Category Archives: Stem Cell Research

Jan. 3, 2013 The human body contains immune cells programmed to fight cancer and viral infections, but they often have short lifespans and are not numerous enough to overcome attacks by particularly aggressive malignancies or invasions. Now researchers reporting in two separate papers in the January 4th issue of the Cell Press journal Cell Stem Cell used stem cell technology to successfully regenerate patients' immune cells, creating large numbers that were long-lived and could recognize their specified targets: HIV-infected cells in one case and cancer cells in the other. The findings could help in the development of strategies to rejuvenate patients' exhausted immune responses. The techniques the groups employed involved using known factors to revert mature immune T cells into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which can differentiate into virtually any of the body's different cell types. The researchers then expanded these iPSCs and later coaxed them to redifferentiate back into T cells. Importantly, the newly made T cells were "rejuvenated" with increased growth potential and lifespan, while retaining their original ability to target cancer and HIV-infected cells. These findings suggest that manipulating T cells using iPSC techniques could be useful for future development of more effective immune therapies. In … Continue reading →

Advances in Heart Failure Treatment and Transplant Dr. Joseph Clemente, host of MHC-TV, interviews Mark J. Zucker, MD, JD, Director, Heart Failure Treatment and Transplant Program at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. They discuss getting a heart transplant, other treatments such as the Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD), and about stem cell research ongoing today. By: barnabashealth … Continue reading →

Public release date: 3-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Heather Buschman hbuschman@sanfordburnham.org 858-795-5343 Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute LA JOLLA, Calif., January 3, 2013 Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, a nonprofit research institution and one of the largest iPSC generators in the world, and Intrexon Corporation, a leading synthetic biology company, today announced a new collaboration to accelerate stem cell research. Under the agreement, Sanford-Burnham will gain access to sophisticated proprietary cellular selection and gene regulation technologies that are not currently on the market, including Intrexon's Laser-Enabled Analysis and Processing (LEAP) instrument and RheoSwitch Therapeutic System (RTS). As part of the agreement, Intrexon may obtain commercial and intellectual property rights resulting from technological advances made under the collaboration. "I'm looking forward to merging and melding our expertise," said Evan Y. Snyder, M.D., Ph.D., professor and director of Sanford-Burnham's Stem Cell Research Center and Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Program. "We'll bring our iPSC and gene therapy expertise to the table. Likewise, our colleagues at Intrexon will share their knowledge of how best to use the technologies. We envision we'll be meeting with them frequently and sharing insights to further advance the platforms for stem cell applications." Sanford-Burnham is currently building … Continue reading →

Where do your cancer research dollars go? The mission that we have is to eventually create a world where Canadians don't have to fear cancer and in order to not fear cancer, we have to be able to understand it, says Luba Slatkovska, senior manager of research at the Canadian Cancer Society. The only way to understand cancer is to research. To shine a light on the life-saving and life-enhancing potential of cancer research, the Canadian Cancer Society has selected the top 10 cancer research highlights of 2012. These discoveries help reduce cancer rates, reduce mortality, and improve the quality of life for those diagnosed with cancer. These 10 exciting findings were chosen from 730 research projects supported by the Canadian Cancer Society in 2012. 1. Decoding a deadly form of breast cancer will lead to more personalized treatments An international team of scientists led by Dr. Sam Aparicio in Vancouver decoded, for the first time, the genetic makeup of triple-negative breast cancer. This breakthrough could help change the way this difficult-to-treat disease is diagnosed and may be the foundation for the next generation of treatments. 2. MAGIC team finds new ways to treat malignant childhood brain cancer Dr. Michael … Continue reading →

CARLSBAD, CA--(Marketwire - Jan 3, 2013) - International Stem Cell Corporation ( OTCQB : ISCO ) (www.internationalstemcell.com) ("ISCO" or "the Company"), a California-based biotechnology company focused on therapeutic and research products, today announced that Executive Vice President, Dr. Simon Craw, will present at the Biotech Showcase 2013 on Monday, January 7th at 9:30 a.m. PST. The conference is being held in San Francisco at the Parc 55 Wyndham Union Square Hotel. Biotech Showcase 2013 conference presentation details:Date: Monday, January 7, 2013 Time: 9:30 pm PST Location: Parc 55 Wyndham Union Square Hotel, San Francisco, CA Room: Room Mission II - Track C Conference details: http://www.ebdgroup.com/bts/index.php Please contact the conference organizers if you have an interest in attending the conference or if you would like to arrange a meeting with International Stem Cell Corporation's management team. To register for the event, please visit the conference website at http://www.ebdgroup.com/bts/registration/index.php. You may also contact Mark McPartland with MZ Group via email markmcp@mzgroup.us or phone 212-301-7130 to arrange a meeting with management at the conference. Biotech Showcase 2013 is an investor and partnering conference devoted to providing private and public biotechnology and life sciences companies with an opportunity to present to, and meet with, … Continue reading →

Groton 6 AM 1-1-13 Stem Cell Research Reading and singing. By: Dave Flang … Continue reading →

Adopted smish thank you 20121228_7.wmv My terrible circumstances have made me lonely - I have three marriages and one daughter who is 26 going on 27. My first two spouses were abusers, then I got a wonderful Pastor husband and he passed away. We used to fight stem cell research on embryos ( fine on umbilical chords, in fact statistically much more successful) so we "adopted" all the embryos - so I believe the Lord Jesus brings me these embryos - even if He doesn't I enjoyed believing my students are my children until they turned into resident evil monsters - I lost my ability to have children in 97 through disease - and used that to save babies, so bear with me, I prefer to think good thoughts then realize how horrible my life truly is By: susanaltar … Continue reading →

Kathleen Dardis Singleton on Stem Cell Research Written and performed by Kathleen Dardis Singleton. Directed and produced by Matthew J. Singleton. By: mrmattmd … Continue reading →

Researchers have already safely injected stem cells into patients with neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injuries -- and they've seen the potential to vastly improve lives. Knut Olstad in August 2011, 20 minutes before the accident that left him paralyzed below the waist Marcus Hilton has probably been going blind since he was born, though he didn't really begin to notice that something was wrong until he was seven or eight. Several years after that, he was officially diagnosed with Stargardt disease, the leading cause of juvenile blindness. Thirty-four years of decline later, his retinas irreparably damaged, he is unable to drive, read fine print, or recognize people from a distance. For Knut Olstad, devastation came much more suddenly. Having quit smoking and taken up cross-country skiing and bicycling in an early mid-life crisis, he was 45 years old and on what he described as the vacation of his life, conquering 25 mountains on the Tour de France route. On the last descent of the twenty-fifth mountain, on what might even have been the final turn of the entire trip, a car veered into his lane. He swerved out of the way, squeezed just a little too hard on the … Continue reading →

Topics: babies, health, lifestyle, research, science, stem cells YOU are full of billions of them. They are the building blocks of life. They are stem cells, and very few of us pay them the respect they deserve. Not because we don't care; we just don't realise how remarkable they are. What are stem cells? Our bodies are made up of about 200 different kinds of specialised cells (such as muscle cells, nerve cells, fat cells and skin cells). All of these specialised cells originate from stem cells. A stem cell is basically a cell that is not yet specialised; a blank canvas. Stem cells can be divided into two broad groups: those that can go on to become any type of cell in the body (pluripotent), and those that can only become certain types of cells (multipotent). Read more here: Cutting the cord now stores new hope for stem cell research … Continue reading →