ESC & iPSC News Volume 6.26 | Jul 6 2011

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    ESC & iPSC News 6.26, July 6, 2011

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

    Lithium, an Anti-Psychotic Drug, Greatly Enhances the Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
    Scientists report that lithium greatly enhances induced pluripotent stem cell generation from both mouse embryonic fibroblast and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. [Cell Res]

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    SCIENCE NEWS

    Investigators Develop Technique to Bypass iPSCs for Conversion of Human Fibroblasts to Dopaminergic Neurons
    Researchers have developed a technique to convert mouse and human fibroblasts directly into dopaminergic neurons without having to first generate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). [Press release from Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News discussing online prepublication in Nature]

    New Technique Advances Bioprinting of Cells
    By extending the pioneering acoustical work that applied sound waves to generate droplets from fluids, a team has made encouraging preliminary findings at an early and crucial point in a stem cell’s career known as embryoid body formation. [Press release from ScienceDaily discussing online prepublication in Biomicrofluidics]

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    CURRENT PUBLICATIONS (Ranked by Impact Factor of the Journal)

    Direct Generation of Functional Dopaminergic Neurons from Mouse and Human Fibroblasts
    Researchers identified a minimal set of three transcription factors—Mash1 (also known as Ascl1), Nurr1 (also known as Nr4a2) and Lmx1a—that are able to generate directly functional dopaminergic neurons from mouse and human fibroblasts without reverting to a progenitor cell stage. [Nature]

    T-Cell Factor 3 (Tcf3) Deletion Increases Somatic Cell Reprogramming by Inducing Epigenome Modifications
    Investigators show that the absence of Tcf3, a repressor of β-catenin target genes, strikingly and rapidly enhances the efficiency of neural precursor cell reprogramming. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A]

    Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Staining and Sorting with the Live-Cell Fluorescence Imaging Probe CDy1
    This protocol described detailed procedures for staining embryonic stem cell (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cell in live conditions and for fluorescence-activated cell sorting of ESC using CDy1 (compound of designation yellow 1). [Nat Protoc]

    Modeling Neuronal Defects Associated with a Lysosomal Disorder Using Patient-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
    Researchers generated human induced pluripotent stem cells from the skin fibroblasts of children with mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIB. [Hum Mol Genet]

    GABAergic Neurons from Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Possess Functional Properties of Striatal Neurons In Vitro, and Develop into Striatal Neurons In Vivo in a Mouse Model of Huntington’s Disease
    Scientists aimed to develop a suitable protocol to obtain a high percentage of functional GABAergic neurons from mouse embryonic stem cells, and then tested their differentiation potential in vivo. [Stem Cell Rev]

    Preclinical Derivation and Imaging of Autologously Transplanted Canine Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
    In this study, researchers report the first autologous transplantation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in a large animal model through the generation of canine iPSCs from the canine adipose stromal cells and canine fibroblasts of adult Mongrel dogs. [J Biol Chem]

    Embryonic Stem Cell Bioprinting for Uniform and Controlled Size Embryoid Body Formation
    In this study, investigators report an approach to form controllable, uniform-sized embryoid bodies by integrating bioprinting technologies with the existing hanging-drop method. [Biomicrofluidics]

    β-Adrenergic Signals Regulate Cardiac Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Via Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathways
    Scientists demonstrated that a β-adrenergic receptor agonist significantly enhanced cardiac differentiation as indicated by a higher percentage of beating embryoid bodies and a higher expression level of cardiac markers. [Dev Growth Differ]

    INDUSTRY NEWS

    Medical College of Wisconsin and Cellular Dynamics Awarded NHLBI Grant Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
    The Medical College of Wisconsin and Cellular Dynamics International announced receipt of a research grant award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to investigate the mechanisms underlying left ventricular hypertrophy. [Cellular Dynamics International Press Release]

    Li Ka Shing Foundation Makes $1.5 Million Donation to Boost Yale Stem Cell Research
    The Li Ka Shing Foundation has awarded $1.5 million to Yale University to expand two research core facilities, the human embryonic stem cell core and the genomics core, of the Yale Stem Cell Center. [Yale Office of Public Affairs & Communications Press Release]

    Scripps Receives $7.9 Million NIH Grant for Novel ‘Disease in a Dish’ Genomic Research into Finding Root Cause of Heart Attack
    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $7.9 million grant to the Scripps Translational Science Institute and Sangamo BioSciences to conduct the nation’s first-ever, heart-based “disease in a dish” research. [The Scripps Research Institute Press Release]

    ACT Granted EU Orphan Medicinal Product Designation for hESC-Derived RPE Cells for Treatment of Stargardt’s Disease
    Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT) announced that the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products has officially granted ACT’s human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells designation as an orphan medicinal product for the treatment of Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy. [Advanced Cell Technology, Inc Press Release]

    POLICY NEWS

    Stem-Cell Scientists Grapple with Clinics
    In the face of legal threats from clinics, the International Society for Stem Cell Research has suspended a service intended to help patients wade through claims about therapies. [International Society for Stem Cell Research, United States]

    California Universities Brace for More Cuts
    Facing a persistent budget gap, the California legislature yesterday passed an austere budget that will bring yet more financial pain to the already cash-strapped state university system. [California Legislation, United States]

    Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc No: 2011-16363) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

    Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc No: 2011-16464) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

    Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc No: 2011-16532) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

    Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc No: 2011-16534) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

    Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings (FR Doc No: 2011-16615) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

    Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; FDA Recall Regulations [Docket No. FDA-2011-N-0439] [U.S. Food and Drug Administration, United States]

    EVENTS

    NEW 4th Annual Stem Cells Europe
    July 20-21, 2011
    Edinburgh, Scotland

    NEW Cancer Research Global Summit
    August 16-17, 2011
    London, United Kingdom

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

    JOB OPPORTUNITIES

    Lab Technologist – Tissue Culture (STEMCELL Technologies)

    Research and Development Technologist, hPSC Media (STEMCELL Technologies)

    Scientist (iPSC) (STEMCELL Technologies)

    Human Embryonic Stem Cell Biologist (Matchtech)

    Research Laboratory Technician (Cambridge Centre for Brain Repair)

    Senior Research Fellowship (Masaryk University)

    Junior Research Fellowship (Masaryk University)

    PhD Positions in Stem Cell Research (Masaryk University)

    PhD Positions in Medical Biology (Masaryk University)

    Postdoctoral Fellow (Stanford University)

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