PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

20-Mar-2014

Contact: Tan Yun Yun tan_yun_yun@a-star.edu.sg 656-826-6273 Biomedical Sciences Institutes (BMSI)

1. Scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have developed a method to generate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from a single drop of finger-pricked blood. The method also enables donors to collect their own blood samples, which they can then send to a laboratory for further processing. The easy access to blood samples using the new technique could potentially boost the recruitment of greater numbers and diversities of donors, and could lead to the establishment of large-scale hiPSC banks.

2. By genetic reprogramming, matured human cells, usually blood cells, can be transformed into hiPSCs. As hiPSCs exhibit properties remarkably similar to human embryonic stem cells, they are invaluable resources for basic research, drug discovery and cell therapy. In countries like Japan, USA and UK , a number of hiPSC bank initiatives have sprung up to make hiPSCs available for stem cell research and medical studies.

3. Current sample collection for reprogramming into hiPSCs include invasive measures such as collecting cells from the bone marrow or skin, which may put off many potential donors. Although hiPSCs may also be generated from blood cells, large quantities of blood are usually required. In the paper published online on the Stem Cell Translational Medicine journal, scientists at IMCB showed for the first time that single-drop volumes of blood are sufficient for reprogramming into hiPSCs. The finger-prick technique is the world's first to use only a drop of finger-pricked blood to yield hiPSCs with high efficiency. A patent has been filed for the innovation.

4. The accessibility of the new technique is further enhanced with a DIY sample collection approach. Donors may collect their own finger-pricked blood, which they can then store and send it to a laboratory for reprogramming. The blood sample remains stable for 48 hours and can be expanded for 12 days in culture, which therefore extends the finger-prick technique to a wide range of geographical regions for recruitment of donors with varied ethnicities, genotypes and diseases.

5. By integrating it with the hiPSC bank initiatives, the finger-prick technique paves the way for establishing diverse and fully characterised hiPSC banking for stem cell research. The potential access to a wide range of hiPSCs could also replace the use of embryonic stem cells, which are less accessible. It could also facilitate the set-up of a small hiPSC bank in Singapore to study targeted local diseases.

6. Dr Loh Yuin Han Jonathan, Principal Investigator at IMCB and lead scientist for the finger-prick hiPSC technique, said, "It all began when we wondered if we could reduce the volume of blood used for reprogramming. We then tested if donors could collect their own blood sample in a normal room environment and store it. Our finger-prick technique, in fact, utilised less than a drop of finger-pricked blood. The remaining blood could even be used for DNA sequencing and other blood tests."

7. Dr Stuart Alexander Cook, Senior Consultant at the National Heart Centre Singapore and co-author of the paper, said "We were able to differentiate the hiPSCs reprogrammed from Jonathan's finger-prick technique, into functional heart cells. This is a well-designed, applicable technique that can unlock unrealized potential of biobanks around the world for hiPSC studies at a scale that was previously not possible."

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A*STAR scientists create stem cells from a drop of blood

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

20-Mar-2014

Contact: Kris Van der Beken kris.vanderbeken@vib.be 32-924-46611 VIB (the Flanders Institute for Biotechnology)

Neuroscientists Vanessa Moras and Bart De Strooper from VIB and KU Leuven have demonstrated how a defect in the gene Pink1 results in Parkinson's disease. By mapping this process at a molecular level, they have provided the ultimate proof that a deficient energy production process in cells can result in Parkinson's disease. These insights are so revolutionary that they have been published in the leading journal Science.

Vanessa Moras (VIB/KU Leuven):

"Having Parkinson's disease means that you can no longer tell your own body what to do. The hope of finding a solution to this has stimulated me for many years to unravel what goes wrong in the cells of Parkinson's patients. This research is an important step forwards."

Bart De Strooper (VIB/KU Leuven):

"Parkinson's disease is one of the research focuses in our department. It gives great satisfaction that we have unraveled a molecular process responsible for the faulty energy production process in cells of Parkinson's patients. This confirms our belief that repairing the energy production in cells is a possible therapeutic strategy."

