ESC & iPSC News Volume 9.13 | Apr 9 2014

Kinome-Wide Functional Analysis Highlights the Role of Cytoskeletal Remodeling in Somatic Cell Reprogramming
The authors report a kinome-wide RNAi-based analysis to identify kinases that regulate somatic cell reprogramming to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). They prepared 3,686 small hairpin RNA lentiviruses targeting 734 kinase genes covering the entire mouse kinome and individually examined their effects on iPSC generation. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract

Modeling ALS with iPSCs Reveals that Mutant SOD1 Misregulates Neurofilament Balance in Motor Neurons
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) presents motoneuron (MN)-selective protein inclusions and axonal degeneration but the underlying mechanisms of such are unknown. Using induced pluripotent cells (iPSCs) from patients with mutation in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene, researchers show that spinal MNs, but rarely non-MNs, exhibited neurofilament aggregation followed by neurite degeneration when glia were not present. [Cell Stem Cell] Abstract | Graphical Abstract | Press Release

CG Hypomethylation in Lsh^-/- Mouse Embryonic Fibroblasts Is Associated with De Novo H3K4me1 Formation and Altered Cellular Plasticity
Reprogramming of Lsh^-/- murine embryonic fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells leads to increased neuronal lineage gene expression of premarked genes and enhanced differentiation potential of Lsh^-/- iPS cells toward the neuronal lineage pathway compared with WT iPS cells in vitro and in vivo. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Biologically-Active Laminin-111 Fragment that Modulates the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Embryonic Stem Cells
The authors report a biologically-active laminin-111 fragment generated by matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) processing, which is highly up-regulated during differentiation. They showed that the β1-chain-derived fragment interacts via α3β1-integrins, thereby triggering the down-regulation of MMP2 in mouse and human embryonic stem cells. [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA] Abstract

Tbx1 Modulates Endodermal and Mesodermal Differentiation from Mouse Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Researchers generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from T-box transcriptional factor^-/- (Tbx1^-/-) and Tbx1^+/+ fibroblasts and investigated the spontaneous differentiation potential of iPSCs by detailed lineage analysis of the iPSC-derived embryoid bodies. [Stem Cell Dev] Abstract

Natural Killer Cell Subsets Differentially Reject Embryonic Stem Cells Based on Licensing
Mouse or human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) were subjected to cytotoxicity assays involving their respective species-matched activated natural killer (NK) cells. Mouse ESCs were then transplanted to allogeneic recipients after depletion of NK cell subsets in the host. ESC engraftment was analyzed by bioluminescent imaging. [Transplantation] Abstract

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UTSA Doctoral Students Launch Mobile Stem Care Company that Helps Animals
Two University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) biomedical engineering doctoral students, Ramon Coronado and Tony Yuan, have launched Mobile Stem Care LLC, a company that will help veterinarians treat their patients with the latest advancements in stem cell therapies. [The University of Texas at San Antonio] Press Release

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European Commission Report Urges Legal Reform to Help Scientists Text-Mine Research Papers
European copyright law should change to help researchers use computer programs to extract facts and data from published research papers, legal experts have urged in a report for the European Commission. [Nature News] Editorial | Report

Former U.S. Research Fraud Chief Speaks Out on Resignation, ‘Frustrations’
David Wright, the director of the federal Office of Research Integrity, which keeps watch on fraud in federally funded biomedical research, quit in frustration after two years. His resignation letter was a scathing critique of what he called the “dysfunctional” bureaucracy at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

European Parliament Approves Bill to Increase Clinical Trial Transparency
Researchers who do clinical trials in the European Union will have to make the results public under a bill approved by the European Parliament. In a sweeping vote, 594 members of the Parliament voted in favor of the plan, while only 17 voted against and 13 abstained. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

DARPA Carves Out New Division to Entice Biotech Talent
The U.S. Department of Defense’s research arm is making a concerted grasp at biotechnology. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced a new division that will consolidate biology research scattered across its existing six divisions and possibly expand the arsenal of projects. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

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Postdoctoral Research Fellow / Research Officer – Stem Cell Research (Bioprocessing Technology Institute)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Research (Washington University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Embryonic Stem Cells and Chromatin Biology (University of Michigan)

Postdoctoral Position – TGFβ-Signaling Pathway in Embryonic Stem Cells (Tsinghua University)

Stem Cell Research Technician (Van Andel Research Institute)

Postdoctoral Position – Stem Cells and Epigenetics (Mount Sinai School of Medicine)

Director of GMP/GLP Quality Operations (University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Position – Human Stem Cell Biology and Hematopoiesis (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)

Postdoctoral Positions – Stem Cells (CREI Stem Cells, SkolTech)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Pluripotent Stem Cells (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – Particle Chemistry (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Technologist – PSC Biology and Bioengineering (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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