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Resveratrol in grapes may help fight severe malaria: Study

A compound found in the skin of grapes and used to make red wine may help fight severe malaria, raising hopes of finding a new adjunctive therapy against an illness that kills an estimated 1 million people a year, according to a study presented today at The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 59th Annual Meeting.

8 Nov 2010

Skin to blood transformation in the lab

In a new study scientists have successfully transformed human skin cells into blood without first being sent through a primordial, stem-cell-like state. The findings were published online in the journal Nature. Earlier work has shown that fibroblast cells from mouse skin, treated with the right cocktail of chemicals, can be transformed into neurons and heart muscle. This is a first with human cells.

7 Nov 2010

Georgia Tech hosts symposium to discuss sickle cell disease

Georgia Tech will host the Sickle Cell Disease Symposium bringing together researchers, policy experts and community advocates to discuss the latest research and strategies for future success in combating this complex and debilitating blood disorder. The symposium begins at Georgia Tech's Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience on November 4 and concludes the evening of November 5.

4 Nov 2010

Acceleron receives grants for five projects under QTDP program

Acceleron Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics that modulate the growth of cells and tissues including muscle, bone, fat, red blood cells and the vasculature, today announced it has been awarded grants for five projects under the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project (QTDP) program.

4 Nov 2010

FDA approves cancer drug Afinitor for treatment of rare genetic disorder

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the cancer drug Afinitor (everolimus) on Friday to treat patients with subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA) associated with tuberous sclerosis (TS), a rare genetic disorder. This approval was for treatments of SEGA that can not be treated with surgery.

1 Nov 2010

NYBC calls for blood donations during Pancreatic and Lung Cancer Awareness Month

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month and Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and New York Blood Center (NYBC) serving more than 20 million people in New York City, Long Island, the Hudson Valley, New Jersey, and parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, calls upon our communities to please join the fight against cancer by donating blood. Healthy people of all blood types and ethnicities are encouraged to donate and help save lives. Blood donations are particularly needed from O-negative, B-negative and A-negative types.

30 Oct 2010

Nanomedicine Center for Nucleoprotein Machines receives $16.1 million NIH award

The Georgia Tech-led Nanomedicine Center for Nucleoprotein Machines has received an award of $16.1 million for five years as part of its renewal by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The eight-institution research team plans to pursue development of a clinically viable gene correction technology for single-gene disorders and demonstrate the technology's efficacy with sickle cell disease.

29 Oct 2010

FDA approves Sprycel for treatment of adults with Ph+ CP-CML

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new indication for Sprycel (dasatinib) for the treatment of a rare blood cancer when it is first diagnosed. The cancer, called Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CP-CML), is a slowly progressing blood and bone marrow disease linked to a genetic abnormality.

29 Oct 2010

New guideline for using ESAs drugs in cancer patients

An updated joint guideline by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) advises physicians about the appropriate use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), a class of drugs that stimulate the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells, to treat cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia.

27 Oct 2010

High erythropoietin levels predict higher mortality

High erythropoietin levels in people over age 85 indicate a higher risk of death, according to a study published in CMAJ.

26 Oct 2010

NIH awards three new SBIR grants to Taiga

Taiga Biotechnologies, Inc. today announced that the company has received three new Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants from the National Institutes of Health, totaling $1.7 million. This adds to the two previous grants awarded to Taiga for various applications of its proprietary technology platforms, for a total in NIH funding to date of over $2.1 million.

22 Oct 2010

Study finds massive blood transfusion associated with severe complications

A study presented at this year's American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting indicates that massive blood transfusion is associated with a significant increase in perioperative risk for mortality, cardiopulmonary complications, and wound-related and infectious complications in the long term.

20 Oct 2010

Acceleron announces ACE-031 Phase 1b study results

Acceleron Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics that modulate the growth of cells and tissues including muscle, bone, fat, red blood cells and the vasculature, today announced preliminary results from a Phase 1b study to assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacodynamic (PD) activity of ACE-031 following multiple ascending doses in healthy postmenopausal volunteers.

14 Oct 2010

Study finds wide variability in use of blood transfusions for coronary artery bypass graft surgery

A study that includes data on more than 100,000 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery finds that there is wide variability among hospitals in the U.S. on the use of blood transfusions, without a large difference in the rate of death, suggesting that many transfusions may be unnecessary, according to a study in the October 13 issue of JAMA. Another study in this issue of JAMA examines the effect of a restrictive transfusion strategy on outcomes after cardiac surgery.

13 Oct 2010

Study examines restrictive strategy of RBC transfusion in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery

Use of stricter guidelines for the use of red blood cell transfusions for patients undergoing cardiac surgery was associated similar rates of death and severe illness compared to patients who received more transfusions, according to a study in the October 13 issue of JAMA. Another study in this issue of JAMA examines the variation in the use of blood transfusions for patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

13 Oct 2010

Hospitals improve patient care by reducing blood transfusions: Study

A Loyola University Hospital study has demonstrated how the hospital has improved patient safety and cut costs by reducing the number of blood transfusions.

7 Oct 2010

Core Dynamics receives USD grant to develop Freeze Dried blood unit

CORE DYNAMICS announced today that it has recently received a 2 Million USD grant from the US Army. The US Army Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Telemedicine & Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC), has selected Core Dynamics to lead its effort on the development of a Freeze Dried blood unit for future use in the battle field.

7 Oct 2010

Dr. Bessler joins Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

One of the world's leading experts in bone marrow failure and related blood disorders recently joined The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Hematology researcher Monica Bessler, M.D., Ph.D., arrived at the hospital this summer to establish a new program, the Pediatric and Adult Comprehensive Bone Marrow Failure Center.

5 Oct 2010

CrystalGenomics to present Phase I MAD study data at Arrowhead Summit

CrystalGenomics, Inc. and CG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a drug discovery and development biopharmaceutical company, has announced that Dr. William Schmidt, its Vice President of Clinical Development, has been invited to present a talk on Development of CG100649, Tissue-selective Dual Inhibitor of COX-2 and Carbonic Anhydrase for Treatment of Osteoarthritis at Arrowhead's upcoming 4th Annual Pain Therapeutics Summit, to be held on October 4-5, 2010 in Philadelphia.

5 Oct 2010

Center for Excellence in Sickle Cell Disease established by Vanderbilt and Meharry

A Vanderbilt-Meharry Center for Excellence in Sickle Cell Disease has been established by Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Meharry Medical College. The Center will seek to bring high quality care to people with sickle cell disease (SCD) that is seamless and lifelong.

1 Oct 2010