PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

9-Jul-2014

Contact: Julia Evangelou Strait straitj@wustl.edu 314-286-0141 Washington University School of Medicine

Studying the most common type of lung cancer, researchers have uncovered mutations in a cell-signaling pathway that plays a role in forming tumors. The new knowledge may expand treatments for patients because drugs targeting some of these genetic changes already are available or are in clinical trials.

Reporting July 9 in Nature, investigators from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), including researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Harvard Medical School and other institutions, studied tumors from 230 patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

"This is the first time we have had a panoramic look at the genomic landscape of this many lung tumor specimens," said oncologist Ramaswamy Govindan, MD, professor of medicine at Washington University and TCGA lung cancer project co-chair. "These studies reinforce the opinion that lung cancer is a very heterogeneous disease."

Combined with an earlier study of 178 patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma, TCGA researchers now have published genetic data on about 400 lung cancer patients and are working to analyze tumors from 600 more. The investigators included scientists at The Genome Institute at Washington University and other major sequencing centers.

In the new study, among the myriad genetic changes observed in adenocarcinoma, one cell-signaling pathway stood out. About 75 percent of the samples had mutations that overactivated a pathway called RTK/RAS/RAF, known for roles in tumor growth.

"It is remarkable how important the RTK/RAS/RAF pathway appears to be," said Govindan, who treats patients at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. "Mutations in this particular pathway promote cancer cell proliferation. What is amazing is how many ways this pathway can be activated.

"We also know these tumors are not static," he added. "They evolve. We have to be looking at multiple biopsies over time to see how the tumor cells escape, inhibiting one pathway and becoming resistant to therapies."

See original here:
Lung cancer study hints at new treatments

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The Defense Health Agency, relying on medical laboratory experts and existing authority to conduct medical demonstrations, will restore Tricare coverage this month for up to 40 genetic tests used in patient care.

Many of these laboratory-developed tests -- also called molecular pathology tests -- are viewed as medically necessary.But Tricare had stopped reimbursing for more than 100 such tests in January 2013, believing it lacked authority to pay for them when such tests are ordered by civilian physicians delivering care through Tricare provider networks

Military treatment facilities have continued to order and pay for such tests routinely, which created a startling disparity of coverage between military direct care and purchased care contracts.Senior DHA officials acknowledged the coverage gap last February and vowed to close it.

The first step to do so will occur July 18 when 30 to 40 genetictests, those most commonly performed across U.S. medicine, will become reimbursable again under Tricare, as part of a three-year medical demonstration project, saidArmy Maj. Gen. Richard W. Thomas, chief medical officer and director of healthcare operations for DHA.

Among genetic tests to be restored to Tricare coverage is one that determines if a woman who is pregnant, or desires to become pregnant, carries a genetic marker for cystic fibrosis.That marker would indicate increased risk that a newborn would have CF.

Tricare stopped paying for this and many more laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) after the American Medical Association changed its procedural codes for such lab work and clarified that these tests are medical devices.

Tricare, in turn, concluded that under current support contracts it cannot pay for medical devices if not certified as safe and effective by the Federal Drug Administration.Because the FDA doesnt review or approve genetic tests, Tricare officials decided they had to stop coverage.

Civilian physicians continued to order such tests but after December 2012 Tricare quietly began denying payments.For a time, many impacted laboratories absorbed the costs.But for some of the more costly tests ordered, Tricare patients began receiving unexpected bills.

In a phone interview, Thomas explained that DHA earlier this year formed its own panel of experts, the Joint Lab Working Group, and began conducting its own review of safety and effectiveness of genetic tests. It used forensic science and other criteria to screen LDTs.One factor was whether major health insurance companies covered the tests, Thomas said.

Restored Tricare coverage for up to 40 LDTs will occur under what DHA calls its Non-FDA-Approved Laboratory Test Demonstration Project, described in the June 18Federal Register.A full list of genetic testing to be approved for Tricare hasnt been released yet.But coverage will be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2013, Thomas explained, so laboratories and patients will be able to apply for reimbursements of newly-cleared tests that they had paid for back to that date.DHA already has reimbursed impacted laboratories $3.5 million, mostly for prenatal CF testing the last 18 months.

