embryo

Embryo engineering breakthrough triggers criticism

Tue, 13 May 2008 06:59:59 -0400

Stem cell researchers at Cornell have genetically engineered a human embryo, a pioneering development that was immediately condemned as a big step toward designing babies. The work itself was very simple: After putting a fluorescent protein gene into an embryo all the cells in the embryo glowed after it divided, giving researchers a chance to track the changes that had been engineered. The scientists emphasized that their work was done on a nonviable embryo that could never have grown into a baby.

The work, first covered by The Sunday Times, was criticized by the Center for Genetics and Society for crossing a boundary that had never been breached. Their concern is that once researchers understand how to engineer an embryo, people can design their babies with particular attributes for appearance, intelligence or athletic ability. But the scientists say the work shouldn't be misinterpreted.

"None of us wants to make designer babies," said Dr. Zev Rosenwaks, director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

- read the article in the New York Times

Cloning advance could lead to designer babies

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 06:59:59 -0400

A new cloning method that relies on skin cells is far more efficient and easier to use than the antiquated methods employed to create Dolly the sheep. And some critics of the science are concerned that the bar may be lowered so far that researchers will be tempted to use the technology to begin to routinely offer designer babies--a realm once exclusively the preserve of science fiction writers. In the new approach, scientists injected skin cells into an early-stage embryo created through in vitro fertilization. The process produced both partial and full clones and can be replicated without the severe defects that afflicted many earlier cloned animals.

"It's unethical and unsafe, but someone may be doing it today," Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer of American biotechnology company Advanced Cell Technology, told The Independent. "Cloning isn't here now, but with this new technique we have the technology that can actually produce a child. If this was applied to humans it would be enormously important and troublesome."

- read the report in The Independent

Related Articles:
Single-parent stem cells may skirt cloning controversy. Cloning report
Mature stem cells prove effective in cloning. Stem cell report
U.S. scientists renew stem cell cloning efforts. Cloning report

ALSO NOTED: India pursues stem cell research; Trigger gene for muscle development discovered;

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:59:58 -0500

Stem Cell Research

A long lineup of Indian groups is pushing new research into stem cells as analysts project a big future for stem cell treatments in the subcontinent. Report

Human embryos that are discarded every day as medical waste from in vitro fertilization clinics could be an important source of stem cells for research, according to a team of researchers at Children's Hospital Boston. Release

Researchers report success using stem cells to treat brittle bone disease in embryonic rats. This approach could offer therapy prior to birth. Report

Researchers backing embryonic stem cell work in Michigan have submitted language for a constitutional amendment that would lift the state's prohibition on the work. Report

British scientists have used ESCs to make sperm cells, making it possible for lesbian couples to have their own biological children. Report

Cytori Therapeutics enrolled the first two patients in a clinical trial using adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells in the treatment of heart attack. Report

The UK is backing away from regulations that would have restricted stem cell research. Report

Genetics

University of Oregon scientists say they have identified a gene that is the key switch that allows embryonic cells to form into muscles in zebrafish. Release

Utah researchers have identified six genes linked to higher rates of cold sores. Report

Research into new infertility treatments may be assisted by identifying the role of the PTEN gene in preventing eggs in the ovary from developing too quickly. Report

Using a mouse model of Treacher Collins Syndrome (TCS), the Stowers Institute's Trainor Lab has demonstrated that it can prevent this rare disorder of craniofacial development either by inactivating a gene implicated in the abnormality or by inhibiting its protein product. Release

US researchers have reported that genetic mutations increase the risk of preterm birth, after establishing a link between the mutations in the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) gene and inflammatory injury to the placenta and developing baby. Release

A genetic variation can seriously aggravate chronic lung disease in passive smokers. Report

Genetic research has drawn a link between rheumatoid arthritis and an early death from cardiovascular disease. Release

Cancer Research

A study of identical twins has for the first time confirmed the existence of cancer stem cells that cause the most common form of childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Release

The microRNA miR-21 may be helpful in predicting outcomes for people with colon cancer. Report

An Italian study concludes that high levels the Ki-67 protein are associated with poor prognosis in women with early-stage breast cancer. Report

A new study may explain why women with a mutation in the BRCA1 gene face up to an 85 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer. Release

Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center have discovered biomarkers that predict which patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer will respond to a combination treatment of the anti-inflammatory drug Celebrex and the growth factor receptor blocker Tarceva. Release

Synthetic chemists say that a natural molecule found in a deep-sea sponge could help them design better cancer therapies. Release

ALSO NOTED: Stemagen earns headlines for stem cell work; Virus linked to skin cancer; Modified viruses used to treat pain;

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:59:58 -0500

Stem Cell Research

Tiny La Jolla, CA-based Stemagen snared headlines around the world last week when it announced that it had cloned human embryos by combining skin cells with human egg cells. It's a step towards developing personalized stem cell therapies and replacement tissue, though the scientific community is at odds over just how important the news is for researchers. The San Diego Union-Tribune profiles the company. Report

For the first time, British officials have given researchers at King's College London and Newcastle University the green light to create human/animal embryos for research purposes. Report

Once tapped to be a leader in biotechnology, Japan has lagged a number of other countries in the field. But a recent stem cell breakthrough at Kyoto University has enlivened the field, raising hopes that the country may yet become a groundbreaker. Article

University of California, Irvine researchers have identified a gene that is specifically responsible for generating the cerebral cortex, a finding that could lead to stem cell therapies to treat brain injuries and diseases such as stroke and Alzheimer's. Release

One of the six children in a stem cell study run by StemCells died late last week, apparently from the rare brain disease she suffered from. Report

UK scientists warn that a new law will slow stem cell research. Report

Research Technology

To gain better insight into heart disease, researchers at the Universite de Montreal used SGI technology to run the largest simulation ever made of a human heart. Report

Beckman Coulter is financing a four-year collaboration with the National University of Ireland in Galway covering molecular diagnostics. Report

Cancer Research

Scientists have linked a newly discovered virus--Merkel cell polyoma--to the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Article

Inhibiting a chemical found in cancer cells was effective in reversing resistance to tamoxifen, raising new hope for women with breast cancer. Report

A breast cancer gene's newly discovered role in repairing damaged DNA may help explain why women who inherit a mutated copy of the gene are at increased risk for developing both breast and ovarian cancer. And that insight could lead the way to new cancer therapies designed for women with or without the BRCA 1 gene mutations. Release

New research links the recently discovered function of a multi-faceted transcriptional complex to control of gene expression in both normal cells and cancer stem cells. Release

MicroRNA molecules could be used to identify high-risk leukemia patients. Report

A study by British researchers of twin girls has identified a rogue cell that is the fundamental cause of childhood leukemia. Report

Genetic research

Researchers have successfully used genetically modified viruses to treat chronic pain. Report

A team of researchers at Celera Group-Applera Corp. has linked a genetic mutation to a significantly higher risk of heart disease and a person's ability to benefit from statins. Article

An international team of geneticists have linked a series of genetic mutations to a skyrocketing risk of prostate cancer, raising expectations of a new test to identify at-risk patients. Report

A gene variation has been linked to chronic worry by a research team at Yale. Report

Identifying DNA "fingerprints" could be used to pinpoint the risk of a range of brain disorders such as Parkinson's and Lou Gehrig's disease. Report

A gene swap in mice caused them to develop bat-like forelimbs, offering proof that patterns of gene expression drive evolution. Report

A study led by McGill University researchers has demonstrated that small differences between individuals at the DNA level can lead to dramatic differences in the way genes produce proteins. Understanding these tiny differences can also offer insight into disease risk. Release

Genetic differences might explain why some multiple sclerosis patients respond to treatment while others don't, suggests an international study. Report

