Public release date: 11-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mathieu Filion m.filion.rivest@umontreal.ca 514-343-7704 University of Montreal

This news release is available in French.

Physicians and researchers from Sherbrooke, Montreal and Quebec City have conducted a study that has led to the discovery of a gene that causes multiple intestinal atresia (MIA), a rare and life-threatening hereditary disorder that affects newborns. In addition to exploring novel therapeutic treatments for children with the disease, the discovery of the gene TTC7A will make it possible to develop a prenatal diagnostic test and a screening test for parents who are carriers. The Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS) should offer the tests.

MIA is a congenital disease characterized by multiple obstructions all along the digestive tract from the stomach to the small intestine and colon often associated with severe immune deficiency. By studying the DNA of children with MIA, the research team identified mutations in the TTC7A gene, including one that turns out to be relatively common in the French-speaking population of Quebec.

A devastating and life-threatening disease

While the disease is rare, about thirty cases have been recorded in Quebec over the last 30 years. Even today, it remains a devastating and fatal condition. "Multiple surgeries, intestinal transplants and bone marrow transplants have not led to any real solutions for the disease. Even after such interventions, the newborns' digestive tract does not always work the way it should. The life expectancy of these children is about two to three months. With the discovery of the gene responsible for the disease, it will now be possible to confirm an MIA diagnosis in newborns using genetic tests," states Dr. Bruno Maranda, who is a physician-geneticist at the CHUS, an investigator at the CHUS' Centre de recherche clinique tienne-Le Bel (CRCELB) as well as a professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universit de Sherbrooke (UdeS).

Heredity thought to be the cause

Although the disease is very rare, it nevertheless seems to occur at a higher frequency in the French-Canadian population of Quebec. According to the research, this population is affected more than any other population group in the world. The condition seemed to be most probably of genetic origin, since in some families more than one child is born with the condition. This suggests recessive heredity, which is carried by the parents. "We have discovered that a number of children born with MIA carry the same genetic mutation from both parents. This finding confirms the recessive disease hypothesis that the mutation is inherited from both the father and the mother. As they do not suffer from the disease and do not know that they can transmit the mutation. The identification of the defective gene (TTC7A) makes it possible for us to know the cause of the condition. This is excellent news both for Quebec families with the disease and families around the world where the mutation is present," confirms Vincent Raymond, co-author of the study and a researcher at the CHU de Qubec Research Center.

Screening tests for pregnant women and family members who are potential carriers

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Discovery of the gene responsible for multiple intestinal atresia in newborns

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

June 11, 2013 Physicians and researchers from Sherbrooke, Montreal and Quebec City have conducted a study that has led to the discovery of a gene that causes multiple intestinal atresia (MIA), a rare and life-threatening hereditary disorder that affects newborns. In addition to exploring novel therapeutic treatments for children with the disease, the discovery of the gene TTC7A will make it possible to develop a prenatal diagnostic test and a screening test for parents who are carriers.

The Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS) should offer the tests. MIA is a congenital disease characterized by multiple obstructions all along the digestive tract -- from the stomach to the small intestine and colon -- often associated with severe immune deficiency. By studying the DNA of children with MIA, the research team identified mutations in the TTC7A gene, including one that turns out to be relatively common in the French-speaking population of Quebec.

A devastating and life-threatening disease While the disease is rare, about thirty cases have been recorded in Quebec over the last 30 years. Even today, it remains a devastating and fatal condition. "Multiple surgeries, intestinal transplants and bone marrow transplants have not led to any real solutions for the disease. Even after such interventions, the newborns' digestive tract does not always work the way it should. The life expectancy of these children is about two to three months. With the discovery of the gene responsible for the disease, it will now be possible to confirm an MIA diagnosis in newborns using genetic tests," states Dr. Bruno Maranda, who is a physician-geneticist at the CHUS, an investigator at the CHUS' Centre de recherche clinique tienne-Le Bel (CRCELB) as well as a professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universit de Sherbrooke (UdeS).

Heredity thought to be the cause

Although the disease is very rare, it nevertheless seems to occur at a higher frequency in the French-Canadian population of Quebec. According to the research, this population is affected more than any other population group in the world. The condition seemed to be most probably of genetic origin, since in some families more than one child is born with the condition. This suggests recessive heredity, which is carried by the parents. "We have discovered that a number of children born with MIA carry the same genetic mutation from both parents. This finding confirms the recessive disease hypothesis that the mutation is inherited from both the father and the mother. As they do not suffer from the disease and do not know that they can transmit the mutation. The identification of the defective gene (TTC7A) makes it possible for us to know the cause of the condition. This is excellent news both for Quebec families with the disease and families around the world where the mutation is present," confirms Vincent Raymond, co-author of the study and a researcher at the CHU de Qubec Research Center.

Screening tests for pregnant women and family members who are potential carriers

Couples with an MIA child have a 25% risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies. "The concept of prenatal diagnosis allows couples to proceed with tests at the beginning of the pregnancy to determine whether the child they are expecting will be affected. We can also, within the same family, determine whether, for example, siblings are carriers of this genetic condition, and eventually, whether their partner is at risk in order to predict the risk of recurrence in the following generations," stresses Dr. Maranda, the study's principal investigator and Head of the Department of Medical Genetics at the CHUS.

The CHUS will offer the prenatal diagnostic test and the screening test for MIA carriers in the summer of 2013. Further research will help to prevent MIA in children and support carriers of the gene. Prescription procedures, implementation dates and the conditions under which the tests will be carried out will be made known in the weeks to come by the CHUS. The test will fall within an overall research offer on genetic diseases.