Read the original here:
Tricare to restore coverage for up to 40 genetic lab tests

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

10-Jul-2014

Contact: Katie Marquedant kmarquedant@partners.org 617-726-0337 Massachusetts General Hospital

Circulating tumor cells captured with a microchip-based device developed at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Engineering in Medicine and the MGH Cancer Center can be cultured to establish cell lines for genetic analysis and drug testing. In the July 11 issue of Science, an MGH research team reports that the cultured cells accurately reflect a tumor's genetic mutation over time and changing susceptibility to therapeutic drugs.

"We now can culture cells from the blood that represent those present in metastatic deposits, which allows testing for drug susceptibility as the tumor evolves and acquires new mutations," says Shyamala Maheswaran, PhD, of the MGH Cancer Center, co-senior author of the Science paper. "We need to improve culture techniques before this is ready for clinical use, and we are working on doing that right now."

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are living solid-tumor cells that break off from either a primary or metastatic tumor and are carried through the bloodstream in extremely small quantities. The current version of the MGH-developed device, called the CTC-iChip, does not rely on prior identification of marker proteins on the surface of tumor cells, a limitation of previous versions of the MGH device and of the only commercially available device for capturing CTCs. Cell-surface proteins can change as tumors mutate during metastasis or in response to treatment, raising the possibility that methods targeting specific proteins may not reveal the full spectrum of CTCs.

The current study was designed to verify the ability of the CTC-iChip first described in an April 2013 Science Translational Medicine report to capture viable CTCs in a way that enables the establishment of cell lines that accurately represent the genetic status of all existing tumor sites and can be used for the testing of therapeutic drugs. The researchers first isolated CTCs from the blood of 36 patients with metastatic, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer. Long-lived cell lines were successfully established from CTCs of six patients, all of whom previously had received several courses of hormonal and other therapies. Subsequent samples taken from three of those patients were used to establish additional cell lines to track how the tumors changed during subsequent treatment.

While the MGH Cancer Center currently tests biopsy samples of nearly all solid tumors for mutations that may reveal therapeutic targets, the current technology only analyzes a limited number of genes for known mutations. Since CTC-derived cell lines allow a much more comprehensive genetic analysis, the investigators were able to screen for mutations in 1,000 known cancer-associated genes.

In addition to confirming mutations identified in biopsy samples of the patients' primary tumors, genetic analysis of CTC cell lines revealed several additional mutations, some not present in the primary. For example, one cell line showed the development of a new PI3 kinase mutation known to be a therapeutic target. In addition, a usually rare estrogen-receptor mutation, known to develop in patients treated with estrogen-blocking aromatase inhibitors (AIs), was found in CTC cell lines from three patients, all of whom had received extensive AI treatment.

Testing these CTC cell lines for drug sensitivity identified potential combinations some involving drugs still at the investigational stage that inhibited growth in cell lines and in mouse tumors developed from the injection of CTCs from specific patients. Some of these combinations included drugs known to inhibit proteins that were not mutated in the CTC cell lines but may otherwise contribute to tumor growth.

Read this article:
Cultured CTCs reveal genetic profile, potential drug susceptibility of breast cancer cells

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The Sims 3 | Perfect Genetics Challenge Part 11: Walking Toddlers
In this part, we teach the twins how to walk and find out we #39;re pregnant! Backstory: "Once upon a time, the Mighty Player sent a Sim to live in the world whe...

By: simplyapril

Read the original post:
The Sims 3 | Perfect Genetics Challenge Part 11: Walking Toddlers - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

TS3-Midnight sun-Perfect genetics Challenge part 1
Kurtis Gilbert belongs to the people of seamen. He is ten years old and the only one left of his kind that have become extinct by the people. Kurtis has just arrived to an island that nobody...

By: PinkButterflyStudios

See the rest here:
TS3-Midnight sun-Perfect genetics Challenge part 1 - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The Sims 3 | Perfect Genetics Challenge Part 12: Makeovers!
In this part, the twins age up with some technical difficulties 🙁 Sorry if you hear my family making a whole bunch of noises in the background, i #39;ll record ...

By: simplyapril

Read more here:
The Sims 3 | Perfect Genetics Challenge Part 12: Makeovers! - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

New genetics from Canada of milking shorthorns through embryo transfer are in a Manawatu calf shed.

Hiwinui dairy farmer David Wood said seven embryos were carried in beef cows and three were yet to be born. Four had been born, three bull calves and a heifer.

"The whole idea was to bring in new genetics for my herd," Wood said.

There are few herds of milking shorthorns in New Zealand; most dairy cows are jersey, holstein friesian or a cross.

The sire of the embryos was Kulp- Gen Jurist ACE and the embryos were flushed from the Canadian cow Oceanbrae n Missy.

Wood is hopeful the unborn embryos will be heifers and go into his herd.

The bulls and heifer are not named yet, but Wood thinks the week-old heifer will be Northbrook Missy, named after her mother.

The bulls will stay on the farm, with hairs sent to Canada to check their breeding worth.

The Hawke's Bay-based company, EmbryoCo, transplanted 10 embryos and seven took - a success, Wood said.

See more here:
Genetics success from transplanted embryos

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

On July 9, we issued an updated research report on leading molecular diagnostic company Myriad Genetics Inc. ( MYGN ). While we are impressed with the company's strong fundamentals, as once again reflected in the last reported quarter's financial performance, we believe emerging competitors and pricing pressure amid a challenging macroeconomic scenario might plague the stock in the future.

Myriad Genetics' third-quarter fiscal 2014 earnings per share came in at 60 cents, registering a stupendous 30.4% beat over the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Earnings also exceeded the year-over-year adjusted EPS number by the same margin. Likewise, revenues increased 17% to $182.9 million, topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $174 million.

According to the company, it is perfectly in sync with its strategic initiatives of expanding the core hereditary cancer market, growing its international business and launching new life-saving products.

Banking on core market growth, specifically the Oncology and Women's Health business that led to another solid quarter, and several recent positive takeaways including the recent acquisition of Crescendo Bioscience; the three-year contract with United Healthcare to provide coverage for Myriad Genetics' myRisk Hereditary Cancer test; and the collaboration with Tesaro for the use of Myriad Genetics' proprietary HRD test to identify tumor subtypes that may respond to Tesaro, Inc. 's ( TSRO ) investigational new PARP inhibitor niraparib, Myriad has raised its revenue and EPS outlook for fiscal 2014.

Backed by sustained organic growth in the core segments, the rising uptake of the BART test, and its several growth strategies, we believe Myriad will achieve its fiscal 2014 guidance with ease.The increase in reimbursement rate by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) acts as another upside.

However, with an extensive pipeline of some tests still under Early-stage development, Myriad continues to experience higher expenses.Although the company expects to increase its addressable market with myRisk in the near future, we remain cautious owing to the market conversion phase with the discontinuance of the successful legacy products.

Other Stocks to Consider

Myriad Genetics currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). However, some better-ranked stocks that are outperforming in the Biomedical sector are Actelion Ltd. ( ALIOF ) and Biogen Idec Inc. ( BIIB ), both with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

MYRIAD GENETICS (MYGN): Free Stock Analysis Report

TESARO INC (TSRO): Free Stock Analysis Report

Read the original:
Myriad Genetics Poised on Strong Fundamentals - Analyst Blog

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise RUCDR Infinite Biologics, a unit of Rutgers Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, has taken a major step toward expanding its focus from conducting and supporting genomic research, where its become a recognized global leader, to the rapidly growing field of clinical genomics.

RUCDR, which is the worlds largest university-based biorepository, recently earned its initial certification from the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments program. CLIA, as its commonly known in health care, is run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. CMS mandates that all tests for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of disease in human subjects be carried out in a CLIA-certified laboratory. Certification is granted only after an operation undergoes a rigorous review, including on-site inspection. The State of New Jersey also recently awarded the new lab at Rutgers a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Services license.

Building on 15 years of innovative and globally influential genomics research operations and services, RUCDR aims to provide clinical-grade diagnostics for a wide variety of diseases. In the first instance, RUCDR plans to support the precision medicine program and advanced treatment protocols being developed at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, which is located in New Brunswick. RUCDR is nearby on Rutgers campus in Piscataway.

Working with the Cancer Institutes physicians and researchers, RUCDR will use state-of-the-art genetic and genomic technologies to develop tests for the diagnosis and management of several types of cancer. Clinical testing will be carried out under the direction of staff who are board-certified in clinical molecular genetics, clinical cytogenetics and medical genetics. The laboratory data will be reviewed by and correlated with the clinical data by Cancer Institute of New Jersey oncologists.

Jay A. Tischfield, chief executive officer and scientific director of RUCDR and Duncan and Nancy MacMillan distinguished professor of genetics at Rutgers, said: The receipt of CLIA certification is a major milestone in the evolution of RUCDR Infinite Biologics from a cell and DNA repository to an organization that is actively involved in the development and implementation of diagnostic tests based on next-generation sequencing technologies. This certification is a critical step toward providing comprehensive cancer diagnostic services to the Cancer Institute and its network of hospitals. We further anticipate expanding our services to other institutions in the near future.

RUCDR forged the strategic and innovative Bioprocessing Solutions Alliance with BioStorage Technologies Inc. nearly two years ago to provide industry with an integrated, state-of-the-art scientific approach and technology infrastructure for the delivery of advanced sample bioprocessing and biobanking solutions. CLIA certification supports RUCDRs mission to engage with major pharmaceutical companies and research labs that will enable gene discovery leading to diagnoses, treatments and, eventually, cures for diseases.

RUCDR Infinite Biologics has instrumentation and expertise in place for analyzing genetic alterations in specific genes, or at the exome or whole genome level, said Andrew I. Brooks, chief operating officer and director of technology development for RUCDR and associate professor of genetics. Our technologically advanced infrastructure will enable us to identify genetic alterations that are specific for a given tumor so that appropriate therapies can be directed at that particular tumor.

RUCDR was one of the first biorepositories to be accredited by the College of American Pathologists in 2012. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey is the states only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Read the rest here:
Rutgers' Human Genetics Institute Lab Expands Into Clinical Testing

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

LiveLeak.com - Testing the Reflexes of Seven Kittens, Animals Insurance
F14, F15, A10 Low pass : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6CDEFO-3kQ list=UUp8MNMhTJomCtbWKqXBfZHg Testing the Reflexes of Seven Kittens Car Insurance (Talking to Animals) Prank Call, Designer...

By: Live Leak 4

Original post:
LiveLeak.com - Testing the Reflexes of Seven Kittens, Animals Insurance - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Cell and Gene Therapy Center

By: RowanSOM

Read the original:
Cell and Gene Therapy Center - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The ability to switch out one gene for another in a line of living stem cells has only crossed from science fiction to reality within this decade. As with any new technology, it brings with it both promise-the hope of fixing disease-causing genes in humans, for example-as well as questions and safety concerns.

Now, Salk scientists have put one of those concerns to rest: using gene-editing techniques on stem cells doesn't increase the overall occurrence of mutations in the cells. The new results were published July 3 in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

"The ability to precisely modify the DNA of stem cells has greatly accelerated research on human diseases and cell therapy," says senior author Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, professor in Salk's Gene Expression Laboratory. "To successfully translate this technology into the clinic, we first need to scrutinize the safety of these modified stem cells, such as their genome stability and mutational load."

When scientists want to change the sequence of a stretch of DNA inside cells-either for research purposes or to fix a genetic mutation for therapeutic purposes-they have their choice of two methods. They can use an engineered virus to deliver the new gene to a cell; the cell then integrates the new DNA sequence in place of the old one.

Or scientists can use what's known as custom targeted nucleases, such as TALEN proteins, which cut DNA at any desired location. Researchers can use the proteins to cut a gene they want to replace, then add a new gene to the mix. The cell's natural repair mechanisms will paste the new gene in place.

Previously, Belmonte's lab had pioneered the use of modified viruses, called helper-dependent adenoviral vectors (HDAdVs) to correct the gene mutation that causes sickle cell disease, one of the most severe blood diseases in the world.

He and his collaborators used HDAdVs to replace the mutated gene in a line of stem cells with a mutant-free version, creating stem cells that could theoretically be infused into patients' bone marrow so that their bodies create healthy blood cells.

Before such technologies are applied to humans, though, researchers like Belmonte wanted to know whether there were risks of editing the genes in stem cells. Even though both common gene-editing techniques have been shown to be accurate at altering the right stretch of DNA, scientists worried that the process could make the cells more unstable and prone to mutations in unrelated genes-such as those that could cause cancer.

"As cells are being reprogrammed into stem cells, they tend to accumulate many mutations," says Mo Li, a postdoctoral fellow in Belmonte's lab and an author of the new paper. "So people naturally worry that any process you perform with these cells in vitro-including gene editing-might generate even more mutations."

To find out whether this was the case, Belmonte's group, in collaboration with BGI and the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in China, turned to a line of stem cells containing the mutated gene that causes sickle cell disease.

Read more:
No extra mutations in modified stem cells

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Alan Trounson, then president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, poses for a portrait at his offices in San Francisco, Monday, March 9, 2009. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

The former head of California's stem cell agency, which is handing out $3 billion of voter-approved funds for research, has joined the board of a major grant recipient one week after leaving his post.

Alan Trounson, the former president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, has joined the board of StemCells Inc., the recipient of $19.4 million from the agency.

The agency has been grappling with potential conflicts of interest, some of which are built into its governance under Proposition 71, approved by voters in 2004. CIRM paid $700,000 for a report last year making recommendations on how to mitigate conflicts.

Trounson's move has reignited debate over the issue.

"The announcement raises serious and obvious concerns on a number of fronts," Chairman Jonathan Thomas wrote to his colleagues on the CIRM board. "Under state law, however, it is permissible for Dr. Trounson to accept employment with a CIRM-funded company. Nonetheless, state law does impose some restrictions on Dr. Trounsons post-CIRM employment activities.

Board members will be forbidden to discuss the company with Trounson for one year after his departure, Thomas wrote.

Randy Mills, Trounson's successor as agency president, said in a statement Wednesday that "in the interests of transparency and good governance we will be conducting a full review of all CIRM activities relating to StemCells Inc.

"We take even the appearance of conflicts of interest very seriously," Mills said in the statement.

Not only board members, but CIRM employees are being reminded of the conflict of interest rules.

Read the rest here:
Stem cell boss joins board he funded

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

Rehabilitation after a Spinal Cord Injury
I suffered a spinal cord injury on New Years Eve 2007. I drunk way too much alcohol and fell 7 stories off a roof. I damaged my spinal cord on the C4-5 verte...

By: CloStar Rose

Excerpt from:
Rehabilitation after a Spinal Cord Injury - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Doctors Meet Conference in Spine Surgery Apollo Hospital
A spinal cord injury (SCI) refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease.[1] Depending on where the spinal cord and ner...

By: cgbspnewsvidclips

Visit link:
Doctors Meet Conference in Spine Surgery Apollo Hospital - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

A brighter future in spinal cord injury treatment: Ptur K. Gumundsson at TEDxReykjavk
Ptur speaks about how we currently are handling the issue of spinal cord injury and why we are doing it wrong. He will share with us the technological advances currently being made in treatment...

By: TEDx Talks

Read more here:
A brighter future in spinal cord injury treatment: Ptur K. Gumundsson at TEDxReykjavk - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Chronic Spinal Cord Impairment: Stenosis and Syrinx Formation
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is usually thought of in the context of an acute injury event. But within an increasingly aging population, excessive narrowing of t...

By: UWTV

Read the rest here:
Chronic Spinal Cord Impairment: Stenosis and Syrinx Formation - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Last week, the scientific journal Nature retracted two papers which claimed that skin cells could be turned into stem cells. PBS NewsHour interviewed lead author Dr. Charles Vacanti of Brigham and Womens Hospital about the studies in January.

Vacanti and scientists from the RIKEN Institute in Japan claimed that bathing adult mouse cells in a mild acid made the cells behave like embryonic stem cells. It appeared to be an inexpensive way to create stem cells without destroying an embryo.

Controversy surrounding embryonic stem cells has slowed research progress. While it is possible to make stem cells from other sources, doing so is costly and takes time. If true, the finding would have opened new avenues for stem cell-related research and therapies.

But other scientists could not recreate stimulus-triggered acquisition of pluripotency (STAP) cells. An investigation in April found that RIKEN Institute junior scientist Haruko Obokata had falsely identified some of the images in the study, and plagiarized some of the descriptions in the paper. The studies authors pointed to five more errors when the journal printed its retraction last week, including images that claimed to show two different things, but actually showed the same thing.

We apologize for the mistakes included in the Article and Letter, the authors wrote in a statement. These multiple errors impair the credibility of the study as a whole and we are unable to say without doubt whether the STAP-SC phenomenon is real.

More:
Scientific journal Nature retracts controversial stem cell papers

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

After Stem Cell Therapy - Patient Interview
Patient Interview with #39;Josh #39; after stem cell treatment with Dr Mike Belich of Integrative Medical Clinics. The benefits of stem cell therapy and Regenerative Medicine.

By: Integrative Medical Clinics

View original post here:
After Stem Cell Therapy - Patient Interview - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

HPV-targeted adoptive T Cell therapy may provide new strategy for cervical cancer
Visit http://ecancer.org/ for more. At a press conference at ASCO 2014, Dr Hinrichs (Center for Cancer Research, Bethesda, US) presents his work which looks ...

By: ecancer medicalscience

Here is the original post:
HPV-targeted adoptive T Cell therapy may provide new strategy for cervical cancer - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

A female patient in the US has grown a nose on her back following a failed experimental stem cell treatment that was intended to cure her paralysis. The nose-like growth, which was producing a thick mucus-like material, has recently been removed as it was pressing painfully on herspine. If you ever needed an example of the potential perils of stem cell therapy, and just how little we actually know about the function of stem cells, this is it. Its also notable that this stem cell therapy was carried out in a developed country, as part of an approved trial (apparently unwanted growths are more common in developing nations with less stringent medical safeguards).

Eight years ago, olfactory stem cells were taken from the patients nose and implanted in her spine. The stem cells were meant to turn into nerve cells that would help repair the womans spine, curing her of paralysis. Instead, it seems they decided to do what they were originally meant to do and attempt to build a nose. Over a number of years, the nose-like growth eventually became big enough and nosy enough to cause pain and discomfort to the patient. As reported by New Scientist, surgeons removed a 3-centimetre-long growth, which was found to be mainly nasal tissue, as well as bits of bone and tiny nerve branches that had not connected with the spinal nerves. [DOI: 10.3171/2014.5.SPINE13992 - "Autograft-derived spinal cord mass following olfactory mucosal cell transplantation in a spinal cord injury patient"]

Your olfactory system. 1 is the olfactory bulb (the bit of your brain that processes smells); 6 is the olfactory receptors that bind to specific chemicals (odors). [Image credit: Wikipedia]

What went wrong, then? Basically, at the top of your nasal passages there is the olfactory mucosa. This region contains all of the machinery for picking up odors, and the neurons for sending all of that data off to your brains olfactory bulb for processing. Cells from this region can be easily and safely harvested, and with the correct processing they behave just like pluripotent embryonic stem cells that can develop into many other cell types. These olfactory stem cells could develop into cartilage, or mucus glands, or neurons. The researchers obviously wanted the latter, to cure the patients spinal nerve damage but seemingly they got it wrong, and thus she sprouted a second nose. Moving forward, newer olfactory stem cell treatments have an isolation stage to prevent this kind of thing from happening. [Read:The first 3D-printed human stem cells.]

Its important to note that medicine, despite being carried out primarily on humans, is still ultimately a scientific endeavor that requires a large amount of trial and error. In the western world, its very, very hard to get a stem cell therapy approved for human trials without lots of animal testing. Even then, the therapies are often only used on people who have nothing to lose. Obviously its hard to stomach news like this, and Im sure that stem cell critics will be quick to decry the Frankensteinian abomination created by these scientists. But when you think about the alternative no advanced medicine and significantly reduced lifespans for billions of people then really, such experimental treatments are nothing to sneeze at.

Read this article:
Woman grows a nose on her spine after experimental stem cell treatment goes awry

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Human genetics research - Is it ethical?

Human genetics research and the resulting potential medical advances constitute a revolution sweeping medical science. It is the fourth revolution since Hippocrates some 2400 years ago found that the workings of the body (as opposed to life itself) can be explained by the laws of nature rather than the supernatural. The first revolution occurred in 1854. It identified that cholera is spread by contaminated water and led to sanitation systems. The second revolution was the use of surgery with anesthesia. The third revolution was the introduction of vaccines and antibiotics allowing many infectious diseases to finally be prevented or cured.

This fourth revolution in human genetics research leading to gene therapy and genetic engineering could lead to real cures and potentially enhanced humans. However, these effects could be felt far beyond medicine and could affect every aspect of our culture. Used carefully, it could increase health and happiness. But if used unwisely, the genetic engineering on human beings could endanger everything we value, including who and what we are. One of pioneers of human genetic engineering predicts that within 30 years, there will be a gene-based therapy cure for most diseases. But he fears the profound dangers of his own work.

Human genetics research is the first step down a potentially slippery slope. Research, the science of learning new information, itself is not an ethical issue. However, the current ethical controversy over human genetic research is directed at how the research is done rather than the research itself. The ethical concern is the use of embryonic stem cells in the research rather than the use of adult stem cells. The extraction of the stem cells from a human embryo destroys the embryo, thus destroying the potential for life. At its core, this issue forces us to confront fundamental questions about the beginnings of life and the ends of science.

The goals of the research include gene therapy and gene-line engineering. Gene therapy is directed toward curing disease in people without affecting inherited traits. Gene-line engineering is directed toward permanent change in disease resistance and aesthetic and functional enhancements. Ethical concerns with gene therapy, although significant, are minimal compared with intentional human engineering. These gene therapy concerns include inadvertent changes to the reproductive system and other undesirable side effects similar to the side effects of drugs.

However, the ethical concerns with intentional gene-line engineering are many and profound. The two main concerns are those associated with an enhanced super-race and a potential Frankenstein syndrome. The super-race would be the elite with the normal race being subjugated. The Frankenstein race would either have to be controlled in some way or be eliminated or it may eliminate us. These are situations that we do not want to deal with. Consequently, we must proceed very carefully in all aspects of human genetic research and engineering.

From a Christian Theistic worldview, intentionally making changes in the human blueprint is playing god. This is something that would not be condoned. Alternatively, from the opposite humanist worldview, human engineering is no more than helping evolution along and it would be negligent not to improve our lot. Our position on this issue like so many other cultural issues is dependent upon our belief on a more fundamental worldview truth.

Like this information? Help us by sharing it with others. What is this?

See the rest here:
Human Genetics Research - AllAboutPopularIssues.org

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Recursion Pharmaceuticals has received support for focused work to identify a treatment for Rett Syndrome by the Rett Syndrome Research Trust. Recursion will apply its innovative drug discovery platform immediately to investigate the gene MECP2 in an effort to identify new therapeutics for the condition.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a physically disabling disease, and one of the most common genetic causes of severe impairment in young females. There is no cure for RTT despite the strong efforts of researchers and patient groups. Over 95% of RTT patients are identified to have mutations within the MECP2 gene, many of which are predicted to cause a loss of function of the gene.

Dr. Chris Gibson, CEO of Recursion Pharmaceuticals adds: We are thrilled to be working to find a treatment for Rett Syndrome. The Rett Syndrome Research Trust has generously provided us with support and trust to do just that, and we will work diligently to apply our technology in the search for unexpected treatments for the condition.

Rett Syndrome is an ideal candidate for Recursions novel research approach due to: (1) its strong genetic basis, (2) its postnatal onset, and (3) convincing evidence for successful rescue of the phenotype in an adult animal model. Recursion Pharmaceuticals efficient drug discovery technology has the potential to rapidly bring FDA approved drugs to Rett Syndrome patients.

Recursion combines experimental biology and bioinformatics in a unique drug screening platform. Recursion creates human cellular models of disease and establishes a disease profile based on identifying changes in thousands of structural (morphological) and functional (activity) parameters. These structural and functional changes are then used as the basis of a chemical suppressor screen to identify compounds with strong potential for efficacy in the disease model. This unbiased approach to rescue of the disease profile has proven successful where other target-centric hypotheses have failed.

About the Rett Syndrome Research Trust The Rett Syndrome Research Trust is a non-profit exclusively devoted to global research on Rett Syndrome and related MECP2 disorders. Their goal is to heal children and adults who will otherwise suffer the effects of these disorders for the rest of their lives. Their partners in supporting this work are parents organizations worldwide including Reverse Rett (UK), Rett Syndrome Research & Treatment Foundation (Israel), Rett Syndrome and CDKL5 Ireland, Skye Wellesley Foundation (UK), Stichting Rett Syndrome (Holland), Rett Syndrom Deutschland e.V., and American organizations, Girl Power 2 Cure , the Kate Foundation for Rett Syndrome Research, Eva Fini Fund at RSRT, Rocky Mountain Rett Association, Anastasi Fund, Claires Crusade and the New Jersey Rett Syndrome Association. See http://www.RSRT.org for more information.

About Recursion Pharmaceuticals - Recursion Pharmaceuticals, LLC, is a drug discovery company founded in 2013 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Recursion uses a novel drug screening platform to efficiently reposition drugs to treat rare genetic diseases. The companys focus on rare genetic diseases is much-needed, as there are more than 5,000 such conditions that together affect millions of Americans, and more than 95% of these diseases have no approved therapy. Recursions novel drug screening platform combines experimental biology and bioinformatics in a massively parallel system to quickly and efficiently identify treatments for multiple rare genetic diseases. The core of the approach revolves around high-throughput automated screening using high-content assays in human cells, which allows the near simultaneous modeling of hundreds of genetic diseases. Rich data from these assays is probed using advanced statistical and machine learning approaches, and the effects of thousands of known drugs and shelved drug candidates can be investigated efficiently to identify those holding the most promise for the treatment of any one rare genetic disease.

See http://www.recursionpharma.com for more information.

Contact: Recursion Pharmaceuticals, LLC. Chris Gibson, CEO. Phone (801) 587-1629 Email: chris.gibson@recursionpharma.com

Originally posted here:
Recursion Pharmaceuticals Announces Funding for Rett Syndrome Research

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Dark Agenda ~ Bio Genetic Engineering with Nanotechnology
Changing you and your world from within and without.

By: Vexstar

See the original post:
Dark Agenda ~ Bio Genetic Engineering with Nanotechnology - Video

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Published: Tuesday, July 8, 2014 at 18:17 PM.

Genetic engineering is such a polarizing topic that it is hard to have an even-handed debate of the issue.

Some opponents of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, spread false claims about safety while ignoring the vast amount of research to the contrary.

That frustrates University of Florida researchers who have made advances in genetic engineering that might provide benefits in fighting crop diseases and reducing the need for pesticides if they could get beyond public misconceptions.

University of Florida researchers have taken a gene found in bell peppers and transferred it to tomatoes. The process has made tomatoes that are resistant to a particularly troublesome crop disease and have a higher yield.

Contrary to scare stories about so-called Frankenfoods, these methods represent a more technologically advanced way of doing the kind of crop breeding that has been happening for millennia.

But tomato growers worry they wouldnt be able to sell a GMO product, hampering the ability of researchers to attract investors.

People are afraid, they dont understand why, they are just told they should be, said Sam Hutton, a UF plant scientist involved in the research. The anti-GMO crowd screams really loud, and there is a lot of fearmongering. It sounds bad to people who dont understand the science.

Other GMOs being developed at the University of Florida include a strawberry that can be grown without fungicides. A researcher involved in that effort observed that the crop likely wont go beyond the lab without a change in public attitudes.

You have solutions that can help the environment, help farmers and help people in the developing world, and you cant use it, said Ken Folta, professor and chairman of the universitys Horticultural Sciences Department.

Continued here:
Editorial: Fanning the fears on genetics issues

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith