StemCell Therapy

HOLLISTON, Mass., June 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Harvard Bioscience, Inc. (HBIO), a global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of a broad range of tools to advance life science research and regenerative medicine, announces that its "InBreath" bioreactors were used for the world's first and second successful laryngotracheal implants, using synthetic laryngotracheal scaffolds seeded with cells taken from the patients' bone marrow. The surgeries took place at Krasnodar Regional Hospital in Krasnodar, Russia on June 19th and June 21st. The recipients of the implants, Julia T. and Aleksander Z., are recovering well. The implants in the procedures were grown in bioreactors developed by the regenerative medicine device business of Harvard Bioscience.

The transplants, which required more than a half-year of preparation, were performed on the first two patients enrolled in an ongoing clinical trial at Krasnodar Regional Hospital. The Russian Ministry of Health has approved a clinical protocol for an unlimited number of patients in this trial, all of which will involve trachea procedures.

Each bioreactor was specifically adapted by Harvard Bioscience to the clinical requirements for each patient. Each bioreactor was loaded with a synthetic scaffold in the shape of the patient's original organ. The scaffolds were then seeded with the patient's own stem cells. Over the course of about two days, the bioreactor promoted proper cell seeding and development. Because the patients' own stem cells were used, their bodies have accepted the transplants without the use of immunosuppressive drugs.

A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=13437

The procedures are the result of a global collaboration involving organizations in the US, Sweden, Russia, Germany, and Italy:

-- The bioreactors were developed, manufactured and prepared by teams at Hugo Sachs Elektronik, a German subsidiary of Harvard Bioscience and at Harvard Bioscience, based in Massachusetts, U.S.A.

-- The scaffolds were created by US-based Nanofiber Solutions.

-- The principal transplant surgeon and main coordinator for both procedures was Dr. Paolo Macchiarini, Professor of Regenerative Surgery at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

-- Dr. Macchiarini was assisted by a team of surgeons including Dr. Vladimir Porhanov, Chief Doctor of Krasnodar Regional Hospital and head of the Oncological and Thoracic Department of Kuban State Medical University; thoracic surgeons Dr. Igor Polyakov and Dr. Nikolay Naryzhnyi, of Krasnodar Regional Hospital; Dr. Anatoly Zavrazhnov, deputy chief of Krasnodar Regional Hospital; and Dr. Sergey Sitnick, anesthesiologist and head of Krasnodar Regional Hospital's intensive care unit.

-- Dr. Alessandra Bianco at University of Rome, Tor Vergata, performed mechanical testing during scaffold development.

Read the rest here:
Photo Release -- Harvard Bioscience's "InBreath" Bioreactors Used in World's First Successful Regenerated ...

SEATTLE, June 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immune Design Corp. announced today the appointment of Roger M. Perlmutter, M.D., Ph.D., as a member of its Board of Directors. Dr. Perlmutter recently served as the Executive Vice President, Research and Development, at Amgen Inc., where he oversaw the company's worldwide research and development operations.

"On behalf of Immune Design, I want to welcome Roger as a new member of the Board of Directors. As both an internationally recognized executive leader in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology industry and as an accomplished academician in the field of Immunology and Biology, his appointment will further strengthen our company and our quest of shaping the immune system to develop novel immune therapies that we are developing at Immune Design," commented Dr. Carlos Paya, Immune Design's Chief Executive Officer.

"Immune Design has advanced a pioneering approach towards the development of new prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines," stated Dr. Perlmutter. "I look forward to working more closely with the board and management at Immune Design, and welcome this opportunity to help transform vaccine development in the years to come."

Dr. Perlmutter served as Executive Vice President for Research and Development at Amgen, Inc. from 2001 until 2012, where he led the registration efforts for numerous new drugs including Sensipar(TM), Prolia(TM) Nplate(TM) and Xgeva(TM). Prior to joining Amgen, Dr. Perlmutter was for many years Professor and Chairman of the Department of Immunology at the University of Washington in Seattle, and an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He also served at Merck & Co. from 1997 to 2001, including as Executive Vice President for Worldwide Discovery and Preclinical Research.

Dr. Perlmutter is member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and is a director of StemCells, Inc. (STEM) and the Institute for Systems Biology. A graduate of Reed College, Portland, OR., and current chairman of the Reed College Board of Trustees, Dr. Perlmutter received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Washington University, St. Louis, Mo. in 1979.

About Immune Design Corp.

Immune Design is a privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company based in Seattle, Washington, and formed in 2008 to bring together some of the world's leaders in the field of molecular immunology to develop vaccines for the treatment and prevention of infectious and malignant disease. The company employs advanced and leading edge methods to precisely control the activation and context of antigen presentation by dendritic cells in order to shape the desired adaptive immune response. This goal is accomplished through the application of two proprietary technology platforms that activate the immune system by distinct mechanisms.

Additional information can be found on the company's website at http://www.immunedesign.com.

The Immune Design logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=13428

Read more:
Immune Design Corp. Announces Appointment of Dr. Roger Perlmutter as a Member of Its Board of Directors

Public release date: 25-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

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

New Rochelle, NY, June 25, 2012Gene therapy to replace the protein missing in Pompe disease can be effective if the patient's immune system does not react against the therapy. Targeted delivery of the gene to the liver, instead of throughout the body,suppresses the immune response, improving the therapeutic effect, according to an article published in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The article is available free online at the Human Gene Therapy website.

"The current unmet medical need in Pompe disease is for prevention of immune responses against standard-of-care enzyme replacement therapy," says coauthor Dwight Koeberl, MD, PhD. "However, we foresee a future application of the dual vector strategy described in this paper, including a liver-expressing vector along with a ubiquitously expressing vector, which might achieve much higher efficacy than either vector alone."

In the article "Immunodominant Liver-Specific Expression Suppresses Transgene-Directed Immune Responses in Murine Pompe Disease," Ping Zhang and coauthors from Duke University Medical Center (Durham, NC), targeted a gene delivery vector carrying the therapeutic gene to the livers of mice with Pompe disease. Not only did the liver-specific expression of the protein induce immune tolerance, but when combined with non-targeted delivery of the therapeutic gene it also boosted the overall effectiveness of the treatment.

###

About the Journal

Human Gene Therapy, the Official Journal of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, British Society for Gene Therapy, French Society of Cell and Gene Therapy, German Society of Gene Therapy, and five other gene therapy societies is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly in print and online that presents reports on the transfer and expression of genes in mammals, including humans. Related topics include improvements in vector development, delivery systems, and animal models, particularly in the areas of cancer, heart disease, viral disease, genetic disease, and neurological disease, as well as ethical, legal, and regulatory issues related to the gene transfer in humans. Tables of content and a free sample issue may be viewed online at the Human Gene Therapy website.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Tissue Engineering, Stem Cells and Development, and Cellular Reprogramming. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 70 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available at the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. website.

Read this article:
Targeted gene therapy enhances treatment for Pompe disease

HOUSTON -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a new report criticizing the Texas company that stored adult stem cells from Texas Gov. Rick Perry for use in an experimental procedure for his back pain, according to a newspaper report Monday.

An FDA report obtained by the Houston Chronicle said CellTex Therapeutics cannot guarantee the stem cells it takes from patients remain sterile and alive. The nine-page report dated April 27 says the lab, located in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land, does not have procedures to prevent contamination of products that are supposed to be sterile.

The report also says the lab didn't have written records of investigations into the failure of a batch of cells. It also says the lab has not marked some lab products properly.

"The deficiencies identified reflect significant problems, serious issues," said Paul Knoepfler, an associate professor at the University of California-Davis School of Medicine, in an interview with the newspaper. "If I were a patient, they would scare me off big time."

CellTex was thrust into the news last year when Perry, then running for the Republican nomination for president, revealed that he had stem cells taken from fat in his body, grown in a lab and then injected into his back during a July operation to address his back pain.

Perry's stem cells were stored and grown at CellTex, the Chronicle reported. The firm is co-owned by Dr. Stanley Jones, Perry's friend who performed the operation.

Subsequently, the Texas Medical Board approved new rules on similar experimental stem cell therapies. Perry appointed the board. The FDA has not approved any adult stem cell therapies for orthopedic use, but experimentation by doctors in the U.S. and abroad is common.

Some scientists tout possible benefits of stem cell treatments, including treatment for heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Others argue adult stem cell experimentation actually increases the risk of cancer and can cause blood clots.

A Perry spokeswoman called Perry's surgery a "success" and reaffirmed his commitment to adult stem cell research. She said the FDA report was between the agency and CellTex.

CellTex CEO David Eller said the company invited the FDA inspection, which took place over nearly two weeks in April, according to the report.

View post:
FDA: Stem cell lab used by Perry has problems

TAIPEI, June 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- TaiGen Biotechnology Company, Limited ("TaiGen") and Zhejiang Medicine Company, Limited ("ZMC") today announced that they have signed an exclusive agreement to manufacture and commercialize nemonoxacin, a novel broad-spectrum antibiotic, in China (excluding Hong Kong, and Macau). Nemonoxacin is a novel broad-spectrum non-fluorinated quinolone antibiotic under development for respiratory infections. TaiGen will be responsible for completing the Phase 3 clinical trial for community acquired pneumonia ("CAP") in China. ZMC will be responsible for manufacturing, sales and marketing of nemonoxacin in China through its wholly-owned subsidiary, XinChang Pharmaceuticals. TaiGen will retain full development and commercialization rights outside the licensed territory including Taiwan, the United States, European Union, and Japan. Under the terms of the agreement, TaiGen will receive an upfront payment of US$ 8 million from ZMC and will receive additional milestones as well as royalties on product sales. The term of the agreement is 20 years.

Nemonoxacin has demonstrated efficacy and safety in CAP and diabetic foot infection in multinational and multi-center clinical trials conducted by TaiGen. In particular, nemonoxacin has excellent activity against drug-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and quinolone-resistant MRSA. Nemonoxacin is taken once-a-day and available in both oral and intravenous formulations. Currently, TaiGen is completing a Phase 3 CAP trial with more than 500 patients from Taiwan and mainland China and expects to file new drug applications in Taiwan and mainland China simultaneously in early 2013.

China is one of the major antibiotic markets in the world. According to IMS, the sales of antibiotics in 2011 were approximately US$ 11 billion (RMB 68 billion) and account for almost 20% of the total pharmaceuticals sales. Rate of antibiotic resistant infections in China is among the highest in the world.

Mr. Li Chun Bo, Chairman of the ZMC, commented, "We are impressed with nemonoxacin's broad spectrum activity towards drug-resistant bacteria, in particular, MRSA, and excellent safety profile. We are excited to establish this partnership with TaiGen because of its reputation as a premier research-based biotech company in Asia. This partnership will break new ground for cross-strait collaboration in the pharmaceutical industry. Nemonoxacin will be a major addition to ZMC's antibiotic product line and significant profit driver".

Dr. Ming-Chu Hsu, President and Chief Executive Officer of TaiGen, said, "China is the world's fastest growing pharmaceutical market. It is poised to overtake Japan as the second largest pharmaceutical market. We are extremely please to establish our nemonoxacin partnership with ZMC, a first-class pharmaceutical company and major player in the Chinese antibiotics market. With nemonoxacin, TaiGen and ZMC together will bring new medicine to treat unmet medical needs in China. This partnership will not only set a new record for pharmaceutical licensing involving a Taiwanese and a mainland Chinese company but hopefully will also become a model of the future collaborations," Dr. Hsu also added, "With the conclusion of the partnership in China, we will actively pursue nemonoxacin licensing discussions in other territories such as European Union."

About Zhejiang Medicine

Zhejiang Medicine Company, Limited is a leading pharmaceutical company in China specializing in sales and distribution of pharmaceuticals and manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (vitamins and antibiotics). Its sales revenue in 2011 is US $740 million (RMB 4.8 billion). ZMC is a leader in the Chinese antibiotic market with levofloxacin, vancomycin, and teicoplanin in the product line. ZMC's Lai Li Xin, a branded levofloxacin, is one of the top selling antibiotics in China with 2011 sales exceeding US $110 million (RMB 735 million). In addition to pharmaceuticals sales, ZMC is also known for its manufacturing quality. Its vancomycin active pharmaceutical ingredient has obtained GMP qualification from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and exported to western countries. ZMC is publicly listed in the Shanghai Stock Exchange (600216) and has a market capitalization of RMB 11 billion.

About TaiGen Biotechnology

TaiGen Biotechnology is a leading research-based and product-driven biotechnology company in Taiwan with a wholly-owned subsidiary in Beijing, mainland China. TaiGen has full discovery research capacity in Taiwan and clinical development in mainland China/Taiwan/US. In addition to nemonoxacin, TaiGen has two other in-house discovered new chemical entities in clinical development under IND with US FDA: TG-0054, a chemokine receptor antagonist for stem cell transplantation and chemosensitization, in Phase 2 and TG-2349, a HCV protease inhibitor for treatment of chronic hepatitis infection, in Phase 1. Both TG-0054 and TG-2349 are currently in clinical development in the US.

Disclaimer

Here is the original post:
TaiGen Biotechnology Out-Licensed China Rights of Novel Antibiotic, Nemonoxacin, to Zhejiang Medicine

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/skdhnn/translational_rege) has announced the addition of the "Translational Regenerative Medicine - Oncology, CNS and Cardiovascular-Rich Pipeline Features Innovative Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Applications" report to their offering.

More Guidelines Needed to Grow Regenerative Medicine Market, Report Finds

Standardized research guidelines are needed to control and encourage the development of gene therapy and stem cell treatments, according to a new report by healthcare experts GBI Research.

The new report* shows how regenerative medicine is seen as an area with high future potential, as countries need ways to cope with the burden of an aging population.

The stem cell market alone is predicted to grow to around $5.1 billion by 2014, while gene therapy has also shown promise despite poor understanding of some areas of regenerative medicine and a lack of major approvals (the only approvals to date being made in Asia).

Up until now, securing research within clinics has been difficult, with a high number of failures and discontinuations throughout all phases of clinical study. Stem cell therapy uses bone marrow transplants as an established treatment method, but the development of the therapy into further applications and has not yet become common practice.

Similarly, tissue engineering has been successful in the areas of skin and bone grafts, but translation into more complex therapies has been an issue for researchers. Although scientific possibilities are ever-increasing, the true potential of regenerative medicine has yet to be demonstrated fully.

A desire to discover new and innovative technologies has encouraged governments in the UK and Singapore to focus directly on regenerative medicine as a future potential economy booster.

Companies Mentioned:

Go here to see the original:
Research and Markets: Translational Regenerative Medicine - Oncology, CNS and Cardiovascular-Rich Pipeline Features ...

NEW YORK, June 25, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE MKT:NBS) ("NeoStem" or the "Company"), a cell therapy company, today announced that it has been awarded a two year grant totaling $595,252 for the "Development of Human, Autologous, Pluripotent Very Small Embryonic Like (VSELs) Stem Cells as a Countermeasure to Radiation Threat" from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This peer reviewed grant was awarded to support research to be headed by Denis O. Rodgerson, Ph.D., Director of Stem Cell Science for NeoStem and Mariusz Ratajczak, M.D., Ph.D., who is the head of the Stem Cell Biology Program at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center at the University of Louisville and co-inventor of VSELTM Technology.

This award will fund studies to investigate the potential of very small embryonic-like stem cells as a countermeasure to radiological and nuclear threat. The product candidate, which is an autologous stem cell therapy derived from the patient's own stem cells, will be developed to rescue patients who have been exposed to radiation due to nuclear accident or terrorist threat and to treat cancer patients who have undergone radiation therapy and who consequently have compromised immune systems. The award includes $295,252 for the first year and $300,000 for the second year of the project.

Dr. Denis O. Rodgerson, Director of Stem Cell Science for NeoStem, said, "We are very excited to add radiation treatment to the growing list of indications for which our VSELTM Technology is being evaluated. Those exposed to acute high-dose radiation have compromised immune systems such that the virulence and infectivity of biological agents is dramatically increased. Death can occur within 1-6 weeks following radiation exposure. Currently there is only one intervention that saves a fatally irradiated person -- a rescue through stem cell transplantation. VSELs might be an ideal cell therapy to regenerate the body's immune system and repair other tissues damaged by radiation exposure. Most importantly, early studies show VSELs are resistant to lethal radiation which destroys other immune system restoring stem cells in the body, making autologous treatment post-exposure possible."

Dr. Robin L. Smith, Chairman and CEO of NeoStem, added, "NeoStem is pleased that the NIAID is funding this cutting edge technology that we hope will reinvent the treatment landscape for acute radiation syndrome. We plan to continue to pursue NIH SBIR grants to fund our VSEL technology platform development with non-dilutive capital."

About VSELTM Technology

NeoStem has a worldwide exclusive license to VSELTM Technology. Research by Dr. Mariusz Ratajczak, M.D., Ph.D., and others at the University of Louisville provides compelling evidence that bone marrow contains a heterogeneous population of stem cells that have properties similar to those of an embryonic stem cell. These cells are referred to as very small embryonic-like stem cells. This finding opens the possibility of capturing some of the key advantages associated with embryonic stem cells without the ethical or moral dilemmas and without some of the potential negative biological effects associated with stem cells of embryonic derivation. The possibility of autologous VSEL treatments is yet another important potential benefit to this unique population of adult stem cells. VSELTM Technology offers the potential to go beyond the paracrine effect, yielding cells that actually differentiate into the target tissue creating true cellular regeneration.

About NeoStem, Inc.

NeoStem, Inc. ("we," "NeoStem" or the "Company") continues to develop and build on its core capabilities in cell therapy to capitalize on the paradigm shift that we see occurring in medicine. In particular, we anticipate that cell therapy will have a large role in the fight against chronic disease and in lessening the economic burden that these diseases pose to modern society. Our January 2011 acquisition of Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC ("PCT") provides NeoStem with a foundation in both manufacturing and regulatory affairs expertise. We believe this expertise, coupled with our existing research capabilities and collaborations, will allow us to achieve our mission of becoming a premier cell therapy company. Our PCT subsidiary's manufacturing base is one of the few current Good Manufacturing Practices ("cGMP") facilities available for contracting in the burgeoning cell therapy industry. Amorcyte, LLC ("Amorcyte"), which we acquired in October 2011, is developing a cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Amorcyte's lead compound, AMR-001, represents NeoStem's most clinically advanced therapeutic and Amorcyte is enrolling patients for a Phase 2 trial to investigate AMR-001's efficacy in preserving heart function after a heart attack. We also expect to begin a Phase 1 clinical trial by 2012/2013 to investigate AMR-001's utility in arresting the progression of congestive heart failure and the associated comorbidities of that disease. Athelos Corporation ("Athelos"), which is approximately 80%-owned by our subsidiary, PCT, is engaged in collaboration with Becton-Dickinson that is exploring the earlier stage clinical development of a T-cell therapy for autoimmune conditions. In addition, our pre-clinical assets include our VSELTM Technology platform as well as our MSC (mesenchymal stem cells) product candidate for regenerative medicine.

For more information on NeoStem, please visit http://www.neostem.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

See more here:
NeoStem Awarded NIAID Research Grant for the Development of VSEL Technology for Radiation Exposure

Toronto, ON (PRWEB) June 24, 2012

Bel Marra Health, well known for offering high-quality, specially formulated vitamins and nutritional supplements, supports a recent study that shows the effect of stem cells on the newest eye health discovery.

According to a recent medical report published in the journal Molecular Vision, stem cells derived from a human embryo showed the capacity to differentiate into retinal cells, thus serving as a promising resource for eye protection and eye health in potentially blind patients with retinal disorders. The medical report described the results of an experiment that involved the introduction of human embryonic stem cells in the eyes of mice, with the goal of determining whether these cells were capable of growing and transforming into retinal cells. The experiment was conducted in an animal model as an initial test and once positive results were obtained, then it may be possible to conduct similar tests among human subjects.

The study involved injecting stem cells into the retinal space of the eyes of 46 week old mice and maintaining these animals for various periods of time, ranging from three weeks to three months. The eyes of the mice were then excised and histopathologically examined to determine whether these stem cells successfully integrated with the rest of the retina and may possibly help in preventing these animals from becoming blind or for eye protection. The study also investigated whether the original cells of the eyes of the mice generated an immune reaction against the injected stem cells, preventing their capacity in playing a role for eye protection.

The results of the study showed that the stem cells injected into the retinal space of the eyes incorporated well with the rest of the cells of the retina. The eye health of the mice was thus not affected in terms of the presence of these stem cells. In addition, histological examination of the eyes showed that the stem cells transformed into retinal cells, even producing essential proteins that were crucial for eye health and eye protection against becoming blind. However, the study also showed that the stem cells injected into the subretinal region, or the area below the retina, were less prone to integration with the rest of the eye. The results thus showed that stem cells injected into the eye may not be as efficient as first perceived in terms of integration and replacing defective tissues or organs.

Spokesperson for Bel Marra Health Dr. Victor Marchione commented on the study saying, Eye health and eye protection have been prime focus of research efforts in the field of ophthalmology as the incidence of individuals going blind have increased around the world. Different types of eye protection and preventative measures have also been studied to prevent the occurrence of symptoms that may lead to becoming blind. The concept of stem cells has been most appealing in terms of repairing and repairing defective tissues of the body, including its potential for application to eye health and eye protection.

CEO of Bel Marra Health Jim Chiang says more work needs to be done, There is still a need to further examine the specific mechanisms involved in stem cell transformation. The use of stem cells in treating blind people may seem to be too ambitious, yet through intensive years of research, it may still be possible to employ these cells in improving eye health and for eye protection.

(SOURCE: Molecular Vision. Long-term survival and differentiation of retinal neurons derived from human embryonic stem cell lines in un-immunosuppressed mouse retina, April 8, 2012)

Bel Marra Health, the maker of 20/20 Vision Formula, a formulation built in optimal dosages to help maintain healthy body weight, offers quality vitamins and nutritional supplements in formulations designed to address specific health concerns. All ingredients are backed with scientific evidence. Every product is tested for safety, quality, and purity at every stage of the manufacturing process. Furthermore, Bel Marra Health products are produced only in Health Canada approved facilities, going that extra mile to ensure our health conscious customers are getting top quality products. For more information on Bel Marra Health visit http://www.belmarrahealth.com or call 1-866-531-0466.

Bel Marra Health 100-7000 Pine Valley Woodbridge, ON L4L 4Y8 pr(at)belmarrahealth(dot)com 866-531-0466 http://www.belmarrahealth.com

Read more here:
Bel Marra Health supports a recent study that shows the effect of stem cells on the newest eye health discovery

Newswise MADISON -- The blood-brain barrier -- the filter that governs what can and cannot come into contact with the mammalian brain -- is a marvel of nature. It effectively separates circulating blood from the fluid that bathes the brain, and it keeps out bacteria, viruses and other agents that could damage it.

But the barrier can be disrupted by disease, stroke and multiple sclerosis, for example, and also is a big challenge for medicine, as it can be difficult or impossible to get therapeutic molecules through the barrier to treat neurological disorders.

Now, however, the blood-brain barrier may be poised to give up some of its secrets as researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have created in the laboratory dish the cells that make up the brains protective barrier. Writing in the June 24, 2012 edition of the journal Nature Biotechnology, the Wisconsin researchers describe transforming stem cells into endothelial cells with blood-brain barrier qualities.

