Stem Cells News and Research

RSS

Stem cells have the remarkable potential to develop into many different cell types in the body during early life and growth. In addition, in many tissues they serve as a sort of internal repair system, dividing essentially without limit to replenish other cells as long as the person or animal is still alive. When a stem cell divides, each new cell has the potential either to remain a stem cell or become another type of cell with a more specialized function, such as a muscle cell, a red blood cell, or a brain cell.

Scientists determine how insulin resistant drugs alter core biochemical pathways through systems biology approach

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego recently offered the sharpest-yet picture of how core biochemical pathways in skeletal muscle cells and fat cells are altered in people who suffer from insulin resistance-a primary defect in type 2 diabetes and obesity. Taking a systems biology approach, the bioengineers and medical researchers also determined how a common class of drugs for treating insulin resistance-TZDs-alter these same core pathways.

24 Nov 2009

Seattle Genetics and Agensys expand ADC collaboration

Seattle Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGEN) and Agensys, Inc., an affiliate of Astellas, announced today an expansion of the companies’ antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) collaboration. Under the amended agreement, Agensys will pay a $12 million fee for exclusive rights to ADC licenses against additional antigen targets. Seattle Genetics also receives an option to co-develop another ADC at the time of investigational new drug (IND) submission.

24 Nov 2009

Human-derived UCB stem cell transplant has positive therapeutic effects on specific lung and heart disorders

Two separate studies published in the current issue of Cell Transplantation (18:8), - now freely available on-line at http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cog/ct - have shown that transplanted human-derived umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells transplanted in an animal model had positive therapeutic effects on specific lung and heart disorders the animal models.

24 Nov 2009

New initiative launched to take care of patients with sickle cell disease

The Medical College of Georgia is leading an initiative that could result in a paradigm shift in the care of patients with sickle cell disease.

23 Nov 2009

C3a peptide regulates the generation of new nerve cells in the brain: Study

The generation of new nerve cells in the brain is regulated by a peptide known as C3a, which directly affects the stem cells' maturation into nerve cells and is also important for the migration of new nerve cells through the brain tissue, reveals new research from the Sahlgrenska Academy published in the journal Stem Cells.

23 Nov 2009

Lobbying is up as health industry examines impact of reform proposals

"Companies and groups hiring lobbying firms on health issues nearly doubled this year as special interests rushed to shape the massive revamp of the nation's health care system now in its final stretch before Congress." As many as 1,000 groups "have hired lobbyists since January, compared with 505 during the same period in 2008, according to a USA TODAY analysis of congressional records compiled by the nonpartisan CQ MoneyLine."

23 Nov 2009

Kingston University receives £99,000 for cancer research

Scientists have begun a three-year study to analyse why cancer patients become resistant to treatments designed to fight the disease. A research team from Kingston University has been awarded £99,000 to investigate why some tumours are sensitive and respond to treatments and why other tumours do not.

23 Nov 2009

Three-day interactive conference to showcase new trendsetting techniques and research in aesthetic plastic surgery

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery: The Next Generation Symposium will be held from December 4-6 at the Waldorf Astoria, announces Z. Paul Lorenc, MD, FACS, New York aesthetic plastic surgeon and Chairman of the APSSNY.

23 Nov 2009

Medical students and biomedical scientists to attend 8th World Congress on Trauma, Shock, Inflammation and Sepsis

The 8th World Congress on Trauma, Shock, Inflammation and Sepsis – TSIS 2010 – will take place from March 9th to13th 2010 in the Auditorium Tract of the Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Campus Grosshadern, in Munich/Germany.

23 Nov 2009

Foods rich in antioxidant substances could delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) researchers have confirmed that a diet rich in polyphenols and polyunsaturated fatty acids, patented as an LMN diet, helps boost the production of the brain's stem cells -neurogenesis- and strengthens their differentiation in different types of neuron cells.

23 Nov 2009

Initiation of Phase I/IIa clinical trial of IL-7 announced

Cytheris SA, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development of new therapies for immune modulation, today announced the initiation of a Phase I/IIa clinical trial of IL-7 in support of tumor lysate/KLH pulsed dendritic cell vaccines in a pilot study of tumor vaccination in patients with metastatic or recurrent pediatric solid tumors and altered T cell homeostasis, including patients with Ewing’s sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT), rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, synovial cell sarcoma, desmoplastic small round cell tumor, undifferentiated sarcoma, and embryonal sarcoma.

23 Nov 2009

Amniotic fluid stem cells have potential to become specialized cell types, say researchers

For the first time, scientists have demonstrated that stem cells found in amniotic fluid meet an important test of potential to become specialized cell types, which suggests they may be useful for treating a wider array of diseases and conditions than scientists originally thought.

23 Nov 2009

Gene deletion can increase common complication of bone marrow transplants

A commonly inherited gene deletion can increase the likelihood of immune complications following bone marrow transplantation, an international team of researchers reports in the November 22 advance online issue of Nature Genetics.

23 Nov 2009

SCF founder Sabrina Cohen recognized as a WebMD 2009 Health Hero

Sabrina Cohen, founder of The Sabrina Cohen Foundation for Stem Cell Research (SCF), was just recognized as a WebMD 2009 Health Hero. She will receive national media attention with a full-page article about her personal story of triumph and courage, and shares the spotlight with celebrity movie-star, Scarlett Johansson and other Health Heroes in the November/December issue.

20 Nov 2009

Image of a water flea wins top prize in the 2009 Olympus BioScapes Digital Imaging Competition

A glowing, eerily beautiful image of a water flea with its radiant green "crown of thorns" took top prize in the 2009 Olympus BioScapes Digital Imaging Competition®, the world's foremost forum for showcasing microscope photos and movies of life science subjects. Dr. Jan Michels, a zoologist at the University of Albrecht, Kiel, Germany, took top honors for the image of a water flea, with its defensive "crown of thorns" to protect it against predators. The image reveals not only the exoskeleton, but also interior detail down to the nuclei within its cells, seen as tiny, glowing blue dots. This

From Evident Corporation - Life Sciences 20 Nov 2009

I-STEM team succeeds in recreating a whole epidermis from hES cells

Stem cell research is making great strides. This is yet again illustrated by a study carried out by the I-STEM Institute (I-STEM/ Inserm UEVE U861/AFM), published in the Lancet on 21 November 2009. The I-STEM team, directed by Marc Peschanski has just succeeded in recreating a whole epidermis from human embryonic stem cells.

20 Nov 2009

New bone matrix implant offers hope for babies born with skull deformities

A synthetic bone matrix offers hope for babies born with craniosynostosis, a condition that causes the plates in the skull to fuse too soon. Implants replacing some of the infant's bone with the biodegradable matrix could eliminate some of the operations currently used to treat the condition.

19 Nov 2009

Advanced Cell Technology files an IND with the FDA for study using embryonic stem cells to treat SMD

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. announced today that it filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a Phase I/II multicenter study using embryonic stem cell derived retinal cells to treat patients with Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy (SMD). Among the most common causes of untreatable blindness in the world are degenerative diseases of the retina.

19 Nov 2009

WaferGen Biosystems launches new SmartChip Service for gene-expression profiling of thousands of genes

WaferGen Biosystems, Inc., a leading developer of state-of-the-art genetic analysis systems, today announced a new, innovative service for gene-expression profiling of thousands of genes using the SmartChip(TM) Real-Time PCR System. By taking advantage of the SmartChip Real-Time PCR system, WaferGen will offer universities, pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies a service that utilizes pathway-specific gene panels to discover and validate new biomarkers.

19 Nov 2009

ISCO, Scripps Research Institute collaborate in study of parthenogenetic stem cells

International Stem Cell Corporation, announced today that it is collaborating with renowned stem cell researcher Jeanne F. Loring, Ph.D., and the Scripps Research Institute (La Jolla, CA) to study parthenogenetic stem cells and potentially therapeutic cells that can be derived from them.

19 Nov 2009

Stem Cells News and Research

Further Reading

Scientists determine how insulin resistant drugs alter core biochemical pathways through systems biology approach

Seattle Genetics and Agensys expand ADC collaboration

Human-derived UCB stem cell transplant has positive therapeutic effects on specific lung and heart disorders

New initiative launched to take care of patients with sickle cell disease

C3a peptide regulates the generation of new nerve cells in the brain: Study

Lobbying is up as health industry examines impact of reform proposals

Kingston University receives £99,000 for cancer research

Three-day interactive conference to showcase new trendsetting techniques and research in aesthetic plastic surgery

Medical students and biomedical scientists to attend 8th World Congress on Trauma, Shock, Inflammation and Sepsis

Foods rich in antioxidant substances could delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease

Initiation of Phase I/IIa clinical trial of IL-7 announced

Amniotic fluid stem cells have potential to become specialized cell types, say researchers

Gene deletion can increase common complication of bone marrow transplants

SCF founder Sabrina Cohen recognized as a WebMD 2009 Health Hero

Image of a water flea wins top prize in the 2009 Olympus BioScapes Digital Imaging Competition

I-STEM team succeeds in recreating a whole epidermis from hES cells

New bone matrix implant offers hope for babies born with skull deformities

Advanced Cell Technology files an IND with the FDA for study using embryonic stem cells to treat SMD

WaferGen Biosystems launches new SmartChip Service for gene-expression profiling of thousands of genes

ISCO, Scripps Research Institute collaborate in study of parthenogenetic stem cells

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st Edition) eBook

Latest eBooks

Industry Focus eBook - Analytical Chemistry (3rd edition)

Industry Focus eBook - Microbiome (1st edition)

Industry Focus eBook - Cell biology (5th edition)

Advancing degrader and proximity-based drug development

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo