A team of scientists at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center has identified the cells that directly give rise to hair as well as the mechanism that causes hair to turn gray. The research is published in the journal Genes & Development.

Layers of the skin. Image credit: M.Komorniczak / Madhero / CC BY-SA 3.0.

With this knowledge, we hope in the future to create a topical compound or to safely deliver the necessary gene to hair follicles to correct these cosmetic problems, said senior author Dr. Lu Le, an associate professor of dermatology with the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Le and colleagues found that a protein called KROX20 (also termed EGR2), more commonly associated with nerve development, turns on in skin cells that become the hair shaft.

These hair precursor cells then produce a protein called stem cell factor (SCF) that the researchers showed is essential for hair pigmentation.

When the authors deleted the SCF gene (KITLG gene) in the hair progenitor cells in mouse models, the animals hair turned white.

When they deleted the KROX20-producing cells, no hair grew and the mice became bald.

We uncovered this explanation for balding and hair graying while studying a disorder called Neurofibromatosis Type 1, a rare genetic disease that causes tumors to grow on nerves, Dr. Le said.

Scientists already knew that stem cells contained in a bulge area of hair follicles are involved in making hair and that SCF is important for pigmented cells.

What they did not know in detail is what happens after those stem cells move down to the base, or bulb, of hair follicles and which cells in the hair follicles produce SCF or that cells involved in hair shaft creation make the KROX20 protein.

If cells with functioning KROX20 and SCF are present, they move up from the bulb, interact with pigment-producing melanocyte cells, and grow into pigmented hairs.

But without SCF, the hair in mouse models was gray, and then turned white with age. Without KROX20-producing cells, no hair grew.

We will now try to find out if the KROX20 in cells and the SCF gene stop working properly as people age, leading to the graying and hair thinning seen in older people as well as in male pattern baldness, Dr. Le said.

_____

Chung-Ping Liao et al. Identification of hair shaft progenitors that create a niche for hair pigmentation. Genes & Development, published online May 2, 2017; doi: 10.1101/gad.298703.117

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Skin Cell Discovery Could Lead to Possible Treatments for Balding ... - Sci-News.com

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Intellia Therapeutics has taken another step towardhuman trials of its gene editing technology after reporting new data in animal models.

The CRISPR specialist says it has been able to show for the first time that it is able to not only achieve long-term suppression of a gene using its gene-editing CRISPR/Cas9 drug, in this case the sequence coding for serum transthyretin (TTR) protein, but also demonstrate a dose-dependent reduction in the activity of the target gene in a second animal species.

New data from studies in mice show that a previously reported 97% reduction in TTRdriven by 70% gene editing efficiency working in mouse liverslasts for up to six months from a single dose. Meanwhile, a study in rats showed a similar dose-dependent reduction in the TTR gene, and crucially evidence of comparable activity in a second species as Intellia builds the case to move to the clinic.

In this test, a single intravenous infusion resulted in 66% gene editing in the rat liver and up to 91% reduction in serum TTR protein levels. Crucially, the results also backed up earlier data showing the CRISPR drug is rapidly cleared from the body, desirable as it reduces the chances of off-target effects that could cause toxicity. Both datasets were reported at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapys Annual Meeting (ASGCT) in Washington D.C. over the weekend.

Senior VP David Morrissey said the rat study "validates the in vivo CRISPR/Cas9 platform using Intellia's proprietary LNP delivery system," adding that it shows "the ability to expand out studies in larger species.

Under FDA rules, companies typically need data in at least two animal speciesincluding one non-rodent speciesbefore they can progress into human studies. The new data keeps Intellia on course to complete the work needed to get FDA approval for trials of its TTR therapeutic in early 2018.

Companies like Intellia, Editas and CRISPR Therapeutics are vying to bring the CRISPR technology into the clinic, potentially generating one-dose therapies that could cure a host of gene-related diseases, although they will not be the first groups to do so.

Last year, Chinese scientists from Sichuan University's West China Hospital made history when they used CRISPR for the first time on an adult with lung cancer, using cells harvested from the patient that had been genetically modified using CRISPR to remove a brake (PD-1) on the immune response to the tumor. And at the end of April, a second Chinese team from Nanjing University's Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital tested a similar procedure in a patient with head and neck cancer.

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Intellia moves closer to clinic with CRISPR tech - FierceBiotech

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Why Are So Many Musical Geniuses Asocial? A New Study Reveals an Interesting Link

Will CRISPR Technology Create a New "Human" Species?

How This Couple Turned Teens' Love of Texting Into Love for Reading Books

US author T.C. Boyle presents his new book 'The Women' at the Leipzig Book Fair on March 13, 2009. (Photo by JENS SCHLUETER/AFP/Getty Images)

T.C. Boyle will read his short story "Are We Not Men?" at the Los Angeles Hope Festival on Sunday, May 21. The event is free but seats are limited. RSVP here.

American author TC Boyle, who has aptly been described as "a punk Mephistopheles," talks casually about death and suicide. His interview with Big Think begins, "There is no hope whatsoever. Our species will be extinguished probably in a couple of generations, maybe even before that depending upon the microbes of the world." Yet Boyle exhibits robust mental health, maintaining an orderly writing schedulefour to five hours per day, always in the morningand a stable life, both with respect to his family and his career as a Professor of English at the University of Southern California.

Describing his short story "Are We Not Men?" Boyle says:

tc-boyle-on-writing-and-the-human-animal

"It's about CRISPR technology, which obsesses me. This is a gene editing technology which makes it much easier to edit genes in other species. In fact, if you subscribe to Nature and Science as I do for the past year there's a huge ad right in the beginning of a boxing glove on a fist and it says knock out any gene. They're selling kits to amateurs to anybody to play with various bacteria and gene edit these bacteria. Is this a good idea? I don't think so. And of course, in my telling we're just projecting slightly into the future, when we can make new species. Not to mention the parent who wants to get his kid into the best school. Give me a break. I mean it will be like buying a new car when you have a kid. You go you see how the genes line up and you pick whoever you want. You want eight foot tall? You want orange eyes? You want somebody who can run the hundred-yard dash in nine seconds? That's what it's coming to. So we're not going to be humans anymore, which I guess is no great loss."

Born Thomas John Boyle, TC changed his middle name toCoraghessan at the age of 17. As a writer, he matured at the Iowa Writer's Workshop in the 1970s, staying on after earning his MFA to complete aPhd in 19th century British Literature. While in Iowa, he forged a friendship with Raymond Carver, the best short story writer of a generation, although their two writing styles were dissimilar.

Boyle released his 26th book, The Terranauts, in October of 2016. Below is the full schedule for the Los Angeles Hope Festival.

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A new website called the Pink Chicken Project offers up an intriguing nugget of an idea: what if we turned all chickens on Earth pink? Yes, you read that right. The creators of the project told Motherboard in an email that they are a small group of designers and engineers with an interest in biotechnology, and say they want to genetically modify chicken DNA so future domestic birds will be born with pink bones and pink feathers. Right now, though, the project appears to be little more than an artistic concept (complete with some photos of neon pink chicken meat, eggs, and bones).

The modification would supposedly be done using the gene editing technique CRISPR, with adoption of the pink color accelerated by a gene drive, a mechanism for increasing the odds an offspring will inherit a traitsuch as the color pinkfrom its parents. The pink color would come from cochineals, a little bug commonly used in food dye. The bug produces a chemical called carminic acid, which combines with calcium in bones to form a dye.

Why would anyone want to do this? According to the projects website, we should leave reminders for future generation of humanitys impact on the environmentin the form of discarded pink chicken bones.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:These People Want to Genetically Engineer Pink Chickens

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Coming age of CRISPR gene editing: What in heck is the 'Pink Chicken Project'? - Genetic Literacy Project

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MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwired - May 15, 2017) - SENS Research Foundation (SRF) has launched a new research program focused on somatic gene therapy in collaboration with the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Brian Kennedy, PhD, a leading expert on the biology of aging, will be running the project in his lab at the Buck.

Many potential treatments of age-related diseases require the addition of new genes to the genome of cells in the body, a technology known as somatic gene therapy. The technology has been hampered, up until now, by the inability to control where the gene is inserted. That lack of control resulted in a significant risk of insertion in a location that encourages the cell to become malignant.

SRF has devised a new method for inserting genes into a pre-defined location. In this program, this will be done as a two-step process, in which first CRISPR is used to create a "landing pad" for the gene, and then the gene is inserted using an enzyme that only recognizes the landing pad. SRF has created "maximally modifiable mice" that already have the landing pad, and this project will evaluate how well the insertion step works in different tissues.

"Somatic gene therapy has been a goal of medicine for decades. Being able to add new healthy genes will enable us to address treatments of such age-related diseases as atherosclerosis and macular degeneration. Our collaboration with SRF will substantially move us toward finding effective treatments to genetically based age-related diseases," said Dr. Kennedy.

"Partnering with Brian Kennedy and the Buck enables SRF to continue towards our goal of achieving human clinical trials on rejuvenation biotechnologies in the next five years. Brian's leadership in moving this technology into mammals is a huge step forward," said Dr. Aubrey de Grey, CSO, SENS Research Foundation.

This research has been made possible through the generous support of the Forever Healthy Foundation and its founder Michael Greve, as well as the support of our other donors. The Forever Healthy Foundation is a private nonprofit initiative whose mission is to enable people to vastly extend their healthy lifespans and be part of the first generation to cure aging. In order to accelerate the development of therapies to bring aging under full medical control, the Forever Healthy Foundation directly supports cutting-edge research aimed at the molecular and cellular repair of damage caused by the aging process.

About SENS Research Foundation (SRF)SENS Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to research, develop, and promote comprehensive regenerative medicine solutions for the diseases of aging. SRF is focused on a damage repair paradigm for treating the diseases of aging, which it advances through scientific research, advocacy, and education. SENS Research Foundation supports research projects at universities and institutes around the world with the goal of curing such age-related diseases as macular degeneration, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. Educating the public and training researchers to support a growing regenerative medicine field are also major endeavors of the organization that are being accomplished though advocacy campaigns and educational programs. For more information, visit http://www.sens.org.

About Buck Institute for Research on AgingBuck Institute is the U.S.'s first independent research organization devoted to Geroscience -- focused on the connection between normal aging and chronic disease. Based in Novato, California, the Buck is dedicated to extending "healthspan," the healthy years of human life, and does so by utilizing a unique interdisciplinary approach involving laboratories studying the mechanisms of aging and others focused on specific diseases. Buck scientists strive to discover new ways of detecting, preventing and treating age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, cancer, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, osteoporosis, diabetes and stroke. In their collaborative research, they are supported by the most recent developments in genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics and stem cell technologies. For more information: http://www.thebuck.org.

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Selected Highlights from ASGCT 2017

Zinc Finger Nuclease Technology ImprovementsEd Rebar, Ph.D., Sangamo's vice president of technology, presented recent enhancements to the Company's zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) genome editing technology that substantially improve specificity while maintaining very high levels of on-target modification. These include the removal of positively charged amino acids in the zinc finger beta-sheet that make non-specific contacts with the DNA phosphate backbone, as well as the substitution of key residues within the Fok-1 cleavage domain. Dr. Rebar showed that these refinements could be applied broadly to ZFN reagents to substantially reduce off-target cleavage without sacrificing on-target cutting efficiency.

Dr. Rebar concluded with a detailed specificity analysis of a ZFN pair, in which these approaches were combined, which identified no significant off-target modification with an assay sensitivity of approximately 0.1%. Importantly, this study was performed on samples generated using clinically relevant delivery conditions, transfection scales and cell types, and with an on-target modification level of greater than 80%.

Gene Therapy for Fabry DiseaseThomas Wechsler, Ph.D., Sangamo's director and lead scientist for rare diseases, presented new data from the Company's preclinical AAV-cDNA gene therapy program for Fabry disease. Earlier in the week, Sangamo announced that it will advance this program toward human clinical development with preclinical studies enabling an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) in the second half 2018.

Fabry is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the GLA gene that encodes for the alpha-galactosidase A enzyme (-Gal A). This mutation results in the buildup of Gb3 and Lyso-Gb3 lipid molecules in the body's cells, resulting in a range of symptoms and life-threatening complications that affect multiple tissues and organ systems in the body.

Dr. Weschler presented data from GLAKO mouse models of Fabry disease demonstrating that a single infusion of Sangamo's AAV vector containing an -Gal A transgene and a liver specific promoter successfully transduced the liver, resulting in episomal expression of -Gal A in the plasma and various tissues for the duration of the study, out to 60 days. From a single treatment, the AAV-cDNA vector achieved enzyme activity levels in the plasma of up to 100 fold greater than wildtype and 10 to 100 fold greater than wildtype in tissues including the liver, heart, kidney and spleen. Importantly, -Gal A secreted from the liver led to a significant reduction in the levels of accumulated Gb3 and Lyso-Gb3 lipid substrates, in target tissues such as the kidney and heart.

Gene Regulation Treatment for Reduction of TauSangamo Scientist Bryan Zeitler, Ph.D., presented recent data demonstrating significant reduction of tau expression using Sangamo's proprietary zinc finger protein transcription factor (ZFP-TF) gene-regulation technology. The research was conducted in conjunction with Dr. Brad Hyman, Director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. The reduction of tau expression has been shown to help reduce neurofibrillary tangles in the brain and provide neuronal protection and reversal of pathology in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathy disease models.

The presentation included data from in vivo studies in wild-type mice demonstrating up to 90% reduction of tau mRNA and protein in the mouse hippocampus, as well as up to 70% tau reduction across all regions of the brain, including the cortex, midbrain, cerebellum, thalamus, hypothalamus and striatum.

In addition, data from in vivo studies in an amyloid mouse model of Alzheimer's disease suggest that a single administration of ZFP-TFs significantly reduced neuronal dystrophies in mice with established disease pathology. This is the first time that a tau lowering agent has demonstrated a reduction in neuritic dystrophy. Specificity and off-target analysis in ZFP-TF-treated primary neurons revealed that tauwas the only gene suppressed out of more than 26,000 coding transcripts analyzed. New data in Dr. Zeitler's presentation demonstrated that the effect of ZFP-TF treatment in lowering tau was durable out to the last measurement, at 11 months.

These experiments were conducted using Sangamo's novel, proprietary AAV serotype for improved CNS transduction.

Sangamo intends to seek a partner with disease area expertise for the development and commercialization of its gene regulation approach for certain central nervous system applications including Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies.

In Vivo Genome Editing Treatments for MPS I and MPS IISangamo Scientist Russell DeKelver, Ph.D., presented additional preclinical data from the Company's in vivo genome editing clinical programs in MPS I and MPS II demonstrating phenotypic correction of disease in mouse models following a single administration of Sangamo's genome editing treatments. Newly presented histopathological analysis demonstrated reduced cellular vacuolation in various secondary tissues, as well as in the bone marrow, and central nervous system tissues such as the spinal cord and pituitary gland in treated MPS I and MPS II mice, four months after dosing. Furthermore, newly presented mass spectrometry analysis confirmed significant reduction of dermatan sulfate, a type of GAG biomarker, in the brains of MPS I and MPS II mice treated with Sangamo's genome editing treatments.

Sangamo recently initiated two Phase 1/2 clinical trials evaluating SB-318 and SB-913, ZFN-mediated in vivo genome editing treatments for MPS I and MPS II, respectively. Data are expected in late 2017 or early 2018.

Cell TherapyResearch by Brigit Riley, Ph.D.,Sangamo's director of discovery and translational research, was presented demonstrating high levels of homology driven genome editing of human B cells by ZFN mRNA and AAV6 transgene delivery. The data demonstrated robust ZFN-mediated, site-specific modification of B cells at targeted loci, including AAVS1, CCR5 and TRAC locus. The data also demonstrated high levels of targeted transgene insertion, driven by homology directed repair, using a B cell specific promoter. Analysis of AAV serotype transduction showed the superiority of AAV6 in transducing B cells compared to several other serotypes.

The data demonstrate the potential for using genome editing to genetically modify B cells ex vivo and harness their natural ability to produce large amounts of antibodies to generate protein production reservoirs. This novel approach for using genome editing to harness the protein production capacity of B cells could be relevant for multiple indications, including immune disorders, cancer immunotherapies and other monogenic disorders.

DeliverySangamo Scientist Anthony Conway, Ph.D., presented new data from the Company's research into a next-generation delivery platform using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). ZFN mRNA delivery via LNPs allowed for accumulation of genome modification within the mouse liver following repeat administration, with progressive increases in genomic modification out to six repeat doses tested. LNP delivery of new ZFN architectures led to greater than 85% on-target modification in vitro and greater than 60% on-target modification in vivo, resulting in greater than 90% protein knockdown of TTR and PCSK9 in wildtype mice. Repeat dosing of ZFNs using LNP-mRNA in combination with a single human AAV-IDS donor vector resulted in efficient targeted insertion of the IDS gene into the albumin locus and accumulative enzymatic activity levels in mouse plasma after each subsequent dose.

About SangamoSangamo Therapeutics, Inc. is focused on translating ground-breaking science into genomic therapies that transform patients' lives using the company's industry leading platform technologies in genome editing, gene therapy, gene regulation and cell therapy. The Company is advancing Phase 1/2 clinical programs in Hemophilia A and Hemophilia B, and lysosomal storage disorders MPS I and MPS II. Sangamo has a strategic collaboration with Pfizer, Inc. for Hemophilia A, with Bioverativ Inc. for hemoglobinopathies, including beta thalassemia and sickle cell disease, and with Shire International GmbH to develop therapeutics for Huntington's disease. In addition, it has established strategic partnerships with companies in non-therapeutic applications of its technology, including Sigma-Aldrich Corporation and Dow AgroSciences. For more information about Sangamo, visit the Company's website at http://www.sangamo.com.

Forward Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Sangamo's current expectations. These forward looking statements include, without limitation, references to the potential of novel delivery systems to broaden applications of genomic therapies,the ability to bring research and preclinical studies to clinical development, the expected timing of filing INDs and releasing data from ongoing clinical programs, the intent to seek partners and collaborators to develop and commercialize gene regulation treatment, and the research and development of ZFNs and ZFP-TFs, clinical trials and therapeutic applications of Sangamo's ZFP technology. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, the dependence on the success of clinical trials of lead programs, the lengthy and uncertain regulatory approval process, uncertainties related to the timing of initiation and completion of clinical trials, whether clinical trial results will validate and support the safety and efficacy of Sangamo's therapeutics, and the ability to establish strategic partnerships. Further, there can be no assurance that the necessary regulatory approvals will be obtained or that Sangamo and its partners will be able to develop commercially viable gene-based therapeutics. Actual results may differ from those projected in forward-looking statements due to risks and uncertainties that exist in Sangamo's operations and business environments. These risks and uncertainties are described more fully in Sangamo's Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Sangamo undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

ContactSangamo Therapeutics, Inc. McDavid Stilwell (510) 970-6000, x219 mstilwell@sangamo.com

Varant Shirvanian (510) 970-6000, x205 vshirvanian@sangamo.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sangamo-therapeutics-presents-recent-developments-from-research-and-clinical-programs-at-annual-meeting-of-the-american-society-of-gene--cell-therapy-300457323.html

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May 15, 2017 08:00 ET | Source: Selecta Biosciences

WATERTOWN, Mass., May 15, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Selecta Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:SELB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on unlocking the full potential of biologic therapies by avoiding unwanted immune responses, today announced new preclinical data regarding non-immunogenic gene therapies that were presented at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) 2017 Annual Meeting, which took place last week in Washington, D.C.

Immunogenicity is a key challenge in gene therapy, limiting the number of diseases and patients that can be effectively treated and presenting a safety hurdle, said Werner Cautreels, Ph.D., CEO and Chairman of Selecta. Together with various collaborators, we have again demonstrated the potential of Selectas proprietary immune tolerance Synthetic Vaccine Particles (SVP) technology, which is designed to improve the clinical benefits and transform the development of gene therapy. We also were pleased with the presentation of preclinical proof-of-concept data for our proprietary product candidate in MMA, a life-threatening rare disease that can only be treated today by diet or organ transplantation.

A team led by Charles Venditti, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Investigator and Head, Organic Acid Research Section in the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health, and Luk Vandenberghe, Ph.D., Director of the Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center at Mass. Eye and Ear and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, delivered a presentation entitled Anc80 Mediates Hepatic Correction of Methylmalonyl-CoA Mutase Deficiency in Murine Models of Methymalonic Acidemia. This presentation featured data from mouse models of MMA, a rare inborn error of metabolism most frequently caused by mutations in the enzyme methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MUT). In this study, MUT-deficient mice were treated with Selectas Anc80-synMUT product candidate to express the human MUT gene. The gene therapy induced a robust biochemical and clinical response as plasma methylmalonic acid levels dropped precipitously, substantial weight gain ensued and survival was sustained. Further, presented data indicate that the combination of SVP and Anc80 could effectively overcome the immunogenicity that has limited other gene therapy programs by enabling enrollment of patients with pre-existing antibodies to AAV and keeping patients eligible for repeat administration.

A team led by Federico Mingozzi, Ph.D., Head of Immunology and Liver Gene Therapy at Genethon, delivered a presentation entitled Modulation of AAV Vector Dosing and Avoidance of Capsid Immune Responses via Repeated Co-Administration of Vector with Rapamycin Tolerogenic Nanoparticles. This presentation featured data from both mouse and non-human primate studies demonstrating how the co-administration of SVP-Rapamycin completely blocked anti-AAV immune responses in an antigen-specific manner and allowed for vector re-administration and gene therapy dose titration. The ability to dose titrate could provide for more effective development and administration of gene therapies.

Click here to view these presentations.

About Selecta's MMA Program

MMA is an inborn error of metabolism that, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), affects an estimated one in 25,000 to 48,000 individuals globally. MMA patients are unable to process certain proteins and fats, leading to the accumulation of toxic metabolites. Symptoms of this life-threatening disease start to develop in early childhood and, despite strict diet, patients suffer from a wide range of disease-related complications such as pancreatitis, strokes and chronic kidney failure. Selecta exclusively licensed Anc80 for MMA from Massachusetts Eye and Ear (MEE) in May 2016. Under the license agreement, Selecta also has the exclusive option to develop gene therapies using Anc80 for additional pre-defined lysosomal storage, genetic muscular and genetic metabolic diseases. In early 2017, Selecta entered into a strategic manufacturing agreement with Lonza Houston, Inc. under which Lonzawill produce an Anc80-AAV-based gene therapy product for Selecta's MMA program.

Selecta intends to combine Anc80 with recently discovered transgenes and Selectas SVP-Rapamycin to create a novel gene therapy for MMA. This therapy is intended to a) enable the treatment of patients with and without pre-existing anti-AAV antibodies; b) prevent cellular immune responses that often reduce the expression levels of gene therapies; and c) provide the ability to administer repeat gene therapy doses to achieve sufficient levels of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MUT), the enzyme that MMA patients are lacking.

To advance the MMA program, Selecta entered into a Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with MEE and the National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, in 2016. Principal investigators in this CRADA initiative are Charles Venditti, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Investigator and Head, Organic Acid Research Section in the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health, and Luk Vandenberghe, Ph.D., Director of the Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center at MEE and an Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. A physician-scientist specializing in the study of inborn errors of metabolism including MMA, Dr. Venditti and his group have published several studies showing the effectiveness of gene therapy as a treatment for MMA in mice. Dr. Vandenberghe from MEE is the inventor of Anc80.

About Selecta Biosciences, Inc.

Selecta Biosciences, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that is focused on unlocking the full potential of biologic therapies by avoiding unwanted immune responses. Selecta plans to combine its tolerogenic Synthetic Vaccine Particles (SVP) to a range of biologics for rare and serious diseases that require new treatment options. The companys current proprietary pipeline includes SVP-enabled enzyme, oncology and gene therapies. SEL-212, the companys lead candidate in Phase 2, is being developed to treat severe gout patients and resolve their debilitating symptoms, including flares and gouty arthritis. Selectas clinical oncology candidate, LMB-100, is in a Phase 1 program targeting pancreatic cancer and mesothelioma. Its two proprietary gene therapy product candidates are being developed for rare inborn errors of metabolism and have the potential to enable repeat administration. The use of SVP is also being explored in the development of vaccines and treatments for allergies and autoimmune diseases. Selecta is based in Watertown, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit http://selectabio.com and follow @SelectaBio on Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements in this press release about the future expectations, plans and prospects of Selecta Biosciences, Inc. (the company), including without limitation, whether the companys MMA product candidate will prevent cellular immune responses, enable repeat administration or allow for the treatment of patients with and without pre-existing anti-AAV antibodies, the companys ability to unlock the full potential of biologic therapies, the companys plan to apply its SVP platform to a range of biologics for rare and serious diseases, the potential of SEL-212 to treat severe gout patients and resolve their debilitating symptoms, the potential of the companys two gene therapy product candidates to enable repeat administration, the potential treatment applications for products utilizing the SVP platform in areas such as gene therapy, immuno-oncology, allergies, autoimmune diseases and vaccines, and other statements containing the words anticipate, believe, continue, could, estimate, expect, hypothesize, intend, may, plan, potential, predict, project, should, target, would, and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors discussed in the Risk Factors section of the companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on May 11, 2017, and in other filings that the company makes with the SEC. In addition, any forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the companys views only as of the date of its publication and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. The company specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements included in this press release.

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May 11, 2017

An analysis of data from the entire development program consisting of three trials assessing the feasibility of using a stem cell therapy (CD34+ cells) to treat patients with the most severe cases of angina, refractory angina (RA), showed a statistically significant improvement in exercise time as well as a reduction in mortality. Results from "CD34+ Stem Cell Therapy Improves Exercise Time and Mortality in Refractory Angina: A Patient Level Meta-Analysis" were presented today as a late-breaking clinical trial at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) 2017 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans.

One of the warning signs of coronary artery disease is angina, or chest pain, which occurs when the heart muscle does not receive enough blood. Unlike angina pectoris or "stable angina," which can often be treated with medication, RA can be incapacitating, impacting quality of life. In the most severe cases, those with class III or IV angina, treatment options are exhausted, and patients remain severely debilitated. Unfortunately, one of the untoward consequences of the improved survival of patients with chronic ischemic heart disease is more patients with refractory angina.

