Category Archives: Cell Medicine

Duke University Health SystemDr. Victor J. Dzau, the current president and CEO of Duke University Health System

Dr. Victor J. Dzau, the current president and CEO of Duke University Health System and chancellor for health affairs at Duke University, has been appointed to a six-year term as the next president of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), effective July 1, 2014. Dr. Dzau will take over the lead role from Dr. Harvey Fineberg, who served in the position for twelve years.

Dr. Dzau began his career in medicine as a cardiologist, having previously taught at Harvard Medical School and served as chair of the department of medicine. He also worked at Brigham and Womens Hospital as the director of research. His ongoing award-winning research has been key in the development of cardiovascular drugs, as well as techniques to repair tissue damage from heart attacks and heart disease using stem cell therapies.

Dr. Eugene Braunwald, often called the father of modern cardiology and a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, has known Dr. Dzau for more than 40 years and worked with him at many different stages of his career at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Partners Healthcare. In an interview Wednesday he called the upcoming IOM president a force of nature.

He is what I would call a talented, quadruple threat. A great physician, inspiring teacher, and a very creative scientist, said Dr. Braunwald, who trained Dzau when he was a resident at Brigham and Womens and continued to work with him on cardiovascular research when Dr. Dzau became chief resident, and then faculty at Harvard Medical School. The quadruple threat is that he also sees the larger picture. Hes interested in areas of medicine that most academic physicians have stayed away from. His work and ideas in global and community-based medicine have left an important heritage at each institution where hes worked.

After nearly a decade at Duke, Dr. Dzaus leadership has been credited with the launch of a number of innovative and global-focused medical institutions, including the Duke-National University of Signapore Graduate Medical School, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke Institute for Health Innovation, Duke Cancer Institute, as well as the Duke Translational Medicine Institute.

Im deeply honored to become the next president of the IOM and recognize the critically important role that the IOM will have in improving the health of the nation at a time of extraordinary evolution in biomedical research and health care delivery, Dzau said in a press release from Duke University Health System. The explosion of new data resources, novel technologies and breathtaking research advances make this the most promising time in history for driving innovations that will improve health care delivery, outcomes and quality.

As the health sciences extension of the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Medicine is known for its leadership in advancing health sciences and objective medical research nationally as a nonprofit academic research organization. The outgoing IOM president, Dr. Harvey Fineberg (previously Dean of the Harvard School of Public Health) has lead the nonprofit for twelve years. His focus and research have centered around public health policy and an improvement in informed medical decision making.

This leaves the medical community wondering what Dr. Dzau will bring to the Institute.

As a former chairman of the Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC), Dr. Dzau advocated for the innovative transition of academic medical and health centers into institutions that can survive the rapid transitions in the health care industry. In a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Dzau discusses the uncertain future of academic medical centers. He argues that industry pressures and cost restraints from the Affordable Care Act limit the research and education-based missions of teaching hospitals.

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Duke Health System CEO appointed to head Institute of Medicine

ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BioTime, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BTX), a biotechnology company that develops and markets products in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced that Chief Executive Officer Michael D. West, PhD will present at the 9th Annual Stem Cell Summit in New York. Dr. West will speak in the session Disrupting the Pharma Model with Allogeneic Stem Cell Therapies on February 18, 2014, starting at 9:05 a.m. EST.

Dr. West will discuss the potential comparative advantages of treating disease with BioTime's PureStem-based therapeutics compared to traditional small molecule pharmaceuticals and BioTime's product development strategy. The presentation will be made available on BioTime's website at http://www.biotimeinc.com.

About BioTime, Inc.

BioTime is a biotechnology company engaged in research and product development in the field of regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine refers to therapies based on stem cell technology that are designed to rebuild cell and tissue function lost due to degenerative disease or injury. BioTimes focus is on pluripotent stem cell technology based on human embryonic stem (hES) cells and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. hES and iPS cells provide a means of manufacturing every cell type in the human body and therefore show considerable promise for the development of a number of new therapeutic products. BioTimes therapeutic and research products include a wide array of proprietary PureStem progenitors, HyStem hydrogels, culture media, and differentiation kits. BioTime is developing Renevia (a HyStem product) as a biocompatible, implantable hyaluronan and collagen-based matrix for cell delivery in human clinical applications. In addition, BioTime has developed Hextend, a blood plasma volume expander for use in surgery, emergency trauma treatment and other applications. Hextend is manufactured and distributed in the U.S. by Hospira, Inc. and in South Korea by CJ CheilJedang Corporation under exclusive licensing agreements.

BioTime is also developing stem cell and other products for research, therapeutic, and diagnostic use through its subsidiaries:

Asterias Biotherapeutics, Inc. is a new subsidiary which has acquired the stem cell assets of Geron Corporation, including patents and other intellectual property, biological materials, reagents and equipment for the development of new therapeutic products for regenerative medicine.

OncoCyte Corporation is developing products and technologies to diagnose and treat cancer.

Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd. (Cell Cure Neurosciences) is an Israel-based biotechnology company focused on developing stem cell-based therapies for retinal and neurological disorders, including the development of retinal pigment epithelial cells for the treatment of macular degeneration, and treatments for multiple sclerosis.

LifeMap Sciences, Inc. (LifeMap Sciences) markets, sells and distributes GeneCards, the leading human gene database, as part of an integrated database suite that also includes the LifeMap Discovery database of embryonic development, stem cell research and regenerative medicine, and MalaCards, the human disease database.

ES Cell International Pte Ltd., a Singapore private limited company, developed clinical and research grade hES cell lines and plans to market those cell lines and other BioTime research products in over-seas markets as part of BioTimes ESI BIO Division.

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BioTime CEO Dr. Michael West to Present at 9th Annual Stem Cell Summit

Washington, Feb. 17 : A new study on why skeletal muscle stem cells stop dividing and renewing muscle mass during aging points up a unique therapeutic opportunity for managing muscle-wasting conditions in humans.

According to Bradley Olwin from University of Colorado Boulder, the loss of skeletal muscle mass and function as we age can lead to sarcopenia, a debilitating muscle-wasting condition that generally hits the elderly hardest.

The new study indicates that altering two particular cell-signaling pathways independently in aged mice enhances muscle stem cell renewal and improves muscle regeneration.

One cell-signaling pathway the team identified, known as p38 MAPK, appears to be a major player in making or breaking the skeletal muscle stem cell, or satellite cell, renewal process in adult mice, Olwin said.

Hyperactivation of the p38 MAPK cell-signaling pathway inhibits the renewal of muscle stem cells in aged mice, perhaps because of cellular stress and inflammatory responses acquired during the aging process.

"We showed that the level of signaling from this cellular pathway is very important to the renewal of the satellite cells in adult mice, which was a very big surprise," Olwin said.

The results could lead to the use of low-dose inhibitors, perhaps anti-inflammatory compounds, to calm the activity in the p38 MAPK cell-signaling pathway in human muscle stem cells, the researcher said.

The study was published in the journal Nature Medicine.

--ANI (Posted on 17-02-2014)

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Cell-signaling pathway that plays key role in age-related muscle loss identified

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

16-Feb-2014

Contact: Krista Conger kristac@stanford.edu 650-725-5371 Stanford University Medical Center

STANFORD, Calif. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have pinpointed why normal aging is accompanied by a diminished ability to regain strength and mobility after muscle injury: Over time, stem cells within muscle tissues dedicated to repairing damage become less able to generate new muscle fibers and struggle to self-renew.

"In the past, it's been thought that muscle stem cells themselves don't change with age, and that any loss of function is primarily due to external factors in the cells' environment," said Helen Blau, PhD, the Donald and Delia B. Baxter Foundation Professor. "However, when we isolated stem cells from older mice, we found that they exhibit profound changes with age. In fact, two-thirds of the cells are dysfunctional when compared to those from younger mice, and the defect persists even when transplanted into young muscles."

Blau and her colleagues also identified for the first time a process by which the older muscle stem cell populations can be rejuvenated to function like younger cells. "Our findings identify a defect inherent to old muscle stem cells," she said. "Most exciting is that we also discovered a way to overcome the defect. As a result, we have a new therapeutic target that could one day be used to help elderly human patients repair muscle damage."

Blau, a professor of microbiology and immunology and director of Stanford's Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology, is the senior author of a paper describing the research, which will be published online Feb. 16 in Nature Medicine. Postdoctoral scholar Benjamin Cosgrove, PhD, and former postdoctoral scholar Penney Gilbert, PhD, now an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, are the lead authors.