Faulty energy production forms the basis of Parkinson's disease.

Mitochondria are cell components that produce the energy required by a cell to function. The action of these mitochondria and therefore the energy production in cells is disrupted in Parkinson's disease. The exact mechanism was unknown. In recent years, scientists have described various gene defects (mutations) in Parkinson's patients that result in decreased activity of the mitochondria, including a mutation in the Pink1 gene.

Originally posted here:
New discoveries place lack of energy at the basis of Parkinson's disease

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NEW DELHI: Almost a year after holding its last meeting, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) - government regulatory body on genetically modified organisms - will meet on Friday to take a call on "confined field trials" for 53 transgenic varieties of GM crops.

The move is a step forward after the environment ministry's recent decision to give its go ahead to field trials of over 200 varieties of genetically modified crops which had got the GEAC's nod in its last meeting in March, 2013.

Though the GEAC has circulated agenda of the Friday meeting among its members, it preferred not to bring it in public domain - contrary to the ministry's earlier stand to do such clearance exercise in transparent manner.

Besides considering applications for "confined field trials" of different transgenic varieties of GM crops, the meeting is also scheduled to take a follow up action on the decision taken in its March, 2013. Field trial is an important step to know the bio-safety details of a particular variety.

Among the applications which are to be considered by the GEAC in its Friday meeting include transgenic varieties of maize, sorghum, rice, wheat, cotton and groundnut.

Besides private seed companies, government research institutions and Universities are also among the applicants which have applied for "confined field trials" of their respective transgenic varieties of GM crops. Applications relating to pharmaceuticals will also be considered by the appraisal committee.

The move and the manner in which the GEAC has called the meeting are, however, strongly resisted by anti-GM activists who felt that any decision to allow field trials would not only go against the spirit of the ministry's earlier stand (under the former environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan) but also violate the 'model code of conduct' which has been in force in the country ahead of general elections.

The Coalition of GM Free India - an umbrella organization of all anti-GM activists - on Thursday even wrote the Central Election Commission, requesting it to stop the permissions for field trial of GM crops by GEAC as it violates the model code of conduct.

In a letter to chief election commissioner V S Sampath, the Coalition's convenor Rajesh Krishnan said, "We strongly believe that this is being done at the instruction of the current government and there is quid pro quo benefits that the ruling party and the minister in charge (M Veerappa Moily) might accrue during the election period. Needless to say, this will have an impact on the purity of the election process".

The Coalition urged the CEC to direct GEAC and the ministry of environment and forest "to withhold permissions for those field trials that have been granted and also to stop granting of permissions for any field trials in the upcoming meeting (on Friday) until the election process are over and results declared".

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Crucial meeting to take call on 53 varieties of GM crops tomorrow

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Grace Wilsey was born with NGLY1 deficiency, which is caused by two mutations in the NGLY1 gene.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- What do you do when your baby lies limp in your arms, staring blankly into the distance while never crying?

What do you do when tests show signs of liver damage and your baby's seizures won't stop, but doctors can't tell you what's wrong or how to fix it?

Thanks to the Human Genome Project, which was completed in 2003, identifying new genetic mutations has gotten easier and cheaper. But geneticists often struggle to find patients who share these rare DNA quirks. Studying multiple patients with the same gene mutations and similar symptoms is crucial to identifying a new genetic disorder.

That's why a paper published Thursday in the journal Genetics in Medicine is so remarkable.

The paper identifies NGLY1 deficiency as an inherited genetic disorder, caused by mutations in the NGLY1 gene. The researchers have confirmed eight patients with these mutations who share several symptoms, including developmental delays, abnormal tear production and liver disease.

And they credit an "Internet blog" with bringing the patients and scientists together.

Grace's genome

Grace Wilsey's parents knew something was wrong right away. Their newborn daughter was lethargic. Her eyes seemed hollow and unfocused. She refused to eat. Doctors at the hospital ran multiple tests, but couldn't come up with a diagnosis.

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Kids who don't cry: A genetic disorder

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

20-Mar-2014

Contact: Erin Digitale digitale@stanford.edu 650-724-9175 Stanford University Medical Center

STANFORD, Calif. Scientists and parents have worked together to identify a new genetic disease that causes neurologic, muscle, eye and liver problems in children. The discovery was unusually fast thanks to a combination of modern gene-sequencing techniques, social media and old-fashioned detective work.

One important clue was that affected children cry without making tears.

The new disease, called NGLY1 deficiency, is described in a paper that will be published online March 20 in Genetics in Medicine, the journal of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics. The paper describes eight children with mutations in the gene coding for N-glycanase 1, an enzyme that recycles defective products from a cellular assembly line. Children who lack this enzyme have varying degrees of movement disorders, including a characteristic combination of muscle contractions that causes abnormal tremulous movements. They also have developmental delays and liver problems. The gene defect is so rare that until recently, finding eight affected individuals would have taken several years; instead, the children were found in a matter of months.

"This represents a complete change in the way we're going about clinical medicine," said Gregory Enns, MB, ChB, associate professor of genetics in pediatrics at the Stanford University School of Medicine and co-lead author of the new paper. Gene-sequencing tools have sped the translation of findings between clinical and lab settings; in addition, scientists around the globe and lay people are contributing to the discovery process.

"This is happening so quickly because of the integration of the families with the researchers, and because so many people are coming at this from so many angles," said Enns, who is also a geneticist at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford and Stanford Children's Health. Other co-authors of the paper come from 12 research institutions across the United States, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom.

"The relief of finally getting a diagnosis is just life-changing," said Kristen Wilsey, mother of Grace Wilsey, 4, who was the second American patient, and among the first few in the world, to be identified with NGLY1 deficiency. Grace's diagnosis was a pivotal moment not just for her San Francisco Bay Area family but also for defining the new disease, since the comparison of multiple patients allowed researchers to confirm that the disease existed.

The enzyme that is missing in NGLY1-deficiency patients is normally found in cells throughout the body. N-glycanase 1 helps break down incorrectly shaped proteins so their components can be reused. The new research confirmed that children with a defective NGLY1 gene do not make the N-glycanase enzyme. The researchers also observed that the children's liver biopsies contained an amorphous substance, which they suspected was an accumulation of protein that did not get recycled.

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Scientists, parents join forces to identify new genetic disease in children

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Grace Wilsey was born with NGLY1 deficiency, which is caused by two mutations in the NGLY1 gene.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- What do you do when your baby lies limp in your arms, staring blankly into the distance while never crying?

What do you do when tests show signs of liver damage and your baby's seizures won't stop, but doctors can't tell you what's wrong or how to fix it?

Thanks to the Human Genome Project, which was completed in 2003, identifying new genetic mutations has gotten easier and cheaper. But geneticists often struggle to find patients who share these rare DNA quirks. Studying multiple patients with the same gene mutations and similar symptoms is crucial to identifying a new genetic disorder.

That's why a paper published Thursday in the journal Genetics in Medicine is so remarkable.

The paper identifies NGLY1 deficiency as an inherited genetic disorder, caused by mutations in the NGLY1 gene. The researchers have confirmed eight patients with these mutations who share several symptoms, including developmental delays, abnormal tear production and liver disease.

And they credit an "Internet blog" with bringing the patients and scientists together.

Grace's genome

Grace Wilsey's parents knew something was wrong right away. Their newborn daughter was lethargic. Her eyes seemed hollow and unfocused. She refused to eat. Doctors at the hospital ran multiple tests, but couldn't come up with a diagnosis.

Read this article:
Kids who don't cry: New genetic disorder discovered

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

20-Mar-2014

Contact: Shawna Williams shawna@jhmi.edu 410-955-8236 Johns Hopkins Medicine

Many diseases have their origins in either the genome or in reversible chemical changes to DNA known as the epigenome. Now, results of a new study from Johns Hopkins scientists show a connection between these two "maps." The findings, reported March 20 on the website of the American Journal of Human Genetics, could help disease trackers find patterns in those overlays that could offer clues to the causes of and possible treatments for complex genetic conditions, including many cancers and metabolic disorders.

"By showing the connections between genetic variants and epigenetic information, we're providing epidemiologists with a road map," says Andy Feinberg, M.D., M.P.H., a Gilman Scholar, the King Fahd Professor of Medicine and the director of the Center for Epigenetics in the Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "Epigenetic tags show how disease-causing genetic variants might affect distant genes that in turn contribute to the disease."

Feinberg says it has long been known that individual genetic variants in sections of DNA that don't contain blueprints for proteins (once thought of as "junk DNA") seem to alter the quantity of proteins produced far afield. That phenomenon has made it very hard for researchers to pinpoint the source of some genetic diseases or targets for their treatment. This study, Feinberg says, shows that these genetic variants may be acting on distant protein-forming genes by influencing epigenetic tags, or chemical add-ons, atop the DNA.

Feinberg; co-leader Dani Fallin, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Mental Health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and director of the Wendy Klag Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities; and their team analyzed genetic data from hundreds of healthy participants in three studies to first figure out what a normal epigenetic pattern looks like. Although it's now common to compare the genomes of healthy and sick populations to identify predispositions for diseases, it has not been possible to compare epigenomes this way. The researchers zoomed in on one type of epigenetic change, the attachment of a chemical tag called a methyl group to a particular site on DNA. Known as methylation, these tags affect whether genes produce any protein, and if so, how much.

The team then looked for the relationship between the resulting epigenetic data and genetic data. Human genetic code is marked by telltale blocks of DNA that children tend to inherit from their parents in unbroken chunks called haplotypes. One of these blocks is often fingered as a suspect when a genetic disease arises. However, since the blocks are comprised of hundreds of thousands of "letters" of DNA code, researchers are not often able to identify the culprit mutation, or the protein-forming genes it affects, which may lie somewhere else in the block.

Epigenetic signatures like methylation patterns also occur in blocks, which the team dubbed "GeMes," for methylation blocks controlled by genes. The researchers found that the GeMes overlapped with the long genetic blocks but were much shorter.

That led them to suspect that the protein-coding genes turned on or off by those tags must be at the root of the disease associated with a particular genetic variant found elsewhere in the block.

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New tool pinpoints genetic sources of disease

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DualDGaming spelar FTB - Monster Modpack - S03 E10 - Advanced Genetics
Leker lite med att blanda lite DNA All info om DualDGaming! Vilka program anvnder vi? Vilken setup har vi? http://www.dualdgaming.se Facebook: https:/...

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DualDGaming spelar FTB - Monster Modpack - S03 E10 - Advanced Genetics - Video

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Genetics Lesson 1, Part 1: Early Ideas and Mendel
This video screencast was created with Doceri on an iPad. Doceri is free in the iTunes app store. Learn more at http://www.doceri.com.

By: Aubrie Holman

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Genetics Lesson 1, Part 1: Early Ideas and Mendel - Video

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Genetics Lesson 1, Part 3: Mendelian Laws
This video screencast was created with Doceri on an iPad. Doceri is free in the iTunes app store. Learn more at http://www.doceri.com.

By: Aubrie Holman

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Genetics Lesson 1, Part 3: Mendelian Laws - Video

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Genetics Problems I HN biology
Sample genetic problems solved, monohybrid punnett squares, incomplete dominance, codominance, multiple alleles, and polygenic.

By: FCPS-Biofarouq

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Genetics Problems I HN biology - Video

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Dr. Mendoza -- Reflections on Medical Genetics residency program
Dr. Roberto Mendoza is the Program Director for the Medical Genetics Residency Program and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. He is a Staff Ph...

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Genetics II
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Genetics II - Video

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Yoshi #39;s Island E18 - Fun With Genetics
It #39;s wierd when dad is dad. The Bros. featured in this episode: Mister Emblem: (http://www.youtube.com/user/MisterEmblem) ShadowHawk180: (http://www.youtube....

By: TheSuperNintenBros

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Yoshi's Island E18 - Fun With Genetics - Video

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Child with rare genetic disorder responds to DNA GENE THERAPY at Gene Research Foundation
via YouTube Capture.

By: sunita agarwal

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Child with rare genetic disorder responds to DNA GENE THERAPY at Gene Research Foundation - Video

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Dallas, TX (PRWEB) March 20, 2014

The gene therapy market has undergone a series of transformation from the initial days of research to the current clinical development of drugs for treatment of multiple diseases. The initial studies of gene therapy were conducted mostly on monogenetic diseases, but the focus of the researchers rapidly shifted towards the cancer. The increasing popularity of cancer therapeutics as a major interest for gene therapy applications led to its accounting for a dominant share of more than 60% in the overall number of clinical studies. The reasons for cancer to become a preferred area of application of gene therapy are the significant unmet medical needs in cancer therapy, coupled with the large size of its market. Additionally, the ethical acceptance of gene therapy as a therapeutic solution also contributed to the shift of focus from monogenetic diseases to cancer. Browse complete report at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/276997-cancer-gene-therapy-market-analysis.html.

A major part of the cancer gene therapy product are currently in preclinical and Phase II of clinical trials. There has been a marginal success in developing completely curative therapeutic drugs. The gene therapy drugs which have been approved till date are Gendicine & Rexin-G. Gendicine, which is developed by Shenzhen SiBiono Gene Technologies Co., is currently marketed only in China and Rexin-G in Philippines.

Gene therapy offers a large window of opportunities for the treatment of multiple cancers. The therapy has been found to be able to deliver special tumor suppressor genes to an individual, which could prevent the growth of malignant tumors and also reduce the metastatic disease. . The major concentration is being given to the rare tumor types such as pancreatic cancer, and highly prevalent tumor types such as breast cancer and prostate cancer. With the prevalence of cancer rising significantly, the future drug pipelines of the companies are mostly focusing on gene therapy for cancer.

Place a direct purchase order at http://www.reportsnreports.com/purchase.aspx?name=276997. Also, inquire for DISCOUNT offered on this research study at http://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/discount.aspx?name=276997.

Cancer Gene Therapy Report Highlights & Findings:

Table of Contents 1. Introduction to Gene Therapy 2. Global Gene Therapy Market 3. Significance of Cancer Therapeutics in Gene Therapy 4. Current Applications of Gene Therapy to Cancer Treatment 5. Cancer Gene Therapy Market Dynamics 6. Regulatory Scenario for Gene Therapy Market 7. Cancer Gene Therapy Drug Clinical Trial Insight by Phase, Country & Target Indications 8. Marketed Cancer Gene Therapy Drugs 9. Suspended & Discontinued Cancer Gene Therapy Drug Pipeline 10. Competitive Landscape

List of Figures

About Us: ReportsnReports.com is an online market research reports library of 350,000+ in-depth studies of over 5000 micro markets. We provide 24/7 online and offline support service to our customers.

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Cancer Gene Therapy Market Analysis In A New Research Study Now Available at ReportsnReports.com

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Nina Tandon Could tissue engineering mean personalized medicine YouTube

By: Kay Minter

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Nina Tandon Could tissue engineering mean personalized medicine YouTube - Video

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4 Wheel City Performing @ Mount Sinai Hospital
4 Wheel City visits the place where they first began performing, Mount Sinai Hospital #39;s Spinal Cord Injury Transition group.

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4 Wheel City Performing @ Mount Sinai Hospital - Video

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Ross Mason; Project Walk Atlanta 5K
Ross #39; testimony to Project Walk Atlanta spinal cord injury recovery!

By: Tony Davenport

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Ross Mason; Project Walk Atlanta 5K - Video

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

18-Mar-2014

Contact: Anita Srikameswaran 412-578-9193 University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences

PITTSBURGH, March 18, 2014 Stem cells derived from human muscle tissue were able to repair nerve damage and restore function in an animal model of sciatic nerve injury, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The findings, published online today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggest that cell therapy of certain nerve diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, might one day be feasible.

To date, treatments for damage to peripheral nerves, which are the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, have not been very successful, often leaving patients with impaired muscle control and sensation, pain and decreased function, said senior author Johnny Huard, Ph.D., professor of orthopaedic surgery, and Henry J. Mankin Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery Research, Pitt School of Medicine, and deputy director for cellular therapy, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

"This study indicates that placing adult, human muscle-derived stem cells at the site of peripheral nerve injury can help heal the lesion," Dr. Huard said. "The stem cells were able to make non-neuronal support cells to promote regeneration of the damaged nerve fiber."

The researchers, led by Dr. Huard and Mitra Lavasani, Ph.D., first author and assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, Pitt School of Medicine, cultured human muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells in a growth medium suitable for nerve cells. They found that, with prompting from specific nerve-growth factors, the stem cells could differentiate into neurons and glial support cells, including Schwann cells that form the myelin sheath around the axons of neurons to improve conduction of nerve impulses.

In mouse studies, the researchers injected human muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells into a quarter-inch defect they surgically created in the right sciatic nerve, which controls right leg movement. Six weeks later, the nerve had fully regenerated in stem-cell treated mice, while the untreated group had limited nerve regrowth and functionality. Twelve weeks later, treated mice were able to keep their treated and untreated legs balanced at the same level while being held vertically by their tails. When the treated mice ran through a special maze, analyses of their paw prints showed eventual restoration of gait. Treated and untreated mice experienced muscle atrophy, or loss, after nerve injury, but only the stem cell-treated animals had regained normal muscle mass by 72 weeks post-surgery.

"Even 12 weeks after the injury, the regenerated sciatic nerve looked and behaved like a normal nerve," Dr. Lavasani said. "This approach has great potential for not only acute nerve injury, but also conditions of chronic damage, such as diabetic neuropathy and multiple sclerosis."

Drs. Huard and Lavasani and the team are now trying to understand how the human muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells triggered injury repair, as well as developing delivery systems, such as gels, that could hold the cells in place at larger injury sites.

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Stem cells from muscle can repair nerve damage after injury, Pitt researchers show

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Stem cell therapy -- beyond the headlines: Timothy Henry at TEDxGrandForks
There is considerable excitement about the use of stem cells for cardiovascular disease. Stem cells are unspecialized cells with the unique property to self-...

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7 hours ago

When cancer spreads from one part of the body to another, it becomes even more deadly. It moves with stealth and can go undetected for months or years. But a new technology that uses "nano-flares" has the potential to catch these lurking, mobilized tumor cells early on. Today, scientists presented the latest advances in nano-flare technology as it applies to the detection of metastatic breast cancer cells.

The report was one of more than 10,000 at the 247th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

"We've taken perhaps the world's most important molecule, DNA, rearranged it into a spherical shape and modified it to detect specific molecules inside cells. These structures naturally enter cells and light up when they detect disease-causing molecules," said Chad Mirkin, Ph.D., who is collaborating with C. Shad Thaxton, M.D., Ph.D., to develop the new technology. "We're seeing if we can use nano-flares to create a new type of breast cancer diagnostic, and the early results are remarkable. Nano-flares could completely and radically change how we diagnose breast cancer."

Earlier is better when it comes to cancer detection, but sometimes, by the time a patient notices symptoms and visits a doctor, the first tumor has already spread from its original location in the body to another. It has undergone "metastasis," a state that causes many deaths related to cancer. Cancer took the lives of more than 8 million people worldwide in 2012.

To catch breast cancerand possibly other types of cancersearlier, the research groups built upon Mirkin's ongoing program that kicked off in the 1990s with the invention of "spherical nucleic acids" (SNAs). SNAs are usually made out of a gold nanoparticle core covered with densely packed, short strands of DNA.

"We thought that if we could get large amounts of nucleic acids to go inside cells, we could manipulate and measure things inside cells," said Mirkin, of Northwestern University. "Most people said we were wasting our time, but then out of curiosity, we put these particles in cell culture. Not only did we find that they go in, they went in better than any material known to man."

Taking advantage of their ability to enter cells easily, Mirkin's group set out to turn SNAs into a diagnostic toolthe nano-flare. Recently, he and Thaxton designed these particles, which enter circulating healthy and unhealthy cells in blood samples, but light up only inside breast cancer cells.

"Nano-flares can detect just a few cancer cells in a sea of healthy cells," Mirkin said. "That's important because when cancer spreads, only a few cells may break off from the original tumor and go into the bloodstream. An added bonus of these particles is that scientists may be able to sample the live cancerous cells and figure out what therapies they might respond to."

The groups have successfully tested the nano-flares' ability to identify metastatic breast cancer cells in blood samples from animals and are currently experimenting with human samples.

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Catching the early spread of breast cancer

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8 hours ago Credit: Sophie Sanchez

This week in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a team of French and Swedish researchers present the earliest fossil evidence for the presence of bone marrow in the fin of a 370 million-year-old fish.

Long bones, which are found in the limb of tetrapods, are not only important for locomotion and supporting the weight of the body, but also host the bone marrow. The latter plays a major role in haematopoiesis, i.e. the formation of blood cells. In a healthy adult human, about a hundred billion to one trillion new blood cells are produced every day to maintain the stable blood circulation. The bone marrow also has an important role as part of the immune system. Although long bones are a rich source for marrow transplantation, the establishment the bone marrow in the medullary cavity and its interactions with the surrounding bone still remain partly mysterious and its evolution is not well understood.

Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in France decided to look for the origin of the bone marrow within vertebrates, using synchrotron microtomography to investigate the interior structure of fossil long bones without damaging them. They discovered that Eusthenopteron, a Devonian (370 million year old) lobe-finned fish from Miguasha in Canada that is closely related to the first tetrapods, already exhibited typical marrow processes inside its humerus (upper arm bone). These processes are longitudinal, larger than blood vessel canals, and connect to the shoulder and elbow joint surfaces of the humerus. Thanks to the beam power of the ESRF, they were able to reach submicron resolutions and accurately reconstruct the 3D arrangement of the long-bone microanatomy of this close relative of tetrapods.

"We have discovered that the bone marrow certainly played a major role in the elongation of fin bone through complex interactions with the trabecular bone" says Sophie Sanchez, a researcher from Uppsala University and the ESRF. "This intimate relationship, which has been demonstrated by molecular experiments in extant mammals, is actually primitive for tetrapods".

This discovery is very important for understanding the evolutionary steps that built up the distinctive architecture of tetrapod limb bones and created a location for the distinctive, complex and functionally important tissue that is bone marrow. It is also a powerful demonstration of the capabilities of synchrotron microtomography.

"Without the 3D information provided by the synchrotron, we could never have understood the internal organization of the marrow space" says Per Ahlberg from Uppsala University. "If you cut a slice through a bone like this, which would damage it irreparably, you would only see an uninformative pattern of holes in the cut surface. With the synchrotron we can image the whole internal structure and understand how the marrow processes are organized, without doing any damage to the bone at all."

Explore further: New disease gene discovery sheds light on cause of bone marrow failure

More information: Sanchez S, Tafforeau P, Ahlberg PE. (2014) The humerus of Eusthenopteron: a puzzling organization presaging the establishment of tetrapod limb bone marrow. Proc. R. Soc. B 281: 20140299. dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.0299

The study, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, detected and identified a new disease gene (ERCC6L2). In its normal form, the gene plays a key role in protecting DNA from damaging agents, but wh ...

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Earliest evidence of limb bone marrow in the fin of a 370 million year old fish

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Durham, NC (PRWEB) March 19, 2014

In a study just published in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine, a group of researchers have discovered what appears to be an easy way to collect large quantities of viable stem cells that can be banked for future regenerative medicine purposes all from the simple prick of a finger.

We show that a single drop of blood from a finger-prick sample is sufficient for performing cellular reprogramming, DNA sequencing and blood typing in parallel. Our strategy has the potential of facilitating the development of large-scale human iPSC banking worldwide, said Jonathan Yuin-Han Loh, Ph.D., of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore. He is principal investigator on the study that also included scientists from other Singapore facilities as well as those in the United States and Great Britain.

The medical world in general is excited about the potential of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for studying diseases and for therapeutic regenerative medicine. Stem cells harvested from bone marrow and cord blood are highly amenable to reprogramming.

Some methods can result in negative side effects, and then you have bone-marrow harvesting, which is invasive, while cord blood is limited to individuals who have deposited their samples at birth, Dr. Loh explained. The large amount of blood needed to collect enough cells for reprogramming has also deterred many potential donors.

"We gradually reduced the starting volume of blood (collected using a needle) and confirmed that reprogramming can be achieved with as little as .25 milliliters, Hong-kee Tan, lead author on the study and a research officer in the Loh lab reported.

This then made the team wonder whether a DIY (do-it-yourself) approach to blood collection might work too.

To test this idea, we asked donors to prick their own fingers in a normal room environment and collect a single drop of blood sample into a tube, Tan said. The tube was placed on ice and delivered to the lab for reprogramming.

The cells were treated with a buffer at 12-, 24- or 48-hour increments and observed under the microscope for viability and signs of contamination. After 12 days of expansion in medium, the cells appeared healthy and were actively dividing. The team next tested what happened when they reprogrammed the cells and succeeded in forcing them to become mesodermal, endodermal and neural cells. They were even able to induce some into giving rise to rhythmically beating cardiomyocytes.

Interestingly, we did not observe any noticeable reduction in reprogramming efficiency between the freshly collected and the DIY finger-prick samples, Dr. Loh said. In summary, we derived healthy iPSCs from tiny volumes of venipuncture and a single drop finger-prick blood samples. We also report a high reprogramming yield of 100 to 600 colonies per milliliter of blood.

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DIY Finger Prick Yields Ample Stem Cells for Banking

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Alameda, CA (PRWEB) March 19, 2014

For complete facial care, eco-beauty gurus should look no further than Lotus Moons brand new facial exfoliating polish, Cardamom & Bamboo Polishing Crme. This all-natural polishing cream is vegan, free from gluten, parabens, and petro-chemicals. An all natural formula bursting with the healing properties of cardamom essential oil and exfoliating bamboo stem extract.

Each of our facial peels and polishes specifically targets a range of skin conditions in need of proper exfoliation and great for those just beginning a new exfoliating program, says CEO Lake Louise.

Cardamom & Bamboo Polishing Crme is the perfect natural addition to any beauty routine. Cardamom oil and Bamboo extract play an essential role in detoxifying pores by gently exfoliating and removing dead skin cells.

Bamboo stem extract removes dead skin cells accumulating on the skin surface and helps refine skin texture and brightens skin tone in a gentle and non-abrasive way that allows for exfoliation without damaging the skin. Working to remove all skin impurities, Cardamom & Bamboo Polishing Crme gently massages away dull skin and softens while deeply hydrating to increase dermal elasticity.

The new formula boasts a unique plant-based blend of avocado, coconut and olive oils work to moisturize and visibly reduce the effects of aging while leaving skin with a refined glow.

The intoxicating aroma of Cardamom will revive senses while bamboo extract and jojoba beads polish away the damage of the day, not to mention is gentle enough to use every day.

Skin care shoppers can purchase the new facial exfoliating polish at http://www.smbessentials.com.

About Lotus Moon:

A brand of SMB Essentials, Lotus Moon is an affordable eco-friendly skin care line for all skin types that uses natural and organic ingredients for balanced and radiant-looking skin. Created by Lake Louise in 2002, Louise combines her passion for the environment and love for skincare in creating a wide range of products that include anti-aging serums, moisturizers, peels, exfoliants, and more for the eco-conscious woman. To see what Lotus Moon can do for your skin, visit http://www.smbessentials.com.

Read more here:
SMB Essentials Ecobeauty Skincare Brand, Lotus Moon, Introduces a New Facial Exfoliant with Bamboo Stem Extract

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith