Heart damage improves, reverses after stem cell injections in a preliminary human trial – Researchers have shown for the first time that stem cells injected into enlarged hearts reduced heart size, reduced scar tissue and improved function to injured heart areas, according to a small trial published in Circulation Research: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Stem cells take cues from cerebrospinal fluid in the brain – Proteins in fluids bathing the brain are essential for building the brain, revealed by researchers in the journal Neuron. The finding promises to advance research related to neurological disease, cancer and stem cells.
Scripps Research scientists convert skin cells to beating heart cells — Breakthrough discovery offers hope for new therapies for range of diseases – Adult skin cells are converted into beating heart cells efficiently without generating embryonic-like stem cells, revealed by researchers.
MicroRNA suppresses prostate cancer stem cells and metastasis — UT MD Anderson preclinical research boosts case for new drug approach – A small slice of RNA inhibits prostate cancer metastasis by suppressing a surface protein commonly found on prostate cancer stem cells, revealed by researchers.
Advanced Cell Technology Receives FDA Clearance For the First Clinical Trial Using Embryonic Stem Cells to Treat Macular Degeneration — FDA Lifts Clinical Hold; Company to Commence a Phase I/II Clinical Trial at Multiple Centers – Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (“ACT”; OTCBB:ACTC) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared the Company’s Investigational New Drug (IND) application to immediately initiate a Phase I/II multicenter clinical trial using retinal cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to treat patients with Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy (SMD), one of the most common forms of juvenile macular degeneration in the world.
Physical fitness curbs frequency and severity of colds — Upper respiratory tract infection is reduced in physically fit and active adults – People who are physically fit and active have fewer and milder colds, indicates research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Geron Initiates Clinical Trial of Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Based Therapy — First Patient Treated at Shepherd Center in Atlanta – Geron Corporation (Nasdaq: GERN) announced the enrollment of the first patient in the company’s clinical trial of human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, GRNOPC1.
Stem cells shape up to their surroundings – Many scientists aspire to take control over the stem cell differentiation process, so that we can grow organs and implants perfectly matched to each patient in the future.
US can continue stem cell research – An appeals court in US allowed the government to resume funding human embryonic stem cell research while the court reviews whether it violates a ban by Congress on spending taxpayer money for experiments.
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) supports NIH stem cell research – The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the world’s oldest and largest cancer research organization, reiterates its support for the responsible conduct of human embryonic stem cell research that, up until this week, was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and expresses concern that the recent Federal District Court injunction to block federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research is a setback for scientific discovery.
