Archive for March, 2012

28-02-2012 13:33

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Jerry Walker Lokomat spinal cord injury - Video

Newswise UCLA stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individuals lifetime.

The placental niche, a stem cell safe zone, supports blood stem cell generation and expansion without promoting differentiation into mature blood cells, allowing the establishment of a pool of precursor cells that provide blood cells for later fetal and post-natal life, said study senior author Dr. Hanna Mikkola, an associate professor of molecular cell and developmental biology and a researcher at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA.

Mikkola and her team found that PDGF-B signaling in trophoblasts, specialized cells of the placenta that facilitate embryo implantation and gas and nutrient exchanges between mother and fetus, is vital to maintaining the unique microenvironment needed for the blood precursors. When PDGF-B signaling is halted, the blood precursors differentiate prematurely, creating red blood cells in the placenta, Mikkola said.

The study, done in mouse models, appears March 1, 2012, in the peer-reviewed journal Developmental Cell.

We had previously discovered that the placenta provides a home for a large supply of blood stem cells that are maintained in an undifferentiated state. We now found that, by switching off one signaling pathway, the blood precursors in the placenta start to differentiate into red blood cells, Mikkola said. We learned that the trophoblasts act as powerful signaling centers that govern the niche safe zone.

The study found that the PDGF-B signaling in the trophoblasts is suppressing production of Erythropoietin (EPO), a cytokine that controls red blood cell differentiation.

When PDGF-B signaling is lost, excessive amounts of EPO are produced in the placenta, which triggers differentiation of red blood cells in the placental vasculature, said Akanksha Chhabra, study first author and a post-doctoral fellow in Mikkolas lab.

Mikkola and Chhabra used mouse models in which the placental structure was disrupted so they could observe what cells and signaling pathways were important components of the niche.

The idea was, if we mess up the home where the blood stem cells live, how do these cells respond to the altered environment, Chhabra said. We found that it was important to suppress EPO where blood stem cell expansion is desired and to restrict its expression to areas where red blood cell differentiation should occur.

The finding, Chhabra said, was exciting in that one single molecular change was enough to change the function of an important blood stem cell niche.

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UCLA Scientists Identify Cell and Signaling Pathway that Regulates the Placental Blood Stem Cell Niche

Public release date: 1-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kim Irwin kirwin@mednet.ucla.edu 310-206-2805 University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences

UCLA stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individual's lifetime.

The placental niche, a stem cell "safe zone," supports blood stem cell generation and expansion without promoting differentiation into mature blood cells, allowing the establishment of a pool of precursor cells that provide blood cells for later fetal and post-natal life, said study senior author Dr. Hanna Mikkola, an associate professor of molecular cell and developmental biology and a researcher at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA.

Mikkola and her team found that PDGF-B signaling in trophoblasts, specialized cells of the placenta that facilitate embryo implantation and gas and nutrient exchanges between mother and fetus, is vital to maintaining the unique microenvironment needed for the blood precursors. When PDGF-B signaling is halted, the blood precursors differentiate prematurely, creating red blood cells in the placenta, Mikkola said.

The study, done in mouse models, appears March 1, 2012, in the peer-reviewed journal Developmental Cell.

"We had previously discovered that the placenta provides a home for a large supply of blood stem cells that are maintained in an undifferentiated state. We now found that, by switching off one signaling pathway, the blood precursors in the placenta start to differentiate into red blood cells," Mikkola said. "We learned that the trophoblasts act as powerful signaling centers that govern the niche safe zone."

The study found that the PDGF-B signaling in the trophoblasts is suppressing production of Erythropoietin (EPO), a cytokine that controls red blood cell differentiation.

"When PDGF-B signaling is lost, excessive amounts of EPO are produced in the placenta, which triggers differentiation of red blood cells in the placental vasculature," said Akanksha Chhabra, study first author and a post-doctoral fellow in Mikkola's lab.

Mikkola and Chhabra used mouse models in which the placental structure was disrupted so they could observe what cells and signaling pathways were important components of the niche.

Excerpt from:
UCLA scientists identify crucial cell and signaling pathway in placental blood stem cell niche

ScienceDaily (Mar. 1, 2012) UCLA stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individual's lifetime.

The placental niche, a stem cell "safe zone," supports blood stem cell generation and expansion without promoting differentiation into mature blood cells, allowing the establishment of a pool of precursor cells that provide blood cells for later fetal and post-natal life, said study senior author Dr. Hanna Mikkola, an associate professor of molecular cell and developmental biology and a researcher at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA.

Mikkola and her team found that PDGF-B signaling in trophoblasts, specialized cells of the placenta that facilitate embryo implantation and gas and nutrient exchanges between mother and fetus, is vital to maintaining the unique microenvironment needed for the blood precursors. When PDGF-B signaling is halted, the blood precursors differentiate prematurely, creating red blood cells in the placenta, Mikkola said.

The study, done in mouse models, appears March 1, 2012, in the peer-reviewed journal Developmental Cell.

"We had previously discovered that the placenta provides a home for a large supply of blood stem cells that are maintained in an undifferentiated state. We now found that, by switching off one signaling pathway, the blood precursors in the placenta start to differentiate into red blood cells," Mikkola said. "We learned that the trophoblasts act as powerful signaling centers that govern the niche safe zone."

