California's $3 billion stem cell agency, now more than 7 years old, has joined research partnerships with science and health agencies in eight foreign countries, the San Francisco institute announced. The agreements call for collaboration in efforts aimed at speeding stem cell research from the laboratory to the hospital, where researchers hope that basic human cells will be programmed to treat scores of human degenerative diseases. Research partnerships between American and foreign stem cell scientists are encouraged, but the California institute's funds would only be spent within the state, institute officials said. Alan Trounson, president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, signed agreements with stem cell funding agencies in Brazil and Argentina last week, he said Thursday. "Both Brazil and Argentina have strong and robust stem cell research communities in basic science and transitional clinical science, which should create exciting synergies with many scientists in California," Trounson said in a statement. He has signed similar pacts with stem cell agencies in Canada, Britain, France, Spain, Australia, Japan, China and Indiana. The California institute was created in 2004 after Proposition 71, a $3 billion bond issue, was approved by California voters at a time when use of federal funds was … Continue reading →

By Mary Ann Roser AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF An Austin-based group funded mainly by a company that develops stem cell therapies is petitioning the Texas Medical Board for a less-strict rule on adult stem cells an issue the board has struggled with for more than a year. The board will hold a hearing April 13 on its proposed rule, which would require doctors to get informed consent from patients before performing a stem cell procedure as well as approval from an institutional review board. Such boards review research to protect patients and are overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. At the meeting, the board must either adopt or pull down the much-revised rule, said Mari Robinson, executive director of the medical board. The group, MedRebels Foundation, which seeks to raise awareness and educate the public about stem cells, will present its petition at the hearing. It has more than 2,500 signatures, many of them gathered near the company's Red River Street office during the South by Southwest Music Conference and Festival, Executive Director Shay McBurney said Friday. The office space is provided by SpineSmith and its parent, Celling Biosciences, which develops products and therapies using a person's own adult stem … Continue reading →

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - It was once reported that one out of 110 children had Autism, but new numbers released last week by the Centers for Disease Control shows it's now one out of 88. That's a 78 percent increase in the last six years. Experts say the increase could be from parents educating themselves on recognizing the signs of Autism and taking their children to the doctor more often if they see any of those signs. They also believe doctors are learning more about what to look for when making a diagnosis. Here are some signs of a child with Autism: - Not responding to their name - Avoiding eye contact - Excessive rocking - Obsessed with one thing Two parents, Valerie Potchka and Jennifer Kennedy, both live in Fort Wayne and have a child with Autism. They both met in a waiting room of a therapy office. Potchka has a son with Autism and works at Easter Seals Arc of Northeast Indiana, an organization working with children who have special needs. She said if your child shows any signs of Autism, it's important to get them screened. "Typically individuals that are diagnosed with Autism are not hitting … Continue reading →

Chris Pavlack stands behind the coffee bar at Cafe Blends. The cafe is staffed by young adults on the autism spectrum. STORY HIGHLIGHTS (CNN) -- Chris Pavlack stands behind the coffee bar at a car dealership in Roswell, Georgia, ready to whip up specialty lattes for waiting customers. As a 21-year-old college sophomore, working as a barista at Caf Blends is his first job. "It's a nice environment and everything, and the other employees are pretty nice too," he says. Pinned to his black apron is a blue puzzle piece, a symbol representing autism awareness. It's also a symbol of the caf's mission -- "blending autism into the workplace." Pavlack and his two co-workers are all young adults on the autism spectrum. The caf began when Nalley Lexus Roswell general manager Chris Dastou heard about a similar program at a company meeting. "I decided it was definitely something I was interested in," he says. "Giving them a chance to work and to have an opportunity to grow as a person." His team partnered with Nobis Works, a nonprofit organization that provides job training and placement for people with barriers to employment, to launch the caf at the Roswell dealership. Since … Continue reading →

The American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), One of the most authoritative guides in diagnosing mental illnesses is about to make changes on how autism is defined. Once finalized next year, it is estimated that about half of Hong Kongs children currently diagnosed as autistic may be denied treatment. As a result, a kid stripped off the label as autistic may not necessarily mean good news for his or her parents who have exerted all efforts just to have him or her live a normal life. Hong Kongs local psychiatrists rely on both manual and international standards when performing diagnosis and providing treatment. Concern groups say some autistic patients could fall outside the official definition and no longer be given treatment in public hospitals. Those who belong to milder spectrum of autism would be misunderstood as merely naughty and no longer qualify for treatment. The new definition may result in different recommendation, different school placement, and misclassified situation, said Dr Jeremy Greenberg, director of the Childrens Institute of Hong Kong, a school set up in 2003 for children with special needs. Indeed, this change could lead to more headaches for parents, a significant burden to … Continue reading →