December 2005 Archives
Iron Particles, MRI Could Replace Biopsies to Track Stem Cell Therapy and Deploy Stents, Animal Studies Show
In a series of experiments in animals, researchers at Johns Hopkins have successfully used a technique that tracks mesenchymal stem cells via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to monitor the progress of the cells in repairing tissue scarred by heart attack.
The Hopkins findings, presented in November at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions and published in a supplement to the journal Circulation, are believed to be the first demonstration of how the technique, which labels the cells with minuscule iron oxide particles, can be used to assess the clinical benefit - if any - of cell-based therapies.
...Posted on December 12, 2005 03:59 PM | Comments (0)
Future Medical Technologies May Identify the Early Onset of Alzheimer's and Enable Stem Cell Therapy
Molecular Imaging Advancements Simultaneously Locate, Diagnose and Treat Disease
CHICAGO, Nov. 29, 2005 – Siemens Medical Solutions today revealed its vision for a new world of medicine where doctors can predict and prevent disease before symptoms appear. By identifying and tracking disease-related events in the body’s cells, Siemens envisions that, among other applications, molecular medicine will have a tremendous impact on the detection of Alzheimer’s disease, and the effectiveness of stem cell therapy.
...Posted on December 11, 2005 06:01 PM | Comments (0)
Patient-Specific Stem Cell Lines
Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) forms the basis for obtaining patient specific stem cells and with the presence of reprogramming factors in human embryonic stem (hES) cells, a method for replacing the nuclei of hES cells by somatic cell nuclei has been widely sought.
Recent progress in SCNT suggested the presence of reprogramming factors in human embryonic stem (hES) cells, although no method is currently available for replacement of nuclei of hES cells by somatic cell nuclei.
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Posted on December 11, 2005 05:51 PM | Comments (0)
Regenerating Worms Help Elucidate Stem Cell Biology
Using a tiny flatworm best known for its extraordinary ability to regenerate lost tissue, researchers have identified a gene that controls the ability of stem cells to differentiate into specialized cells.
The gene encodes a protein that is most similar to the protein PIWI, an important regulator of stem cells in organisms ranging from plants to humans.
The replacement of tissue lost to injury or shed during the body's normal activities is essential for the survival of most organisms. The new study, published in the November 25, 2005, issue of the journal Science, helps scientists understand how stem cells make this process possible.
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Posted on December 11, 2005 05:42 PM | Comments (0)
Stem Cell Microenvironment Reverses Malignant Melanoma
Chicago - Northwestern University researchers have demonstrated how the microenvironments of two human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines (federally approved) induced metastatic melanoma cells to revert to a normal, skin cell-like type with the ability to form colonies similar to hESCs.
The researchers also showed that these melanoma cells were less invasive following culture on the microenvironments of hESCs.
"Our observations highlight the potential utility of isolating the factors within the hESC microenvironment responsible for influencing tumor cell fate and reversing the cancerous properties of metastatic tumor cells, such as melanoma," said Mary J. C. Hendrix, PhD, professor of pediatrics at the Feinberg School of Medicine, in whose laboratories at Children’s Memorial Research Center the experiments were conducted.
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Posted on December 11, 2005 05:24 PM | Comments (0)
Sperm Stem Cells Closer To Being Like Embryonic Stem Cells
DALLAS - Nov. 15, 2005 - New experiments that prevented rat sperm stem cells from changing permanently into sperm have brought researchers one step closer to coaxing such cells to behave like embryonic stem cells, capable of growing into many other types of cells in the body.
Researchers at the Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences at UT Southwestern Medical Center devised methods to keep male rat germ-line stem cells - sperm precursor cells - from differentiating, or changing, into sperm proper. The researchers also froze the sperm stem cells, thawed them, and transplanted them back into rat testes, where they developed into normal sperm.
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Posted on December 11, 2005 04:58 PM | Comments (0)
Don Ho goes in for stem cell heart therapy
Well known (at least to those of us old enough to know -- blushes) Hawaiian singer Don Ho was just released from a Bangkok hospital Thursday after undergoing an experimental heart procedure.
Ho has had his own stem cells injected into his heart Monday night, which is expected to improve the muscle's pumping ability by as much as 70 percent.
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Posted on December 8, 2005 11:48 PM | Comments (0)
ViaCell to be Added to NASDAQ Biotech Index
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 14 - ViaCell, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIAC) today announced that its common stock was selected to be added to the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index(R) (NBI) effective at the beginning of trading on Monday, November 21, 2005.
All securities in the Index are classified according to the FTSE(TM) Global Classification System as either biotechnology or pharmaceutical, listed on the Nasdaq National Market and meet minimum requirements, including market value and average daily share volume, among other criteria.
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Posted on December 8, 2005 05:14 PM | Comments (0)
Robot Assisted Stem Cell Therapy a First in Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand (PRWEB) November 9, 2005 - In a historic operation, surgeons at Bangkok Heart Hospital performed Thailand’s first robot-assisted cardiac stem cell implantation on October 27, 2005.
Utilizing Intuitive Surgical's da Vinci Surgical System and VesCell adult stem cell therapy for heart disease from TheraVitae Ltd., surgeons treated a no-option, ischemic cardiomyopathy patient from Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA.
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Posted on December 5, 2005 05:32 PM | Comments (0)
Cord Blood America CEO to Present at Key Healthcare Investor Conference
Bay Area Biotechnology and Healthcare Forum 2005
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 1, 2005 - Cord Blood America, Inc. (OTCBB:CBAI), the umbilical cord blood stem cell preservation company which is focused on bringing the life saving potential of stem cells to families nationwide, today announced that Chairman and CEO Matthew L. Schissler will present at the Informed Investors Biotechnology & Healthcare Investor Forum in San Francisco on December 7 at 12 p.m. Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.
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Posted on December 4, 2005 10:01 PM | Comments (0)
CRYO-CELL Announces ISO 9001:2000 Certification
OLDSMAR, Fla., Nov. 28 - CRYO-CELL International, Inc. (OTCBB: CCEL) ("CRYO-CELL" or the "Company"), the world`s largest U-Cord(R) stem cell bank, announced today that it has achieved ISO 9001:2000 certification from BSI Americas, Inc., a leading quality management systems registrar.
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Posted on December 4, 2005 09:57 PM | Comments (0)
GE Healthcare and Saneron Announce a Research Collaboration for the Development of Umbilical Cord Blood Processing
CHALFONT ST. GILES, UK AND TAMPA, FL - GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), and Saneron today announced an R&D agreement to optimize GE Healthcare’s Ficoll-Paque for the isolation of stem cells from umbilical cord blood.
This cell population contains stem cells with the potential to be used to treat more than 80 malignant, genetic and acquired diseases, such as leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia and immunodeficiency.
...Posted on December 4, 2005 09:54 PM | Comments (0)
Mesoblast and Cordis Corporation to Join Forces in Adult Stem Cell Heart Trial
Melbourne, Australia; 7 November 2005: Australian adult stem cell company, Mesoblast Limited (ASX:MSB), today announced that Cordis Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson company, will join forces in its upcoming adult stem cell Pilot Cardiac Clinical Trial through an agreement with Mesoblast’s American affiliated company, Angioblast Systems Inc.
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Posted on December 2, 2005 09:30 PM | Comments (0)
Bio-Matrix Scientific Sees Completion of New Stem Cell Cryogenic Labs in December
SAN DIEGO - Nov. 9, 2005 - Bio-Matrix Scientific Group Inc. (Pink Sheets:BMXP) announced today that it anticipates its Stem Cell Cryogenic Labs will be completed by December this year.
The Company believes it will see revenue from stem cell banking within the first quarter of 2006.
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Posted on December 1, 2005 09:41 PM | Comments (0)
Vitro Announces Advances in Its Stem Cell Technology
AURORA, CO - Nov 8, 2005 - Vitro Diagnostics, Inc. (OTCBB:VODG), dba Vitro Biopharma, announced completion of significant milestones in the development of its stem cell technology for use in diabetes treatment.
The Company had previously generated 29 adult human beta islet stem cell lines and filed for patent protection.
The new advances include a process to induce differentiation of functional beta cells from these stem cells that contain and release insulin in response to elevated glucose levels.
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Posted on December 1, 2005 09:36 PM | Comments (0)