Archive for the ‘Gene Therapy Research’ Category

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- SanBio Inc. today announced the successful enrollment of the first dose cohort of patients in its Phase 1/2a clinical trial testing the safety and efficacy of a novel allogeneic stem cell therapy product, SB623, in patients suffering from chronic deficits resulting from previous stroke injuries. The first 6 patients, of a total of 18, have been successfully administered SB623. The trial is being conducted at Stanford University and the University of Pittsburgh. No safety concerns have been reported. For details regarding this clinical trial, please refer to http://www.strokeclinicaltrial.org.

SB623 is derived from adult bone marrow and has shown safety and efficacy in rodent models of chronic stroke. "This represents a major milestone in the human clinical testing of this important new approach for regenerative medicine", said Keita Mori, SanBio CEO. "We are pleased to learn that the initial dose level was well tolerated."

SB623 is being delivered to the damaged region of the brains of patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke. Product safety is the primary focus of the study but various measurements of efficacy are also being tested.

"The successful completion of the initial dose cohort is a major step in any first-in-human study", said Dr. Ernest Yankee, SanBio's Vice President of Development. "We are looking forward to initiating the next two dose cohorts and wrapping up the study. The safety findings thus far are very encouraging"

About SB623: SB623 is a proprietary cell therapy product consisting of cells derived from genetically engineered bone marrow stromal cells obtained from healthy adult donors. SB623 is administered adjacent to the area damaged by stroke and functions by producing proteins that aid the regenerative process.

About SanBio: SanBio is a privately held San Francisco Bay Area biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of new regenerative cell therapy products.

For more information: http://www.san-bio.com

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SanBio Announces Enrollment of First Cohort of Patients in Its Clinical Trial of Stem Cell Therapy for Chronic Stroke

GOLDEN, Colo., March 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vitro Diagnostics, Inc. (OTCQB:VODG.PK - News), dba Vitro Biopharma, has recently received approval for its presentation entitled "GMP Cell Culture Media for Expansion of MSCS Prior to Allogeneic or Autologous Transplantation." The Company recently expanded its stem cell media products to include clinical grade MSC-Gro(TM) media for use in clinical trials of stem cells. The Company will present its current findings at the annual meeting of the International Society of Cellular Therapy (ISCT) in Seattle, Washington this coming June. To get more information regarding the International Society of Cellular Therapy visit http://www.celltherapysociety.org/

Vitro Biopharma has developed a series of products to support clinical application of adult stem cells known as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that are completely divorced and different from ethically contentious embryonic stem cells. MSCs are derived from numerous adult tissue sources including bone marrow, blood, adipose tissue, teeth, etc and show considerable promise in clinical applications especially for treatment of injury and diseases affecting joints, bone, ligaments and tendons. There are over 200 ongoing clinical trials of MSCs to study potential treatment of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, organ transplant rejection, osteoarthritis, MS, spinal cord injury, stroke, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular disease, liver degeneration, COPD and other medical conditions.

Vitro Biopharma will present the current status of its clinical grade MSC-Gro(TM) Brand of culture medium for growth and differentiation of MSCs at the ISCT meeting. Through its extensive research and experience with cell culture media, Vitro Biopharma has developed highly competitive media that is suitable for clinical applications. Critical characteristics are that they are serum-free, chemically-defined and free from animal-derived components. Furthermore, it is essential that serum-free media perform the same as formulations containing contain blood serum, a complex mixture of biologically active components with intrinsic variability from batch to batch and safety issues regarding potential infectious agents. Vitro will present its results regarding each of these points and the status of FDA approval of its clinical products.

Dr. Jim Musick, Vitro's President & CEO, said, "We are very pleased to be approved for presentation at the ISCT Annual Meeting. It is apparent from the reported widespread efficacy of MSCs in clinical trials and the low incidence of adverse effects that there is potential to achieve regulatory approval for advanced treatment of many diseases, injuries and cellular degenerative conditions. Our new clinical products expand our offering of tools to support stem cell research by providing highly competitive new products for clinical studies including our serum-free, animal-free and chemically defined MSC-Gro(TM) Brand of media formulations optimized for human MSC self-renewal & lineage-specific differentiation, together with LUMENESC(TM) high performance assays of stem cell quality, potency and response to toxic agents. We intend to leverage our current advances in human medical MSC-based treatments to offer products for treatment of horses, dogs and cats. The results of MSC therapy in animals may also provide safety and efficacy data to support human clinical studies."

About Vitro Diagnostics, Inc.

Vitro Diagnostics, Inc. dba Vitro Biopharma (OTCQB:VODG.PK - News) (http://www.vitrobiopharma.com), owns US patents for production of FSH, immortalization of pituitary cells, and a cell line that produces beta islets for use in treatment of diabetes. Vitro also owns a pending international patent for generation of pluripotent stem cells. Vitro's mission is "Harnessing the Power of Cells(TM)" for the advancement of regenerative medicine to its full potential. Vitro operates within a modern biotechnology manufacturing, R&D and corporate facility in Golden, Colorado. Vitro manufactures and sells "Tools for Stem Cell and Drug Development(TM)", including human mesenchymal stem cells and derivatives, MSC-Gro(TM) optimized media for stem cell self-renewal and lineage-specific differentiation. Vitro recently formed a strategic alliance with HemoGenix(R), Inc. (http://www.hemogenix.com/) to jointly manufacture and distribute LUMENESC(TM) and LumiSTEM(TM) quantitative assays for determination of stem cell quality, potency and response to toxic agents.

The Vitro Biopharma logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=12086

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain statements contained herein and subsequent statements made by and on behalf of the Company, whether oral or written may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward looking statements are identified by words such as "intends," "anticipates," "believes," "expects" and "hopes" and include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's plan of business operations, product research and development activities, potential contractual arrangements, receipt of working capital, anticipated revenues and related expenditures. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, acceptability of the Company's products in the market place, general economic conditions, receipt of additional working capital, the overall state of the biotechnology industry and other factors set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulations, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly these forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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Vitro Biopharma Receives Approval for Presentation to the International Society for Cellular Therapy

A special dog used to help people is getting some much-needed help of her own at a Virginia clinic, myFOXdc.com reported.

Red, a 12-year-old black Labrador, is one of the last surviving search and rescue dogs deployed during the 9/11 attacks.

Her handler, Heather Roche, told WTTG-TV that Red was recently certified when Sept. 11, 2001, occurred, and the devastating terror attacks were her first big mission.

Red's job was to find DNA evidence at The Pentagon's north parking lot with 26 other dogs, and according to Roche, she did a "fantastic job."

"I got her as a puppy ... You have to convince [her] everything that she does, whether it's climbing ladders or any kind of search, that it's her idea," Roche told WTTG-TV. "No matter what I've asked her to do, she's done it and she's done it flawlessly."

But in her old age Red developed crippling arthritis, and underwent stem cell regenerative therapy Monday to help ease her pain so she can get back out on the job.

Dr. John Herrity of Burke Animal Clinic in Burke, Va., told WTTG-TV, "Red has a back issue that, after a fall from a ladder has not really been right, and has been living in pain, so we're going to give those stem cells IV [intravenously] and then also inject them along the back to try to help Red's comfort."

"She's had a great career and has made a difference to a lot of families by bringing their loved ones home," Roche said.

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9/11 search and rescue dog receives stem cell therapy

NEW YORK, March 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE Amex:NBS) ("NeoStem" or "the Company") is a leader in the cell therapy industry, developing cell based therapeutics supported by the Company's expertise in contract manufacturing. This strategic combination and depth of experience in cell therapy development and manufacturing provide NeoStem with unique capabilities to develop its own cell therapies and that sets the Company apart from others in the cell therapy landscape. 2011 represented a major year of strategic transition for NeoStem, and the Company plans to build upon that in 2012 and in the years ahead.

NeoStem reported its audited results for 2011. Consolidated revenues for the year ended December 31, 2011 were $73.7 million compared to $69.8 million for 2010. The Company's consolidated net loss for 2011 was $56.6 million, which included $10.3 million of non-cash equity-based compensation expense, $19.4 million of goodwill impairment charges and $9.0 million of depreciation and amortization. Overall, the Company's consolidated cash loss for 2011 was $15.5 million (see reconciliation below). Net loss attributable to NeoStem common shareholder interests for 2011 was $47.8 million, or $0.54 per share.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company had consolidated cash and cash equivalents of $12.7 million, and an additional $2.5 million in cash held in escrow (classified in Other Assets).

NeoStem believes that the opportunities that exist today in cell therapy are robust and growing despite a persistently difficult financial environment, making this an opportunistic time to pursue the monetization of the Company's 51% ownership of Suzhou Erye Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and bolster its cell therapy business. In June 2011, the Company engaged a financial advisor to lead the effort to pursue the possible divestiture of the Company's interest in Erye. Marketing efforts are underway and have generated interest from both financial and strategic buyers.

On the therapeutics side of the business NeoStem now has a pipeline of assets that includes Amorcyte (Phase 2 trial for preservation of heart function after a heart attack), Athelos (physician sponsored Phase 1 trials for a range of auto-immune conditions) and pre-clinical development work on its VSEL(TM) technology. The Company's most advanced asset is AMR-001 for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction for which enrollment for a Phase 2 study in the United States commenced in January. The study is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of infarct-related artery infusion of AMR-001, an autologous bone marrow derived cell therapy enriched for CD34+ cells. AMR-001 is administered 5 to 11 days post-stent placement in patients diagnosed with an ST segment elevation myocardial infarction ("STEMI") with ejection fraction less than or equal to 48%. The study will include 160 subjects, age 18 and older, randomized 1:1 between treatment and control. The manufacturing, product supply, and logistics for the trial will be supported by Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC, NeoStem's contract manufacturing company.

Amorcyte currently has ten activated clinical trial sites for its Phase 2 AMI clinical trial with the initial patients enrolled. Trial enrollment is expected to be completed in approximately one year with data read out six months following the last treated patient. The Amorcyte franchise is supported by a strong patent portfolio which includes both composition of matter and methods of treatment around use of these hematopoietic stem cells for treatment of cardiac ischemia and other ischemic tissue that result from vascular insufficiency. The Company sees Amorcyte as a pipeline of therapeutics with potential in multiple indications from STEMI to congestive heart failure and other related vascular insufficiencies. The Amorcyte product addresses both an unmet medical need and a large potential market.

"One of the most important attributes of AMR-001 is that it's 'natural.' We are enhancing the body's normal and natural response to ischemic injury," said Dr. Robin Smith, CEO of NeoStem. "Ample historical evidence, published literature and our own compelling Phase 1 data give us confidence that this product will ultimately make it to the marketplace. Our next most advanced asset is held by Athelos Corporation, (a NeoStem company, partnered with Becton, Dickinson and Company) which is developing a novel T-cell platform for immunological disorders. The Athelos T-cell technology represents an innovative approach to restoring immune balance with potential applications in graft vs. host disease (GvHD), solid organ transplant (SOT) and autoimmune diseases, such as asthma and diabetes. Multiple physician sponsored phase 1 studies are expected to report results that will be used to determine the direction of clinical development.

"NeoStem is also developing pre-clinical assets, including its VSEL(TM) Technology platform for regenerative medicine, which NeoStem believes is an endogenous pluripotent non-embryonic cell that has the potential to change the paradigm of cell therapy as we know it today. These activities have received awards in excess of $2.5 million which funds support the work of prestigious researchers who are pioneering this science with NeoStem.

"Behind the development of these therapeutic assets is the NeoStem cell therapy contract manufacturing business (PCT) which itself continues to grow. New clients have engaged PCT to assist them in the development of their products, including a global, diversified healthcare company who recently selected PCT to provide stem cell processing in our two GMP manufacturing facilities in the United States (California and New Jersey). PCT's prominence in the marketplace continues to grow and that is reflected by both client satisfaction and the revenues the company generates.

"As we look to the year ahead, we are excited on multiple fronts. Our capital preservation efforts are now bearing fruit as our cash burn rate is in-line with our peers. We expect to continue to carefully invest our capital in projects that meet our internal rate of return hurdle and risk parameters. We believe the PCT and Amorcyte acquisitions have created true value for our shareholders and we look forward to demonstrating that as these assets reach their respective value inflection points. We see the unmet medical need in cardiology and the treatment burden associated with chronic diseases as representing a significant challenge to modern society. We believe that cell therapy holds many of the solutions to the health crisis that societies face and have the potential to create real pharmacoeconomic benefit as well as shareholder value for our company.

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NeoStem Provides Updates and Reports Year End Results

TUESDAY, March 20 (HealthDay News) -- A novel technique that uses a kidney transplant recipient's own stem cells may someday replace or reduce the initial use of anti-rejection medications, new research suggests.

Six months after receiving a kidney transplant, only about 8 percent of people given their own mesenchymal stem cells experienced rejection compared with almost 22 percent of people on the standard anti-rejection drugs, according to the study.

"Mesenchymal stem cells are stem cells that can be differentiated into a variety of cells," explained Dr. Camillo Ricordi, study senior author and director of the Cell Transplant Center and Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

"If you infuse mesenchymal stem cells at the time of the transplant, you could replace the use of powerful anti-rejection drugs, and maybe replace immunosuppressants altogether," he said. This technique could be used in the transplantation of islet cells (in the pancreas) for people with type 1 diabetes, and for other organ transplants, such as the liver, he added.

The people given their own stem cells also had improved kidney function earlier after transplant, Ricordi said.

Results of the study appear in the March 21 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

One of the biggest remaining hurdles in organ transplantation remains the need for powerful anti-rejection and immune-suppressing medications after the transplant.

"Basically, the way we prevent kidney rejections is by putting you on very powerful anti-rejection drugs and immunosuppressive agents to prevent your cells from attacking the foreign organ," said Dr. Robert Provenzano, chair of the department of nephrology, hypertension and transplantation at St. John Providence Health System in Detroit. "But, the current standard has some problems, like an increased risk of infections and the possibility of creating a cancer."

The body's immune system sends out surveillance cells to protect the body against foreign invaders, such as a bacteria, virus or, in this case, a new organ, Provenzano said. The current method of preventing these cells from attacking the new organ is essentially to destroy the surveillance cells. But mesenchymal cells can naturally suppress those surveillance cells so they don't attack, he said.

To see if this suppression would be enough to prevent rejection, Ricordi and his colleagues, including researchers from Xiamen University in China, recruited 159 people with serious kidney disease who were on dialysis. They ranged in age from 18 to 61.

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Stem Cell Therapy Could Boost Kidney Transplant Success: Study

NEWARK, Calif., March 20, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEM - News) and genOway (NYSE:ALGEN) announced today that they have entered into a license agreement under which StemCells has granted genOway a worldwide, exclusive license to StemCells' Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) technology for use in the development and commercialization of genetically engineered mice. Financial conditions were not disclosed.

The IRES technology enables the dual expression of a protein of interest and a selectable marker, thereby enabling researchers to genetically modify any mammalian cell and monitor the activity of a particular gene of interest in living cells or tissues without blocking the normal function of the gene. The IRES technology is particularly important for evaluating the success of gene knock-outs or knock-ins in stem cells and for the successful creation of transgenic rodent disease models. The IRES technology has been used to develop hundreds of genetically modified models in the past decade, and the technology is now considered to be the reference technology for transgene expression in some key rodent animal models, such as humanized models, reporter models, and cell trafficking models.

"We are very happy to have entered this license agreement with genOway, who are well-recognized for their experience and expertise in the field of genetically engineered mouse models," said Martin McGlynn, President and CEO of StemCells, Inc. "This exclusive license gives genOway a very powerful and unique tool to expand their product offerings to the research market."

"We are proud to be the only company or institution in the world able to sell IRES mouse models," said Alexandre Fraichard, CEO of genOway. "This technology is already frequently used for transgenic research, and this license represents a clear competitive advantage as it strengthens our proprietary technology portfolio and increases the uniqueness of our commercial offerings. As the leader in the development of sophisticated and highly predictable genetically modified rodents, genOway is well positioned to bring this unique technology to any scientist worldwide, in academia or industry, and we will guarantee our customers the freedom to operate for their R&D activities."

About StemCells, Inc.

StemCells, Inc. is engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of cell-based therapeutics and tools for use in stem cell-based research and drug discovery. The Company's lead therapeutic product candidate, HuCNS-SC(R) cells (purified human neural stem cells), is currently in development as a potential treatment for a broad range of central nervous system disorders. The Company recently completed a Phase I clinical trial in Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD), a fatal myelination disorder in children, and the trial data will be reported in late March. The Company is also conducting a Phase I/II clinical trial in chronic spinal cord injury in Switzerland and has received authorization from the FDA to initiate a Phase I/II clinical trial in dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In addition, the Company is pursuing preclinical studies of its HuCNS-SC cells in Alzheimer's disease. StemCells also markets stem cell research products, including media and reagents, under the SC Proven(R) brand. Further information about StemCells is available at http://www.stemcellsinc.com.

The StemCells, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=7014

About genOway

genOway (NYSE:ALGEN) is a biotechnology company developing genetically modified and high value-added research models for the bio-pharmaceutical, chemical, agrochemical and food industry as well as for academic research. With highly qualified scientific personnel, the company has a work force of 60 people and operates in over 25 countries in Europe, Asia and North America, supplying more than 260 academic institutes and 80 biopharmaceutical companies. genOway is a leader in its market in terms of both size and customer portfolios. The company's development is founded upon both a broad and exclusive technology platform as well as strong intellectual property rights combining patents and licensing agreements. Taking advantage of the global trend towards outsourcing the production of genetically modified research models, genOway has signed many contracts with leaders of the pharmaceutical industry (Pfizer, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, etc.), and with the most prestigious academic research centers (King's College and the University of Manchester, in England; Duke University and the National Institutes of Health, in the United States; the Institut Pasteur, in France; NGFN and the Max Planck Institutes, in Germany, etc.). To strengthen its technological position and benefit from worldwide business partners, genOway has signed strategic alliances with leading companies in their field: Charles River Laboratories (NYSE:CRL - News), (a world leader in supplying laboratory animals), Invitrogen (Nasdaq:IVGN), (world leader in supplying molecular biology reagents).

For more information please go to http://www.genoway.com.

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StemCells, Inc. Grants genOway Exclusive License to Gene Insertion Technology for Genetically Engineered Mice

XYRCOS Provides Advanced Research Capabilities in a Sleek New Design With Improved Fluorescence, Optics and RED-i Target Locator Built Directly Inside Microscope Objective

BEVERLY, MA and TORONTO--(Marketwire - Mar 20, 2012) - Hamilton Thorne Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: HTL), a leading provider of precision laser devices and advanced imaging systems for the fertility, stem cell and developmental biology research markets, today announced the launch of its leading-edge XYRCOS laser system for advanced research applications. The XYRCOS laser offers a significant advance in integrated laser optics, providing additional functionality, increased resolution and compatibility with all major microscope models.

The elegant and sleek new design of the XYRCOS is engineered to have the laser and RED-i target locator built directly inside the objective, providing unparalleled precision while saving researchers from tedious alignment procedures. The improved working distance of the XYRCOS laser objective provides researchers with more compatibility and flexibility to integrate with existing laboratory equipment. The laser also features enhanced UV transmission/fluorescence, which is compatible with many fluorescing stains used in advanced research applications. The XYRCOS offers additional benefits for cutting-edge embryo micromanipulation applications such as the creation of transgenic animals, gene targeting, and stem cell research including blastocyst injection, 8-cell injection, and laser-assisted animal model IVF.

