Category Archives: Stem Cell Research

Cardiac Stem Cell Biology Dr. Robert Michler discusses the field of Cardiac Stem Cell Biology and its implications in future cardiac treatment. By: Robert Michler … Continue reading →

Conversations: ethics, science, stem cells Human embryonic stem cell lines are generated from blastocysts - early human embryos. But what are blastocysts, and when does personhood begin? What justifies research? Doctors, scientists, ethicists, theologians and a patient bring their different points of view, in this thought-provoking exploration of the ethical issues surrounding stem cell research. Visit http://www.eurostemcell.org for more information, news and educational resources. By: EuroStemCell … Continue reading →

With little money and time left to repair its legacy, California's controversial stem cell agency is falling short in its response to a federal committee's recommendations for an overhaul, the committee's chair said Thursday. The stem cell agency's reform plan does not go far enough to fix all that has been chipping away at the agency's credibility, said Harold Shapiro, chair of the Institute of Medicine committee hired to evaluate the agency. "There certainly is a gap between what we recommended and what they responded with," said Shapiro, president emeritus at Princeton University. "I wish they had moved closer to our recommendations." The committee presented sweeping recommendations in its December report, emphasizing the need for new blood on a governing board that has been plagued by the appearance of conflicts of interest, cronyism and sluggishness in getting stem-cell products to market. Time is of the essence, Shapiro said, noting that the stem cell agency risks running out of funding soon and, by 2017, must have in place a self-sustaining financial formula to replace its bond allocations. The CIRM has just $859 million remaining from the pot of $3 billion voters approved by passing Proposition 71 in 2004. Californians embraced the … Continue reading →

A revolutionary stem cell treatment using umbilical cord blood will be investigated by a Melbourne researcher. The work has the potential to help people who require bone marrow transplants but struggle to find an exact match. Associate Professor Louise Purton from St Vincent's Institute in Melbourne will use compounds derived from vitamin A to increase the number and quality of cord blood stem cells. Stem cells from cord blood are becoming increasing popular for bone marrow transplants around the world. But often there are not enough stem cells from a single unit for a successful transplant for an adult, although some patients are infused with two unrelated cord blood units with varying degrees of success. Cord blood cells can be slow to mature into platelets and red and white blood cells, which can leave the patient exposed to a greater risk of infection. Donor, or allogeneic, cord blood also carries the risk of graft versus host disease, where the recipient's immune system responds to the foreign cells by attacking the body's organs. Assoc Prof Purton has proven her method works in mice and will now move to test the compounds on human cord blood. "One of the goals in the … Continue reading →

The governing board of California's stem cell funding agency has voted to overhaul how it distributes scientific grants after critics raised concerns that too many board members represented schools that have won funding. The final proposal is expected to be decided by a vote on March 13, and if accepted would bar California Institute for Regenerative Medicine board members associated with grant-eligible institutions from voting on where the money goes. Thirteen of the 29 board members are associated with schools that receive grants, which have raised concerns over conflicts of interest, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The members represent a many constituencies, including patient advocates and representatives from the biotech industry and research institutions. The vote follows a report by the Institute of Medicine that found the agency should restructure its system for distributing grants. The study did not find specific conflicts, but said the appearance of a conflict could hamper the agency's future goals. The stem cell agency was created in 2004 after state voters approved Proposition 71, which funded human embryonic stem cell research at a time when there were federal restrictions and opposition from some religious groups. The agency has broad powers to distribute $3 billion in … Continue reading →

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ground breaking research on cancer stem cells as targets and normal stem cells in Immunotherapy will be discussed at the 2nd Annual Cancer Immunotherapy Conference in Washington DC on April 4-5, 2013. As modern oncology, largely directed towards developing therapies that achieve tumor reduction, has been thus far unsuccessful in achieving long term management of cancer, much more needs to be done in identifying and appropriately leveraging targets associated with tumor initiation, relapse or metastasis. Immunotherapy holds the promise of achieving durable control of cancer if matched with appropriate targets borne by cancer cells responsible for relapse and metastasis. At the 2nd Annual Cancer Immunotherapy Conference, significant findings on hematopoietic stem cells and T cell engineering for cancer immunotherapy, as well as cancer stem cells as a new category of targets for immune intervention in solid and hematological malignancies will be presented by nearly twenty experts in the fields of academia, pharmaceuticals and cancer research. Speakers and panelists will be addressing and answer the following questions: Some of the speakers at this years conference include: This conference brings together leading scientists and C-Level executives from across the globe to present ground breaking research, case studies and new viewpoints. … Continue reading →

Arrows point to cell nuclei in human embryonic stem cells in which a fibroblast growth factor receptor protein, (FGFR1), targets diverse genes implicated in schizophrenia. New UB research demonstrates how defects in an important neurological pathway in early development may be responsible for the onset of schizophrenia later in life. The UB findings, published in Schizophrenia Research, test the hypothesis in a new mouse model of schizophrenia that demonstrates how gestational brain changes cause behavioral problems later in lifejust like the human disease. Partial funding for the research came from New York Stem Cell Science (NYSTEM). The genomic pathway, called the Integrative Nuclear FGFR 1 Signaling (INFS), is a central intersection point for multiple pathways of as many as 160 different genes believed to be involved in the disorder. We believe this is the first model that explains schizophrenia from genes to development to brain structure and finally to behavior, says lead author Michal Stachowiak, professor in the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He also is director of the Stem Cell Engraftment & In Vivo Analysis Facility at the Western New York Stem Cell Culture and Analysis Center at UB. A key challenge … Continue reading →

Stem Cell Transplantation for Spinal Cord Injury Presented by Dr. Charles Tator Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto Division of Neurosurgery, Toronto Western Hospital Topics: - Why it has been extremely difficult to develop effective strategies to improve recovery after sci - Neural or Non-Neural Cells which are better for transplantation? - Endogenous vs. Exogenous (transplanted) Neural Stem Cells? -- which source is better? - Developmental Age of the Transplanted Cells - Embryonic, Fetal, Neonatal, or Adult?-which is better? - If adult cells, what is best source of cells? Spinal Cord or Brain? For a PDF version of Dr. Charles Tator's presentation please go to: http://www.thomsonrogers.com/past-conference-2012#tator By: Thomson Rogers … Continue reading →

Stem Cell Reprogramming Video stem-cell-reprogramming-juan-carlos-belmonte-phd By: AHJDietNWeightLoss … Continue reading →

Dear Religeon (an open letter) or Why Adam and Eve it? Dear religion, Kindly stop deceiving yourself and others, grow up and take responsibility for your actions, and the actions of what others do in your name. If you want to be taken seriously you would not contradict yourself, and If you want to be believed, you would and should be able to back up your claims with reliable and certifiable evidence. If you want to be thought off as benevolent, why hinder the advancement of treatments that work to cure people? (Like stem cell research). If you want us to be good to everyone why do you have such hate and intolerance to others in your writings. All of you can't all be right as you all claim to be, that leads me to the conclusion that none of you are right. As you built and expanded on from each other's ideas. (If even one thing is in error then your whole premise fails) and I'm looking at you Adam Eve. If you can prove that none of your authors were delusional, and that anything you say can't be explained away within the historical political … Continue reading →