Stem Cells
> Nearly 5 years after an article first described induced pluripotent stem cells, many obstacles remain toward the use of adult stem cells in the clinic. Paul S. Knoepfler, of the University of California, Davis, has a roadmap "Inducing iPSCs to escape the dish." Article
> Kidney cells could be reprogrammed to act like any other kind of kidney cell, raising hopes for new treatments and cure for kidney disease. Report
> Japanese researchers have produced viable sperm from mice stem cells, in a breakthrough that could lead to treatments for infertile men. Story
Cancer Research
> Op-Ed: "With the nation focused on federal spending in Washington, one area that more than pays for itself is funding for cancer research." More here
> New Canadian cancer research institute hopes to halve the time it takes to turn lab breakthroughs into patient-ready therapies. Article
> Smokers who light their first cigarette early in the morning are more likely to get cancer, researchers say. Item
Genetics
> Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center find that "de novo," or new mutations--those not present in the parents--play some role in about half of all "sporadic" cases of schizophrenia. Release
> Michigan State University scholar: Find a better way to introduce genetics to middle-schoolers. Release
And Finally... Some evidence that the building blocks of life here began "out there." More here