TOP STORY Personalised Medicine for Cancer Patients in a New Technology Era A paper authored by over 200 members of the International Cancer Genome Consortium describes the beginnings of a new era of personalised medicine for cancer patients. Australia’s and Canada’s pancreatic project groups will be among the first to release initial data on the web. [Press release from the Garvan Institute discussing online prepublication in Nature]
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SCIENCE NEWS Gene Links Lower Birth Weight and Diabetes: Study Scientists have found two genetic regions that affect a baby’s size at birth and say one of them is also linked with developing diabetes in later life. [Press release from Reuters discussing online prepublication in Nature Genetics] Novel Artificial Pancreas Successfully Controls Blood Sugar More Than 24 Hours An artificial pancreas system that closely mimics the body’s blood sugar control mechanism was able to maintain near-normal glucose levels without causing hypoglycemia in a small group of patients. [Press release from Massachusetts General Hospital discussing online prepublication in Science Translational Medicine] Researchers Use Nanoparticle “Vaccine” to Cure Type 1 Diabetes in Mice Using an innovative nanotechnology-based “vaccine,” researchers were able to successfully restore normal blood sugar in mice with type 1 diabetes, and also slow the onset of diabetes in mice at risk for the disease. [Press release from Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International discussing online prepublication in Immunity]
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CURRENT PUBLICATIONS DIABETES Large Islets, Beta Cell Proliferation, and a Glucokinase Mutation Researchers report on a young girl with severe neonatal hypoglycemia due to a novel glucokinase mutation (V91L). V91L showed a markedly increased affinity for glucose that was more than 8.5 times as high, an enzyme efficiency that was 7 times as high, and a relative-activity index that was 30 times as high as that of the wild-type enzyme. [N Engl J Med] Variants in ADCY5 and Near CCNL1 are Associated with Fetal Growth and Birth Weight Correlated single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ADCY5 were recently implicated in regulation of glucose levels and susceptibility to type 2 diabetes, providing evidence that the well-described association between lower birth weight and subsequent type 2 diabetes has a genetic component, distinct from the proposed role of programming by maternal nutrition. [Nat Genet] A Bihormonal Closed-Loop Artificial Pancreas for Type 1 Diabetes Researchers have developed a closed-loop control system that uses frequent measurements of blood glucose concentration along with subcutaneous delivery of both the fast-acting insulin analog lispro and glucagon (to imitate normal physiology) as directed by a computer algorithm. [Sci Transl Med] RGS4 is a Negative Regulator of Insulin Release from Pancreatic Beta Cells In Vitro and In Vivo Findings indicate that regulator of G protein signaling 4 (RGS4) is a potent negative regulator of M3 muscarinic receptor function in pancreatic beta cells, suggesting that RGS4 may represent a potential target to promote insulin release for therapeutic purposes. [Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A] Poor Maternal Nutrition Leads to Alterations in Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant Defense Capacity, and Markers of Fibrosis in Rat Islets: Potential Underlying Mechanisms for Development of the Diabetic Phenotype in Later Life Researcher used a maternal low-protein rat model to determine the effect of early diet on oxidative stress and fibrosis in pancreatic islets of male offspring at 3 and 15 months of age. [FASEB J] The Role of Transmembrane Protein 27 (TMEM27) in Islet Physiology and its Potential Use as a Beta Cell Mass Biomarker Data support a role for transmembrane protein 27 in glucose-induced insulin secretion but not in cell proliferation. The finding that its cleavage is not specific to beta cells challenges the current support for its use as a potential beta cell mass biomarker. [Diabetologia] PANCREATIC CANCER International Network of Cancer Genome Projects Systematic studies of more than 25,000 cancer genomes will reveal the repertoire of oncogenic mutations, uncover traces of the mutagenic influences, define clinically relevant subtypes for prognosis and therapeutic management, and enable the development of new cancer therapies. [Nature] Gemcitabine Sensitivity Can Be Induced in Pancreatic Cancer Cells through Modulation of miR-200 and miR-21 Expression by Curcumin or Its Analogue CDF Researchers evaluated the effects of CDF or curcumin alone or in combination with gemcitabine on cell viability and apoptosis in gemcitabine-sensitive and gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cell lines. [Cancer Res] Crosstalk between Insulin/Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Receptors and G Protein-Coupled Receptor Signaling Systems: A Novel Target for the Antidiabetic Drug Metformin in Pancreatic Cancer Researchers identified a crosstalk between insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 receptors and G protein-coupled receptors signaling systems in pancreatic cancer cells, leading to enhanced signaling, DNA synthesis, and proliferation. [Clin Cancer Res] HDAC2 Attenuates TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis of Pancreatic Cancer Cells The data characterize a novel histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) function in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells and point to a strategy to overcome TRAIL resistance of PDAC cells, a prerequisite to succeed with a TRAIL targeted therapy in clinical settings. [Mol Cancer]
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INDUSTRY NEWS Jefferson Researcher Receives 2010 Pancreatic Cancer Action Network-AACR Career Development Award Molecular biologist Jonathan Brody, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, has been awarded a 2010 Pancreatic Cancer Action Network – American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Career Development Award in memory of Skip Viragh. This two-year grant awards $200,000 to Dr. Brody to help support his innovative research in pancreatic cancer. [EurekAlert!] TGen-Asuragen Partner to Advance Pancreatic Cancer Research The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Asuragen Inc. announced a research agreement that could lead to ways of detecting cancer before it spreads. [EurekAlert!] ABRAXANE® in Combination with Gemcitabine Increases Survival in First-Line Treatment of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer in Phase I/II Study Abraxis BioScience, Inc. announced updated overall survival findings from a phase I/II study of nab(R)-paclitaxel (ABRAXANE® for Injectable Suspension) given in combination with gemcitabine demonstrated increased survival of the first-line treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. [Abraxis BioScience, Inc. Press Release] Living Cell Technologies Confirms Safety and Proof of Principle of Efficacy in its Penultimate Data Analysis from its Russian Human Phase I/IIa Trial with DIABECELL® in Diabetics Living Cell Technologies Limited, a global company pioneering the development of a cell implant to treat diabetes, provided a penultimate update regarding the three-year follow up of its Phase I/IIa clinical trial in Russia of its DIABECELL® treatment in insulin-dependent diabetics. [Living Cell Technologies, Limited Press Release] CureDM Partners Novel Diabetes Treatment with Sanofi-Aventis CureDM, LLC announced that an agreement has been signed with Sanofi-Aventis for the exclusive worldwide license of Pancreate™, a novel islet neogenesis agent for the treatment of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. [CureDM, LLC Press Release] Amylin, Lilly’s Byetta May Have Cancer Risk, FDA Says Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Eli Lilly & Co.’s long-acting Byetta may be tied to increased cancer risk, a top U.S. regulator said, raising concerns that the experimental diabetes drug may need strict warnings. [Business Week] FDA Approves New Drug Application for PANCREAZE™ Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug application for PANCREAZE™ (pancrelipase) delayed-release capsules for the treatment of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency due to cystic fibrosis or other conditions. [Johnson & Johnson Press Release]
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POLICY NEWS Stem Cell Funding in Sight Two of the most widely used embryonic stem cell lines could be just weeks away from being eligible for United States federal funding. [Obama Administration, United States] Obama Picks Pragmatists for New Bioethics Panel President Barack Obama named the members of his bioethics commission – headed by two university presidents. [Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, United States] Policy Reminder Concerning Appendix Materials for All National Institutes of Health/Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Grant Applications (NOT-OD-10-077) [National Institutes of Health, United States] Enhancing Peer Review: Clarification of Resubmission Policy and Determination of New Application Status (NOT-OD-10-080) [National Institutes of Health, United States] Guidance on Confirming Appropriate Charges to NIH Awards During Periods of Noncompliance for Activities Involving Animals (NOT-OD-10-081) [National Institutes of Health, United States] Update of Sample Animal Welfare Assurance for Foreign Institutions (NOT-OD-10-083) [National Institutes of Health, United States] Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Small Research Grant Program (R03) (PAR-10-168) [National Institutes of Health, United States] Human Cell, Tissues and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products (HCT/P) List of Registered Establishments [Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, United States] Preparation for International Conference on Harmonisation Steering Committee and Expert Working Group Meetings in Tallinn, Estonia; Regional Public Meeting [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]
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EVENTS 5th Annual Wisconsin Stem Cell Symposium – The Road to Stem Cell Applications April 21, 2010 Madison, United States 44th Annual American Pancreas Club Meeting May 1-2, 2010 New Orleans, United States 2010 Digestive Disease Week (DDW) May 1-5, 2010 New Orleans, United States Society for Biological Engineering’s (SBE) Second International Conference on Stem Cell Engineering May 2-5, 2010 Boston, United States Stem Cells, Tissue Homeostasis and Cancer Conference May 12-15, 2010 Heidelberg, Germany Mater Medical Research Institute (MMRI) Stem Cell Symposium 2010: Epigenetics, Transcriptomics and Nanobiotechnology of Stem Cells May 20-21, 2010 Brisbane, Australia 16th Annual International Society for Cellular Therapy (ISCT) Meeting May 23-26, 2010 Philadelphia, United States Systems Biology of Stem Cells May 24-25, 2010 Irvine, United States International Scientific Symposium: Stem Cells in Biology and Disease May 26-28, 2010 Lisbon, Portugal American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO) 56th Annual Conference May 27-29, 2010 Baltimore, United States 46th American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting June 4-8, 2010 Chicago, United States The First Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Scientific Symposium June 14, 2010 Los Angeles, United States 42nd Meeting of the European Pancreatic Club (EPC) June 16-19, 2010 Stockholm, Sweden International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 8th Annual Meeting June 16-19, 2010 San Francisco, United States 70th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association June 25-29, 2010 Orlando, United States 21st Meeting of the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) June 26-29, 2010 Oslo, Norway United Kingdom National Stem Cell Network (UKNSCN) Third Annual Scientific Conference July 12-14, 2010 Nottingham, United Kingdom 2010 World Cancer Congress August 18-21, 2010 Beijing, China The Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (AUGIS) 2010 Scientific Meeting September 9-10, 2010 Oxford, United Kingdom The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Meeting – Advancing the Life Sciences September 4-7, 2010 Barcelona, Spain Stem Cells USA & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2010 September 13-15, 2010 Philadelphia, United States 9th Annual Human Proteome Organization (HUPO) World Congress September 19-23, 2010 Sydney, Australia 35th European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress October 8-12, 2010 Milan, Italy Fraunhofer Life Science Symposium 2010 October 29-30, 2010 Leipzig, Germany 2010 American Pancreatic Association (APA) Annual Meeting November 3-6, 2010 Chicago, 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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