Monthly Archives: July 2012

Public release date: 31-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Jessica Maki jmaki3@partners.org 617-534-1603 JAMA and Archives Journals CHICAGO Among patients with multiple colorectal polyps, the prevalence of certain gene mutations varied considerably by polyp count, according to a study in the August 1 issue of JAMA. "Patients with multiple colorectal adenomas [polyps] may carry germline [those cells of an individual that have genetic material that could be passed to offspring] mutations in the APC or MUTYH genes," according to background information in the article. The authors write that guidelines for when genetic evaluation should be performed in individuals with multiple colorectal adenomas vary, and data to support such guidelines are limited. Shilpa Grover, M.D., M.P.H., of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, and colleagues conducted a study to evaluate the frequency of APC and MUTYH mutations by the number of colorectal adenomas among individuals who had undergone clinical genetic testing. The researchers also studied the relationship between the number of adenomas and age at diagnosis of adenoma and colorectal cancer and the prevalence of pathogenic APC or MUTYH mutations. The study included 8,676 individuals who had undergone full gene sequencing between 2004 and 2011. Individuals with a certain mutation … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (July 30, 2012) By studying fruit flies, scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have successfully devised a fast and cost-saving way to uncover genetic changes that have a higher potential to cause cancer. With this new approach, researchers will now be able to rapidly distinguish the range of genetic changes that are causally linked to cancer (i.e. "driver" mutations) versus those with limited impact on cancer progression. This research paves the way for doctors to design more targeted treatment against the different cancer types, based on the specific cancer-linked mutations present in the patient. This study published in the journal Genes & Development could help advance the development of personalised medicine in cancer care and treatment. The era of genomic sequencing has generated an unparalleled wealth of information on the complexity of genetic changes that occur as cancer develops and progresses. "Many genetic changes arise in cancer cells and changes continue to accumulate during the progression of disease to metastatic cancer[1]. The current challenge is to understand which of the many genetic changes are important drivers of disease progression" said Dr. Stephen Cohen, Principal Investigator at IMCB and team leader of this paper. Though very … Continue reading →

MANILA, Philippines Talent manager Annabelle Rama revealed that she will be undergoing stem cell therapy in September. She confirmed this report to The Philippine Stars entertainment columnist Ricky Lo. Rama said shes been suffering from several illnesses and that stem cell therapy may help make her feel better. Im suffering from high-blood pressure, high-blood sugar and other ailments and from what I heard, after the therapy I would feel better. Lahat daw yon gagaling, she said. Rama said her son Richard Gutierrez, who will be paying for the whole procedure, also urged her to have her back problem checked. Richard wants me to have my scoliosis checked and my lumbar region which are giving me so much pain. So I will have two more injections for that, each costing an extra one thousand euros, she said. Lo said in his article that the whole package, which will include nine injections, will cost around P1 million. Meanwhile, although she earlier vented on Twitter her disappointment that her family is against her plan to run for Congress, it seems that her children have changed their mind about politics. Rama said she is hoping that she will feel renewed after her upcoming stem … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (July 30, 2012) In the first human study of its kind, researchers found that using stem cells to re-grow craniofacial tissues -- mainly bone -- proved quicker, more effective and less invasive than traditional bone regeneration treatments. Researchers from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and the Michigan Center for Oral Health Research partnered with Ann Arbor-based Aastrom Biosciences Inc. in the clinical trial, which involved 24 patients who required jawbone reconstruction after tooth removal. Patients either received experimental tissue repair cells or traditional guided bone regeneration therapy. The tissue repair cells, called ixmyelocel-T, are under development at Aastrom, which is a U-M spinout company. "In patients with jawbone deficiencies who also have missing teeth, it is very difficult to replace the missing teeth so that they look and function naturally," said Darnell Kaigler, principal investigator and assistant professor at the U-M School of Dentistry. "This technology and approach could potentially be used to restore areas of bone loss so that missing teeth can be replaced with dental implants." William Giannobile, director of the Michigan Center for Oral Health Research and chair of the U-M Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, is co-principal investigator on the project. The … Continue reading →

SAN DIEGO, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --UBM Live is pleased to announce the return of MEDevice Forum San Diego's Design of Implantable Devices Conference. This two-day educational forum will be held from Wednesday, September 19 through Thursday, September 20 at the San Diego Convention Center. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101214/LA16070LOGO ) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120720/LA43844LOGO-b ) The Design of Implantable Devices Conference features insight on overcoming the challenges faced by those designing medical devices of this specialization. Experienced professionals will deliver case-study sessions on improving total risk management and the most recent components and materials available for use in implantable devices. Attendees will also hear directly from FDA officials about inspection criteria and new regulations surrounding materials. Top speakers for the program include: This is the only conference in North America to take a full scope view of the design of implantable medical devices, and is recommended for anyone involved with this medical manufacturing specialty. Conference topics include: Additional Benefits of Attending: For more information and to register, please visit MEDeviceForum.com. Event DetailsMEDevice Forum San Diego September 19-20, 2012 San Diego Convention Center Hall F 111 West Harbor Drive San Diego, CA 92101 http://www.MEDeviceForum.com Continued here: The Design of Implantable Devices Conference Returns to San … Continue reading →

NEWARK, Calif., July 31, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (STEM) today announced that the Japan Patent Office has granted to the Company Patent Number 5007003, titled "Enriched Central Nervous System Stem Cell and Progenitor Cell Populations, and Methods for Identifying, Isolating and Enriching for Such Populations." The patent broadly covers the prospective isolation and enrichment of neural stem and progenitor cells using antibody selection, as well as the use of these cells to treat disorders of the central nervous system. Some of the more noteworthy claims in the '003 patent include methods for isolating human neural stem cells, as well as compositions of matter comprising enriched neural stem cells, such as the Company's proprietary HuCNS-SC cells, and the use of enriched neural stem cells as a medicament for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, acute brain injury and dysfunction of the central nervous system. The invention claimed by the '003 patent was the result of groundbreaking research conducted by the Company's stem cell researchers, including Nobuko Uchida, Ph.D., Vice President of Stem Cell Biology at StemCells, Inc., who is a named inventor on the patent. The patent term of the '003 patent extends into 2020. "The issuance of the '003 … Continue reading →