Human evolution has created enhancements in key genes connected to the p53 regulatory network--the so-called guardian of the genome--by creating additional safeguards in human genes to boost the network's ability to guard against DNA damage that could cause cancer or a variety of genetic diseases, according to an international team of scientists led by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Release

Through one of the largest studies yet of Alzheimer's disease patients and their brothers, sisters, and children, researchers at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville have found strong evidence that genes other than the well-known susceptibility risk factor APOE4 influence who is at risk for developing the neurodegenerative disease later in life. Release

Scientist's stem cell quest triggered by a startling moment

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:59:59 -0500

Dr. Shinya Yamanaka, the Japanese scientist who led one of the two teams that recently announced they had turned human skin cells into the equivalent of embryonic stem cells, was driven by a passion to stop the destruction of embryos in medical research. His mission started about eight years ago, he told the New York Times, when he looked at an embryo through a microscope. From that inspirational trigger, Yamanaka was the first to conclude that adult cells could be reprogrammed into stem cells that acted like ESCs by adding master regulator genes. While the work has been lauded by many in research who would like to find a way around the red-hot controversy surrounding ESCs, in Japan Yamanaka's work has been heralded for overcoming the country's reputation for being chronically bad at innovative scientific work.

- check out the profile from The New York Times

Related Articles:
Japanese scientist operates on lean budget. Report
In breakthrough, scientists reprogram skin cells into ESCs. Report
Debate over ESC research still hot. Report
Dolly creator scraps cloning, takes new approach. Report
Ian Wilmut discusses how regulations affect stem cell science. Report

Cloning project makes a major breakthrough

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 06:59:59 -0500

The Independent is reporting that scientists at the Oregon National Primate Research Center are on the verge of announcing that they have developed a new technique for cloning embryos from adult monkeys. Their work is expected to make it much simpler to turn human eggs into cloned embryos. And that would offer a big step toward creating human embryonic stem cells from cloning

The research team has extracted stem cells from the cloned embryos and coaxed them into transforming into heart cells and brain neurons. Professor Alan Trounson told the newspaper that the work represented a key breakthrough in making cloned primate embryos from adult cells. The scientists say that the work was made possible by abandoning the use of ultraviolet light and dyes and relying on a microscopic technique. So far, no cloned embryo implanted into the wombs of rhesus macaque monkeys has led to a birth, though researchers say that could just be a case of "bad luck."

- read the article in The Independent

ALSO: "Failure to outlaw reproductive cloning means it is just a matter of time until cloned individuals share the planet," Brendan Tobin of the Irish Center for Human Rights in Galway, Ireland and one of the chief authors of the UN study told AFP. Report

Related Articles:
Mature stem cells prove effective in cloning. Report
Single-parent stem cells may skirt cloning controversy. Report
Disgraced scientist back at work on cloned embryos. Report
Researcher promises cloned embryonic stem cells. Report

ALSO NOTED: Calif. stem cell institute misses June deadline; NIH intensifies autism research;

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 06:59:58 -0400

Stem Cell Research

A consortium of scientists has created an "encyclopedia" of ESCs. Article

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has missed a June deadline for finding someone to run it as it begins handing out hundreds of millions of dollars in grant money. Evidently a $400,000 salary is too low. Report

The government of New South Wales is pledging $500,000 for stem cell research. Article

When it comes to generating neurons, researchers have found that not all embryonic stem cell lines are equal. In comparing neurons generated from two NIH-approved embryonic stem cell lines, scientists have uncovered significant differences in the mature, functioning neurons generated from each line. Report

A parliamentary committee in the UK is backing the use of human-animal hybrid embryos for research purposes. Report

Genomics

Scientists have found a genetic variation that makes it significantly more likely that a person will respond to Forest Laboratories' antidepressant Celexa. This kind of genomic research is considered a key to ushering in a new era of personalized medicine. Report

An international group of scientists has published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry the study PREDICT-gene, confirming the relation between allele s in the serotonin transporter gene and exposure to threatening life events in the onset of depression. Report

A $1 million grant from the National Human Genome Research Institute is helping NABsys develop less expensive methods of genome sequencing. That grant was part of a $15 million package to advance research that will eventually help bring the cost of sequencing down to $1,000. Report

A University of California, Irvine neurologist is part of a national group of scientists who have identified the active genes in sporadic ALS, a discovery that provides expanded opportunities for developing therapies to treat this chronic, incurable disease. Report

Cancer Research

Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson University say that colon cancer may be triggered by hormone deficiency and could possibly be treated effectively with hormone replacement therapy. Report

A team of scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, have begun probing a therapeutic approach to disable a protein called Galectin 1 in order to improve a patient's ability to fight blood cancer. The protein prevents the immune system from recognizing and attacking Hodgkin's lymphoma cells. Report

Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered how genes can fuse together in a way that permits uncontrolled cell growth involved in cancer. Report

Collaborating scientists in Boston and North Carolina have found that a particular gene can block key steps of the lung cancer process in mice. The researchers report in the journal Nature that LKB1 is not only a "tumor-suppressor" gene for non-small cell lung cancer in mice, it also may be more powerful than other, better-known suppressors. Report

More Research

BusinessWeek examines why medical studies often reach conflicting conclusions about the same therapy. Meta-analysis is adding to the public confusion over the data, as it blends data from studies that pursued a variety of goals. Report

The National Institutes of Health will intensify its efforts to find the causes of autism and identify new treatments for the disorder, through a new research program: The Autism Centers of Excellence program. Report

A variety of medical experts are calling for more research into myasthenia gravis, or chronic weakness. The condition is rare, which means it has attracted little attention from drug developers. Article

The discovery of a novel molecular switch that powerfully modulates nerve cell activity offers the potential for new mood disorder and epilepsy treatments, University of California, Irvine researchers report. Report

The University of Rochester has opened a new incubator for biotechs. Article

By short-circuiting the sensory organ that detects the chemical cues mice use to attract mates, a team of Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers has prompted female mice to behave like male mice in the throes of courtship. Report

Although the FDA altered its recommendations in a recent guidance for audit trails of computer systems used in documenting clinical trial results, manufacturers should still carefully consider how to comply with audit trail requirements under the agency's Part 11 regulation, according to former FDA official Stan Woollen. Report

Disgraced scientist back at work on cloned embryos

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:01:39 -0400

In what is shaping up as one of the toughest rehab jobs in science, disgraced Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk is logging long hours in his new lab. Hwang was accused of one of the biggest frauds in scientific history when he claimed in 2005 to have cloned human embryos and developed embryonic stem cells from them. Hwang apologized for the scam but insisted that he should be allowed to go on with his work. He appears to be doing just that, after he and 30 loyal researchers made the switch from the university to a private lab outside of Seoul. Some experts like Dr. Curt Civin at Johns Hopkins say he just might pull it off--even though his work is likely to get a tremendous amount of scrutiny.

One researcher at the lab says that they have taken stem cells from cloned animal embryos. They believe that they are ready to do the same for human embryos.

- here's the article from The Washington Post

Related Articles:
Magazine retracts discredited paper on embryonic stem cells. Report
Korean scientist faked all evidence of stem cell cloning. Report
S. Korean team to attempt first monkey clone. Report

ALSO NOTED: ACT develops ESC lines without harming embryos; New treatment for colon cancer; TB research helps ID drug targets;

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Stem Cell Research

Researchers at Advanced Cell Technology has developed three new stem cell lines by taking an individual cell from an embryo and then froze the embryo with no harm done to it. ACT had generated a wave of criticism for its earlier announcement on the process. That work involved destroying the embryo to prove the theory that you could develop stem cell lines by withdrawing cells from an embryo. This new work saves the embryo to prove that the theory works in practice. Report

Scientists in Australia have created embryonic stem cells from monkey embryos, moving ever closer to the goal of human therapeutic cloning. Report

Lawmakers in New Jersey have been advancing legislation to ask citizens for their approval to issue $450 million to back new stem cell research. Report

Scientists have sped the repair of inner ear damage by injecting bone marrow stem cells to the injury site. Release

In the first trial of its kind in the world, 60 patients who have recently suffered a major heart attack will be injected with selected stem cells from their own bone marrow during routine coronary bypass surgery. Report

Cancer Research

Leire García Navarro, a researcher at the School of Pharmacy of the University of Navarra, has developed a new treatment which slows the growth of colon and liver cancers. In order to carry out the study, this scientist of the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology used genetic therapy with non-viral vectors for transferring genetic material to the cancerous cells. Release

The sea-squirt derived drug trabectedin (ecteinascidinin-743) shows anti-tumour activity in more than half of patients with a specific type of cancer, conclude authors of a recent article. Release

A group of researchers at the University of Michigan Nanotechnology Institute for Medicine and Biological Sciences have devised a multifunctional nanoparticle platform comprising nanoparticles synthesized within dendrimers equipped with targeting molecules and dyes. These dendrimer nanoparticle systems are able to seek out and specifically bind to cancer cells. Report

Research led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College has uncovered two new potential points of vulnerability on a key cancer-promoting protein, called XIAP. Drugs that target either of these activities could help push cancer cells back into a more regular programmed cell death and thereby reduce or eliminate tumors. Release

Levels of a small non-coding RNA molecule called let-7 appear to define different stages of cancer better than some of the "classical" markers for tumor progression. Report

More Research

A team of researchers from the University of Surrey has completed the first genome-scale model of the microbe that causes tuberculosis. The model may be a highly useful tool to identify new drug targets and design new vaccines. Release

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences have patented a strategy for developing a human vaccine to prevent against Human Cytomegalovirus (hCMV) infection and disease. Report

Australian researchers say that cholesterol drugs could prevent nerve damage spurred by diabetes. Report

Scientists at the University of California, San Diego have determined a key mechanism by which the body regulates iron metabolism, a discovery that may provide new approaches for the treatment of anemia. Release

The University of Nottingham has been advancing studies into finding alternatives to using animals in drug research. Report

Eight common gene variations have been linked to a susceptibility to fever following a smallpox vaccination. Report

Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered how a single molecular "on switch" triggers gene activity that might cause effects ranging from learning and memory capabilities to glucose production in the liver. Release

Two proteins that are implicated in autism have been found to control the strength and balance of nerve-cell connections, according to researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Release

And Finally… An Amazon tribe say they were lied to and exploited by researchers who gathered blood samples in exchange for medicine that never arrived. Now the samples are being sold online and the tribe wants compensation. Article

ALSO NOTED: Stem cell therapy escapes immune system attack; P53 insights;New genetic triggers for disease;

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Stem Cell Research

Geron announced that its embryonic stem cell therapy for spinal cord injuries is not attacked by the immune system, a finding that could lower or eliminate the need for immune-suppressing drugs for patients. Report

In what is seen as an important step toward a cure for Parkinson's, researchers have injected human stem cells into monkeys with the disease. Report

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine has handed out $50 million in grant money to fund the development of new laboratory facilities at 17 institutions. Report (.pdf)

Scientists report that normal tissue cells can be reprogrammed to exhibit many of the properties that are characteristic of embryonic stem cells, including the ability to give rise to multiple cell types and contribute to the germline. Release

Lawmakers in New South Wales have voted to lift a ban on human cloning. Report

Dartmouth Professor Ronald M. Green examines the moral questions and the scientific feasibility of deriving hESC lines in ways that avoid destroying living human embryos in a paper published in the June 2007 issue of Nature Reviews Genetics. Report

Disgraced South Korean scientist Hwang Woo-suk is in Thailand to discuss joining a team of embryonic stem cell researchers. He is currently on trial for criminal fraud. Report

Cancer Research

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory researchers led by Lin He, Xingyue He, and Professor and Howard Hughes Medical Investigator Greg Hannon have identified a family of micro RNAs (miRNAs) that enable a critical tumor suppressor network, called the p53 pathway, to fight cancer growth. Report

Researchers in Milan say they have discovered a stem cell switch that can interfere with the development of malignant brain tumors. Report

Umbilical cord blood transplants may offer blood cancer patients better outcomes than bone marrow transplants, according to an analysis of outcome data performed at the Statistical Center, Center for Blood and Marrow Transplant Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Release

Results from a new study have made it easier for scientists to distinguish between growing blood vessels in healthy tissues and those that are associated with tumors. Release

Mutations in the cell adhesion molecule known as integrin alpha 7 (integrin α7) lead to unchecked tumor cell proliferation and a significantly higher incidence in cancer spread, or metastasis, in several cancer cell lines, report researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Report

More Research

In the largest-ever genetics study of its kind, a team of British scientists has found 24 genetic triggers to seven common diseases. Half of those links are new and should cast new light on drug development efforts. Report

Northwestern University researchers have discovered a drug that slows--and may even halt--the progression of Parkinson's disease. D. James Surmeier at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, and his team of researchers have found that isradipine, a drug widely used for hypertension and stroke, restores stressed-out dopamine neurons to their vigorous younger selves. Release

Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have built the largest synthetic gene ever developed, which has helped explain the development of drug-resistant malaria. "Now that we have these genes expressed in a convenient yeast system, we can work to understand the molecular basis of anti-malarial drug resistance, providing insight into how future drugs might be designed to effectively kill the parasite," said Paul Roepe, Ph.D. Release

Researchers at the University of Manchester have identified evidence of several new genes behind the chronic inflammatory disease rheumatoid arthritis, which affects 387,000 people in the UK. Report

In head-to-head trials of two drugs, the one deemed better appears to depend largely on who is funding the study, according to an analysis of nearly 200 statin-drug comparisons carried out between 1999 and 2005. Release

An international research consortium investigating the genetic causes of intestinal inflammatory conditions has identified a new genetic risk factor for coeliac disease. Release

Human/animal chimeras get a reprieve in the U.K.

Mon, 21 May 2007 20:01:39 -0400

After a huge outcry from scientists and patient groups, the U.K. has proposed legislation allowing the development of human/animal chimera embryos for research. Public Health had proposed banning the chimeras, triggering an outburst from critics who maintain the embryos are crucial for research into Parkinson's and other maladies. The animal/human embryos can be used in place of human eggs, which are often difficult to come by. The substitute is made by removing an animal cell nucleus and replacing it with the nucleus of a skin cell from a patient with a disease being studied. The hybrid is used to create embryonic stem cells for research. Under law, the chimeras would not be allowed to grow beyond 14 days and then would have to be discarded.

- here's the report from The Independent

Genetically modified cows to produce cheap insulin

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:01:39 -0400

Scientists working for Bio Sidus in Argentina have developed a genetically modified cow that can produce insulin in its milk. The company says the four cloned calves will start producing the insulin-rich milk when they reach maturity. To clone the cows, scientists insert a human gene into an embryo, which is then implanted in the mother. The insulin is later extracted from the milk. Bio Sidus said that the procedure can be used to develop insulin for 30 percent less than current methods and that 25 of the cows would be enough to provide insulin for all 1.5 million diabetics in Argentina. There are 200 million diabetics worldwide. Bio Sidus is one of a number of companies involved in transgenics.

- read the report on the new insulin manufacturing process from The Standard

Related Article:
EMEA panel recommends goat-milk therapy. Report

ALSO NOTED: Female stem cells twice as effective as male; HIV researchers seeking new vaccine;

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Stem Cell Research

A study at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC concludes that female stem cells derived from muscle are twice as effective as male stem cells when it comes to regenerating skeletal muscle tissue. The scientists said that they believed that the difference was due to the female mice's improved ability to handle stress. Report

Wisconsin officials hurried to maintain their commitment to embryonic stem cell research--and the patents in the field that have been threatened by a preliminary ruling by the U.S. Patent Office. Critics have been attempting to break the state's hold on three key patents, saying that they prevent research in the field. Report

CNNMoney reviews the stem cell therapies being developed by Cytori Therapeutics and Osiris, which researchers believe could be approved and on the market in '08. Report

U.S. researchers have isolated cochlear stem cells located in the inner ear, primed for development into ear-related tissue to treat hearing loss. Report

The Commons science committee has joined a group of 223 medical research charities who claim that a ban on animal-human embryos would interfere with important research. Report

Cancer Research

Researchers at the University of Illinois-Chicago's College of Pharmacy has found an RNA-binding protein that overexpresses in ovarian cancer, offering a new target in cancer treatments. Report

Immunology researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson studying a multiple sclerosis-like disease in mice have shown that the amount of "damage" to the central nervous system's protective blood-brain barrier almost always correlates to the severity of the disease. Release

Mayo Clinic Cancer Center announced recently that a multiple myeloma clinical trial has shown a significant improvement in survival with lenalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone therapy compared to lenalidomide plus high-dose dexamethasone. Release

A research team at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University have synthesized 10 different types of flavanones, a type of flavonoid, using a new general method they developed that takes advantage of one simple catalyst. The basic research gives chemists--for the first time--a method for making new molecules based on flavonoids, setting the stage for the development of new cancer therapeutics. Report

Scientists from the Indiana University-Bloomington, the University of Washington School of Medicine, and the University of Cambridge have discovered how the plant hormone auxin interacts with its hormone receptor, called TIR1. Because TIR1 is similar to enzymes that are involved in cancer, the researchers say their work can help advance cancer research. Release

In advanced cancer, anti-tumor therapies often work only partially or not at all, and tumors progress following treatment. Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center scientists have now linked a treatment-induced growth factor to the cancer's future spread. Release

More Research

A group of French researchers are focusing on CD8 immune cells for additional insight into why a tiny percentage of HIV patients do not see any spread of the virus. They believe CD8 could hold the key to a new vaccine. Report

Researchers have discovered important details of how nicotine adjusts the signaling properties of neuronal wiring to enhance memory. These signaling properties include the strength of the connections by which one neuron triggers another. While nicotine is highly addictive, researchers have also shown the drug to enhance learning and memory--a property that has launched efforts to develop nicotine-like drugs to treat cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, schizophrenia, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Report

A new study has found a promising drug for the treatment of epilepsy patients, whose symptoms remain uncontrolled with existing medications. The new drug called Eslicarbazepine (ESL), offers the patients added convenience, as it is a once-daily dose, while current treatments can involve several doses per day. The research was conducted by the Department of Research and Development at BIAL in Portugal. Release

Scientists at MIT and Stanford have learned how to turn parts of the brain off and on using a simple flash of light. Report

U.S. scientists who earlier found an enzyme that's a natural tumor suppressor have identified two variants that could treat diabetes and other diseases. Release

Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that by combining two antibiotics-- doxycycline and ciprofloxacin--they halted the growth of doxycycline-resistant E. coli. The resistant strain of E. coli ignored the doxycycline, which left the ciprofloxacin to attack the bacteria unimpeded. Report

Researchers say a newly discovered molecule could be a key factor in developing new ways to curb high blood fats, such as triglycerides and cholesterol. Found on the lining of blood vessels, the molecule GPIHBP1 captures molecular particles that deliver fats to cells to use as fuel. Targeting the molecule could be a method of treating high levels of cholesterol and other fats. Report

Researchers at Cornell have found 23 biomarkers for Alzheimer's that could lead to an early diagnosis. Report

In a new study published in the journal Cell, Dr. James Dennis, senior investigator at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital, has discovered a new role for sugars on proteins. His research focuses on the effects of changing the sugars associated with the key proteins that act as receptors for hormones and growth factors. These are the same types of proteins that are targeted by a new generation of anti-cancer drugs such as Herceptin (trastuzumab). "These findings may lead to a new class of drug treatments as well as strategies to improve the effectiveness of existing anti-receptor drugs," states Dr. Jim Woodgett. Release

Researchers at McGill University have found a genetic mutation linked to spina bifida, a discovery that could hasten research for a cure as well as improve diagnosis and identify parents most likely to have a child with the disease. Report

Two new studies show that the antiretroviral drugs used to prevent HIV transmission from a pregnant mother-to-child may cause genetic damage. Report

After an acute viral infection, some T cells generated to kill virus-infected cells remain on guard to establish long-term immunity. These so-called memory T cells, which derive from CD8 T cells, engage in a self-renewal process essential to their persistence. Now, a new study shows that the CD8 T cells produced to fight a chronic infection operate under an entirely different maintenance scheme than do the CD8 T cells that become memory T cells. Report

Pediatricians in growing numbers say that the antibiotics used to treat ear infections are increasingly unlikely to work. Report

In an effort to avoid dangerous adverse drug reactions, scientists at the Child and Family Research Institute at B.C. Children's Hospital in Canada will begin collecting DNA samples from children in an effort to discover new biomarkers that will help determine if children are allergic to certain medications. Report

Editor's Corner

Wed, 20 Sep 2006 20:01:38 -0400

Stem cell research should be encouraged
Advanced Cell Technology has taken a lot of heat for its work that purports to show researchers can create new embryonic stem cell lines without destroying the embryo. That remains more of a working theory than a fact. But as this week's top story illustrates, the controversy hasn't slowed down its research in the field. As researchers continue to highlight new ways that embryonic stem cells can provide cures for terrible diseases like macular degeneration, they will continue to put pressure on policymakers to revise a position that has slowed work in the field. This research needs to be encouraged so that young scientists will step into the field and advance new therapies. Throwing up a roadblock here by severely limiting federal funding is exactly the wrong thing to do. In the mean time, let's congratulate the UK's new stem cell bank (see tip below) for stepping in where the U.S. government has so far feared to tread. - John Carroll

ACT unveils embryonic stem cell breakthrough

Wed, 23 Aug 2006 20:01:39 -0400

There's no question that the big research news of the week came from Advanced Cell Technology. A team of scientists at the company say they were able to extract embryonic stem cells from early-stage, eight-cell embryos and create new stem cell lines that could be used in new research work. Their work is being published in Nature. As luck would have it, I was doing some research of my own on embryonic stem cells and reached Advanced Cell Technology CEO William Caldwell, IV the day before yesterday's big news release. The company is clearly hoping that the research breakthrough will give the Bush administration cause to start funding stem cell lines if they can demonstrate an ability to develop new lines without harming the embryo.

Scientists at the biotech company say they can use a cell withdrawn from an eight-cell embryo for testing purposes to create the new stem cell lines. Taking 18 embryos donated by fertility patients, the researchers took as many cells as they could from each, destroying some in the process. They gathered a total of 91 embryonic stem cells and were able to coax 53 to start dividing. Two of the cells created robust colonies of new stem cells. Researchers noted that the process was inefficient, adding that if they limited themselves to one test cell from each embryo the process would become even more difficult. Early signs from the Bush administration weren't encouraging. "Any use of human embryos for research purposes raises serious ethical concerns," said a White House statement. "The President is hopeful that with time scientists can find ways of deriving cells like those now derived from human embryos but without the need for using embryos."

- here's the article from The Washington Post