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Hematopoietic stem cells found to reproduce more slowly than expected

Investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have found a subpopulation of hematopoietic stem cells, the source of all blood and immune system cells, that reproduce much more slowly than previously anticipated.

8 Dec 2008

Brain's circuitry survives longer than previously thought in Alzheimer's

Researchers at the Babraham Institute near Cambridge, supported by the Alzheimer's Research Trust and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), have discovered that the brain's circuitry survives longer than previously thought in diseases of ageing such as Alzheimer's disease.

8 Dec 2008

Researchers focus on phosphoinositide 3-kinase pathway in cancer research

Researchers are taking a closer look at the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) pathway as studies continue to demonstrate that inhibiting this biological route suppresses tumor growth, reports Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN ).

5 Dec 2008

SemBioSys begins phase I/II trial of insulin produced in plant seeds

SemBioSys Genetics Inc., a biotechnology company developing protein pharmaceuticals in crop plants, has announced that it has initiated a phase I/II clinical trial of its plant-produced insulin with the first injection of its drug in humans.

3 Dec 2008

Tobacco plants grown in novel mist bioreactor system provide new soure of interleukin-12

Interleukin-12 is a naturally occurring protein essential for the proper functioning of the human immune system.

3 Dec 2008

Researchers study newborns' umbilical cord blood to better understand fetal health risks from smoking mothers

Despite the well-known dangers of first- and secondhand smoke, an estimated ten percent of pregnant women in the U.S. are smokers.

3 Dec 2008

Follow up results from first case of pulmonary hypertension treated with stem cells

Dr. Leonel Fernandez Liriano, Professor of Medicine at Pontifical Catholic University School of Medicine (PCUSM), announced nine month follow up results for the first patient treated with engineered stem cells in a clinical study of primary pulmonary hypertension.

25 Nov 2008

Scientists develop 'barcode chip' to revolutionize diagnostic medical testing

In less than 10 minutes, and using just a pinprick's worth of blood, the chip can measure the concentrations of dozens of proteins, including those that herald the presence of diseases like cancer and heart disease.

25 Nov 2008

Carbon nanotubes improve protein array detection limits

To detect cancer as early as possible, dozens of research groups are developing methods to detect trace levels of cancer-related proteins and genes in blood or other biological samples.

20 Nov 2008

Tissue Genesis applies CE Mark to tissue genesis cell isolation system

Tissue Genesis, Inc. has announced that effective immediately, the Tissue Genesis Cell Isolation System will be available to the European marketplace.

19 Nov 2008

Prana Biotechnology's compound could halt Alzheimer's pathology

Prana Biotechnology has announced that a recent independent study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has demonstrated that the Company's Metal-Protein Attenuating Compounds (MPACs) could halt Alzheimer's pathology.

19 Nov 2008

Scientists gain insight into the cause and possible treatment of motor neurone disease

BBSRC-funded researchers at UCL along with collaborators at King's College London have identified a molecule that could be the key to understanding the cause of neurodegenerative diseases such as motor neurone disease (MND).

17 Nov 2008

Plants shown to accumulate nanoparticles in tissues

Researchers at the University of Delaware have provided what is believed to be the first experimental evidence that plants can take up nanoparticles and accumulate them in their tissues.

12 Nov 2008

Phosphagenics' diclofenac enters trial phase in humans

Phosphagenics Limited ("Phosphagenics") announced today that it has initiated a phase 1 human clinical trial using its patented drug delivery system, TPM, for the targeted delivery of a leading non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), diclofenac.

12 Nov 2008

New nanofibers spun from a common blood protein to close wounds with minimal scarring

Researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have developed a strong, flexible, bio-material that may be used someday to close wounds with minimal scarring and rejection by the immune system.

12 Nov 2008

U.S. patents granted to Virginia Tech for targets and methods to develop new drugs for malaria

Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties (VTIP) announces that the US Patent and Trademark Office has granted a patent for targets and methods to develop new drugs for malaria.

11 Nov 2008

Does HBV infection induce acute cellular DNA damage?

Eukaryotic cells employ multiple strategies of checkpoint signaling and DNA repair mechanisms to monitor and repair damaged DNA.

11 Nov 2008

All stem cells are not created equal, explains expert

During the course of the Presidential campaign, Obama signaled his intention to reverse Bush's controversial limit on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

11 Nov 2008

NEI releases complete data from age-related eye disease study

The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announces the release of more than 10 years of data collected during the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), which looked at the progression of age-related macular degeneration and age-related cataract in 4,757 adults aged 55 to 80.

10 Nov 2008

Arteriocyte awarded DARPA funding for company's blood pharming technology

Arteriocyte announced today a $1,950,000 award from DARPA for the company's Nanofiber Based System (NANEX) technology for the Production of Red Blood Cells project.

10 Nov 2008