PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 22-Oct-2014 Contact: Nicole Davis nmdavisphd@gmail.com 617-823-3468 Brigham and Women's Hospital @BrighamWomens Boston, MA A research team led by Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) has developed and tested a novel nanoparticle platform that efficiently delivers clinically important proteins in vivo in initial proof-of-concept tests. Nanoparticles, which are particles measuring nanometers in size, hold promise for a range of applications, including human therapeutics. The key advantage of the new platform, known as a thermosponge nanoparticle, is that it eliminates the need for harsh solvents, which can damage the very molecules the particles are designed to carry. The study is published online October 21 in Nano Letters. "A central challenge in applying nanoparticle technology to protein therapeutics is preserving proteins' biological activity, which can be inactivated by the organic solvents used in nanoparticle engineering," said Omid Farokhzad, MD, Director of the BWH Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Biomaterials. "Our research demonstrates that the thermosponge platform, which enables the solvent-free loading of proteins, is a promising approach for the delivery of a variety of proteins, including highly labile proteins such as IL-10." Protein-based therapeutics form an important class of drugs to treat a range of human diseases. However, significant challenges in their … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 20-Oct-2014 Contact: David McKeon 212-365-7440 New York Stem Cell Foundation @nyscf Leaders in translational stem cell research from around the world will present the latest advances in stem cell science that are leading to better treatments and cures to disease and injury at The New York Stem Cell Foundation's Ninth Annual Translational Stem Cell Research Conference. The opening day of the conference includes a panel discussion on large scale, big data stem cell and genetic initiatives moderated by Susan L. Solomon, JD, CEO and Co-founder of The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF), with panelists George Church, PhD, Harvard Medical School; John Greally, PhD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Scott Noggle, PhD, The NYSCF Research Institute; and Eric Schadt, PhD, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Later that day, a discussion on neurodegeneration includes Kevin Eggan, PhD, Harvard University and the NYSCF Research Institute, who will discuss his research identifying an existing drug candidate that may be of use treating ALS and is entering clinical trials in the coming year. The following session on cell reprogramming and cancer includes Michael Milone, MD, PhD, University of Pennsylvania, who will discuss recent research results from his lab … Continue reading →