VIDEO: MarrowMiner Digs Out More Marrow Using Fewer Holes
Daniel Kraft from the Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine invented a device to make bone marrow harvesting in donors a less invasive and less stressful process on the body. [Stanford Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford]
 
FDA Accepts CyDex Pharmaceuticals' IND Application for Oncology Drug
FDA has accepted CyDex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s investigational new drug application for a clinical study of Captisol-Enabled® melphalan HCL, as low-dose chemotherapy prior to hematopoietic progenitor stem cell transplantation. [CyDex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Lenexa]

Aldagen Announces Review Article On Potential of Its Adult Stem Cell Therapies for Cardiovascular Diseases
The article describes the selection and clinical application of a mix of potent stem and progenitor cells, referred to as ALDHbr stem cells, which include all the cell types thought to be needed for repair of tissue
damaged by insufficient blood supply. [Aldagen, Inc., Durham]

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS

MafB Restricts M-CSF-Dependent Myeloid Commitment Divisions of Hematopoietic Stem Cells
This study indicates that an integrated transcription factor/cytokine circuit can control the rate of specific hematopoietic stem cells commitment divisions without compromising other lineages or self-renewal. [Cell]

Blockade of Interleukin-6 Signaling Augments Regulatory T-Cell Reconstitution and Attenuates the Severity of Graft-Versus-Host Disease
Studies demonstrate that antibody blockade of the IL-6R serves to recalibrate the effector and regulatory arms of the immune system and represents a novel, potentially clinically translatable, strategy for the attenuation of GVHD. [Blood]

Transplantation of Allogeneic and Xenogeneic Placenta-Derived Cells Reduces Bleomycin-Induced Lung Fibrosis
This study supports the hypothesis that placenta-derived cells could be useful for clinical application, and warrants further studies toward the use of these cells for the repair of tissue damage associated with inflammatory and fibrotic degeneration. [Cell Transplant]

Characterization of Natural Killer (NK) and Natural Killer-Like T (NKT) Cells Derived From Ex-Vivo Expanded and Activated Cord Blood Mononuclear Cells: Implications for Adoptive Cellular Immunotherapy (ACI)
This study demonstrates that previously cryopreserved and rethawed cord blood MNCs can be ex-vivo expand up to 7 days to yield viable and activated NK and NKT-like subsets which appear to be cytolytic based on the cell repertoire. [Exp Hematol]

Increase in FOXP3+ Regulatory T Cells in GVHD Skin Biopsies Is Associated with Lower Disease Severity and Treatment Response
This study shows that an increase in FOXP3+ Tregs in GVHD skin biopsies correlates with less severe GVHD and is associated with response to GVHD treatment. [Biol Blood Marrow Transplant]

Clinical Significance of Autoantibody Expression in Allogeneic Stem-Cell Recipients
The occurrence of autoantibodies after allogeneic stem cell transplantation was found to be related to chronic GVHD, and patients expressing autoantibodies had a better survival. [Transplantation]

Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Mobilisation by Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor in Patients With Acute and Old Myocardial Infarction For Intracoronary Cell Infusion
PBSC collection after mobilisation with G-CSF is a safe and feasible method of stem cell collection for therapeutic purpose in patients with MI. [Heart]

Shake Up in Australian Stem Cell Research
As a part of the reshuffle, the ASSC has introduced four new foci for its efforts, called 'Collaborative Streams', which bundle together various research modules under an overarching theme.

Florida Blood Services, BloodNet Merger Maintains Polk Territory
Florida's Blood Centers won't expand into Polk County after its $15 million offer for a blood center based in Lakeland was turned down.  Instead, BloodNet USA agreed on July 17 to merge with Florida Blood Services, based in Tampa.

POLICY NEWS

Maryland Slashes Stem Cell Budget by Another $3M in Plan to Trim $700M Budget Deficit
Maryland will cut its stem-cell budget for the fourth time in the past 15 months, as well as eliminate nine positions at its economic development agency, in the first phase of a cost-cutting plan approved Wednesday by Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Canadian Government Reviewing Loan-Program Request For Biotechs
The Canadian government is reviewing a proposal from an organization representing the country's biotech companies to help keep the industry afloat until the economy turns around.

CBER

Exceptions and Alternative Procedures Approved Under 21 CFR 640.120

Guidance for Industry: Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT) to Reduce the Possible Risk of Parvovirus B19 Transmission by Plasma-Derived Products

MHRA

Summary of The Commission on Human Medicines Meeting Held on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th June 2009

Events

2nd TERMIS World Congress In Conjunction With 2009 Seoul Stem Cell Symposium
August 31-September 3, 2009
Seoul, South Korea

 XXXVI Annual Meeting of the European Society for Artificial Organs 2009   
September 2-5, 2009
Compiègne, France

16th International Society of Developmental Biologists Congress
September 6-10, 2009
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

International Society for Hematology and Stem Cells 38th Annual Scientific Meeting
September 9-12, 2009
Athens, Greece

51st ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition
December 9-12, 2009
New Orleans, LA

The European Group for Blood & Marrow Transplantation Annual Meeting
March 21-24, 2010
Vienna, Austria

Canadian Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium Annual Meeting
April 7-10, 2010
Vancouver, BC

Visit our events page to stay up to date with the latest events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community.

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