ESC & iPSC News Volume 9.30 | Aug 6 2014

Genome Editing of Isogenic Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Recapitulates Long QT Phenotype for Drug Testing
Investigators sought to establish an efficient technology to generate human pluripotent stem cell-based disease models with isogenic control. [J Am Coll Cardiol] Abstract | Editorial

Seamless Gene Correction of β-Thalassemia Mutations in Patient-Specific iPSCs Using CRISPR/Cas9 and piggyBac
Researches used the latest gene-editing tool, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, combined with the piggyBac transposon to efficiently correct the human hemoglobin beta mutations in patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) without leaving any residual footprint. [Genome Res] Abstract | Press Release

P120-Catenin Regulates REST/CoREST, and Modulates Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation
Using mouse embryonic stem cells, mammalian cell lines, Xenopus embryos, and in vitro systems, scientists found that p120 directly binds REST/CoREST, displacing the complex from established gene-targets to permit their transcriptional activation. [J Cell Sci] Abstract

WNT3A Promotes Myogenesis of Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Enhances In Vivo Engraftment
Scientists describe the use of WNT3A protein to promote in vitro myogenic commitment of human embryonic stem cells-derived cells and their subsequent in vivo function. In vivo transplantation of these committed cells into cardiotoxin-injured skeletal muscles of NOD/SCID mice reveals survival and engraftment of the donor cells. [Sci Rep] Full Article

MicroRNA-221 Is Required for Proliferation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells via P57 Targeting
MicroRNA-221 (miR-221) inhibitor decreased proliferation of embryonic stem (ES) cells without inducing apoptosis and necrosis. miR-221 mimic, miR-222 mimic and miR-222 inhibitor did not affect ES cells proliferation. [Stem Cell Rev] Abstract

Nonviral Minicircle Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Compatible with Production of Chimeric Chickens
Scientists generated chicken induced pluripotent stem cells (ciPSCs) from fibroblast cells for the first time using a nonviral minicircle reprogramming approach. ciPSCs demonstrated stem cell morphology and expressed key stem cell markers, including alkaline phosphatase, POU5F1, SOX2, NANOG, and SSEA-1. [Cell Reprogram] Abstract

Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Hair Follicle Bulge Neural Crest Stem Cells
Although the authors confirmed the expression of pluripotency genes in hair follicle bulge cells, their results show that these cells do require a full set of reprogramming factors for induced pluripotent stem cell induction. [Cell Reprogram] Abstract

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GeoVax Announces Clinical Development License Agreement with Valneva SE
GeoVax Labs, Inc. announced that it has signed a clinical development license agreement with Valneva SE, to develop MVA-based vaccines in Valneva’s EB66^® vaccine production cell line. The EB66^® cell line is derived from duck embryonic stem cells and today represents a compelling alternative to the use of chicken eggs for large scale manufacturing of human and veterinary vaccines. [GeoVax Labs, Inc.] Press Release

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Spain Needs ‘Major Cultural Change’ to Do Better in Science, International Panel Says
More cash and many profound structural changes, according to a panel of European experts, is what Spain’s national science and innovation system needs to become more competitive. [ScienceInsider] Editorial

Transparency Promised for Vilified Impact Factor
The most misused metric in science is getting a makeover – although many researchers would like it to disappear altogether. Information firm Thomson Reuters said that it will become more transparent over how it calculates impact factors, an annual ranking of more than 10,900 scientific journals that it published, along with the names of 39 journals that it is barring from the list. [Nature News] Editorial

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NEW Postdoctoral Position – The Role of Nuclear Organization in Reprogramming the Embryonic Genome (Hubrecht Institute)

NEW PhD Studentship – Epigenetic Control of Cell Identity (Institute of Molecular Biology and Tumor Research)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (Brigham & Women’s Hospital – Harvard Medical School)

Technical Account Manager (GlobalStem)

Stem Cell Research Assistant – iPSC Biology and Genome Editing (Stem Cell Theranostics)

Stem Cell Research Scientist – iPSC Reprogramming and Disease Modeling (Stem Cell Theranostics)

Postdoctoral Fellow – Proteomic Analysis of the Differentiation of Human ESCs or iPSCs (Cornell University)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology Endoderm Lineages (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Pluripotent Stem Cell Media Development, High Throughput Screening (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Cell Culture Support Products (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Scientist – Immunology/Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

Research Associate – Cell Separation (STEMCELL Technologies Inc.)

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