By Marcus Johnson Stem cell researchers from Harvard have been able to turn patients skin cells into neurons that can be affected by early-onset Alzheimers. Experts believe that this will make it easier to gather the results of cells affected by the disease. It is also believed that the research will make the development of new treatments a faster process. The research was published in the Human Molecular Genetics journal and headed by Tracy Young-Pearse. The data showed that peopl suffering from Alzheimers had cell mutations t similar to mutations occurring in mice. We see this mild increase in A42 in cells from patients with Alzheimer's disease, which seems to be enough to trigger disease processes, said Young-Pearse. We also see increases of a smaller species of amyloid-beta called A38, which was unexpected as it should not be very aggregation prone. We don't fully understand what it means, but it may combine with other forms of amyloid-beta to stimulate plaque formation. The researchers hope that their work can lead to new drugs that are more effective against the disease. Alzheimers drugs have had a high rate of failure during clinical trials because much of the drug development was based on … Continue reading →

Harvard stem cell scientists have identified a mutation in human cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia that likely drives relapse. The research, published in Cancer Cell, could translate into improved patient care strategies for this particular blood cancer, which typically affects children but is more deadly in adults. In recent years, a trend toward single-cell analysis has shown that individual cells within a tumor are capable of amassing mutations to make them more aggressive and treatment resistant. So while 99% of a tumor may be destroyed by the initial treatment, a particularly aggressive cell can survive and then cause a cancer patient with the "all clear" to relapse six months later. Harvard Stem Cell Institute Principal Faculty member David Langenau, PhD, and his lab members in the Department of Pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital used zebrafish to search for these rare, relapse-driving leukemia cells and then designed therapies that could kill these cells. The researchers found that at least half of relapse-driving leukemic cells had a mutation that activated the Akt pathway, which rendered cells resistant to common chemotherapy and increased growth. From that insight, Langenau's lab next examined human acute lymphoblastic leukemia and discovered that inhibition of the Akt pathway … Continue reading →

Key findings and events that may emerge in 2013 concern stem cell trials, gene patents, open-access research papers and an updated U.N. climate assessment Lawrence Berkeley National Lab Stem-cell trials Landmark results from an early-stage clinical trial using human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) should appear this year. Biotechnology firm Advanced Cell Technology of Santa Monica, California, is injecting hESC-derived retinal cells into the eyes of around three dozen people with two forms of non-treatable degenerative blindness. It is the only company currently testing hESC therapies with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, and it hopes that the agency will give it the green light to test stem cells induced from adult cells in patients this year. Diagnostics controversy The American Psychiatric Association will publish the fifth edition of itsDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5) in May, the first major update in 19 years to the standard reference guide for diagnosing mental illnesses. It will lead to controversial changes in clinical and research protocols, including restructured diagnoses for autism and major depression, although as a living document theDSM-5will see further revisions. Climate assessment Climate scientists have spent years preparing the fifth assessment report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate … Continue reading →