WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Alliance Defending Freedom and the Jubilee Campaign together with Tom Hungar of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher today filed a petition for certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Sherley v. Sebelius, which seeks to end federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research.

Of the petition David Prentice, Ph.D., senior fellow for life sciences at the Family Research Council's Center for Human Life and Bioethics, made the following comments:

"Even as the Nobel Prize committee honors Japanese scientist Shinya Yamanaka for introducing ethical induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to the field of medicine, the Obama administration is fighting to continue wasting taxpayer money on unethical embryonic stem cell research, which relies on the destruction of young human life. A plain reading of federal law would specifically prohibit funding of embryonic stem cell research. After years of wasting taxpayer dollars as well as lives on ethically-tainted experiments, it's time for the federal government to start putting that money into lifesaving and ethical adult stem cell research, the gold standard for patient treatments. Such research is saving thousands of lives now lives like that of Chloe Levine who beat cerebral palsy with the help of adult stem cells. Each precious life at every stage and every age deserves our respect, and we should devote our resources and time to the ethical stem cell research that has the best chance of preserving life adult stem cells.

"We are pleased to see this suit move forward, and hope that the Supreme Court will agree to its review and uphold the clear intent of federal law to protect human life from experimentation."

To watch a video about Chloe Levine and adult stem cell therapy, click here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ojjT4yRd5Es

To learn more about adult stem cells, click here : http://www.stemcellresearchfacts.org/

SOURCE Family Research Council

See the rest here:
FRC Supports Alliance Defending Freedom, Jubilee Campaign Cert Petition to Supreme Court on Stem Cell Funding

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Proceeds from the outing benefit spinal cord injury research, rehabilitation and quality of life programs

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) October 10, 2012

As someone who has faced a spinal cord injury, I can tell you that the difference between surviving and thriving is support, said Adam Taliaferro, founder of the Adam Taliaferro Foundation and former patient of Magee Rehabilitation Hospital. The Golf Outing is my way of giving back, of bolstering the research, rehab and programs that helped me, to ensure all people with spinal cord injuries have the same opportunities that made my recovery so successful.

A cornerback for Penn State University, Adam sustained a spinal cord injury on the football field in 2000 while making a clean hit in a game against Ohio State. Told by doctors he may never walk again, Adam came to Magee for his rehabilitation and walked out of the hospital just months later. He founded the Adam Taliaferro Foundation to provide emotional, financial and educational support to individuals who have sustained a catastrophic head or spinal cord injury in sanctioned team events in New Jersey, Pennsylvania or Delaware.

Adam Taliaferro is a prime example of how hard work, determination, top-quality therapy and steadfast support can lead to a recovery that exceeds expectations, said Dr. Jack Carroll, President and CEO of Magee Rehabilitation Hospital. We are grateful to Adam and the Adam Taliaferro Foundation for their dedication to the support of people with disabilities, and are extremely proud to partner with them for this annual event.

The 2nd Annual Adam Taliaferro Foundation & Magee Rehabilitation Golf Outing begins with registration and breakfast at 10:00 a.m. and tee-off at 11:30 a.m. The event includes brunch, golf, a cocktail hour with grand hors doeuvres, and live and silent auctions. To participate in the golf outing or to obtain more information about sponsorships, please contact the Magee Development Office at (215) 587-3090 or Gus Ostrum, Adam Taliaferro Foundation, at (609) 502-0424 or ostrumg(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Kimberly Shrack Magee Rehabilitation (215) 587-3363 Email Information

Read the rest here:
Magee Rehabilitation Hospital and Adam Taliaferro Foundation Tee Off for 2nd Annual Fundraiser

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka warned patients on Tuesday about unproven "stem cell therapies" offered at clinics and hospitals in a growing number of countries, saying they were highly risky.

The Internet is full of advertisements touting stem cell cures for just about any disease -- from diabetes, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, eye problems, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's to spinal cord injuries -- in countries such as China, Mexico, India, Turkey and Russia.

Yamanaka, who shared the Nobel Prize for Medicine on Monday with John Gurdon of the Gurdon Institute in Cambridge, Britain, called for caution.

"This type of practice is an enormous problem, it is a threat. Many so-called stem cell therapies are being conducted without any data using animals, preclinical safety checks," said Yamanaka of Kyoto University in Japan.

"Patients should understand that if there are no preclinical data in the efficiency and safety of the procedure that he or she is undergoing ... it could be very dangerous," he told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Yamanaka and Gurdon shared the Nobel Prize for the discovery that adult cells can be transformed back into embryo-like stem cells that may one day regrow tissue in damaged brains, hearts or other organs.

"I hope patients and lay people can understand there are two kinds of stem cell therapies. One is what we are trying to establish. It is solely based on scientific data. We have been conducting preclinical work, experiments with animals, like rats and monkeys," Yamanaka said.

"Only when we confirm the safety and effectiveness of stem cell therapies with animals will we initiate clinical trials using a small number of patients."

Yamanaka, who calls the master stem cells he created "induced pluripotent stem cells" (iPS), hopes to see the first clinical trials soon.

"There is much promising research going on," he said.

Original post:
Nobel prize winner in medicine warns of rogue 'stem cell therapies'

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NBS), an emerging leader in the fast growing cell therapy market, announced today that a new article published by the International Scholarly Research Network provides further evidence that AMR-001, NeoStem's lead product candidate through its Amorcyte subsidiary, appears capable of preserving heart muscle function following a large myocardial infarction. Amorcyte demonstrated in its Phase 1 trial that AMR-001 preserved heart muscle function when a therapeutic dose of cells was administered. No patient experienced a deterioration in heart muscle function who received 10 million cells or more whereas 30 to 40 percent of patients not receiving a therapeutic dose did. The new study shows that cardiac muscle function sparing effects are evident even earlier after treatment than previously shown.

The article titled "Assessment of myocardial contractile function using global and segmental circumferential strain following intracoronary stem cell infusion after myocardial infarction: MRI Feature Tracking Feasibility Study" by Sabha Bhatti, MD, et al. appears in ISRN Radiology Volume 2013, Article ID 371028 and is published online at http://www.isrn.com/journals/radiology/2013/371028. The publication by Dr. Bhatti and colleagues, including Dr. Andrew Pecora, Chief Medical Officer of NeoStem, supports the finding that AMR-001 preserves heart function. Previously, Amorcyte, a NeoStem subsidiary, showed that six months after STEMI AMR-001 improved blood flow to the heart and preserved heart muscle. By using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, specifically measuring circumferential strain of the left ventricle, the authors show that AMR-001's effects are evident by three months after STEMI.

AMR-001's angiogenic and anti-apoptotic mechanisms of action indicate that preservation of heart muscle function should start within weeks and be evident in fewer than 6 months. This publication, based on blinded analysis of Amorcyte's Phase 1 data, confirms the expected time course for AMR-001's mechanism of action. In the context of previously published results, these effects are durable.

Amorcyte is developing AMR-001, a cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, and is enrolling patients in a Phase 2 trial to investigate AMR-001's efficacy in preserving cardiac function and preventing adverse clinical events after a large myocardial infarction.

About NeoStem, Inc.

NeoStem, Inc. continues to develop and build on its core capabilities in cell therapy, capitalizing on the paradigm shift that we see occurring in medicine. In particular, we anticipate that cell therapy will have a significant role in the fight against chronic disease and in lessening the economic burden that these diseases pose to modern society. We are emerging as a technology and market leading company in this fast developing cell therapy market. Our multi-faceted business strategy combines a state-of-the-art contract development and manufacturing subsidiary, Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC ("PCT"), with a medically important cell therapy product development program, enabling near and long-term revenue growth opportunities. We believe this expertise and existing research capabilities and collaborations will enable us to achieve our mission of becoming a premier cell therapy company.

