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Section: Animal Cell Technology

Enhanced cardiac differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells by use of the slow-turning, lateral vessel (STLV) bioreactor

Sasitorn Rungarunlert Nuttha Klincumhom Istvan Bock Csilla Nemes Mongkol Techakumphu Melinda K. Pirity Andras Dinnyes

S. Rungarunlert N. Klincumhom I. Bock Cs. Nemes MK. Pirity A. Dinnyes BioTalentum Ltd., Aulich Lajos u. 26. H-2100, Godollo, Hungary

S. Rungarunlert N. Klincumhom M. Techakumphu Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330 Thailand

I. Bock A. Dinnyes Molecular Animal Biotechnology Laboratory, Szent Istvan University, H-2100 Gdll, Hungary Corresponding author: andras.dinnyes@biotalentum.hu; Phone: +36/20/510-9632, Fax: +36/28/526-151

Emails: Sasitorn Rungarunlert nut_vs@yahoo.com Nuttha Klincumhom nuttha.klincumhom@biotalentum.hu Istvan Bock istvan.bock@biotalentum.hu Csilla Nemes csilla.nemes@biotalentum.hu Mongkol Techakumphu Mongkol.T@chula.ac.th Melinda K. Pirity melinda.pirity@biotalentum.hu

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Abstract Embryoid body (EB) formation is a common intermediate during in vitro differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into specialized cell types. We have optimized the slow-turning, lateral vessel (STLV) for large scale and homogenous EB production from mouse embryonic stem cells. The effects of inoculating different cell numbers, time of EB adherence to gelatin-coated dishes, and rotation speed for optimal EB formation and cardiac differentiation were investigated. Using 3x105 cells/ml, 10 rpm rotary speed and plating of EBs onto gelatin-coated surfaces three days after culture, were the best parameters for optimal size and EB quality on consequent cardiac differentiation. These optimized parameters enrich cardiac differentiation in ES cells when using the STLV method.

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How donation is done

Stem cell donation: For peripheral bloodstream cell donation, stem cells are filtered from the donor's blood in a nonsurgical outpatient procedure. Donors may experience head or muscle aches that go away shortly after the donation. They are typically back to their normal routine in one to two days.

Marrow donation: This is a surgical, usually outpatient, procedure using anesthesia. Holes are drilled into the patient's spine to get the marrow. Donors may feel soreness in the lower back afterward. Recovery takes two to seven days.

Outcomes: Survival rate for recipients was 69 percent for unrelated donors and 79 percent for related donors in 2010, the most recent year for which figures are available, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Be the Match is a national registry that connects patients with their donor match for a marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. The registry is looking for diverse donors between age 18 and 44. Information: 800-627-7692 or BeTheMatch.org

Something was killing his wife from within, and Todd Miller had no idea what it was.

He didnt understand why she needed more than 100 blood transfusions. He couldnt fathom why Joselyn, a healthy person who barely got the sniffles, suddenly struggled to lift her arms.

The symptoms started in April 2012, soon after the Millers returned to their Laguna Beach home from the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Joselyn Millers arm and thigh muscles were so tight, she could barely move them.

They saw 10 specialists. No one could figure out what it was.

The second neurologist they saw suspected it was a very rare disease Shulmans syndrome, or eosinophilic fasciitis. According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, only 300 known cases have ever been recorded in medical literature.

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Laguna Beach family was given the gift of life, now they're giving it to others

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Next time you pour a glass of wine, raise a toast to the 30-million-year-old viruses that have contributed to the genetic make-up of modern grapes.

A team of UQ-led plant scientists has discovered that the Pinot Noir grape variety owes a significant part of its genetic heritage to ancient plant viruses.

In a study published in Nature Communications, Dr Andrew Geering and colleagues have mapped the presence of 30-million-year-old viruses in Pinot Noir DNA.

Viruses are usually a curse to farmers because of the damage they cause to crops, but this study also suggests they play a vital evolutionary role.

Dr Geering, a plant pathologist at the UQs Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, said most flowering plant species, even the most primitive ones, contain sequence signatures of viruses in their genetic material.

Animals can move to avoid threats but because plants are anchored to the ground they are obliged to adapt to environmental pressures, such as those brought about by drought or grazing, using novel strategies.

Plants cope with such threats by acquiring new biochemical pathways or growth habits.

Pulling new genetic material from the environment, such as from viruses that infect the plant, means evolution can be sped up considerably.

Much like humans, plants are regularly exposed to harmful chemicals or radiation, which can cause damaging and heritable mutations to their genes which, if left unrepaired, could be lethal to their descendants.

Fortunately, there are special mechanisms to repair these mutations. Its during this repair procedure that foreign DNA such as that originating from viruses can be inserted into the plants own genetic code, much like using putty to fill a crack in the wall.

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Pinot Noir grapes owe a debt to ancient viruses

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Q A on cassava science: complexity in genetics and breeding? Part 2 of 7
"The typical genetic stocks you have in self-pollinating species do not exist in cassava," says Emmanuel Okogbenin, a cassava scientist. So what does this mean for this crucial crop? Is all...

By: GCProgramme

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Gene Therapy for Inherited Disorders - Gerard Wagemaker
Gene therapy will be of great significance for patients with hereditary disorders and society at large, says Gerard Wagemaker EU project: HIGHLIGHT (http://www.youris.com/Health/Video_Interviews/G...

By: European health innovation transfer network

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Renaissance RX
Personalized medicine is transforming the world by allowing physicians to develop treatment plans based on information that is unique to each patient, including health history, environment,...

By: Renaissance Rx

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Renaissance RX - Video

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Towards Personalized Medicine - ChristopheThuriau
Developing drugs tailored for different types of patients is the trend of today #39;s industry, says Christophe Thuriau EU project: HIGHLIGHT (http://www.youris....

By: European health innovation transfer network

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Welcome Remarks - Roger Bingham
Speaker: Roger Bingham, Co-Founder Director, The Science Network; Member, Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

By: Alliance for Regenerative Medicine

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The Good Doctor - The Secret behind Regenerative Medicine
http://www.eZeLiving.com As always please "LIKE" this video, subscribe to our channel and join us on Facebook and Twitter below! Facebook http://www.facebook.com/eZelivingdotcom Twitter...

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Updated NOV 10, 2014 8:59p ET

BARCELONA, Spain

Rafael Nadal's doctor says the 14-time Grand Slam winner will receive stem cell treatment on his ailing back.

Angel Ruiz-Cotorro told The Associated Press by phone on Monday that "we are going to put cells in a joint in his spine" next week in Barcelona.

The Spanish tennis star was already sidelined for the rest of the season after having his appendix removed last week.

Ruiz-Cotorro, who has worked as a doctor for Nadal for the past 14 years, said Nadal's back pain is "typical of tennis" players and that the treatment is meant to help repair his cartilage and is similar to stem cell treatment Nadal received on his knee last year.

He said Nadal is expected to return to training in early December.

Several NFL players and baseball players have received stem cell treatment. Nadal's fellow Spaniard Pau Gasol, center of the Chicago Bulls, received stem cell treatment on his knee in 2013.

Nadal experienced severe back pain during the final of the Australian Open in January when he lost to Stanislas Wawrinka.

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Rafael Nadal to receive stem cell treatment for back pain

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Rafael Nadal's doctor says the 14-time Grand Slam winner will receive stem cell treatment on his ailing back.

Angel Ruiz-Cotorro told The Associated Press by phone on Monday that "we are going to put cells in a joint in his spine" next week in Barcelona.

The Spanish tennis star was already sidelined for the rest of the season after having his appendix removed last week.

Ruiz-Cotorro, who has worked as a doctor for Nadal for the past 14 years, said Nadal's back pain is "typical of tennis" players and that the treatment is meant to help repair his cartilage and is similar to stem cell treatment Nadal received on his knee last year.

He said Nadal is expected to return to training in early December.

Several NFL players and baseball players have received stem cell treatment. Nadal's fellow Spaniard Pau Gasol, center of the Chicago Bulls, received stem cell treatment on his knee in 2013.

Nadal experienced severe back pain during the final of the Australian Open in January when he lost to Stanislas Wawrinka.

"(Nadal) has a problem typical in tennis with a back joint, he had it at the Australian Open, and we have decided to treat it with stem cells," Ruiz-Cotorro said.

He said that stem cells were recently extracted from Nadal for a cultivation process to "produce the necessary quantities."

"When we have them we will put them in the point of pain," he said, with the goal of "regenerating cartilage, in the midterm, and producing an anti-inflammatory effect."

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Nadal to Receive Stem Cell Treatment for Back Pain - ABC News

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MIAMI (PRWEB) November 11, 2014

GlobalStemCellsGroup, Inc. has announced plans to host a minimum of four international symposiums on stem cell research in 2015. The symposiums will be held in three Latin American countriesChile, Mexico and Colombiain which Global Stem Cells has established state-of-the-art stem cell clinics staffed with expert medical personnel trained in regenerative medicine, through the Regenestem Network.

The fourth symposium will be held in Miami.

The decision follows the success of the Global Stem Cells Groups first International Symposium on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, held Oct. 2, 3 and 4 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Global Stem Cells Group CEO Benito Novas says the Buenos Aires event, combined with its steady growth of new clinics throughout Latin America, has provided additional motivation to schedule more stem cell symposiums in an effort to further educate the medical community on the latest advancements in stem cell therapies.

Thanks to Global Stem Cells Groups growing network of world-class stem cell researchers, treatment practitioners and investors committed to advancing stem cell medicine, the company is rapidly moving closer to its goal of helping physicians to bring treatments into their offices for the benefit of patients.

More than 900 physicians, researchers and regenerative medicine experts from around the world attended the Buenos Aires symposium, and Novas expects that number to grow with upcoming conferences.

We will continue to bring together a variety of committed stem cell advocates from the U.S., Mexico, Greece, Hong Kong and other regions around the globe, to be joined by a team of knowledgeable speakers, each one presenting the future of regenerative medicine in their field of specialty, Novas says.

Regenerative medicine as a field is still in its infancy, according to Global Stem Cell Group President and CEO Benito Novas.

Our objective is to [open a dialogue among the worlds medical and scientific communities in order to advance stem cell technologies and translate them into point of care medicine to the best of out abilities, Novas says. Our mission is to bring the benefits of stem cell therapies to the physicians office safely, efficacy and compliance with the highest standards of care with safety, efficacy and complying with the highest standard of care the world has to offer.

The purpose of each symposium is to bring top stem cell scientists together to share their knowledge and expertise in regenerative medicine, and begin the process of separating myths from facts when it comes to stem cell science and technology.

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Sabah becomes third to provide bone marrow transplant

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Women and Children's Hospital in Likas became the third government hospital in the country to provide bone marrow transplant after General Hospital Kuala Lumpur (GHKL) and Ampang Hospital.

State Health Director Dr Christina Rundi (pic) said, Tuesday, the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit is housed on the 7th Floor of the Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine Centre of the hospital.

At the official handover of the hospital to the State Health Department in April, last year, she mentioned that bone marrow transplant (also called stem cell transplant) would be possible in Sabah in the near future.

"Since then, we have made the necessary preparations to set up the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.

Our nurses went for training at the Ampang Hospital in Kuala Lumpur while we procured the equipment such as stem cell processor and blood irradiator.

"We are fortunate to have the services of Paediatric Haemato-Oncologist, Dr Asohan Thevarajah who reported for work in July.

"And on Oct. 31, our dream came true when the Sabah Women and Children's Hospital performed the first bone marrow transplant on a 12-year-old leukaemic girl from Tuaran," she confirmed, when contacted.

The stem cell processor arrived last December followed by the blood irradiator in August this year. The purpose of the second machine is to sterilise the bone marrow donor's blood to reduce the risk of "graft (donor) versus host (patient)" disease.

A bone marrow transplant is a procedure to replace damaged or destroyed bone marrow with healthy bone marrow stem cells. Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside the hollow part of bones which helps form blood cells. Stem cells are immature cells in the bone marrow that give rise to all of one's blood cells.

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Sabah becomes third to provide bone marrow transplant

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SAN CARLOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BioCardia, Inc., a leader in cardiovascular regenerative medicine, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted the Companys application to begin a Phase III clinical trial of its bone marrow-derived CardiAMP Therapy for heart failure. The clinical trial is a randomized, controlled, multi-center study of 250 patients evaluating CardiAMP Therapy at up to 40 clinical sites.

The CardiAMP Therapy for heart failure integrates a proprietary biomarker panel to identify candidates likely to respond to therapy, a cell processing system consisting of a proprietary, high-dosage formulation of autologous bone marrow-derived cells and a unique transendocardial delivery system that ensures efficient and consistent targeted delivery. This therapy will be reviewed under the PMA regulations by the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) division.

The CardiAMP trial efficacy endpoints include improvements in functional capacity as measured by the Six Minute Walk Test, quality of life as measured by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, and survival. Safety endpoints include non-inferiority with respect to survival and freedom from major adverse cardiac events.

Co-principal investigators for the trial are Carl Pepine, M.D., and Amish Raval, M.D., who were involved in the trial design. Dr. Pepine is Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, at the University of Florida (UF) and principal investigator for the UF Center for the Cardiovascular Cell Therapy Research Network (CCTRN). He is also past president of the American College of Cardiology (ACC). Dr. Raval is Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, at the University of Wisconsin, where he practices as an interventional cardiologist conducting cardiovascular clinical trials for cell and biologic therapy. He is also Director ofCardiovascularClinical Research and Director of the Regional ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Program.

CardiAMP has the potential to bring an effective therapy forward that will provide meaningful clinical benefit to patients with ischemic heart failure, said Dr. Raval. There is an enormous unmet need here, and CardiAMP is a worthy endeavor that has a high probability of meeting both the safety and the efficacy required to become a therapeutic option for heart failure patients.

CardiAMP builds on and benefits from - what has been done in previous CCTRN trials in that it provides the highest effective dosage that has been studied in a rigorous trial to date, and the companion diagnostic selects patients that have potent autologous bone marrow, said Dr. Pepine. This trial pulls together everything we have learned in the field of autologous bone marrow cell therapy to treat heart failure. There are very promising signals in the Phase II data that we hope to see confirmed in the Phase III trial.

CardiAMP Therapy is based on the role bone marrow cells have in the normal cardiac repair process after an injury to the heart, said Dr. Peter Altman, PhD, CEO of BioCardia. The CardiAMP program presents a solution to issues with autologous cell variability. We believe CardiAMP provides a more potent and consistent dosage than any other autologous bone marrow cell therapy trial for heart failure studied to date. This is noteworthy, as previous clinical trials have supported the benefits of autologous cell therapy for heart function and overall survival in a setting of heart failure.

Studies supporting the CardiAMP Therapy including the Phase I Transendocardial Autologous Bone Marrow in Myocardial Infarction Study, which was published in Eurointervention, and the Phase I/II Transendocardial Autologous Cells in Heart Failure Trial, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - showed statistically and clinically significant results. Trial results have demonstrated an excellent safety profile, as well as functional and quality of life improvements.

About BioCardia

BioCardia, Inc., headquartered in San Carlos, CA is a privately held company developing integrated regenerative medicine therapies to treat cardiovascular disease. The Company's commercial products include the Helix Transendocardial Delivery System and the Morph steerable guide and sheath catheter portfolio.BioCardia partners with other biotherapeutic companies to provide its Helix system and clinical support to their programs studying therapies for the treatment of heart failure, chronic myocardial ischemia and acute myocardial infarction.

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CHENNAI: It is harder for natives of Tamil Nadu to find a matching donor for a stem cell transplant compared to other states in the country. The suspected villain: Their genes.

A study published recently in British medical journal 'The Lancet' found that the likelihood of finding a matching stem cell donor for patients with blood-related problems in Tamil Nadu is 44.2% provided the registry had 10 lakh donors. The situation is the opposite in Haryana, with people in that state having the best chances (81.2%) of finding a donor.

Experts say consanguineous marriages are to blame. Consanguineous marriages increase the chances of patients finding a match within their small community but limit the possibility of finding one from a general donor pool.

"Unlike in other countries, stem cell variation in India is complex and dependent on ethnic variation," said Dr Dolly Daniel, professor of the department of transfusion medicine at Christian Medical College, Vellore, who was party of the study team. "Our aim was to find the size and genetic composition of each region and its impact on the proportion of patients who will be able to ?nd a suitable match."

She said Tamil Nadu could be at the tail-end of the list of states they surveyed because of inbreeding and a limited number of donors.

Stem cells are used to regenerate and repair diseased or damaged tissues. Adult stem cells are drawn from bone marrow, blood and the umbilical cord and are used to treat blood-related ailments like leukemia, thalassemia and as well as immunodeficiency.

The possibility of finding a matching stem cell donor within the family is around 30%.

"Finding a matching stem cell donor for the remaining 70% is a complex process. Most seek a graft from registries of unrelated adult donors or banked umbilical cord blood units," said Dr P Srinivasan, co-founder and chairman of Jeevan Stem Cell Bank.

Although the India stem cell industry is estimated to touch $540 million (Rs 3,250 crore) by 2015, the study noted that in terms of the number of donors, India has lagged in meeting demand. The study surveyed 10 adult donor and umbilical cord bank registries and clinical transplant centres in India and studied stem cells of 26 239 individuals.

The possibility of finding a perfect match within India is an average of 14.4% for a registry size of 25,000 and touches 60.6% for a size of 10 lakh. Registries in the country currently have around 1 lakh donors. The study said only when Indian registries have more than 2 lakh donors would patients have a good chance of finding the right match.

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Toughest for Tamil Nadu patients to get donor stem cells

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

11-Nov-2014

Contact: Anne Rahilly arahilly@unimelb.edu.au 61-390-355-380 University of Melbourne @unimelb

Lead researcher, Dr Sarah Dunstan from the Nossal Institute of Global Health at the University of Melbourne said the study is the first large-scale, unbiased search for human genes that affect a person's risk of typhoid.

Enteric fever, or typhoid fever as it more commonly known, is a considerable health burden to lower-income countries.

This finding is important because this natural resistance represents one of the largest human gene effects on an infectious disease.

"We screened the human genome to look for genes associated with susceptibility to, or resistance from typhoid.," Dr Dunstan said.

"We found that carrying a particular form of the HLA-DRB1 gene provides natural resistance against typhoid fever. This gene codes for a receptor that is important in the immune response, by recognising proteins from invading bacteria."

Typhoid is contracted, by consuming food or water contaminated with the bacteria, Salmonella Typhi or Paratyphi. It has been estimated that typhoid causes 200,000 deaths a year globally, and infects 26.9 million people per year.

"If we can understand this natural mechanism of disease resistance, then we can use this knowledge to help develop improved vaccines for typhoid fever, but also potentially for other invasive bacterial disease,"

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Typhoid gene unravelled

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

11-Nov-2014

Contact: Kathryn Ryan kryan@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News @LiebertOnline

New Rochelle, NY, November 11, 2014--Zelig Eshhar, PhD, The Weizmann Institute of Science and Sourasky Medical Center, and Carl H. June, MD, PhD, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, are co-recipients of the Pioneer Award, recognized for lentiviral gene therapy clinical trials and for their leadership and contributions in engineering T-cells capable of targeting tumors with antibody-like specificity through the development of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, is commemorating its 25th anniversary by bestowing this honor on the leading Pioneers in the field of cell and gene therapy selected by a blue ribbon panel* and publishing a Pioneer Perspective by the award recipients. The Perspectives by Dr. Eshhar and Dr. June are available free on the Human Gene Therapy website at http://www.liebertpub.com/hgt until December 11, 2014.

In his Pioneer Perspective entitled "From the Mouse Cage to Human Therapy: A Personal Perspective of the Emergence of T-bodies/Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells" Professor Eshhar chronicles his team's groundbreaking contributions to the development of the CAR T-cell immunotherapeutic approach to treating cancer. He describes the method's conceptual development including initial proof-of-concept, and the years of experimentation in mouse models of cancer. They first tested the CAR T-cells on tumors transplanted into mice then progressed to spontaneously developing cancers in immune-competent mice, which Dr. Eshhar describes as "a more suitable model that faithfully mimics cancer patients." He recounts successful antitumor effects in mice with CAR modified T-cells injected directly into tumors, with effects seen at the injection site and at sites of metastasis, and even the potential of the CAR T-cells to prevent tumor development.

Dr. Carl H. June has led one of the clinical groups that has taken the CAR therapeutic strategy from the laboratory to the patients' bedside, pioneering the use of CD19-specific CAR T-cells to treat patients with leukemia. In his Pioneer Perspective, "Toward Synthetic Biology with Engineered T Cells: A Long Journey Just Begun" Dr. June looks back on his long, multi-faceted career and describes how he combined his knowledge and research on immunology, cancer, and HIV to develop successful T-cell based immunotherapies. Among the lessons Dr. June has embraced throughout his career are to follow one's passions. He also says that "accidents can be good: embrace the unexpected results and follow up on these as they are often times more scientifically interesting than predictable responses from less imaginative experiments."

"These two extraordinary scientists made seminal contributions at key steps of the journey from bench to bedside for CAR T-cells," says James M. Wilson, MD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Human Gene Therapy, and Director of the Gene Therapy Program, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia.

###

*The blue ribbon panel of leaders in cell and gene therapy, led by Chair Mary Collins, PhD, MRC Centre for Medical Molecular Virology, University College London selected the Pioneer Award recipients. The Award Selection Committee selected scientists that had devoted much of their careers to cell and gene therapy research and had made a seminal contribution to the field--defined as a basic science or clinical advance that greatly influenced progress in translational research.

About the Journal

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Zelig Eshhar and Carl H. June honored for research on T cell engineering for cancer immunotherapy

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Next time you pour a glass of wine, raise a toast to the 30-milion-year-old viruses that have contributed to the genetic make-up of modern grapes.

A team of UQ-led plant scientists has discovered that the Pinot Noir grape variety owes a significant part of its genetic heritage to ancient plant viruses.

In a study published in Nature Communications, Dr Andrew Geering and colleagues have mapped the presence of 30-million-year-old viruses in Pinot Noir DNA.

Viruses are usually a curse to farmers because of the damage they cause to crops, but this study also suggests they play a vital evolutionary role.

Dr Geering, a plant pathologist at the UQs Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, said most flowering plant species, even the most primitive ones, contain sequence signatures of viruses in their genetic material.

Animals can move to avoid threats but because plants are anchored to the ground they are obliged to adapt to environmental pressures, such as those brought about by drought or grazing, using novel strategies.

Plants cope with such threats by acquiring new biochemical pathways or growth habits.

Pulling new genetic material from the environment, such as from viruses that infect the plant, means evolution can be sped up considerably.

Much like humans, plants are regularly exposed to harmful chemicals or radiation, which can cause damaging and heritable mutations to their genes which, if left unrepaired, could be lethal to their descendants.

Fortunately, there are special mechanisms to repair these mutations. Its during this repair procedure that foreign DNA such as that originating from viruses can be inserted into the plants own genetic code, much like using putty to fill a crack in the wall.

Read this article:
Our wine owes a debt to ancient viruses

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise (NEW YORK November 10) The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinais Institute for Personalized Medicine is launching a study designed to learn whether patients, who are aware of their genetic predisposition to chronic kidney disease, are more inclined to engage in proactive lifestyle modification with their primary care physician.

Chronic kidney disease affects about 26 million American adults. Many studies have shown that African Americans are up to seven times more likely than any other population to develop high blood pressure and subsequent complications, such as kidney disease. A large fraction of the kidney disease disparity is attributable to variations, or differences, in a single gene called apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1). In Mount Sinais specialized laboratory, variations in the APOL1 gene can be identified with a simple blood test.

Erwin Bottinger, MD, Director, Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is one of the studys Principal Investigators. Many patients do not have their blood pressure adequately controlled to minimize the risk for complications such as kidney disease. We will test whether sharing genetic risk information with patients and alerting their doctors through a patient's electronic health record, will achieve better control of blood pressure to reduce kidney disease risk.

Dr. Bottinger and Co-Principal Investigator Carol Horowitz, MD, MPH, are seeking to enroll approximately two thousand African American participants with hypertension for their year-long study: Genetic testing to Understand and Address Renal Disease Disparities (The GUARDD Study). Funded by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) the study will be conducted in a network of community health centers and primary care facilities in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx, affiliated with the Icahn School of Medicines Institute for Family Health and at primary care facilities of The Mount Sinai Health System.

At the first study visit, all study participants will be asked to complete medical and family health histories, blood pressure, height, and weight measurements. If eligible, each individual will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. Group 1 will have blood drawn for genetic testing and return within 4 weeks later to discuss the results with a member of the research team. They will also be given printed information to share with their primary care physician. Those participants will return after 3 months and 12 months for a blood pressure check and to complete follow-up surveys.

Individuals in Group 2 will receive the genetic testing until the end of the study but will be asked to return at 3 and 12 months for the same measurements as those in Group 1. Primary care providers for patients enrolled in the study will also receive the results of the APOL1 genetic test and information about the test through alerts in the patients electronic medical record.

We are translating the latest scientific developments for both patients and their primary care physicians, says Dr. Horowitz. While we cant guarantee results, we are hopeful participants who know they carry the APOL1 gene variant will engage in proactive behaviors, under their doctors supervision to forestall renal failure often associated with hypertension.

Neil Calman, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for Family Health, and Professor and Chair of Family Medicine and Community Health at Mount Sinai said, Armed with this genetic information, African Americans with high blood pressure who carry variations in this gene will be able to focus on the management of their high blood pressure with their primary care providers, helping to prevent the onset of the devastating effects of kidney failure.

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Study to Assess if Knowing About Genetic Risk For Kidney Disease Changes a Person's Lifestyle

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

11-Nov-2014

Contact: Scott LaFee slafee@ucsd.edu 619-543-6163 University of California - San Diego @UCSanDiego

With the help of mouse models, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and the "tooth fairy," researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have implicated a new gene in idiopathic or non-syndromic autism. The gene is associated with Rett syndrome, a syndromic form of autism, suggesting that different types of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may share similar molecular pathways.

The findings are published in the Nov. 11, 2014 online issue of Molecular Psychiatry.

"I see this research as an example of what can be done for cases of non-syndromic autism, which lack a definitive group of identifying symptoms or characteristics," said principal investigator Alysson Muotri, PhD, associate professor in the UC San Diego departments of Pediatrics and Cellular and Molecular Medicine. "One can take advantage of genomics to map all mutant genes in the patient and then use their own iPSCs to measure the impact of these mutations in relevant cell types. Moreover, the study of brain cells derived from these iPSCs can reveal potential therapeutic drugs tailored to the individual. It is the rise of personalized medicine for mental/neurological disorders."

But to effectively exploit iPSCs as a diagnostic tool, Muotri said researchers "need to compare neurons derived from hundreds or thousands of other autistic individuals." Enter the "Tooth Fairy Project," in which parents are encouraged TO register for a "Fairy Tooth Kit," which involves sending researchers like Muotri a discarded baby tooth from their autistic child. Scientists extract dental pulp cells from the tooth and differentiate them into iPSC-derived neurons for study.

"There is an interesting story behind every single tooth that arrives in the lab," said Muotri.

The latest findings, in fact, are the result of Muotri's first tooth fairy donor. He and colleagues identified a de novo or new disruption in one of the two copies of the TRPC6 gene in iPSC-derived neurons of a non-syndromic autistic child. They confirmed with mouse models that mutations in TRPC6 resulted in altered neuronal development, morphology and function. They also noted that the damaging effects of reduced TRPC6 could be rectified with a treatment of hyperforin, a TRPC6-specific agonist that acts by stimulating the functional TRPC6 in neurons, suggesting a potential drug therapy for some ASD patients.

The researchers also found that MeCP2 levels affect TRPC6 expression. Mutations in the gene MeCP2, which encodes for a protein vital to the normal function of nerve cells, cause Rett syndrome, revealing common pathways among ASD.

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Multiple models reveal new genetic links in autism

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

11-Nov-2014

Contact: Raeka Aiyar, Ph.D. press@genetics-gsa.org 202-412-1120 Genetics Society of America @GeneticsGSA

The Genetics Society of America (GSA) announced today that it is partnering with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Press to assist authors in submitting unpublished manuscripts to bioRxiv, a fast-growing preprint server for the life sciences.

GENETICS and G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, the journals of the GSA, will this month enable authors to submit a manuscript for peer review to either journal and, simultaneously, to post the manuscript as a preprint on bioRxiv. The bioRxiv preprint will be immediately available to the public, citable via a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), and open for reader comments and feedback.

This simple, optional transfer is available through Bench>Press, HighWire's electronic manuscript submission and peer-review workflow system. Using a streamlined Bench>Press workflow developed by HighWire for bioRxiv, author manuscripts are immediately available to the scientific community for feedback as they are submitted for peer review. For those manuscripts that go on to be accepted by either GSA journal, bioRxiv will feature an updated link to the final version of the article, which incorporates revisions from the formal peer-review and peer-editing process.

"With preprint deposits, scientists can communicate their findings earlier, whether they seek feedback, collaboration, or to spread the news of their latest work," says Stephen I. Wright, PhD, Senior Editor for Population and Evolutionary Genetics at G3, GENETICS Associate Editor, and Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto. "Hearing about and receiving feedback on the very latest work prior to publication was historically the domain only of scientific meetings, but preprint archives now allow for continual rapid dissemination and feedback. In the end, when combined with formal peer-review and peer-editing, the reach, findings, and impact of the science ends up even stronger."

Welcoming the announcement, John R. Inglis, PhD, Executive Director and Publisher at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory says: "In just a year, bioRxiv has become, for many scientists working in genetics and genomics, a significant source of new information in preprint form. So we are delighted that GENETICS and G3, the journals of the forward-looking Genetics Society of America, are the first to partner with bioRxiv to give authors the chance to rapidly share their findings and readers an early opportunity to critically evaluate new observations in their field."

"We're thrilled to participate in this initiative, in particular because many of our authors already use bioRxiv, especially in population and evolutionary genetics" says Tracey DePellegrin, Executive Editor for the GSA Journals. "It's about listening to members of the research community and figuring out ways to help disseminate and discuss their work. Authors who choose to deposit their work in bioRxiv will enjoy greater visibility and feedback and, if the submitted manuscript progresses to peer-review, the benefits of thoughtful, thorough review and peer-editing. This partnership reflects our commitment to fostering open conversations about science, while at the same time, underscoring the importance of academic editors as peers. Our practicing scientist editors synthesize peer-reviews into a letter that clearly lets authors know what is expected in a revised manuscript. Manuscript deposits in bioRxiv allow early and open discussions on the work, including conversations about the evolution of an initial manuscript draft into a published research article."

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Genetics Society of America to assist authors in depositing preprints into CSHL's bioRxiv

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

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Newswise BETHESDA, MD The Genetics Society of America (GSA) announced today that it is partnering with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Press to assist authors in submitting unpublished manuscripts to bioRxiv, a fast-growing preprint server for the life sciences.

GENETICS and G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, the journals of the GSA, will this month enable authors to submit a manuscript for peer review to either journal and, simultaneously, to post the manuscript as a preprint on bioRxiv. The bioRxiv preprint will be immediately available to the public, citable via a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), and open for reader comments and feedback.

This simple, optional transfer is available through Bench>Press, HighWire's electronic manuscript submission and peer-review workflow system. Using a streamlined Bench>Press workflow developed by HighWire for bioRxiv, author manuscripts are immediately available to the scientific community for feedback as they are submitted for peer review. For those manuscripts that go on to be accepted by either GSA journal, bioRxiv will feature an updated link to the final version of the article, which incorporates revisions from the formal peer-review and peer-editing process.

With preprint deposits, scientists can communicate their findings earlier, whether they seek feedback, collaboration, or to spread the news of their latest work, says Stephen I. Wright, PhD, Senior Editor for Population and Evolutionary Genetics at G3, GENETICS Associate Editor, and Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto. Hearing about and receiving feedback on the very latest work prior to publication was historically the domain only of scientific meetings, but preprint archives now allow for continual rapid dissemination and feedback. In the end, when combined with formal peer-review and peer-editing, the reach, findings, and impact of the science ends up even stronger.

Welcoming the announcement, John R. Inglis, PhD, Executive Director and Publisher at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory says: In just a year, bioRxiv has become, for many scientists working in genetics and genomics, a significant source of new information in preprint form. So we are delighted that GENETICS and G3, the journals of the forward-looking Genetics Society of America, are the first to partner with bioRxiv to give authors the chance to rapidly share their findings and readers an early opportunity to critically evaluate new observations in their field.

Were thrilled to participate in this initiative, in particular because many of our authors already use bioRxiv, especially in population and evolutionary genetics says Tracey DePellegrin, Executive Editor for the GSA Journals. Its about listening to members of the research community and figuring out ways to help disseminate and discuss their work. Authors who choose to deposit their work in bioRxiv will enjoy greater visibility and feedback and, if the submitted manuscript progresses to peer-review, the benefits of thoughtful, thorough review and peer-editing. This partnership reflects our commitment to fostering open conversations about science, while at the same time, underscoring the importance of academic editors as peers. Our practicing scientist editors synthesize peer-reviews into a letter that clearly lets authors know what is expected in a revised manuscript. Manuscript deposits in bioRxiv allow early and open discussions on the work, including conversations about the evolution of an initial manuscript draft into a published research article.

* * *

About the Genetics Society of America (GSA) Founded in 1931, the Genetics Society of America (GSA) is the professional scientific society for genetics researchers and educators. The Societys more than 5,000 members worldwide work to deepen our understanding of the living world by advancing the field of genetics, from the molecular to the population level. GSA promotes research and fosters communication through a number of GSA-sponsored conferences including regular meetings that focus on particular model organisms. GSA publishes two peer-reviewed, peer-edited scholarly journals: GENETICS, which has published high quality original research across the breadth of the field since 1916, and G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, an open-access journal launched in 2011 to disseminate high quality foundational research in genetics and genomics. The Society also has a deep commitment to education and fostering the next generation of scholars in the field. For more information about GSA, please visit http://www.genetics-gsa.org.

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Genetics Society of America First to Partner with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press to Assist Authors in Depositing ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The ASTIS trial (Autologous Stem cell Transplantation International Scleroderma), launched in 2001, evaluated the efficacy of autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients with systemic sclerosis. A key point to safe use of HSCT is a correct evaluation of cardiac condition, and a close follow up for cardiac complications. In a letter to the Editor published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, entitled Cardiac Assessment Before Stem Cell Transplantation for Systemic Sclerosis, Dr. Burt at the Division of Immunotherapy, Northwestern University and colleagues highlight the importance of performing extensive cardiopulmonary screening in patients with severe forms of systemic sclerosis before administrating HSCT.

HSCT therapy first involves harvestingpatients stem cells. Since Scleroderma, also known as systemic sclerosis, is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease (autoimmune diseases are characterized by a hyper-reactive response of the immune response against substances, and tissues normally present in the body), thesecond step of the process involves destroyingpatients hyper-reactive immune system usingchemotherapy. Afterward, the patients harvested stem cells will be injected back into the body. The objective is to reset the patient immune system to normal standards and thus stop the process of scleroderma.

Systemic sclerosis is associated with many cardiac complications, including intrinsic myocardial ischemia and fibrosis, left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, and pericardial disease. While the criteria for exclusion inthe ASTIS trial was mean pulmonary artery pressure greater than 50 mm Hg by echo-cardiogram or cardiac catheterization, theauthors emphasize that this does not exclude pulmonary arterial hypertension. Despite the fact that2009 guidelines updatedtheir information and described pulmonary arterial hypertension as a mean pulmonary artery pressure higher than 25 mm Hg, the authors cautioned that a significant amount of attention has to be dedicated toassessing cardiac risks in these patients to prevent treatment-related mortality.

Link:
New Insights For Cardiac Assessment Before Administering ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

AP Glowing: Model Kate Moss

For someone who has mature skin, it is annoying watching 20-somethings with blemish-less complexions worrying about wrinkles and crowfeet. No one seems to be concerned about those over 40 who, for the better part of their 20s and 30s, were busy cooking, cleaning and washing up instead of pandering to their skin.

So when Page 3 Salon, in Race Course, issued an invitation to try its new award-winning skin therapy for mature skin all the way from Spain, one jumped at it. It is supposed to be the same treatment celebrities such as Elton John, Penelope Cruz, Jemima Khan and Kate Moss use to keep their skin glowing and young.

If you have mature skin, this treatment is the one for you, says a spokesperson for the brand Skeyndor (meaning golden skin), who was in Coimbatore recently to promote the product and train the beauty therapists at Page 3 the correct way to use the products. Skeyndor has over 200 products to suit other skin types, too. R&D is the companys strength and it is also one of the first in the cosmetic industry to use nano-technology for skin care.

She says, comfortingly, that my skin is still not too bad and sits me down to explain what I can do to keep it from aging too fast.

The special facial that is recommended for me uses products that are gentle on the skin and one particular treatment that has the same effect as Botox. And, without being invasive at all. Before the facial commences a photograph is taken focussing on the problem areas of the skin. And once the hour-plus, soothing treatment is done (so soothing that I fall asleep), it is time for another photograph. And strangely enough, even the sceptic in me has to admit there is a discernible difference in skin texture. It felt more elastic and from the photographs I could tell there were fewer few lines.

The beautician recommends a series of facials at regular intervals (depending on the condition of the skin and the amount of repair it needs). The salon will make a schedule for you and remind you when it is time to come for a treatment. The salon also provides you with tips on home care. Page 3 offers two high-end special facials. Both sound tempting: One is called Revisit your youth and the other Turn Back Time.

Anyone who is 35 plus can go for the Turn Back Time facial, says Shan of Page 3. This treatment is supposed to arrest ageing and promote the production of epidermal stem cells. It holds off the fine lines, wrinkles and sagging. Revisit Your Youth on the other hand is corrective. It promises to reduce the crows feet and lines that have already appeared on your face. The products in this line work like Botox without being invasive, says Shan.

The products are available at the salon. For appointments and details call:0422-4393333/4223331

What is mature skin?

Visit link:
A mature approach

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Cell Therapy (Lemon Water)
Cell Therapy (Lemon Water) Symmetry Composer: Tha Professa Auto-generated by YouTube.

By: Various Artists - Topic

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Cell Therapy (Lemon Water) - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith