Stem Cell Research
Scientists will be able to grow human eggs and sperm from stem cells in five to 15 years, offering a radical new method for treating infertility. Report
New research at Cardiff University identifies a type of stem cell that can be used to create therapeutic quantities of chondrocytes in large enough quantities to treat osteoarthritis. Report
German lawmakers have loosened restrictions on embryonic stem cell research in the country, expanding the stem cells that can be imported for research purposes. Story
Cell Targeting says it plans to use part of a new $1 million investment from Toucan Capital to hire a CEO and commercialize its technology, which places peptides on the surface of stem cells to get them to dock on specific tissue types. Report
New insights into the ways stem cells differentiate into heart muscle tissue could help shed new light on ways to repair the damage from heart attacks. Story
The MS Scientific Research Foundation has been funding a stem cell trial aimed at curing people of MS. A massive dose of chemotherapy is used to destroy the body's immune system, and patients are then given stem cell transplants to rebuild a new immune system. Article
Cryo-Cell International today announced results of a study published this month in Cell Transplantation showing that stem cells found in menstrual blood proliferate rapidly and have significant potential to develop into multiple cell types. Release
The Health Ministry in South Korea will wait until August to decide on disgraced cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk's request to resume human stem cell research. Hwang Woo-suk is on trial on fraud and embezzlement charges. Report
Genetics
Higher levels of the ODC1 gene has been linked with poorer outcomes in neuroblastoma, a common and often lethal cancer in young children. Release
A new study identifies a gene linked to inherited iron deficiency, opening the way to a new method for treating people with the ailment. Report
Advances in genotyping chip technology are responsible for the swift advance of gene discovery work. Article
Seven common DNA variations increase a person's chances of developing psoriasis. Report
The muscle weakness experienced by some autistic children may be due to a genetic defect. Report
Cancer Research
The Musashi1 (Msi1) gene may prove a key target in breast cancer. A team at Georgetown University Medical Center say that the gene can open two cancer pathways in mammary cells. Report
Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia are inching closer to understanding how common blood pressure medications might help prevent the spread of pancreatic cancer. Release
Michael Wong at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute has shed light on the reason low-molecular-weight heparins block the formation of new blood vessels and prevent tumor growth. Release
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Abramson Cancer Center reported today at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research that combining two targeted therapies overcomes treatment resistance in liver cancer cell lines. Release
And Finally... A small group of scientists say they are no longer willing to accept any money from drug or device manufacturers. Article