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ACT responds to FDA queries on Phase I/II study using ES cell derived retinal cells to treat SMD

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. announced today that it has submitted documentation and a complete response to substantively address the issues raised by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in connection with the Company's plans to initiate a Phase I/II multicenter study using embryonic stem (ES) cell derived retinal cells to treat patients with Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy (SMD).

29 Jul 2010

Ten precautionary health tips for beachgoers, bathers

A yearlong beach study led by a team of University of Miami researchers suggests that swimmers at sub-tropical beaches face an increased risk of illness. The multi-disciplinary team examined the risk of illness that beachgoers face when exposed to recreational marine water at sub-tropical beaches with no known source of pollution or contamination.

29 Jul 2010

New funding made available to tackle common cause of food poisoning in the UK

Up to £2 Million is being made available today to tackle the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK - Campylobacter. Three of the UK's main public funders of food safety research have come together to invite research proposals to find out more about the organism and how best to control it. To provide safe and nutritious food for a growing world population it is important to reduce the incidence of food poisoning. Campylobacter species are responsible for more than 300,000 cases of food poisoning a year in England and Wales.

28 Jul 2010

Neurodegenerative disease-causing infectious protein can erupt from healthy brain tissue: Study

In a startling new study that involved research on both sides of the Atlantic, scientists from The Scripps Research Institute in Florida and the University College London Institute of Neurology in England have shown for the first time that abnormal prions, bits of infectious protein devoid of DNA or RNA that can cause fatal neurodegenerative disease, can suddenly erupt from healthy brain tissue.

27 Jul 2010

Circle Biologics introduces single device Autologous Platelet Concentrator Platform

Circle Biologics, Inc. has announced a technological break-through in regenerative medicine – its Autologous Platelet Concentrator Platform. This innovative single device platform is the first of its kind to incorporate both autologous cell concentration and protein concentration in one point-of-care device.

27 Jul 2010

Nano-patch to replace needles for vaccination soon: Study

Those who fear needles have good news awaiting them. Australian researchers have developed a new method of vaccine delivery using needle-free nano-patches. These could also be mailed to people during pandemics. This breakthrough is published in the latest edition of the journal Small.

26 Jul 2010

Neu5Gc in drugs provokes strong immune response

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that a kind of sugar molecule common to chimpanzees, gorillas and other mammals but not found in humans provokes a strong immune response in some people, likely worsening conditions in which chronic inflammation is a major issue.

26 Jul 2010

Reusing syringes in anesthesia leads to viral transmission: Study

Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus can be transmitted during intravenous administration of anesthesia, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute. In this study, doctors found that anesthesia contamination - not endoscopy contamination - was the cause of infection.

23 Jul 2010

Over 50% of neurosurgical procedures performed on Afghan children were for battlefield-related injuries

War inevitably takes a tragic toll on innocent bystanders including civilians and children. Military neurosurgeons have a long history of helping US and coalition troops and civilians overcome devastating and life-threatening neurological injuries incurred as a result of military strife. While stationed at US military facilities, neurosurgeons also contribute to invaluable humanitarian efforts, operating on patients with injuries and conditions unrelated to battle.

17 Jul 2010

PSA test reduces prostate cancer death rate by nearly 50%: NCI

The nation's leading authority on cancer has thrown out its own study on prostate cancer screening, now saying that PSA testing reduces the prostate cancer death rate by nearly 50 percent.

16 Jul 2010

Microbiologists work to decrease mold growth in flooded homes through improved prevention, cleanup

A team of microbiologists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River National Laboratory is working with Tuskegee University and Mississippi State University to decrease mold growth in flooded homes through improved prevention and cleanup.

15 Jul 2010

U.S. taxpayers spend equal amounts on non-emergency food aid and shipping, study says

IRIN examines the findings of a study about the costs and effects of the U.S. Agricultural Cargo Preference policy, noting that "U.S. taxpayers spend about $140 million every year on non-emergency food aid in Africa, and roughly the same amount to ship food aid to global destinations on U.S. vessels; money that could have been used to feed more people."

15 Jul 2010

ZyGEM launches new microbial fingerprinting diagnostic technology

ZyGEM Corp. Ltd., has introduced its new microbial fingerprinting diagnostic technology that is expected to dramatically reduce the complexity and time needed to identify unknown infectious agents in mixed population samples. The approach is designed to run on the company's new MicroLab platform and has the potential to accurately identify up to 30 types of microbes simultaneously from a single sample in less than an hour.

14 Jul 2010

Microtest white paper guides medical device manufacturers in applying new FDA regulations to combination products

A new free, white paper that guides medical device manufacturers in the complicated process of applying new U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations to combination products embedded with pharmaceutical or biologic components is now available from Microtest Laboratories (http://www.microtestlabs.com/combination-products-20/)

14 Jul 2010

Researchers detail innovations that may facilitate earlier detection, improved public health preparedness

With current public health threats ranging from swine flu to bioterrorism to environmental contamination, innovations that better predict disease outbreaks have vast potential to protect the public. In a paper published online in advance of print on July 6 in Emerging Health Threats Journal, public health researchers describe their vision for the future of disease surveillance, detailing innovations on the horizon that may facilitate earlier detection and improved public health preparedness.

14 Jul 2010

Custom-made bone replacements for facial reconstruction soon

Facial reconstruction patients may soon have the option of custom-made bone replacements optimized for both form and function, thanks to researchers at the University of Illinois and the Ohio State University Medical Center.

13 Jul 2010

Fresh salsa and guacamole may be important vehicles of foodborne infection, says ORISE researcher

Nearly 1 out of every 25 restaurant-associated foodborne outbreaks with identified food sources between 1998 and 2008 can be traced back to contaminated salsa or guacamole, more than double the rate during the previous decade, according to research released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

13 Jul 2010

U.S. lags in keeping workers safe from toxic drugs

In many countries, there are strict regulations and inspections regarding workers who handle chemotherapy drugs. "In the U.S., however, neither environmental monitoring nor exposure tracking is mandated. And neither is routinely taking place, said Tom Conner, a research biologist with National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

13 Jul 2010

FDA grants Catheter Connections 510(k) clearance for DualCap disinfecting product

Catheter Connections, Inc., a manufacturer of innovative vascular access and infection control products, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the company 510(k) clearance to market its DualCap™ product. DualCap is the only device that nests two disinfecting caps together - for both IV access points, the needleless injection site (NIS) and the male luer at the end of the IV tubing. Previously overlooked as a route of microbial colonization, Catheter Connections has developed the first disinfecting cap for the male luer.

12 Jul 2010

Federal food safety agencies commended for supporting Food Safety Working Group

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius today commended federal food safety agencies for their accomplishments supporting the charge of President Obama's Food Safety Working Group, which advises the President on how to upgrade the U.S. food safety system for the 21st century.

12 Jul 2010

Contamination News and Research

ACT responds to FDA queries on Phase I/II study using ES cell derived retinal cells to treat SMD

Ten precautionary health tips for beachgoers, bathers

New funding made available to tackle common cause of food poisoning in the UK

Neurodegenerative disease-causing infectious protein can erupt from healthy brain tissue: Study

Circle Biologics introduces single device Autologous Platelet Concentrator Platform

Nano-patch to replace needles for vaccination soon: Study

Neu5Gc in drugs provokes strong immune response

Reusing syringes in anesthesia leads to viral transmission: Study

Over 50% of neurosurgical procedures performed on Afghan children were for battlefield-related injuries

PSA test reduces prostate cancer death rate by nearly 50%: NCI

Microbiologists work to decrease mold growth in flooded homes through improved prevention, cleanup

U.S. taxpayers spend equal amounts on non-emergency food aid and shipping, study says

ZyGEM launches new microbial fingerprinting diagnostic technology

Microtest white paper guides medical device manufacturers in applying new FDA regulations to combination products

Researchers detail innovations that may facilitate earlier detection, improved public health preparedness

Custom-made bone replacements for facial reconstruction soon

Fresh salsa and guacamole may be important vehicles of foodborne infection, says ORISE researcher

U.S. lags in keeping workers safe from toxic drugs

FDA grants Catheter Connections 510(k) clearance for DualCap disinfecting product

Federal food safety agencies commended for supporting Food Safety Working Group

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

How microplastics and bacteria interact to drive antibiotic resistance

Single-cell proteomics: Revealing proteome diversity from cellular heterogeneity to non-canonical biology

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