regenerative medicine

Scientists forecasts use of stem cells to grow parts

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

UK cell biologist Robert Edwards says he can see a time in the not-too-distant future when humans will be able to grow new body parts through the use of stem cell technology. And the doctor, acclaimed for the pioneering breakthrough allowing women to give birth to "test tube babies," is thinking beyond new hearts, livers, kidneys and other organs already in development. He notes that humans have the genes necessary to re-grow lost limbs.

Edwards and a colleague were responsible for the first in vitro fertilization birth--a woman named Louise Brown who turns 30 next month. And even at that time, says Edwards, scientists were able to see that we would make significant strides over the next 30 years. The big obstacle has been a lack of funds, notes Edwards, but now money is flowing into stem cell research at a furious pace, fueling advancements in the field.

- read the story in The Times

ALSO NOTED: ESC therapies in race to the clinic; Ultraviolet light used to target tumors; Scientists find chemical trigger to P

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:59:58 -0500

Stem Cell Research

Researchers at Geron and Advanced Cell Technology are jockeying to begin the first human clinical trials of embryonic stem cell therapies. Geron plans to file for regulatory approval by the end of this year, with ACT saying it will file its application by the middle of next year. Report

Orthopedic researchers at Jefferson Medical College have for the first time found stem cells in the intervertebral discs of the human spine, suggesting that such cells might someday be used to help repair degenerating discs and remedy lower back and neck pain. Release

According to a new study published in Circulation Research, University of Missouri-Columbia researchers say that a muscular dystrophy patient should be able to maintain a normal lifestyle if only 50 percent of the cells of their heart are healthy. Release

India's first clinical research facility for stem cells and regenerative medicine will be opened in Hyderabad by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology and Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences. Report

Carnegie Mellon University's Stefan F. Zappe is using adult neural stem cells to develop a new stem cell-based drug delivery therapy that may ultimately help treat a variety of inherited genetic disorders like Hunter syndrome. Release

Cancer Research

Colin Self and Stephen Thompson of Newcastle University have developed a technique that uses ultraviolet light to activate antibodies in a targeted attack on tumors. Report

A team of scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York City say that knocking out the virus responsible for a number of cancers could be the most effective approach in preventing the disease. Both liver and cervical cancer are caused by viruses. And the scientists have been developing radioimmunotherapy to kill the viruses. Report

VIB scientists connected to the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, in collaboration with the Flemish biotech company ThromboGenics, have been studying the anti-cancer action of anti-PLGF. Release

U.S. researchers have found a mechanism to predict survival in women aged 65 and older with early stage lung cancer. The new study, published on Thursday in the medical journal Cancer Research, links high levels of aromatase, an enzyme that makes estrogen from another hormone called androgen, to a more aggressive and lethal form of the cancer. Release

A drug-- 2ME2--that has shown promise in treating sarcoma, lung and brain cancers, demonstrates that the drug may also be effective in treating breast cancer, in particular the spread of breast cancer. Urszula Iwaniec, an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Sciences at OSU, is the one of the authors of the study. Release

Genetics

The genome of the Abyssinian cat has been decoded, which will help advance research on some 200 human illnesses. Report

Shared genome data has been used to confirm that the SORL1 gene is linked to Alzheimer's. Report

UK scientists have discovered a genetic marker that may increase a person's susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis. That work may highlight new targets for RA. Report

Genes linked to fruit fly sensitivity to alcohol may shed light on human drinking behavior. Report

New research published in the journal Nature revealed more than 50 genomic regions that are frequently gained or lost in lung adenocarcinoma, the most common type of lung cancer in the United States. Release

More Research

Scientists have discovered that the tuberculosis drug D-cycloserine can alleviate anxiety and counter fear when used in a combination therapy. Report

Researchers at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine have discovered the key brain chemical that causes Parkinson's disease--a "breakthrough" finding that could pave the way for new, far more effective therapies. Release

The unexplained pain experienced by patients with fibromyalgia is the result of a mismatch between sensory and motor systems, new research suggests. Release

British scientists say the nAG protein plays a critical role in spurring limb regeneration in newts, a discovery that could help advance the field of tissue regeneration. Report

A cold sore virus appears to be linked to Alzheimer's disease, a finding that could assist researchers looking for a vaccine to counter the threat. Report

Alzheimer's disease may progress more rapidly in people with high blood pressure or a form of irregular heartbeat, atrial fibrillation, according to results of a Johns Hopkins study published in Neurology. Release

Duke University Medical Center researchers have used imaging technology to identify a new marker that may help identify those at greatest risk for cognitive decline and the development of Alzheimer's disease. Release

Northwestern University researchers have shown that nanodiamonds are very effective at delivering chemotherapy drugs to cells without the negative effects associated with current drug delivery agents. Release

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

Scientists grow blood vessels from stem cells

Tue, 10 Jul 2007 06:59:59 -0400

Using adult stem cells extracted from bone marrow, scientists at the University of Buffalo have grown new blood vessels and successfully tested them in sheep. In addition to contracting and dilating, the vessels produce collagen and elastin, which are essential for proper functioning. And the research team is now focused on making the vessels stronger and better, for use in humans. Eventually, they say, the approach could provide individual blood vessels that could be used in heart bypass surgery, replacing the sections of veins now commonly used to bypass an obstruction.

"Our results show that bone marrow is an excellent source of adult stem cells containing smooth muscle and endothelial cells, and that these stem cells can be used in regenerative medicine for cardiovascular applications," said Dr. Stelios Andreadis. "These are the first tissue-engineered vessels to demonstrate the ability to make elastin in vivo (in live animals or patients)."

- see this release
- read the article from The Daily Mail

Related Article:
Stem cells used to build new blood vessels. Report

Growing heart valves from stem cells

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 20:01:39 -0400

Scientists in the U.K. have used stem cells harvested from bone marrow to create heart valve tissue. And they're pushing their work into animal studies this year in the hope that human clinical trials on valve transplants can begin in three years. The researchers grew the three-centimeter wide valves by exposing stem cells to chemicals, which spurred their differentiation into heart valve cells. The tissue was grown on a scaffold of collagen.

The research offers an organic alternative to the artificial heart valves that are currently used. Ultimately, the work could help point the way to creating entirely new hearts. The researchers at Imperial College London say that an organic valve is capable of changing to fit the physical needs of the patient. A valve created from stem cells would also be less likely to be rejected by the patient. Their report on the research will be published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.

- read the CBC report on the stem cell work
- and here's the report from New Scientist

ALSO: Researchers at the University of Michigan Medical School write in the new issue of the journal Regenerative Medicine that we're drawing steadily closer to "bioengineering" entire areas of the heart, as well as heart valves and major blood vessels. Release

Related Articles:
Scientists grow new heart valves from stem cells. Report
New study to use stem cells after heart attacks. Report
Osiris reports major gains in stem cell trial. Report

California delivers millions for stem cell research

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:01:39 -0500

After seeing an ambitious $3 billion effort to back stem cell research get tied up in court, California's Institute for Regenerative Medicine finally got on track with the announcement of 72 research grants totaling $45 million for the next two years. Next month the state is expected to announce $80 million in grants, a move that will make it the single largest backer of embryonic stem cell work in the nation, far outstripping the limited federal support that flows to the field. The money is coming from both private sources and state borrowing. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced last year that he would lend $150 million to the institute to begin its work.

- see the release on the grants
- here's the report on the initiative from the San Francisco Chronicle

ALSO: New York lawmakers, meanwhile, have expressed a cool attitude to Governor Eliot Spitzer's proposal to raise $2 billion to back stem cell research projects. Report

Related Articles:
California institute outlines stem-cell strategy. Report
Wealthy supporters back Calif. stem cell research. Report
Calif. gives $150M to stem cell research. Report

Versatile stem cells found in amniotic fluid

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 19:01:39 -0500

A team of scientists has discovered a new category of stem cells that can be found in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women that has demonstrated a great deal of versatility in morphing into different types of stem cells that could be used in new therapies. The researchers used these cells to create muscle, bone, fat, blood vessel, nerve and liver cells in the lab. These new stem cells may well help advance the debate that has long existed between adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells have been viewed as stable but limited in their ability to change into different tissue types. Embryonic stem cells can turn into virtually any tissue type but have been notably less stable. Scientists now say that there is no clear dichotomy between the two, noting that there are instead a range of stem cells across a full spectrum running from highly versatile to virtually inflexible. That raises the prospect that the full range of stem cells will be studied to match the right stem cell for each disease. It also raises the prospect that people may begin to store amniotic fluid to create a new generation of genetically-matched treatments. Pro-life advocates, who have backed controversial restrictions on research involving embryonic stem cells, were quick to herald the news, noting that the use of stem cells drawn from amniotic fluid. Researchers in the field say they're interested in further studying all classifications of stem cells.

"It has been known for decades that both the placenta and amniotic fluid contain multiple progenitor cell types from the developing embryo, including fat, bone, and muscle," said Anthony Atala, M.D., senior researcher and director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. "We asked the question, 'Is there a possibility that within this cell population we can capture true stem cells?' The answer is yes."

- check out this press release for details
- here's the report from The Washington Post

ALSO: Japanese researchers have created liver cells from subcutaneous fat, marking another potential source of stem cells to regenerate tissue. Release

Related Articles:
Researcher promises cloned embryonic stem cells. Report
Stem cell transplant a success against Parkinson's. Report

Researchers spin living nanothreads for repair work

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 19:01:39 -0500

Two researchers at University College London have used printing technology to weave polymer nanofibers together in a way that may eventually allow them to develop living tissue that can be used to repair the body. These nanothreads could be used to regrow tissue, for example. Researchers created the nanothreads by threading living brain cells through a polymer that flowed around the chain. "This has far-reaching implications and will enable significant advances to be made in technologies ranging from tissue engineering to regenerative medicine," said the report in Biomacromolecules.

- read the Scientific American report

Editor's Corner

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 20:01:38 -0400

A dose of realism
There's news out of California that the state's Institute for Regenerative Medicine is planning to take a methodical approach to stem cell research. In a new strategic plan, they say it will likely take 10 years to produce new therapies based on stem cell research. They do not want to push the science too fast, risking the safety of patients. While some patient advocates have expressed an understandable frustration at the go-steady approach, the institute deserves support. Stem cell research shows amazing promise, but much of the work is still in its infancy. No doubt researchers will push this field as fast as they can with the money they have available. But the institute has a responsibility to avoid promoting unrealistic hopes for overnight miracles. The U.S. is an impatient country and likely to celebrate advances that eventually turn out to be ephemeral. Stem cell research will consume years of lab time--and 10 years is not excessive in the development of new therapies. A dose of realism right now would do everyone a lot of good. - John