Public release date: 29-Aug-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Clare Ryan clare.ryan@ucl.ac.uk 44-020-310-83846 University College London A genetic phenomenon that allows for the selection of multiple genetic mutations that all lead to a similar outcome -- for instance the ability to digest milk -- has been characterised for the first time in humans. The phenomenon, known as a 'soft selective sweep', was described in the population of Ethiopia and reveals that individuals from the Eastern African population have adapted to be able to digest milk, but via different mutations in their genetic material. A team of geneticists from UCL, University of Addis Ababa and Roskilde University have shown that five different alleles are found in the Ethiopian population that cause adult lactase production, one of which is newly confirmed. Their study is published in The American Journal of Human Genetics. Professor Dallas Swallow, from the Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, senior author of the paper said: "Our genetic make-up determines our ability to digest milk into adulthood. Just over a third of the global population have inherited genes that allow us to make lactase, the enzyme that digests milk, as adults. "This study shows that several different … Continue reading →

Aug. 27, 2013 Like volunteers handing out cups of energy drinks to marathon runners, specially engineered "helper cells" transplanted along with stem cells can dole out growth factors to increase the stem cells' endurance, at least briefly, Johns Hopkins researchers report. Their study, published in the September issue of Experimental Neurology, is believed to be the first to test the helper-cell tactic, which they hope will someday help to overcome a major barrier to successful stem cell transplants. "One of the bottlenecks with stem cell therapy is the survival of cells once they're put in the body -- about 80 to 90 percent of them often appear to die," says Jeff Bulte, Ph.D., a professor in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's Institute for Cell Engineering. "We discovered it helps to put the stem cells in with some buddies that give off growth factors." Stem cells can morph to take on any role in the body, making them theoretically useful to treat conditions ranging from type 1 diabetes (replacing insulin-producing cells in the pancreas) to heart disease (taking over for damaged heart cells). The biggest problem for transplanted stem cells, Bulte says, is that they're initially grown in a … Continue reading →

Short video of Stem Cell Therapy Treatment for Muscular Dystrophy by Dr Alok Sharma Mumbai India Improvement seen in just 6 months after Stem Cell Therapy Treatment for Muscular Dystrophy by Dr Alok Sharma, Mumbai, India. After Stem Cell Therapy 1. Earli... By: Neurogen Brain and Spine Institute … Continue reading →