ESC & iPSC News Volume 8.42 | Oct 23 2013

RNA Toxicity from the ALS/Frontotemporal Dementia C9ORF72 Expansion Is Mitigated by Antisense Intervention
Induced pluripotent stem cell-differentiated neurons from C9ORF72 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients revealed disease-specific intranuclear GGGGCC_exp RNA foci, dysregulated gene expression, sequestration of GGGGCC_exp RNA binding protein ADARB2, and susceptibility to excitotoxicity. [Neuron]
Full Article | Press Release

Screening Drug-Induced Arrhythmia Events Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes and Low-Impedance Microelectrode Arrays
Researchers tested whether human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes combined with a low-impedance microelectrode array system could improve on industry-standard preclinical cardiotoxicity screening methods, identified the effects of well-characterized drugs, and elucidated underlying risk factors for drug-induced arrhythmia. [Circulation] Abstract

PRC2 Binds Active Promoters and Contacts Nascent RNAs in Embryonic Stem Cells
Researchers report that PRC2 binds at low levels to a majority of promoters in mouse embryonic stem cells, including many that are active and devoid of H3K27me3. Using in vivo RNA-protein cross-linking, they showed that EZH2 directly binds the 5′ region of nascent RNAs transcribed from a subset of these promoters and that these binding events correlate with decreased H3K27me3. [Nat Struct Mol Biol] Abstract

Alveolar Epithelial Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in a Rotating Bioreactor
Induced pluripotent stem cell-derived type II pneumocytes as well as native isolated human type II pneumocytes were differentiated toward a type I phenotype using a unique air-liquid interface system that relies on a rotating apparatus that mimics in vivo respiratory conditions. [Biomaterials] Abstract

Identification of Chemicals Inducing Cardiomyocyte Proliferation in Developmental Stage-Specific Manner with Pluripotent Stem Cells
Researchers investigated cardiovascular differentiation with pluripotent stem cells. The combination of stem cell and chemical biology can provide novel approaches to investigate the molecular mechanisms and manipulation of cardiomyocyte proliferation. [Circ Cardiovasc Genet] Abstract

Nanofiber-Based In Vitro System for High Myogenic Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Scientists present a novel approach to effectively enhance myogenic differentiation of human embryonic stem cells using aligned chitosan-polycaprolactone nanofibers constructed to resemble the microenvironment of the native muscle extracellular matrix in concert with Wnt3a protein. [Biomacromolecules] Abstract

Generation of 3D Skin Equivalents Fully Reconstituted from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs)
Scientists developed a protocol for differentiating iPSCs into dermal fibroblasts, which also produce type VII collagen and therefore also have the potential to treat recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. [PLoS One] Full Article

Generation of Neural Progenitors from Induced Bama Miniature Pig Pluripotent Cells
Researchers report the generation of induced pig pluripotent cells using the induced pluripotent stem technology combination with valproic acid (VPA). VPA treatment significantly increased the expression of pluripotent genes and made an important roles in early reprogramming. [Reproduction] Abstract

Generation of Robust Vascular Networks from Cardiovascular Blast Populations Derived from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells In Vivo and Ex Vivo Organ Culture System
Researchers induced human induced pluripotent stem cells to differentiate into heterogeneous cell populations which have abilities to form vascular vessel-like structures by recapitulating the embryonic process of vasculogenesis in vitro. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun] Abstract

Generation of Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Anchor Protein-Deficient Blood Cells from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Using PIG-A gene targeting and an inducible PIG-A expression system, scientists have established, for the first time, a conditional PIG-A knockout model in human induced pluripotent stem cells that allows for the production of glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchored protein-deficient blood cells. [Stem Cells Transl Med] Abstract

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Einstein and Montefiore Receive $25 Million NIH Grant to Support Clinical and Translational Research
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center have received a $25 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the Harold and Muriel Block Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at Einstein and Montefiore. The two institutions received their initial Clinical and Translational Science Award from the NIH in 2008 to launch this joint collaboration. [Albert Einstein College of Medicine] Press Release

NSF Asks Scientists to Give It Time to Regroup after Shutdown
No advisory committee meetings for the rest of the year. No review panels until November. And don’t call us just yet. That’s the guidance to the research community from the National Science Foundation (NSF), which reopened after the 16-day government shutdown. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

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Postdoctoral Associate – Human and Mouse Stem Cell Biology, Pancreatic and Liver Specification and In Vitro Disease Modeling (Baylor College of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – RNA & Stem Cell Biology (Cancer Research Centre of Lyon)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Stem Cells (Bioprocessing Technology Institute)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Research (Bioprocessing Technology Institute)

PhD Student – Neural Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells (TU Dresden)

Research Scientist – Stem Cell Research (Approach People Recruitment)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cell and Neurodegenerative Diseases (University of Connecticut Health Center)

Postdoctoral Position – Leukemia Biology (Northwestern University)

Technician Position – Stem Cells and Epigenetics (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)

Scientist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate/Scientist – Antibodies Group (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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