The study found that the PDGF-B signaling in the trophoblasts is suppressing production of Erythropoietin (EPO), a cytokine that controls red blood cell differentiation.

"When PDGF-B signaling is lost, excessive amounts of EPO are produced in the placenta, which triggers differentiation of red blood cells in the placental vasculature," said Akanksha Chhabra, study first author and a post-doctoral fellow in Mikkola's lab.

Mikkola and Chhabra used mouse models in which the placental structure was disrupted so they could observe what cells and signaling pathways were important components of the niche.

"The idea was, if we mess up the home where the blood stem cells live, how do these cells respond to the altered environment," Chhabra said. "We found that it was important to suppress EPO where blood stem cell expansion is desired and to restrict its expression to areas where red blood cell differentiation should occur."

The finding, Chhabra said, was exciting in that one single molecular change "was enough to change the function of an important blood stem cell niche."

See the rest here:
Cell and signaling pathway that regulates the placental blood stem cell niche identified

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT, OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced year-end results for the year ended December 31, 2011. The Company utilized $13.6 million in cash for operations during the year, compared to $8.8 million in the year-earlier period. The increase in cash utilization resulted primarily from ACTs ongoing clinical activities in the US and Europe. ACT ended the year with cash and cash equivalents of $13.1 million, compared to $15.9 million in cash and cash equivalents in the year-earlier period.

Some of the 2011 highlights included:

2011 was a very important and successful year for ACT as we began our Phase 1/2 trials for the treatment of macular degeneration, said Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT. We are very excited about the preliminary Phase 1/2 clinical data from our dry-AMD and Stargardts disease trials, which were published in The Lancet earlier this year. The data demonstrated the safety of ACTs human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells for the treatment of both diseases. The vision of both patients appears to have improved after transplantation, and no adverse safety issues have been observed. We look forward to validating these early findings as we expand these clinical activities throughout this year. Additionally, we made significant progress in advancing our scientific platform, expanding our board of directors and management team and strengthening our balance sheet.

The Company also announced today that it expects to shortly file a preliminary proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in which it will seek shareholder approval for a reverse split of between 1-for 20 and 1-for 80 shares. The Company is pursuing the reverse split for the sole purpose of meeting the requirements necessary for a listing on the Nasdaq Global Market. The Company believes that a listing on a national change will allow it to expand its shareholder base and improve the marketability of its common stock by attracting a broader range of investors.

Conference Call

The Company will hold a conference call at 9:00 a.m. EST tomorrow, during which it will discuss 2011 results and provide an update on clinical activities. Interested parties should dial (888)264-3177 followed by the reference conference ID number: 57426004. The call will be available live and for replay by webcast at: http://us.meeting-stream.com/advancedcelltechnology030212

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology company applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative medicine. For more information, visitwww.advancedcell.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Original post:
Advanced Cell Technology Announces 2011 Financial Results

06-01-2012 12:16 Spinal cord injury treatment. http://www.projectwalk.org exists to provide an improved quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries through intense exercise-based recovery programs, education, support and encouragement.

Link:
"Annette Ross", "Project Walk Spinal Cord Injury Recovery" - Video

06-01-2012 13:44 Spinal cord injury treatment. http://www.projectwalk.org exists to provide an improved quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries through intense exercise-based recovery programs, education, support and encouragement.

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"Brook", "Project Walk Spinal Cord Injury Recovery" - Video

24-02-2012 14:27 Birmingham's NBC 13 [WVTM-TV] talk show, Daytime Alabama featured UroMed's motivational program, Life After Spinal Cord Injury to bring awareness to the positive role that adaptive sports can play for wheelchair users worldwide. As part of the story, Daytime Alabama anchor Wendy Garner interviewed two UroMed employees, David Williams and Bert Burns [UroMed's founder] who share their experiences as wheelchair users as well as discussing their involvement with the Life After Spinal Cord Injury motivational program. "By offering LASCI programs, UroMed tries to address not only the urological needs of people like me, but also their social and emotional needs. Through LASCI events and online peer counselor conversations, we explain that people who use wheelchairs can have anything in life they pursue," Burns says. LASCI is sponsored by UroMed, [ http://www.uromed.com ] one of the largest urological supply companies in the country.

Continue reading here:
NBC 13's Daytime Alabama Profiles UroMed's Life After Spinal Cord Injury Motivational Program - Video

This experienced team of educators, clinicians, researchers and engineers work to provide education, products and rehabilitation solutions for adult and pediatric populations with motor control-related disabilities. They design and manufacture the LiteGait collection of products, used in treating stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, head injury, amputation, orthopedic problems, arthritis, balance issues and chronic pain.

Elberton, GA (PRWEB) March 02, 2012

The LiteGait mobility frames are mutually beneficial for rehabilitation facilities, therapists and patients. Facilities can increase efficiency and revenue by growing the number of patients receiving gait therapy, by reducing the risk of back injuries to staff and the risk of falls to patients, and by offering therapy to patients not previously eligible for gait therapy due to the complexity or severity of their conditions or cognitive levels. Therapists can provide more efficient treatment, without the risk of injury to themselves or their patients, and more properly and effectively facilitate a wide variety of gait, balance and alignment therapies. And patients can experience a sense of accomplishment with this supported suspension, learning to walk in an environment free from falls. The LiteGait allows the patient to begin training earlier in the rehabilitation process, and at a lower level, while offering improved interaction with the therapist.

