South Korea is playing a risky game as it has given the permission for using human eggs in cloning research despite a high level scandal in their country which involved one of their top scientists admitting to his involvement in doctored research work. Hwang Woo-suk was the scientist who had claimed that he had cloned human embryos and extracted stem cells from them but it was found out that all his claims were false. What raised eyes were when eggs required for research were donated by a female scientist in his team and this questioned the ethics of such practice. This shameful incident caused Hwang Woo-suk to resign from his post at the Seoul National University and is now facing trial for misappropriation of government funds. In order to get over the shameful act the government has again given a go ahead to use of human eggs in cloning but this time with an act of caution and under a new set of guidelines has asked that researchers should only use eggs which are to be destroyed after fertility treatments or from other legal ways and a prior license would have to be obtained from the government for undertaking research. It seems this time South Korea wants to take no chances. Via theage
South Korea again gives a go ahead to use of human eggs in cloning research
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »B-12 vitamin puzzle solved by MIT biologist
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »This mystery had troubled researchers for decades but Harvard and MIT researchers have finally been able to join all the pieces together. They have been able to figure out the last link of the synthesis pathway of vitamin B-12. This vitamin makes an immense contribution to the health of human beings. The researchers found out that a single enzyme synthesis the fragment and this outlines a new reaction mechanism which requires cannibalization of another vitamin. Graham Walker, Professor of biology, MIT stated: The work, which has roots in an MIT undergraduate teaching laboratory, completes a piece of our understanding of a process very fundamental to life. Researchers have now come to know that a mutant which has a defective form of enzyme known as BluB results ion B12 not being synthesized. Now a question which still needs to be solved is at to why soil bacteria synthesize B12 at all. Let’s hope the researchers come up with an answer for this question too. Via biologynews
New technology licensed by Pain Therapeutics for treating hemophilia
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »Do you know that Hemophilia is a rare inherited blood clotting disorder which affects more than 4, 00,000 people worldwide? In order to cure this disease, Pain Therapeutics has licensed a new technology for treatment of this disorder. It was Stanford University School of Medicine which originally developed this technology and it would be entering the clinic by 2008. Remi Barbier, President and CEO, Pain Therapeutics stated: This licensing is part of our strategy to develop novel drug candidates in hematology/oncology, while maintaining a business model that requires a modest outlay of cash. Within a year the company would be developing a novel drug candidate which would be targeting major mechanism underlying hemophilia. Though the basic research would be undertaken at Stanford Pain Therapeutics would be focusing on the clinical program. Let’s hope that this time we are able to eradicate this disease from this world. Via prnewswire
Nano Improved Transformer Oil
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »Rice University scientists have created a nano-infused oil that could greatly enhance the ability of devices as large as electrical transformers and as small as microelectronic components to shed excess heat. Research in the lab of Rice materials scientist Pulickel Ajayan, which appears in the American Chemical Society journal ACS Nano, could raise the efficiency of such transformer oils by as …Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=nano+engineering&eo=UTF-8
Genetic Technologies Files Quarterly Activities Report and ASX Appendix 4C for Quarter Ended December 31, 2011
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA– – Genetic Technologies Limited today announced it has filed its Quarterly Activities Report and Appendix 4C for period ending December 31, 2011 in accordance with the ASX.Total cash …Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=genetic+therapy&eo=UTF-8
Funding for Personalized Medicine Research
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »The Cancer Stem Cell Consortium (CSCC) is a partner in the 2012 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition of Genome Canada, in collaboration with the first phase of the Personalized Medicine Signature Initiative of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Genome Canada is leading the research competition. An excerpt from Fact Sheet: The Potential of Personalized Medicine:
Funding of $67.5M will come from Genome Canada ($40 million), CIHR ($22.5 million) and the Cancer Stem Cell Consortium ($5 million). Projects will be funded for a maximum of four years. To qualify for funding, researchers must obtain matching funding that at is least equal to that provided through the competition, which will bring the total investment in this research area to close to $140 million. Matching funding is typically derived from provincial, academic, private sector or international sources.
Details about the competition are available here.
Press releases, dated January 31, 2012, about the federal government’s support for personalized medicine, are available here and here.
