Blood cells turned into iPS stem cells; Gene directs all brain, CNS cell development;

Stem Cell Research

Three groups of researchers have been able to transform blood cells into embryonic-like stem cells, which should help advance the research being done on induced pluripotent stem cells. Story

Genetics

A single gene guides the development of all cells in the brain and central nervous system, according to a team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, highlighting a research arena that could lead to new therapies to treat disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Story

After probing the genes of 801 people who have lived past the age of 100, scientists say they have assembled a few more pieces to the complex puzzle that explains the causes of longevity. "It shows that genetics plays an extremely important role at these extreme ages. And it begins to be a not-unsolvable puzzle," says Boston University gerontologist Thomas Perls. "If we start looking at these genes and what they do, we better understand the biology of extreme longevity." Article

U.K. researchers have linked a genetic mutation to the development of blood disorders, illustrating a new target for drug developers. Report

Researchers announced that a genetic mutation already linked to breast cancer in women also spurs tumor development in men. Report

TGen and Glendale's Thunderbird School of Global Management are raising funds to help launch the International Bioscience Commercialization Consortium, which will concentrate on genomics and the life sciences. Article

Cancer Research

Researchers say they have developed the first model of hormone-induced human prostate cancer initiation and progression. Release

A new study highlights how inhibiting the CHEK1 protein could help treat women suffering from ovarian cancer. Story

Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and their colleagues have identified cancer stem cells in a model of the most common form of human lung cancer and, more significantly, have found that the cancer stem cells may vary from tumor to tumor, depending upon the tumor's genetic signature. Release