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Newswise DALLAS March 26, 2014 Just as archeologists try to decipher ancient tablets to discern their meaning, UTSouthwestern Medical Center cancer biologists are working to decode the purpose of an ancient gene considered one of the most important in cancer research.

The p53 gene appears to be involved in signaling other cells instrumental in stopping tumor development. But the p53 gene predates cancer, so scientists are uncertain what its original function is.

In trying to unravel the mystery, Dr. John Abrams, Professor of Cell Biology at UTSouthwestern, and his team made a crucial new discovery tying the p53 gene to stem cells. Specifically, his lab found that when cellular damage is present, the gene is hyperactive in stem cells, but not in other cells. The findings suggest p53s tumor suppression ability may have evolved from its more ancient ability to regulate stem cell growth.

The discovery was that only the stem cells light up. None of the others do. The exciting implication is that we are able to understand the function of p53 in stem cells, said Dr. Abrams, Chair of the Genetics and Development program in UTSouthwesterns Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. We may, in fact, have some important answers for how p53 suppresses tumors.

The findings appear online in the journal eLife, a joint initiative of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Max Planck Society, and the Wellcome Trust.

p53 is one of the hardest working and most effective allies in the fight against cancer, said Dr. Abrams. It regulates other genes, marshaling them to carry out an untold number of preemptive attacks and obliterate many pre-cancerous cells before they ever pose a threat. In nearly every case where theres a tumor, p53 is damaged or deranged, strongly suggesting that it is a tumor suppressant.

Stem cells are one of the bodys most useful cells because of their regenerative capabilities. Stem cells produce daughter cells, one that is a stem cell and another that can become virtually any kind of cell thats needed, such as a blood cell or a kidney cell. Stem cells have received tremendous attention in cancer research because of the stem cell hypothesis. That hypothesis maintains that malignant tumors are initiated and maintained by a population of tumor cells that have properties similar to adult stem cells.

What this new finding tells us is that an ancient functionality of p53 was hard-wired into stem cell function, said Dr. Abrams, senior author. From the standpoint of trying to decipher cancer biology, thats a pretty profound observation.

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UT Southwestern Cancer Biologists Link Tumor Suppressor Gene to Stem Cells

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Why genetic engineering in medicine is good

By: Anthony Herrera

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Why genetic engineering in medicine is good - Video

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Genetically modified crops are often viewed with suspicion by the people, and hence there is a greater responsibility on the companies developing these transgenic crops to follow the laid down protocols in letter and spirit, former co-chairman of Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC), Arjula R. Reddy, said.

To ensure the safety of the transgenic crops and compliance of guidelines by companies there is an urgent requirement to appoint independent, fulltime regulators in the bodies like GEAC, he said.

Each crop has a potential to yield more than what it produces in a farm, and to feed the burgeoning population it is necessary to reduce the gap between potential yield and the farm yield. Genetic modification plays a crucial part in this process of increasing the yield, he explained.

Prof. Reddy was delivering the keynote lecture at an awareness workshop on Biosafety procedures for recombinants and genetically modified crops held here on Wednesday.

Rice crops yield just 25 percent of their potential and wheat varieties produce just 18 percent of their potential. When compared to these, the latest maize varieties have a yield of about 75 percent of their potential. This indicates that farm output can be increased to a great extent, he said.

If transgenic crops are dangerous for human consumption, the American population would have been affected by now as that country has been consuming high yielding transgenic varieties for many years, he pointed out.

Terming the questions being posed by few people on the safety of genetically modified crop varieties as mainly philosophic, Prof. Reddy said that the scientists should instead ensure that the newly developed molecule is what it is supposed to be.

It is imperative for us to develop safe, but high yielding, genetically modified crop varieties. To ensure this we need a robust Biosafety testing setup and stringent regulatory framework, Prof Reddy added. To ensure that a better regulatory setup is created, academics should start training some of their students in regulatory procedures, he suggested.

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Develop safe, but high yielding GM crops

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Advanced Genetics! - Minecraft FTB Monster - Ep4
Feed the beast Monster is the largest mod pack out! with over 180+ mods! In this Series I plan to make an automatic factory. Its both a learning curve for me...

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Joseph Takahashi (UT Southwestern/HHMI) Part 2: Circadian Clocks: Genetics of Mammalian Clocks
Lecture Overview: Circadian rhythms are an adaptation to the 24 hr day that we experience. Takahashi begins his talk with an historic overview of how the gen...

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Joseph Takahashi (UT Southwestern/HHMI) Part 2: Circadian Clocks: Genetics of Mammalian Clocks - Video

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Minecraft: genetics - Attack of the B-Team Ep. 6
Channel links- Subscribe- http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=prophet968 Twitter- https://twitter.com/prophet968.

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VIPKUSH WE RUN L.A.
IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN 100% LEGAL MEDICAL CANNABIS MARIJUANA PLANTS OF THE UTMOST QUALITY VIPKUSH BRAND DIRECT, ?1 L.A.Clones Quality Kush clones direc...

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A new international study has revealed how genetics could explain why different environmental exposures can trigger the onset of different forms of rheumatoid arthritis.

A team at the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Genetics and Genomics at The University of Manchester, part of a large international consortium involving scientists from across 15 academic institutions, believe their findings could have important implications for the way that rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed and treated.

Publishing their findings in the journal American Journal of Human Genetics, they say that more accurate clinical testing is now needed to better identify the less-well understood type of rheumatoid arthritis and to prevent it being misdiagnosed.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious inflammatory form of arthritis, affecting almost 400,000 people in the UK, which causes painful, swollen joints, and in severe cases, considerable disability. It is known to have strong genetic and environmental components.

It was already known that a proportion of rheumatoid arthritis patients test positive for autoantibodies, whilst about 30% remain sero-negative. In this study, the researchers have better defined the genetic distinction between these two disease subtypes: sero-positive and sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis.

They have now established that different genetic variants of a protein that plays a vital role in how the body's immune system fights infection are associated with the two forms of rheumatoid arthritis. This provides clues to the theory that exposure to different infectious agents, such as bacteria or viruses, trigger the different forms of rheumatoid arthritis in susceptible individuals. Sero-negative rheumatoid is less well understood than sero-positive, and patients who have this type of arthritis can be misdiagnosed, leading to inappropriate treatment.

Dr Steve Eyre from the genetics and genomics centre in Manchester commented: "We recognise that rheumatoid arthritis is a complex disease that can have variable presentation and outcomes for different people, in particular in the way they respond to treatment. These findings add to our ability to genetically define subtypes of rheumatoid arthritis, which is an important step towards selecting the best treatment for each patient."

Centre director Professor Jane Worthington added: "Now that we have established a genetic basis for these two types of rheumatoid arthritis, we hope it will lead to patients receiving a swifter, accurate diagnosis and more appropriate, targeted treatment. These findings have opened the door to a better understanding of sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis."

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The above story is based on materials provided by Manchester University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Genetics can explain why infections can trigger onset of different types of rheumatoid arthritis

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Image Caption: These colorful neurons, seen forming connections to one another across synapses, were grown from induced pluripotent stem cells -- ones that were derived from skin cells taken from people with bipolar disorder. New research shows they act, and react to the bipolar drug lithium, differently from neurons derived from people without bipolar disorder. Credit: University of Michigan Pluripotent Stem Cell Research Lab

[ Watch the Video: First Stem Cell Study of Bipolar Disorder Yields Promising Results ]

April Flowers for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Bipolar disorder affects 200 million people globally, and yet there are so many questions surrounding the condition. Why are individuals with bipolar disorder prone to manic highs and deep, depressed lows? If there is no single gene to blame, why does bipolar disorder run so strongly in families? And why, with the enormous number of people suffering from bipolar disorder, is it so hard to find new treatments?

A new study from the University of Michigan Medical School, funded by the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Fund, reveals that the answers might actually be found within our stem cells.

To derive the first-ever stem cell lines specific to bipolar disorder, the research team used skin from individuals who suffer from the condition. They transformed these cells into neurons, similar to those found in the brain, then compared them to cells derived from people without the disorder.

Very specific differences in how these neurons behave and communicate with each other were revealed by the comparison, which also identified striking differences in how the neurons respond to lithium, the most common treatment for bipolar disorder.

This study represents the first time researchers have directly measured differences in brain cell formation and function between individuals with and without bipolar disorder.

The type of stem cells used for this study are called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The team coaxed the sample cells to turn into stem cells that held the potential to become any type of cell by exposing the small samples of skin cells to carefully controlled conditions. Further coaxing turned the iPSCs into neurons.

This gives us a model that we can use to examine how cells behave as they develop into neurons. Already, we see that cells from people with bipolar disorder are different in how often they express certain genes, how they differentiate into neurons, how they communicate, and how they respond to lithium, says Sue OShea, Ph.D., an experienced U-M stem cell specialist.

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Bipolar Disorder Stem Cell Study Opens Doors To Potential New Treatments

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The trials involve injecting adult stem cells derived from adipose tissue or fat into cartilage to stimulate its regeneration

Researchers in Galway predict that stem cells could be used to treat osteoarthritis within five years, following successful initial clinical trials.

The trials involve injecting adult stem cells derived from adipose tissue or fat into cartilage to stimulate its regeneration.

Osteoarthritis affects some 70 million people across the EU, and current treatment is limited to surgery or pain management.

Some 400,000 people in Ireland are affected by this most common form of human arthritis, which is characterised by the often very painful degeneration of cartilage in joints.

Successful trial NUI Galway (NUIG) scientists, who are part of a 9 million EU-funded project, have just finished the successful phase one clinical trial.

Prof Frank Barry, scientific director of NUIGs Regenerative Medicine Institute (Remedi), yesterday said the positive early results indicate a treatment was in sight.

From the clinical trials conducted so far, we have seen the first signs of finding a cure for this truly incapacitating disease which affects so many, Prof Barry said. Using the patients own stem cells we have been able to treat their diseased joints, and relieve their suffering and burden of pain.

Whilst we are still in the early stages of clinical trials, the results so far are extremely positive such that the use of stem cell therapy for osteoarthritis could become a reality for patients within the next five years, he said.

Adipose stem cells Stem cells can be harvested in large quantities from adipose tissue or fat, with minimally invasive surgery. These cells have emerged in recent years as a good alternative to stem cells derived from bone marrow, Prof Barry notes.

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Stem cell trials on tackling osteoarthritis may lead to treatment in five years

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TUESDAY, March 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Brain cells of patients with bipolar disorder act differently than those of people without the mental illness, according to scientists who conducted a stem cell study of the condition.

The investigators said their research might one day lead to a better understanding of bipolar disorder and new treatments for the disease, which causes extreme emotional highs and lows. About 200 million people worldwide have bipolar disorder.

"We're very excited about these findings. But we're only just beginning to understand what we can do with these cells to help answer the many unanswered questions in bipolar disorder's origins and treatment," said study co-leader Dr. Melvin McInnis, a professor of bipolar disorder and depression at the University of Michigan Medical School.

The study authors took skin stem cells from people with and without bipolar disorder and transformed them into neurons similar to brain cells. It's the first time that stem cell lines specific to bipolar disorder have been created, the researchers said.

They discovered distinct differences in how the two sets of neurons behave and communicate with each other. The cells also differed in their response to lithium, the most widely used treatment for bipolar disorder.

The study was published online March 25 in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

"This gives us a model that we can use to examine how cells behave as they develop into neurons," study co-leader Sue O'Shea, a professor in the department of cell and developmental biology and director of the University of Michigan Pluripotent Stem Cell Research Lab, said in a university news release.

"Already, we see that cells from people with bipolar disorder are different in how often they express certain genes, how they differentiate into neurons, how they communicate, and how they respond to lithium," O'Shea said.

McInnis said it's possible the research could lead to new types of drug trials. If it becomes possible to test new drug candidates in these cells, patients would be spared the current trial-and-error approach that leaves many with uncontrolled symptoms, he said.

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Scientists use stem cells to study bipolar disorder

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By Liisa Vexler

University of Michigan scientists have managed to create brain cells from embryonic-like stem cells that they have grown from individuals with bipolar disorder, and these brain cells are providing insight into some of the mysteries of the psychiatric condition. The new cells, which maintain the specific genetic information from the patients own cells, show different characteristics and behaviors than those from individuals without bipolar disorder.

Already, we see that cells from people with bipolar disorder are different in how often they express certain genes, how they differentiate into neurons, how they communicate, and how they respond to lithium," said lead scientist Sue O'Shea. The study published in Translational Psychiatry is one of the first to use stem cell research to examine a patients own cells to learn more about his or her medical condition.

Diseases of the mind are some of the hardest to study since the living brain is still such an enigma. Trying to create mental illness in laboratory animal experiments is difficult since determining presence of the disease is not specific.

In this study, researchers looked at induced pluripotent stem cells, also known as iPS cells. These cells are transformed from ordinary human skin cells into their state as just-conceived embryonic cells. The Michigan research team demonstrated differences in cell behavior between the cells taken from patients with bipolar disorder and those without the disorder. The cells they used became pluripotent, which means they can be transformed or tricked into becoming any type of cell. In this case, they were turned into neurons, a type of brain cell. This gives us a model that we can use to examine how cells behave as they develop into neurons, OShea explained.

Bipolar disorder, known as manic-depression in the past, affects approximately three percent of the worlds population. It is hereditary and is distinguished by distinct mood swings from depression to elation. According to the National Institute on Mental Health, in about 50% of cases, bipolar disorder takes hold before the patient turns 25. Existing treatments are still hit and missand include lithium, antidepressants and antipsychotics.

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Bipolar Disorder Benefits from Stem Cell Research

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Lexington, MA (PRWEB) March 24, 2014

Today, the FSH Society, a Massachusetts based non-profit that is a world leader in combating facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD), announced that it has awarded six grants totaling more $609,525 to new research projects. Through these studies, the FSH Societys fellowship program aims to gain insights and achieve significant milestones into the research of FSHD, one of the most prevalent types of muscular dystrophy.

A degenerative muscle disease, FSHD causes progressive weakness, usually starting with the face, shoulder and arms, but can affect almost any skeletal muscle. FSHD affects approximately 500,000 people worldwide and between one and two percent of the population carries a genetic trait that places future generations at risk of the disease. Currently, there is no cure or effective treatment.

Research grants most recently awarded by the FSH Society include: 1.Investigating effects of PARP1 inhibitors in DUX4 expression ($89,267) Yi-Wen Chen, D.V.M., Ph.D. George Washington University and Childrens National Medical Center (Washington, D.C.) A mysterious protein called DUX4 is believed to cause FSHD. The findings of the study will provide insights of the involvement of PARP1, a promoter of the DUX4 gene, in FSHD, and will have a direct impact on developing therapeutics for FSHD.

2.Gene surgery using TALEN technology: a therapy for FSHD ($117,500) Julie Dumonceaux, Ph.D. Institut de Myologie, University of Paris, U974 (Inserm, Paris, France) The approach proposed in this study unlike other therapeutic strategies under investigation for FSHD does not require repeated long-term administration of treatment. The benefits of this as a clinical therapy include lower cost and reduced toxicological and immunological risk. Moreover, this approach would be useful for all FSHD cases, regardless of the precise mutation or contraction involved.

3.Protein chemistry and protein-protein interactions of DUX4 ($70,000) Jocelyn Eidahl, Ph.D. The Research Institute at Nationwide Childrens Hospital (Columbus, OH) DUX4 has been identified as potential cause for FSHD, but the mechanisms by which DUX4 contributes to FSHD pathologies is unclear. The studys hypothesis is that the DUX4 transcription factor is involved in protein-protein interactions that influence its ability to induce toxicity in muscle cells and ultimately contribute to FSHD. The study examines the functional significance of protein-protein interactions of DUX4 that are critical for DUX4 toxicity.

4.Exploiting genome editing technology to modify and regulate the FSHD disease locus ($125,000) Supported in part by a generous gift from the FSHD Canada Foundation. Michael Kyba, Ph.D. Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN) Recent discoveries of DNA-binding factors have opened up tremendous new possibilities in genome editing. Through the grant, this study will take advantage of and leverage an existing research program in genome editing of FSHD iPS cells, and will provide the field with valuable new tools to study the pathogenesis of FSHD, and to develop cell therapies based on corrected, isogenic, iPS cells.

5.Microdialysis for the study of inflammatory features in FSHD ($70,000) Giorgio Tasca, M.D. Institute of Neurology, Catholic University School of Medicine (Rome, Italy) The study will implement a technique that has never been applied to the study of skeletal muscle and provide a better understanding of the role of the inflammatory process in the disease, the identification of biomarkers of disease activity at single muscle level and the acquisition of information useful for the development of a targeted anti-inflammatory therapy. In the future, the new technique could be used for molecular monitoring and eventually drug administration in neuromuscular disorders.

6.Dynamic mapping of perturbed signaling underlying FSHD ($137,798) Peter S. Zammit, Ph.D. Kings College London (London, England) Results gained through the study will identify methods that could help restore muscle regeneration in FSHD, reversing muscle weakness and wasting. The researchs ultimate aim is to gain knowledge on FSHD myogenesis and inform the design of therapies for FSHD.

These new studies represent a crucial step in the ongoing development of FSHD treatments and cures, said Daniel Perez, President & CEO of the FSH Society. We are thrilled to award the grants to such innovative research endeavors, which bring us closer to finding more effective treatments and medical breakthroughs for FSHD.

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The FSH Society Issues Six Research Grants to Propel Understanding and Treatment of FSHD

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By Liisa Vexler

The UK and Israel join forces during a two-day conference at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel this week that will focus on continued joint stem-cell therapy research. This conference is part of the second BIRAX Regenerative Medicine event, which is a project initiated by the British Council in Israel and the British Embassy.

The United Kingdoms minister of state for universities and science, David Willetts, is on the list of conference attendees. This list also includes approximately 300 of Israels most prominent research scientists and 80 attendees from Britain who are involved in the research on stem cell therapies to treat chronic and degenerative diseases such as type 1 (juvenile) diabetes, heart disease, Parkinsons and Alzheimers. It will also be attended by 300 leading Israeli scientists and 80 British scientists, whose research is advancing the fight against devastating illnesses, such as type 1 diabetes, heart diseases, Parkinsons and Alzheimers. The conference co-chairs are Chris Mason, University Colleges chairman of regenerative medicine bioprocessing at University College, and former chief scientist of Israel, Ehud Gazit.

The UK and Israel have committed 10 million to stem cell research to be invested over the course of five years. To date, BIRAX has provided funding for seven British and Israeli large research projects looking at stem cell therapies for multiple sclerosis, liver disease and Parkinsons.

Britains Minister Willets will officially open the second call for proposals during the conference, with Prime Minister David Cameron having launched the initiative during his recent Israeli visit. This call for proposals will provide funding for innovative research in stem cell therapies for cardiovascular disease, type 1 diabetes, Parkinsons and Alzheimers.

British ambassador to Israel Matthew Gould said, This conference will bring together British and Israeli scientists working with stem cells. Our goal is that they will form collaborations to develop cures for some of the worlds most common diseases. Israel and Britain are both at the forefront of stem cell research. Building a stronger partnership between the two countries will be to the benefit of both and has the potential to transform lives around the world. The first conference was hugely successful, and led to some amazing joint research. We have high hopes for this one.

On behalf of the Israeli research community, Technion president Peretz Lavie said his institution is thrilled to play host to the second BIRAX Regenerative Medicine conference.

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Israel Welcomes British Minister For Discussions About Stem Cell Research Collaboration

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The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) has approved field trials for 11 crop varieties but that clears only the first hurdle in the way of genetically-modified crops. Another major hitch could come from state governments, most of which do not seem to be in a mood to give their go-ahead anytime soon.

A survey conducted by Business Standard reveals that a majority of the countrys states are still firmly against the move, while a few are open to considering only conditionally. Some others are either neutral or might take a decision after the Lok Sabha elections.

According to GEAC officials, maize, mustard and rice are among the crops that have got approval for trials, but the states that are major producers of these crops remain opposed.

A piece of good news, though, has come from Maharashtra and Punjab, two of the largest agricultural states, which have favoured field trials for GM crops.

Officials say the use of high-yield GM crops could prove beneficial, given the growing demand for food grains, vegetables and oil seeds. But apprehensions of health hazard on the use of such seeds for consumable agricultural commodities seem to be playing a spoilsport. India had suspended field trials of these crops a few years ago but the GEAC approval last week for 11 varieties brought the issue back in the limelight.

The environment & forests ministry had in July 2011 made it mandatory for companies, institutes and research bodies to get no-objection certificates from states concerned before conducting trials. Also, GEAC analyses the sites for these trials on several parameters, including whether these are located too close to sanctuaries or water bodies.

Andhra Pradesh is home to several seed companies and BT Cotton was first introduced there. However, the state remains undecided on allowing field trials for GM crops. A decision on this will have to wait for the impending division of the state and formation of new governments. A technical committee is studying the issue.

Gujarat and Karnataka have not opposed the trials yet. The two are said to take a call only after the Lok Sabha elections. Major southern states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, on the other hand, are against GM crops and unwilling to permit field trials. While Madhya Pradesh opposes field trials as a policy, Chhattisgarh might support if the Centre takes it on board. Punjab is open to field trials for maize, while Haryana is undecided.

The Maharashtra government has issued no-objection certificates to 28 applications for GM crop trials to seven private companies and the Nagpur-based Central Institute of Cotton Research.

Most of the 28 strains cleared for trials are of wheat, rice, maize and cotton. It will be Haryanas Bayer Bio Science for rice, Dow Agro Sciences, Pioneer Overseas Corporation and Syngenta Bio Sciences for maize, and Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds for wheat.

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GM field trials: Regulator proposes but most states decline

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

25-Mar-2014

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

New Rochelle, NY, March 24, 2014The curative and therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) offers much promise, as these multipotent cells are currently being tested in more than 300 clinical trials in a range of diseases. A new, easier, and more reliable way to make large quantities of highly potent MSCs could accelerate progress toward their use in regenerative medicine, as described in an article in Stem Cells and Development, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available on the Stem Cells and Development website.

Robert Lanza, MD and colleagues from Advanced Cell Technology (Marlborough, MA) and the David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA (Los Angeles, CA), developed an innovative method for deriving MSCs from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) through the use of a developmental precursor called the hemangioblast. They describe the technique and evidence of therapeutic efficacy using the hESC-MSCs to treat mouse models of lupus erythematosus and uveitis in the article "Mesenchymal Stem Cell Population Derived from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Displays Potent Immunomodulatory and Therapeutic Properties."

"This new population of hESC-derived MSCs has a 30,000-fold greater proliferative capacity than bone marrow-derived MSCs," says Dr. Lanza, Chief Scientific Officer, Advanced Cell Technology. "In addition to being easy to derive in very large numbers, they are more youthful and live much longer." Dr. Lanza is Editor-in-Chief of BioResearch Open Access, a peer-reviewed open access journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers that provides a rapid-publication forum for a broad range of scientific topics.

###

About the Journal

Stem Cells and Development is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published 24 times per year online with Open Access options and in print. Led by Editor-in-Chief Graham C. Parker, PhD, the Journal is dedicated to communication and objective analysis of developments in the biology, characteristics, and therapeutic utility of stem cells, especially those of the hematopoietic system. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Stem Cells and Development website.

About the Publisher

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New method yields potent, renewable human stem cells with promising therapeutic properties

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

25-Mar-2014

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

New Rochelle, NY, March 25, 2014Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among military veterans and together with the often-related anxiety, depression, and psychological and emotional impairment can dramatically affect quality of life. A type of virtual reality (VR) treatment called Graded Exposure Therapy (GET) can improve PTSD symptoms and may also have a positive impact on these associated disorders, as described in an article in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking website.

VR-GET helps sufferers of PTSD face their trauma-related fears rather than avoid them by exposing them to simulated stress-inducing events in a controlled, virtual reality environment, monitoring their physiologic responses, and providing training to develop coping skills.

The article "Effect of Virtual Reality PTSD Treatment on Mood and Neurocognitive Outcomes" is coauthored by a team of specialists led by Robert McLay, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA, including Editor-in-Chief of Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking Brenda K. Wiederhold, PhD, MBA, BCB, BCN and colleagues from the Interactive Media Institute, Naval Center for Combat & Operational Stress Control, and Virtual Reality Medical Center, San Diego, and the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery National Centers for PTSD, Honolulu, HI.

"Our results indicate improvement of PTSD with VR-GET based on three different measures: neuropsychological, self-report, and clinician-administered scales," says Dr. Wiederhold.

###

About the Journal

Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking is a peer-reviewed journal published monthly online with Open Access options and in print that explores the psychological and social issues surrounding the Internet and interactive technologies, plus cybertherapy and rehabilitation. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking website.

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Can virtual reality-based therapy help veterans overcome posttraumatic stress disorder?

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Released: 3/25/2014 4:05 PM EDT Source Newsroom: Mayo Clinic Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/implications-of-patient-genomic-sequencing-at-acmg

Newswise ROCHESTER, Minn. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine will present results of three different studies evaluating implications and feasibility of genome sequencing at the ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting this week in Nashville, Tenn. Presenters are available for interviews at the conference or remote interviews by telephone. To schedule an interview, please contact Sam Smith, Mayo Clinic public affairs specialist, at 507-284-5005 or newsbureau@mayo.edu.

Richard Sharp, Ph.D., director of the Bioethics Program in the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, also will participate on Saturday, March 30, in a panel discussion entitled Duty to Recontact in the Genomics Era: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Open Forum. Duty to Recontact addresses providers obligations to patients who have undergone previous genetic testing, given the growing complexities of genetic/genomic medicine and the potential for new findings in old tests. Dr. Sharp is an advisor to the National Institutes of Health, the Institute of Medicine and the Environmental Protection Agency. He can discuss the ethical, legal and social implications of integrating genomics technologies into patient care.

The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine presentations include:

Patients Views on Incidental Findings from Clinical Exome Sequencing (platform oral presentation) The Individualized Medicine Clinic offers whole exome sequencing for patients with advanced cancers and difficult diagnoses. Among the difficult questions clinicians and patients wrestle with is, How much information is too much? Researchers interviewed 44 patients of the Individualized Medicine Clinic about what they would and wouldnt want to know from next-generation sequencing. Findings demonstrate that patient perspectives of risks and benefits of knowing genomic information are personal and contextual. As one participant stated, I think this is the Individual Medicine program for a reason. Everything has to be on a case-by-case basis. Whole Exome Sequencing of Ten Scientists: Evaluation of Process and Outcomes (poster presentation) As genome sequencing technologies advance at a breakneck pace, patients will increasingly expect to have their whole exome and eventually their whole genome embedded in their records, just like family histories and medication lists. In an attempt to understand the difficulties and limitations of whole exome sequencing in routine care, 10 genetics scientists underwent sequencing and genomic counseling. Pharmacogenomic Information in the EMR: Perspectives of Biobank Participants Invited to Participate in a Proof of Concept PGx Study (poster presentation) The debate is just getting started over who will have access to genomic information and how that information will (or wont) be protected. Researchers asked 900 participants in a pilot pharmacogenomics study their understanding and concerns about a pilot program embedding their personal genomic information into patient electronic medical records. From this sampling of participants in the Mayo Clinic Biobank, the largest concern was whether insurance companies could have access to genomic information.

About Mayo Clinic Recognizing 150 years of serving humanity in 2014, Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit 150years.mayoclinic.org, http://www.mayoclinic.org and newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org.

About the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine The Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine is home to the Individualized Medicine Clinic, which uses patients own genetic codes to provide new hope for people with advanced cancers and difficult diagnoses. The center discovers and integrates the latest in genomic, molecular and clinical sciences into personalized care for each Mayo Clinic patient. Visit http://mayoresearch.mayo.edu/center-for-individualized-medicine for more information.

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Implications of Patient Genomic Sequencing at ACMG

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Feed the Beast Advanced Genetics Part 2
In this episode I explain the process chain from harvesting scales to injecting genes.

By: wiredboy27

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Feed the Beast Advanced Genetics Part 2 - Video

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Spannabis 2014 Dabbing with Norcal Genetics
We do a dab with Al from Norcal Genetics off a Silika Glass Rig.

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Spannabis 2014 Dabbing with Norcal Genetics - Video

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Spannabis 2014 DNA Genetics
We talk with Aaron from DNA Genetics in Amsterdam.

By: urbanremo

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Spannabis 2014 DNA Genetics - Video

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

26-Mar-2014

Contact: Jane Tadman j.tadman@arthritisresearchuk.org 44-124-654-1107 University of Manchester

A new international study has revealed how genetics could explain why different environmental exposures can trigger the onset of different forms of rheumatoid arthritis.

A team at the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Genetics and Genomics at The University of Manchester, part of a large international consortium involving scientists from across 15 academic institutions, believe their findings could have important implication for the way that rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed and treated.

Publishing their findings in the journal American Journal of Human Genetics, they say that more accurate clinical testing is now needed to better identify the less-well understood type of rheumatoid arthritis and to prevent it being misdiagnosed.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious inflammatory form of arthritis, affecting almost 400,000 people in the UK, which causes painful, swollen joints, and in severe cases, considerable disability. It is known to have strong genetic and environmental components.

It was already known that a proportion of rheumatoid arthritis patients test positive for autoantibodies, whilst about 30% remain sero-negative. In this study, the researchers have better defined the genetic distinction between these two disease subtypes: sero-positive and sero-negative rheumatoid arthritis.

They have now established that different genetic variants of a protein that plays a vital role in how the body's immune system fights infection are associated with the two forms of rheumatoid arthritis. This provides clues to the theory that exposure to different infectious agents, such as bacteria or viruses, trigger the different forms of rheumatoid arthritis in susceptible individuals. Sero-negative rheumatoid is less well understood than sero-positive, and patients who have this type of arthritis can be misdiagnosed, leading to inappropriate treatment.

