Stem Cells News and Research

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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.

Role of HPRT genes detected in Lesch Nyan X-linked inherited disorders

A study from the Center for Molecular Genetics at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine shows that a gene called HPRT plays an important role in setting the program by which primitive or precursor cells decide to become normal nerve cells in the human brain. This unconventional view of metabolic genes known as "housekeeping" genes is now online at the journal Molecular Therapy.

21 Aug 2009

IBISS research group's project aims to examine Ribavirin role in promoting the survival of transplanted stem cells

Hard to Treat Diseases (HTDS.PK) Dr. Sanja Pekovic, Chief Project Scientist, Chief Strategy Officer Slavica BioChem reported that IBISS research group from Serbia has begun preliminary experiments within a project aimed at Promoting stem cell graft survival in the model of traumatic brain injury in rats.

20 Aug 2009

USPTO grants MultiCell Technologies patent for its Fa2N-4 and Ea1C-35 immortalized human hepatocyte cell lines

MultiCell Technologies, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: MCET) announced today it has been granted U.S. patent 7,566,567 by the United States of America Patent and Trademark Office covering its Fa2N-4 and Ea1C-35 immortalized human hepatocyte cell lines.

20 Aug 2009

Mesenchymal stem cells repair human brain

There is no known cure for neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. But new hope, in the form of stem cells created from the patient's own bone marrow, can be found ― and literally seen ― in laboratories at Tel Aviv University.

20 Aug 2009

Managing Myeloma educational website launches forum to encourage oncology nurses to discuss myeloma challenges

Managing Myeloma (www.ManagingMyeloma.com), an accredited educational website for multidisciplinary professionals, has launched a forum designed specifically for oncology nurses. The goal of the nursing forum is to share insight about day-to-day practice challenges in caring for patients with multiple myeloma, provide updates on clinical advances, and connect with peers.

20 Aug 2009

Gentium reports results from phase 3 trial of defibrotide for severe veno-occlusive disease

Gentium S.p.A. has announced top-line results from a historically controlled, multicenter, open label, Phase III trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of 25 mg/kg/day of Defibrotide for the treatment of severe veno-occlusive disease (sVOD) in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (SCT) patients.

19 Aug 2009

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics to participate in the Southern California Investor Conference

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., a clinical-stage biotechnology company that is developing immune based therapies for the treatment of brain and other cancers, announced today that it will participate in the Southern California Investor Conference being held in Newport Beach, CA, on Tuesday August 18, 2009.

19 Aug 2009

Omnia Biologics and Aparna Biosciences sign agreement on lentivirus drug development

Biologics contract manufacturer Omnia Biologics, Inc. (Omnia) (Rockville, MD) and drug development company Aparna Biosciences Corp. (AparnaBio) (Rockville, MD) today announced a deal for Omnia to provide AparnaBio with process development and production services. Omnia will provide lentiviral vector technical services as well as manufacture of research grade through cGMP grade materials.

19 Aug 2009

CEL-SCI expands work on current H1N1 virus vaccine

CEL-SCI Corporation has announced that it is expanding the scope of its work towards creating a novel treatment and vaccination against the current H1N1 virus, as well as a future mutated form in which the virus has acquired greater morbidity and mortality.

19 Aug 2009

Bioheart's executive management team strengthened by the inclusion of board members

Bioheart, Inc., (OTC Bulletin Board: BHRT) a company committed to delivering intelligent devices and biologics that help monitor, diagnose and treat heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases announced today that several of its Directors have joined the Company's executive management team. In addition to assuming the position of Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors, Karl E. Groth, Ph.D., became the Chief Executive Officer; Peggy A. Farley became Chief Operating Officer; and Mark P. Borman became Chief Financial Officer. Howard Leonhardt will continue as Chief Scientific and Technology Officer, and Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board. Mr. Leonhardt, the Company's founder, thus will be able to focus on enhancing the Company's existing technologies and strengthening its position as the leader within the cardiovascular arena of the stem cell therapy industry.

19 Aug 2009

Discovery of key factor that stimulates brain cancer cells to spread

Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have found that the activity of a protein in brain cells helps stimulate the spread of an aggressive brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). In a move toward therapy, the researchers showed that a small designer protein can block this activity and reduce the spreading of GBM cells grown in the laboratory.

19 Aug 2009

FDA places Geron Corporation's IND for spinal cord injury on clinical hold

Geron Corporation (Nasdaq:GERN) today announced that its IND (Investigational New Drug application) for GRNOPC1, a cell therapy for neurologically complete, subacute spinal cord injury, has been placed on clinical hold by the FDA pending the agency’s review of new nonclinical animal study data submitted by the company. A clinical hold is an order that the FDA issues to a sponsor to delay a proposed trial or to suspend an ongoing trial.

19 Aug 2009

Aaron Whiteman to be the new CEO of GENova Biotherapeutics

GENova Biotherapeutics, Inc., ("GENova") - (OTCBB: GVBP.OB), a biotechnology company that identifies, acquires, and develops novel drug targets that disrupt the advance of life-threatening diseases, today named Aaron Whiteman as its Chief Executive Officer.

19 Aug 2009

Tiny magnetic particles guide stem cells to damaged tissue

Microscopic magnetic particles have been used to bring stem cells to sites of cardiovascular injury in a new method designed to increase the capacity of cells to repair damaged tissue, UCL scientists announced today.

18 Aug 2009

Protein Huwe1 may be an important factor in the development of brain cancer

Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center's Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a protein that activates brain stem cells to make new neurons - but that may be hijacked later in life to cause brain cancer in humans. The protein called Huwe1 normally functions to eliminate other unnecessary proteins and was found to act as a tumor suppressor in brain cancer.

17 Aug 2009

Cord Blood America shows significantly improved balance sheet

Cord Blood America, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: CBAI), the umbilical cord blood stem cell preservation company focused on bringing the life saving potential of stem cells to families nationwide and internationally, said today that its 10Q filing with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission for the second quarter of 2009 shows a significantly improved balance sheet.

17 Aug 2009

Mother's immune system may block fetal treatments for blood diseases

Pediatric researchers have resolved an apparent contradiction in the field of prenatal cell transplantation - a medical approach that holds future promise in correcting sickle cell disease and other serious congenital blood disorders. In a new study in animals, the researchers showed that the mother's immune response interferes with the offspring's earlier ability to tolerate transplanted donor cells.

17 Aug 2009

Opexa Therapeutics reports Q2 2009 financials

Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:OPXA), a company developing a novel T-cell therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), today reported financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2009, and provided details on further developments.

13 Aug 2009

Sigma-Aldrich offers customizable synthetic extracellular matrix (ECM) for stem cell research

Sigma-Aldrich (Nasdaq: SIAL) today announced an agreement with Glycosan BioSystems for the sale of HyStem(TM), a fully customizable synthetic extracellular matrix (ECM) for stem cell research. HyStem offers researchers flexibility to tailor microenvironments for their cultured cells that mimic natural in vivo conditions, optimizing stem cell proliferation and differentiation. HyStem was developed by Glycosan BioSystems and will be sold by Sigma-Aldrich under a non-exclusive distribution agreement.

13 Aug 2009

Discovery of compounds that selectively kills cancer stem cells

The cancer stem cells that drive tumor growth and resist chemotherapies and radiation treatments that kill other cancer cells aren't invincible after all. Researchers reporting online on August 13th in the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, have discovered the first compound that targets those cancer stem cells directly.

13 Aug 2009