To get deals in your inbox each morning, sign up for ourTerm Sheet newsletter Nest Labs, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based maker of smart home devices like thermostats and smoke detectors, is raising upwards of $150 million in a new VC round that would value the company north of $2 billion, according to Re/code.DSTis expected to lead the round, with return backers including Google Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Generation Investment Management, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Shasta Ventures and Venrock.www.nest.com Didi Dache, a Chinese taxi-booking app, has raised $100 million in Series C funding fromCITIC Capital($60m) and existing investors likeTencent($30m), according to a Chinese media report.www.xiaojukeji.com Alexar Therapeutics Inc., a developer of liver x receptor agonists for both systemic and local use, has raised $21.5 million in Series A funding. The company was formed by NeXeption LLC, while the investment was co-led byNew Science VenturesandThird Point Ventures. Palo Alto Investors also participated.www.alexartx.com Agilis Biotherapeutics LLC, a New York-based synthetic biology-based company focused on rare genetic diseases, has raised $8 million in new VC funding. The company also announced a partnership withIntrexon Corp.(NYSE: XON), in order to develop a treatment for Friedreich's ataxia.www.agilisbio.com Floored, a New York-based provider of 3D data capture and visualization solutions … Continue reading →

Human embryonic stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into a variety of cell types, making them a valuable source of transplantable tissue for the treatment of numerous diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and diabetes. But theres one major issue: Embryonic stem cells are often rejected by the human immune system. Now, researchers from the University of California San Diego may have found an effective way to prevent this rejection in humans. Utilizing a novel humanized mouse model, the scientists have revealed a unique combination of immune suppressing molecules that stop the immune system from attacking the injected stem cells without shutting the system down completely. This discovery could ultimately help resolve some of the major problems currently limiting the use of embryonic stem cells for certain conditions, paving the way for the development of more effective human stem cell therapies. This is a generic way of immune suppression, so it could potentially be applied not just for stem cells therapies, but for organ transplants as well, Yang Xu, a professor of biology at UC San Diego and lead author of the study, told FoxNews.com. It can be very broad. Embryonic stem cells are different from the other cells in … Continue reading →

(This is my blog post about the embryonic stem cell study. For my news article about the study, go here.) Genetically modified human embryonic stem cells can solve one of the toughest problems facing embryonic stem cell therapy, immune rejection of transplanted cells, may have been solved, according to a UC San Diego-led research team. The cells can be made invisible to the immune system by genetically modifying them to make two immune-suppressing chemicals, according to a study performed in mice given a human immune system. Immune functioning in the rest of the animal remains active. The immune protection also applies to differentiated cells derived from the stem cells. If the approach works in people, patients receiving transplanted tissue or organs made from embryonic stem cells wouldn't have to take harsh immune-suppressing drugs, said Yang Xu, a UCSD professor of biology. The method also may prevent immune rejection of tissues grown from other types of stem cells. These arehumanized laboratory mice that contain a functional human immune system. Such mice have been used for years; a UCSD research team developed a model with a stronger immune response to test their immune-suppressing tissues. / Zhili Rong, UCSD Researchers placed genes in … Continue reading →

One of the toughest problems facing embryonic stem cell therapy, immune rejection of transplanted cells, may have been solved, according to a UC San Diego-led research team. The cells can be made invisible to the immune system by genetically engineering them to make two immune-suppressing molecules, according to the study. Researchers tested the approach in mice given a human immune system. Immune functioning in the rest of the animal remained active. If the approach works in people, patients receiving transplanted tissue or organs made from embryonic stem cells wouldnt have to take harsh immune-suppressing drugs, said study leader Yang Xu, a UC San Diego professor of biology. Human embryonic stem cells. The green markers indicate the presence of a protein expressed only in these cells. / Samantha Zeitlin, 2006 CIRM fellow Researchers placed genes in the stem cells to produce the two molecules, called CTLA4-lg and PD-L1, naturally made in the body. The mice accepted transplants of heart and skin cells derived from the engineered stem cells. They rejected transplants derived from regular embryonic stem cells. The study was published online Thursday in the journal Cell Stem Cell. Its findings will have to be confirmed for safety and effectiveness before … Continue reading →

Poway, CA (PRWEB) January 02, 2014 Phizer is a seven year old black lab belonging to Ohio Task Force 1 that recently had stem cell therapy by Vet-Stem, Inc. Phizer was brought to Cleveland Road Animal Hospital for a limp in his right hind. Dr. Chad Bailey recommended stem cell therapy. Both Vet-Stem and Cleveland Road Animal Hospital value the working dog and offered their services pro-bono in hopes that Phizers stem cell therapy would permit him to continue to provide search and rescue service. Phizer is one of only five search and rescue canines owned by Ohio Task Force 1, one of 28 Task Forces across the US that make up the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue System. Phizer is trained to find living victims who may be trapped under collapsed buildings. He is unique because he is certified to work with more than one handler meaning that he can be used on more missions. If one of his handlers is not available the other may be. Phizer is trained to cover obstacles and treacherous terrain, climb metal ladders and investigate acres of terrain quickly and efficiently. These skills came in handy when Phizer was assigned to a mission … Continue reading →