Category Archives: Stem Cell Research

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Muscular Dystrophy / ALS Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience;Stem Cell Research Article Date: 29 Mar 2012 - 4:00 PDT email to a friend printer friendly opinions Current Article Ratings: 5 (2 votes) 5 (1 votes) An international team led by the UK's University of Edinburgh and King's College London, and Columbia University in New York, has for the first time made living human motor neurones that feature key properties of MND/ALS. They made the diseased nerve cells using stem cells derived from adult skin. Having such a laboratory model of a disease to hand vastly improves the speed with which potential new drugs can be screened, and helps expand understanding of the disease. Programme leader Dr Siddharthan Chandran, Professor of Neurology at the University of Edinburgh, and colleagues, write about this key milestone in the 26 March online, ahead of print, issue of PNAS. Chandran said in a statement: "Using patient stem cells to model MND in a dish offers untold possibilities for how we study the cause of this terrible disease as well as accelerating drug discovery by providing a cost effective way to test many thousands of potential treatments." See the … Continue reading →

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Cancer / Oncology Also Included In: Immune System / Vaccines;Stem Cell Research Article Date: 28 Mar 2012 - 2:00 PDT email to a friend printer friendly opinions Current Article Ratings: 4.53 (15 votes) 4.5 (4 votes) Senior author Dr Irving Weissman, professor of pathology at Stanford, and colleagues, write about their success in treating bladder, brain, breast, colon, liver, ovarian, and prostate cancer tumors in this week's online ahead of print issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They say the antibody blocks a protein known as CD47, that sends "don't eat me" signals that cancer cells use to stop macrophages and other cells of the immune system from gobbling them up. Anti-CD47 is the first antibody treatment to work against a variety of human solid tumors. The investigators said they are now eager to get started with phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials in humans within the next two years. The treatment also significantly reduced the ability of the tumors to spread (metastasize) to other parts of the mice's bodies, and in some cases, the animals appeared to be "cured". Weissman, who directs the Institute of Stem Cell Biology … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (Mar. 26, 2012) A breakthrough using cutting-edge stem cell research could speed up the discovery of new treatments for motor neuron disease (MND). The international research team has created motor neurons using skin cells from a patient with an inherited form of MND. Role of protein Using patient stem cells to model MND in a dish offers untold possibilities for how we study the cause of this terrible disease as well as accelerating drug discovery by providing a cost-effective way to test many thousands of potential treatments said Professor Siddharthan Chandran, Director of the University's Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research. The study discovered that abnormalities of a protein called TDP-43, implicated in more than 90 per cent of cases of MND, resulted in the death of motor neuron cells. This is the first time that scientists have been able to see the direct effect of abnormal TDP-43 on human motor neurons. The study, led by the University of Edinburgh's Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research, was carried out in partnership with King's College London, Columbia University, New York and the University of San Francisco. Motor neuron disease MND is a devastating, untreatable and ultimately fatal condition … Continue reading →

By Carolyn Y. Johnson, Globe Staff An international stem cell conference scheduled to take place next month at the Vatican has been cancelled, and the Catholic News Agency has reported that the choice of speakers, which included a prominent Boston embryonic stem cell researcher, was a factor. Dr. George Q. Daley, a stem cell researcher at Childrens Hospital Boston, was scheduled to give the opening lecture at the Third International Congress on Responsible Stem Cell Research. Daley said in an interview that he received a brief e-mail late last week announcing that the conference had been cancelled and that an explanation would follow shortly. Unnamed sources told the Catholic News Agency that the event, as planned, would have presented an unacceptably ambivalent stance on embryonic stem cell research. The Catholic Church opposes human embyronic stem cell research because it requires the destruction of embryos. One unnamed member of the Pontifical Academy for Life told the news agency: The news of the cancellation of the Congress is an enormous relief to many members of the Pontifical Academy for Life, who felt that the presence on its program of so many speakers, including the keynote speaker, committed to embryonic stem cell research, … Continue reading →

Public release date: 26-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Tara Womersley tara.womersley@ed.ac.uk 44-131-650-9836 University of Edinburgh A breakthrough using cutting-edge stem cell research could speed up the discovery of new treatments for motor neurone disease (MND). The international research team has created motor neurones using skin cells from a patient with an inherited form of MND. The study discovered that abnormalities of a protein called TDP-43, implicated in more than 90 per cent of cases of MND, resulted in the death of motor neurone cells. This is the first time that scientists have been able to see the direct effect of abnormal TDP-43 on human motor neurons. The study, led by the University of Edinburgh's Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research, was carried out in partnership with King's College London, Colombia University, New York and the University of San Francisco. MND is a devastating, untreatable and ultimately fatal condition that results from progressive loss of the motor nerves motor neurones that control movement, speech and breathing. Professor Siddharthan Chandran, of the University of Edinburgh, said: "Using patient stem cells to model MND in a dish offers untold possibilities for how we study the cause of this … Continue reading →

Nature | Health A Monsignor and Officer for Studies at the Pontifical Academy for Life called the cancellation a "sad event." Attendees are set to receive an official explanation March 26, 2012 By Ewen Callaway of Nature magazine The Vatican has abruptly cancelled a controversial stem-cell conference that was set to be attended by the Pope next month. The Third International Congress on Responsible Stem Cell Research, scheduled for 25-28 April, was to focus on clinical applications of adult and reprogrammed stem cells. But a number of the invited speakers, including Alan Trounson, president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in San Francisco, and keynote speaker George Daley, a stem-cell scientist at Children's Hospital Boston in Massachusetts, are involved in research using human embryonic stem cells, which the Catholic Church considers unethical. The previous two congresses had also included scientists who worked on such cells, without generating much controversy. Father Scott Borgman, secretary of the Church's Pontifical Academy for Life, one of the conference organizers, says that logistical, organizational and financial factors forced the cancellation, which was announced on 23 March. The academy weighs in on bioethical and theological issues that are relevant to Church teachings. The Catholic News … Continue reading →

The departure of three University of Nebraska regents this year and the re-election campaign of a fourth is reviving debate over a controversial issue some believe should be laid to rest. Two of the three departing regents, Chuck Hassebrook of Lyons and Jim McClurg of Lincoln, opposed a proposal considered by the Board of Regents in November 2009 that would have limited embryonic stem cell research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center to only cell lines approved under former President George W. Bush. Expansion had become a possibility since President Barack Obama relaxed the Bush guidelines. Hassebrook and McClurg joined two other regents in killing the proposal by voting against the four who supported it. Pro-life activists believe embryonic stem cell research is morally wrong because harvesting the stem cells requires destroying an embryo. Regent Randy Ferlic of Omaha, who supported the proposal to limit the research, also will leave the Board of Regents after this year. Bob Whitehouse of Papillion, who opposed the measure, is seeking re-election. Ten candidates are seeking the three retiring regents' seats, and candidate, Larry Bradley, is challenging Whitehouse. Pro-life advocates said they see opportunity in the departure of two of the regents who … Continue reading →

Scientists in SA have generated non-embryonic stem cells for the first time, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) announced on Tuesday. These "induced adult pluripotent stem cells" were developed from adult skin cells and can be prompted to grow into any type of adult cell, such as those in the heart or brain. The technology is important for research into regenerative medicine, but is not yet widely used. While the technology is not novel, the development of the capacity to grow these stem cells in SA is important for researchers investigating diseases affecting Africans, said CSIR post-doctoral fellow Janine Scholefield. The CSIR had replicated techniques devised by Japanese researchers in 2007. "Cutting-edge medical research is not useful to Africans if knowledge is being created and applied only in the developed world," said CSIR head of gene expression and biophysics Musa Mhlanga. "Given the high disease burden in Africa, our aim is to become creators of knowledge, as well as innovators and expert practitioners of the newest and best technologies," The CSIR said that adult-generated stem cells were more acceptable to people who objected to using stem cells from embryos. "The other critical thing is the cells (that will … Continue reading →

TEL-AVIV, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Procognia (TASE:PRCG) is pleased to announce that the feasibility stage of the research, which focused on the glycosylation structures of stem cells, has been successfully completed. The research, directed by Prof. Dov Zipori from the Weizmann Institute of Science, was designed to develop a platform that will significantly improve the ability to identify and develop unique stem cells for transplant and treatment. Today, stem cell treatment faces a number of challenges, which both parties aim to handle successfully and therefore make a significant contribution to this field. The feasibility stage focused on mesenchymal stem cells, and the results displayed the ability to: Each of the above factors has the potential to significantly improve the abilities of the medical and scientific communities to successfully use stem cells for effective, successful transplants and medical treatment. In cooperation with Yeda Research & Development, the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute, Procognia has submitted a US patent that covers the research and its unique findings. According to the results of the feasibility stage, Procognia will continue its research with Prof. Zipori to develop a platform that will: Mesenchymal stem cells migrate towards tumors and affect them, and therefore can also be … Continue reading →

Public release date: 22-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Mika Ono mikaono@scripps.edu 858-784-2052 Scripps Research Institute LA JOLLA, CA March 22, 2012 The Scripps Research Institute is one of the institutions that will receive funding from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM)the state stem cell agency created by proposition 71to foster creativity and scientific innovation in high school students and fund basic stem cell discoveries, CIRM has announced. The $206,250 grant will enable Scripps Research to expand its high school summer internship program on the La Jolla, California campus to include 10 participants with a specific interest in stem cell research. "We are delighted that CIRM has chosen to fund our program," said James R. Williamson, dean of graduate and postgraduate studies. "We hope the summer internships will inspire some talented students from diverse backgrounds to pursue careers in stem cell research and others to participate in our community with the benefit of first-hand experience with science." The funding to Scripps Research and eight other institutions extends last year's CIRM Creativity Awards pilot program, aimed at encouraging California's young people to pursue careers developing the next generation of stem cell therapies. Other institutions to receive funding in … Continue reading →