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http://cancerstemcellnews.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss
“Wide-ranging applications for pluripotent stem cells”
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »Many more diseases can be targeted, says expertSource:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=IPS+stem+cells+therapy&eo=UTF-8
Experts comment on successful stem cell therapy for blindness
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »According to a new study published in The Lancet, privately funded and led by UCLA and Advanced Cell Technology researchers, two women suffering a progressive form of blindness have shown improved vision.Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=IPS+stem+cells+therapy&eo=UTF-8
Stanford scientists turn skin cells into neural precusors, bypassing stem-cell stage
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »Mouse skin cells can be converted directly into cells that become the three main parts of the nervous system, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The finding is an extension of a previous study by the same group showing that mouse and human skin cells can be directly converted into functional neurons.Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=IPS+stem+cells+therapy&eo=UTF-8
Researchers turn skin cells into neural precusors, bypassing stem-cell stage
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »Mouse skin cells can be converted directly into cells that become the three main parts of the nervous system, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The finding is an extension of a previous study by the same group showing that mouse and human skin cells can be directly converted into functional neurons.Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=IPS+stem+cells+therapy&eo=UTF-8
Skin cells turned into neural precusors, bypassing stem-cell stage
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »Mouse skin cells can be converted directly into cells that become the three main parts of the nervous system, according to researchers. The finding is an extension of a previous study by the same group showing that mouse and human skin cells can be directly converted into functional neurons.Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=IPS+stem+cells+therapy&eo=UTF-8
Adult stem cells testing offers promising results
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »I must admit that, the more I read about what stem cells — especially adult (or "tis-sue") stem cells that are not under the current res-trictions on the use of embryonic stem cells — the more I am incredibly impressed at the growing successful results of the use of such stem cells, especially in trials where they have been so successful in research and testing results literally around the …Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=stem+cells&eo=UTF-8
Blacks urged to donate blood, stem cells
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »An urgent shortage of blood and stem cells in the black community is costing lives, Canada's blood agency warns.Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=stem+cells&eo=UTF-8
Hepatitis Research May Benefit From Stem Cells
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »Hepatitis C is a viral disease that leads to inflammation and organ failure. However, researchers are puzzled as to why some individuals are very susceptible to the disease, while others are not. Researchers believe they could find out how genetic variations produce these different responses by investigating liver cells from different individuals in the lab. However, liver cells are hard to …Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=stem+cells&eo=UTF-8
Stem cells could drive hepatitis research forward
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »Researchers have produced liver-like cells from induced pluripotent stem cells. By creating liver-like cells, scientists can study why people respond differently to Hepatitis C.Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=stem+cells&eo=UTF-8
Skin cells as stem cells
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »BACKGROUND: Stem cells are the body's raw materials — cells from which all other cells with specialized functions are generated. Under the right conditions, stem cells divide to form more cells, called daughter cells. These daughter cells become new stem cells or specialized cells with a more specific function, such as blood cells, brain cells, heart muscle or bone. Stem cells are unique — no …Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=stem+cells&eo=UTF-8
Secrets of ailments unlocked by stem cells from skin samples
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »The news that Edinburgh scientists had created the world's first cloned mammal, Dolly the sheep, at the university's Roslin Institute made headlines around the world 16 years ago.Her birth raised hopes of the creation of a new generation…Source:
http://news.search.yahoo.com/news/rss?ei=UTF-8&p=stem+cells&eo=UTF-8
MIT: Stem cells could drive hepatitis research forward
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »Hepatitis C, an infectious disease that can cause inflammation and organ failure, has different effects on different people. But no one is sure why some people are very susceptible to the infection, while others are resistant. (2012-02-02)Source:
http://www.brightsurf.com/rss.news.xml?search=Stem_Cells
Oxford, Harvard scientists lead data-sharing effort
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »Led by researchers at University of Oxford (UK) and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) at Harvard University, (USA), more than 50 collaborators at over 30 scientific organizations around the globe have agreed on a common standard that will make possible the consistent description of enormous and radically different databases compiled in fields ranging from genetics to stem cell science, to environmental studies. (2012-01-30)Source:
http://www.brightsurf.com/rss.news.xml?search=Stem_Cells
PRWEB: Absorption Systems Expands In Vivo Drug and Medical Device Testing Capabilities
February 5th, 2012 by admin No comments »Absorption Systems, founded in 1996, assists pharmaceutical and medical device companies in identifying and overcoming ADMET (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion and Toxicity) barriers in the development of drugs and medical devices. The company’s mission is to continually develop innovative research tools that can be used to accurately predict human outcomes or to explain unanticipated human outcomes when they occur. The CellPort Technologies® platform, a suite of human cell-based test systems for drug transporter characterization, exemplifies Absorption Systems’ commitment to innovation and is soon to be an industry assay standard for in vitro drug interaction assessment. Absorption Systems has facilities near Philadelphia, PA, and San Diego, CA, and serves customers throughout the world. For information on the company’s comprehensive contract services and applied research programs, please visit http://www.absorption.com.
SOURCE: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/1/prweb9153045.htm
Source:
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