Our contract development and manufacturing service business supports the development of proprietary cell therapy products. NeoStem's most clinically advanced therapeutic, AMR-001, as mentioned above, is being developed at Amorcyte, LLC ("Amorcyte"), which we acquired in October 2011. Amorcyte is developing a cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and is enrolling patients in a Phase 2 trial to investigate AMR-001's efficacy in preserving heart function after a heart attack. Athelos Corporation ("Athelos"), which is approximately 80%-owned by our subsidiary, PCT, is collaborating with Becton-Dickinson in the early clinical exploration of a T-cell therapy for autoimmune conditions. In addition, pre-clinical assets include our VSELTM Technology platform as well as our mesenchymal stem cell product candidate for regenerative medicine. Our service business and pipeline of proprietary cell therapy products work in concert, giving us a competitive advantage that we believe is unique to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Supported by an experienced scientific and business management team and a substantial intellectual property estate, we believe we are well positioned to succeed.

Forward-Looking Statements for NeoStem, Inc.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations, as of the date of this press release, and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include statements herein with respect to the successful execution of the Company's business strategy, including with respect to the Company's or its partners' successful development of AMR-001 and other cell therapeutics, the size of the market for such products, its competitive position in such markets, the Company's ability to successfully penetrate such markets and the market for its CDMO business, and the efficacy of protection from its patent portfolio, as well as the future of the cell therapeutics industry in general, including the rate at which such industry may grow. Forward looking statements also include statements with respect to satisfying all conditions to closing the disposition of Erye, including receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals in the PRC. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward- looking statements as a result of various factors, including but not limited to (i) the Company's ability to manage its business despite operating losses and cash outflows, (ii) its ability to obtain sufficient capital or strategic business arrangement to fund its operations, including the clinical trials for AMR-001, (iii) successful results of the Company's clinical trials of AMR-001 and other cellular therapeutic products that may be pursued, (iv) demand for and market acceptance of AMR-001 or other cell therapies if clinical trials are successful and the Company is permitted to market such products, (v) establishment of a large global market for cellular-based products, (vi) the impact of competitive products and pricing, (vii) the impact of future scientific and medical developments, (viii) the Company's ability to obtain appropriate governmental licenses and approvals and, in general, future actions of regulatory bodies, including the FDA and foreign counterparts, (ix) reimbursement and rebate policies of government agencies and private payers, (x) the Company's ability to protect its intellectual property, (xi) the company's ability to successfully divest its interest in Erye, and (xii) matters described under the "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 20, 2012 and in the Company's other periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available on its website. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements. The Company's further development is highly dependent on future medical and research developments and market acceptance, which is outside its control.

See more here:
NeoStem Announces New Publication That Supports Positive Results of AMR-001 for Treatment of AMI

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

LA JOLLA, Calif., Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --New research directions are being explored to find therapies for hard to treat diseases. One exciting new approach is the use of autologous Adult Stem Cells. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the many notable diseasesadult stem cell therapycould potentially impact. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disorder in which an individual's own immune system attacks the 'myelin sheath'. The myelin sheath serves to protect the nerve cells within the body's central nervous system (CNS). The damage caused by MS may result in many types of symptoms including:

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121010/LA89802-INFO)

Currently there is no cure for MS, but MS stem cell therapiesattempt to slow the disease's progression and limit symptoms. Since adult stem cells have the ability to differentiate into many different types of cells, such as those required for proper functioning and protection of nerve cells, the use of adult stem cells for MS therapy could be of substantial value. Adult stem cells can be isolated with relative ease from an individual's own 'adipose' (fat) tissue. As a result, adult stem cell therapy is not subject to the ethical or religious issues troubling embryonic methods.

Encouragingly for MS treatment potential, scientific researchers have been studying the properties of adipose-derived stem cells. Their results from canine and equine studies suggest anti-inflammatory and regenerative roles for these stem cells. Also, further research findings suggest these adipose-derived stem cells can have specific immune-regulating properties. Markedly, clinical-based work conducted overseas has indicated that individuals suffering from MS could respond well to adipose-derived stem cell treatment, with a substantially improved quality of life.

The US based company, StemGenex, is pioneering new methods for using adipose derived adult stem cells to help in diseases with limited treatment options like MS. StemGenex has been conducting research with physicians over the last 5 years to advance adult stem cell treatment protocols for alleviating MS symptoms. StemGenex's proprietary protocol includes the use of a double activation process, which increases both the viability and the quantity of stem cells that are received in a single application.

To find out more about stem cell treatments contact StemGenex either by phone at 800.609.7795 or email at Contact@StemGenex.com.

Continue reading here:
StemGenex™ on Adult Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Vanderson Rocha, M.D., Ph.D., recognizedthroughout the world as a respected leader in the field of cord blood stem cell transplantation, hasjoined the team at CORD:USE Cord Blood Bank. Dr. Rocha's extensive experience and knowledge in transplant medicine and stem cell biology will provide a significant contribution to CORD:USE. "We're excited and honored to have Dr. Rocha, an internationally acclaimed expert in cord blood stem cell transplantation, as a member of our highly esteemed team,"said Edward Guindi MD, President and CEO of CORD:USE.

Dr. Rocha is a professor of Hematology and the Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the University of Oxford, UK. He also serves as the Director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Hospital Sirio Libanes and Children's Hospital of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He is the Scientific Director of the Eurocord Project and is on the Editorial Board of Bone Marrow Transplantation. Dr. Rocha is an internationally renowned speaker regarding the use of unrelated and related hematopoietic stem cells in transplants. He has published more than 200 papers in the New England Journal of Medicine, Blood, Lancet, Journal of Clinical Oncology, British Journal of Hematology, and other peer reviewed publications.

Dr. Rocha continues to contribute significantly to the development and refinement of the therapeutic applications of cord blood stem cells. Due to his expertise, he was elected by the European Transplant Centers as Chairman of the Acute Leukemia Working Party of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) from 2004 to 2010.

"I am very honored to be a member of the distinguished team at CORD:USE which includes my colleagues who are pioneers in cord blood science, banking and transplantation. I look forward to continuing to work with them to advance the use of cord blood transplantation to treat many more patients in the future," said Dr. Rocha.

Dr. Rocha joins otherhighly respected leaders and pioneers in the field of cord blood stem cell transplantation on the CORD:USE team:

About CORD:USE Cord Blood Bank, Inc.

CORD:USE operates leading public and family cord blood banks. CORD:USE Public Cord Blood Bank is one of the high quality cord blood banks selected and funded by HRSA of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help build the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI). CORD:USE Cord Blood Bank has entered into agreements with hospitalsacross the country to provide mothers the option to donate their babies' cord blood. CORD:USE cord blood units are listed in the NCBI through the National Marrow Donor Program's Registry and are distributed to transplanters, throughout the country and the world. CORD:USE Family Cord Blood Bank protects family banked cord blood units utilizing similar high-quality cord blood banking practices and technologies that are used in our leading public cord blood bank in its state-of-the-art laboratory. For more information, please visit our website http://www.corduse.com, or contact Michael Ernst at 407.667.3000.

More:
CORD:USE Cord Blood Bank is proud to announce the addition of Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation Expert, Dr ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Medistem Inc. (PINKSHEETS:MEDS) announced today a peer-reviewed publication led by NIH scientists demonstrating that the companys Endometrial Regenerative Cells (ERC) possess a unique genetic signature associated with production of new blood vessels (angiogenesis).

The demonstration by an independent group that ERC possess a unique gene signature compared to other stem cells, and that the gene signature is associated with production of new blood vessels, is a strong validation for our programs, said Dr. Thomas Ichim, President and CSO of Medistem. These data support original publications by our group and others that have demonstrated ERC appear to be nature's regenerative powerhouse for production of new blood vessels.

According to the publication, the gene encoding aldehyde dehydrogenase, a marker of stem cell potency, was expressed 39.5-fold higher in ERC as compared to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). Additionally, genes associated with production of new blood vessels such as MMP-3, angiopoietin, and PDGF, were expressed 29-fold, 13-fold, and 26-fold higher in ERC as compared to bone marrow MSC, respectively.

