Category Archives: Stem Cell Research

Heidelberg researchers have been delving into the basic regulatory mechanisms of stem cell differentiation. Using the Drosophila melanogaster fruit fly as a model organism, the team led by Prof. Dr. Ingrid Lohmann at Heidelberg University's Centre for Organismal Studies was able to show how a special developmental gene from the Hox family influences germline stem cells. These cells are responsible for sperm formation. The scientists, working in the Maintenance and Differentiation of Stem Cells in Development and Disease Collaborative Research Centre (CRC 873), found that impairment of Hox gene function resulted in prematurely aged sperms. As immature somatic cells, stem cells can mature into different types of cells, thus making them responsible for the development of all the tissues and organs in the body. They are also able to repair damaged adult cells. Advancements in medical research have shown that stem cells can be used to treat certain diseases. To fulfil the promise of stem cell therapy, it is important to discover the function of the respective stem cells and understand how they interact with their environment, that is, the surrounding cells and tissues, explains Prof. Lohmann, who heads the Developmental Biology research group at the Centre for Organismal Studies … Continue reading →

Meet a CSIR geneticist who specialises in stem cell research Dr Janine Scholefield became inspired to study genetics during a high-school biology lesson when she was taught how the laws of inheritance were derived from... By: CSIRNewMedia … Continue reading →

Image Inquiry Question Stimulation for Stem Cell Research It is challenging to come up with Good Inquiry Questions "in a vacuum" so this mini video of images was prepared to help stimulate such questions for Science... By: Heather Coey … Continue reading →

Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) February 21, 2014 Cord Blood Stem Cell Banking has emerged as new opportunity of healthcare services provider in Indian market. The market is still in nascent stage of development and valued around US$ 60 Million in 2013 and further expected to surpass US$ 400 Million by 2018. The current cord blood stem cell preservation level for new born baby is below 1% and hence there exists immense opportunity for cord blood stem cell preservation service providers to grow exponentially in coming years. With more than 20 million births every year there exist ample market opportunity for large number of cord blood stem cells banks to enter Indian stem cell preservation market and expand their services portfolio. The market potential of cord blood stem cell banking in India is valued at more than US$ 350 Million at preservation level of 1% which can increase to more than US$ 1 Billion at stem cell preservation level of 3% for new born babies. Complete report available at http://www.marketreportsonline.com/315082.html. Many factors have actively contributing towards this overwhelming success cord blood stem cell banking in India and one of the major reasons for its success has been collaborations. Apart from handling the … Continue reading →

Research | Policy | Events | Business | Trend watch | Number crunch | Coming up Stem-cell inquiry An investigation has been launched into last months groundbreaking reports that simply squeezing cells or bathing them in acid can reprogram them into an embryonic state. The RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology in Kobe, Japan, said on 14February that it was looking into alleged irregularities in the work of biologist HarukoObokata, who works at the centre and who led the studies, which were published in Nature. The inquiry follows some failed attempts to replicate the results and allegations about problems with images in the papers. Nature is also investigating. See go.nature.com/6cagqv for more. Neutrino study An experiment run by the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois, has detected neutrinos beamed from an unprecedented distance of 800 kilometres, according to a report released on 11February. The further that the subatomic particles travel, the more researchers can learn about them. The NuMI Off-Axis Electron Neutrino Appearance (NOvA) experiment also hopes to shed light on why the Universe has more matter than antimatter. Photoshot Politicians vow to get tough on poaching A major political meeting in London has agreed to ramp up the fight … Continue reading →

Minute In The Church Vol. II A Minute in the Church Volume II picks up where A Minute in the Church Volume I left off, addressing questions that many non-Catholics have, while also cover... By: Gus Lloyd … Continue reading →

A proposed Parkinson's disease treatment from stem cells is on track for an application to be filed with federal regulators around the start of 2015, International Stem Cell Corp. said Tuesday. The Carlsbad-based company said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had met with researchers for guidance on what steps need to be taken before filing an application. The meeting went about as expected, said Simon Craw, executive vice president. Ongoing animal studies must be completed, along with safety testing. FDA officials discussed details such as the number of animals to be tested and how the safety studies are to be conducted, Craw said. International Stem Cell's treatment consists of progenitor cells that mature into neural cells, including those making the neurotransmitter dopamine. These neurons are destroyed in the disease, causing progressive paralysis. The progenitor cells are to be implanted into the brains of Parkinson's patients, where they are expected to make dopamine and protect the remaining dopamine-making neurons. They are derived from unfertilized, or parthenogenetic, human egg cells, made to grow without fertilization. Human parthenogenetic neural stem cells in the process of differentiating into dopamine-producing neurons. / International Stem Cell Corp. Interim data from tests in primates are expected … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 18-Feb-2014 Contact: Rebecca Basu basu@american.edu 202-486-9296 American University (WASHINGTON, D.C.) Feb. 18, 2014 New research suggests scientific institutions and organizations can improve their communication and outreach with the public by addressing people's strongly held beliefs about science and its role in society. These beliefs play a key role in shaping people's opinions, and ultimately, their support for scientific advances, according to the study "Understanding Public Opinion in Debates Over Biomedical Research: Looking Beyond Partisanship to Focus on Beliefs about Science and Society," by American University professor Matthew C. Nisbet, Ph.D., and Ezra Markowitz, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow at Columbia University. The study was published today in the interdisciplinary journal PLOS ONE. "What divides the American public in their views about scientific advances? The easy answer, especially over the last decade, is political partisanship and ideology. The commonly held view is that Conservatives and Republicans are anti-science, and Liberals and Democrats are pro-science," said Nisbet, a social scientist who studies the impact of strategic communication in policy debates over science and the environment. "Yet if we continue to think about public opinion in this narrow way, as policy conflicts emerge, mistakes will be made and opportunities will be … Continue reading →

By Liisa Vexler A new age in biology and biotechnology may be upon us as scientists in London, England have successfully created embryonic-type stem cells without the use of actual embryos. By re-engineering mature cells, scientists may be close to overcoming one of the largest ethical debates in stem cell research, the use of human embryos. Though the initial research was conducted with cells from mice, scientists believe the technique could be successful in humans. Researchers at the University College London were able to generate pluripotent cells from fully developed, or mature cells. Chris Mason, Chair of Regenerative Medicine Bioprocessing at the institution described the process as the most simple, lowest-cost and quickest method to-date. These pluripotent cells have unlimited therapeutic potential as they are able to develop into different cell types. Mason explained to Reuters, If it works in man, this could be the game changer that ultimately makes a wide range of cell therapies available using the patients own cells as starting material. Researchers from other institutions including Brigham and Womens Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the RIKENCenter for Developmental Biology in Japan took part in this study. Scientists performed the experiment by allowing mature cells to multiply … Continue reading →

Written by: Cynthia Hernandez on October 7, 2010. Despite opposition, use of embryos for testing continues Why is the United States such a powerful country? Is it because we have a democracy? Is it because our military capabilities exceed those of others? Is it because we have succeeded at prioritizing those policies that are most beneficial to the citizenry? From civil rights movements to fighting a war on terror, the United States is at the forefront of advancement or is it? It is safe to assume that most Americans support research and education. It is usually the case that anyone who is influential in some form or another has a significant educational background. From lobbyists to police officers to the president of the United States, education plays a critical role in numerous professions. One critical aspect of education is research. For example, political scientists research the political implications of differing democratic systems, biologists research DNA and English scholars research literary and poetic forms. These topics will usually only interest and be of importance to people in similar fields. But when research on a particular topic ignites controversy, it becomes a battle of academia versus personal beliefs. Here is the original … Continue reading →