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Study: High concentrations of cocoa flavanols decrease blood pressure

A new study by UCSF cardiologists and researchers found that high concentrations of cocoa flavanols decrease blood pressure, improve the health of blood vessels and increase the number of circulating blood-vessel-forming cells in patients with heart disease. The findings indicate that foods rich in flavanols - such as cocoa products, tea, wine, and various fruits and vegetables - have a cardio-protective benefit for heart disease patients.

7 Jul 2010

Researchers develop first model of hormone-induced human prostate cancer initiation and progression

Progress toward understanding the role of sex hormones in the growth of prostate cancer—the most common cancer in U.S. men—has been hindered by the lack of a suitable laboratory research model. Now researchers say they have developed the first model of hormone-induced human prostate cancer initiation and progression.

2 Jul 2010

Children's Hospital Boston researchers reprogram adult blood cells into iPS cells

In findings likely to make it easier and faster for stem cell biologists to generate patient-specific embryonic-like stem cells, researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have reprogrammed adult blood cells into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells.

2 Jul 2010

Fate Therapeutics recognized with Red Herring's North America 100 award

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that the Company received Red Herring's North America 100 award, a prestigious list honoring the year's most promising private and innovative companies from the North American business region. The nominees were evaluated by the Red Herring editorial team on both quantitative and qualitative criteria, such as financial performance, technology innovation, quality of management, execution of strategy and integration into their respective industries.

28 Jun 2010

CHOC Children's receives royalty-free research license to certain StemCells' patents

StemCells, Inc. and the Children's Hospital of Orange County ("CHOC Children's") announced today that they have entered into an agreement that provides CHOC Children's with a royalty-free research license to certain of StemCells' patents. This license authorizes CHOC Children's to proliferate, maintain and use human neural stem cells for non-commercial purposes.

4 Jun 2010

Synthetic peptide repairs, regenerates stroke-injured brain tissue

A synthetic version of a naturally occurring peptide promoted the creation of new blood vessels and repaired damaged nerve cells in lab animals, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

2 Jun 2010

New study provides cause-and-effect link between immune system cells and mental illness

A Nobel Prize-winning University of Utah geneticist discovered that bone marrow transplants cure mutant mice who pull out their hair compulsively. The study provides the first cause-and-effect link between immune system cells and mental illness, and points toward eventual new psychiatric treatments.

28 May 2010

Researchers discover genetic variant that raises risk of CHD

Although congenital heart disease represents the most common major birth defect, scientists have not previously identified the common variation in the genes that give rise to it. Now genetics and cardiology researchers, two of them brothers, have discovered a genetic variant on chromosome 5 that strongly raises the risk of congenital heart disease.

27 May 2010

Researchers study how hematopoietic cells react when Epo levels increase

Our body reacts to blood loss by stimulating the production of red blood cells (erythrocytes). The cells of the hematopoietic (blood-forming) system in the bone marrow do so upon receipt of a signal by a hormone called erythropoietin, or Epo for short. This hormone is produced mainly by the kidney that increases the Epo level by up to a thousand-fold as a response to falling oxygen saturation of the blood.

25 May 2010

Aastrom Biosciences initiates treatment in Phase 2 catheter-based clinical trial for dilated cardiomyopathy

Aastrom Biosciences, Inc., the leading developer of autologous cellular therapies for the treatment of severe cardiovascular diseases, today announced that the first patient has been treated in the company's U.S. Phase 2 catheter-based clinical trial to treat dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Treatment was performed by interventional cardiologist Timothy D. Henry, M.D., FACC, at the Minneapolis Heart Institute® at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, MN.

17 May 2010

New way to coax embryonic stem cells and reprogrammed adult cells to develop sensory cells

After ten years of effort, researchers reporting in the May 14th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, say they have found a way to coax embryonic stem cells as well as reprogrammed adult cells to develop into sensory cells that normally reside in the mammalian inner ear. Those mechanosensitive sensory hair cells are the linchpin of hearing and balance.

14 May 2010

Sanford-Burnham Scientific Symposium provides wealth of information on microRNAs, RNAi

Investigators from around the country came to Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) on Friday, May 7, to share their knowledge of the burgeoning young field of microRNAs. These small non-coding nucleic acids turn off proteins and have been implicated in viral infection, cancer, cardiovascular disease, HIV and numerous other conditions.

12 May 2010

Bioengineers define relationship between key regulatory proteins

With thousands of scientists across the globe searching for ways to use adult stem cells to fight disease, there's a growing emphasis on finding the "master regulators" that guide the differentiation of stem cells. New research from Rice University and the University of Cambridge suggests that a closely connected trio of regulatory proteins fulfills that role in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), the self-renewing cells the body uses to make new blood cells.

7 May 2010

ViaCyte granted three new U.S. patents

ViaCyte, Inc., a preclinical stage stem cell engineering company focused on diabetes, announced today that it has received three additional U.S. Patents.

6 May 2010

BioTime first-quarter total revenue up 159% to $767,127

BioTime, Inc. today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010 and provided an update on recent corporate developments.

5 May 2010

ZenBio awarded Phase I SBIR grant to establish novel human cell-based models of NAFLD

ZenBio, Inc. announced that it has been awarded a Phase I SBIR grant to establish novel human cell-based models of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that will be useful for basic research and as a potential drug development platform. The project stems from recent efforts at ZenBio, Inc. to develop methods for differentiating adipose tissue derived progenitor cells into hepatocyte-like cells.

21 Apr 2010

New book titled 'Advances in Wound Care' addresses major, escalating health problem

The publication of the new book Advances in Wound Care, addresses this major and escalating health problem. The first in an annual book series, Volume 1 strengthens the interdisciplinary continuum of wound care to synchronize the numerous disciplines the wound care community represents.

20 Apr 2010

Increase in circulating stem cells can be achieved through Stem-Kine: Study

A study published in the peer reviewed Journal of Translational Medicine demonstrated administration of Stem-Kine, a commercially available nutritional supplement, significantly elevated levels of two types of stem cells in circulation.

13 Apr 2010

Nutritional supplement can increase blood circulation of hematopoietic stem cells

A nutritional supplement could stimulate the production of stem cells integral for repairing the body. Research published in BioMed Central's open access Journal of Translational Medicine suggests that a commercially-available supplement can increase the blood circulation of hematopoietic stem cells, which can give rise to all blood cells, and endothelial progenitor cells, which repair damage to blood vessels.

8 Apr 2010

New studies supporting Teva Pharmaceutical Industries' CNS portfolio to be presented at AAN 2010

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today announced that several new studies supporting the company's innovative central nervous system portfolio will be presented at the 62nd American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in Toronto, April 10-17, 2010.