BARCELONA, Spain, & SAN CARLOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Natera, a leading innovator in prenatal genetic testing, and Echevarne, a leading clinical analysis laboratory in Spain, today announced the signing of a distribution agreement for Echevarne to offer Nateras non-invasive prenatal screening test (NIPT), Panorama, through its facilities in Spain. Panorama was launched in March 2013 for the detection of trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) and select sex chromosome abnormalities, such as monosomy X (Turners syndrome). We have seen great demand for non-invasive prenatal testing and are confident in offering Panorama to our customers, said Alfonso Echevarne, CEO of Echevarne Laboratory. This test is the next-generation option for parents and their doctors who want highly accurate information with no risk for the fetus, and we look forward to a strong partnership with Natera. Echevarne, one of the leading and most advanced laboratories in Europe, offers clinical analysis services ranging from routine analyses to state-of-the-art molecular genetics tests. Its network includes laboratory facilities and hospital laboratories across Spain and Portugal. We have invested considerable time and resources to ensure that Panorama offers physicians and expectant mothers highly accurate and reliable data, said Matthew Rabinowitz, Ph.D., chief … Continue reading →

Advanced genetic engineering is already changing vaccine development and could make inroads into other branches of medicine. Synthetic biology is breathing new life into the old-fashioned world of vaccine production, raising hopes that manufacturers could release vaccines much more quickly when outbreaks occur. At a meeting on synthetic biology held at MIT, the drug company Novartis said it has synthesized hybrid flu genomes in a process that could shave weeks off the time required to produce vaccines. When new flu strain emerges, government agencies normally send samples to vaccine manufacturers, who grow large numbers of the pathogen in chicken eggs as starting material for vaccines, says Philip Dormitzer, leader of viral vaccine research for Novartis. This process can take months and can miss the peak of an outbreak. But Novartis, working with synthetic biologists, has developed a way of chemically synthesizing virus genomes and growing them in tissue culture cells. That saves time and may produce more effective vaccines. The idea is to build a synthetic virus based on sequence data that can be distributed much more quickly than actual viral material harvested at the site of an outbreak. The synthetic viral genome combines a genomic backbone common to many … Continue reading →

SUNDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Twelve new genetic regions associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer have been identified by researchers in two studies. One study identified four regions and the other identified eight regions, bringing to 17 the total number of genetic regions associated with testicular cancer. The studies were published online May 12 in the journal Nature Genetics. Testicular cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in young American men. The findings could eventually help scientists better understand which men are at high risk and enable early detection or possibly even prevention of the disease, the researchers said. The team, including Peter Kanetsky, an associate professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, identified four of the 12 new genetic regions after analyzing the genomes of more than 13,000 men. None of the four regions has been linked to other cancers. They pose a higher risk than other regions identified for some common cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer, according to a school news release. Testicular cancer is highly inheritable. A man whose father or son has testicular cancer has a four to six times higher risk … Continue reading →

New personalized medicine initiative enables doctors to tailor drug therapies to individual patients based on genetic profile Newswise BALTIMORE May 14, 2013. Patients with coronary artery disease who undergo treatment at the University of Maryland Medical Center now can receive long-term therapy based on information found in their genes. As part of a new personalized medicine initiative, the medical center is offering genetic testing to help doctors determine which medication a patient should take after a stenting procedure in order to prevent blood clots that could lead to serious and potentially fatal heart attacks and strokes. Patients with suspected heart disease undergo coronary catheterization to identify blocked or narrow arteries. Tiny tubes, or stents, are often placed in the arteries to keep them open, and, after surgery, patients typically take antiplatelet drugs, such as clopidogrel (Plavix), to prevent platelets blood cells produced in bone marrow from sticking together and forming clots. Now, patients who undergo coronary catheterization at UMMC and the Baltimore VA Medical Center, both of which are affiliated with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, can elect to be tested for variations in a gene called CYP2C19. Up to one-fourth of the U.S. population carries at least … Continue reading →

Two approaches to stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis http://www.stemcellsarthritistreatment.com There are two potential approaches of stem cell-based cartilage repair and regeneration. The first is ex vivo cart... By: Nathan Wei … Continue reading →

In free public lecture on May 30 at UC Riverside stem-cell expert Nicole zur Nieden will discuss the enthusiasm and caveats surrounding stem cell therapy By Iqbal Pittalwala on May 14, 2013 Nicole zur Nieden is an assistant professor of cell biology and neuroscience at UC Riverside. Photo credit: Zur Nieden Lab, UC Riverside. RIVERSIDE, Calif. Stem cells are mother cells that can become specialized cells with a more specific function, such as brain cells, blood cells, heart muscle or bone. Because they can be used to regenerate and repair diseased or damaged tissues in people, they have, at times, been portrayed as a miracle cure for a variety of conditions and disabilities. But are they the miracle cure? Or is that an exaggeration? How do we separate fact from fiction and hope from hype when it comes to stem cell therapy? Nicole zur Nieden, an assistant professor of cell biology and neuroscience at the University of California, Riverside, will give a free public lecture at UC Riverside on May 30 in which she will discuss whether the claims for stem cells can be justified. Her hour-long talk is titled The promise of stem cells: Hope or hype? It will … Continue reading →

(MENAFN - Muscat Daily) Taking into account the shortcomings of organ transplants and to advance research into stem cell therapy, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) will soon install a quantum bioreactor in its haematology department. The machine is the first of its kind in Oman and in the Middle East, according to Dr Salam bin Salim al Kindi, head of SQUH's haematology department. As cord blood preservation gains popularity, these cost-effective bioreactors can help grow Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in large quantities in a short time and fast-track stem cell experimentation. Manufactured by US-based Terumo Group, this medical technology doesn't need an expensive set-up. ''Usually when you grow stem cells you should follow Good Manufacturing Practice procedures, which is a sterile but expensive set-up. However, all this is not required with the new bioreactor,'' said Dr Kindi. ''It works in a closed system and all you need to do is put the patient's stem cells into the machine. Along with the appropriate nutrients and under proper stimulus, it will reproduce MSCs,'' he added. MSCs can be found in the bone marrow of humans or can be isolated from other sources such as cord blood, peripheral blood, fallopian tube and from … Continue reading →

EATONTOWN, N.J., May 14, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- American CryoStem Corporation (CRYO), a leading strategic developer, marketer and global licensor of patented adipose tissue-based and cellular technologies for the Regenerative and Personalized Medicine industries, today announced that it has entered into Material Transfer Agreements with three leading research scientists at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, distinguished as one of the world's premier universities for stem cell research and training. American CryoStem has teamed with Kathryn Uhrich, PhD, Professor and Dean, Mathematical & Physical Sciences; KiBum Lee, PhD, Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Chemical Biology; and Prabhas Moghe, PhD, Professor and Vice-Chair of Biomedical Engineering and Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, all of whom will be utilizing the Company's autologous Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) and patented, serum free, GMP grade, cell culture and differentiation mediums to research, develop and commercialize innovative new cellular therapies addressing the $5 billion global wound care market. "American CryoStem was founded in New Jersey in 2008, completed its initial research and development work in New Jersey, and built its FDA-registered tissue laboratory in the Burlington County College (BCC) High Technology and Life Science Incubators, where we perfected and validated our proprietary and patented … Continue reading →