The researchers found that many muscle stem cells isolated from mice that were 2 years old, equivalent to about 80 years of human life, exhibited elevated levels of activity in a biological cascade called the p38 MAP kinase pathway. This pathway impedes the proliferation of the stem cells and encourages them to instead become non-stem, muscle progenitor cells. As a result, although many of the old stem cells divide in a dish, the resulting colonies are very small and do not contain many stem cells.

Using a drug to block this p38 MAP kinase pathway in old stem cells (while also growing them on a specialized matrix called hydrogel) allowed them to divide rapidly in the laboratory and make a large number of potent new stem cells that can robustly repair muscle damage, Blau said.

"Aging is a stochastic but cumulative process," Cosgrove said. "We've now shown that muscle stem cells progressively lose their stem cell function during aging. This treatment does not turn the clock back on dysfunctional stem cells in the aged population. Rather, it stimulates stem cells from old muscle tissues that are still functional to begin dividing and self-renew."

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Researchers rejuvenate stem cell population from elderly mice, enabling muscle recovery

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

13-Feb-2014

Contact: Joseph Caputo joseph_caputo@harvard.edu 617-496-1491 Harvard University

Harvard stem cell scientists have a new theory for how stem cells decide whether to become liver or pancreatic cells during development. A cell's fate, the researchers found, is determined by the nearby presence of prostaglandin E2, a messenger molecule best known for its role in inflammation and pain. The discovery, published in the journal Developmental Cell, could potentially make liver and pancreas cells easier to generate both in the lab and for future cell therapies.

Wolfram Goessling, MD, PhD, and Trista North, PhD, both principal faculty members of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), identified a gradient of prostaglandin E2 in the region of zebrafish embryos where stem cells differentiate into the internal organs. Experiments conducted by postdoctoral fellow Sahar Nissim, MD, PhD, in the Goessling lab showed how liver-or-pancreas-fated stem cells have specific receptors on their membranes to detect the amount of prostaglandin E2 hormone present and coerce the cell into differentiating into a specific organ type.

"Cells that see more prostaglandin become liver and the cells that see less prostaglandin become pancreas," said Goessling, a Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "This is the first time that prostaglandin is being reported as a factor that can lead this fate switch and essentially instruct what kind of identity a cell is going to be."

The researchers next collaborated with the laboratory of HSCI Affiliated Faculty member Richard Maas, MD, PhD, Director of the Genetics Division at Brigham and Women's Hospital, to see whether prostaglandin E2 has a similar function in mammals. Richard Sherwood, PhD, a former graduate student of HSCI Co-director Doug Melton, was successfully able to instruct mouse stem cells to become either liver or pancreas cells by exposing them to different amounts of the hormone. Other experiments showed that prostaglandin E2 could also enhance liver growth and regeneration of liver cells.

Goessling and his research partner North, a Harvard Medical School Assistant Professor of Pathology at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, first became intrigued by prostaglandin E2 in 2005, as postdoctoral fellows in the lab of HSCI Executive Committee Chair Leonard Zon, MD. It caught their attention during a chemical screen exposing 2,500 known drugs to zebrafish embryos to find any that could amplify blood stem cell populations. Prostaglandin E2 was the most successful hit the first molecule discovered in any system to have such an effectand recently successfully completed Phase 1b clinical trials as a therapeutic to improve cord blood transplants.

"Prostaglandin might be a master regulator of cell growth in different organs," Goessling said. "It's used in cord blood, as we have shown, it works in the liver, and who knows what other organs might be affected by it."

With evidence of how prostaglandin E2 works in the liver, the researchers next want to calibrate how it can be used in the laboratory to instruct induced pluripotent stem cellsmature cells that have been reprogrammed into a stem-like stateto become liver or pancreas cells. The scientists predict that such a protocol could benefit patients who need liver cells for transplantation or who have had organ injury.

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Harvard scientists find cell fate switch that decides liver, or pancreas?

Instead of being shut out of a $40 million stem cell grant awarded to Stanford University, San Diego researchers will be major partners, say the scientists who lead the project.

Joseph Ecker of the Salk Institute and Michael Snyder of Stanford say that under an informal arrangement, they will jointly allocate money granted from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine for a new center on stem cell genomics. CIRM is responsible for distributing $3 billion in state bond money to turn stem cell research into disease treatments.

Joseph Ecker, a Salk Institute researcher and co-principal investigator of the new center for stem cell genomics created with a $40 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. / Salk Institute

Genomics, the study of the complete set of genes and DNA in an organism, is necessary to help understand how stem cells function. Stem cells contain virtually the same genes as adult cells but differ in which genes are turned on and off. The signals that cause stem cells to differentiate are not well understood.

By analyzing the genomes of stem cells, researchers expect to better understand how stem cells can produce more stem cells, and which genes are involved in directing stem cells down the path to becoming adult cells of interest, such as islet cells that make insulin, bone or retinal cells.

Last months decision had been characterized as a big win for Stanford, because the university had been awarded the grant over competing applications, including one from The Scripps Research Institute and San Diego DNA sequencing giant Illumina.

Ecker and Snyder said that belief is a misunderstanding, because their proposal is a cooperative venture involving extensive participation from San Diego biomedical scientists.

Michael Snyder, a Stanford University researcher and co-principal investigator of the new center for stem cell genomics created with a $40 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. / Stanford University

The leadership issue is confusing, because CIRM requires a single institute to be listed as the lead on funding proposals, even if the institutions are sharing leadership, Ecker said by email. In fact, Mike Snyder and I, by proxy Stanford and Salk, are equal partners. Responsibility for administration of the center will fall equally to Stanford and Salk researchers, as well as strategic steering and decision-making on what projects to pursue.

Besides Salk and Stanford, partners are UC San Diego, the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, the J. Craig Venter Institute, The Scripps Research Institute and UC Santa Cruz. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute also plays a role.

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Salk, Stanford equal partners in stem cell genomics program

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Newswise Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that a well-known protein has a new function: It acts in a biological circuit to determine whether an immature neural cell remains in a stem-like state or proceeds to become a functional neuron.

The findings, published in the February 13 online issue of Cell Reports, more fully illuminate a fundamental but still poorly understood cellular act and may have significant implications for future development of new therapies for specific neurological disorders, including autism and schizophrenia.

Postdoctoral fellow Chih-Hong Lou, working with principal investigator Miles F. Wilkinson, PhD, professor in the Department of Reproductive Medicine and a member of the UC San Diego Institute for Genomic Medicine, and other colleagues, discovered that this critical biological decision is controlled by UPF1, a protein essential for the nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD) pathway.

NMD was previously established to have two broad roles. First, it is a quality control mechanism used by cells to eliminate faulty messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules that help transcribe genetic information into the construction of proteins essential to life. Second, it degrades a specific group of normal mRNAs. The latter function of NMD has been hypothesized to be physiologically important, but until now it had not been clear whether this is the case.

Wilkinson and colleagues discovered that in concert with a special class of RNAs called microRNA, UPF1 acts as a molecular switch to determine when immature (non-functional) neural cells differentiate into non-dividing (functional) neurons. Specifically, UPF1 triggers the decay of a particular mRNA that encodes for a protein in the TGF- signaling pathway that promotes neural differentiation. By degrading that mRNA, the encoded protein fails to be produced and neural differentiation is prevented. Thus, Lou and colleagues identified for the first time a molecular circuit in which NMD acts to drive a normal biological response.

NMD also promotes the decay of mRNAs encoding proliferation inhibitors, which Wilkinson said may explain why NMD stimulates the proliferative state characteristic of stem cells.

There are many potential clinical ramifications for these findings, Wilkinson said. One is that by promoting the stem-like state, NMD may be useful for reprogramming differentiated cells into stem cells more efficiently.

Another implication follows from the finding that NMD is vital to the normal development of the brain in diverse species, including humans. Humans with deficiencies in NMD have intellectual disability and often also have schizophrenia and autism. Therapies to enhance NMD in affected individuals could be useful in restoring the correct balance of stem cells and differentiated neurons and thereby help restore normal brain function.

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Protein Switch Dictates Cellular Fate: Stem Cell or Neuron

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Diabetes Week -- He is one of eight UC San Diego researchers to receive a combined total of $8.165 million in funding from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in a new round of Basic Biology awards announced Jan. 29. Metallo's share is $1.124 million over three years. The awards were made by CIRM's Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (see also Stem Cells).

Heart cells are unique in that they must expend a tremendous amount of energy in order for the heart to function properly, generating the mechanical forces necessary to pump blood through the body, Metallo said. Therefore, it is important that heart cells generated from stem cells in the lab eat the right foods. His research is focused on understanding cell metabolism - how cells convert carbohydrates, fat, and protein into fuel - and how disruptions in these processes contribute to diseases such as cancer, diabetes and obesity.

Metallo joined the Jacobs School of Engineering in 2011 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship on the metabolism of cancer cells at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research there changed our understanding of how cells convert carbohydrates and protein (amino acids) to fat, a process which was thought to have been settled science for more than 50 years. The study, which was published January 2012, in the journal Nature, means doctors could have new targets for therapeutic drugs designed to stop cancer cell growth. In recognition of this work, Metallo was named the Rita Schaffer Young Investigator in 2012, which is awarded each year by the Biomedical Engineering Society to stimulate the research career of a young bioengineer. Last year, he was one of 15 young investigators in the United States selected to be a 2013 Searle Scholar.

The eight CIRM Basic Biology Awards for UC San Diego faculty were:

Maike Sander, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, was awarded $1.161 million

Christian Metallo, Bioengineering, Jacobs School of Engineering, awarded $1,124 million

Cornelis Murre, Biological Sciences, awarded $1.161 million

Wei Wang, Chemistry and Biochemistry, awarded $1.161 million

David Cheresh, School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center, awarded $1.161 million

Miles Wilkinson, School of Medicine, Department of Reproductive Medicine, awarded $619,200

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Bioengineer studying stem cell diets to make better heart ...

ATMI - World Stem Cells Regenerative Medicine Congress 2013

We spoke with some of the sponsors at Europe's largest stem cells and regenerative medicine industry conference. This is a three day congress that stages a s...

We spoke with some of the sponsors at Europe's largest stem cells and regenerative medicine industry conference. This is a three day congress that stages a s...

Why should you attend? Watch the video to find out.

Geoff MacKay, Chair, Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM); President & CEO, Organogenesis Inc. The 2013 Stem Cell Meeting on the Mesa was a three-day conference, held October 14-16 in La Jolla, CA, and aimed at bringing together senior members of the regenerative medicine industry with the scientific research community to advance stem cell science into cures. The meeting featured a nationally recognized Scientific Symposium, attended by leading scientists and researchers, in conjunction with the industry's premier annual Regen Med Partnering Forum. Combined, these meetings attracted over 750 attendees from around the globe, fostering key partnerships through one-on-one meetings while also highlighting clinical and commercial progress in the field.

CIRM hosted its 2011 Grantee Meeting in San Francisco, bringing together the stem cell scientists and trainees that the institute is funding. This leading ed...

With age, cells accumulate stochastic and programmed changes to their DNA that can contribute to aging-associated cellular dysfunction, cancer or degenerative diseases. The impact of aging on endogenous adult stem cells or on induced pluripotent stem cells derived from adult tissues is poorly understood. This panel will address how genome changes brought on by age may impact stem cell function and genome stability. It will also address the challenges and opportunities for using pluripotent stem cells to model or treat aging associated diseases. Moderator: Adam Engler, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering, UC San Diego Panelists: Irina Conboy, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Bioengineering, UC Berkeley Eros Lazzerini Denchi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular & Experimental Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute Lawrence Goldstein, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Departments of Cellular & Molecular Medicine & Neurosciences; Director, UC San Diego Stem Cell Program; Scientific Director, Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine

The sudden and tragic death of Duane Roth has deeply saddened everyone at CIRM. Duane was more than just a valued member of our governing board, he was also a good friend and someone who played a hugely important role in shaping the decisions we made. Duane died August 3rd from injuries sustained in a bicycling accident on July 21. With experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech and life sciences fields, and as a champion of technology entrepreneurship, Duane was uniquely qualified to help guide the stem cell agency's board in its policy and decision making. The CIRM board held a tribute to Roth during its August 28th 2013 meeting which included a viewing of the video above. To formally honor him, CIRM chair Jonathan Thomas announced the renaming of an upcoming RFA to the Duane Roth Disease Team Therapy Development IV award. In addition, a lecture series at the annual Meeting on the Mesa will carry his name. Duane was a big supporter of Pedal the Cause, an organization that raises funds for cancer research. Donations can be made to the organization in Roth's name.

La formacin de la prxima generacin de cientficos expertos en la investigacion con clulas madre es una misin importante para la Agencia de Clulas Madre de California (CIRM). Este video cuenta con Jazmin Penado, una estudiante senior (2014) en Balboa High School en San Francisco, que pas el verano pasado como becaria de CIRM investigando con clulas madre durante una estancia interna de investigacin en el laboratorio de Barbara Panning en el Campus Mission Bay de UCSF. A lo largo de los tres aos de este programa de premios Creatividad CIRM, la agencia ha financiado a 220 estudiantes de educacin secundaria para hacer estancias internas investigando con clulas madre. Para obtener ms informacin, visite nuestro sitio web: http://www.cirm.ca.gov/2013-creativity ===== Training the next generation of stem cell scientists is an important mission for California's Stem Cell Agency (CIRM). This video features Jazmin Penado, a 2014 senior at Balboa High School in San Francisco, who spent this past summer as a CIRM-funded stem cell research intern in the lab of Barbara Panning at UCSF's Mission Bay Campus. Over the course of this three-year CIRM Creativity Awards program, the agency will have supported 220 high school students in stem cell research internships. For more information, visit our website: http://www.cirm.ca.gov/2013-creativity

Pursuing his significant interest in non-embryonic stem cell research, Governor Perry visited the Loring Laboratory at Scripps Research in San Diego. San Die...

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UTSA hosts RegenMed conference on stem cell research ...

Manchester UK (PRWEB UK) 10 February 2014

RegenX Content The content posted on RegenX is generated through Dr. Stephen Richardson and a number of other stem cell experts in a collaborative effort between Brickhouse Publications and the University of Manchester. Dr. Richardson's 10 years of experience working with adult stem cells, coupled with the expertise of top-notch scientists, provides website visitors with the most current research information. The website is designed for people of all ages to read and comprehend, making it truly accessible to all.

In order to break down the complex concepts about stem cells and regenerative medicine, the website was designed with many visuals to aid in understanding. For those who learn best through reading text, there are many articles and informational bits. In addition, there are also many short animations, including a spoof news video, to help the general public understand the science behind research.

As far as the different topics are concerned, RegenX presents visitors with a wide range of information, building up from the simple to the complex. Some information simply shares the basics around stem cell and regenerative medicine research, while other pieces delve into more technical details. There are even informational pieces available that discuss the ethics around stem cell research, specifically. There is even a stem cell quiz on the website so readers can take to see where they stand on their understanding of the research and use.

Out in the general public, there is not very much accurate information shared about stem cell and regenerative medicine research. The media does not help as it often mis-portrays the benefits. Most often, the mis-portrayals lie in the legality and morality of the issue. Unfortunately, the misunderstood issues surrounding stem cell research can be huge roadblocks for those trying to advance the science around it.

Educational Outreach In order to address some of the misunderstandings about stem cell research, RegenX provides teacher packs that complement the site. These packets can be used in schools, colleges, and universities, to help educate the public. The classroom activities presented are usually animated or in video format, making it more engaging and easy to understand. In addition to helping students learn, the videos also help classroom teachers who are lacking the information to build some background knowledge. The teacher packets also include debate and discussion topics for students to process the information.

Included in the teacher packets from RegenX are interviews with stem cell research experts. Their information is research-based as they all work at the University of Manchester. In addition to discussing stem cell and regenerative medicine, the experts also share information about the jobs and the research currently conducted at the University. They even talk about their careers and what they needed to do in order to earn the privilege of conducting such research.

Funding The RegenX website is funded with monies from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the University of Manchester. Their reason for funding the project was to offer unbiased, scientifically accurate information for people from a variety of backgrounds. Their intended audience is not purely scientists, but also children and adults of all ages from all walks of life.

Staying Updated In order to keep people updated in a fast-changing field, the website has Facebook and Twitter pages to complement it. These social media networks allow RegenX to relay a great deal of updated information in a quick way. They are also able to reach a larger population of readers at any time of the day to keep them posted as well.

Making sure that people are getting the most updated information as quickly as possible is one way to build a community, which was the initial goal of Dr. Stephen Richardson. He wanted to make sure that there was a community of individuals who have slight or intense interest in stem cell and regenerative medicine research. It is also healthy to generate debate around the latest information in the field.

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Ground Breaking New Website REGENX, provides credible and up to date information on Stem Cell research straight from ...