Currently the majority of scientific effort in development of stem cell therapeutics is associated with bone marrow stem cells. While bone marrow stem cells have many excellent properties, the stem cells we are clinically developing are derived from the endometrium. This is the only part of the body that renews itself every month by producing new blood vessels. The findings today that the ERC stem cell appears to have a gene signature that is different than bone marrow, further supports our hypothesis that the ERC is a unique cell that acts as the natural angiogenic 'repair cell' of the body, said Dr. Amit Patel, Directorof Clinical Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering at the University ofUtah.

Currently Dr. Patel is the International Investigator for the RECOVER-ERC Phase II clinical trial which involves administration of ERC into patients with heart failure via a novel 30 minute delivery process. Heart failure and critical limb ischemia, which are Medistems 2 clinical programs, have both been demonstrated to benefit from stimulation of new blood vessel production. Medistem has received clearance from the FDA to perform clinical trials in critical limb ischemia.

The publication may be found at http://www.translational-medicine.com/content/pdf/1479-5876-10-207.pdf

About Medistem Inc.

Medistem Inc. is a biotechnology company developing technologies related to adult stem cell extraction, manipulation, and use for treating inflammatory and degenerative diseases. The company's lead product, the endometrial regenerative cell (ERC), is a "universal donor" stem cell being developed for critical limb ischemia and congestive heart failure. A publication describing the support for use of ERC for this condition may be found athttp://www.translational-medicine.com/content/pdf/1479-5876-6-45.pdf. ERC can be purchased for scientific use through Medistem's collaborator, General Biotechnologyhttp://www.gnrlbiotech.com/?page=catalog_endometrial_regenerative_cells.

Cautionary Statement

Continued here:
NIH Data Suggests Medistem’s Stem Cell is Unique from Competitor Stem Cells

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Two scientists who discovered the developmental clock could be turned back in mature cells, transforming them into immature cells with the ability to become any tissue in the body pluripotent stem cells are being honored with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

The Nobel Prize honoring Sir John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka was announced today (Oct. 8) by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Th duo's work revealed what scientists had thought impossible. Just after conception, an embryo contains immature cells that can give rise to any cell type such as nerve, muscle and liver cells in the adult organism; these are called pluripotent stem cells, and scientists believed once these stem cells become specialized to carry out a specific body task there was no turning back.

Gurdon, now at the Gurdon Institute in Cambridge, England, found this wasn't the case when in 1962 he replaced the nucleus of a frog's egg cell with the nucleus taken from a mature intestinal cell from a tadpole. And voila, the altered frog egg developed into a tadpole, suggesting the mature nucleus held the instructions needed to become all cells in the frog, as if it were a young unspecialized cell. In fact, later experiments using nuclear transfer have produced cloned mammals. [5 Amazing Stem Cell Discoveries]

Then in 2006, Yamanaka, who was born in 1962 when Gurdon reported his discovery and is now at Kyoto University, genetically reprogrammed mature skin cells in mice to become immature cells able to become any cell in the adult mice, which he named induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). Scientists can now derive such induced pluripotent stem cells from adult nerve, heart and liver cells, allowing new ways to study diseases.

When Yamanaka received the call from Stockholm about his award, he was doing housework, according to an interview with the Nobel Prize website. "It is a tremendous honor to me," Yamanaka said during that interview.

As for his hopes for mankind with regard to stem cells, he said, "My goal, all my life, is to bring this technology, stem cell technology, to the bedside, to patients, to clinics." He added that the first clinical trials of iPS cells will begin next year.

Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook& Google+.

Original post:
Stem Cell Discoveries Snag Nobel Prize in Medicine

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

A Japanese and a British scientist were awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine Monday for their groundbreaking work in turning adult cells into immature ones that might be tweaked further to treat a wide spectrum of diseases. Such research is being aggressively pursued at scientific institutions across San Diego County.

Shinya Yamanaka of Japan and John Gurdon of Great Britain showed that it is possible to alter adult cells to the point where they are very similar to human embryonic stem cells. But the process does not involved the destruction of embryos.

In essence, scientists can now take cells from, say, a person's skin and turn back the clock, making the cell essentially act as though it were new.

The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute issued a statement today saying, "These groundbreaking discoveries have completely changed our view of the development and cellular specialisation. We now understand that the mature cell does not have to be confined forever to its specialised state. Textbooks have been rewritten and new research fields have been established. By reprogramming human cells, scientists have created new opportunities to study diseases and develop methods for diagnosis and therapy.

"The discoveries of Gurdon and Yamanaka have shown that specialised cells can turn back the developmental clock under certain circumstances. Although their genome undergoes modifications during development, these modifications are not irreversible. We have obtained a new view of the development of cells and organisms.

"Research during recent years has shown that iPS cells can give rise to all the different cell types of the body. These discoveries have also provided new tools for scientists around the world and led to remarkable progress in many areas of medicine. iPS cells can also be prepared from human cells.

"For instance, skin cells can be obtained from patients with various diseases, reprogrammed, and examined in the laboratory to determine how they differ from cells of healthy individuals. Such cells constitute invaluable tools for understanding disease mechanisms and so provide new opportunities to develop medical therapies."

Gurdon -- who was working in his lab today when he learned that he'd won a Nobel -- made the initial breakthrough about 50 years ago, and Yamanaka built on that work, accelerating the process through genetic engineering.

The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute was created in La Jolla, in part, to probe exactly this area of research.

Will La Jolla scientists win this year's Nobel Prizes?

Read more here:
Nobel Prize awarded for work on stem cells

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Click photo to enlarge

Biology professor Graciela Unguez works with a fluorescence stereomicroscope in her laboratory in Foster Hall. Unguez s current research looks at the electromotor system of electric fish in an effort to better understand how intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence the phenotype expressed by individual cells.

New Mexico State University biologist Graciela Unguez and a team of researchers found that electric fish, a vertebrate animal just like humans, can regenerate their tails following amputation after activating their stem cells. The findings were published in the May 2012 edition of the scientific journal, PLOS One.

"What's surprising is that as humans, we're one of the few animal species that do not readily regenerate limbs, organs or most tissues," Unguez said. "So, there's a lot of interest in how these fish do it, and what's preventing us from doing it."

Regeneration is the process of restoring lost cells, tissues or organs. According to Unguez, most animals have the ability to regenerate eyes and tails and some animals may be able to regenerate up to half of their bodies.

The researchers discovered that when they cut off up to one third of an electric fish's tail, including the spinal cord, vertebrae, muscles, skin, connective tissues and nerves, the fish would regenerate it. Unguez said the more tissue cut off, the longer the regeneration takes, but for the purpose of her study, it takes about three weeks.

"It's really exciting to us because, here's an example of an animal that can regenerate a lot of tissue types that are also found in

Unguez has used the electric fish as a model system to investigate the role that the nervous system plays in the fate of electrically excitable cells like muscle cells for 15 years. She noted that for many years, scientists have thought that highly regenerative animals use a mechanism of regeneration that does not involve stem cells, and this stem cell-based mechanism is well known in humans. In contrast, the stem cell-independent mechanism found in highly regenerative animals is not normally active in humans.

Unguez explained that stem cells are a small population of cells that do not mature and stay with us throughout our life, and then when called upon, they reenter the cell cycle to become muscle cells, neurons, skill cells and such.

But, what Unguez and her collaborators discovered was the opposite. The electric fish actually activated its own muscle and electric organ stem cells to regenerate. She said the adult fish regenerated unendingly with the activation of their stem cells.