A meta-analysis of three trials that each showed promising results looked at injecting RA patients with autologous CD34+ cellswhich have been shown to increase blood flowand the therapy's effect on mortality and total exercise time (TET), an important predictor of long-term mortality.

Data from 304 patients was extracted and analyzed from phase 1 (24 patients), ACT-34 and ACT-34 extension studies (168 patients), and RENEW (112 patients), which was prematurely terminated by the sponsor due to financial considerations.

"The goal of this meta-analysis was to combine patient level data from three very similar trials to try understand what it would tell us," said lead investigator Tom Povsic, MD, FSCAI, associate professor at the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) and an interventional cardiologist at Duke University School of Medicine.

Results showed that patients treated with CD34+ cell therapy (n=187) improved TET by 80.5 12.1, 101.8 13.7, and 90.5 14.7 seconds at three months, six months, and 12 months compared with 28.1 15.7, 48.8 18.2, and 39.5 20.3 seconds for the placebo group (n=89), resulting in treatment effects of 52.5 (p=0.002), 52.9 (p=0.009) and 50.9 (p=0.027) seconds.

The relative risk of angina was 0.90 (p=0.40), 0.81 (p=0.14), and 0.79 (p=0.17) at three months, six months, and 12 months in CD34+ treated patients.

CD34+ treatment decreased mortality by 24 months (2.6 percent vs. 11.8 percent, p=0.003). In addition, major adverse cardiac events were less frequent (29.8 percent for CD34+ patients vs. 40.0 percent for the placebo group, p=0.08).

"Therapies for these patients are direly needed," said Povsic, "and results from our meta-analysis are very compelling. Most importantly, the number of patients in our meta-analysis approximates those who were targetedfor enrollment in RENEW, the prematurely terminated phase III study. These results suggest that had RENEW been completed, a regenerative therapy for these patients might meet criteria for approval. I still think this therapy has a lot of promise."

Timothy Henry, MD, chief of cardiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, agrees "CD34+ cell therapy appears to be an extremely safe and effective therapy for this growing and challenging patient population with limited options."

Explore further: Stem cell therapy shows potential for difficult-to-treat RA patient population

More information: Povsic presented "CD34+ Stem Cell Therapy Improves Exercise Time and Mortality in Refractory Angina: A Patient Level Meta-Analysis" on Thursday, May 11, 2017 11:30 a.m. CDT

A study using a stem cell therapy to treat challenging refractory angina (RA) patients demonstrated promising results, including improved exercise time, reduced angina and reduced mortality. The RENEW results were presented ...

A two-year, multi-center clinical study with 167 patients with class III-IV refractory angina randomized to low and high dose CD34+ cells or placebo has revealed that patients who received either a high or low dose of CD34a ...

The absolute cumulative probability of death at 12 months was 5 percent lower for patients who received routine invasive coronary angiography and revascularization as indicated during an unstable angina admission compared ...

An injection of stem cells into the heart could offer hope to many of the 850,000 Americans whose chest pain doesn't subside even with medicine, angioplasty or surgery, according to a study in Circulation Research: Journal ...

(HealthDay)Reduced baseline levels of circulating CD34+ stem cells predict adverse cardiovascular outcomes for patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study published online Nov. 4 in Diabetes Care.

A non-surgical treatment that uses a patient's own bone marrow stem cells to treat chest pain or angina improved both symptoms and the length of time treated patients could be physically active, according to preliminary research ...

New research has found that genetic differences in antibody genes alter individuals' susceptibility to rheumatic heart disease, a forgotten inflammatory heart condition known as 'RHD' that is rife in developing countries.

People who use commonly prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat pain and inflammation could be raising their risk of having a heart attack, as early as in the first week of use and especially within ...

(HealthDay)When someone goes into cardiac arrest, quick action from bystanders can have a long-lasting impact, researchers say.

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may have been wrongly blamed for muscle pain and weakness, said a study Wednesday that pointed the finger at a psychological phenomenon called the "nocebo" effect.

A new pilot study reports that Mexican-American stroke survivors are less likely to receive inpatient rehabilitation than non-Hispanic whites.

Less than half of individuals with peripheral artery disease, which is a narrowing of arteries to the limbs, stomach and head, are treated with appropriate medications and lifestyle counseling. These findings highlight the ...

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A new biomimetic bone tissue may help improve bone marrow transplants.

Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a bone-like implant that eliminates the need for donor cells to wipe out the hosts pre-existing cells, by allowing donor cells the space to live and grow.

Weve made an accessory bone that can separately accommodate donor cells. This way, we can keep the host cells and bypass irradiation, bioengineering professor Shyni Varghese, from the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, said in a statement.

The implants are made of a porous hydrogel matrix that contains calcium phosphate minerals in the outer matrix and donor stem cells that produce blood cells in the inner matrix.

The researchers successfully tested the bone tissues in mice and the donor cells survived for at least six months, while supplying the mice with new blood cells.

The structures matured into bone tissues of the mice that have a working blood vessel network and a bone marrow inside that supplies new blood cells. After a month the implanted marrow contained a mixture of host and donor blood cells, which remained circulating in the bloodstream even after 24 hours.

In the future, our work could contribute to improved therapies for bone marrow disease, Yu-Ru (Vernon) Shih, a research scientist in Vargheses lab and the studys first author said in a statement. That would have useful applications for cell transplantations in the clinic.

The researchers also took stem cells from the implanted marrow and transplanted them into another group of mice with their marrow stem cells eradicated by radiation and drugs. The transplanted cells diffused into the bloodstream of the mice in the second group.

Were working on making this a platform to generate more bone marrow stem cells, Varghese said.

According to Varghese, the implants could only be used in patients with non-malignant bone marrow diseases, where there arent any cancerous cells that need to be eliminated.

The researchers said this discovery indicates that implanted marrow is functional and donor cells can form and survive for long periods of time in the presence of host cells. They also said that the host and donor cells can travel between the implanted marrow and the hosts circulating blood through the blood vessel network formed in the implanted bone tissue.

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Science Daily

New intervertebral discs from stem cells Science Daily The study on the sick German shepherds was organized as follows: With the permission of the dog owners, neurologist Frank Steffen and his team removed stem cells from the marrow of the pelvic bone of the affected animals. After the cleaning and ...

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Science Daily

Engineering human stem cells to model the kidney's filtration barrier on a chip Science Daily ... of kidney diseases and drug toxicities, and the stem cell-derived kidney podocytes we developed could even offer a new injectable cell therapy approach for regenerative medicine in patients with life-threatening glomerulopathies in the future ...

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HIV has no cure. Its not quite the implacable scourge it was throughout the 1980s and 1990s, thanks to education, prophylactics, and drugs like PrEP. But still, no cure. Genetically-modified humans: what is CRISPR and how does it work?

Part of the problem is HIVs ability to squirrel itself away inside a cells DNA including the DNA of the immune cells that are supposed to be killing it. The same ability, though, could be HIVs undoing. All because of CRISPR. You know, CRIPSR: the gene-editing technique that got everyone really excited, then really sceptical, and now cautiously optimistic about curing a bunch of intractable diseases.

Last week, a group of biologists published research detailing how they hid an anti-HIV CRISPR system inside another type of virus capable of sneaking past a hosts immune system. Whats more, the virus replicated and snipped HIV from infected cells along the way. At this stage, it works in mice and rats, not people. But as a proof of concept, it means similar systems could be developed to fight a huge range of diseasesherpes, cystic fibrosis, and all sorts of cancers.

Those diseases are all treatable, to varying degrees. But the problem with treatments is you have to keep doing them in order for them to work. The current anti-retroviral therapy for HIV is very successful in suppressing replication of the virus, says Kamel Khalili, a neurovirologist at Temple University in Philadelphia and lead author of the recent research, published in Molecular Therapy. But that does not eliminate the copies of the virus that have been integrated into the gene, so any time the patient doesnt take their medication the virus can rebound. Plus treatments can and often do fail.

Gene therapy has promised to revolutionise medicine since the 1970s, when a pair of researchers introduced the concept of using viruses to replace bad DNA with good DNA. The first working model was tested on mice in the 1980s, and by the 1990s researchers were using gene therapies with limited success to treat immune and nutrition deficiencies. Then, in 1999, a patient in a University of Pennsylvania gene therapy trial named Jesse Gelsinger died from complications. The tragedy temporarily skid-stopped the whole field. Gene therapy had been steadily getting its groove back, but the 2012 discovery that CRISPR could make easy, and accurate, cuts on human genes, added more vigor.

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CRISPR as an agent for curing HIV has its own problems. For one, it has to be able to snip away the HIV from an infected cell without damaging any of the surrounding DNA. HIV mutates and evolves, so Khalili and his co-authors couldnt just program their CRISPR system with a single genetic mugshot. Instead, they had to target enough unchanging sections that were also critical to the virus survival.

Their next challenge was delivering the system to a critical mass of infected cells. First, you have to get it past the immune system which is programmed to attack any non-foreign object entering the body. They did this by packing their CRISPR system inside another type of virus called AAV (short for adeno associated virus). AAVs are a very small helper virus, they cant actually replicate in a cell on their own unless they have another virus there to help it along, says Keith Jerome, a microbiologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle. The great thing about AAVs is they cause essentially no immune system response in humans. Although thats not always true. Jesse Gelsinger died in 1999 because his immune system overreacted to the AAVs hed been given in his gene therapy trial. So doctors hoping to prescribe AAV-based gene therapy have to be aware of patients prior exposure.

In order to get approved for human use, this type of CRISPR-borne cure would have to be both safe and effective. This study got part of the way but was going strictly for efficacy: Does this work? Khalili and his co-authors treated mice and rat model with strains of HIV that were latent; hiding away in cellular DNAand others where the HIV was actively replicating. Then they used it on mice grafted with human cells. In all three cases, HIV rates went down significantly.

Other good news on the safety front: theres no evidence their trial made any off-target cuts. Ageing is a disease. Gene therapy could be the 'cure'

Theyll now need to run more experiments to make sure thats absolutely the case, probably using primate models since their DNA is closer to humans. They also have to make sure the treatment gets rid of enough HIV, so it doesnt just replicate itself back to harmful levels. In actual human patients theres no way that a CRISPR gene therapy will ever get 100 per cent of HIV, says Paul Knoepfler, a stem cell biologist at UC Davis. How highly efficient will be efficient enough to make a clinically meaningful impact?

Khalili believes he can get close enough. According to him, the CRISPR system doesnt need to eliminate all the HIV-infected cells, just enough so an HIV-patients immune system can get strong enough to take care of the rest on its own. I strongly believe in the gene-editing strategy, and with my 30 years in HIV research, I think this is the one that is going to take us to the end.

Hes not the only optimist. The advantage of using a virus as your delivery system is it can infect virtually every cell, says Jianhua Luo, a pathologist at the University of Pittsburgh. Luo is using a similar CRISPR-in-a-virus system to target cancerous DNA in cells.

And curing HIV could be a proof-of-concept for other diseases even genetic diseases people are born with. Although the virus starts as a simple infection, once it becomes part of a persons chromosome, it essentially becomes a genetic disease.

Since the HIV research was published, a team of biologists at University of California, Berkeley, described 10 new CRISPR enzymes that, once activated, are said to "behave like Pac-Man" to chew through RNA in a way that could be used as sensitive detectors of infectious viruses.

These new enzymes are variants of a CRISPR protein, Cas13a, which the UC Berkeley researchers reported last September in Nature, and could be used to detect specific sequences of RNA, such as from a virus. The team showed that once CRISPR-Cas13a binds to its target RNA, it begins to indiscriminately cut up all RNA making it "glow" to allow signal detection.

Two teams of researchers at the Broad Institute subsequently paired CRISPR-Cas13a with the process of RNA amplification to showed that the system, dubbed Sherlock, could detect viral RNA at extremely low concentrations, such as the presence of dengue and Zika viral RNA, for example. Such a system could be used to detect any type of RNA, including RNA distinctive of cancer cells.

Imagine a world where, instead of removing her breasts, Angelina Jolie could instead have taken a dose of genes that snip away the BRCA2 genes that threatened her with cancer. Thats the difference between a treatment and a cure.

Nick Stockton is a staff writer for WIRED US. This article originally appeared on WIRED. It has been updated to reference the new University of California, Berkeley research.

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CRISPR kills HIV and eats Zika 'like Pac-man'. Its next target? Cancer - Wired.co.uk

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Study DetailsShift Workers with Shift Work Sleep Disorder Have Increased Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (#MP13-12):Previous studies suggest non-standard male shift workers have an increased risk of LUTS, which can include frequency or urgency of urination, reduced urine flow, painful urination or a sensation of incomplete emptying. They also suggest these workers are at an increased risk for developing shift work sleep disorder (SWSD), a primary circadian rhythm disorder that disrupts the body's internal clock. Utilizing questionnaires from men who presented to a single andrology clinic between July 2014 and September 2016, researchers set out to examine the association between SWSD and LUTS in shift workers. The study population included 2,487 men, of whom 37 percent were diagnosed with SWSD. Each participant's work schedule, SWSD risk and LUTS (International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) were examined. The impact of non-standard shift work and SWSD on IPSS score was also assessed using ANOVA and linear regression.

Results showed:

Study DetailsIncreased Risk of Hypogonadal Symptoms in Shift Workers with Shift Work Sleep Disorder (#MP91-06): Men with hypogonadism have low testosterone levels accompanied by physical symptoms such as erectile dysfunction, decreased muscle mass, low sex drive and trouble sleeping. In an effort to determine whether a relationship exists between non-standard shift work and hypogonadal symptoms, researchers examined data from nearly 2,500 men who were patients at an andrology clinic between July 2014 and September 2016. Seven hundred sixty-six men worked non-standard shifts, and 282 were diagnosed with SWSD. The men completed questionnaires about their shift work schedule, SWSD risk and hypogonadal symptoms (Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male (qADAM) questionnaire). The impact of non-standard shift work and SWSD on responses to qADAM was then assessed utilizing ANOVA and linear regression.

Results showed:

Study DetailsShift Work is Associated with Altered Semen Parameters in Infertile Men (#: PD13-08): Recognizing shift work negatively impacts circadian rhythms and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, an integral regulator of spermatogenesis, researchers in Texas set out to study the impact of shift work on semen parameters and reproductive hormones in infertile men. Participants included men who were not able to achieve pregnancy within 12 months, and had no known genetic or obstructive causes of infertility, as well as, men who had fathered a child within the last five years. Nearly 200 men: 75 infertile shift workers, 98 infertile non-shift workers and 27 fertile controls were compared.

Results showed:

Study DetailsThe Relationship Between Sleep Disorders and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (#: MP13-15): By examining the NHANES database, researchers sought to investigate the frequency of LUTS in men, with and without such sleep disorders as obstructive sleep apnea and insomnia. Researchers examined the NHANES database over a two-year period and included men ages 18-70 who completed sleep questionnaires in addition to prostate and kidney forms. Physician-diagnosed sleep disorders were self-reported by patients and statistical analyses were used to compare groups.

Results showed:

"These findings demonstrate how sleep disruption and shift work can negatively impact a man's urologic health," said Dr. Adler. "The improved understanding about the role sleep plays in contributing to or worsening lower urinary tract symptoms, male infertility and low testosterone can lead to more effective diagnosis and treatment options."

NOTE TO REPORTERS: Experts are available to discuss this study outside normal briefing times. To arrange an interview with an expert, please contact the AUA Communications Office at 410-689-3932 or e-mail cfrey@AUAnet.org.

About the American Urological Association: The 112th Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association takes place May 12 16 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in Boston, MA.

Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 21,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.

Contact: Christine Frey, AUA 443-909-0839, cfrey@AUAnet.org

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-effect-of-shift-work-on-a-mans-sexual-and-urologic-health-300456690.html

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Panaji: To ensure the number of emergency deaths due to cardiac-related problems are brought down, health minister Vishwajit Rane announced the signing of an MoU with ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) India. The organization, he said, has a protocol to handle cardiac emergency cases where such cases will be dealt with at the point of contact through the GVK 108 service.

Doctors will be trained to operate within the protocol he said, adding that it will help increase the window period after a cardiac attack and give treatment to a patient. "The whole idea is to save lives and if the window period is extended it will help saving lives of patients," he said, adding that significant damage happens to a patient's heart if the heart problem is not addressed.

"The problem is all casualty cases are referred to medicine and not directly to cardiology." These, he said, should immediately be looked at by the cardiac team, he said, adding that a proposal has gone to the chief minister to add three more cardiac consultants to the cardiology wing so that 24 x7 services are made available for patients.

New fleet of 108 ambulance with trained personnel including motorcycle ambulances will be pressed into service by the end of June and first week of July, he said.

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A fascinating documentary that is making the rounds at film festivals like Tribeca and Cannes gives a rare view of a controversial treatment that more and more Americans are paying up to $50,000 to receive. Stem cell therapy is widely considered to be the next big hope in medicine, with researchers everywhere from Stanford to Johns Hopkins investigating the technologys potential to treat seemingly every ailment known to mankindAlzheimers, cancer, joint injuries, even basic signs of aging. The only hitch: With one tiny exception, it isnt legal in the United States.

We all know the stem cell revolution is occurring outside the U.S., says Brian Mehling, M.D., a Manhattan-based orthopedic surgeon who is certainly doing his part to foment the insurgency. A coproducer of the film, as well as its charismatic recurring subject, Mehling is bringing stem cell tourism into the spotlight and determined to lift the curtain on a medical field that remains mysterious to most. His Blue Horizon medical clinics, with locations in China and Slovakiaand three more set to open in Mexico, Israel, and Jamaicacater to American tourists looking to cutting-edge therapy for help when traditional medicine fails.

Stem cells are the undifferentiated cells that abound in newborns and have the ability to transform into blood, nerve, or muscle cells and aid the body in self-repair. Proselytizers like Mehling say they constitute the latest in holistic medicine, allowing the body to healwithout drugs, surgery, or side effects. At clinics such as Mehlings, doctors either inject the cells, which are generally obtained from umbilical cords during C-sections, into a patients spinal cord (much like an epidural), or administer them via IV drip. The process is alarmingly quick, and patients can typically check out of the facility by the end of the day. One of the few stem-cell therapies approved for use in the United States is one used to treat the blood disease known as beta thalassemia; in that instance, the treatment replaces damaged blood in the immune system and saves tens of thousands of lives each year. Few other stem cell applications, however, have been proven effective in the rigorous clinical trials the Food and Drug Administration requires before signing off on any treatment.

In fact, stem cell clinics remain completely unregulated, and there have been incidents of related troubles. In one recent report , Jim Gass, a resident of San Diego who traveled to stem cell clinics in Mexico, China, and Argentina to help recover from a stroke, later discovered a sizable tumor on his spinal columnand the cancerous cells belonged to somebody else. Troubling cases also emerged at a loosely regulated clinic in Sunrise, Florida where, earlier this spring, three women suffering macular degeneration reported further loss of vision after having stem cells, extracted from their belly fat via liposuction, injected into their eyes. Though, on the whole, reports of treatments at clinics gone awry remain relatively few.

In his film, Stem Cells: The Next Frontier , which is set to appear at Cannes Film Festival this month, Mehling offers a persuasive side of the story, with rapturous testimonials from patients, some of whom who have regained the ability to walk after their stem cell vacations. Added bonus: They come home with better skin, bigger sex drive, and (in the case of at least one balding patient) more hair.

However compelling, there is scant evidence that the injections actually make a difference, and most American doctors caution against buying into the hype. Stem cell researcher Jaime Imitola, M.D. and Ph.D, director of the progressive multiple sclerosis clinic research program at Ohio State University, says he is impressed by the evidence that stem cells can help with neurological disorders in animals. But the question is how can you translate it into clinical trials? We still dont know what were doing when we put stem cells in people.

David Scadden, a professor of medicine and stem cell and regenerative biology at Harvard, and the director of Harvards Stem Cell Institute, says that stem cell tourism is a waste of money for the time being. A world-renowned expert in stem cell science, he remains optimistic about its future applications. Researchers are currently looking into reprogramming, for instance, which effectively converts a mature cell into a stem cell. You rewind its history so it forgets its a blood cell or a skin cell and it rewinds back in time and it can become any cell type, he says. Youd be able to test drugs on these cells, and it could be used to reverse Type 1 diabetes.

For now, though, he does not recommend experimenting with stem cells before we understand them well enough to properlyand safelyharness their benefits. People call me about it all the timethey say, I have this knee thats bugging me, Im going to one of these clinics, he says. His response? For the most part they dont do harm. But nobody Ive spoken with has come back to me and said, You Harvard docs have to get on this . . . . Not yet.

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Stem cell therapy is a type of cell therapy wherein cells are introduced into the damaged tissue so as to treat the disorder or the injury. There are a number of medical researchers who believes that the stem cell therapy has the potential to change the treatment of human diseases and reduce the suffering people face when they have a disease. They believe that there are a lot of potential to replace the damaged and diseased tissues in the body without getting the risk of rejections.

The stem cells have the ability to self-renew and also give rise to further generation of cells that can multiply. There are a number of stem cell therapies that do exist but most of them are still in the experimental stages. The treatments are very costly with an exception of bone marrow transplant. However, researchers believe that one day they will be able to develop technologies from embryonic stem cells and also adult stem cells to cure type I diabetes, cancer, Parkinsons disease, cardiac failure, neurological disorders and many more such ailments.

The stem cell therapy however carries its own pros and cons and like any other therapy it cannot be said that the stem cell therapy is an advantageous package. Here are some of the pros and cons of the therapy.

Pros of the stem cell therapy include:

It offers a lot of medical benefits in the therapeutic sectors of regenerative medicine and cloning.

It shows great potential in the treatment of a number of conditions like Parkinsons disease, spinal cord injuries, Alzheimers disease, schizophrenia, cancer, diabetes and many others.

It helps the researchers know more about the growth of human cells and their development.

In future, the stem cell research can allow the scientists to test a number of potential medicines and drugs without carrying out any test on animals and humans. The drug can be tested on a population of cells directly.

The stem cell therapy also allows researchers to study the developmental stages that cannot be known directly through the human embryo and can be used in the treatment of a number of birth defects, infertility problems and also pregnancy loss. A higher understanding will allow the treatment of the abnormal development in the human body.

The stem cell therapy puts into use the cells of the patients own body and hence the risk of rejection can be reduced because the cells belong to the same human body.

The cons of the stem cell therapy include the following:

The use of the stem cells for research involves the destruction of the blastocytes that are formed from the laboratory fertilization of the human egg.

The long term side effects of the therapy are still unknown.

The disadvantage of adult stem cells is that the cells of a particular origin would generate cells only of that type, like brain cells would generate only brain cells and so on.

If the cells used in the therapy are embryonic then the disadvantage is that the cells will not be from the same human body and there are chances of rejection.

The stem cell therapy is still under the process of research and there are a number of things that needs to be established before it used as a treatment line.

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Pros and Cons of Stem Cell Therapy - Health Guidance

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May 13, 2017 08:40 ET | Source: Intellia Therapeutics, Inc.

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTLA), a leading genome editing company focused on the development of potentially curative therapeutics using CRISPR technology, presented an update on its long-term mouse genome editing and delivery studies and shared new, first-time data in rat models demonstrating consistent dose-dependent editing, at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapys Annual Meeting (ASGCT).

These data, featured in a platform presentation on Saturday, May 13 at ASGCT showed:

Data from the additional rat study further validates the in vivo CRISPR/Cas9 platform using Intellias proprietary LNP delivery system, said David Morrissey, Ph.D., senior vice president, Platform and Delivery Technology. In both species, we saw unprecedented in vivo liver editing results and consistent delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 with systemic administration using LNPs, while also showing the ability to expand our studies in larger species.

About Intellia Therapeutics

Intellia Therapeutics is a leading genome editing company focused on the development of proprietary, potentially curative therapeutics using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Intellia believes the CRISPR/Cas9 technology has the potential to transform medicine by permanently editing disease-associated genes in the human body with a single treatment course. Our combination of deep scientific, technical and clinical development experience, along with our leading intellectual property portfolio, puts us in a unique position to unlock broad therapeutic applications of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology and create a new class of therapeutic products. Learn more about Intellia Therapeutics and CRISPR/Cas9 at intelliatx.com; Follow us on Twitter @intelliatweets.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" of Intellia within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, express or implied statements regarding Intellias ability to advance and expand the CRISPR/Cas9 technology to develop into human therapeutic products; our ability to achieve stable liver editing; effective genome editing with a single treatment dose; and the potential timing and advancement of our preclinical studies and clinical trials. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on managements current expectations and beliefs of future events, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks related to Intellias ability to protect and maintain our intellectual property position; risks related to the ability of our licensors to protect and maintain their intellectual property position; uncertainties related to the initiation and conduct of studies and other development requirements for our product candidates; the risk that any one or more of Intellias product candidates will not be successfully developed and commercialized; the risk that the results of preclinical studies will be predictive of future results in connection with future studies; and the risk that Intellias collaborations with Novartis or Regeneron will not continue or will not be successful. For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause Intellias actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the section entitled Risk Factors in Intellias most recent annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in Intellias subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Intellia Therapeutics undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.

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New CRISPR enzymes have been found that could be used as sensitive detectors for infectious viruses.

US scientists were able to show that once CRISPR-Cas13a binds to its target RNA, it indiscriminately cuts up all RNA, like Pac-Man eating dots. Jennifer Doudna, professor of molecular biology and of chemistry at the Broad Institute, in Massachusetts, said: Our intention is to develop the Cas13a family of enzymes for point-of-care diagnostics that are robust and simple to deploy.

Researchers at the Institute paired CRISPR-Cas13a with RNA amplificationand showed the system, dubbed SHERLOCK, could detect viral RNA at extremely low concentrations. This included RNA linked to a reporter molecule that would fluoresce, allowing it to be detected. The system has been shown to detect the presence of dengue and Zika viral RNA and potentially could detect RNA of distinctive cancer cells.

The CRISPR-Cas13a family, formerly referred to as CRISPR-C2c2, is related to CRISPR-Cas9, which is already revolutionising biomedical research and treatment because of the ease of targeting it to unique DNA sequences to cut or edit. While the Cas9 protein cuts double-stranded DNA at specific sequences, the Cas13a protein a nucleic acid-cutting enzyme referred to as a nuclease latches onto specific RNA sequences, and not only cuts that specific RNA, but runs amok to cut and destroy all RNA present.

Alexandra East-Seletsky, a UC Berkeley graduate student working in the laboratory of Jennifer Doudna, one of the inventors of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, said: We have taken our foundational research a step further. We found other homologs of the Cas13a family that have different nucleotide preferences, enabling concurrent detection of different reporters with, say, a red and a green fluorescent signal, allowing a multiplexed enzymatic detection system.

While the original Cas13a enzyme used by the University of California Berkeley and Broad teams cuts RNA at one specific nucleic acid, uracil, three of the new Cas13a variants cut RNA at adenine. This difference allows simultaneous detection of two different RNA molecules, which could be from two different viruses.A full report of their findings will appear in Molecular Cell.

East-Seletsky said: Think of binding between Cas13a and its RNA target as an on-off switch target binding turns on the enzyme to go be a Pac-Man in the cell, chewing up all RNA nearby. This RNA killing spree can kill the cell.

UC Berkeley researchers in Nature last September argued the Pac-Man activity of CRISPR-Cas13a is its main role in bacteria, aimed at killing infectious viruses or phages. As part of the immune system of some bacteria, it allows infected cells to commit suicide to save their sister microbes from infection. Similar non-CRISPR suicide systems exist in other bacteria.

The UC Berkeley researchers subsequently searched databases of bacterial genomes and found 10 other Cas13a-like proteins. These have been synthesised and studied to assess their ability to find and cut RNA. Of those, seven resembled the original Cas13a, while three differed in where they cut RNA.

East-Seletsky said: Building on our original work, we now show that it is possible to multiplex these enzymes together, extending the scope of the technology. There is so much diversity within the CRISPR-Cas13a family that can be utilised for many applications, including RNA detection.

By Dermot Martin

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Pac-Man like CRISPR enzymes discovered - Lab News

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If free lunches and a foosball table aren't enticing work perks, this AI-powered hedge fund is offering new recruits a chance to live forever.

Generous employee perks are as much a part of the tech industry as long work hours, office Nerf gun battles, and people overusing the word disruption. But while most firms only go so far as free meals, on-site yoga classes, and maybe the occasional indoor climbing wall, an artificial intelligence-driven hedge fund is taking things to the next level.

The good news? Numeraisnew employee benefit is quite literally the coolest one we have heard about. The bad news? You wont be able to enjoy it until youre dead.

We are allowing employees cryonic body preservation as a benefit, Richard Craib, founder of Numerai, told Digital Trends. Employees sign up through a life insurance policy and upon legal death, the life insurance claim is handed over to cryonics provider Alcor.

While the idea of whole-body preservation cryonics being a benefit isnt necessarily going to appeal to everyone, the hope is that it will appeal to the right kind of people, who will have something to bring to Numerai. That means folks with an interest (and, preferably, plenty of impressive qualifications) in artificial intelligence. Strong education backgrounds in mathematics and statistics are also advantageous, Craib continued.

The company is clearly doing something right in this department because it already includes former employees from Apple and Google DeepMind among its (soon to be frozen) ranks.

As to how long successful candidates will be frozen for well, that depends on a whole lot on scientific advances. According to Alcors website, Revival of todays cryonics patients will require future repair by highly advanced future technology, such as molecular nanotechnology. Technology that is advanced enough to repair a cryopreserved brain would by its nature also be able to regrow new tissues, organs, and a healthy body for the revived person.

Dont expect too much free time to explore your new futuristic home when you are thawed, though, because Craib is joining employees in the cryonics process. The only worse thing than being reanimated years in the future, to find that all your friends and family are long-since dead and youre a living fossil with outdated 21st-century views? Waking up in the aforementioned scenario, only to immediately be put back to work by your boss.

I personally signed up for Alcor recently, he explained. Many of the other Numerai employees were intrigued as to why and generally agree with the argument that a small chance of eternal life is worth the risk of an unconventional post-death experience. After discussing the idea on This Week In Startups, we decided to offer it to all employees.

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Forget healthcare this startup offers cryonic freezing as an employee benefit - Digital Trends

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Having your assets frozen is officially a job perk.

Numerai, a San Francisco-based hedge fund, is currently hiring for a full stack engineer and the position comes with some cool benefits.

The $130,000-$160,000-a-year position seeks an optimistic and passionate individual to help develop the companysweb app, numer.ai. And your benefits package includes the option to be cryogenically frozen after you die.

Specifically, the job offers whole-body preservation cryonics through Alcor. Richard Craib, Numerais founder, told Digital Trends that the offering started as a joke, but he hopes it will attract some interesting candidates.

Numerai cares about its employees beyond their legal deaths, the job listing says.

According to Alcors website, over 100 people have been cryogenically preserved since 1967.

The over $100,000 process involves injecting a persons veins with chemicals shortly after theyre pronounced dead. Once the body arrives at the cryogenics facility their blood is replaced with a preservation solution and their body is stored in a tank of liquid nitrogen kept at -348 degrees Fahrenheit.

The hope is that technology will eventually be advanced enough to bring the frozen bodies back to life.

Craib, who is already signed up for Alcor, said many of his employees generally agree with the argument that a small chance of eternal life is worth the risk of an unconventional post-death experience.

The option is available through the companys life insurance policy, with Alcor receiving the life insurance claim after an employees death.

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Company's benefits package includes chance at eternal life | New ... - New York Post

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May 11, 2017 16:00 ET | Source: AveXis

CHICAGO, May 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AveXis, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVXS), a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing treatments for patients suffering from rare and life-threatening neurological genetic diseases, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2017, recent corporate highlights and upcoming milestones.

We are very pleased with our progress during the first quarter and recent weeks, including the recently reported encouraging results from the closeout of the Phase 1 trial of AVXS-101 in SMA Type 1, said Sean Nolan, President and Chief Executive Officer of AveXis. Our team is focused on executing our plan to bring AVXS-101 to patients suffering from SMA Type 1 as quickly and safely as possible.

Recent Highlights

Results from the Phase 1 Trial of AVXS-101 in SMA Type 1: The Phase 1, open-label, dose-escalating study was designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of AVXS-101 in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 1. The key measures of efficacy were the time from birth to an event, which was defined as either death or at least 16 hours per day of required ventilation support for breathing for 14 consecutive days in the absence of acute reversible illness or perioperatively, and video confirmed achievement of ability to sit unassisted. Additionally, several exploratory objective measures were assessed, including a standard motor milestone development survey and Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia Infant Test of Neuromuscular Disorders (CHOP INTEND).

Presented AVXS-101 research at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology: Jerry Mendell, M.D., director of the Center for Gene Therapy at The Research Institute at Nationwide Childrens Hospital, presented results from the Phase 1 study of AVXS-101 in SMA Type 1 during a plenary session, including video evidence of children achieving motor milestones.

Completed Type B chemistry manufacturing and controls (CMC) meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): On May 1, 2017, AveXis participated in a Type B CMC meeting with the FDA. The purpose of the meeting was to present to the agency AveXis proposed process for producing the intended commercial scale GMP-derived gene therapy product, to gain alignment with the agency on the proposed assay qualification plan, and to gain alignment on the proposed protocol for demonstrating comparability of the intended commercial scale GMP-derived product with the material administered to patients in the Phase 1 trial of AVXS-101 in SMA Type 1.

The company expects to provide an update on its further plans and development timelines following receipt of the minutes of the CMC Type B meeting, currently anticipated in early June 2017.

Joao Siffert Appointed to Board of Directors: On April 19, 2017, AveXis announced the appointment of Joao Siffert to its Board of Directors, effective upon the completion of the annual meeting of stockholders. Dr. Siffert brings important knowledge to the Board based on his experience in central nervous system drug development and regulatory expertise in both the U.S. and Europe, as well as his experience working with global health care companies.

First Quarter 2017 Financial Results

Selected Financial Information

Operating Results:

Balance Sheet Information:

Conference Call Information The AveXis conference call and webcast of April 25, 2017 was conducted in lieu of a first quarter 2017 financial and operating results conference call. AveXis will not host a conference call and webcast related to its first quarter 2017 financial and operating results. The Company expects to host its next conference call and webcast following receipt of the minutes from the CMC meeting with the FDA, expected approximately 30 days following the meeting, which took place May 1, 2017.

About SMA SMA is a severe neuromuscular disease characterized by the loss of motor neurons leading to progressive muscle weakness and paralysis. SMA is caused by a genetic defect in the SMN1 gene that codes SMN, a protein necessary for survival of motor neurons. The incidence of SMA is approximately one in 10,000 live births.

The most severe form of SMA is Type 1, a lethal genetic disorder characterized by motor neuron loss and associated muscle deterioration, which results in mortality or the need for permanent ventilation support before the age of two for greater than 90 percent of patients. SMA Type 1 is the leading genetic cause of infant mortality.

About AVXS-101 AVXS-101 is a proprietary gene therapy candidate of a one-time treatment for SMA Type 1 and is designed to address the monogenic root cause of SMA and prevent further muscle degeneration by addressing the defective and/or loss of the primary SMN gene. AVXS-101 also targets motor neurons providing rapid onset of effect, and crosses the blood brain barrier allowing an IV dosing route and effective targeting of both central and systemic features.

About AveXis, Inc. AveXis is a clinical-stage gene therapy company developing treatments for patients suffering from rare and life-threatening neurological genetic diseases. The companys initial proprietary gene therapy candidate, AVXS-101, is in an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of SMA Type 1. For additional information, please visit http://www.avexis.com.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding, among other things, AveXis research, development and regulatory plans for AVXS-101, including the potential of AVXS-101 to positively impact quality of life and alter the course of disease in children with SMA Type 1 and statements about the effects of SMA Type 1 on developmental milestones and timing of regulatory feedback. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in its forward-looking statements. Meaningful factors which could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, the scope, progress, expansion, and costs of developing and commercializing AveXis product candidates; regulatory developments in the U.S. and EU, as well as other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" and the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" section of AveXis Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, filed with the SEC on March 16, 2017. In addition to the risks described above and in the Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the SEC, other unknown or unpredictable factors also could affect AveXis results. There can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by AveXis will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, AveXis. Therefore, no assurance can be given that the outcomes stated in such forward-looking statements and estimates will be achieved.

All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein. AveXis cautions investors not to rely too heavily on the forward-looking statements AveXis makes or that are made on its behalf. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release (unless another date is indicated). AveXis undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, to publicly update or revise any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measure In addition to disclosing financial results that are determined in accordance with GAAP, in order to understand and evaluate our operating performance, and provide a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting our business, we also measure the increase in research and development expenses and general and administrative expenses excluding non-cash stock-based compensation expense. We believe that excluding this expense better reflects the increase in research and development and general and administrative expenses during the period, as compared to the prior period. This non-GAAP financial metric should be considered supplemental to and not a substitute for financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. Because non-GAAP financial metrics exclude the effect of items that will increase or decrease the companys reported results of operations, we strongly encourage investors to review our consolidated financial statements and periodic reports in their entirety.

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AveXis Reports First Quarter 2017 Financial and Operating Results ... - GlobeNewswire (press release)

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Courtesy Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington

The fruits of so-called free enterprise have long been debated in economics. The goal has been wealth or human welfare at least since Adam Smith published An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations in 1776. But what exactly is human welfare? And how do we measure wealth?

The obvious way: money. Simply measure how much money a society or individual earns or possesses, because money is so damn simple to count. But various economists have rejected simple as simplistic. Do we not care about values other than money? Education, say? Freedom? Health?

Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen, for example, has long proposed we instead use a human development index that includes variables beyond monetary wealth.

And in using money as your key metric, you miss the side effects of becoming a latter day Uncle Scrooge, swimming in coin.

Consider the potentially corrosive effects of money on a fellow like Scrooge theres experimental evidence that rich people are more likely to break the law while driving, help themselves to candy meant for children, cheat in a game of chance or lie, as demonstrated in a Making Sen$e story we did a few years ago. Or more broadly and starkly, imagine that a town becomes rich by building a chemical plant, but pollution from the plant poisons its citizens for decades to come.

The most dramatic finding is that U.S. counties vary in life expectancy by as much as 20 years.

There is, however, one measure that seems relatively unobjectionable: life expectancy at birth. Leaving aside the thorny issue of life extension for its own sake, what is more desirable than more life?

Which brings us to the extraordinary new interactive map from the University of Washingtons Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation a county by county report on life expectancy in the United States as it has developed from 1980 to 2014.

The most dramatic finding is that U.S. counties vary in life expectancy by as much as 20 years. At the bottom: Oglala Lakota County, in South Dakota. The area, which includes the Pine Ridge Native American reservation, has a 2014 life expectancy of 66.8 years lower than the average of 67.2 in Sudan.

At the top, a group of ski valley counties in central Colorado like Summit, where the life expectancy is 86.8 years two years higher than any country on earth. (Aspen residents need not feel jealous; their Pitkin County has an average life expectancy of 86.5 years.)

We asked the chief researcher behind the project, Ali Mokdad, what most surprised him.

in many places in this country, life expectancy is stagnant, only slightly improving, and its not keeping up with other Western countries were competitive with.

First, he said: the disparity is increasing between the lowest and the highest. And second: in many places in this country, life expectancy is stagnant, only slightly improving, and its not keeping up with other Western countries were competitive with.

As to why Oglala Lakota County in South Dakota is at the very bottom of the life expectancy, Mokdad has a predictable answer.

Socioeconomic factors: education and income. An educated woman is more likely to seek health care or have access to health care and insurance,

In the U.S., life expectancies can very by as much as 20 years depending on county. Photo by Sally Anscombe/via Getty Images

For the Colorado counties where life expectancy is higher than any country in the world, its the reverse. They tend to be affluent, have health insurance, access to good health centers. If you click on the obesity visualization, youll see that obesity is very low.

So what, in the end, are the key factors influencing life expectancy?

The opioid pandemic is certainly one of them, Mokdad says, but 74 percent of the difference between counties hinges on four lifestyle choices that are, in his words, preventable: blood pressure, obesity, smoking and physical inactivity.

Where does your county rank? Take a look at the interactive map to find out.

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How does where you live affect your life expectancy? | PBS NewsHour - PBS NewsHour

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

When it comes to aging well and living the optimal life, its hard to find a greater advocate than physician Theresa Ramsey. Hosts John Wenzlau and Millie Oakeson of Successful Aging on Independent Talk 1100 KFNX invited Ramsey back to the show to discuss the myriad of topics related to living life to the fullest and in the most pro-active healthy way possible.

Ramsey, from The Center for Natural Healing, is a physician, speaker, lifestyle expert and author. She is a regular expert guest on the television show, Your Life A to Z, and her focus in her clinical practice is in lifestyle and preventative aging with bio-identical hormone replacement.

Ramsey points out that our bodies eventually quit producing estrogen, progesterone and testosterone hormones when we go through menopause and andropause. In order to keep our cellular make up in the best shape possible to fight cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis and dementia, these hormones are essential. The added benefit to bio-identical hormone replacement is like having a newly charged battery - we will feel better, sleep sounder, have more energy and feel sharper.

Oakeson asked what role our thyroids play in overall good health and Ramsey said, The thyroid is my favorite hormone, because it turns on every cell. Its very important that your thyroid is functioning correctly, because, when it isnt, you become tired and lethargic. This prompted the questions of how important melatonin and vitamin D3 are to our bodies.

Ramsey said, Melatonin is the strongest antioxidant and it also helps us get that deep sleep at night that our brains and bodies need so desperately.

Equally important is vitamin D3, because it helps to absorb calcium and promote bone growth and strength.

As their conversation continued, it was apparent that our whole system works better when our cells are at ease and our hormones are in-sync. Lack of sleep, low energy, the inability to lose weight, foggy memory and stress are all due to the fact that we arent taking care of our health.

Ramsey kept emphasizing the need to keep our hormones at the optimal levels, but we also need to be cognizant of what we eat. By eliminating sugar and minimizing consumption of carbohydrates, eating vegetables and protein as our main food sources, we give our bodies the energy to thrive. As to the question of exercise, Ramsey says its best not to over exercise. Its healthy to increase your heart rate and then recover in a 10-minute span twice a day and it is very important to keep moving.

In closing, it was obvious they had only begun to scratch the surface of how to have optimal health throughout a lifetime, but it was also evident that Ramsey will continue her quest to inform and educate about the choices we can make to live a life well lived.

For more information on these topics or to ask a question, visit http://www.successfulaging.info. Tune in every Tuesday to Independent Talk KFNX 1100, as we continue to explore Successful Aging.

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Successful Aging and the important role hormones play - Glendale Star

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Forbes

Why Is The Risk Of Getting Cancer Higher Than It Used To Be? Forbes FSH and LH hormones are above the normal range when a woman is in menopause and this is a very reliable test for menopause that your doctor can order. Usually in menopause it is the progesterone that is no longer produced by the body because the ...

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Why Is The Risk Of Getting Cancer Higher Than It Used To Be? - Forbes

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The Scientist

Bioengineered 'Pancreas' Effective in First Patient The Scientist Type I diabetes had rendered a 43-year-old woman dependent on insulin, until doctors restored her body's ability to produce the hormone with engineered islet cells transplanted into her abdomen, according to a New England Journal of Medicine report ... and more »

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Bioengineered 'Pancreas' Effective in First Patient - The Scientist

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