Dr Steve Eyre from the genetics and genomics centre in Manchester commented: "We recognise that rheumatoid arthritis is a complex disease that can have variable presentation and outcomes for different people, in particular in the way they respond to treatment. These findings add to our ability to genetically define subtypes of rheumatoid arthritis, which is an important step towards selecting the best treatment for each patient."

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Genetics can explain why infections can trigger rheumatoid arthritis

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Defending a Convicted Husband, Evidence Tampering and Sheriff #39;s Misconduct with Kathy Anderson
Dr. W. French Anderson, a pioneer of gene therapy, was convicted of sexual abuse against a minor and is now serving a 14 year jail sentence for his crimes. W...

By: TheLipTV

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Defending a Convicted Husband, Evidence Tampering and Sheriff's Misconduct with Kathy Anderson - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Retinitis pigmentosa is the most common inherited eye disease. Mutations in the gene for rhodopsin, the pigment for photoreceptor cells in the retina responsible for the perception of light, account for 15 percent of retinitis pigmentosa cases. CHOP spinout Spark Therapeutics, which has a late stage retinitis pigmentosa gene therapy treatment under development, is collaborating with Ireland-based biopharma company Genable Technologies, according to a company statement.

The deal will focus on Genables lead therapeutic to treat rhodopsin-linked autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa, called GT038. Under the deal terms, Genable will license certain manufacturing patents from Spark. Philadelphia-based Spark will be the exclusive manufacturer of the product and provide development advice and expertise to Genable to help in its development of GT038. In exchange, Spark received an initial payment and will receive subsequent milestone payments and royalties on future sales of GT038, and near-term revenue from the manufacture and supply of the product, according to the statement.

In response to emailed questions a spokeswoman for Spark Therapeutics said: Generally, the company recognizes that there are a significant number of severe genetic diseases without effective treatments in therapeutic areas where it has significant expertise (for example, inherited blindness, hematologic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases), and if Spark can play a role in expanding the number of products that get to market through partnerships, the team will certainly entertain those possibilities.

Rhodopsin-linked autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa affects roughly 30,000 people worldwide and there are currently no drugs to treat it. Genables retinitis pigmentosa gene therapy is designed to suppresses the expression of faulty and normal copies of the rhodopsin gene and restores normal gene expression.

Its treatment has been given Orphan Drug Designation in both the U.S. and Europe which extends the exclusivity for the treatment, if its approved, and gives the company certain tax credits. Genable has the rights to market its treatment globally, if it succeeds in getting the treatment approved.

Spark Therapeutics has a few gene therapies under development. One is for patients with inherited Lebers congenital amaurosis and retinitis pigmentosa. Another is for Hemophilia B in Phase 1/2 development. Earlier this year CEO Jeff Marrazzo said the company expects to have data from a Phase 3 open-label, randomized control trial for its treatment for blindness caused by mutations of the RPE65 gene available in the first half of next year.

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Gene therapy company Spark Therapeutics inks licensing deal for a retinitis pigmentosa gene therapy

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Spark Therapeutics L.L.C., a Philadelphia company developing gene-based medicines for debilitating diseases, has signed a collaborative partnership with a gene-therapy firm in Ireland to develop a product to treat a rare form of blindness, the companies announced Tuesday.

Spark, a biotechnology company spun out of research at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said Dublin-based Genable Technologies Ltd. will license certain patents from Spark, which will be the exclusive manufacturer and provide development expertise for a potential treatment for blindness caused by inherited retinal dystrophy.

Spark will receive milestone payments and royalties on future sales, as well as revenue from the manufacturing and supply of the product. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Children's Hospital has committed to investing up to $50 million in Spark, which seeks to be the nation's first commercial provider of gene therapy.

Genable's therapeutic strategy "knocks down" or suppresses the "over-expression of one gene" causing a disease, while at the same time "replacing something else that is missing in the patient," Marrazzo said in an interview.

Spark is developing two potential products to treat inherited retinal disease. One is in a late-stage, or Phase 3, clinical trial, "which is likely to be the first approved gene therapy in the United States," Marrazzo said.

A second drug candidate for retinal disease will begin clinical trials shortly. "We haven't announced the specifics of that program yet," he said.

Initial results on its lead drug candidate in late-stage testing have been promising, Spark said: Once-blind patients could recognize faces and were moved out of Braille classrooms. They were no longer considered legally blind, and some were able to drive a car.

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Biotech company Spark Therapeutics, Irish firm to partner on blindness drug

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