The CHUS will offer the prenatal diagnostic test and the screening test for MIA carriers in the summer of 2013. Further research will help to prevent MIA in children and support carriers of the gene. Prescription procedures, implementation dates and the conditions under which the tests will be carried out will be made known in the weeks to come by the CHUS. The test will fall within an overall research offer on genetic diseases.

Novel therapeutic avenues

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Discovery of gene responsible for multiple intestinal atresia in newborns

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Genetic engineering of food is getting a lot of attention now.

We have been genetically engineering more than food for a long time, though. I refer to dogs, mans best friend, who has been modified genetically to suit our own needs over the last few hundred years.

Dogs are at least 15,000 years old, according to John Homans, who has written Whats A Dog For?

Wilfred Woods

They evolved from wolves, but we dont know how. Did dogs domesticate themselves, or did humans breed the tamest wolves into dogs? A new theory printed in the New York Review in March argues that wolves became dogs whose bodies were best able to digest the starches that newly agricultural humans left behind in the trash.

One thing is certain: there is tremendous diversity among dogs, more than any other species, the article notes. We sure do love em, treat them like family, look on them fondly, feed them and pamper them like children.

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Wilf Woods: Man’s best friend

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NEW YORK, June 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Companion Diagnostics and Other Aspects of Personalized Medicine http://www.reportlinker.com/p01277476/Companion-Diagnostics-and-Other-Aspects-of-Personalized-Medicine.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Therapy

The focus of this report is the use of personalized medicine for pharmacological/diagnostic combinations; particularly pharmacological therapies and the diagnostic tests, which can provide information on the likelihood of a patient to respond to specific treatments.

Historically, drugs have been developed on a "one-size-fits-all" basis, but due to patients responding differently to the same drug and having potentially life threatening side effects, new therapies have been developed for approaching the treatment of diseases. Such an approach is with personalized medicine. Personalized medicine is an all-encompassing term for focused treatments in diseases. While in some areas, personalized medicine may focus on an inpidual's genome in response to therapy, in others it may be broader and focus on tailoring a medical treatment to the characteristics of each patient. Often in the form of drug/diagnostic combinations, personalized medicine is commonly used in treating breast cancer. Such an example is using estrogen and progesterone receptors, which are biomarkers, in combination with immunochemistry tests to determine an appropriate therapy. Other methods of personalized medicine for breast cancer include testing for HER2/neu overexpression as well as testing for the presence of multiple genes. With drug/diagnostic combinations, physicians can identify patients who are likely to respond to specific treatments.

With personalized medicine becoming a more effective form of treatment, more diagnostic tests are being developed to use in combination with pharmacology. Using this form of treatment, physicians not only target the proper disease with the proper therapy, but patients are also less likely to develop adverse reactions and life threatening side effects.

Main concepts of personalized medicine covered in this report include: Various definitions of personalized medicine Range of disease applications for personalized medicine Use of personalized medicine in research and development Technologies used in personalized medicine testing Examples of drug/diagnostic combinations currently in use Examples of drug/diagnostic combinations in development Development of diagnostic and therapeutic products Extensive tables which include information on diagnostic companies that market personalized medicine in vitro diagnostic tests and/or services through their own CLIA laboratory Survey of 157 participants (including pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical companies, diagnostic companies, CROs, universities or research institutes, clinical/reference/hospital laboratories, among others) with experience working with personalized medicine Interviews with pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies actively participating in personalized medicine

About the Author Lucy J. Sannes, PhD, MBA, is president of Sannes & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in evaluation and management of the biosciences. Before forming Sannes & Associates, she held management positions at Genetic Systems and Abbott Laboratories in product development, product support, and technical marketing. Dr. Sannes received her PhD in biological chemistry from the University of Michigan and her MBA from Seattle Pacific University.

Table of Contents

Introduction Executive Summary

Chapter 1 Introduction

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Companion Diagnostics and Other Aspects of Personalized Medicine

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Public release date: 11-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jen Middleton j.middleton@wellcome.ac.uk 44-207-611-7262 Wellcome Trust

A clinical trial is underway for a potential new treatment for type 1 diabetes that could eventually mean patients are able to reduce insulin treatment from several times a day to only once or twice a week. The new treatment is a direct result of research to understand the genetics of the disease.

Type 1 diabetes is the most common severe chronic autoimmune disease worldwide and the incidence of the disease is rising rapidly. It causes the immune system to mistake cells in the pancreas as harmful and attack them. When these cells are damaged the pancreas is unable to produce insulin, which plays an essential role in transferring glucose out of the bloodstream and into cells to be converted into energy. The management of type 1 diabetes usually involves measuring the amount of glucose in the blood and injecting artificial insulin to make up for the insulin the pancreas is not producing.

Type 1 diabetes is known to be a genetically complex disease there is no single gene that causes the disease, but rather dozens of genes that increase the risk of developing the disease. However, genetic studies have identified variants of one particular gene known as interleukin-2, or IL2 which appears to play a prominent role. IL-2 is important in helping regulate the immune system.

Now, for the first time, researchers at Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Wellcome Trust funded Cambridge Institute for Medical Research (CIMR) at the University of Cambridge are investigating whether interleukin-2 in the form of a drug called aldesleukin (Proleukin) could be used to halt the damage to the pancreas in people with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes and, if so, what dose of the drug is required for the best results.

Professor John Todd, FRS from the JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, University of Cambridge says: "Studying the genetics of type 1 diabetes has proved essential to help us understand what is happening in the disease at a cellular and molecular level. This type of research takes time, but we are now beginning to test its true potential for improving the lives of patients in our innovative translational medicine programme."

The clinical trial is being led by Dr Frank Waldron-Lynch from the University of Cambridge and is coordinated by the Cambridge Clinical Trials Unit at Addenbrooke's Hospital. Dr Waldron-Lynch adds: "Type 1 diabetes is a potentially very serious disease that requires lifelong treatment and regular insulin injections throughout the day. Our aim is to use aldesleukin to rebalance the immune system so that patients can significantly reduce the number of insulin injections needed to just once or twice a week by slowing the progression of the disease."

The first two participants have been enrolled onto the trial and have received treatment. At the moment, the trial is to help gauge the necessary dose in adults, beginning with very low doses; ultimately, the researchers hope to be able to use this treatment in children.

Dr Waldron-Lynch says that so far the results have been very positive, even on a very low dose, with no detectable side effects. However, they are looking to recruit more participants to the "aDaptive study of IL-2 dose on regulatory T cells in type 1 Diabetes" (DILT1D) to help them determine with confidence whether the drug is effective and at what dose.

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Genetic studies lead to clinical trial of new treatment for type 1 diabetes

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SAN DIEGO, June 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Sequenom, Inc. (SQNM), a life sciences company providing innovative genetic analysis solutions, today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, the Sequenom Center for Molecular Medicine (Sequenom CMM), has completed the build-out and validation of an additional laboratory location in Raleigh-Durham, NC, and is now processing patient samples commercially. This new laboratory location adds capacity and redundancy to the existing Sequenom CMM laboratory locations in California and Michigan.

With an initial capacity of 100,000 tests per year, the North Carolina facility will primarily support processing of the MaterniT21 PLUS laboratory-developed test (LDT) and will immediately increase Sequenom CMM's total MaterniT21 PLUS testing capacity to over 300,000 test samples per year. This practice-changing prenatal LDT analyzes the relative amount of chromosome 21, 18, and 13, as well as X and Y material in cell-free fetal DNA obtained from a maternal blood sample as early as 10 weeks ofpregnancy.

"We are excited about the opening in North Carolina of our third US-based laboratory location. Our investment in establishing this new presence on the East coast will allow us to better meet the needs of health care providers by providing critical additional capacity and geographic back-up needed to address the rapidly growing adoption of our testing services," said William Welch, President and COO, Sequenom, Inc.

The new laboratory location received its Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) registration for operation in May of 2013.

The MaterniT21 PLUS LDT is intended for use in pregnant women at increased risk for fetal aneuploidy.Estimates suggest there are about 750,000 pregnancies at high risk for fetal aneuploidy each year in the United States. The MaterniT21 PLUS test is available exclusively through the Sequenom CMM as a testing service provided to physicians. To learn more about the test, please visit http://www.Sequenomcmm.com.

About SequenomSequenom, Inc. (SQNM) is a life sciences company committed to improving healthcare through revolutionary genetic analysis solutions. Sequenom develops innovative technology, products and diagnostic tests that target and serve discovery and clinical research, and molecular diagnostics markets. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in San Diego, California. Sequenom maintains a Web site at http://www.sequenom.com to which Sequenom regularly posts copies of its press releases as well as additional information about Sequenom. Interested persons can subscribe on the Sequenom Web site to email alerts or RSS feeds that are sent automatically when Sequenom issues press releases, files its reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission or posts certain other information to the Web site.

About Sequenom Center for Molecular MedicineSequenom Center for Molecular Medicine (Sequenom CMM) is a CAP accredited and CLIA-certified molecular diagnostics reference laboratory currently with three locations dedicated to the development and commercialization of laboratory-developed tests for prenatal and eye conditions and diseases. Utilizing innovative proprietary technologies, Sequenom CMM provides test results that can be used by health care professionals in managing patient care. Testing services are available only upon request by physicians. Sequenom CMM works closely with key opinion leaders and experts in obstetrics, retinal care and genetics. Sequenom CMM scientists use a variety of sophisticated and cutting-edge methodologies in the development and validation of tests. Sequenom CMM is changing the landscape in genetic diagnostics. Visit http://www.sequenomcmm.com for more information on laboratory testing services.

SEQUENOM, Sequenom CMM , MaterniT21 and MaterniT21 PLUS are trademarks of Sequenom, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, including statements regarding the Company's expectations regarding the impact, utility and benefits of the North Carolina facility, and the growing adoption of Sequenom CMM's testing services, the Company's commitment to improving healthcare through revolutionary genetic analysis solutions, and Sequenom CMM's dedication to the development and commercialization of laboratory-developed tests for prenatal and eye conditions and diseases and changing the landscape in genetic diagnostics, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the risks and uncertainties associated with market demand for and acceptance and use of technology and tests such as the MaterniT21 PLUS test, reliance upon the collaborative efforts of other parties such as, without limitation, healthcare providers, international distributors and licensees, the Company or third parties obtaining or maintaining regulatory approvals that impact the Company's business, government regulation particularly with respect to diagnostic products and laboratory developed tests, publication processes, the performance of designed product enhancements, the Company's ability to develop and commercialize technologies and products, particularly new technologies such as noninvasive prenatal diagnostics, laboratory developed tests, and genetic analysis platforms, the Company's financial position, the timing and amount of reimbursement that Sequenom CMM receives from payors for its laboratory developed tests, the Company's ability to manage its existing cash resources or raise additional cash resources, competition, intellectual property protection and intellectual property rights of others, litigation involving the Company, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, its most recently filed reports on Form 8-K, and its most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on current information that may change and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the issuance of this press release.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20040415/SQNMLOGO)

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Sequenom CMM Opens New CLIA Lab Facility In North Carolina

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Public release date: 11-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Deirdre Branley sciencenews@einstein.yu.edu 718-430-3101 Albert Einstein College of Medicine

June 11, 2013 (BRONX, NY) Today, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University convened a one-day conference on Jewish genetics designed to encourage collaboration and advance the field of research. Such research could help scientists identify causes and potential treatments for population-specific diseases as well as more common disorders afflicting the general population.

The genetic makeup of Ashkenazi Jews is relatively homogenous, which makes it easier to identify gene variations that cause disease. By bringing together scientists who investigate Jewish genetics with those at disease-specific research centers, the conference organizers hope to encourage new, productive research partnerships that could uncover the causes of debilitating conditions.

Twenty researchers from ten institutions are participating. From diabetes and arthritis to intellectual disabilities and Alzheimer's disease, a range of disorders are represented. Scientists studying Jewish genetics as well as those working with Latino/Hispanic, Amish and other racial and ethnic groups will also attend.

"We would like to see new research centers or other large-scale, multi-investigator studies established that can mine Jewish genomic data for clues to disease," said Harry Ostrer, M.D., one of the conference organizers and professor of pathology, of genetics, and of pediatrics at Einstein and director of genetic and genomic testing at Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital for Einstein.

"Several fruitful collaborations have already occurred in the field including the Jewish HapMap Project and The Ashkenazi Genome Consortium and we would like to expand that," noted Gil Atzmon, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at Einstein.

In addition to Drs. Ostrer and Atzmon, other organizers of the conference are Nicole Schreiber-Argus, Ph.D., assistant professor of genetics at Einstein and Itsik Pe'er, Ph.D., at Columbia University.

The one-day event is titled "Genetic Research and Discovery in Jewish Populations: Toward Large-Scale Sustainable Efforts."

###

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Albert Einstein College of Medicine hosts conference on Jewish genetic research

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Desafió Team LoL: Clan Genetics Gameteam (Argentina) v/s Chilean Legends (Chile)
Partida Desafio team en lol contra Genetics Gaming de argentina, que ocurrira? Suscribanse den like comenten y compartanlo con sus amigos. Recuerda que te pu...

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TY Expo 2013 Delta 9 Genetics
Ed shows us his meds and talks about cannabis seeds...

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Genetics- Biomed Extra Credit
Taylor Swift #39;s 22 spoof off.

By: Karen Le

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Genetics- Biomed Extra Credit - Video

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Let #39;s Play The Sims 3 - Perfect Genetics Challenge - Episode 17
My Sims 3 Page: http://mypage.thesims3.com/mypage/Llandros2012 My Blog: http://Llandros09.blogspot.com My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Llandros09?ref=t...

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Let's Play The Sims 3 - Perfect Genetics Challenge - Episode 17 - Video

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Newswise BETHESDA, MD June 11, 2013 The Genetics Society of America (GSA) is pleased to announce the selection of five early career researchers one graduate student and four postdoctoral researchers as recipients of a fall 2013 DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics. The award is a $1,000 travel grant for each researcher to attend any national or international meeting, conference or laboratory course that will enhance his or her career.

The DeLill Nasser Award is one of GSAs most inspiring programs because it enables the Society to play a direct role in supporting the professional development of our student and postdoc members, said Adam Fagen, PhD, Executive Director of GSA. It is clear that the future of genetics is bright, with researchers like these awardees leading the way.

The DeLill Nasser Award was established by GSA in 2001 to honor its namesake, DeLill Nasser (19292000), a long-time GSA member who provided critical support to many early career researchers during her 22 years as program director in eukaryotic genetics at the National Science Foundation. Since the formation of this award, nearly 100 graduate students and postdocs have received funding for travel to further their career goals and enhance their education. The program is supported by GSA, and with charitable donations from members of the genetics community.

The five recipients of the fall 2013 DeLill Nasser Awards, their institutions and the conference or course each intends to attend are listed below. To see the pictures associated with this release, please click here.

Brian J. Arnold Graduate Student, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics, July 1419, 2013, Biddeford, ME

Sara Beese-Sims, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA Epigenetics: Mechanisms and Implications, August 49, 2013, Smithfield, RI

Kingsley Boateng, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD FASEB Science Research Conference on Genetic Recombination and Genome Rearrangement, July 2126, 2013, Steamboat Springs, CO

Kerry Geiler-Samerotte, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher, New York University, New York, NY Ecological and Evolutionary Genomics, July 1419, 2013, Biddeford, ME

Aleeza Gerstein, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN Molecular Mycology: Current Approaches to Fungal Pathogenesis, July 31August 16, 2013, Woods Hole, MA

Applications were reviewed by the DeLill Nasser Award Selection Committee: Chair Marnie Halpern, PhD (Carnegie Inst for Science) and members Tim Christensen, PhD (East Carolina Univ); Matthew Hahn, PhD (Indiana Univ); R. Scott Hawley, PhD (Stowers Inst for Medical Research); Kristin Latham, PhD (Western Oregon Univ); Terry Orr-Weaver, PhD (Whitehead Institute and MIT); Helen K. Salz, PhD (Case Western Reserve Univ); Nadia Singh, PhD (North Carolina State Univ); and Jeffrey Williams Thomas, PhD, nephew of DeLill Nasser.

