Stem Cells 101 and Beyond Divya Mathur and Chris Lengner from Rudolf Jaenisch's lab at the Whitehead Institute discuss the basics of stem cell research, as well as their latest findings. By: Forum Network … Continue reading →

MANILA - Only three stem cell procedures are now allowed in the Philippines as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejected the registration of other stem cell products. FDA director general Kenneth Hartigan-Go said only the use of stem cells in hematopoietic transplantation, corneal resurfacing with limbal stem cells, and skin regeneration with epidermal stem cells are recognized by the FDA as acceptable or standard healthcare procedures. Go said other stem cell therapies are considered illegal. In an advisory, Go also said that not one stem cell or tissue-based product (HCT/Ps) had been registered by the FDA for compassionate or clinical trial use or for general use. Those who want to do stem cell outside of the three approved indications will have to register, either for compassionate use or clinical trial (as) these are the ones we inspect, he added. The FDA official cited lack of evidence of technical competence, procedures and documentations based on Current Good Manufacturing Practices and Current Good Laboratory Practices in denying the applications. The applications also did not have ethical review procedures and systems accredited by the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board, the national accreditation body of the Department of Science and Technology, and had … Continue reading →

By Estel Grace Masangkay An independent group of scientists led by experts at the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute (NYSCF) reported that they have manufactured the first disease-specific line of embryonic stem cells made with a patients DNA. The achievement is heralded as a major breakthrough in the regenerative medicine field. This is also the first time cloning technologies have been utilized to generate genetically matched stem cells. The team used somatic cell nuclear transfer to successfully clone a skin cell from a 32 year old female patient with Type 1 diabetes. The cells were transformed into insulin-producing cells similar to lost beta cells in diabetes, which could provide better treatment or even a cure for T1D. Susan Solomon, CEO and co-founder of NYSCF, says she is excited about the successful production of patient-specific stem cells using somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). CEO Solomon said she became involved with medical research when her son was diagnosed with T1D. Dr. Egli, scientist from the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute and who led the research, said, From the start, the goal of this work has been to make patient-specific stem cells from an adult human subject with type-1 … Continue reading →