"Built on the same hardware platform as our popular turret-mounted lasers, the new XYRCOS offers researchers an elegant laser design that enables intricate and delicate cell micromanipulation capabilities. Already installed at some of our industry-leading beta site customers, the XYRCOS laser has been used in some of today's most advanced and celebrated scientific research," said David Wolf, President, Chief Executive Officer of Hamilton Thorne Ltd. "The improved image quality, better working distance and enhanced fluorescence provides researchers with significant advantages in working with advanced applications such as stem cell research and developmental biology, and has already proven effective in important research studies such as reprogramming cells."

"With its compact design, long working distance and excellent optics, the new XYRCOS laser provides a flexible research tool that can be used with any lab microscope and fits easily into the current daily workflow," said Diarmaid Douglas-Hamilton, Chief Technology Officer, Senior Vice President of Research & Development and Co-founder of Hamilton Thorne. "The improved fluorescence has been especially useful in the lab since the XYRCOS installs directly onto the turret, leaving both the fluorescence and filter cube ports free for normal use, providing significant advantages in how cells can be viewed and analyzed."

The XYRCOS laser system will be available in both 40X and 20X objectives, and will also have the popular Staccato multi-pulse laser activation software as an additional feature option. Due to its smaller footprint, the XYRCOS allows full use of the turret and fits into all major microscopes, including newer and upright microscopes. The XYRCOS is available for non-clinical research use only.

About Hamilton Thorne Ltd. (www.hamiltonthorne.com)

Hamilton Thorne designs, manufactures and distributes precision laser devices and advanced imaging systems for the fertility, stem cell and development biology research markets. It provides novel solutions for Life Science that reduce cost, increase productivity, improve results and enable research breakthroughs in regenerative medicine, stem cell research and fertility markets. Hamilton Thorne's laser products attach to standard inverted microscopes and operate as robotic micro-surgeons, enabling a wide array of scientific applications and IVF procedures. Its imaging systems improve outcomes in human IVF clinics and animal breeding facilities and provide high-end toxicology analyses.

Hamilton Thorne's growing customer base includes pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, fertility clinics, university research centers, and other commercial and academic research establishments worldwide. Current customers include world-leading research labs such as Harvard, MIT, Yale, McGill, DuPont, Monsanto, Charles River Labs, Jackson Labs, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, and Oxford and Cambridge.

Neither the Toronto Venture Exchange, nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the exchange), accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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Hamilton Thorne Launches XYRCOS(TM) Laser System for Research Applications Including Stem Cell Research, Gene ...

Murray Close / Lionsgate / Everett Collection

Peacekeepers escort Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in a scene from "The Hunger Games."

By Alan Boyle

The technological divide between the rulers and the ruled is at the heart of "The Hunger Games": While the good guys struggle to survive, the bad guys employ fictional gee-whiz technologies inspired by real-life frontiers. And just as in real life, technology gets tripped up by unintended consequences.

That's not to say the post-apocalyptic North America of the book series and the much-anticipated movie, opening Friday, is anything close to real life. On one level, the technologies used by the villainous government of the nation known as Panem, ranging from force fields to extreme genetic engineering, serve as science-fiction plot devices and special effects. But on another level, the contrast between bows and arrows on one side, and death-dealing hovercraft on the other, accentuates the saga's David vs. Goliath angle or, in this case, Katniss vs. the Capitol.

Here are a few of the technological trends that provide the twists in "The Hunger Games," along with real-world analogs:

What? No cellphones? Much has been made of the fact that the starving, downtrodden residents of Panem's districts don't seem to have access to cellphones or the Internet. Instead, they have to huddle around giant television sets to find out what their overlords in the Capitol want them to see. But if you think of Panem as a fictional tweak of modern-day North Korea, "The Hunger Games" might not be that far off the mark: You've got a leadership capable of long-range missile launches, exercising virtually total control over what its impoverished populace sees and hears. Cellphones were outlawed until 2008, and even today they're confiscated from international visitors upon arrival. Internet access and international calling are limited to the elite.

The outlook for change is mixed: Today, a million North Koreans are said to be using mobile phones, but the State Department's Alec Ross told the Korea Times during a recent visit to Seoul that "it will be very difficult for technology to drive change in North Korea, given the extreme measures that North Korea has taken to create a media blackout." That's life in Panem ... er, Pyongyang.

Genetic engineering The most vivid special effects are connected to genetic engineering of various organisms, including humanized animals. To minimize the plot-spoiler effect, the only "muttation" I'll mention in detail is the mockingjay, which figures so prominently in the advance publicity and provides the title for the third book in Suzanne Collins' "Hunger Games" trilogy. The geniuses at the Panem high command created genetically modified birds known as jabberjays that were able to listen in on rebel conversations and report them back to the authorities. When the rebels caught onto this, they started feeding the jays false information. And when the Capitol figured this out, they left the jabberjays to fend for themselves. Male jabberjays mated with female mockingbirds, resulting in birds that could learn and repeat musical notes but not human speech.

The twist illustrates a time-honored movie maxim about genetic engineering, enunciated in the first "Jurassic Park" film: "Life will not be contained." That may be putting it too simply, but the field has certainly raised a lot of questions about how to keep genetic genies in the bottle. This month, more than 100 groups issued a call to hold back on synthetic biology until new guidelines are drawn up.

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Get a reality check on 'Hunger Games' tech

A noted soybean plant developer will discuss "Genomics in the Age of Plant Breeding" on April 4 at the University of Nebraska.

Phillip E. McClean works on dry bean genetics and biotechnology and is the director of the Genomics and Bioinformatics Program at North Dakota State University in Fargo.

His lecture is part of the Dermot P. Coyne Graduate Student Distinguished Lectureship Series. The 1 p.m. lecture in the Nebraska East Union is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.

McClean received his doctorate and master's degrees in agronomy from Colorado State University. He has been a member of the NDSU faculty in the Department of Plant Sciences since 1985 and has been director of the Genomics and Bioinformatics Program since 2002.

His lecture will review the history of the plant breeding industry and how genomic science provides new data for plant breeding. This latest data provides new directions and challenges.

In his lecture abstract, McClean wrote, "A major challenge for crop improvement efforts is to develop approaches that effectively incorporate that new knowledge into current breeding practices, and to modify breeding programs to maximize the utility of genomic information."

McClean's visit is courtesy of the Coyne Lectureship Series which was established by Dermot P. Coyne in the area of plant breeding and genetics. Coyne, a George Holmes Professor of Agronomy and Horticulture in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, developed new varieties of dry edible beans and squash while a plant breeder at UNL for more than 40 years.

He released many popular dry bean varieties in support of the Nebraska and High Plains bean industry. Coyne, who died in 2002, also developed several varieties of pinto, pompadour and great northern beans that were resistant to bean common mosaic virus, rust, common bacterial blight and other bacterial diseases.

His disease-resistant germplasm releases and varieties are parents of numerous bean varieties grown in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe.

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Plant breeding, genetics to be discussed at UNL

Testing at a glance

Comprehensive BRCA analysis

What: Testing (via blood or saliva) to find mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Cost: Can be more than $3,300 (more targeted testing can cost less). Covered by insurance? Sometimes. Where to get it? Ask your doctor.

Sources: Baptist Hospital East in Louisville, Ky. and Norton Cancer Institute

Having a genetic test may help you: Make medical and lifestyle choices. Clarify your cancer risk. Decide whether to have risk-reducing surgery. Give other family members useful information (if you choose to share your results). Understand why you or other family members have developed cancer.

But it also can have these disadvantages: No guarantee your test results will remain private. Although rare, you may face discrimination. But the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008 provides some protection when it comes to health insurance and employment. Find details at http://www.genome.gov/24519851. You may find it harder to cope with your cancer risk when you know your test results. If you find that you dont have an inherited altered gene, you may think that you have no chance of getting cancer. But you can still get cancer.

Sources: National Cancer Institute; National Human Genome Research Institute American Society of Human Genetics: http://www.ashg.org/education/everyone.shtml

Learn more American Society of Human Genetics family history site: http://www.talkhealthhistory.org My Family Health Portrait: https://familyhistory.hhs.gov American Cancer Society: http://www.cancer.org National Cancer Institute: http://www.cancer.gov

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Genetics provide cancer insight

By Sean Williams | More Articles March 20, 2012 |

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of molecular diagnostics company Myriad Genetics (Nasdaq: MYGN) dipped 10% earlier in today's trading session following an unfavorable patent ruling for one of the company's peers.

So what: This morning, a U.S. court ruled against Prometheus Laboratories, a unit of Nestle (yes, the maker of those delicious chocolate bars), stating that it could not patent a diagnostic method to observe changes in a patients body to determine the best drug dosage for certain diseases. Since companies like Myriad have similar diagnostic technologies, and these companies rely on patents to protect their technology, this could be a major blow to the sector.

Now what: Ive long been a Myriad bull, and Im not ready to throw in the towel on one specific ruling. But, I have to admit that todays patent rejection doesnt exactly let shareholders sleep easier at night. At 17 times forward earnings, the stock seems fairly valued. Its definitely a company Id add to my watchlist considering the boom in diagnostic medicine expected over the next decade.

Craving more input? Start by adding Myriad Genetics to your free and personalized watchlist so you can keep up on the latest news with the company.

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Myriad Genetics Shares Plunged Temporarily: What You Need to Know

20-03-2012 09:38 A new way of delivering gene therapy to the body is developed by OU Medicine. http://www.uhatok.com

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Gene Therapy Delivery System - Video

SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), an emerging biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions through its acquisition of the SG Austria assets, today discussed the value of encapsulation, freezing, storage, survivability and localization of human stem cells once implanted using the proprietary Cell-in-a-Box technology.

The encapsulation of human stem cells is enabled by the Cell-in-a-Box technology, which can then be frozen, stored and later implanted into target tissues. The benefits of encapsulation are several: first, the process allows for freezing of stem cells for long-term storage without appreciably affecting viability. Second, encapsulation protects the stem cells from stress factors caused by direct aeration and sheer forces associated with bioreactors. Third, Cell-in-a-Box encapsulated stem cells are held in place at the site of implantation, maximizing their potential efficacy as they have the potential to stimulate growth of surrounding new, healthy tissue. Finally, encapsulated cells may prevent any potential side effects associated with direct injection since they remain localized to the area of treatment when encapsulated.

Dr. Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Nuvilex, commented, For many years it was assumed stem cells existed only to replace cells that had died or were damaged. Recent studies suggest factors stem cells secrete provide signals to surrounding tissue that can stimulate regeneration. The potential therefore, is that if stem cells can be maintained at a particular site where damaged, removed or non-functional tissue was through some sort of holding mechanism, this may aid in a positive growth response in that tissue. In addition, the stem cells themselves have the potential to undergo development into the appropriate cell type at that location, potentially creating miniature organs. The Cell-in-a-Box technology is designed specifically for those purposes. Thus, encapsulated stem cells would be implanted and remain in place, ultimately being able to serve a broad number of medical applications entirely dependent on where in the body they are placed.

About Nuvilex

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX) is an emerging international biotechnology provider of live clinically useful, therapeutically valuable, encapsulated cells, as well as services for encapsulating live cells for the research and medical communities. Through substantial effort, the aspects of our corporate activities alone and in concert with SG Austria continue to move toward agreement completion and ultimately a strong future together. Our companys ultimate clinical offerings will include cancer, diabetes and other treatments using the companys industry-leading cell and gene therapy expertise and cutting edge, live-cell encapsulation technology.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 involving risks and uncertainties, including product demand, market competition, and Nuvilexs ability to meet current or future plans which may cause actual results, events, and performances, expressed or implied, to vary and/or differ from those contemplated or predicted. Investors should study and understand all risks before making an investment decision. Readers are recommended not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Nuvilex is not obliged to publicly release revisions to any forward-looking statement, to reflect events or circumstances afterward, or to disclose unanticipated occurrences, except as required under applicable laws.

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Cell-in-a-Box® Encapsulation Technology Creates Extensive Applications within the Stem Cell Arena

Stem Cell Therapy Helping Heroic Dogs Recover

News4's Darcy Spencer explains how a breakthrough treatment is helping search and rescue dogs like Red recover after years of working in disaster zones.

A breakthrough treatment is helping area search-and-rescue dogs that played key roles on Sept. 11, 2001, and during other disasters.

Red's first assignment as a search, rescue and recovery dog was at the Pentagon following the 9/11 attacks. Years of rescue work and a 12-foot fall from a ladder have taken a toll. Arthritis forced Red into retirement in July and turned her into a couch potato.

The 12-year-old black lab received a breakthrough stem cell treatment today that will ease her pain and give her more mobility.

Her veterinarian, Dr. John Herrity, of the Burke Animal Clinic, has done more than two dozen of the stem cell operations developed by Medivet America, which also donated the cost of the procedure.

The treatment won't bring Red back out of retirement, but it is expected to put spring back in her step within a couple of months.

Two other 9/11 search-and-rescued dogs have been treated with stem cell therapy and are back to their normal activities.

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Hero Dog Receives Stem Cell Therapy

Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Huntingtons Disease Also Included In: Stem Cell Research Article Date: 19 Mar 2012 - 10:00 PDT

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However, according to a study published March 15 in the journal Cell Stem Cell, a special type of brain cell created from stem cells could help restore the muscle coordination deficits that are responsible for uncontrollable spasms, a characteristic of the disease. The researchers demonstrated that movement in mice with a Huntington's-like condition could be restored.