More here:
Electric fish at NMSU activate stem cells for regeneration

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

MANCHESTER, Conn., Oct. 9, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Charter Medical, Ltd., a division of Lydall, Inc., (LDL) announced today that it has recently launched the new EXP-Pak(TM) cell expansion containers intended for the expansion and culture of non-adherent cells. The launch of this exciting new product family allows Charter Medical to provide enabling technology critical to the rapidly growing cellular therapy market. The family of closed-system cell expansion containers offers a broad size range from 500mL to 5L and end-user validated cell expansion rates and recovery.

Joe Petrosky, Vice President of Global Marketing and Sales for Charter Medical, stated, "We are excited with the launch of the EXP-Pak(TM) cell expansion product family. The EXP-Pak(TM) containers complement our closed-system solution approach and play a key role in supporting the development of new cellular therapies."

Dale Barnhart, President and CEO of Lydall, stated, "I am pleased with the launch of this product family for cellular therapy which represents a strategic growth opportunity. It further demonstrates our commitment to being the global supplier of choice as we grow our presence in this emerging segment."

About Lydall, Inc.

Lydall, Inc. is a New York Stock Exchange listed company, headquartered in Manchester, Connecticut. The Company, with operations in the U.S., France, and Germany and offices in Europe and Asia, focuses on specialty engineered products for the thermal/acoustical and filtration/separation markets. Charter Medical, Ltd., a Lydall subsidiary, is a vital fluids management company focused on providing products to separate, contain and transport vital fluids in the blood and cell therapy market and the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Lydall(R) is a registered trademark of Lydall, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All product names are trademarks of Lydall, Inc. or Charter Medical, Ltd.

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Charter Medical Launches New EXP-Pak(TM) Cell Expansion Containers for Cellular Therapy Applications

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

NEW YORK, Oct. 10, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NBS), an emerging leader in the fast growing cell therapy market, announced today that a new article published by the International Scholarly Research Network provides further evidence that AMR-001, NeoStem's lead product candidate through its Amorcyte subsidiary, appears capable of preserving heart muscle function following a large myocardial infarction. Amorcyte demonstrated in its Phase 1 trial that AMR-001 preserved heart muscle function when a therapeutic dose of cells was administered. No patient experienced a deterioration in heart muscle function who received 10 million cells or more whereas 30 to 40 percent of patients not receiving a therapeutic dose did. The new study shows that cardiac muscle function sparing effects are evident even earlier after treatment than previously shown.

The article titled "Assessment of myocardial contractile function using global and segmental circumferential strain following intracoronary stem cell infusion after myocardial infarction: MRI Feature Tracking Feasibility Study" by Sabha Bhatti, MD, et al. appears in ISRN Radiology Volume 2013, Article ID 371028 and is published online at http://www.isrn.com/journals/radiology/2013/371028. The publication by Dr. Bhatti and colleagues, including Dr. Andrew Pecora, Chief Medical Officer of NeoStem, supports the finding that AMR-001 preserves heart function. Previously, Amorcyte, a NeoStem subsidiary, showed that six months after STEMI AMR-001 improved blood flow to the heart and preserved heart muscle. By using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, specifically measuring circumferential strain of the left ventricle, the authors show that AMR-001's effects are evident by three months after STEMI.

AMR-001's angiogenic and anti-apoptotic mechanisms of action indicate that preservation of heart muscle function should start within weeks and be evident in fewer than 6 months. This publication, based on blinded analysis of Amorcyte's Phase 1 data, confirms the expected time course for AMR-001's mechanism of action. In the context of previously published results, these effects are durable.

Amorcyte is developing AMR-001, a cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, and is enrolling patients in a Phase 2 trial to investigate AMR-001's efficacy in preserving cardiac function and preventing adverse clinical events after a large myocardial infarction.

About NeoStem, Inc.

NeoStem, Inc. continues to develop and build on its core capabilities in cell therapy, capitalizing on the paradigm shift that we see occurring in medicine. In particular, we anticipate that cell therapy will have a significant role in the fight against chronic disease and in lessening the economic burden that these diseases pose to modern society. We are emerging as a technology and market leading company in this fast developing cell therapy market. Our multi-faceted business strategy combines a state-of-the-art contract development and manufacturing subsidiary, Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC ("PCT"), with a medically important cell therapy product development program, enabling near and long-term revenue growth opportunities. We believe this expertise and existing research capabilities and collaborations will enable us to achieve our mission of becoming a premier cell therapy company.

Our contract development and manufacturing service business supports the development of proprietary cell therapy products. NeoStem's most clinically advanced therapeutic, AMR-001, as mentioned above, is being developed at Amorcyte, LLC ("Amorcyte"), which we acquired in October 2011. Amorcyte is developing a cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and is enrolling patients in a Phase 2 trial to investigate AMR-001's efficacy in preserving heart function after a heart attack. Athelos Corporation ("Athelos"), which is approximately 80%-owned by our subsidiary, PCT, is collaborating with Becton-Dickinson in the early clinical exploration of a T-cell therapy for autoimmune conditions. In addition, pre-clinical assets include our VSELTM Technology platform as well as our mesenchymal stem cell product candidate for regenerative medicine. Our service business and pipeline of proprietary cell therapy products work in concert, giving us a competitive advantage that we believe is unique to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Supported by an experienced scientific and business management team and a substantial intellectual property estate, we believe we are well positioned to succeed.

Forward-Looking Statements for NeoStem, Inc.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations, as of the date of this press release, and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include statements herein with respect to the successful execution of the Company's business strategy, including with respect to the Company's or its partners' successful development of AMR-001 and other cell therapeutics, the size of the market for such products, its competitive position in such markets, the Company's ability to successfully penetrate such markets and the market for its CDMO business, and the efficacy of protection from its patent portfolio, as well as the future of the cell therapeutics industry in general, including the rate at which such industry may grow. Forward looking statements also include statements with respect to satisfying all conditions to closing the disposition of Erye, including receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals in the PRC. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward- looking statements as a result of various factors, including but not limited to (i) the Company's ability to manage its business despite operating losses and cash outflows, (ii) its ability to obtain sufficient capital or strategic business arrangement to fund its operations, including the clinical trials for AMR-001, (iii) successful results of the Company's clinical trials of AMR-001 and other cellular therapeutic products that may be pursued, (iv) demand for and market acceptance of AMR-001 or other cell therapies if clinical trials are successful and the Company is permitted to market such products, (v) establishment of a large global market for cellular-based products, (vi) the impact of competitive products and pricing, (vii) the impact of future scientific and medical developments, (viii) the Company's ability to obtain appropriate governmental licenses and approvals and, in general, future actions of regulatory bodies, including the FDA and foreign counterparts, (ix) reimbursement and rebate policies of government agencies and private payers, (x) the Company's ability to protect its intellectual property, (xi) the company's ability to successfully divest its interest in Erye, and (xii) matters described under the "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 20, 2012 and in the Company's other periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available on its website. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements. The Company's further development is highly dependent on future medical and research developments and market acceptance, which is outside its control.

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NeoStem Announces New Publication That Supports Positive Results of AMR-001 for Treatment of AMI

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ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2012) Scientists at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital -- The Neuro, McGill University working with a team at Oxford University have uncovered the genetic defect underlying a group of rare genetic disorders.

Using a new technique that has revolutionized genetic studies, the teams determined that mutations in the RMND1 gene were responsible for severe neurodegenerative disorders, in two infants, ultimately leading to their early death. Although the teams' investigations dealt with an infant, their discovery also has implications for understanding the causes of later-onset neurological diseases.

The RMND1 gene encodes a protein that is an important component of the machinery in mitochondria which generates the chemical energy that all cells need to function. Mutations in genes affecting mitochondrial function are common causes of neurological and neuromuscular disorders in adults and children. It is estimated that one newborn baby out of 5000 is at risk for developing one of these disorders. Mortality among such cases is very high.

"Mitochondria are becoming a focus of research because it's clear they're involved in neurodegenerative disorders in a fairly big way," says Dr. Eric Shoubridge, an internationally recognized specialist on mitochondrial diseases at The Neuro and lead author of the paper published in The American Journal of Human Genetics. "For instance, we're finding that dysfunctional mitochondria may be at the heart of adult-onset disorders like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease."

Discovery of the mutations in the RMND1 gene involved using whole-exome sequencing at the McGill University and Genome Qubec Innovation Centre. This technique allows all of the genes in the body that code for proteins to be sequenced and analyzed in a single experiment. At a cost of about $1000, whole-exome sequencing is much more economical than previous techniques in which lists of candidate genes had to be screened in the search for mutations. The technique is poised to change the face of genetic diagnosis, making testing more efficient and available.

"Parents who have had a child with a mitochondrial disorder and who are hesitating to have another child now have the possibility to know the cause of the disease. With genetic information, they have reproductive options like in vitro fertilization," says Dr. Shoubridge. The discovery of the RMND1 gene's role sheds light on disorders of mitochondrial energy metabolism, but therapies to alleviate or cure such disorders remain elusive. Dr. Shoubridge is hopeful that the discovery will encourage pharmaceutical interest. "Drug companies are starting to be interested in rare diseases and metabolic disorders like this. They're picking some genes as potential drug candidates."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by McGill University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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RMND1 mutation: Scientists discover gene behind rare disorders

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

ScienceDaily (Oct. 9, 2012) Scientists have designed a blood test that reads genetic changes like a barcode -- and can pick out aggressive prostate cancers by their particular pattern of gene activity.

A team at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust found reading the pattern of genes switched on and off in blood cells could accurately detect which advanced prostate cancers had the worst survival.

And the researchers believe the blood test could eventually be used alongside the existing PSA test at diagnosis to select patients who need immediate treatment.

The test, described in The Lancet Oncology today (Oct. 9), is unique because it assesses changes in the pattern of gene activity in blood cells triggered by a tumour elsewhere in the body.

Lead author Professor Johann de Bono, leader of the prostate cancer targeted therapy team at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), and honorary consultant at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Prostate cancer is a very diverse disease -- some people live with it for years without symptoms but for others it can be aggressive and life-threatening -- so it's vital we develop reliable tests to tell the different types apart.

"We've shown it is possible to learn more about prostate cancers by the signs they leave in the blood, allowing us to develop a test that is potentially more accurate than those available now and easier for patients than taking a biopsy. Our test reads the pattern of genetic activity like a barcode, picking up signs that a patient is likely to have a more aggressive cancer. Doctors should then be able to adjust the treatment they give accordingly."

Researchers scanned all the genes present in blood samples from 100 patients with prostate cancer at the ICR's and The Royal Marsden's joint Drug Development Unit in London and The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow. They included 69 patients with advanced cancer and 31 control patients thought to have low-risk, early-stage cancer, who were being managed by active surveillance.

Using statistical modelling, they divided the patients into four groups reflecting their pattern of gene activity -- the barcode. When they reviewed all the patients' progress after almost two-and-a-half years, they found patients in one group had survived for significantly less time than patients in the others. Further modelling identified nine key active genes that were shared by all patients in the group.

They confirmed the results in another 70 US patients with advanced cancer, showing that just these nine genes could be used to accurately identify those who ultimately survived for a shorter time -- 9.2 months compared with 21.6 months for patients without the gene pattern. The genes included a number involved in the immune system -- suggesting the immune system was suppressed in patients whose cancers were spreading around the body.

Professor Alan Ashworth, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research, said: "Whether particular genes are active or not is an important clue in identifying patients with a poor prognosis. This latest study shows that it is possible to read these patterns of gene activity like a barcode, allowing scientists to spot cancers that are likely to be more aggressive."

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'Barcode' blood test for aggressive prostate cancer developed

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Thermo Fisher Scientific has created a new mobile app for researchers.

Scientists and students alike can now search research and news articles relating to gene and protein research thanks to a new mobile app created and offered by Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO).

The Waltham scientific instruments and services provider developed the free Gene News mobile app for iPhone and Android devices to give researchers access to gene research so that they spend less time searching for articles and more time in the lab, Thermo Fisher said Tuesday.

Thermo Fisher Scientific has been very active across the business units with developing and launching mobile apps, according to Neal Kitchen, a product manager at Thermo Scientific Pierce Protein Research.

"Smartphones have become very important resource tools in the lab for researchers," Kitchen said. "So, we wanted to develop a science-focused app that helped researchers easily navigate and manage the constant stream of new information found daily in publications, patents, and the news."

"The Thermo Scientific Gene News App was designed for this purpose. As we were developing the app, it was such a useful and convenient tool for our own scientists that we knew it would be even more functional for the rest of the science community, he added.

The app allows students and researchers to:

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Thermo Fisher creates mobile app for gene researchers

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Doctors may soon use a new genetic "barcode" blood test - besides normal screening - to determine how severe a man's prostate cancer is and how urgently it should be treated.

Researchers in Britain have discovered distinct genetic signatures for prostrate cancer and designed an experimental blood test that reads the genetic changes like a barcode.

The researchers say the blood test could be used alongside existing PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) screening to determine which men need more aggressive or immediate treatment.

Screening and biopsies

For most men, however, screening often leads to biopsies, which are currently the only way to predict the aggressiveness of prostrate cancer. But biopsies are invasive and carry potential complications, according to Johann de Bono, head of the prostate cancer research team at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London.

A blood test, he argues, would be much easier for patients and potentially more accurate, and would allow their cancer to be assessed throughout treatment.

"It can also give information that a biopsy can't, like how a patient's immune system can [influence] survival," de Bono says.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men after lung cancer.

De Bono refers to prostate cancer as a "very diverse disease."He says some people can live with it for years without any symptoms, while others find themselves confronted with an aggressive, life-threatening form.

Distinguishing different types

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Gene 'barcode' scans men for prostate cancer

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ROCKFORD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today introduced the free Thermo Scientific Gene News mobile App for iPhone and Android devices, giving researchers unmatched access to important gene research in the palms of their hands. Scientists can spend less time searching for relevant information and more time on productive research.

More than ever, students, scientists and researchers are turning to smartphones to search for the latest research data, said Jeff Lee, commercial director for immunoassay products, Thermo Fisher Scientific. The Thermo Scientific Gene News App makes it even easier and more convenient to access information that is relevant to their work. Researchers have the freedom to search an area of interest down to a specific gene or protein. The easy-to-use interface and the ability to share the content through email or social media ensure the app is a powerful tool in the laboratory.

The Thermo Scientific Gene News App allows researchers to monitor articles and news related to their specific areas of interest through their smartphones, and also gives them the ability to: Access up-to-date gene research in an easy-to-read format Customize and bookmark search inquiries Save articles to read at a later time Personalize user preferences such as sorting searches by publication date, journal title, author and/or publication impact Search by keyword and preferred journals Share articles with friends and colleagues via email or social media (Facebook, Twitter)

The Thermo Scientific Gene News App is compatible with iPhone and Android platforms and is available now. Download the Gene News App for iPhone or the Gene News App for Android.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. With revenues of $12 billion, we have approximately 39,000 employees and serve customers within pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research institutions and government agencies, as well as in environmental and process control industries. We create value for our key stakeholders through three premier brands, Thermo Scientific, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services, which offer a unique combination of innovative technologies, convenient purchasing options and a single solution for laboratory operations management. Our products and services help our customers solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics and increase laboratory productivity. Visit http://www.thermofisher.com.

Copyright 2012 Business Wire All Rights Reserved.

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Thermo Fisher Scientific Introduces Free Smartphone App For Gene Research

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Berkeley Lab Researchers Develop New Tool for Making Genetic Engineering of Microbial Circuits Reliably Predictable

Synthetic biology is the latest and most advanced phase of genetic engineering, holding great promise for helping to solve some of the world's most intractable problems, including the sustainable production of energy fuels and critical medical drugs, and the safe removal of toxic and radioactive waste from the environment. However, for synthetic biology to reach its promise, the design and construction of biological systems must be as predictable as the assembly of computer hardware.

An important step towards attaining a higher degree of predictability in synthetic biology has been taken by a group of researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) under the leadership of computational biologist Adam Arkin. Arkin and his team have developed an "adaptor" that makes the genetic engineering of microbial components substantially easier and more predictable by converting regulators of translation into regulators of transcription in Escherichia coli. Transcription and translation make up the two-step process by which the coded instructions of genes are used to synthesize proteins.

"Application of our adaptor should produce large collections of transcriptional regulators whose inherent composability can facilitate the predictable engineering of complex biological circuits in microorganisms," Arkin says. "This in turn should allow for safer and more efficient constructions of increasingly complex functions in microorganisms."

Arkin is the director of Berkeley Lab's Physical Biosciences Division and the corresponding author of a paper describing this work in Nature Methods. The paper is titled "An adaptor from translational to transcriptional control enables predictable assembly of complex regulation. Co-authoring this paper were Chang Liu, Lei Qi, Julius Lucks, Thomas Segall-Shapiro, Denise Wang and Vivek Mutalik.

Synthetic biology combines modern principles of science and engineering to develop novel biological functions and systems that can tackle problems natural systems cannot. The focus is on bacteria and other microbes that can metabolize a wide variety of valuable chemicals and molecules, and play a critical role in the global cycles of carbon and other important elements. One of the keys to success in synthetic biology is the design and construction of customized genetic switches in microbes that can control the expression of both coding and non-coding RNA, act on operons (small groups of genes with related functions that are co-transcribed in a single strand of messenger RNA), and be tethered to higher-order regulatory functions (a property called composability).

"Much of the regulatory potential of a bacterium is contained in the five-prime untranslated regions (UTRs), which control the expression of physically adjacent downstream genes and have become attractive platforms for a parts-based approach to synthetic biology," Arkin says. "This approach, in which integrated engineered regulatory parts respond to custom inputs by changing the expression of desired genes, must satisfy two criteria if it is to have long-term success. First, the regulatory parts must be easily engineered in a way that yields large homogenous sets of variants that respond to different custom inputs, and second, the parts must be composable such that they can be easily and predictably assembled into useful higher-order functions."

In the five prime UTRs of bacteria, two primary types of regulators can serve as starting points for designing new parts - those that regulate transcriptional elongation, in which cellular inputs are linked to the process by which a sequence of DNA nucleotides is transcribed into a complementary sequence of RNA; and those that regulate translation, in which a ribosome translates the RNA message into a protein. Transcriptional elongation regulators meet the second criterion by featuring versatility and composability that makes them ideal for building custom regulatory functions. Translational regulators meet the first criterion by being easier to engineer and relatively common to all bacteria.

"Our solution for meeting both criteria was to develop an adaptor based on tryptophanase, the catabolic operon for tryptophan that converts regulators of translational initiation into regulators of transcriptional elongation," Arkin says. "Because our adaptor strategy bypasses the otherwise restrictive tradeoff between criterion one and criterion two, we believe it will have a crucial role in the long-term development of five prime UTRs as platforms for the design and integration of custom regulatory parts."

When an E.coli translational regulator was fused to the adaptor created by Arkin and his colleagues, it was also able to control transcriptional elongation. The team applied their adaptor to the construction of several transcriptional elongation regulators that respond to RNA and small-molecule inputs. Included were five mutually orthogonal RNA-triggered attenuators (meaning they can terminate transcription), which the team assembled into logic gates driven by two, three or four RNA inputs that linked to ribosome binding sites. Because their adaptor is so easily linked to ribosome binding sites, a common mechanism in bacteria, the team believes the adaptor will be widely applicable.

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A Welcome Predictability

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Fluorescence microscopy images of cells containing various plasmid pairs which were constructed with the help of a tna element adaptor and logic gates driven by two, three or four RNA inputs that linked to ribosome binding sites.

(Phys.org)Synthetic biology is the latest and most advanced phase of genetic engineering, holding great promise for helping to solve some of the world's most intractable problems, including the sustainable production of energy fuels and critical medical drugs, and the safe removal of toxic and radioactive waste from the environment. However, for synthetic biology to reach its promise, the design and construction of biological systems must be as predictable as the assembly of computer hardware.

An important step towards attaining a higher degree of predictability in synthetic biology has been taken by a group of researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) under the leadership of computational biologist Adam Arkin. Arkin and his team have developed an "adaptor" that makes the genetic engineering of microbial components substantially easier and more predictable by converting regulators of translation into regulators of transcription in Escherichia coli. Transcription and translation make up the two-step process by which the coded instructions of genes are used to synthesize proteins.

"Application of our adaptor should produce large collections of transcriptional regulators whose inherent composability can facilitate the predictable engineering of complex biological circuits in microorganisms," Arkin says. "This in turn should allow for safer and more efficient constructions of increasingly complex functions in microorganisms."

Arkin is the director of Berkeley Lab's Physical Biosciences Division and the corresponding author of a paper describing this work in Nature Methods. The paper is titled "An adaptor from translational to transcriptional control enables predictable assembly of complex regulation. Co-authoring this paper were Chang Liu, Lei Qi, Julius Lucks, Thomas Segall-Shapiro, Denise Wang and Vivek Mutalik.

Enlarge

When a bacterial translational regulator is fused to a tna element adaptor, it is able to also regulate transcriptional elongation.

"Much of the regulatory potential of a bacterium is contained in the five-prime untranslated regions (UTRs), which control the expression of physically adjacent downstream genes and have become attractive platforms for a parts-based approach to synthetic biology," Arkin says. "This approach, in which integrated engineered regulatory parts respond to custom inputs by changing the expression of desired genes, must satisfy two criteria if it is to have long-term success. First, the regulatory parts must be easily engineered in a way that yields large homogenous sets of variants that respond to different custom inputs, and second, the parts must be composable such that they can be easily and predictably assembled into useful higher-order functions."

In the five prime UTRs of bacteria, two primary types of regulators can serve as starting points for designing new parts those that regulate transcriptional elongation, in which cellular inputs are linked to the process by which a sequence of DNA nucleotides is transcribed into a complementary sequence of RNA; and those that regulate translation, in which a ribosome translates the RNA message into a protein. Transcriptional elongation regulators meet the second criterion by featuring versatility and composability that makes them ideal for building custom regulatory functions. Translational regulators meet the first criterion by being easier to engineer and relatively common to all bacteria.

"Our solution for meeting both criteria was to develop an adaptor based on tryptophanase, the catabolic operon for tryptophan that converts regulators of translational initiation into regulators of transcriptional elongation," Arkin says. "Because our adaptor strategy bypasses the otherwise restrictive tradeoff between criterion one and criterion two, we believe it will have a crucial role in the long-term development of five prime UTRs as platforms for the design and integration of custom regulatory parts."

Excerpt from:
Researchers develop new tool for making genetic engineering of microbial circuits reliably predictable

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

ScienceDaily (Oct. 8, 2012) Synthetic biology is the latest and most advanced phase of genetic engineering, holding great promise for helping to solve some of the world's most intractable problems, including the sustainable production of energy fuels and critical medical drugs, and the safe removal of toxic and radioactive waste from the environment. However, for synthetic biology to reach its promise, the design and construction of biological systems must be as predictable as the assembly of computer hardware.

An important step towards attaining a higher degree of predictability in synthetic biology has been taken by a group of researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) under the leadership of computational biologist Adam Arkin. Arkin and his team have developed an "adaptor" that makes the genetic engineering of microbial components substantially easier and more predictable by converting regulators of translation into regulators of transcription in Escherichia coli. Transcription and translation make up the two-step process by which the coded instructions of genes are used to synthesize proteins.

"Application of our adaptor should produce large collections of transcriptional regulators whose inherent composability can facilitate the predictable engineering of complex biological circuits in microorganisms," Arkin says. "This in turn should allow for safer and more efficient constructions of increasingly complex functions in microorganisms."

Arkin is the director of Berkeley Lab's Physical Biosciences Division and the corresponding author of a paper describing this work in Nature Methods. The paper is titled "An adaptor from translational to transcriptional control enables predictable assembly of complex regulation. Co-authoring this paper were Chang Liu, Lei Qi, Julius Lucks, Thomas Segall-Shapiro, Denise Wang and Vivek Mutalik.

Synthetic biology combines modern principles of science and engineering to develop novel biological functions and systems that can tackle problems natural systems cannot. The focus is on bacteria and other microbes that can metabolize a wide variety of valuable chemicals and molecules, and play a critical role in the global cycles of carbon and other important elements. One of the keys to success in synthetic biology is the design and construction of customized genetic switches in microbes that can control the expression of both coding and non-coding RNA, act on operons (small groups of genes with related functions that are co-transcribed in a single strand of messenger RNA), and be tethered to higher-order regulatory functions (a property called composability).

"Much of the regulatory potential of a bacterium is contained in the five-prime untranslated regions (UTRs), which control the expression of physically adjacent downstream genes and have become attractive platforms for a parts-based approach to synthetic biology," Arkin says. "This approach, in which integrated engineered regulatory parts respond to custom inputs by changing the expression of desired genes, must satisfy two criteria if it is to have long-term success. First, the regulatory parts must be easily engineered in a way that yields large homogenous sets of variants that respond to different custom inputs, and second, the parts must be composable such that they can be easily and predictably assembled into useful higher-order functions."

In the five prime UTRs of bacteria, two primary types of regulators can serve as starting points for designing new parts -- those that regulate transcriptional elongation, in which cellular inputs are linked to the process by which a sequence of DNA nucleotides is transcribed into a complementary sequence of RNA; and those that regulate translation, in which a ribosome translates the RNA message into a protein. Transcriptional elongation regulators meet the second criterion by featuring versatility and composability that makes them ideal for building custom regulatory functions. Translational regulators meet the first criterion by being easier to engineer and relatively common to all bacteria.

"Our solution for meeting both criteria was to develop an adaptor based on tryptophanase, the catabolic operon for tryptophan that converts regulators of translational initiation into regulators of transcriptional elongation," Arkin says. "Because our adaptor strategy bypasses the otherwise restrictive tradeoff between criterion one and criterion two, we believe it will have a crucial role in the long-term development of five prime UTRs as platforms for the design and integration of custom regulatory parts."

When an E.coli translational regulator was fused to the adaptor created by Arkin and his colleagues, it was also able to control transcriptional elongation. The team applied their adaptor to the construction of several transcriptional elongation regulators that respond to RNA and small-molecule inputs. Included were five mutually orthogonal RNA-triggered attenuators (meaning they can terminate transcription), which the team assembled into logic gates driven by two, three or four RNA inputs that linked to ribosome binding sites. Because their adaptor is so easily linked to ribosome binding sites, a common mechanism in bacteria, the team believes the adaptor will be widely applicable.

"Continued application of our adaptor should produce large collections of transcriptional regulators whose inherent composability can facilitate the predictable engineering of complex synthetic circuits," Arkin says.

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New tool for making genetic engineering of microbial circuits reliably predictable

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Lawrence LeBlond for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

A blood test that can read genetic results much like a barcode has been developed by scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation. This genetic blood test can also detect the most aggressive prostate cancers by reading particular patterns of gene activity.

Research staff believe the test could eventually be used to select patients who are most in need of immediate treatment. Prostate cancer is a very diverse disease. Some people live with it for years without any symptoms, but in others, the disease can be very aggressive and life-threatening, said lead author of the study, Professor Johann de Bono, of ICR, and an honorary consultant at Royal Marsden.

Current cancer screening tests include a biopsy, where doctors take a small sample of a tumor and examine it under a microscope to find out how dangerous it may be. Experts hope that the new barcode test will ultimately lead to more accurate estimations without invasive biopsy screenings. The researchers also believe the barcode test could be used in conjunction with current PSA screenings to select patients who are in dire need of treatment.

Described in The Lancet Oncology medical journal, the test is unique because it can assess changes in the pattern of gene activity in blood cells triggered by a tumor found elsewhere in the body.

Weve shown it is possible to learn more about prostate cancers by the signs they leave in the blood, allowing us to develop a test that is potentially more accurate than those available now and easier for patients than taking a biopsy. Our test reads the pattern of genetic activity like a barcode, picking up signs that a patient is likely to have a more aggressive cancer. Doctors should then be able to adjust the treatment they give accordingly, said de Bono.

In the trial, de Bono and colleagues scanned all the genes present in blood samples of 100 patients with prostate cancer at the Drug Development Unit in London and The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow. The trial included 69 patients with advanced prostate cancer and 31 control patients with low-risk, early-stage cancer.

The team divided the patients into four groups reflecting their pattern of gene activitythe barcode. After reviewing all the patients progress over nearly 30 months, the researchers found patients in one group had survived for significantly less time than patients in others. Further modeling identified nine key active genes shared by all patients in the group.

The researchers then compared the results with another group of 70 US patients with advanced cancer. What they found is that these nine genes could be used to accurately identify those who survived for a shorter period9.2 months compared with 21.6 months for patients without the gene pattern. The findings suggest a number of the genes actually suppressed the immune system in patients whose cancers were spreading.

Whether particular genes are active or not is an important clue in identifying patients with a poor prognosis. This latest study shows that it is possible to read these patterns of gene activity like a barcode, allowing scientists to spot cancers that are likely to be more aggressive, said Professor Alan Ashworth, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research.

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‘Barcode’ Blood Test Reads Genetic Results, Helps Detect Aggressive Prostate Cancer

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Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Prostate / Prostate Cancer Also Included In: Genetics Article Date: 09 Oct 2012 - 0:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Prostate Cancer Severity Predicted With Two Genetic Signatures

3.5 (4 votes)

4.5 (2 votes)

The authors explain that unique RNA patterns seem to be able to predict the course of prostate cancer, pointing either towards an aggressive disease or a milder form. RNA (ribonucleic acid) is the genetic material that helps convert DNA into proteins.

Prostate cancer affects patients in many different ways. Some develop the disease and do not know because they have no symptoms, some may respond extremely well to treatment, while others have types that resist all treatment and progress regardless.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer does not respond to standard androgen deprivation therapy. Survival times with this type of cancer vary considerably from patient-to-patient. Nobody really knows why.

Current diagnostic tests can tell, to a certain extent, whether or not a prostate cancer is likely to be an aggressive one. However, their accuracy can only be described as "moderate".

A distinctive nine-gene pattern which was linked to castration-resistant prostate cancer patients was accurately detected - those patients survived for an average of 9.2 months after referral for treatment, compared to those without the genetic pattern who survived for 21.6 months.

They identified a set of six genes linked to an aggressive form of prostate cancer in 62 patients at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, USA.

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Prostate Cancer Severity Predicted With Two Genetic Signatures

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AMES, Iowa, Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --NewLink Genetics Corporation (NLNK) announces launching of an open-label, randomized, multi-institutional Phase 3 study in patients with borderline resectable or locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. The projected enrollment will be 280 subjects and patients will be randomized (1:1) to receive standard of care FOLFIRINOX plus or minus algenpantucel-L (HyperAcute-Pancreas) immunotherapy. The primary endpoint of the study will be to evaluate overall survival. Secondary objectives include evaluation of progression free survival and immunological response.

