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First 7 stem cell lines grown at UMMS Human Stem Cell Bank ready for global distribution

The first seven stem cell lines grown and banked at the University of Massachusetts Medical School's Human Stem Cell Bank are ready for worldwide distribution to researchers working on discovering new therapeutic treatments for diseases such as cancer, juvenile diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, among others.

11 Feb 2011

Cancer cells 'addicted' to self-preservation process

A team of investigators at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ); Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; and Princeton University, have determined that cancer cells are "addicted" to a self-preservation process known as autophagy. They also showed that the inhibition of that process could prove to be a valuable treatment approach for aggressive cancers. CINJ is a Center of Excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

11 Feb 2011

TargetCancer awards significant grant for research into rare cancer of the bile duct

TargetCancer, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding research for rare and lesser known cancers, has awarded a significant grant to a leading researcher of gastrointestinal cancers and has established research fellowships through Harvard Medical School.

11 Feb 2011

Athersys' MultiStem cell therapy provides multiple benefits in preclinical models of ischemic stroke

Medical researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) presented new research results at the American Heart Association International Stroke Conference that demonstrated how MultiStem-, a novel stem cell therapy being developed by Athersys, Inc. provided multiple benefits when administered in preclinical models of ischemic stroke.

11 Feb 2011

Presence of jumping genes, amplified oncogenes may be key to tumor progression: Researchers

The Massachusetts General Hospital research team that first discovered tumor-associated RNA in tiny membrane-enclosed sacs released into the bloodstream by cancer cells has now found that these microvesicles also contain segments of tumor DNA, including retrotransposons - also called "jumping genes" - that copy and insert themselves into other areas of the genome.

10 Feb 2011

Full genetic blueprint of multiple prostate tumors laid bare

For the first time, researchers have laid bare the full genetic blueprint of multiple prostate tumors, uncovering alterations that have never before been detected and offering a deep view of the genetic missteps that underlie the disease. The study, made possible by key advances in whole genome sequencing and analysis, points to several new prostate cancer genes and a critical category of genomic changes as important drivers of prostate cancer growth.

10 Feb 2011

Research findings highlight potential for noninvasive MSC delivery to treat Parkinson disease

Successful intranasal delivery of stem cells to the brains of rats with Parkinson disease yielded significant improvement in motor function and reversed the dopamine deficiency characteristic of the disease.

9 Feb 2011

Rational use of heath care dollars for tonsillectomy

Without fanfare, hundreds of thousands of children surrender their tonsils to a surgeon's scalpel each year, usually to alleviate recurring infections and obstructive sleep problems. Most of the time, the snipped tonsils are sent to a pathologist, who looks for evidence of more serious medical problems, like unsuspected cancer.

9 Feb 2011

Prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to long-term, serious health implications

New research from Warwick Medical School published today in the European Heart Journal shows that prolonged sleep deprivation and disrupted sleep patterns can have long-term, serious health implications. Leading academics from the University have linked lack of sleep to strokes, heart attacks and cardiovascular disorders which often result in early death.

9 Feb 2011

Abacus introduces new e-blood pressure control system for hospitals

Abacus Health Solutions has developed a new e-health enabled blood pressure monitoring and feedback system to improve health outcomes for hospital specialty clinics.

8 Feb 2011

Scientists develop low cost, nanometer-sized drug to treat chronic wounds

A low cost, nanometer-sized drug to treat chronic wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers or burns, has been developed by a group of scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Harvard Medical School and others in the U.S. and Japan.

8 Feb 2011

Study identifies genetic variation linked with increased risk of major depression

Numerous studies have shown that the brain molecule neuropeptide Y (NPY) helps to restore calm after stressful events. A team of University of Michigan-led researchers has now found that people whose genes predispose them to produce lower levels of NPY are more responsive to negative stimuli in key brain circuits related to emotion - and are therefore less resilient in the face of stress and may be at higher risk for developing a major depressive disorder.

8 Feb 2011

Study reports significant decline in second-generation medication use for dementia

As loved ones with dementia disappear into symptoms of aggression, agitation or delusions, families are left with few good medical solutions. A new generation of antipsychotic medications gained popularly in the 1990s because they avoided side effects such as Parkinson's syndrome associated with conventional antipsychotic medications used to treat dementia.

8 Feb 2011

CMD co-founder receives Prize4Life award for discovery of new ALS biomarker

Convergence Medical Devices (CMD) today announced that its co-founder, Dr. Seward Rutkove, Chief of the Division of Neuromuscular Disease at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, received Prize4Life's prestigious award for the discovery of a new biomarker for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

7 Feb 2011

Scientists develop low cost, nanometer-sized drug to treat chronic wounds

7 Feb 2011

The Lancet journal publishes BENLYSTA BLISS-52 study against SLE

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline PLC today announced publication of the BLISS-52 study of BENLYSTA in autoantibody-positive patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus in The Lancet.

7 Feb 2011

British Journal of Dermatology publishes data on DermTech's new genomic assay for melanoma

DermTech International, a biotechnology company dedicated to bringing genomic medicine to dermatologists, today announced that the discovery data on its new genomic assay for melanoma have been published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

7 Feb 2011

U-M Medical School earns $368.7 million in NIH research funding during federal fiscal year 2010

University of Michigan Medical School physicians and scientists earned more than $368.7 million in National Institutes of Health research funding in federal fiscal year 2010, according to NIH data. In all, the School's faculty brought in $481.8 million in research funding from all sources in U-M fiscal year 2010.

5 Feb 2011

Engineered cells take control of the cells and microenvironment following transplantation

In work that could jumpstart the promising field of cell therapy, in which cells are transplanted into the body to treat a variety of diseases and tissue defects, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have engineered cells that could solve one of the key challenges associated with the procedure: control of the cells and their microenvironment following transplantation.

4 Feb 2011

Study highlights link between food insufficiency, health care use among homeless adults

Homeless people who do not get enough to eat use hospitals and emergency rooms at very high rates, according to a new study. One in four respondents to a nationwide survey reported not getting enough to eat, a proportion six times higher than in the general population, and more than two thirds of those had recently gone without eating for a whole day. The report will appear in the Journal of General Internal Medicine and has been released online.

4 Feb 2011

Medical School News and Research

First 7 stem cell lines grown at UMMS Human Stem Cell Bank ready for global distribution

Cancer cells 'addicted' to self-preservation process

TargetCancer awards significant grant for research into rare cancer of the bile duct

Athersys' MultiStem cell therapy provides multiple benefits in preclinical models of ischemic stroke

Presence of jumping genes, amplified oncogenes may be key to tumor progression: Researchers

Full genetic blueprint of multiple prostate tumors laid bare

Research findings highlight potential for noninvasive MSC delivery to treat Parkinson disease

Rational use of heath care dollars for tonsillectomy

Prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to long-term, serious health implications

Abacus introduces new e-blood pressure control system for hospitals

Scientists develop low cost, nanometer-sized drug to treat chronic wounds

Study identifies genetic variation linked with increased risk of major depression

Study reports significant decline in second-generation medication use for dementia

CMD co-founder receives Prize4Life award for discovery of new ALS biomarker

Scientists develop low cost, nanometer-sized drug to treat chronic wounds

The Lancet journal publishes BENLYSTA BLISS-52 study against SLE

British Journal of Dermatology publishes data on DermTech's new genomic assay for melanoma

U-M Medical School earns $368.7 million in NIH research funding during federal fiscal year 2010

Engineered cells take control of the cells and microenvironment following transplantation

Study highlights link between food insufficiency, health care use among homeless adults

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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