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The Genetics Society of America Announces Fall 2013 DeLill Nasser Travel Award Recipients

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Seattle Genetics, Inc. (SGEN) recently commenced a phase I/II study to evaluate Adcetris in combination with Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.s (TEVA) Treanda (bendamustine) for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients after first relapse.

The single-arm, open-label study is divided into two cohorts. The phase I cohorts primary endpoint is to find the recommended dosing level of Treanda in combination with Adcetris and evaluate the safety and tolerability of this combination.

The complete remission rate will be assessed as the primary endpoint of the phase II cohort. Secondary endpoints include best response, duration of response and progression-free survival.

After receiving Adcetris plus Treanda patients will have an option to suspend the therapy and undergo an autologous stem cell transplant (:ASCT) following which treatment with single-agent Adcetris will be resumed.

Seattle Genetics also announced that Adcetris data on first line salvage therapy in relapsed/refractory HL was presented recently. In this study, 85.7% of the patients showed an objective response rate.

In May 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration (:FDA) accepted a supplemental biologics license application (sBLA) for Adcetris for retreatment and extended duration of medication with the drug beyond 16 cycles in relapsed HL and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL).

We note that Adcetris was approved by the FDA in Aug 2011 for the treatment of patients with HL after failure of ASCT or after failure of at least two prior multi-agent chemotherapy regimens in patients who are not suitable for ASCT. Adcetris was also approved for sALCL in treatment-experienced patients.

Seattle Genetics carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Right now, Anika Therapeutics Inc. (ANIK) and Myriad Genetics Inc. (MYGN) look more attractive with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Read the Full Research Report on MYGN

Read the Full Research Report on TEVA

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SGEN Starts Adcetris Phase I/II Study

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Long before there were life hacks, there was folk wisdom. One classic kitchen tip was to put a ripe apple in a paper bag with a green banana to speed the bananas ripening. Chemically, ethylene gas released by the ripe apple caused the banana to become yellow and delicious. A similar chemical reaction causes one bad apple to spoil the whole bunch, because a single piece of ripe fruit speeds up the ripening and subsequent rotting of its neighbors.

However, until now, the exact genetic mechanism behind this kitchen chemistry had been a mystery.

What If the Planet Turns on Us?

Recent research discovered that etylene gas acts as a hormone to activate a particular gene in plants DNA, known as Ethylene Insensitive3 (EIN3). Ethylenes effect on that gene then ripples out and causes a multitude of other chemical reactions in fruits and many other plants. The study was published online in eLife.

I have been trying, for several decades, to understand how a simple gastwo carbons and four hydrogenscan cause such profound changes in a plant, said study co-author Joseph R. Ecker of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in a press release. Now we can see that by altering the expression of one protein, ethylene produces cascading waves of gene activation that profoundly alters the biology of the plant.

Now that we know the genes that ethylene ultimately activates, we will be able to identify the key genes and proteins involved in each of these branch pathways, and this might help us manipulate the discrete functions this hormone regulates, said Ecker.

DNA Map Leads to Abundant, Tasty Chocolate

Manipulating ethylenes effects on EIN3 could allow:

Breeding or engineering plants that slow down growth at specific times

Accelerating or slowing fruit ripening

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Genetics of Barrel-Spoiling Bad Apples

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HELSINKI , June 12, 2013 /CNW/ - Blueprint Genetics has launched a new genetic testing technology for professional use in hospitals. The gene sequencing technology is based on Stanford University research and can effectively analyse rare hereditary human diseases. The company started its operations in 2012 in Helsinki .

The tests of Blueprint Genetics enable efficient diagnosis of difficult hereditary diseases. Today there are almost 4000 recognized diseases with a genetic background. The results of genetic tests will help physicians in reaching their diagnoses, predicting the course of the disease, choosing treatments, and efficient screening of relatives. The first tests of Blueprint Genetics focus on hereditary cardiovascular diseases.

The company aims to bring genetic diagnostics into the daily routines of healthcare organizations by lowering the barrier to start using genetic testing. This will be enabled by offering tests that are more comprehensive, more cost-effective and faster than existing tests. The geneticists and clinicians at Blueprint Genetics will interpret the test results and give statements directly to the treating physicians within three weeks from sample reception.

Blueprint Genetics targets international diagnostics markets and will begin its operations in the EU area. The international recommendations for the use of genetic diagnostics are increasing rapidly and current research advocates comprehensive testing for hereditary diseases. According to Blueprint Genetics, there have never been so comprehensive, or easy-to-use tests available for a price level that is feasible for clinical use.

The company has a strong background in medical genetics research. " Finland is a great place to start an international genetics growth company. We have a huge amount of knowledge and resources in Finland and the genetics research is globally recognized," says Tommi Lehtonen, CEO of Blueprint Genetics.

Blueprint Genetics provides advanced professional genetic testing for rare diseases. The company started its operations in 2012 and provides diagnostics for cardiovascular, neurological and eye disorders. Currently the company employs 11 employees and is based in Helsinki , Finland .

SOURCE: Blueprint Genetics

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A Finnish Company Enters International Markets With World Class Genetics Technology

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Chapter 9, Part VI (Gene therapy, HGP, cloning)
Chapter 9, Part VI (Gene therapy, HGP, cloning)

By: 4926btrout

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How to Predict and Improve Your Future Health with Gene Therapy
Gene therapy and DNA analysis now makes it possible for us to predict our genetic disposition to disease. Using the information gathered from a simple saliva...

