Findings may lead to the ability to give newborns a "genetic score" on obesity risk factors. A new study suggests that overweight newborns may share the same genetic marker for a higher risk for obesity later in life, which may eventually allow doctors to identify those predisposed to obesity as soon as they're born. [READ: Gene Research May Help Spot Baby's Obesity Risk] Reeti Chawla, a pediatric endocrinologist with the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, says that she and her team were able to identify 45 genetic markers that are linked to both obesity in adults and are commonly found in babies with large birth weights. In the United States, babies that are 8 pounds, 13 ounces or more are generally considered to be "large for gestational age." "Obesity is such a complex trait that obviously has a lot of environmental components, but it appears babies born large have an increased risk for obesity later in life," Chawla says. The study was based on the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, a study that looked at more than 4,400 newborns and their mothers' blood sugar levels. Subsequent studies will follow these children as they grow up. [ALSO:More Evidence Links BPA … Continue reading →

ASCI Two Worlds of Stem Cell Therapy Animation Asian Stem Cell Institute (ASCI) Two Worlds of Stem Cell Therapy Animation Autologous Stem cell Treatments, mobilized peripheral blood, bone marrow and adipo... By: stemcellregeneration … Continue reading →

Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease Thomas J. Povsic, MD, PhD Assistant Professor of Medicine Division of Cardiology. By: DukeClinicalResearch … Continue reading →

AstraZeneca (AZN) recently announced that MedImmune (the biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca) has entered into an agreement with privately-held US-based company, NGM Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. for discovery, development and commercialization of candidates from NGM Biopharmas enteroendocrine cell (:EEC) program. Together, the companies will develop candidates for type II diabetes and obesity. As per the terms of the agreement, NGM Biopharma will receive an upfront payment and will be eligible to receive milestone payments subject to achievement of certain development, regulatory and commercial targets from AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca will also provide research funding and pay royalties on net sales of the products arising from this agreement. We note generic competition has adversely impacted AstraZenecas revenues over the past few quarters. This has put significant pressure on the company. AstraZeneca is looking to combat generic erosion faced by many of its key drugs by signing deals, making acquisitions and developing new products. Its agreements with Karolinska Institutet (to conduct preclinical and clinical trials for candidates targeting cardiovascular and metabolic diseases), Moderna Therapeutics (to develop RNA therapeutics for the treatment of serious cardiovascular, metabolic and renal diseases and cancer) and BIND Therapeutics (for development and commercialization cancer nanomedicine) are efforts in that direction. … Continue reading →

DUBLIN, June 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/m77rlt/nanobiotechnology) has announced the addition of the report "Nanobiotechnology Applications, Markets and Companies" to their offering. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130307/600769 ) Nanotechnology is the creation and utilization of materials, devices, and systems through the control of matter on the nanometer-length scale (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter. Nanobiotechnology, an integration of physical sciences, molecular engineering, biology, chemistry and biotechnology holds considerable promise of advances in pharmaceuticals and healthcare. The report starts with an introduction to various techniques and materials that are relevant to nanobiotechnology. It includes some of the physical forms of energy such as nanolasers. Some of the technologies are scaling down such as microfluidics to nanofluidic biochips and others are constructions from bottom up. Application in life sciences research, particularly at the cell level sets the stage for role of nanobiotechnology in healthcare in subsequent chapters. Some of the earliest applications are in molecular diagnostics. Nanoparticles, particularly quantum dots, are playing important roles. In vitro diagnostics, does not have any of the safety concerns associated with the fate of nanoparticles introduced into the human body. Numerous nanodevices and nanosystems for sequencing single molecules of DNA are feasible. Various nanodiagnostics … Continue reading →

Sarasota, Florida (PRWEB) June 18, 2013 After almost 20 years of performing regenerative treatments in the field of non surgical orthopedics, Wellington Chen, M.D., will begin conducting clinical trials for many degenerative diseases using adipose-derived stem cell therapy in Sarasota, Florida. The independent review board of the International cell medicine society is responsible for overseeing these trials. Advanced Rejuvenation will treat patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and osteoarthritis following the IRB-approved protocols. Advanced Rejuvenation will be using adult autologous stem cells, harvested from the patients own adipose (fat) tissue or bone marrow if fat is not available. Because patients are receiving their own cells, there is no risk of rejection. As of 2007, over 9,000 studies have shown the safety using these cell lines. Autologous stem cell therapy are your bodies repair men. They are circulated throughout your body and as soon as there is a need for them, chemical messages trigger them to migrate to the area and do their magic. They are both immune modulating and also regenerative which makes them a great therapeutic agent for osteoarthritis and COPD. Numerous studies have shown them to have the capacity to grow new cartilage, muscle, ligaments, glands … Continue reading →

Stem cell birthday By: John Plumb … Continue reading →

June 17, 2013 A team from the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute and the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center of Columbia University has generated patient-specific beta cells, or insulin-producing cells, that accurately reflect the features of maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY). The researchers used skin cells of MODY patients to produce induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, from which they then made beta cells. Transplanted into a mouse, the stem cell-derived beta cells secreted insulin in a manner similar to that of the beta cells of MODY patients. Repair of the gene mutation restored insulin secretion to levels seen in cells obtained from healthy subjects. The findings were reported today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. Previous studies have demonstrated the ability of human embryonic stem cells and iPS cells to become beta cells that secrete insulin in response to glucose or other molecules. But the question remained as to whether stem cell-derived beta cells could accurately model genetic forms of diabetes and be used to develop and test potential therapies. "We focused on MODY, a form of diabetes that affects approximately one in 10,000 people. While patients and other models have yielded important clinical insights into this … Continue reading →