily News discussing online prepublication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA]

    Skin Cells Could Help Discover Cause of Parkinson’s Disease
    Researchers are applying new stem cell technology to use skin samples to grow the brain cells thought to be responsible for the onset of Parkinson’s disease. [UK National Stem Cell Network Press Release]

    Mexican Salamander Helps Uncover Mysteries of Stem Cells and Evolution
    Researchers have found that there are extraordinary similarities in the development of Mexican aquatic salamanders and mammals that provide unique opportunities to study the properties of embryonic stem cells and germ cells. [UK National Stem Cell Network Press Release]

    Mouse Stem Cell Study Offers New Insights Into Body Fat Distribution
    New research shows that adding fat to mouse stem cells grown in the lab affects their response to the signals that push them to develop into one or other of the main types of fat storage cells, subcutaneous or visceral. [UK National Stem Cell Network Press Release]

    mTeSR 
    Derive iPSCs feeder-free* with mTeSR®1
    by STEMCELL Technologies
     
     
    *Sun et al., PNAS, September 2009.
    *Chan et al., Nature Biotechnology, October 2009.
    STEMCELL Technologies Inc
     


    CURRENT PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by Impact Factor of the Journal)

    Functional Genomics Reveals a BMP-Driven Mesenchymal-to-Epithelial Transition in the Initiation of Somatic Cell Reprogramming
    Researchers explored somatic cell reprogramming by exploiting a secondary mouse embryonic fibroblast model that forms induced pluripotent stem cells with high efficiency upon inducible expression of Oct4, Klf4, c-Myc, and Sox2. [Cell Stem Cell]

    Phosphorylation Stabilizes Nanog by Promoting Its Interaction with Pin1
    Researchers show that Nanog is phosphorylated at multiple Ser/Thr-Pro motifs. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

    Therapeutic Potential of Appropriately Evaluated Safe-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Spinal Cord Injury
    Findings suggest that pre-evaluated safe induced pluripotent stem clone-derived neural stem/progenitor cells may be a promising cell source for transplantation therapy for spinal cord injury. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

    Reversal of Hyperglycemia in Diabetic Mouse Models Using Induced-Pluripotent Stem (iPS)-Derived Pancreatic Beta-Like Cells
    Using iPS cells, researchers were able to derive beta-like cells similar to the endogenous insulin-secreting cells in mice. These beta-like cells secreted insulin in response to glucose and corrected a hyperglycemic phenotype in two mouse models of type 1 and 2 diabetes via an iPS cell transplant. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

    Combinatorial Extracellular Matrices for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation in 3D
    Researchers investigated the effects of combinatorial extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins on controlled human embryonic stem cell differentiation. Varying ECM compositions in 3D markedly affects cell behavior, and optimal compositions of ECM hydrogels are identified that facilitate specific-lineage differentiation of stem cells. [Biomacromolecules]

    Differentiation of Human ES and Parkinson’s Disease iPS Cells Into Ventral Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons Requires a High Activity Form of SHH, FGF8a and Specific Regionalization by Retinoic Acid
    A new human embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell differentiation protocol using FGF8a, WNT1, low dose retinoic acid and a high activity form of SHH can generate human ventral midbrain dopaminergic neurons that are required for relevant new bioassays, drug discovery and cell based therapies for Parkinson’s disease. [Mol Cell Neurosci]

    Activation of Retinoic Acid Receptor Signaling Coordinates Lineage Commitment of Spontaneously Differentiating Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells in Embryoid Bodies
    Data suggest that retinoid signaling not only promotes a particular pathway but also acts as a context dependent general coordinator of the differentiation states in embryonic stem cells. [FEBS Lett]

    Pluripotent Embryonic Stem Cells and Multipotent Adult Germline Stem Cells Reveal Similar Transcriptomes Including Pluripotency-Related Genes
    Undifferentiated mouse multipotent adult germline stem cell and embryonic stem cell lines are very similar based on their global gene expression pattern and show 97-99% identity dependent on the analyzed background. [Mol Hum Reprod]

    INDUSTRY NEWS

    GSK and Aptuit Finalize Agreement for Aptuit to Acquire GSK’s Research Operations in Italy
    GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Aptuit, Inc. announced that they have finalized an agreement for Aptuit to acquire operations at GSK’s Medicines Research Centre in Verona, Italy. [Aptuit, Inc. Press Release]

    Roche and IBM Collaborate to Develop Nanopore-Based DNA Sequencing Technology
    Roche and IBM announced an agreement to develop a nanopore-based sequencer that will directly read and decode human DNA quickly and efficiently. [Roche Press Release]

    International Stem Cell Corporation and Sankara Nethralaya Launch Collaboration to Develop Stem Cell-Based Treatment for Corneal Vision Impairment
    International Stem Cell Corporation (ISCO) and Sankara Nethralaya announced commencement of a collaboration to develop ISCO’s CytoCor™ stem cell-derived corneal tissue. [International Stem Cell Corporation Press Release]

    Adimab Announces Fifth Major Pharmaceutical Partnership in First Year After Launch of Novel Antibody Discovery Platform
    Adimab, Inc. announced the initiation of a research collaboration with Novartis. [Adimab, Inc. Press Release]

    iPierian Closes $22 Million Series B Financing Led By Google Ventures
    iPierian, Inc. announced the closing of a $22 million Series B equity financing. [iPierian, Inc. Press Release]

    World’s First Damage-Less Cell Sorter Suitable for Human iPS Cells Will Be Available Worldwide
    Furukawa Electric have commercialized the world’s first damage-less cell sorter (PERFLOW Sort), an instrument for analyzing and sorting living cells, especially human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells and human embryonic stem cells with inducible pluripotency to differentiate into various cell types. [Furukawa Electric Company, Limited Press Release]

    Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Awards Prestigious Fellowships to 18 Top Young Scientists
    The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation named 18 new Damon Runyon Fellows at its spring Fellowship Award Committee review.  The recipients of this prestigious, three-year award are outstanding postdoctoral scientists conducting basic and translational cancer research in the laboratories of leading senior investigators across the country. [Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Press Release]

    POLICY NEWS

    Bioethics Council Hears Pleas for More Oversight of Synthetic Biology
    A presidential bioethics commission took up a burning new issue in science: the risks and benefits of synthetic biology. [Bioethics Council, United States]

    Harold Varmus Sworn in as National Cancer Institute’s 14th Director
    Nobel Prize winner Harold E. Varmus, M.D., today took the oath of office to become the National Cancer Institute’s 14th director. [National Cancer Institute, United State]

    Berwick Appointed to Head CMS Without Senate Vote
    Pediatrician Donald Berwick, MD, a leading advocate of patient safety and quality improvement in healthcare, became the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) today without a bruising Senate confirmation process. [Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, United States]

    Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission Elects Margaret Conn Himelfarb as Chair
    The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission announced that it has elected Margaret Conn Himelfarb as chair and Bowen P. Weisheit, Jr. as vice chair. [Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission, United States]

    Genetic Testing Clamp Down
    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has told five genetic test manufacturers that their products need the agency’s blessing before they can be sold to consumers. [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

    Britain Delays Controversial Assessment Scheme for Research
    Britain’s new science minister made good a manifesto pledge today when he announced that the coalition government would delay for one year the implementation of the controversial Research Excellence Framework, a system of assessing university departments for the distribution of funding. [Ministry of Universities and Science, United Kingdom]

    MHRA Annual Report and Accounts 2009/10
    The Annual Report and Accounts give a selective overview of the events that have had most impact on the Agency during the past year, highlighting the landmark events and the safety issues the Agency has had to deal with, including the rise and global spread of pandemic influenza H1N1. [Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, United Kingdom]

    Spanish Science Spending Lockdown
    Spain’s science and innovation minister said that research funding will be “frozen or minimally reduced” as a result of government-wide austerity measures. [Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain]

    Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee (CLIAC); Notice of Meeting [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States]

    Request for Information (RFI) on the National Institutes of Health Plan to Develop the Genetic Testing Registry; Notice [National Institutes of Health, United States]

    National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering; Notice of Closed Meeting [National Institutes of Health, United States]

    EVENTS

    2nd International Conference on Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering (ICCMB2)
    August 2-4, 2010
    Singapore

    Select Biosciences 3rd Annual Stem Cells Europe Conference
    August 24-25, 2010
    Edinburgh, Scotland

    Select Biosciences Inaugural Cellular Therapy Summit

    August 24-25, 2010
    Edinburgh, Scotland

    International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) – Europe 2nd Regional Meeting
    September 11-14, 2010
    Belgirate, Italy

    Stem Cells USA & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2010
    September 13-15, 2010
    Philadelphia, United States


    Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) – Asia Pacific 2010
    September 15-17, 2010
    Sydney, Australia

    5th World Congress on Preventive & Regenerative Medicine (WCRM) 2010
    October 5-7, 2010
    Hannover, Germany

    Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: Production and Utility in Regenerative Medicine
    October 7, 2010
    Hertfordshire, United Kingdom

    Fraunhofer Life Science Symposium Leipzig 2010
    October 29-30, 2010
    Leipzig, Germany

    Select Biosciences 2nd International Forum on Stem Cells
    November 12-13, 2010
    Tianjin, China


    Stem Cell Network 10th Annual Scientific Meeting
    November 22-24, 2010
    Calgary, Canada

    Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) – North America 2010 Annual Conference
    December 5-8, 2010
    Orlando, United States

    Stem Cells World Congress
    January 24-25, 2011
    San Diego, United States


    Visit our events page to stay up to date with the latest events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community.



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