Access to the specialized cells has the potential to streamline drug discovery for neurological disease, says Eric Shusta, a UW-Madison professor of chemical and biological engineering and one of the senior authors of the new study. You can look at tens of thousands of drug candidates and just ask the question if they have a chance to get into the brain. There is broad interest from the pharmaceutical industry.

The blood-brain barrier depends on the unique qualities of endothelial cells, the cells that make up the lining of blood vessels. In many parts of the body, the endothelial cells that line capillaries are spaced so that substances can pass through. But in the capillaries that lead to the brain, the endothelial cells nestle in tight formation, creating a semi-permeable barrier that allows some substances -- essential nutrients and metabolites -- access to the brain while keeping others -- pathogens and harmful chemicals -- locked out.

The cells described in the new Wisconsin study, which was led by Ethan S. Lippmann, now a postdoctoral fellow at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, and Samira M. Azarin, now a postdoctoral fellow at Northwestern University, exhibit both the active and passive regulatory qualities of those cells that make up the capillaries of the intact brain.

The research team coaxed both embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells to form the endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier. The use of induced cells, which can come from patients with specific neurological conditions, may be especially important for modeling disorders that compromise the blood-brain barrier. Whats more, because the cells can be mass produced, they could be used to devise high-throughput screens for molecules that may have therapeutic value for neurological conditions or to identify existing drugs that may have neurotoxic qualities.

The nice thing about deriving endothelial cells from induced pluripotent stem cells is that you can make disease-specific models of brain tissue that incorporate the blood-brain barrier, explains Sean Palecek, a UW-Madison professor of chemical and biological engineering and a senior author of the new report. The cells you create will carry the genetic information of the condition you want to study.

The generation of the specialized blood-brain barrier endothelial cells, the Wisconsin researchers note, has never been done with stem cells. In addition to the potential applications to screen drugs and model pathologies of the blood-brain barrier, they may also provide a novel window for developmental biologists who are interested in how the barrier comes together and co-develops with the brain.

Neurons develop at the same time as the endothelial cells, Shusta says, noting that, in development, the cells secrete chemical cues that help determine organ specificity.

Link:
Blood-Brain Barrier Building Blocks Forged From Human Stem Cells

Boston, MA (PRWEB) June 25, 2012

After the possibility to cryopreserve amniotic fluid stem cell, it will be possible to cryopreserve stem cells contained in Chorionic Villi collected during the prenatal diagnosis test of Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS). Chorionic Villi stem cells are fetal stem cells, pluripotent, with great characteristics in terms of proliferation, differentiation and genomic stability, being perfectly ethic at the same time.

Many international research groups are currently studying Chorionic Villi stem cells, that in the future might have a role in regenerative medicine and cellular therapy.

The service will be available thanks to a patent developed by Biocell Center Corporation - European biotech group based in Milan, Italy, with international branches in Medford, MA, USA, and Lugano, Switzerland - thanks to the last two years' researches. "We were able to come up with solutions for several technical and scientific issues - said Dr. Giuseppe Simoni, Biocell Center's Scientific Director - coming up with a method that allow us to obtain tremendous results in terms of quantity and viability of stem cells to cryopreserve."

The announcement, given during the exhibition BIO 2012 held this year in Boston - where Biocell Center have its facility and lab - was of great interest for the international scientific community.

"The hope - concluded Dr. Simoni - is that in the future this cells of the newborn might be used to regenerate tissues and cure diseases."

source: Biocell Center Corporation

Go here to see the original:
Cryopreservation of Chorionic Villi and Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells

Newswise If you break a bone, you know you'll end up in a cast for weeks. But what if the time it took to heal a break could be cut in half? Or cut to just a tenth of the time it takes now? Qian Wang, a chemistry professor at the University of South Carolina, has made tantalizing progress toward that goal.

Wang, Andrew Lee and co-workers just reported in Molecular Pharmaceutics that surfaces coated with bionanoparticles could greatly accelerate the early phases of bone growth. Their coatings, based in part on genetically modified Tobacco mosaic virus, reduced the amount of time it took to convert stem cells into bone nodules from two weeks to just two days.

The key to hastening bone healing or growth is to coax a perfectly natural process to pick up the pace.

"If you break a rib, or a finger, the healing is automatic," said Wang. "You need to get the bones aligned to be sure it works as well as possible, but then nature takes over."

Healing is indeed very natural. The human body continuously generates and circulates cells that are undifferentiated; that is, they can be converted into the components of a range of tissues, such as skin or muscle or bone, depending on what the body needs.

The conversion of these cells called stem cells is set into motion by external cues. In bone healing, the body senses the break at the cellular level and begins converting stem cells into new bone cells at the location of the break, bonding the fracture back into a single unit. The process is very slow, which is helpful in allowing a fracture to be properly set, but after that point the wait is at least an inconvenience, and in some cases highly detrimental.

"With a broken femur, a leg, you can be really incapacitated for a long time," said Wang. "In cases like that, they sometimes inject a protein-based drug, BMP-2, which is very effective in speeding up the healing process. Unfortunately, it's very expensive and can also have some side effects."

In a search for alternatives four years ago, Wang and colleagues uncovered some unexpected accelerants of bone growth: plant viruses. They originally meant for these viruses, which are harmless to humans, to work as controls. They coated glass surfaces with uniform coverings of the Turnip yellow mosaic virus and Tobacco mosaic virus, originally intending to use them as starting points for examining other potential variations.

But they were surprised to find that the coatings alone could reduce the amount of time to grow bone nodules from stem cells. Since then, Wang and co-workers have refined their approach to better define just what it is that accelerates bone growth.

Over the course of the past four years, they've demonstrated that it's a combination of the chemistry as well as the topography of the surface that determines how long it takes a stem cell to form bone nodules. The stem cells are nestled into a nanotopgraphy defined by the plant virus, and within that nanotopography the cells make contact with the variety of chemical groups on the viral surface.

Read the original:
Speeding Up Bone Growth by Manipulating Stem Cells

SUNRISE, Fla., June 25, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bioheart, Inc. (BHRT.OB) announced today that Kristin Comella, the company's Chief Science Officer presented at the 10th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) in Yokohama, Japan June 13 - 16, 2012. One of the world's premier stem cell research events, the ISSCR format includes international research and poster presentations from invited speakers, exceptional peer-to-peer learning and unparalleled networking opportunities.

