Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise May 13, 2014 (BRONX, NY) Healthy stem cells work to restore or repair the bodys tissues, but cancer stem cells have a more nefarious mission: to spawn malignant tumors. Cancer stem cells were discovered a decade ago, but their origins and identity remain largely unknown. Today, the Ruth L. and David S. Gottesman Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University hosted its second Stem Cell Symposium, focusing on cancer stem cells. Leading scientists from the U.S., Canada and Belgium discussed the latest advances in the field and highlighted the challenges of translating this knowledge into targeted cancer treatments. These exceptional scientists are pioneers in the field and have made enormous contributions to our understanding of the biology of stem cells and cancer, said Paul Frenette, M.D., director and chair of Einsteins Stem Cell Institute and professor of medicine and of cell biology. Hopefully this symposium will spark productive dialogues and collaborations among the researchers who attend. The presenters were: Cancer Stem Cells and Malignant Progression, Robert A. Weinberg, Ph.D., Daniel K. Daniel K. Ludwig Professor for Cancer Research Director, Ludwig Center of … Continue reading →

The discovery of a crucial mechanism that controls the activation of T cells, a blood cell whose primary job is to fight infection in the body, may enable the development of new drugs to treat autoimmune disease, transplant rejection, and similar disorders in which T cells play a major role. The finding, "T Cell Receptor Signals to NF-kB Are Transmitted by a Cytosolic p62-Bcl10-Malt1-IKK Signalosome," was published in the May 13 issue of Science Signaling. A team of Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) researchers led by Dr. Brian Schaefer, Associate Professor in USU's Department of Microbiology and Immunology, has demonstrated that the "POLKADOTS signalosome" (named for its dot-like appearance in cells) activates a protein called "NF-kappaB" in T cells. A signalosome is a cluster of proteins that works together inside a cell to control the activity of other proteins. NF-kappaB is a protein that turns on many different T cell functions, including those that contribute to autoimmunity and rejection of transplants. Dr. Schaefer's team, including lead author, Dr. Suman Paul, had previously shown that the POLKADOTS signalosome, in addition to activating this protein, also limits how much NF-kappaB is turned on. Because the POLKADOTS signalosome is a … Continue reading →