Category Archives: Cell Medicine

Scientists from The University of Manchester have identified an important trigger that dictates how cells change their identity and gain specialized functions.

And the research, published in Cell Reports, has brought them a step closer to being able to decode the genome.

The scientists have found out how embryonic stem cell fate is controlled which will lead to future research into how cells can be artificially manipulated.

Lead author Andrew Sharrocks, Professor in Molecular Biology at The University of Manchester, said: "Understanding how to manipulate cells is crucial in the field of regenerative medicine which aims to repair or replace damaged or diseased human cells or tissues to restore normal function."

During the research the team focused on the part of the cellular genome that gives a gene its expression known as the 'enhancer'. This controls the conversion of DNA from genes into useful information that provides the building blocks that determine the structure and function of our cells.

Different enhancers are active in different cell types, allowing the production of distinct gene products and hence a range of alternative cell types. In the current study, the team have determined how these enhancers become active.

Professor Sharrocks said: "All of us develop into complex human beings containing millions of cells from a single cell created by fertilization of an egg. To transit from this single cell state, cells must divide and eventually change their identity and gain specialised functions. For example we need specific types of cells to populate our brains, and our recent work has uncovered the early steps in the creation of these types of cells.

"One of the most exciting areas of regenerative medicine is the newly acquired ability to be able to manipulate cell fate and derive new cells to replace those which might be damaged or lost, either through old age or injury. To do this, we need to use molecular techniques to manipulate stem cells which have the potential to turn into any cell in our bodies."

But one of the current drawbacks in the field of regenerative medicine is that the approaches are relatively inefficient, partly because scientists do not fully understand the basic principles which control cell fate determination.

"We believe that our research will help to make regenerative medicine more effective and reliable because we'll be able to gain control and manipulate cells -- thus our understanding of the regulatory events within a cell shed light on how to decode the genome," concluded Professor Sharrocks.

See the original post:
Scientists find trigger to decode the genome

Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise San Antonio, June 10, 2014 Texas Biomedical Research Institute has recruited two new research scientists to its Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC) who will focus on regenerative medicine, working with animal models to develop human stem cell therapies for medical conditions such as Parkinsons disease, degenerative diseases of the eye and muscular dystrophy.

Tiziano Barberi, PhD and Marcel M. Daadi, PhD join Texas Biomed as Associate Scientists in the SNPRC. Barberi comes from the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia and Daadi arrives from Palo Alto, CA where he was part of the Consulting Faculty of Stanford Universitys Department of Neurosurgery. He is also President and Chief Scientific Officer of NeoNeuron LLC.

Dr. Barberi and Dr. Daadi are significant additions to our regenerative medicine research program, Texas Biomed President and CEO Kenneth P. Trevett said. Both have focused on stem cell research, have published significant research results in peer review journals and received recognition for their leading roles within research teams and at institutions. Regenerative medicine is a major focus for Texas Biomed, where we have new facilities and financial resources dedicated for that purpose, he said. We also look to expand our work with other institutions and groups in San Antonio to promote progress in this field. Dr. Barberi and Dr. Daadi both have strong backgrounds in developing collaborative efforts, and we look forward to the contributions they will make in this important research arena.

Barberi, a native of Italy, had been one of 15 Chief Investigators of the Stem Cells Australia Consortium for stem cell research and Group Leader for the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute. With a laboratory research focus on the directed differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hESC and iPSC) into specific developmental fates, his research aims are to provide tools for human development studies, in vitro disease modeling and a cell therapeutics approach to disease. He described in a seminal work a method to obtain all the clinically relevant neuronal subtypes from mESC, and was the first to have directed differentiation of hESC into mesenchymal precursors and into the progenitor cells forming the skeletal muscle system.

Prior to his work in Australia, Barberi was head of the Laboratory of Stem Cells and Development at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope in Duarte, CA. During the time spent at City of Hope, Barberi was awarded the prestigious New Faculty Award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). He is an invited reviewer for a number of stem cell-related research journals and is a grant reviewer/assessor for research programs in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the European Union.

Daadi has unique academia and industry experiences bridging basic and translational research. He comes to Texas Biomed from the San Francisco bay area where he founded a biotechnology company, NeoNeuron, focused on developing therapies for treating neurological disorders. He served as Director of Stem Cell Research, CIRM Disease Team Stroke Neural Transplant Program at Stanford University School of Medicine and Director of the Parkinson's Disease Program at the Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute, Layton Biosciences Inc and NeuroSpheres LLC.

At Stanford University, Daadi developed a novel technology to purify homogenous populations of neural stem cells from human pluripotent stem cells and coax them to specific types of neurons that can be used for brain repair. His research is paving the way for clinical trials to treat patients with devastating neurological disorders, such as Parkinsons disease, stroke and traumatic brain injury. He seeks to expand on the capabilities of the SNPRC and to build new collaborative programs and projects in stem cell research with colleagues at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Daadi serves as editor and reviewer for many peer review journals. He is a permanent member on the National Institutes of Health Grant Review Committee, The Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund and serves on many other national and international Grant Review Committees.

See the article here:
Texas Biomed Regenerative Medicine Program Expands With Two New Research Scientists

JUNE 5, 2014

BY ERIN DIGITALE

Maria Grazia Roncarolo

Maria Grazia Roncarolo, MD, a stem cell and gene therapy expert and former scientific director of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, Italy, is joining the Stanford University School of Medicine as a professor of pediatrics.

Roncarolo has been recruited to lead the schools efforts to translate basic scientific discoveries in the field of regenerative medicine into novel patient therapies, including treatments based on stem cells and gene therapy. My biggest goal is to build an infrastructure and assemble a team of world-class physician-scientists who can take full advantage of the tremendous discovery and knowledge generated at Stanford in order to transfer those into the clinic, she said.

Roncarolo begins June 15 as chief of the newly created Division of Pediatric Translational and Regenerative Medicine within the Department of Pediatrics, and as a pediatric immunologist at Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital Stanford. She will also co-direct Stanfords Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine.

Dr. Roncarolo is a world leader in stem cell and gene therapies, said Hugh OBrodovich, MD, professor and chair of pediatrics, and director of the Child Health Research Institute at Stanford. Under her direction, the San Raffaele Scientific Institute has been seminal in showing that these therapies can actually work. Being able to bring her here to Stanford to translate our discoveries into therapies for patients at one of the best childrens hospitals is a perfect match. OBrodovich is also the Adalyn Jay Physician-in-Chief at Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital Stanford.

Stanford is the only institution in the world that has the antibodies required to purify human blood-forming stem cells, giving it a unique advantage in the quest to develop stem-cell-based medical treatments. Roncarolo, meanwhile, has brought many basic-science discoveries in this field to patients. She holds eight patents and has six pending for methods used in cell and gene therapies. She has published more than 280 scientific papers and 22 book chapters. Her publications have been cited more than 19,000 times.

No single person has done as much as she in this field, or as successfully, said Irving Weissman, MD, professor of pathology and of developmental biology, and director of Stanfords Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine. Roncarolo will join Michael Longaker, MD, professor of surgery, as a co-director of the institute.

We are very excited that Maria Grazia is joining our faculty, said Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the School of Medicine. She is an outstanding basic scientist and translational researcher, and a highly knowledgeable institutional leader. She will be a tremendous asset to our team.

Read the rest here:
Leading stem-cell expert to join Stanford Medicine faculty ...

MIAMI (PRWEB) June 04, 2014

GlobalStemCellsGroup.com, its subsidiary Stem Cell Training, Inc. and Bioheart, Inc. have announced a new 16 CME online credit course for physicians. Working at their own pace from the privacy of home or office, physicians can learn how to implement regenerative medicine techniques in their own practices.

Taught by stem cell and regenerative medicine expert Kristin Comella, the online course provides didactic lectures on regenerative medicine and scientifically validated protocols. Lecture topics include:

Included in the online coursework are training videos, training booklets, detailed protocols and power point presentations with instructions and images for:

Medical professionals can also choose to combine the online coursework with one-on-one training with a regenerative medicine specialist.

For more information, visit the Global Stem Cells website,, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

About the Global Stem Cells Group:

Global Stem Cells Group, Inc. is the parent company of six wholly owned operating companies dedicated entirely to stem cell research, training, products and solutions. Founded in 2012, the company combines dedicated researchers, physician and patient educators and solution providers with the shared goal of meeting the growing worldwide need for leading edge stem cell treatments and solutions.

With a singular focus on this exciting new area of medical research, Global Stem Cells Group and its subsidiaries are uniquely positioned to become global leaders in cellular medicine.

Global Stem Cells Groups corporate mission is to make the promise of stem cell medicine a reality for patients around the world. With each of GSCGs six operating companies focused on a separate research-based mission, the result is a global network of state-of-the-art stem cell treatments.

Read the rest here:
Global Stem Cells Group Announces Accredited Online Stem Cell Training Course

Miami (PRWEB) May 30, 2014

GlobalStemCellsGroup.com will host the First International Symposium on Stem Cell Research in Buenos Aires, Argentina Oct. 2, 3 and 4. The symposium will provide an opportunity to showcase advancements in stem cell research and therapies on a global level and establish a dialogue among the worlds leading stem cell experts. Pioneers and luminaries in stem cell medicine will be featured speakers as well as accomplished guests prepared to share their knowledge and experience in their individual medical specialties.

Regenerative medicine as a field is still in its infancy, and Global Stem Cells Group President and CEO Benito Novas believes it is time to clear up old misconceptions and change outdated attitudes by educating people on the wide range of illnesses and injuries stem cell therapies are already treating and curing. The first step, Novas says, is establishing a dialogue between researchers and practitioners in order to move stem cell therapies from the lab to the physicians office.

Our objective is to open a dialogue among the worlds medical and scientific communities in order to advance stem cell technologies and translate them into point-of-care medical practices, Novas says. Our mission is to bring the benefits of stem cell therapies to the physicians office for the benefit and convenience of the patient, safely and in full compliance with the highest standard of care the world has to offer.

An interdisciplinary team of leading international stem cell experts will provide a full day of high-level scientific lectures aimed at medical professionals.

Among the growing list of speakers are some of the worlds most prominent authorities on stem cell medicine including:

The objective of Global Stem Cell Groups international symposium is to educate the public and the medical community, and at the same time establish a dialog between physicians, scientists, biotech companies and regulatory agencies in order to advance stem cell technologies so they can be used to benefit people who need them.

Global Stem Cells Group is also joining forces with some of the most prestigious regenerative medicine conferences in South America including:

Stem cell therapies are revolutionizing the anti-aging aesthetics industry while offering new hope for sufferers of serious chronic debilitating diseases

For more information on the Global Stem Cell Group First International Symposium on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine and the events lineup of speakers, visit the Global Stem Cells Symposium website, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

The rest is here:
Global Stem Cells Group to Host the First International Symposium on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine in Buenos ...

Miami, FL (PRWEB) May 31, 2014

Global Stem Cells Group, its subsidiary Stem Cell Training, Inc. and Bioheart, Inc. have announced plans to conduct a two-day, hands-on intensive stem cell training course at the Servet CordnVida Clinic Sept. 27 and 28 in Santiago, Chile. The Adipose Derived Harvesting, Isolation and Re-integration Training Course, will follow the Global Stem Cells Group First International Symposium on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine at the Santiago InterContinental Hotel Sept. 26, 2014.

Global Stem Cells Group and the Servet CordnVida Stem Cell Bank Clinic of Chile are co-organizing the symposium, designed to initiate a dialogue between researchers and practitioners and share the expertise of some of the worlds leading experts on stem cell research and therapies.

Servet CordnVida is a private umbilical cord blood bank that harvests and stores the hematopoietic-rich blood stem cells found in all newborns umbilical cords after birth. The hematopoietic tissue is responsible for the renewal of all components of the blood (hematopoiesis) and has the ability to regenerate bone marrow and restore depressed immune systems.

Umbilical (UCB) stem cells offer a wealth of therapeutic potential because they are up to 10 times more concentrated than bone marrow stem cells. In addition, UCB cells have a generous proliferative capacity with therapeutic potential that is very similar to embryonic stem cells, without the ethical debate associated with embryonic stem cell research and use.

UCB cells are the purest adult stem cells available, coming from newborns who have not been exposed to disease or external damage. Many parents today are utilizing cord banks like Servet CordnVida to store their newborns UCB cells safely for future medicinal use if the need arises.

Global Stem Cells Group and Servet CordnVida represent a growing global community of committed stem cell researchers, practitioners and investors whose enthusiasm is a direct result of the hundreds of diseases and injuries that stem cell therapies are curing every day. Global Stem Cell Groups First International Symposium on Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine will host experts from the U.S., Mexico, Greece, Hong Kong and other regions around the globe who will speak on the future of regenerative medicine and share experiences in their field of specialty. The Global Stem Cells Group is hoping the symposium will open lines of communication and cooperation, explore new and exciting techniques in stem cell therapies, and create an environment of education and learning.

For more information on the symposium and the lineup of guests and speakers already confirmed, visit the First International Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine website, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

To learn more Global Stem Cells Group, visit http://www.stemcellsgroup.com, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com, or call 305-224-1858.

About Global Stem Cells Group:

Original post:
Global Stem Cells Group to Hold Intensive, Two-day Training Course on Stem Cell Harvesting, Isolation and Re ...

Miami (PRWEB) May 31, 2014

Global Stem Cells Group and the Servet CordnVida Stem Cell Bank Clinic of Chile will be teaming up to organize the First International Symposium on Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine in Santiago, Chile Sept. 26, 27 and 28. The three-day symposium will be followed by an intensive hands-on training course at the Servet Clinic for medical practitioners interested in learning techniques for harvesting stem cells for in-office medical therapies.

Symposium organizers plan to initiate a dialogue between researchers and practitioners to bridge the gap between bench scienceresearch science that is exclusively conducted in a lab settingand stem cell therapies delivered in the physicians office.

The first-of-its-kind conference will host some of the worlds leading experts on stem cell research and therapies. Servet CordnVida General Manager Mauricio Cortes, Ph.D. says that Santiago is the perfect launching pad for the event, as awareness and increasing demand for stem cell services has swept the South American countrys healthcare market over the past decade.

The use of human stem cells in medical therapies has attracted major scientific and public attention because stem cells are pluripotent, meaning they have the ability to differentiate into all body tissues, Cortes says. Knowing this, the possibilities for regenerating damaged or diseased tissue where no effective treatments existed before opens a new world of possibilities to patients and healthcare providers.

Were very excited to participate in this important conference.

Servet CordnVida is a private umbilical cord blood bank that harvests and stores the hematopoietic-rich blood stem cells found in all newborns umbilical cords after birth. The hematopoietic tissue is responsible for the renewal of all components of the blood (hematopoiesis) and has the ability to regenerate bone marrow and restore depressed immune systems.

Umbilical (UCB) stem cells offer a wealth of therapeutic potential because they are up to 10 times more concentrated than bone marrow stem cells. In addition, UCB cells have a generous proliferative capacity with therapeutic potential that is very similar to embryonic stem cells, without the ethical debate associated with embryonic stem cell research and use.

Perhaps most significant is the fact that UCB cells are the purest adult stem cells available, coming from newborns who have not been exposed to disease or external damage. Many parents today are utilizing cord banks like Servet CordnVida to store their newborns UCB cells safely for future medicinal use if the need arises.

Thanks to advances in stem cell science, we can preserve an infants stem cells at birth and store them safely for his or her future, says CordnVida Director Javier Sez. Hopefully, this symposium will be the first of many like it in the future of regenerative medicine, because the more we discuss what we know about the power of stem cells to heal, the closer we get to sparing our patients from needless suffering when the cure is right before us.

See original here:
Global Stem Cells Group Teams With CordnVida Servet Stem Cell Bank and Clinic to Organize the First International ...

The gap between stem cell research and regenerative medicine just became a lot narrower, thanks to a new technique that coaxes stem cells, with potential to become any tissue type, to take the first step to specialization. It is the first time this critical step has been demonstrated in a laboratory.

University of Illinois researchers, in collaboration with scientists at Notre Dame University and the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, published their results in the journal Nature Communications.

"Everybody knows that for an embryo to form, somehow a single cell has a way to self-organize into multiple cells, but the in vivo microenvironment is not well understood," said study leader Ning Wang, a professor of mechanical science and engineering at the U. of I. "We want to know how they develop into organized structures and organs. It doesn't happen by random chance. There are biological rules that we don't yet understand."

During fetal development, all the specialized tissues and organs of the body form out of a small ball of stem cells. First, the ball of generalized cells separates into three different cell lines, called germ layers, which will become different systems of the body. This crucial first step has eluded researchers in the lab. No one has yet been able to induce the cells to form the three distinct germ layers, in the correct order -- endoderm on the inside, mesoderm in the middle and ectoderm on the outside. This represents a major hurdle in the application of stem cells to regenerative medicine, since researchers need to understand how tissues develop before they can reliably recreate the process.

"It's very hard to generate tissues or organs, and the reason is that we don't know how they form in vivo," Wang said. "The problem, fundamentally, is that the biological process is not clear. What is the biological environment that controls this, so they can become more organized and specialized?"

Wang's team demonstrated that not only is it possible for mouse embryonic stem cells to form three distinct germ layers in the lab, but also that achieving the separation requires a careful combination of correct timing, chemical factors and mechanical environment. The team uses cell lines that fluoresce in different colors when they become part of a germ layer, which allows the researchers to monitor the process dynamically.

The researchers deposited the stem cells in a very soft gel matrix, attempting to recreate the properties of the womb. They found that several mechanical forces played a role in how the cells organized and differentiated -- the stiffness of the gel, the forces each cell exerts on its neighbors, and the matrix of proteins that the cells themselves deposit as a scaffolding to give the developing embryo structure.

By adjusting the mechanical environment, the researchers were able to observe how the forces affected the developing cells, and found the particular combination that yielded the three germ layers. They also found that they could direct layer development by changing the mechanics, even creating an environment that caused the layers to form in reverse order.

Now, Wang's group is working to improve their technique for greater efficiency. He hopes that other researchers will be able to use the technique to bridge the gap between stem cells and tissue engineering.

"It's the first time we've had the correct three-germ-layer organization in mammalian cells," Wang said. "The potential is huge. Now we can push it even further and generate specific organs and tissues. It opens the door for regenerative medicine."

Read the original here:
Researchers see stem cells take key step toward development: A first

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

30-May-2014

Contact: Liz Ahlberg eahlberg@illinois.edu 217-244-1073 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The gap between stem cell research and regenerative medicine just became a lot narrower, thanks to a new technique that coaxes stem cells, with potential to become any tissue type, to take the first step to specialization. It is the first time this critical step has been demonstrated in a laboratory.

University of Illinois researchers, in collaboration with scientists at Notre Dame University and the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China, published their results in the journal Nature Communications.

"Everybody knows that for an embryo to form, somehow a single cell has a way to self-organize into multiple cells, but the in vivo microenvironment is not well understood," said study leader Ning Wang, a professor of mechanical science and engineering at the U. of I. "We want to know how they develop into organized structures and organs. It doesn't happen by random chance. There are biological rules that we don't yet understand."

During fetal development, all the specialized tissues and organs of the body form out of a small ball of stem cells. First, the ball of generalized cells separates into three different cell lines, called germ layers, which will become different systems of the body. This crucial first step has eluded researchers in the lab. No one has yet been able to induce the cells to form the three distinct germ layers, in the correct order endoderm on the inside, mesoderm in the middle and ectoderm on the outside. This represents a major hurdle in the application of stem cells to regenerative medicine, since researchers need to understand how tissues develop before they can reliably recreate the process.

"It's very hard to generate tissues or organs, and the reason is that we don't know how they form in vivo," Wang said. "The problem, fundamentally, is that the biological process is not clear. What is the biological environment that controls this, so they can become more organized and specialized?"

Wang's team demonstrated that not only is it possible for mouse embryonic stem cells to form three distinct germ layers in the lab, but also that achieving the separation requires a careful combination of correct timing, chemical factors and mechanical environment. The team uses cell lines that fluoresce in different colors when they become part of a germ layer, which allows the researchers to monitor the process dynamically.

The researchers deposited the stem cells in a very soft gel matrix, attempting to recreate the properties of the womb. They found that several mechanical forces played a role in how the cells organized and differentiated the stiffness of the gel, the forces each cell exerts on its neighbors, and the matrix of proteins that the cells themselves deposit as a scaffolding to give the developing embryo structure.

Read more from the original source:
For the first time in the lab, researchers see stem cells take key step toward development

By Joel Ceausu, May 28th, 2014

An East End Montreal hospital is home to a new national network on regenerative medicine and cell therapy research. CellCAN will be based at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital and directed by renowned cell therapy researcher Dr. Denis Claude Roy. The objective is to unite efforts of researchers, clinicians, funders, industry, charities, government members, patient representatives and the public. Specifically, CellCAN will promote exchanges, cooperation, partnership development and innovation in regenerative medicine and cell therapy, explained Roy. As the hub of a network of cell therapy centers and labs in Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City, Edmonton, and Vancouver, CellCAN will propel Canadian stem cell research and clinical development forward thanks to a $3 million grant over four years. Discoveries in stem cell research make their way to clinical trials bringing researchers closer to new treatments for patients with cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and ocular diseases, neurological and blood disorders and other health issues. Regenerative cell therapies have almost unlimited possibilities, said Roy, director of the cellular therapy laboratory at Maisonneuve-Rosemonts research centre. This will transform the nature of medicine and have significant impact on our health care systems. The Universit de Montral-affiliated hospital in Rosemont is an internationally recognized leader in hematology-oncology, stem cell transplants, ophthalmology, nephrology and kidney transplants. The funds come from the federally financed Networks of Centres of Excellence, Maisonneuve-Rosemont Foundation, Ronald and Herbert Black, and various organizations across Canada.n

Click here to see the full newspaper. Updated on May 28, 2014

Originally posted here:
East End home for cell network