Available in a multitude of sizes, styles and specifications, the LiteGait also offers a pediatric version for children in supported gait training and pre-gait developmental postures and movements. When employed as a dynamic stander, the LiteGait Walkable 100MX mobility frame enables children who cannot stand without assistance to interact more easily with others and their environment. We are proud to offer these amazing assistive mobility devices to more consumers, said Hulet Smith, Founder and CEO of Rehabmart. The LiteGait products from Mobility Research are used in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, physical therapy centers, resident care homes and private homes and are extremely useful for any patient challenged with mobility issues.

About Rehabmart.com:

As Occupational Therapists, the founders of Rehabmart have the breadth of knowledge and experience necessary to match the needs of its customers with the very latest innovative products in the field of medical supplies and rehabilitation equipment. As parents of special needs children, they have a personal interest in finding the best products to improve the lives of those who are disabled and medically challenged. Rehabmart.com is committed to provide superior customer service, competitive pricing and exceptional product offerings.

###

Hulet Smith, CEO RehabMart (800) 827-8283 Email Information

Read more here:
Assistive Mobility Devices Designed by Mobility Research Now Offered by Rehabmart.com

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT, OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced year-end results for the year ended December 31, 2011. The Company utilized $13.6 million in cash for operations during the year, compared to $8.8 million in the year-earlier period. The increase in cash utilization resulted primarily from ACTs ongoing clinical activities in the US and Europe. ACT ended the year with cash and cash equivalents of $13.1 million, compared to $15.9 million in cash and cash equivalents in the year-earlier period.

Some of the 2011 highlights included:

2011 was a very important and successful year for ACT as we began our Phase 1/2 trials for the treatment of macular degeneration, said Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT. We are very excited about the preliminary Phase 1/2 clinical data from our dry-AMD and Stargardts disease trials, which were published in The Lancet earlier this year. The data demonstrated the safety of ACTs human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells for the treatment of both diseases. The vision of both patients appears to have improved after transplantation, and no adverse safety issues have been observed. We look forward to validating these early findings as we expand these clinical activities throughout this year. Additionally, we made significant progress in advancing our scientific platform, expanding our board of directors and management team and strengthening our balance sheet.

The Company also announced today that it expects to shortly file a preliminary proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in which it will seek shareholder approval for a reverse split of between 1-for 20 and 1-for 80 shares. The Company is pursuing the reverse split for the sole purpose of meeting the requirements necessary for a listing on the Nasdaq Global Market. The Company believes that a listing on a national change will allow it to expand its shareholder base and improve the marketability of its common stock by attracting a broader range of investors.

Conference Call

The Company will hold a conference call at 9:00 a.m. EST tomorrow, during which it will discuss 2011 results and provide an update on clinical activities. Interested parties should dial (888)264-3177 followed by the reference conference ID number: 57426004. The call will be available live and for replay by webcast at: http://us.meeting-stream.com/advancedcelltechnology030212

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology company applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative medicine. For more information, visitwww.advancedcell.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

The rest is here:
Advanced Cell Technology Announces 2011 Financial Results

HOLLISTON, Mass., March 1, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Harvard Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq:HBIO - News), a global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of a broad range of tools to advance life science research and regenerative medicine, today reported unaudited financial highlights for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2011.

Fourth Quarter Reported Results

Revenues were $29.0 million for the three months ended December 31, 2011 which was above the guidance range of $27.5-$28.5 million provided by management. Fourth quarter revenues were down approximately 1.7% compared to the same period in 2010. Currency exchange rates had a negative 0.2% effect on revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared with the fourth quarter of 2010. The Company's acquisition of CMA Microdialysis in July 2011 had a positive 2.9% effect on revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to the fourth quarter of 2010. Excluding the effects of currency exchange rates and acquisitions, the Company's fourth quarter revenues were down 4.4% compared to the same period in the previous year.

Net income, as measured under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), was $0.7 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2011 compared to $2.2 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, for the same period in 2010. The unfavorable year-to-year quarterly GAAP earnings comparison was primarily due to increased spending in the Company's development-stage Regenerative Medicine Device ("RMD") business, and in the Company's Life Science Research Tools ("LSRT") business, a less favorable sales mix and lower year-to-year shipments of our nanovue microvolume spectrophotometer ("Nanovue") product.

Core Life Science Research Tools Results

Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share for our core LSRT business for the fourth quarter of 2011 was $0.10 per diluted share, within management's guidance of $0.09-$0.10 per diluted share, compared with $0.12 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2010.

Regenerative Medicine Device Results

Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share for our developmental RMD business for the fourth quarter of 2011 was a loss of $0.03 per diluted share, compared with a loss of $0.01 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2010, and reflected greater activities in developing this new initiative.

Year to Date Reported Results

Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2011 were $108.9 million, an increase of $0.7 million, or 0.6%, compared to revenues of $108.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2010. Currency exchange rates had a positive 1.5% effect on revenues for 2011 compared with the same period in 2010. The Company's acquisition of Coulbourn Instruments in August 2010 and CMA Microdialysis in July 2011 had a positive 2.9% effect on revenues. Excluding the effects of currency exchange rates and acquisitions, the Company's revenues were down 3.8% from the previous year.

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HBIO Reports Fourth Quarter 2011 Results

For nearly 18 years Graham and Britton Douglas believed they were fraternal twins. That was until Britton needed a bone-marrow transplant because chemotherapy for his leukemia had failed.

The Fort Worth, Texas, brothers learned that they were identical twins, sharing the same DNA, and therefore Britton could not receive his brother's bone marrow because their genetic make-up was too similar to fight the cancer.

Today, at 27, Britton Douglas is a healthy, successful Dallas lawyer, thanks to a bone marrow donation by a stranger.

But his twin brother, knowing that he nearly lost his only sibling, has been obsessed for nearly a decade with finding better ways to get more Americans to become donors.

"It's indescribable how much I love my brother," said Graham. "I don't know what I would do without him."

Graham's concept was so simple and yet could save the lives of tens of thousands of Americans with leukemia who are waiting for a bone-marrow transplant: packing a swab kit inside a box of bandage strips.

A senior creative at the New York City advertising agency Droga 5, he found his inspiration last year while teaching a portfolio class at a commercial arts school.

Year after year, he has challenged his students to find a creative solution to attract more donors. Two students he refers to as the "Spanish team" -- Alfredo and Alberto -- came up with the "germ" of an idea last year, and it has now hit the market.

The consumer healthcare company Help Remedies partnered with Graham and the world's largest bone marrow registry, DKMS, to release the new product -- "help I've cut myself & I want to save a life." The cost is $4.

Before applying a bandage strip to a minor cut, consumers can swab their blood and then send the sample in a self-addressed, stamped envelope, along with their age and email address, to DKMS.

Originally posted here:
Leukemia Patient Nearly Dies; Twin Has Idea to Save Thousands

Public release date: 1-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Nicole Giese Rura rura@wi.mit.edu 617-258-6851 Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research

FINDINGS: Devising a novel method to identify potential genetic regulators in planarian stem cells, Whitehead Institute scientists have determined which of those genes affect the two main functions of stem cells. Three of the genes are particularly intriguing because they code for proteins similar to those known to regulate mammalian embryonic stem cells. Such genetic similarity makes planarians an even more attractive model for studying stem cell biology in vivo.

RELEVANCE: Stem cells may hold the promise to regrow damaged, diseased, or missing tissues in humans, such as insulin-producing cells for diabetics and nerve cells for patients with spinal cord injuries. With its renowned powers of regeneration and more than half of its genes having human homologs, the planarian seems like a logical choice for studying stem cell behavior. Yet, until now, scientists have been unable to efficiently identify the genes that regulate the planarian stem cell system.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. Despite their unassuming appearance, the planarian flatworms in Whitehead Institute Member Peter Reddien's lab are revealing powerful new insights into the biology of stem cellsinsights that may eventually help such cells deliver on a promising role in regenerative medicine.

In this week's issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell, Reddien and scientists in his lab report on their development of a novel approach to identify and study the genes that control stem cell behavior in planarians. Intriguingly, at least one class of these genes has a counterpart in human embryonic stem cells.

"This is a huge step forward in establishing planarians as an in vivo system for which the roles of stem cell regulators can be dissected," says Reddien, who is also an associate professor of biology at MIT and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Early Career Scientist. "In the grand scheme of things for understanding stem cell biology, I think this is a beginning foray into seeking general principles that all animals utilize. I'd say we're at the beginning of that process."

Planarians (Schmidtea mediterranea) are tiny freshwater flatworms with the ability to reproduce through fission. After literally tearing themselves in half, the worms use stem cells, called cNeoblasts, to regrow any missing tissues and organs, ultimately forming two complete planarians in about a week.

Unlike muscle, nerve, or skin cells that are fully differentiated, certain stem cells, such as cNeoblasts and embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, having the ability to become almost cell type in the body. Researchers have long been interested in harnessing this capability to regrow damaged, diseased, or missing tissues in humans, such as insulin-producing cells for diabetics or nerve cells for patients with spinal cord injuries.

Several problems currently confound the therapeutic use of stem cells, including getting the stem cells to differentiate into the desired cell type in the appropriate location and having such cells successfully integrate with surrounding tissues, all without forming tumors. To solve these issues, researchers need a better understanding of how stem cells tick at the molecular level, particularly within the environment of a living organism. To date, a considerable amount of embryonic stem cell research has been conducted in the highly artificial environment of the Petri dish.

Read this article:
Planarian genes that control stem cell biology identified

SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), an emerging biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions, today provided additional details based on the Goldman Small Cap Research report issued February 29, 2012, that highlighted the companys cell encapsulation technology and its benefits for treating chronic diseases such as diabetes. The Companys technology involves encapsulating insulin-producing cells that respond to changes in glucose levels into the Cell-in-a-Box platform. As a result, the treatment would potentially eliminate the need for diabetes patients to continually test their glucose levels and inject insulin.

The Goldman report cited the completed animal study wherein SG Austria successfully treateddiabetesin an established, recognized animal model utilizing liveencapsulatedcells. In the study, the introduced cells responded to elevated blood sugar levels by producing insulin, thereby alleviating thesymptoms of diabetes. Moreover, encapsulated cells remained viable and responsive for many months.

