SCIENCE NEWS
Visionary Stem Cell Technique Offers New Potential to Treat Blindness
Scientists are pioneering a stem cell treatment to replace diseased parts of the retina, which could lead to a future treatment for retinal diseases. [Press release from the Medical Research Council discussing online prepublication in Human Molecular Genetics]
Stem Cells Restore Ovary Function in Rat Study
Scientists have found that injecting a particular type of stem cells into infertile female rats can restore the function of their ovaries, and say their findings could pave the way for a similar treatment for humans. [Press release from Reuters discussing research presented at the World Congress of Fertility and Sterility]
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CURRENT PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by Impact Factor of the Journal)
Transplantation of GABAergic Neurons from ES Cells Attenuates Tactile Hypersensitivity Following Spinal Cord Injury
Results suggest that subarachnoid transplantation of embryonic stem (ES) cell-derived GABAergic neurons appear to restore spinal GABAergic inhibitory tone and can be a promising strategy to treat spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced pain. [Stem Cells]
Cone and Rod Photoreceptor Transplantation in Models of the Childhood Retinopathy Leber Congenital Amaurosis Using Flow-Sorted Crx-Positive Donor Cells
Researchers conclude that flow-sorted embryonic-stage Crx-positive donor cells have the potential to replace lost cones, as well as rods, an important requirement for retinal disease therapy. [Hum Mol Genet]
High Content Screening of Feeder-Free Human Embryonic Stem Cells to Identify Pro-Survival Small Molecules
Researchers have identified novel pro-survival compounds of greater specificity, equivalent potency and reduced toxicity relative to the routinely employed ROCK inhibitor, Y-27632. [Biochem J]
Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes Engraft but Do not Alter Cardiac Remodeling After Chronic Infarction in Rats
When injected into a chronic infarct model, human embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes can engraft, survive and form grafts with striated cardiomyocytes at least as well as was previously observed in an acute myocardial infarction model. [J Mol Cell Cardiol]
RAR-Gamma Is Required for Correct Deposition and Removal of Suz12 and H2A.Z in Embryonic Stem Cells
Researchers show that retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-gamma in the absence of the ligand retinoic acid (RA), is required for deposition of the histone variant H2A.Z and the Polycomb protein Suz12 at RA target genes, and that both RAR-gamma and Suz12 exist in a multi-protein complex in the absence of ligand. [J Cell Physiol]
Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived from Fetal Neural Stem Cells Successfully Undergo Directed Differentiation into Cartilage
Researchers derived human induced pluripotent stem cells from fetal neural stem cells by transfection with a polycistronic plasmid vector carrying the mouse Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc genes or a plasmid expressing the human OCT4 gene. [Stem Cells Dev]
Aberrant Expression of the Pluripotency Marker SOX-2 in Endometriosis
Aberrant expression of SOX-2 may indicate a stem cell origin of endometriosis, whereas the presence of all progenitor markers in endometrial tissue marks the endometrium as a potential source for induced pluripotent stem cell generation. [Fertil Steril]
Global Transcriptional Profiles of Beating Clusters Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Embryonic Stem Cells Are Highly Similar
Data suggest that induced pluripotent stem (iPS)-beating clusters (BCs) are transcriptionally highly similar to embryonic stem (ES)-BCs. However, iPS-BCs appear to share some somatic cell signature with undifferentiated iPS cells. Thus, iPS-BCs may not be perfectly identical to ES-BCs. [BMC Dev Biol]
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Cellular Dynamics International, ACEA Biosciences, and Roche Applied Sciences Cooperate to Evaluate iCell Cardiomyocytes on the xCELLigence System
Cellular Dynamics International announced their partnership with ACEA Biosciences to bring early and accurate prediction of potential cardiotoxic side effects to the drug discovery process. [Cellular Dynamics International Press Release]
Banner Sun Health Research Institute Receives $2.6 Million in Funding
An adult stem cell translational research project moves into high gear thanks to $2 million in funding from the Sun Health Foundation and $600,000 from Banner Health. [Banner Health Press Release]
Athersys Receives Orphan Drug Designation for MultiStem in Graft versus Host Disease
Athersys, Inc. announced that MultiStem®, Athersys’ multipotent adult progenitor stem cell therapy, has been granted orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of graft versus host disease. [Athersys, Inc. Press Release]
Patent Is Filed on Shrink Nanotechnologies’ CellAlign Advanced Tissue Engineering Platform Technology
Shrink Nanotechnologies, Inc. announced that certain patent applications related to its advanced tissue engineering technology platform, CellAlign™, have been filed. [Shrink Nanotechnologies, Inc. Press Release]
Northwestern First Site Open for Spinal Cord Stem Cell Trial
Northwestern Medicine is the first site open for enrollment in a national clinical research trial of a human embryonic stem cell-based therapy for participants with a subacute thoracic spinal cord injury. [PhysOrg]
University of South Florida Stem Cell Scientists Call for Research Ethics Consortium
Two University of South Florida stem cell researchers propose creating an independent national “Stem Cell Research Ethics Consortium” to provide better guidance on stem cell issues for regulatory agencies, law makers and policy makers. [University of South Florida Press Release]
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POLICY NEWS
Government Asks Appeals Court to Keep Stem Cell Research Going
Government lawyers sallied forth on another legal maneuver in an effort to defend U.S.-funded research on stem cells: they asked an appeals court to grant a longer stay to allow research on human embryonic stem cells to continue while the court considers a lower court’s ruling that it is illegal. [Department of Justice, United States]
University of California Seeks to Intervene in Stem Cell Research Lawsuit
Statement from the University of California regarding the filing of a motion with the U.S Federal Court of Appeals to intervene in Sherley v. Sebelius. [Court of Appeals, United States]
Oral Hearing Scheduled in Stem Cell Injunction Appeal
In an unexpected move, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit scheduled a 30-minute oral hearing on 24 September to hear arguments on whether Chief Judge Royce Lamberth’s injunction that blocked National Institutes of Health funding for work with the cells should be lifted while the case is being litigated. [Court of Appeals, United States]
Senate Panel Weighs in on Threat to Stem Cell Research
In a Senate hearing on the ongoing legal tussle over human embryonic stem cell research, lawmakers and expert witnesses lamented the disruption to this promising research. [Congress, United States]
ISSCR Actively Advocating to Protect hESC Research Funding
International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) Board members testified at the Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing on Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research in support of federal funding for human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research. [Congress, United States]
FDA to Review Medical Products Alongside Medicare
A new process to review medical products at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in tandem with the nation’s Medicare insurance program could help speed up coverage decisions. [Food and Drug Administration, United States]
European Medicines Agency and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Extend Confidentiality Arrangements Indefinitely
The European Medicines Agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have extended their confidentiality arrangements related to medicinal products for human and veterinary use, following the positive experience gained since the initial arrangements were signed in September 2003. [European Medicines Agency, European Union]
Government Sets Up Panel to Regulate Use of Stem Cells
The health ministry has approved and notified a committee to look at therapies related to stem cells and genes. [Ministry of Health, India]
Government Plans Policy Options to Boost Pharma
The government is looking at policy options to strengthen India’s thriving pharmaceutical industry and check growing instances of takeovers by foreign players. [Commerce Department, India]
National Cancer Institute; Notice of Closed Meeting (FR Doc. 2010-23144) [National Institutes of Health, United States]
National Cancer Institute; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc. 2010-23545) [National Institutes of Health, United States]
Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meeting (FR Doc. 2010-23270) [National Institutes of Health, United States]
Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc. 2010-23275) [National Institutes of Health, United States]
Guidance on Withdrawal of Subjects From Research: Data Retention and Other Related Issues (FR Doc. 2010-23517) [Department of Health and Human Services, United States]
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EVENTS
5th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Stem Cell Research
September 30-October 2, 2010
Lübeck, Germany
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
NEW 4th International Symposium: “Stem Cells, Development and Regulation”
October 12-14, 2010
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Fraunhofer Life Science Symposium Leipzig 2010
October 29-30, 2010
Leipzig, Germany
BioMalaysia 2010 Conference and Exhibition
November 2-4, 2010
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 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
Biotech Showcase 2011
January 10-12, 2011
San Francisco, 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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