MS Stem Cell Medication Therapy Shows Promise http://www.dailyrx.com/autologous-stem-cell-transplant-after-immunosuppressive-therapy-induced-3-year-remission-relapsing Many patients with relapsing-remitting MS ... By: dailyRx … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise A powerful genome editing technology known as CRISPR has been used by researchers since 2012 to trim, disrupt, replace or add to sequences of an organisms DNA. Now, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine have shown that the system also precisely and efficiently alters human stem cells. In a recent online report on the work in Molecular Therapy, the Johns Hopkins team says the findings could streamline and speed efforts to modify and tailor human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for use as treatments or in the development of model systems to study diseases and test drugs. Stem cell technology is quickly advancing, and we think that the days when we can use iPSCs for human therapy arent that far away, says Zhaohui Ye, Ph.D., an instructor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This is one of the first studies to detail the use of CRISPR in human iPSCs, showcasing its potential in these cells. CRISPR originated from a microbial immune system that contains DNA segments known as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats. The engineered editing system makes use of an enzyme that nicks together DNA with a piece … Continue reading →

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Mental health and civil liberties advocates are urging Gov. Terry McAuliffe to intervene in the case of a Virginia inmate with autism who faces trial Wednesday for allegedly assaulting a correctional officer. Reginald "Neli" Latson's supporters and lawyers say he needs treatment, not punishment, for intellectual disabilities that they say have caused his three clashes with law enforcement since 2010. They have asked McAuliffe to grant conditional clemency so Latson can be moved to a secure treatment facility in Florida that has agreed to accept him. McAuliffe spokesman Brian Coy said the governor is concerned but can't do anything until the pending charge is resolved in Stafford County Circuit Court. Latson faces six months to five years behind bars if convicted. Latson, 23, already has twice been jailed for assaulting police officers. His supporters say those incidents stem from a "fight or flight" reflex associated with his autism spectrum disorder. "He is in prison because law enforcement, prosecutors, and correctional officers failed to understand or accommodate his disabilities, a problem that more and more people with autism and other developmental disabilities are experiencing when they interact with the criminal justice system," American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia … Continue reading →