In 1968, Dr. Elliot Vesell, Penn State College of Medicines first chair of the Department of Pharmacology, discovered that a persons genetic makeup influences how a drug commonly used to thin blood is metabolized by the body. Four decades later, scientists have found the specific genetic sequences that determine this response. Physicians can now use a patients unique genetic signature to prescribe the right dose to be effective and not too much to cause excess bleeding. Today, in the same halls where Vesell made his discovery, Penn State Hershey Institute for Personalized Medicine opened the doors to its new space, which will help scientists make the next important finds for improving health using genetic and biologic data and rapidly evolving computational techniques. Launched in February 2012 under the leadership of James Broach, Ph.D., the institute works in close collaboration with departments and other institutes across the Hershey campus, including the Penn State Clinical and Translational Science Institute, to advance personalized medicine research and to translate that research into clinical applications. During the dedication, Dr. Harold L. Paz, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Health System CEO, Penn States senior vice president for health affairs, and dean of the … Continue reading →

A technique which allows genetic editing has been successfully tested on human cells meaning that genetic medicine -- previously an expensive and complex endeavour -- could become simple and affordable. The process was discovered in 2012 by Jennifer Doudna and Martin Jinek of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the University of California, Berkeley working with Emmanuelle Charpentier of the Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden. Initially it described genomic editing in bacterial cells but has now been tested on human DNA . "The ability to modify specific elements of an organism's genes has been essential to advance our understanding of biology, including human health," said Doudna. "This is going to remove a major bottleneck in the field, because it means that essentially anybody can use this kind of genome editing or reprogramming to introduce genetic changes into mammalian or, quite likely, other eukaryotic systems." The editing system uses an enzyme-RNA complex, Cas9, present in some bacteria which conduct genetic editing for self preservation. The bacteria can cut up viral DNA strands and integrate it with their own DNA. They are then able to synthesise working copies of the genetic material in the form of RNA which binds to and … Continue reading →

By Philip C. Tubeza Philippine Daily Inquirer Health Secretary Enrique Ona said that the Department of Health would come out in the coming weeks with the rules to regulate stem cell therapy in the country. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO MANILA, PhilippinesHealth buffs may abhor body fat but it is actually a good source for stem cells that can be used to help treat diseases ranging from athritis, diabetes, or even HIV/AIDS in the future, according to a stem cell expert. Speaking at the first national convention of the Philippine Society for Stem Cell Medicine, Vasilis Paspaliaris, a stem cell expert from Greece, said body fat or adipose tissues have been proven to be rich sources of mesenchyme stem cells, used for regenerative medicine. Why fat? Whats the interest in fat? Theres a lot more mesenchyme stem cells in adipose tissue, Paspaliaris said during the convention at the Manila Hotel. Many of you cosmetic surgeons know that fat has been used as a filler for breast enhancements. Everyone knew there was a therapeutic use for fat. And plastic surgeons were quite aware of it. They have seen its rejuvenative effects, he added. He said that while mesenchyme tissues could also be found … Continue reading →

ALLENDALE, N.J. and OXFORD, United Kingdom, Jan. 16, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE MKT:NBS) and its subsidiary, Progenitor Cell Therapy LLC ("PCT"), together with Adaptimmune Limited and Adaptimmune LLC (collectively, "Adaptimmune"), announced today a Services Agreement under which PCT will provide services to support Adaptimmune's NYESO-1c259-T cell therapy product being developed for multiple oncology indications (for more information with respect to Adaptimmune's clinical trials, see clinicaltrials.gov, identifiers NCT01350401, NCT01343043 and NCT01352286). PCT's services will include the transfer and qualification of Adaptimmune's manufacturing process for its NYESO-1c259-T cell therapy product candidate at PCT's facility in Allendale, New Jersey and subsequent manufacturing of the product for Adaptimmune's clinical trials. Adaptimmune develops products containing unique engineered T cell receptors for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. The company has a research base in Oxford, UK and a clinical base in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In December, at the American Society of Hematology conference, Adaptimmune announced encouraging preliminary results from its expanded multiple myeloma trial. Related trials in melanoma and sarcoma are also recruiting patients. PCT is an internationally recognized contract development and manufacturing organization with facilities in Allendale, New Jersey and Mountain View, California. The company has expertise in GMP manufacture for … Continue reading →

MANILA, Philippines --- The Department of Health (DOH) is preparing guidelines for the use of stem cell therapy in the treatment of diseases in the Philippines. This was announced by DOH Secretary Enrique T. Ona yesterday in a convention on stem cell therapy at the Manila Hotel. Ona said a bio-ethics advisory board will develop the guidelines which will include ethical standards in the application of stem cell therapy to treat diseases such as malignancies, blood disorders and metabolic disorders, among others. "The institutional board will review and approve Stem Cell therapies based on guidelines by the advisory board," Ona said. He added that the board will also include ethical and legal issues surrounding stem cell therapy. Last week, the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) and the Philippine Society for Stem Cell Medicine (PSSCM) issued a joint statement that warned against the dangers of receiving stem cell transplants that came from another source other than the patient's body. "If the stem cell that you received is not from your own body, it could lead to fatal complications," Philippine Society for Stem Cell Medicine (PSSCM) and the PMA said. The doctors warned that complications arising from stem cell transplants include graft-versus-host disease, … Continue reading →

3D imaging for research in nanomedicine at McGill McGill Dentistry Prof. Marc McKee and colleagues have been awarded $3.7 million from CFI, the Quebec Government and partners to acquire the first and only cryo-FIBSEM (electron microscope) in Canada. McKee explains how this new generation electron microscope maintains the integrity of samples, allowing researchers to better visualize and analyze biological processes at the cellular, subcellular and molecular levels. This could lead to the earlier diagnosis of disease and the creation of new implant materials for tissue repair. By: mcgilluniversity … Continue reading →