Su-Chun Zhang, a University of Wisconsin-Madison neuroscientist and the senior author of the study, said:

In the study Zhang, who is an expert in creating various types of brain cells from human embryonic or induce pluripotent stem cells, and his team focused on GABA neurons. The degradation of GABA cells causes the breakdown of a vital neural circuit and loss of motor function in individuals suffering from Huntington's disease.

According to Zhang, GABA neurons generate a vital neurotransmitter, a chemical that helps support the communication network in the brain that coordinates movement.

Zhang and his team at the UW-Madison Waisman Center, discovered how to generate large quantities of GABA neurons from human embryonic stem cells. The team's goal was to determine whether these cells would safely integrate into the brain of a mouse model of Huntington's disease.

The researchers discovered that not only did the cells integrate, they were projected to the right target and were able to effectively restore the damaged communication network and restore motor function.

Zhang says that the results were astonishing, as GABA neurons reside in the basal ganglia, a part of the brain which plays a vital role in voluntary motor coordination. However, the GABA neurons exert their influence at a distance on cells in the midbrain via the circuit powered by the GABA neuron chemical neurotransmitter.

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Huntington's Disease - Stem Cell Therapy Potential

ZUG, SWITZERLAND and SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire -03/19/12)- Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CYTX - News) announced today the publication of RESTORE-2 trial results in the peer-reviewed European Journal of Surgical Oncology.

RESTORE-2 is a 71 patient multi-center, prospective clinical trial using autologous adipose-derived regenerative cell (ADRC)-enriched fat grafting for reconstruction of the breast after cancer surgery. The majority of patients underwent radiation prior to the procedure, creating an unfavorable ischemic environment for which breast reconstruction with ADRC-enriched fat grafting appears to be ideally suited.

Key findings of the trial were:

"Following cancer treatment, the patient's breast tissue can suffer from radiation injury, scarring and tight skin," said Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Mrs. Eva Weiler-Mithoff, co-principal investigator for RESTORE-2 at the NHS Glasgow Royal Infirmary Hospital. "This new technique is exciting because it may offer the opportunity to resolve some of the most difficult to treat conditions where other approaches, including fat alone, do not achieve satisfactory results."

ADRC-enriched partial mastectomy breast reconstruction is marketed in the EU as the RESTORE Procedure and represents an innovative treatment option with significant cost savings potential. The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis. Satisfactory results can be achieved in a single procedure for the majority of patients. In contrast, competitive approaches are more costly with lengthy hospital stays, require repeat procedures and increase the overall burden on the healthcare system. Furthermore, because of these limitations, physicians are often reluctant to recommend reconstruction for patients with partial mastectomy defects and radiation-induced damage in the breast.

Each year, approximately 450,000 European women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Of the newly diagnosed breast cancer cases, 70-80% are eligible for breast conserving surgery, where only a portion of the breast is removed rather than the full breast. In the European G5, there are an estimated 1.25 million women who have undergone partial mastectomy. The majority of these patients are left with a sizeable volume defect, scarring and often radiation damage.

"Given that there is no widely accepted reconstructive option available today for partial mastectomy patients, this procedure could well address this substantial unmet need and help complete the overall cancer treatment," said Marc H. Hedrick, president of Cytori.

The European Journal of Surgical Oncology is the official journal of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and the British Association of Surgical Oncology.

About the RESTORE Procedure

During the RESTORE Procedure, fat is taken from the patient's stomach, hips, thighs, or other areas by liposuction. Some of the tissue is processed in Cytori's Celution system to extract the patient's own regenerative cells which occur naturally inside the tissue. The extracted cells are then combined with the remaining fat tissue, forming an ADRC-enriched fat graft that is injected into the breast to restore its natural look and feel. In addition to providing an entirely natural reconstruction, the procedure is minimally invasive with the potential to reduce scarring. The Celution system is not commercially available in the United States.

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Cytori Breast Reconstruction Cell Therapy Trial Results Published

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f8a4c2/glioblastoma_multi) has announced the addition of Global Markets Direct's new report "Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012" to their offering.

Global Markets Direct's, 'Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012', provides an overview of the Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) therapeutic pipeline. This report provides information on the therapeutic development for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), complete with latest updates, and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects. It also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). 'Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012' is built using data and information sourced from Global Markets Direct's proprietary databases, Company/University websites, SEC filings, investor presentations and featured press releases from company/university sites and industry-specific third party sources, put together by Global Markets Direct's team.

Key Topics Covered:

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f8a4c2/glioblastoma_multi

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Research and Markets: Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012

Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Also Included In: Genetics;Neurology / Neuroscience Article Date: 19 Mar 2012 - 11:00 PDT

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The researchers found that the mutation in the Bdnf (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) gene undermines brain neurons' ability to pass insulin and leptin chemical signals through the brain. Their study involved mice.

When a human being has eaten, leptin and insulin are released into the body and literally tell the body to stop consuming food. However, if the signals do not reach parts of the brain they are supposed to - within the hypothalamus - the person will continue feeling hungry, and will carry on eating.

Baoji Xu, Ph.D., said:

Dr. Xu has been carrying out research on the Bdnf gene for years. He explains that this gene produces a growth factor that regulates how neurons communicate with each other.

Xu has demonstrated that during development, BDNF plays a major role in the formation and maturity of synapses. A synapse is the point where two nerve cells connect; a specialized junction at which a neuron (nerve cell) communicates with a target cell - this is done via chemical signals. The Bdnf gene produces one short and one long transcript. When the long-form BdnfN transcript is not there, the growth factor BDNF is only produced in the body of the neuron, but not in its dendrites. This results in the production of too many immature synapses, which undermines learning and memory in mice.

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Gene Mutation Causes Uncontrolled Obesity

ScienceDaily (Mar. 18, 2012) Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have revealed how a mutation in a single gene is responsible for the inability of neurons to effectively pass along appetite suppressing signals from the body to the right place in the brain. What results is obesity caused by a voracious appetite.

Their study, published March 18th on Nature Medicine's website, suggests there might be a way to stimulate expression of that gene to treat obesity caused by uncontrolled eating.

The research team specifically found that a mutation in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) gene in mice does not allow brain neurons to effectively pass leptin and insulin chemical signals through the brain. In humans, these hormones, which are released in the body after a person eats, are designed to "tell" the body to stop eating. But if the signals fail to reach correct locations in the hypothalamus, the area in the brain that signals satiety, eating continues.

"This is the first time protein synthesis in dendrites, tree-like extensions of neurons, has been found to be critical for control of weight," says the study's senior investigator, Baoji Xu, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown.

"This discovery may open up novel strategies to help the brain control body weight," he says.

Xu has long investigated the Bdnf gene. He has found that the gene produces a growth factor that controls communication between neurons.

For example, he has shown that during development, BDNF is important to the formation and maturation of synapses, the structures that permit neurons to send chemical signals between them. The Bdnf gene generates one short transcript and one long transcript. He discovered that when the long-form Bdnf transcript is absent, the growth factor BDNF is only synthesized in the cell body of a neuron but not in its dendrites. The neuron then produces too many immature synapses, resulting in deficits in learning and memory in mice.

Xu also found that the mice with the same Bdnf mutation grew to be severely obese.

Other researchers began to look at the Bdnf gene in humans, and large-scale genome-wide association studies showed Bdnf gene variants are, in fact, linked to obesity.

But, until this study, no one has been able to describe exactly how BDNF controls body weight.

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How a single gene mutation leads to uncontrolled obesity

In PLoS One this week, researchers at Thailand's National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology present microPIR, a database of "microRNA-promoter target interactions for experimental microRNA researchers and computational biologists to study the microRNA regulation through gene promoter." The database "integrates various annotated genomic sequence databases repetitive elements, transcription factor binding sites, CpG islands, and SNPs offering users the facility to extensively explore relationships among target sites and other genomic features," the authors write. "The built-in genome browser of microPIR provides a comprehensive view of multidimensional genomic data." The resource also includes a PCR primer design module to facilitate experimental validation, and functional data from the OMIM and other resources, the team adds.

Elsewhere in the journal, a Japanese team led by investigators at Kitasato University presents the carbonic anhydrase XII, or CAXII, antibody as a sero-diagnostic marker for lung cancer, based on immunoprecipitation and MADLI TOF/TOF-mass spectrometry analysis.

Over in PLoS Genetics, the University of California, Davis' Daniele Filiault and Julin Maloof report on a GWAS for variants associated with increased hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Filiault and Maloof describe variants that underlie the shade-avoidance response in the plant.

A team led by investigators at Princeton University this week describes the "genetic architecture of highly complex chemical resistance traits across four yeast strains," through an extreme QTL mapping approach. The team says its results "improve our understanding of complex traits in yeast and have implications for study design in other organisms."

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This Week in PLoS

ScienceDaily (Mar. 19, 2012) Research from a Kansas State University professor may make it easier to recover after spinal cord injury or to study neurological disorders.

Mark Weiss, professor of anatomy and physiology, is researching genetic models for spinal cord injury or diseases such as Parkinson's disease. He is developing technology that can advance cellular therapy and regenerative medicine -- a type of research that can greatly improve animal and human health.

"We're trying to build tools, trying to build models that will have broad applications," Weiss said. "So if you're interested in neural differentiation or if you're interested in response after an injury, we're trying to come up with cell lines that will teach us, help us to solve a medical mystery."

Weiss' research team has perfected a technique to use stem cells to study targeted genetic modifications. They are among a handful of laboratories in the world using these types of models for disease. The research is an important step in the field of functional genomics, which focuses on understanding the functions and roles of these genes in disease.

The researchers are creating several tools to study functional genomics. One such tool involves developing new ways to use fluorescent transporters, which make it easier to study proteins and their functions. These fluorescent transporters can be especially helpful when studying neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, stroke and spinal cord injury.

"People who have spinal cord injury do not experience a lot of regeneration," Weiss said. "It is one of the problems of the nervous system -- it is not great at regenerating itself like other tissues."

The researchers want to discover a way to help this regenerative process kick in. By studying signals from fluorescing cells, they can understand how neural stem cells are reactivated.

"We want to try and make these genetic markers, and then we can test different kinds of treatment to see how they assist in the regenerative process," Weiss said.

Weiss' stem cell research has appeared in two recent journals: Stem Cells and Development and the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and university funds, including the Johnson Cancer Research Center.

Weiss' seven-member research team includes a visiting professor, two full-time researchers, a graduate student and three undergraduates. He has also been collaborating with researchers from the University of Kansas Medical Center.

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Genetic research develops tools for studying diseases, improving regenerative treatment

ScienceDaily (Mar. 19, 2012) A growing body of evidence underscores the importance of human gut bacteria in modulating human health, metabolism, and disease. Yet bacteria are only part of the story. Viruses that infect those bacteria also shape who we are. Frederic D. Bushman, PhD, professor of Microbiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, led a study published this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that sequenced the DNA of viruses -- the virome -- present in the gut of healthy people.

Nearly 48 billion bases of DNA, the genetic building blocks, were collected in the stools of 12 individuals. The researchers then assembled the blocks like puzzle pieces to recreate whole virus genomes. Hundreds to thousands of likely distinct viruses were assembled per individual, of which all but one type were bacteriophages -- viruses that infect bacteria -- which the team expected. The other was a human pathogen, a human papillomavirus found in a single individual. Bacteriophages are responsible for the toxic effects of many bacteria, but their role in the human microbiome has only recently started to be studied.

To assess variability in the viral populations among the 12 individuals studied, Bushman's team, led by graduate student Samuel Minot, looked for stretches of bases that varied the most.

Their survey identified 51 hypervariable regions among the 12 people studied, which, to the team's surprise, were associated with reverse transcriptase genes. Reverse transcriptase enzymes, more commonly associated with replication of retroviruses such as HIV, copy RNA into DNA. Of the 51 regions, 29 bore sequence and structural similarity to one well-studied reverse transcriptase, a hypervariable region in the Bordetella bacteriophage BPP-1. Bordetella is the microbe that causes kennel cough in dogs.

BPP-1 uses reverse transcriptase and an error-prone copying mechanism to modify a protein to aid in entering and reproducing in a wide array of viral targets. Bushman and colleagues speculate that the newly discovered hypervariable regions could serve a similar function in the human virome, and microbiome, by extension.

"It appears there's natural selective pressure for rapid variation for these classes of bacteriophages, which implies there's a corresponding rapidly changing environmental factor that the phage must be able to quickly adapt to," says Minot. Possible reasons for change, say the authors, include evading the immune system and keeping abreast of ever-evolving bacterial hosts -- a kind of mutation-based host-pathogen arms race. Whatever the case, Minot says, such variability may be helping to drive evolution of the gut microbiome: "The substrate of evolution is mutation."

Evolutionary analysis of the 185 reverse transcriptases discovered in this study population suggests that a large fraction of these enzymes are primarily involved in generating diversity. Now, Minot says, the challenge is to determine the function of the newly discovered hypervariable regions, and understand how their variability changes over time and in relationship to disease.

"This method opens a whole new world of 'diversity-generating' biology to discover what these clearly important systems are actually doing," he says.

In addition to Bushman and Minot, co-authors are Stephanie Grunberg (Department of Microbiology); Gary Wu (Division of Gastroenterology); and James Lewis (Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology), all from Penn.

The research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America.

Continued here:
Genetic variation in human gut viruses could be raw material for inner evolution

Dr. Charis Eng

For the promise of personalized medicine to be realized, the health industry needs more people who can interpret genetic data and make that data meaningful to patients, according to a prominent Cleveland Clinic geneticist.

The ability to tailor treatment to a patients genetic profile plus, the rapidly declining cost of technology to analyze genetic data holds lots of possibilities for improving health, but also brings risks, according to Dr. Charis Eng, chair of Cleveland Clinics Genomic Medicine Institute.

For example, data analyzed incorrectly could be dangerous, while data presented badly could create unjustified fears in patients, Eng told MIT Technology Review.

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The people who are very facile at interpreting [information] to the patient are very few and far between, she said.

Eng spoke with Technology Review about a recent paper in the journal Cell, in which a Stanford University genetics professor for two-and-a-half years tracked a host of his own personalized health data at the molecular level. This article reminds us that the future is now, Eng said.

Eng placed at No. 31 in MedCity News list of the The 50 best Cleveland Clinic doctors. Ever. In 2010, she was elected to the Institutes of Medicine.

Her research has led to the discovery of three genetic mutations that are linked to thyroid cancer.

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Geneticist: We need more people who can explain genetic data to patients

Public release date: 19-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Marla Paul marla-paul@northwestern.edu 312-503-8928 Northwestern University

CHICAGO --- A genetic pathway previously known for its role in embryonic development and cancer has been identified as a target for systemic sclerosis, or scleroderma, therapy. The finding, discovered by a cross-disciplinary team led by John Varga, MD, John and Nancy Hughes Distinguished Professor of Rheumatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, was recently published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

"We showed, for the first time, that the Wnt signaling pathway is abnormally activated in scleroderma patients," said Varga, who is also a physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. "This is significant for three reasons. First, it gives a better picture of scleroderma and fibrosis in general. Second, it provides a strategy for assessing disease severity, progression, and activity. And third, it opens a door for the design of treatments that aim to block the Wnt pathway and restore its normal controlled activity."

Varga's laboratory collaborated with a pulmonary team at Northwestern, along with teams at Case Western Reserve University and Dartmouth University on the discovery.

Researchers studied skin and lung biopsies from scleroderma patients and found that the Wnt pathway was 'turned on', in contrast to healthy individuals where the pathway was 'turned off.' Varga said this activation may be due to loss of Wnt inhibitors that normally serve as 'brakes' on the pathway to prevent its activation.

The team also examined what the pathway does using fibroblasts and stem cells from healthy people. They found Wnt causes fibroblast activation and blocks the development of fat cells (adipocytes), which directly contribute to scar formation and tissue damage seen in scleroderma.

Scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks itself. It causes progressive thickening and tightening (fibrosis) of the skin and also can lead to serious internal organ damage and, in some cases, death. Scleroderma affects an estimated 150,000 people in the United States, most frequently young to middle-aged women.

"Scleroderma is a complex and poorly understood disease with no cure," said Varga. "Our findings suggest that treatments targeting the Wnt signaling pathway could lead to an effective treatment."

Varga said Northwestern researchers next plan to conduct multi-center preclinical studies to evaluate treatments that block the Wnt pathway in animal models and measure Wnt activity in additional scleroderma biopsies to see if it can be clinically useful as a biomarker.

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New genetic path for scleroderma

SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), an emerging biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions through its ongoing acquisition of the assets of SG Austria, today discussed the proprietary Cell-in-a-Box technology, providing additional information about the science and technology behind the product.

Creation of Cell-in-a-Box was a technological concept over 20 years ago, originally designed for studying potential ways to create protection for cells and destruction of viruses through neutralizing antibody production. This concept soon became a reality and developed over time to have a wide variety of uses, some of which are still being realized. In the past decade, this concept has advanced to the point we can now fully address the enormous humanitarian value and applications as well as substantial clinical potential for treatment of an extremely diverse set of diseases.

The founding principle was to develop an artificial, semi-permeable capsule with sufficient permeability that oxygen and nutrients could reach encapsulated cells while cellular products could be released into the bloodstream or adjacent tissues. In addition, the capsule material had to remain robust, yet restrictive enough to exclude antibodies and immune cells. Otherwise, antibodies or immune cells would cause or allow recognition of the foreign capsule material, or the cells inside, and ultimately cause rejection and destruction of the live cellular implant.

After substantial research, initial capsules were created which offered strength and durability. The SG Austria Cell-in-a-Box patented encapsulation platform uses natural cotton, or cellulose sulphate, as the building blocks for the capsule itself, ultimately providing an optimum permeability balance. One of the best and most exciting properties was that the resulting capsules were non-allergenic. Additional intervening years included advances in purification, manufacturing, and chemistry of the cellulose sulphate to enable careful manipulation of the materials to allow specific size and characteristic capsules to be made.

Over time, advances in material science made it possible to vary the capsule size giving rise to a range from ~0.7 to 1.4 cm in diameter, about the size of the head of a pin. Further refinement has produced an extremely robust, yet flexible material. This capability enables varying numbers of cells to be placed inside each capsule, anywhere from a few cells to 10,000 or more cells. Even specific pore sizes can be created for the capsule based on the application. This unusual feature therefore provides an ability to limit or regulate what components or constituents can enter and exit the capsules.

During the past several months together SG Austria and Nuvilex have been provided an opportunity to make new advances in the encapsulation material, production and resulting capsules, some of which will be destined for use in future company activities. Thus, the encapsulation technology platform and its resulting capsule can thus be viewed as a robust, implantable device which provides strength, support, protection and durability for live cells inside yet flexible enough to allow transplantation into animals and humans without giving rise to an immune response and therefore they alleviate the need for immunosuppression.

Dr. Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Nuvilex, commented, Together with SG Austria, we are working to commercialize the Cell-in-a-Box technology platform through co-development activities and by establishing out-licensing deals with other companies that have potentially useful therapeutic cell systems that they would like to encapsulate and implant. Given the unique and advantageous properties of the Cell-in-a-Box technology, we anticipate seeing it incorporated into the cutting edge of medical treatments across a broad swath of unmet medical needs.

About Nuvilex

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX) is an emerging international biotechnology provider of live, clinically useful, encapsulated cells and services for the research and medical communities. Through substantial effort, all aspects of our corporate activities alone and in concert with SG Austria are moving toward completion and a strong future together. Our companys planned clinical offerings will include cancer, diabetes and other treatments using the companys industry-leading cell and gene therapy expertise and cutting edge, live-cell encapsulation.

Original post:
Nuvilex Highlights the Technology and Advances Behind the Cutting-Edge Cell-in-a-Box® Technology Platform