SAN DIEGO, Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sequenom, Inc. (SQNM), a life sciences company providing innovative diagnostic testing and genetic analysis solutions, today announced the appointment of Myla Lai-Goldman, M.D., to its Board of Directors, effective September 11, 2012. Dr. Lai-Goldman has also been appointed to the Science Committee of the Company's Board of Directors. Dr. Lai-Goldman is a managing partner at Personalized Science, LLC, and Chief Executive Officer of GeneCentric Diagnostics, Inc. and a Venture Partner with Hatteras Venture Partners. She previously served as Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of Laboratory Corporation of America. She is a recognized author and speaker on clinical diagnostics, including factors that lead to successful adoption of novel technologies. "We welcome Dr. Lai-Goldman to our board, and look forward to her contributions as a renowned voice in the pathology community to add strategic counsel to our short-term and long-term growth efforts in the diagnostics market," said Harry F. Hixson, Jr., Ph.D., Chairman and CEO, Sequenom, Inc. Dr. Lai-Goldman received her undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Pennsylvania and her medical degree from Columbia University. She completed a pathology residency and surgical pathology fellowship at UCLA in Los … Continue reading →

Professor Armin Curt, leading the study, described the result as fundamental. He said: To find something that can repair the spinal cord is a huge breakthrough. If we can show that something has changed for the better [as a result of stem cell therapy] thats fundamental. He presented the findings at the annual conference of the International Spinal Cord Society in London on Monday. Prof Curt was working in partnership with StemCells Inc., a Californian company which also has a base in Cambridge. Dr Stephen Huhn, from the firm, said: We think these stem cells are one of the first tools we have for actually repairing the central nervous system. "To see this kind of change in patients who truly have the worst-of-the-worst type of injury to the spinal cord is very exciting." The three patients, who all had complete spinal injury where they could feel nothing below the break, were each given a dose of 20 million adult neural stem cells about six months ago. This was primarily a safety trial, and Prof Curt said monitoring had shown a very good safety profile. But detailed questioning and objective tests also showed signals were passing up the injured spine to … Continue reading →

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cwsq7k/stem_cells) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Stem Cells" to their offering. This third in the Current Topics in Molecular Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine Series contains a careful selection of new and updated, high-quality articles from the well-known Meyer's Encyclopedia, describing new perspectives in stem cell research. The approximately 40 chapters are divided into four sections: Basic Biology, Stem Cells and Disease, Stem Cell Therapy Approaches, and Laboratory Methods, with the authors chosen from among the leaders in their respective fields. The two volumes represent an essential guide for students and researchers seeking an overview of the field. Key Topics Covered: Introduction to Stem Cells Basic Biology Stem Cells, Embryonic Stem Cells, Adult Stem Cells in the Adult Brain: Neurogenesis Read this article: Research and Markets: Stem Cells - Current Topics in Molecular Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine Series … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (Sep. 3, 2012) Researchers at the Universit Libre de Bruxelles, ULB identify a new stem cell population in the skin epidermis responsible for tissue repair. The skin, which is an essential barrier that protects our body against the external environment, undergoes constant turnover throughout life to replace dead cells that are constantly sloughed off from the skin surface. During adult life, the number of cells produced must exactly compensate the number of cells lost. Different theories have been proposed to explain how this delicate balance is achieved. In a new study published in Nature, researchers lead by Pr. Cdric Blanpain, MD/PhD, FNRS/FRS researcher and WELBIO investigator at the IRIBHM, Universit libre de Bruxelles, Belgium, in collaboration with Pr. Benjamin Simons, University of Cambridge, UK, demonstrate the existence of a new population of stem cells that give rise to progenitor cells that ensure the daily maintenance of the epidermis and demonstrate the major contribution of epidermal stem cells during wound healing. In this new study, Guilhem Mascr and colleagues used novel genetic lineage tracing experiments to fluorescently mark two distinct epidermal cell populations, and follow their survival and contribution to the maintenance of the epidermis overtime. Interestingly, in doing so, … Continue reading →

StemCells' human neural stem cell But, promising new research from a phase 1 study conducted at the University of Zurich sponsored by StemCells, Inc. shows that six months after the implantation of neural stem cells, two out of three complete injury patients - meaning they had no neurological function below the point of injury - were able to gain some sensory function. "We haven't made progress in how to address injury after they occur, but using neural stem cells in a transplant lets us, for the first time, think we can repair this," Dr. Stephen Huhn, a neurosurgeon and the vice president and head of the CNS program at StemCells, Inc. said to HealthPop. The phase 1 study was intended to see if the implantation treatment had any unwanted side effects. For the procedure, 20 million neural stem cells were implanted directly into the spinal cord, something that has never been done before. Then, any reactions were monitored including complex examinations of sensory function - for example light touch, sensitivity to temperature and sensitivity to subtle electronic stimulation - as well as electrostimulation of the spinal cord itself. What researchers were surprised to find was that the neural stem cell … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, Sept. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: Global Human Embryonic Stem Cell (hESC) Research Industry http://www.reportlinker.com/p0960425/Global-Human-Embryonic-Stem-Cell-hESC-Research-Industry.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Biological_Therapy This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Human Embryonic Stem Cell (hESC) Research in US$ Million. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Europe, and Rest of World. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2009 through 2018. The report profiles 26 companies including many key and niche players such as Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., BD Biosciences, BioTime, Inc., Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd., Cellartis AB, GE Healthcare, Millipore Corporation, Molecular Transfer, Inc., PerkinElmer, Inc., Pfizer, Inc., Research & Diagnostics Systems, Inc., Reliance Life Sciences Ltd., Stem Cell Network, Stemina Biomarker Discovery, Inc., UK Stem Cell Bank, and ViaCyte, Inc. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are primarily based upon search engine sources in the public domain. I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & PRODUCT DEFINITIONS Study Reliability and Reporting Limitations I-1 Disclaimers I-2 Data Interpretation & Reporting Level I-2 Quantitative Techniques & Analytics I-3 Product Definitions and Scope of Study I-3 Read the original post: Global Human Embryonic Stem Cell (hESC) Research Industry … Continue reading →

Background Whether endovascular stroke treatment improves clinical outcomes is unclear because of the paucity of data from randomised placebo-controlled trials. We aimed to establish whether MRI can be used to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from endovascular reperfusion. In this prospective cohort study we consecutively enrolled patients scheduled to have endovascular treatment within 12 h of onset of stroke at eight centres in the USA and one in Austria. Aided by an automated image analysis computer program, investigators interpreted a baseline MRI scan taken before treatment to establish whether the patient had an MRI profile (target mismatch) that suggested salvageable tissue was present. Reperfusion was assessed on an early follow-up MRI scan (within 12 h of the revascularisation procedure) and defined as a more than 50% reduction in the volume of the lesion from baseline on perfusion-weighted MRI. The primary outcome was favourable clinical response, defined as an improvement of 8 or more on the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale between baseline and day 30 or a score of 01 at day 30. The secondary clinical endpoint was good functional outcome, defined as a modified Rankin scale score of 2 or less at day 90. Analyses … Continue reading →