The report stated, This data, as well as previously published results, demonstrate it is feasible to overcome the basis for diabetes by implanting encapsulated, insulin-producing cells. This should pave the way for future clinical trials of encapsulated cells as a means to continuously regulate blood glucose for months, eliminating the need for daily glucose assessment and insulin injections. Such treatment would present a more natural means of providing insulin to patients, mimicking the body's own insulin production and thereby maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.

The long term effects of diabetes include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, amputations, and stroke. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports346 million people in the world have diabetes and 4 million deaths occur globally each year. In fact, more than $378 billion is spent annually on diabetes treatment with the number expected to rise to $490 billion by 2030.

The report concluded that, Although it is early in the development process, the prospects on the diabetes front could be huge for the Company. Goldman set a current value of Nuvilex at $0.30 per share with a six month price target of $0.50 per share based on the cell encapsulation technology and the favorable clinical and pre-clinical trial results across multiple biotechnology fields.

Dr. Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Nuvilex, added, We are hopeful that through use of our cell encapsulation platform patients will no longer have to rely on daily insulin injections. The ultimate objective, if future trials prove effective, will be for patients to receive encapsulated live cell treatments intermittently, possibly as infrequently as every 3 to 6 months or longer, dramatically changing their lives.

Investors are recommended to study the Goldman Research Report for a detailed review and valuation methodology regarding Nuvilex.

About Nuvilex

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX) is an emerging international biotechnology provider of biotechnology and clinically useful, therapeutic live-cell encapsulation products and services for the research and medical communities. Through substantial effort, Nuvilex and SG Austria are rapidly moving toward our initial phase of funding acquisition and initial agreement completion. One of our first planned offerings is to include cancer treatments using the companys industry-leading live-cell encapsulation technology.

See the original post here:
Nuvilex’s Diabetes Treatment Utilizing Implanted Encapsulated, Insulin-Producing Cells Potentially Eliminates Need for ...

Public release date: 1-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Erin Pope Erin.Pope@NationwideChildrens.org 614-355-0495 Nationwide Children's Hospital

In 2010, the Center for Gene Therapy at Nationwide Children's Hospital launched a monthly podcast entitled, "This Month in Muscular Dystrophy," featuring internationally known scientists discussing the latest research in muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders. Now, these podcasts will be available for users on iTunes and at http://www.NationwideChildrens.org/muscular-dystrophy-podcast.

The podcasts are geared toward patients, their families and primary care physicians who take care of patients with neuromuscular diseases. Hosted by Kevin Flanigan, MD, an attending physician in Neurology at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and a principal investigator in the Center for Gene Therapy in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's, the programs include interviews with authors of recent scientific publications discussing how their work improves understanding of inherited neuromuscular diseases and what their findings might mean for treatment.

New programs available for download on iTunes include:

Podcasts from previous months have also been uploaded to iTunes and are available for download.

"There is a lot of exciting work going on in the field of neuromuscular disease, and for patients and their families, it may be hard to get access to information about new results," said Dr. Flanigan, also a professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "Our goal in offering this monthly podcast is to provide a way for people affected by the muscular dystrophies and related disorders to hear directly from top researchers about their latest results. It's my job to converse in understandable terms with these researchers about what is useful or exciting in their work."

Patients and their families are eager to find reliable information, especially about what new therapies are entering trials. With these podcasts available on iTunes, patients and their families have access to this information at their fingertips. These monthly podcasts provide reliable information directly from leading scientists and physicians in the field to empower patients to take the information they learn into their own clinics to discuss with their doctors. The podcasts also serve to provide reliable information to primary care physicians who often have the most contact with patients who have neuromuscular disorders.

"Through these podcasts, I think we can reinforce the hope shared by all families, and let them know that many pathways that may lead to meaningful treatments are being explored," Dr. Flanigan added.

Dr. Flanigan's primary research interest is in the genetic and molecular characterization of inherited neuromuscular diseases particularly muscular dystrophies and in the development of therapies directed toward these diseases.

Continue reading here:
Nationwide Children's Hospital neuromuscular disorder podcasts now available on iTunes

London, Mar 1 (ANI): Breaking a 'gene blockade' could pave the way for restoring memory loss and other cognitive functions in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, a new study has suggested.

Researchers have shown that an enzyme overproduced in the brains of Alzheimer's patients creates a barrier that shuts off genes essential to form new memories.

Furthermore, by inhibiting that enzyme in mice, the MIT neuroscientists were able to reverse Alzheimer's symptoms.

The finding suggests that drugs targeting the enzyme, known as HDAC2, could be a promising new approach to treating the disease, which affects 5.4 million Americans.

Li-Huei Tsai, leader of the research team, says that HDAC2 inhibitors could help achieve that goal, though it would likely take at least 10 years to develop and test such drugs.

"I would really strongly advocate for an active program to develop agents that can contain HDAC2 activity," said Tsai, director of the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT.

"The disease is so devastating and affects so many people, so I would encourage more people to think about this."

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are a family of 11 enzymes that control gene regulation by modifying histones - proteins around which DNA is spooled, forming a structure called chromatin.

When HDACs alter a histone through a process called deacetylation, chromatin becomes more tightly packaged, making genes in that region less likely to be expressed.

HDAC inhibitors can reverse this effect, opening up the DNA and allowing it to be transcribed.

Read more from the original source:
Reversing Alzheimer's gene 'blockade' 'can bring back memory'

By a GenomeWeb staff reporter

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) Researchers from Columbia University and Brandeis University plan to use a $2 million grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to survey and investigate attitudes about taking genetic tests for epilepsy.

The project, led by principal investigator and Columbia University Professor of Epidemiology Ruth Ottman, will involve in-depth interviews and analysis and clinical genetic testing.

"Genetic testing is rapidly moving into the clinical arena for epilepsy, but we still know very little about the psychosocial impact of genetic information on people with epilepsy and their family members," Ottman told GenomeWeb Daily News today.

"Research in this area is urgently needed because of the significant psychosocial dimensions of living with epilepsy, which include stigma, discrimination, reduced rates of marriage and reproduction, and reduced quality of life," she said. "The ways in which genetic information might alter the experience of living with epilepsy are unclear."

In the first part of the effort, the researchers will survey 1,053 individuals from 115 families containing multiple individuals with epilepsy to evaluate whether they would like to take genetic tests, and what they see as the benefits and downsides of testing, as well as their views on how testing could affect the stigmatization of epilepsy and the quality of their lives.

The researchers also will offer clinical genetic tests to individuals from 21 families containing 195 individuals with an uncommon form of epilepsy called autosomal dominant partial epilepsy with auditory features, or ADPEAF. Half of these families were previously found to have specific gene mutations, but they have never been offered their individual results or the chance to engage in linked discussions about their views.

As part of the study of ADPEAF, in-depth qualitative interviews will also be performed. This part of the research will be led by Sara Shostak, assistant professor in the department of sociology at Brandeis University, which will join in the project under a $200,000 sub-contract. "The intention of the in-depth interviews is to explore, in much greater depth than can be done in a survey, what genetic information actually means in peoples' lives and how they plan to make use of it,", said Shostak in a statement.

In previous research, the investigators found that people are concerned about genetics-related issues when they think about future generations and having families. In addition, they found that people with epilepsy and their families hope that genetic information about the disease could help to lessen stigma and discrimination by influencing public understanding about the disease.

Currently, around 25 genes have been associated with specific epilepsy syndromes.

See the rest here:
Brandeis Leads Study of Attitudes on Genetic Tests for Epilepsy

An online tool launched by the National Institutes of Health will make it easier to navigate the rapidly changing landscape of genetic tests.

Genetic tests currently exist for about 2,500 diseases, and the field continues to grow at an astonishing rate. To keep pace, GTR will be updated frequently, using data voluntarily submitted by genetic test providers. Such information will include the purpose of each genetic test and its limitations; the name and location of the test provider; whether it is a clinical or research test; what methods are used; and what is measured. GTR will contain no confidential information about people who receive genetic tests or individual test results.

Genetic tests that the Food and Drug Administration has cleared or approved as safe and effective are identified in the GTR. However, most laboratory developed tests currently do not require FDA premarket review. Genetic test providers will be solely responsible for the content and quality of the data they submit to GTR. NIH will not verify the content, but will require submitters to agree to a code of conduct that stipulates that the information they provide is accurate and updated on an annual basis. If submitters do not adhere to this code, NIH can take action, including requiring submitters to correct any inaccuracies or to remove such information from GTR.

In addition to basic facts, GTR will offer detailed information on analytic validity, which assesses how accurately and reliably the test measures the genetic target; clinical validity, which assesses how consistently and accurately the test detects or predicts the outcome of interest; and information relating to the test's clinical utility, or how likely the test is to improve patient outcomes.

"Our new registry features a versatile search interface that allows users to search by tests, conditions, genes, genetic mutations and laboratories," said Wendy Rubinstein, M.D., Ph.D., director of GTR. "What's more, we designed this tool to serve as a portal to other medical genetics information, with context-specific links to practice guidelines and a variety of genetic, scientific and literature resources available through the National Library of Medicine at NIH."

GTR is built upon data pulled from the laboratory directory of GeneTests, a pioneering NIH-funded resource that will be phased out over the coming year. GTR is designed to contain more detailed information than its predecessor, as well as to encompass a much broader range of testing approaches, such as complex tests for genetic variations associated with common diseases and with differing responses to drugs. GeneReviews, which is the section of GeneTests that contains peer-reviewed, clinical descriptions of more than 500 conditions, is also now available through GTR.

Related Link The free resource, called the Genetic Testing Registry (GTR): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gtr/

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Genetic Testing Registry Goes Online

OMAHA, Neb.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Transgenomic, Inc. (OTCBB: TBIO.OB - News) today announced the publication of a new study by researchers at Vanderbilt University that further validates the role of both genes found in the Companys PGxPredict:CLOPIDOGREL (Plavix) Panel, a comprehensive test to predict a patients response to clopidogrel (Plavix). The study confirms the results of two previous studies demonstrating that outcomes in patients receiving clopidogrel were better for patients without genetic variations in CYP2C19, a gene whose effect is described in the drugs label, and ABCB1, a gene that is unique to Transgenomics panel and is covered by issued and pending patents owned by Transgenomic. The results were published by Delaney, et al., in the February issue of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

The effectiveness of clopidogrel, the most widely prescribed antiplatelet drug used to reduce the risks of death, stroke, and heart attack in heart disease patients, is dependent on CYP2C19, a gene that codes for an enzyme responsible for metabolizing clopidogrel into its active form. As a result, patients with a dysfunctional variation in CYP2C19 who are treated with clopidogrel exhibit higher cardiovascular event rates than do patients with normal CYP2C19 function. The seriousness of this problem prompted the FDA to add a black box warning to clopidogrels label in 2010 to alert physicians and patients about this risk.

Researchers in the United States and France recently demonstrated that, in addition to CYP2C19, genetic variation in ABCB1 is also predictive of therapeutic outcomes for patients taking clopidogrel, due to the gene products role in transporting clopidogrel into the bloodstream. The Vanderbilt study is now the third independent study demonstrating the value of testing both CYP2C19 and ABCB1 to identify patients at increased risk for death, stroke and heart attack due to ineffective antiplatelet therapy.

A growing number of large, independent studies support the clinical importance of testing for genetic variants in both CYP2C19 and ABCB1 to predict clopidogrel response and establish the appropriate treatment strategy for each patient, said Craig Tuttle, CEO of Transgenomic. There are approximately 6 million new patients prescribed Plavix each year. Approximately 47% will not get the full benefit of the therapy due to genetic variations in either CYP2C19 or ABCB1. The PGxPredict:CLOPIDOGREL Panel is the only panel to test for genetic variations in both CYP2C19 and ABCB1 and represents a potential multi-billion dollar market opportunity for our Clinical Laboratories division.

This publication can be accessed via the following link: http://www.nature.com/clpt/journal/v91/n2/full/clpt2011221a.html

About the PGxPredict:CLOPIDOGREL Panel

The PGxPredict:CLOPIDOGREL Panel analyzes the genes CYP2C19 and ABCB1 to help predict a patients response to clopidogrel (Plavix), a widely used antiplatelet drug. The test results can be used to aid clinicians in developing a treatment plan for their patients being considered for or receiving clopidogrel.

About Transgenomic, Inc.

Transgenomic, Inc. (www.transgenomic.com) is a global biotechnology company advancing personalized medicine in cancer and inherited diseases through its proprietary molecular technologies and world-class clinical and research services. The company has three complementary business divisions: Transgenomic Pharmacogenomic Services is a contract research laboratory that specializes in supporting all phases of pre-clinical and clinical trials for oncology drugs in development. Transgenomic Clinical Laboratories specializes in molecular diagnostics for cardiology, neurology, mitochondrial disorders, and oncology. Transgenomic Diagnostic Tools produces equipment, reagents, and other consumables that empower clinical and research applications in molecular testing and cytogenetics. Transgenomic believes there is significant opportunity for continued growth across all three businesses by leveraging their synergistic capabilities, technologies, and expertise. The company actively develops and acquires new technology and other intellectual property that strengthen its leadership in personalized medicine.

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Transgenomic’s Proprietary Clopidogrel (Plavix®) Response Panel Includes Both Genetic Markers Demonstrated to Be ...

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

SGI (NASDAQ:SGI - News), the trusted leader in technical computing, announced today that Japans National Institute of Genetics, an information and systems research organization located in Mishima, Shizuoka, under the leadership of Director-General Yuji Kohara, has selected an SGI UVTM 1000, the top model in the SGI UV series, for a new supercomputer system. Featuring 768 processor cores 10TB of memory, the system will function as a server for next-generation sequencing data analysis.

As a leading international genetics research laboratory and inter-university research institution in Japan, the National Institute of Genetics builds an international DNA database, develops and provides various search and analysis services, and provides supercomputing resources to researchers throughout Japan and the world. The newly installed SGI UV 1000 will form the backbone of these operations and serve a crucial role in next-generation sequencing data analysis.

The amount of data created by next-generation sequencers is growing exponentially. As the number of sequences that can be readand thus the amount and size of data created at one time by next-generation sequencers multipliesincreasingly powerful computing resources are needed to handle the analytical processing of that data. These data include sequence assembly and mapping. Sequence assembly is the method of aligning and piecing together numerous reads (DNA fragments) to determine a genome sequence. Used when sequencing is performed on an unknown genome sequence, it is also called de novo assembly. Mapping refers to the method of determining a genome sequence by assembling reads against a reference genome whose sequence is already known.

The SGI UV 1000 adopted by the National Institute of Genetics as a pipeline server for next-generation sequencing analysis is a large-scale coherent shared memory server with 768 processor cores powered by Intel Xeon processor E7 family series and 10TB of memory. Certain sequencing data analysis processes, particularly de novo assembly programs, require vast amounts of computer memory, more than distributed parallel clusters can typically offer today. Anticipation at the Institute is growing around the SGI UV 1000 which, as an analysis server for de novo assembly programs, is the worlds only server to date that includes a massive 10TB of shared memory (scalable to 16TB) in a single system.

About SGI

SGI, the trusted leader in technical computing, is focused on helping customers solve their most demanding business and technology challenges. Visit sgi.com for more information.

Connect with SGI on Twitter (@sgi_corp), YouTube (youtube.com/sgicorp), and LinkedIn.

2012 Silicon Graphics International Corp. All rights reserved. SGI, the SGI logo and UV are trademarks or registered trademarks of Silicon Graphics International Corp. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. Intel and Xeon are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their respective holders.

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National Institute of Genetics Adopts SGI HPC Solution for New Supercomputer System

Updated: Thu Mar. 01 2012 18:08:34

ctvwinnipeg.ca

When a person suffers a heart attack, the time it takes to get treatment is crucial. That's because once heart muscle tissue is damaged, it can't be healed.

A researcher from St. Boniface Hospital, however, has found a gene that could bring damaged heart tissue back to life.

"The cells that make up the heart muscle itself - once they're damaged or injured they're not replaced by new ones," said Dr. Lorrie Kirshenbaum, a researcher at St. Boniface Hospital.

Researchers had little success locating a key gene.

"This gene we've been chasing for about 12 years," said Kirshenbaum.

But now they've found it.

"For us, it was initially disbelief," he said.

Kirshenbaum is now working on a way to use gene therapy so that when a person suffers a heart attack, they won't suffer lasting damage to the heart.

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Winnipeg researcher's gene discovery could help healing damage caused by heart attacks

Public release date: 29-Feb-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Ong Siok Ming ong_siok_ming@a-star.edu.sg 65-682-66254 Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore

A*STAR scientists have for the first time, identified that precise regulation of polyamine levels is critical for embryonic stem cell (ESC) self-renewal the ability of ESCs to divide indefinitely and directed differentiation. This paper is crucial for better understanding of ESC regulation and was published in the journal Genes & Development on 1st March by the team of scientists from the Institute of Medical Biology (IMB), a research institute under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).

Embryonic stem cells hold great potential for the development of cellular therapies, where stem cells are used to repair tissue damaged by disease or trauma. This is due to their unique ability to renew themselves and differentiate into any specific types of cell in the body. One of the challenges with cellular therapies is ensuring that ESCs are fully and efficiently differentiated into the correct cell type. This study sheds light on understanding how ESCs are regulated, which is essential to overcome these challenges and turn the vision of cell therapies into reality.

Using a mouse model, the team of scientists from IMB showed that high levels of Amd1 , a key enzyme in the polyamine synthesis pathway, is essential for maintenance of the ESC state and self renewal of ESCs. To further demonstrate the critical role of Amd1 in ESC self-renewal, the scientists showed that increasing Amd1 levels led to delayed ESC differentiation. The research also revealed that downregulation of Amd1 was necessary for differentiation of ESCs into neural precursor cells and that Amd1 is translationally regulated by a micro-RNA (miRNA), the first ever demonstration of miRNA-mediated regulation of the polyamine pathway.

While the polyamine pathway is well established and polyamines are known to be important in cancer and cell proliferation, their role in ESC regulation until now was unknown. This novel discovery, linking polyamine regulation to ESC biology, came about when the team set up a genome-wide screen to look for mRNAs under translational control in order to identify new regulators of ESC differentiation to neural precursor cells.

Dr Leah Vardy, Principle Investigator at the IMB and lead author of the paper, said, "The polyamines that Amd1 regulate have the potential to regulate many different aspects of self renewal and differentiation. The next step is to understand in more detail the molecular targets of these polyamines both in embryonic stem cells and cells differentiating to different cellular lineages. It is possible that manipulation of polyamine levels in embryonic stem cells through inhibitors or activators of the pathway could help direct the differentiation of embryonic stem cells to more clinically useful cell types."

Prof. Birgitte Lane, Executive Director of IMB, said, "This is a fine piece of fundamental research that will have breakthrough consequences in many areas and can bring about far-reaching applications. Developing cellular therapies is just one long-term clinical benefit of understanding ESC biology, which can also help develop stem cell systems for disease modeling, developing new drugs as well as a tool for researchers to answer other biological questions."

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A*STAR scientists make groundbreaking discovery on stem cell regulation

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Nuffield Council on Bioethics, which examines ethical issues raised by new developments in biology and medicine, launched a consultation on Thursday on the ethics of new technologies and devices that intervene in the human brain.

The three main areas of the group's focus are brain-computer interfaces, neurostimulation and neural stem cell therapy.

Here are some details about each area of research and how it is being explored.

* Brain computer interfaces (BCIs)

BCIs measure and analyze a person's brain signals and convert them into an output such as movement.

A paralyzed person, for example, could use a BCI to operate a wheelchair, or someone who has extreme difficulty speaking could use a BCI to communicate via a computer voice.

These sorts of applications have been shown to be successful in a few reported cases, but the technology has not yet been developed for regular clinical use and there are questions over whether these technologies are reliable enough for use in everyday life.

Military applications, such as remote control of vehicles and machinery are not yet in wide use but are being researched and tested, mainly in the United States.

Some commercial BCI developments are already on the market in the gaming sector. Gamers can buy a wireless headset that aims to replace a joystick by controlling game play through brain signals.

The use of BCIs sometimes require surgery to implant electrodes into a person's brain, although the most successful current developments are less invasive ones That detect brain signals from the scalp.

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Factbox: Neurotechnologies in spotlight of UK ethics review

15-02-2012 09:31 In an amazing twist of fate, a cancer patient receiving a bone marrow transplant apparently received stem cells which made him immune to HIV and his AIDS symptoms have disappeared.

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AIDS Patient Healed Using Stem Cells From Bone Marrow - Video

24-02-2012 18:53 In February 2012, the FDA published 3 Guidance documents for biosimilars. Under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCI Act), a biological product may be demonstrated to be "biosimilar" if data show that, among other things, the product is "highly similar" to an already-approved biological product. George Dranitsaris discusses the market and challenges of biosimilars.

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Biosimilars and the FDA Guidance Documents - a discussion at Personalized Medicine TV - Video