Comella presented a poster on clinical applications of adipose or fat derived stem cells (ADSCs).

The ISSCR annual meeting serves as the largest forum for stem cell and regenerative medicine professionals from around the world. Through lectures, symposia, workshops, and events attendees experience innovative stem cell and regenerative medicine research, advances and what's on the horizon. The meeting features more than 1,000 abstracts, nearly 150 speakers and provides numerous networking and professional development opportunities and social events. For additional information, visit http://www.isscr.org.

Kristin Comella has over 14 years experience in corporate entities with expertise in regenerative medicine, training and education, research, product development and senior management including more than 10 years of cell culturing experience. She has made a significant contribution to Bioheart's product development, manufacturing and quality systems since she joined the company in September 2004.

About Bioheart, Inc.

Bioheart is committed to maintaining its leading position within the cardiovascular sector of the cell technology industry delivering cell therapies and biologics that help address congestive heart failure, lower limb ischemia, chronic heart ischemia, acute myocardial infarctions and other issues. Bioheart's goals are to cause damaged tissue to be regenerated, when possible, and to improve a patient's quality of life and reduce health care costs and hospitalizations.

Specific to biotechnology, Bioheart is focused on the discovery, development and, subject to regulatory approval, commercialization of autologous cell therapies for the treatment of chronic and acute heart damage and peripheral vascular disease. Its leading product, MyoCell, is a clinical muscle-derived cell therapy designed to populate regions of scar tissue within a patient's heart with new living cells for the purpose of improving cardiac function in chronic heart failure patients. For more information on Bioheart, visit http://www.bioheartinc.com, or visit us on Facebook: Bioheart and Twitter @BioheartInc.

Forward-Looking Statements: Except for historical matters contained herein, statements made in this press release are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, words such as "may," "will," "to," "plan," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "could," "would," "estimate," or "continue" or the negative other variations thereof or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Also, forward-looking statements represent our management's beliefs and assumptions only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

The Company is subject to the risks and uncertainties described in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 30, 2012.

Read more:
Bioheart's Chief Science Officer Kristin Comella Presents at 10th Annual Meeting of International Society for Stem ...

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/skdhnn/translational_rege) has announced the addition of the "Translational Regenerative Medicine - Oncology, CNS and Cardiovascular-Rich Pipeline Features Innovative Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Applications" report to their offering.

More Guidelines Needed to Grow Regenerative Medicine Market, Report Finds

Standardized research guidelines are needed to control and encourage the development of gene therapy and stem cell treatments, according to a new report by healthcare experts GBI Research.

The new report* shows how regenerative medicine is seen as an area with high future potential, as countries need ways to cope with the burden of an aging population.

The stem cell market alone is predicted to grow to around $5.1 billion by 2014, while gene therapy has also shown promise despite poor understanding of some areas of regenerative medicine and a lack of major approvals (the only approvals to date being made in Asia).

Up until now, securing research within clinics has been difficult, with a high number of failures and discontinuations throughout all phases of clinical study. Stem cell therapy uses bone marrow transplants as an established treatment method, but the development of the therapy into further applications and has not yet become common practice.

Similarly, tissue engineering has been successful in the areas of skin and bone grafts, but translation into more complex therapies has been an issue for researchers. Although scientific possibilities are ever-increasing, the true potential of regenerative medicine has yet to be demonstrated fully.

A desire to discover new and innovative technologies has encouraged governments in the UK and Singapore to focus directly on regenerative medicine as a future potential economy booster.

Companies Mentioned:

Read this article:
Research and Markets: Translational Regenerative Medicine - Oncology, CNS and Cardiovascular-Rich Pipeline Features ...

TAIPEI, June 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- TaiGen Biotechnology Company, Limited ("TaiGen") and Zhejiang Medicine Company, Limited ("ZMC") today announced that they have signed an exclusive agreement to manufacture and commercialize nemonoxacin, a novel broad-spectrum antibiotic, in China (excluding Hong Kong, and Macau). Nemonoxacin is a novel broad-spectrum non-fluorinated quinolone antibiotic under development for respiratory infections. TaiGen will be responsible for completing the Phase 3 clinical trial for community acquired pneumonia ("CAP") in China. ZMC will be responsible for manufacturing, sales and marketing of nemonoxacin in China through its wholly-owned subsidiary, XinChang Pharmaceuticals. TaiGen will retain full development and commercialization rights outside the licensed territory including Taiwan, the United States, European Union, and Japan. Under the terms of the agreement, TaiGen will receive an upfront payment of US$ 8 million from ZMC and will receive additional milestones as well as royalties on product sales. The term of the agreement is 20 years.

Nemonoxacin has demonstrated efficacy and safety in CAP and diabetic foot infection in multinational and multi-center clinical trials conducted by TaiGen. In particular, nemonoxacin has excellent activity against drug-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and quinolone-resistant MRSA. Nemonoxacin is taken once-a-day and available in both oral and intravenous formulations. Currently, TaiGen is completing a Phase 3 CAP trial with more than 500 patients from Taiwan and mainland China and expects to file new drug applications in Taiwan and mainland China simultaneously in early 2013.

China is one of the major antibiotic markets in the world. According to IMS, the sales of antibiotics in 2011 were approximately US$ 11 billion (RMB 68 billion) and account for almost 20% of the total pharmaceuticals sales. Rate of antibiotic resistant infections in China is among the highest in the world.

Mr. Li Chun Bo, Chairman of the ZMC, commented, "We are impressed with nemonoxacin's broad spectrum activity towards drug-resistant bacteria, in particular, MRSA, and excellent safety profile. We are excited to establish this partnership with TaiGen because of its reputation as a premier research-based biotech company in Asia. This partnership will break new ground for cross-strait collaboration in the pharmaceutical industry. Nemonoxacin will be a major addition to ZMC's antibiotic product line and significant profit driver".

