Category Archives: Stem Cell Research

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 12-Sep-2014 Contact: Cristy Lytal lytal@med.usc.edu 323-442-2172 University of Southern California - Health Sciences Unlike salamanders, mammals can't regenerate lost limbs, but they can repair large sections of their ribs. In a new study in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, a team directed by USC Stem Cell researcher Francesca Mariani takes a closer look at rib regeneration in both humans and mice. The first author of the paper, USC medical student Marissa K. Srour, was a USC undergraduate when she started the project, which earned a 2011 USC Discovery Scholar Prize. Each year, 10 graduating seniors win these coveted prizes, which recognize exceptional new scholarship. Using CT imaging, Srour, Mariani and their colleague Janice Lee from the University of California, San Francisco, monitored the healing of a human rib that had been partially removed by a surgeon. The eight centimeters of missing bone and one centimeter of missing cartilage did partially repair after six months. To better understand this repair process, they surgically removed sections of rib cartilage ranging from three to five millimeters from a related mammal, mice. When they removed both rib cartilage and its surrounding sheath of tissue called the "perichondrium," the missing … Continue reading →

08. AMD Day - Can I have stem cells for AMD? AMD Day - Sat 5 July, QEIICC, London Professor James Bainbridge (UCL and Moorfields) outlines some of the work going on in the field of stem cells and the potential for developing stem cell... By: UCL EyeTherapy … Continue reading →

Stem Cell Research Market in India 2014 Market Research Reports, Inc. has announced the addition of Stem Cell Research Market in India 2014 research report to their offering. See more at- http://mrr.cm/Zus. By: Market Research Reports, Inc. … Continue reading →

Cambridge scientists have successfully reset human pluripotent stem cells to the earliest developmental state equivalent to cells found in an 7-9 day old embryo before it implants in the womb. The researchers believe that these pristine stem cells, which have until now been impossible to replicate in the lab, could mark the true starting point for human development. It is hoped that the discovery, published in Cell, will lead to a better understanding of human development and could in future allow the production of safe and more reproducible starting materials for a wide range of applications including cell therapies. Researchers led by the Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council (MRC) Cambridge Stem Cell Institute at the University of Cambridge, have managed to induce a ground state by rewiring the genetic circuitry in human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. Their reset cells share many of the characteristics of authentic nave embryonic stem cells isolated from mice, suggesting that they represent the earliest stage of development. Human pluripotent stem cells, which have the potential to become any of the cells and tissues in the body, can be made in the lab either from cells extracted from a very early stage embryo or from … Continue reading →

British and Japanese scientists have managed to "reset" human stem cells to their earliest state, opening up a new realm of research into the start of human development and potentially life-saving regenerative medicines. The work was described by one independent expert as "a major step forward". Scientists said they had successfully rebooted pluripotent stem cells so they were equivalent to those of a seven to ten-day old embryo, before it implants in the womb. By studying the reset cells, they said they hoped they would now be able to learn more about embryo development, and how it can go wrong and cause miscarriage and developmental disorders. "These cells may represent the real starting point for formation of tissues in the human embryo," said Austin Smith, director of the Britain's Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, who co-led the research published in the journal Cell. "We hope that in time they will allow us to unlock the fundamental biology of early development, which is impossible to study directly in people," he added. Human pluripotent stem cells, which have the potential to become any of the cells and tissues in the body, can already be made in a lab either from cells extracted from … Continue reading →

Adult Stem Cell Research | Ray Flynn Former Boston mayor Ray Flynn speaks about Catholic teaching on Adult Stem Cell Research, and his own advocacy on the issue. By: The CatholicTV Network … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 11-Sep-2014 Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary moleary@cell.com 617-397-2802 Cell Press @CellPressNews Using human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), researchers have gained new insight into what may cause schizophrenia by revealing the altered patterns of neuronal signaling associated with this disease. They did so by exposing neurons derived from the hiPSCs of healthy individuals and of patients with schizophrenia to potassium chloride, which triggered these stem cells to release neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, that are crucial for brain function and are linked to various disorders. By discovering a simple method for stimulating hiPSCs to release neurotransmitters, the findings in the International Society for Stem Cell Research's journal Stem Cell Reports, published by Cell Press, could provide new insights into how neurons communicate with each other and could lead to a better understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying a range of brain disorders. "This study is novel because it shows that stem cell neurons derived from patients can provide new insight into neurotransmitter mechanisms occurring in brain disorders such as schizophrenia," says senior study author Vivian Hook of the University of California, San Diego. "The approach of this study has broad opportunities for uncovering the neurochemistry of brain cell communication … Continue reading →

British and Japanese scientists have managed to "reset" human stem cells to their earliest state, opening up a new realm of research into the start of human development and potentially life-saving regenerative medicines. In work described by one independent expert as "a major step forward", the scientists said they had successfully rebooted pluripotent stem cells so they were equivalent to those of a 7 to 10-day old embryo, before it implants in the womb. By studying the reset cells, they said they hoped they would now be able to learn more about embryo development, and how it can go wrong and cause miscarriage and developmental disorders. "These cells may represent the real starting point for formation of tissues in the human embryo," said Austin Smith, director of the Britain's Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, who co-led the research published in the journal Cell on Thursday. "We hope that in time they will allow us to unlock the fundamental biology of early development, which is impossible to study directly in people," he added. Human pluripotent stem cells, which have the potential to become any of the cells and tissues in the body, can already be made in a lab either from cells … Continue reading →

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7tssr7/stem_cell) has announced the addition of the "Stem Cell Research Market in India 2014" report to their offering. Stem cells can be used to cure a number of diseases, including cancer and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, among others. The number of parents opting for stem cell storage is also rising as they want to store their baby's cord blood stem cells for present and future use. Currently, the market is dominated by private banks offering stem cell storage facilities, with a few of them even reducing their prices in order to make the process more affordable for a larger number of people. The main driving factors for this market comprise the liberal regulatory environment and the rise in the number of patients suffering from chronic diseases. Government and industry bodies are working towards developing the market by providing various incentives in this direction. With stem cell research being a capital-intensive process, the primary challenge for the market centers on the huge cost of storing stem cells. Apart from research organizations, many stem cell banks are also involved in R&D of stem cell therapy in India. New trends such as public and private partnerships and … Continue reading →

Back in 2006, when controversy over embryonic stem cell funding was still raging, a piece of research came along that would make the debate essentially obsolete: normal adult cells can actually be reprogrammed into stem cells. No embryos necessary. The technique went on to win its inventor the Nobel Prize. And now, after many years in the lab, a Japanese patient will the first person to receive the next-gen treatment, called induced pluripotent stem cells. This first clinical trial for iPSCs has long been in the making. Part of its complexity is that cells are taken from each patient and then, through a series of lab procedures, transformed into stem cells. Each patient gets his or her own genetically matched iPSCs. This individualization is a key advantage over embryonic stem cells, which have been tested in humans before. Special drugs are required to prevent patients' bodies from rejecting embryonic stem cells. After some final safety checks and genetic tests, the first clinical trial is officially underway in Japan. Nature reports that the first patient will likely receive iPSCs within days. In total, the clinical trial has enrolled six patients, all of whom with an eye condition called macular degeneration that … Continue reading →