"We are excited to initiate an additional Phase 3 clinical trial for algenpantucel-L to potentially expand into a new indication for locally advanced pancreatic cancer. We have made significant progress in our Phase 3 trial with algenpantucel-L for resected pancreas cancer patients since its launch in May of 2010," commented Dr. Charles Link, Chief Executive Officer of NewLink. He added, "There is an enormous unmet need in the pancreatic cancer market for both resectable and unresectable patients. The successful expansion of algenpantucel-L into a market segment for locally advanced disease would potentially more than double the patient population who might benefit from this immunotherapy treatment."

"We believe this new study will be favorably perceived by the clinicians as they will have a promising clinical trial to offer patients with this devastating disease," commented Dr. Nick Vahanian, Chief Medical Officer of NewLink Genetics. "We have more than 70 major cancer centers currently enrolling patients in our ongoing Phase 3 trial for resected pancreatic cancer patients. We believe these relationships will enable us to efficiently implement this new Phase 3 clinical trial, since the majority of locally advanced patients are evaluated at the same centers as the resectable patients."

About algenpantucel-L

NewLink's algenpantucel-L immunotherapy product candidate consists of a group of two allogeneic pancreatic cancer tumor cell lines that were modified to express Alpha-Gal. These cell lines were chosen to provide a broad coverage of pancreatic cancer antigens. Each of the modified cell lines is grown in large cultures, harvested, irradiated and packaged. Approximately 150 million cells of each HyperAcute Pancreas cell line are given by intradermal injection with each treatment.

About the Phase 3 Study

This trial is an open-label, randomized, controlled, multi-center Phase 3 clinical trial, evaluating patients with borderline resectable or locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. The primary endpoint of the clinical trial is overall survival, with secondary endpoints of progression-free survival, safety, toxicity and immunological responses. The study plans to enroll up to 280 patients. Standard-of-care regimens for patients with borderline resectable or locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer patients include FOLFIRINOX (an abbreviation for a chemotherapy combination that includes the drugs leucovorin calcium, fluorouracil, irinotecan hydrochloride, and oxaliplatin). In the Phase 3 clinical trial, half of the patients will receive FOLFIRINOX with algenpantucel-L and the remainder will receive FOLFIRINOX without algenpantucel-L.

About Pancreatic Cancer

The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 44,030 new cases of pancreatic cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 2011. Pancreatic cancer has generally been recognized as an aggressive form of cancer with non-specific initial symptoms, making it difficult to diagnose at an early stage. Due to the difficulty in diagnosis and the aggressive nature of this cancer, the National Cancer Institute estimates a 96% mortality rate is associated with this disease, and the American Cancer Society estimates one-year and five-year overall survival rates of about 24% and 5%, respectively.

Pancreatic cancer can generally be divided into three broad categories: (1) local disease, in which the cancer is confined to the pancreas and can be removed surgically, which is called resection; (2) locally advanced disease, in which the cancer has spread locally and may or may not be eligible for resection because it has invaded tissues that should not be removed, such as key nerves and arteries; and (3) metastatic disease, in which the tumor has spread beyond the region of the pancreas.

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NewLink Genetics Launches Phase 3 Clinical Trial of algenpantucel-L Immunotherapy in Patients with Borderline ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Seattle Genetics, Inc. (SGEN) announced today that it will receive undisclosed milestone payments under its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) collaboration with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (RO.SW) (SWX:ROG) (RHHBY). The milestones were triggered by Genentechs advancement of two ADCs utilizing Seattle Genetics technology into phase II clinical development. The phase II randomized, open-label study is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ADCs anti-CD22 (DCDT2980S, RG7593) and DCDS4501A (RG7596) each in combination with Rituxan (rituximab) in patients with relapsed or refractory follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma and relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Progress by our ADC collaborators, notably Genentech entering phase II clinical development, highlight the continued promise of ADCs for the treatment of cancer and further support Seattle Genetics leadership position in the field, said Clay B. Siegall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Seattle Genetics. Across our internal and collaborator programs, there are more than 15 ADCs in clinical development utilizing our technology, spanning a range of both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.

Under the ADC collaboration agreement, Genentech has rights to use Seattle Genetics ADC technology with antibodies against targets selected by Genentech. Genentech is responsible for research, product development, manufacturing and commercialization activities under the collaboration. Seattle Genetics is entitled to receive fees, progress-dependent milestone payments and royalties on net sales of any resulting ADC products.

ADCs are monoclonal antibodies that are designed to selectively deliver cytotoxic agents to tumor cells. With over a decade of experience and knowledge in ADC innovation, Seattle Genetics has developed proprietary technology employing synthetic cytotoxic agents, such as monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) and monomethyl auristatin F (MMAF), and stable linker systems that attach these cytotoxic agents to the antibody. Seattle Genetics linker systems are designed to be stable in the bloodstream and release the potent cell-killing agent once inside targeted cancer cells. This approach is intended to spare non-targeted cells and thus reduce many of the toxic effects of traditional chemotherapy while enhancing antitumor activity.

About Seattle Genetics

Seattle Genetics is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of monoclonal antibody-based therapies for the treatment of cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval of ADCETRIS in August 2011 for two indications. ADCETRIS is being developed in collaboration with Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company. In addition, Seattle Genetics has three other clinical-stage ADC programs: SGN-75, ASG-5ME and ASG-22ME. Seattle Genetics has collaborations for its ADC technology with a number of leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, including Abbott, Agensys (an affiliate of Astellas), Bayer, Celldex Therapeutics, Daiichi Sankyo, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Millennium, Pfizer and Progenics, as well as ADC co-development agreements with Agensys and Genmab. More information can be found at http://www.seattlegenetics.com.

Certain of the statements made in this press release are forward looking, such as those, among others, relating to the therapeutic potential of Seattle Genetics ADC technology and development plans for its ADC product candidates and its collaborators product candidates. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected or implied in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include the inability to show sufficient safety or activity as our or our collaborators ADC product candidates move into and advance in clinical trials. More information about the risks and uncertainties faced by Seattle Genetics is contained in the Companys quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2012, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Seattle Genetics disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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Seattle Genetics Achieves Milestones as Genentech Advances Two Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) into Phase II Development

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

by John C. Goodman

Source: Townhall.com

Personalized medicine is the future. It's where the science is going. It's where the technology is going. It's where doctors and patients will want to go. Yet, unfortunately for many of us, this is not where the Obama administration wants to go.

First, the good news. All this is great news. Unless you happen to be in traditional Medicare. Or in Medicaid. Or unless you acquire subsidized insurance in a health insurance exchange. Or in some cases, even if you get health insurance from an employer.

Implantable or attachable devices already exist or soon will exist that can monitor the conditions of diabetics, asthmatics, heart patients and patients with numerous other chronic conditions. These devices will allow patients and doctors to modify therapeutic regimes and tailor treatments to individual needs and responses. Genetic testing is reaching the point where patients can be directed to take certain drugs or avoid other drugs, based solely on the patient's own genes.

As many as 1,300 genetic tests currently are available that relate to some 2,500 medical conditions. These tests can predict your probability of getting particular types of cancer, whether you'll respond to routine chemotherapy or whether there's a special therapy that only works on people with your particular physiology. The days when experts argued over whether men should get a prostate cancer test could be long gone. A simple test can tell if you have a high probability of contracting the disease, or a low one.

In an interview with CNN the other day former White House health adviser Ezekiel Emanuel called "personalized medicine a myth." According to his own center's summary of the interview:

[He] characterized excited public discussion of the potential of population-wide individual gene-based medicine as "hyperbolic." He said tailoring medical treatments to individual characteristics of each patient is both overly optimistic and cost-prohibitive and likened the process to buying a custom-made suit versus one off the rack.

But if custom-made suits fit better and look better, what's wrong with that? Ditto for health care. And if individualized care is better and more promising care, how does Emanuel know it would be cost-prohibitive? Even more puzzling, given the spectacular results with eye cancer, why would anyone especially an oncologist react so hostilely?

The answer is: ObamaCare's entire approach to cost control is premised on the idea that we are all alike. And if we aren't alike, everything they are doing doesn't make sense.

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