By: MetroMD

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Public release date: 11-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Rhiannon Bugno Biol.Psych@utsouthwestern.edu 214-648-0880 Elsevier

Philadelphia, PA, June 11, 2013 There is growing evidence that a gene variant that reduces the plasticity of the nervous system also modulates responses to treatments for mood and anxiety disorders. In this case, patients with posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, with a less functional variant of the gene coding for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), responded less well to exposure therapy.

This gene has been implicated previously in treatment response. Basic science studies have convincingly shown that BDNF levels are an important modifier of the therapeutic effects of antidepressants in animal models. Other researchers have made similar findings in a small group of depressed patients treated with the rapid-acting antidepressant ketamine. Low BDNF plasma levels also have been linked to poorer effects of cognitive rehabilitation in schizophrenia. BDNF infused directly into the infralimbic prefrontal cortex in rats was found to extinguish conditioned fear, and BDNF levels were found to modulate the amount of fear extinction.

"Findings are accumulating to suggest that BDNF is an important modifier of the responses to a number of clinical interventions, presumably because BDNF is such an important regulator of neuroplasticity, i.e., the ability of the brain to adapt," said Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry.

In this study, researchers from Australia and Puerto Rico teamed up to investigate the influence of the BDNF Val66Met genotype on response to exposure therapy in patients with PTSD. They recruited 55 patients, all of whom participated in an 8-week exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy program.

Exposure therapy is currently the most effective treatment for PTSD, although it does not work for everyone. This type of therapy is delivered over multiple one-on-one sessions with a trained therapist, with a goal of reducing patients' fear and anxiety.

They found that patients with the Met-66 allele of BDNF, compared with patients with the Val/Val allele, showed poorer response to exposure therapy.

"This paper reflects an important and significant advance, in translating recent ground-breaking findings in animal and human neuroscience into clinically anxious populations," said first author Dr. Kim Felmingham.

She added, "Findings from this study support a widely held, but largely untested, hypothesis that extinction is necessary for exposure therapy. It also provides evidence that genotypes influence response to cognitive behavior therapy."

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Posttraumatic stress disorder treatment: Genetic predictor of response to exposure therapy

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Project Walk Carlsbad - Jody P. Spinal Cord Injury Client
Jody suffered a C5/6 spinal cord injury after falling down a flight of stairs in September of 2012. She was quoted as saying: "I have gained and learned more...

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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SanBio Inc., a California-based regenerative medicine company, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved their Investigational New Drug application (IND) for the use of SB623, a novel allogeneic stem cell therapy product, in patients suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI's). This approval allows the company to proceed with a Phase 1/2a clinical trial testing the safety and feasibility of the therapy. The clinical trial is expected to be carried out at several major hospitals in the United States.

"This is the second clinical program for SanBio," said Keita Mori, SanBio's Chief Executive Officer, "we see this as a clear validation of our development program and a significant broadening of the therapeutic application of our lead product SB623 for the treatment of unaddressed chronic neurological deficits."

"We measure the responses of TBI patients to physical therapy every day. Progress is often painfully slow and incremental," said Dr. Daniel Lu, Principal Investigator, Neuroplasticity and Repair Laboratory and Director, Neuromotor Recovery Research Center, University of California, Los Angeles, "If this new cell therapy approach improves outcomes it could have a dramatic positive effect on many lives."

About Traumatic Brain Injury: According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more the 1.7 million people in the United States sustain a traumatic brain injury each year, resulting in approximately 50,000 deaths and 275,000 hospitalizations. Many of these more severely injured patients suffer permanent disabilities, including loss of motor function and cognitive impairment. Other than physical rehabilitation there is no effective therapy. Direct medical costs and indirect costs such as lost productivity of TBI totaled an estimated $76.5 billion in the United States in 2000.

About SB623: SB623 is a proprietary cell therapy product consisting of cells derived from genetically modified bone marrow stromal cells obtained from healthy adult donors. SB623 is administered adjacent to the damaged area of the brain. SB623 functions by producing factors 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 FDA Clearance for the Initiation of a Phase I/2a Clinical Trial Testing Their Cell Therapy Product ...

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Newswise New Brunswick, N.J., June 10, 2013 Darren Carpizo, MD, PhD, a surgical oncologist in the Liver Cancer and Bile Duct Cancer Care Program at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Sidney Kimmel Foundation for Cancer Research to further explore the effects of a compound identified in his laboratory found to restore tumor suppressor function of a mutated gene in cancer cells. Dr. Carpizo, an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, is one of 15 investigators nationwide selected to receive the Kimmel Scholar Award out of more than 160 applicants.

The current trend in research of new anti-cancer drugs is to identify the genes that are most important to disable in a cancer cell and then find a drug that will disable these genes. The loss of tumor suppressor function in the p53 gene in cancer is a principal mechanism behind a normal cell becoming cancerous and one of the reasons why p53 is the most commonly mutated gene in human cancer. Restoring the tumor suppressor function of p53 in a cancer cell causes cancer cells to die, underlying the importance of finding a drug that will aid in that restoration.

Carpizos laboratory recently identified a drug compound that restores the tumor suppressor function of mutated p53 and serves as a lead agent in developing anti-cancer drugs targeted toward this particular mutation. As part of the teams previous research, it was demonstrated that this compound selectively kills cancer cells containing a specific type of p53 mutation while leaving normal cells undisturbed.

I am honored to receive this award from the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Foundation, as it will enable our team to continue investigation of this compound to understand the molecular mechanism that this drug uses to produce this effect. Understanding the mechanism of action of a new anti-cancer agent is an essential step in the drug development process to produce a drug that can be used in patients, noted Carpizo. Carpizo and colleagues also will study several other compounds that are chemically related to determine if they can perform a similar function.

The award period begins July 1.

About the Cancer Institute of New Jersey The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (www.cinj.org) is the states first and only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center dedicated to improving the detection, treatment and care of patients with cancer, and serving as an education resource for cancer prevention. Physician-scientists at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey engage in translational research, transforming their laboratory discoveries into clinical practice, quite literally bringing research to life. To make a tax-deductible gift to support the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, call 732-235-8614 or visit http://www.cinjfoundation.org. Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/theCINJ. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is a Center of Excellence of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Network is comprised of hospitals throughout the state and provides the highest quality cancer care and rapid dissemination of important discoveries into the community. Flagship Hospital: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. System Partner: Meridian Health (Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Ocean Medical Center, Riverview Medical Center, Southern Ocean Medical Center, and Bayshore Community Hospital). Major Clinical Research Affiliate Hospitals: Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Morristown Medical Center, Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Overlook Medical Center, and Cooper University Hospital. Affiliate Hospitals: CentraState Healthcare System, JFK Medical Center, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (CINJ Hamilton), Shore Medical Center, Somerset Medical Center, The University Hospital/UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School*, and University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro. *Academic Affiliate

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$200K Grant to Cancer Institute of New Jersey Researcher Enables Further Study of Drug Compound that Restores Tumor ...

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LONDON, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 11, 2013) -Critical Outcome Technologies Inc. (TSX VENTURE:COT) ("COTI" or the "Corporation") announces positive results from experiments carried out with its lead cancer drug candidate, COTI2, in the cancer research laboratories of Gordon Mills, M.D., Ph.D. Chair of the Department of Systems Biology and the Codirector of the Khalifa Institute for Personalized Cancer Therapy at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. These preclinical experiments were designed to definitively determine the effect of COTI2 in 32 common p53 mutations. The p53 gene is a tumor suppressing gene. However, if the p53 gene is mutated, cancers often develop and grow out of control.

"These results are encouraging given the central importance of p53 gene mutations in many cancers," stated Dr. Mills. "Our research and data confirm that COTI2 is most active in mutant p53 tumors and the effect of COTI2 in many specific p53 mutations is striking. In addition, it appears that this effect can be augmented by the presence of mutations in the AKT signaling pathway. The preclinical data with COTI2 in cell lines, animal models and the potential mechanism of action warrant clinical trials. These clinical trials should evaluate both response and the utility of biomarkers to select patients. If COTI2 proves to be highly active in people with p53 mutant tumors, this would represent a breakthrough therapy for many cancer patients."

"New therapies that target mutations of genes such as p53 represent a promising approach compared to conventional organspecific cancer treatments," said Dr. Wayne Danter, COTI's CEO. "These important results confirm and extend our understanding of the mechanism of action ("MOA") of COTI2. While previous internal research indicated that COTI2's effectiveness was related to the p53 mutation status of the tumor, the quality and amount of scientific data provided by Dr. Mills are definitive and answer the remaining MOA questions posed by potential licensing partners who are waiting for these results."

Extensive data from the experiments have demonstrated that:

Other COTI2 highlights:

About p53 gene mutations:

Mutations of the p53 gene are the most common genetic alterations in human cancers, occurring in:

About Critical Outcome Technologies Inc. (COTI)

COTI is a leading-edge technology company specializing in accelerating the discovery and development of small molecules - dramatically reducing the time and cost to bring new drugs to market. COTI'S proprietary artificial intelligence system, CHEMSAS, utilizes a series of predictive computer models to identify compounds with a high probability of being successfully developed from disease specific drug discovery through chemical optimization and preclinical testing. These compounds are targeted for a variety of diseases, particularly those for which current treatments are either lacking or ineffective.

For more information, visit http://www.criticaloutcome.com.

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Critical Outcome Technologies Inc.: Promising Advance for Many Common Cancers

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CARLSBAD, Calif., June 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Life Technologies Corporation (LIFE) announced today the introduction of Oncomine Next Gen Sequencing Power Tools, an analytics offering that will allow cancer researchers to explore results from in-depth analysis of next generation sequencing (NGS) data, including data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. In total, more than 4,500 paired tumor and samples have been analyzed to date.

"NGS has significant potential to deliver insights into what drives cancers and how the disease might be combated," saidDan Rhodes, Ph.D., head of medical science informatics forLife Technologies. "However, the field has only begun to take advantage of the enormous amounts of data becoming available. The Oncomine NGS Power Tools provide simple access to comprehensive findings, many of them novel, from a team with a proven track record of mining scientific value from big data."

Oncomine NGS Power Tools constitutes a suite of software tools that enable cancer researchers to easily survey novel predicted driver mutations and gene fusions across all cancers and within two dozen specific cancers types, as well as explore simple summary analyses that integrate multiple types of gene and pathway aberrations with clinical data.

In addition to basic research applications, the NGS tools also provide a foundation for specialized biomarker services to pharma and biotech customers in their efforts to evaluate NGS data for biomarker and companion diagnostic development.

With collaborators from the University of Michigan Medical School, Life Technologies scientists used the NGS Power Tools to discover FGFR gene fusions across a range of cancer types. These results are reported in the current issue of Cancer Discovery.

The investigators discovered FGFR fusions across a highly diverse set of nine distinct tumor types, including lung squamous cell cancer, bladder cancer, thyroid cancer, oral cancer, glioblastoma, and head and neck squamous cell cancer. Normal cell lines transfected with fusion constructs exhibited enhanced growth that was sensitive to FGFR inhibitors, indicating that the fusion genes were in fact acting to drive the cancers.

"We found that FGFR fusions occur across many more tumor types than has been previously reported," said Rhodes. "As a number of clinical trials for FGFR inhibitors are underway, these data underscore the importance of conducting trials based on mutation profiles rather than tissue of origin."

"Life Tech's Oncomine NGS Tools provide access to a substantial collection of results from NGS analysis, not available from any other source," said Dan Robinson, Ph.D., assistant research professor at the Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School. "With early access, we were able to expand our conclusions on the importance of targeting FGFR gene fusions in human cancer."

The new Oncomine offering extends the Power Tools product line, which includes Oncomine Mutation Browser, Copy Number Browser, and Gene Expression Browser, all containing data from both sequencing and microarray studies and utilized by pharmaceutical companies in their drug discovery and development work. In addition to products serving the pharmaceutical industry, Life Technologies recently launched the Oncomine Gene Browser for the academic and smaller biotech market. The Gene Browser provides a comprehensive gene summary at a moderate price point and is ideal for researchers working with small numbers of genes.

The Oncomine product line was initially developed by Compendia Bioscience, which was acquired by Life Technologies in October, 2012.

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Life Technologies Launches Compendia Oncomine® NGS Power Tools for Cancer Researchers, Discovers Novel Gene Fusions

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Suzanne Miles logs DNA samples into the Myriad Genetics computer system so they can be tracked during the analysis process.

Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to announce sometime this month whether it is possible to patent human genes.

The American Civil Liberties Union represented research scientists and health advocates who teamed up in 2009 to challenge patents issued in the 1990s to Myriad Genetics, a Utah-based biotech company, and the University of Utah Research Foundation. Myriad has patented the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes; mutations indicate a hereditary predisposition to certain breast and ovarian cancers. The Supreme Court heard arguments in April in the case of Association for Molecular Pathology, et al. v. Myriad Genetics Inc.

Before the court

The ACLU briefing notes said that Myriads monopoly on the BRCA genes makes it impossible for women to access other tests or get a second opinion about their results and allows Myriad to charge a high rate for its test over $3,000. Critics said the company, which has vigorously enforced its patents, has blocked development and use of better technologies and driven up costs.

Advocates of the patents and Myriad Genetics said companies must be able to reap financial rewards for investment in genetic research and that isolating genes and other processes amount to invention that can be patented. Myriad spokesman Ron Rogers said the test is covered by all insurance companies and pricing is in line with other molecular diagnostic tests. If someone doesn't have insurance, Myriad provides inexpensive and sometimes free testing, he said.

Theres no question that the tests Myriad developed to find BRCA mutations can be patented. But lower courts have been divided on whether Myriad can claim that isolating and pulling out that gene from the human body is creative enough to patent, since nature cannot be patented. The federal district court tossed the patents. An appeals court disagreed with the lower court, 2-1, and ruled Myriad Genetics made the genes more useful when it isolated segments. That court was unanimous in saying that cDNA, which resulted from removing noncoding material, was patentable.

The choices

The Supreme Court has three options, said Shobita Parthasarathy, associate professor in the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan.

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Can a human gene be patented? Utah company says yes; Supreme Court poised to decide

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Public release date: 10-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 x2156 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, June 10, 2013The Genetics Policy Institute (GPI) and Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers have announced that the 2013 World Stem Cell Report will be published as a special supplement to the peer-reviewed journal Stem Cells and Development. Dr. Graham Parker and Bernard Siegel will serve as Co-Editors-in-Chief, joined by Rosario Isasi (McGill University) as Managing Editor.

It was also announced that Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers and Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), a Liebert publication, will become joint platinum media sponsors of the GPI's 2013 World Stem Cell Summit that will take place at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, December 4 in San Diego, CA.

Bernard Siegel, Executive Director of GPI and Founder and Co-chair of the Summit said, "We are proud to partner with Graham Parker and the skilled editorial team at Stem Cells and Development to publish our annual Report. The Journal's extensive audience, combined with the reach of the community attending and supporting the World Stem Cell Summit, will allow our readership to expand exponentially. We will continue to provide an array of specialized articles offering unique insights of leading policy-makers, regulators, and experts in law, ethics, advocacy, industry, and philanthropy from countries, regions, and states. The Report fills a critical unmet need by providing a global framework for all stakeholders."

Mary Ann Liebert, publisher & CEO of both Stem Cells and Development and GEN stated, "We are delighted to be working with a key thought leader and senior statesman for the field, Bernie Siegel, and his GPI team on this important collaboration. The World Stem Cell Report delivers an orbital and unique viewpoint, with content that is timely, comprehensive, and direct. We are proud to add this important annual publication to our many journals that intersect the world of regenerative medicine."

GEN Editor-in-Chief John Sterling stated, "The World Stem Cell Summit is the critical global meeting, providing the best opportunity for the GEN community to participate in the world of regenerative medicine. Our platinum media sponsorship allows GEN readers, both in print and online, and advertisers to have a front row seat to listen and learn from the top experts on the very dynamic and expertly conceptualized Summit platform."

The Report will be made available to all subscribers of Stem Cells and Development and complimentary to attendees of the World Stem Cell Summit. The Summit program delivers on the "big picture" featuring 170+ prominent scientists, business leaders, regulators, policy-makers, advocates, economic development officers, experts in law and ethics, and visionary gurus who will discuss the latest scientific discoveries, business models, legal and regulatory solutions, and best practices. The Summit is expected to attract attendees from more than 40 nations.

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About Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

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World Stem Cell Summit to be presented by Genetics Policy Institute, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., and Genetic Engineering ...

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