Dr. Ming-Chu Hsu, President and Chief Executive Officer of TaiGen, said, "China is the world's fastest growing pharmaceutical market. It is poised to overtake Japan as the second largest pharmaceutical market. We are extremely please to establish our nemonoxacin partnership with ZMC, a first-class pharmaceutical company and major player in the Chinese antibiotics market. With nemonoxacin, TaiGen and ZMC together will bring new medicine to treat unmet medical needs in China. This partnership will not only set a new record for pharmaceutical licensing involving a Taiwanese and a mainland Chinese company but hopefully will also become a model of the future collaborations," Dr. Hsu also added, "With the conclusion of the partnership in China, we will actively pursue nemonoxacin licensing discussions in other territories such as European Union."

About Zhejiang Medicine

Zhejiang Medicine Company, Limited is a leading pharmaceutical company in China specializing in sales and distribution of pharmaceuticals and manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (vitamins and antibiotics). Its sales revenue in 2011 is US $740 million (RMB 4.8 billion). ZMC is a leader in the Chinese antibiotic market with levofloxacin, vancomycin, and teicoplanin in the product line. ZMC's Lai Li Xin, a branded levofloxacin, is one of the top selling antibiotics in China with 2011 sales exceeding US $110 million (RMB 735 million). In addition to pharmaceuticals sales, ZMC is also known for its manufacturing quality. Its vancomycin active pharmaceutical ingredient has obtained GMP qualification from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and exported to western countries. ZMC is publicly listed in the Shanghai Stock Exchange (600216) and has a market capitalization of RMB 11 billion.

About TaiGen Biotechnology

TaiGen Biotechnology is a leading research-based and product-driven biotechnology company in Taiwan with a wholly-owned subsidiary in Beijing, mainland China. TaiGen has full discovery research capacity in Taiwan and clinical development in mainland China/Taiwan/US. In addition to nemonoxacin, TaiGen has two other in-house discovered new chemical entities in clinical development under IND with US FDA: TG-0054, a chemokine receptor antagonist for stem cell transplantation and chemosensitization, in Phase 2 and TG-2349, a HCV protease inhibitor for treatment of chronic hepatitis infection, in Phase 1. Both TG-0054 and TG-2349 are currently in clinical development in the US.

Disclaimer

See the original post:
TaiGen Biotechnology Out-Licensed China Rights of Novel Antibiotic, Nemonoxacin, to Zhejiang Medicine

NEW YORK, June 25, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE MKT:NBS) ("NeoStem" or the "Company"), a cell therapy company, today announced that it has been awarded a two year grant totaling $595,252 for the "Development of Human, Autologous, Pluripotent Very Small Embryonic Like (VSELs) Stem Cells as a Countermeasure to Radiation Threat" from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This peer reviewed grant was awarded to support research to be headed by Denis O. Rodgerson, Ph.D., Director of Stem Cell Science for NeoStem and Mariusz Ratajczak, M.D., Ph.D., who is the head of the Stem Cell Biology Program at the James Graham Brown Cancer Center at the University of Louisville and co-inventor of VSELTM Technology.

This award will fund studies to investigate the potential of very small embryonic-like stem cells as a countermeasure to radiological and nuclear threat. The product candidate, which is an autologous stem cell therapy derived from the patient's own stem cells, will be developed to rescue patients who have been exposed to radiation due to nuclear accident or terrorist threat and to treat cancer patients who have undergone radiation therapy and who consequently have compromised immune systems. The award includes $295,252 for the first year and $300,000 for the second year of the project.

Dr. Denis O. Rodgerson, Director of Stem Cell Science for NeoStem, said, "We are very excited to add radiation treatment to the growing list of indications for which our VSELTM Technology is being evaluated. Those exposed to acute high-dose radiation have compromised immune systems such that the virulence and infectivity of biological agents is dramatically increased. Death can occur within 1-6 weeks following radiation exposure. Currently there is only one intervention that saves a fatally irradiated person -- a rescue through stem cell transplantation. VSELs might be an ideal cell therapy to regenerate the body's immune system and repair other tissues damaged by radiation exposure. Most importantly, early studies show VSELs are resistant to lethal radiation which destroys other immune system restoring stem cells in the body, making autologous treatment post-exposure possible."

Dr. Robin L. Smith, Chairman and CEO of NeoStem, added, "NeoStem is pleased that the NIAID is funding this cutting edge technology that we hope will reinvent the treatment landscape for acute radiation syndrome. We plan to continue to pursue NIH SBIR grants to fund our VSEL technology platform development with non-dilutive capital."

About VSELTM Technology

NeoStem has a worldwide exclusive license to VSELTM Technology. Research by Dr. Mariusz Ratajczak, M.D., Ph.D., and others at the University of Louisville provides compelling evidence that bone marrow contains a heterogeneous population of stem cells that have properties similar to those of an embryonic stem cell. These cells are referred to as very small embryonic-like stem cells. This finding opens the possibility of capturing some of the key advantages associated with embryonic stem cells without the ethical or moral dilemmas and without some of the potential negative biological effects associated with stem cells of embryonic derivation. The possibility of autologous VSEL treatments is yet another important potential benefit to this unique population of adult stem cells. VSELTM Technology offers the potential to go beyond the paracrine effect, yielding cells that actually differentiate into the target tissue creating true cellular regeneration.

About NeoStem, Inc.

NeoStem, Inc. ("we," "NeoStem" or the "Company") continues to develop and build on its core capabilities in cell therapy to capitalize on the paradigm shift that we see occurring in medicine. In particular, we anticipate that cell therapy will have a large role in the fight against chronic disease and in lessening the economic burden that these diseases pose to modern society. Our January 2011 acquisition of Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC ("PCT") provides NeoStem with a foundation in both manufacturing and regulatory affairs expertise. We believe this expertise, coupled with our existing research capabilities and collaborations, will allow us to achieve our mission of becoming a premier cell therapy company. Our PCT subsidiary's manufacturing base is one of the few current Good Manufacturing Practices ("cGMP") facilities available for contracting in the burgeoning cell therapy industry. Amorcyte, LLC ("Amorcyte"), which we acquired in October 2011, is developing a cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Amorcyte's lead compound, AMR-001, represents NeoStem's most clinically advanced therapeutic and Amorcyte is enrolling patients for a Phase 2 trial to investigate AMR-001's efficacy in preserving heart function after a heart attack. We also expect to begin a Phase 1 clinical trial by 2012/2013 to investigate AMR-001's utility in arresting the progression of congestive heart failure and the associated comorbidities of that disease. Athelos Corporation ("Athelos"), which is approximately 80%-owned by our subsidiary, PCT, is engaged in collaboration with Becton-Dickinson that is exploring the earlier stage clinical development of a T-cell therapy for autoimmune conditions. In addition, our pre-clinical assets include our VSELTM Technology platform as well as our MSC (mesenchymal stem cells) product candidate for regenerative medicine.

For more information on NeoStem, please visit http://www.neostem.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

More:
NeoStem Awarded NIAID Research Grant for the Development of VSEL Technology for Radiation Exposure

Why did Geron "fail" in its
much ballyhooed pursuit of the first-ever human embryonic stem cell
therapy?

"How did Geron’s R&D program
meet such a demise? After all, the company raised more than $583
million through 23 financings, including two venture rounds, and
plowed more than half a billion dollars into R&D (about half of
that into hESC work) through 2010. 

"There are problems with being at
the forefront of unknown territory. Of Geron’s development efforts,
the hESC trial was the most prominent, and fraught. Therapies based
on hESCs were new territory for the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), and it eyed Geron warily. The
investigational new drug application (IND), filed in 2008, was twice
put on clinical hold while more animal data were collected among
fears that nonmalignant tumors would result from stray hESCs that
escaped the purification process. Geron says it spent $45 million on
the application, and at 22,000 pages, it was reportedly the largest
the agency had ever received."

"Your technology may be
revolutionary, your team may be dedicated and you may believe. But it
does not matter if no one else will stand at your side."

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

The California stem cell agency's
leading efforts to find a cure for HIV – one tied to the famous "Berlin Patient" – received a plug today in a piece in the
state capital's largest circulation newspaper, The Sacramento Bee.

"The
possibility of curing a global pandemic like AIDS with funding from
the California bond is exactly the kind of exciting potential that
inspired voters to approve Proposition 71 by
a wide margin. But the HIV research is also a good example of the
challenge facing the state's stem cell agency
as it tries to show voters that they made a good investment. 

“None
of the research under way will reach patients until long after the 10
years of funding by the ballot measure runs out. With the HIV
project, researchers hope to be in human trials by 2014, but it is
likely to be at least 10 years before they can show it might work in
humans. And in the case of a stem cell cure
for AIDS, it would be many years after that before a treatment is
widely available.”

"Nobody
thought stem cells might
be used to cure HIV when the bond (funding for the stem cell agency)
passed. Far from the embryonic stem cell treatments
that inspired the ballot measure, the HIV research involves a new and
growing integration of stem cell and
genetic science."

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

Why did Geron "fail" in its
much ballyhooed pursuit of the first-ever human embryonic stem cell
therapy?

"How did Geron’s R&D program
meet such a demise? After all, the company raised more than $583
million through 23 financings, including two venture rounds, and
plowed more than half a billion dollars into R&D (about half of
that into hESC work) through 2010. 

"There are problems with being at
the forefront of unknown territory. Of Geron’s development efforts,
the hESC trial was the most prominent, and fraught. Therapies based
on hESCs were new territory for the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), and it eyed Geron warily. The
investigational new drug application (IND), filed in 2008, was twice
put on clinical hold while more animal data were collected among
fears that nonmalignant tumors would result from stray hESCs that
escaped the purification process. Geron says it spent $45 million on
the application, and at 22,000 pages, it was reportedly the largest
the agency had ever received."

"Your technology may be
revolutionary, your team may be dedicated and you may believe. But it
does not matter if no one else will stand at your side."

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

The California stem cell agency's
leading efforts to find a cure for HIV – one tied to the famous "Berlin Patient" – received a plug today in a piece in the
state capital's largest circulation newspaper, The Sacramento Bee.

"The
possibility of curing a global pandemic like AIDS with funding from
the California bond is exactly the kind of exciting potential that
inspired voters to approve Proposition 71 by
a wide margin. But the HIV research is also a good example of the
challenge facing the state's stem cell agency
as it tries to show voters that they made a good investment. 

“None
of the research under way will reach patients until long after the 10
years of funding by the ballot measure runs out. With the HIV
project, researchers hope to be in human trials by 2014, but it is
likely to be at least 10 years before they can show it might work in
humans. And in the case of a stem cell cure
for AIDS, it would be many years after that before a treatment is
widely available.”

"Nobody
thought stem cells might
be used to cure HIV when the bond (funding for the stem cell agency)
passed. Far from the embryonic stem cell treatments
that inspired the ballot measure, the HIV research involves a new and
growing integration of stem cell and
genetic science."

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

More Photos

Click thumbnails to enlarge

Some of the automated sampling equipment in the Rensselaer Stem Cell Research Center in Troy. Some of the automated sampling equipment in the Rensselaer Stem Cell Research Center in Troy. (Mike McMahon / The Record)

By Danielle Sanzone dsanzone@troyrecord.com Twitter.com/DanielleSanzone

State Department of Health Commissioner Nirav Shah, left, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, right, announce the opening of the Rensselaer Center for Stem Cell Research during a forum at the colleges Troy campus Friday. (Mike McMahon / The Record)

TROY During a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute forum on Friday, dozens were able to see their first baby picture: a single cell that eventually multiplied, in part due to stem cells, into an organism with trillions of cells.

That, to me, is the most amazing thing in the study of biology, said Glenn Monastersky, director of the Rensselaer Center for Stem Cell Research.

See the article here:
VIDEO: Stem cell research facility to open at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute