Minerva Biotechnologies Announces Major Stem Cell Breakthrough
Minerva and collaborators at the University of California at Santa Barbara have discovered a single, new growth factor can not only support massive growth of human embryonic stem cells in vitro, but also maintains them in a nearly 100% undifferentiated state without the need for fibroblast "feeder cells".

Cells Derived from Human Umbilical Cord Blood Support the Long-Term Growth of Undifferentiated Human Embryonic Stem Cells
This study reports the successful culture of two hESC lines (H1 and H9) on human umbilical cord blood -derived fibroblast-like cells.

BMP4 Induces Primitive Endoderm But Not Trophectoderm in Monkey Embryonic Stem Cells
The findings in this paper suggest that BMP4 induced differentiation into the primitive endoderm lineage but not into trophoblast in monkey ES cells.

New Head Aims to Salvage Australian Stem Cell Centre
The new head of the Australian Stem Cell Centre, Graham Macdonald, has identified cost-cutting as a potential strategy as an interim board tries to secure the financial future of the troubled centre.

StemCells, Inc. Receives NIH Grant to Pursue Cell-Based Therapeutic for Hepatitis C
StemCells, Inc. announced recently that it has been awarded a $305,000 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to research and develop a potential cell-based therapeutic for liver disease arising from infection by the hepatitis C virus.

FDA Nets Nearly $300M More Funding for 2009
Congress has assured increased funding for the FDA in fiscal year 2009, with the passage of the continuing resolution by the House of Representatives last Wednesday and by the Senate on Saturday.

Maryland Stem Cell Commission Issues Requests for Applications
Per the Maryland Stem Cell Commission meeting on Sept. 10, 2008, the Commission has issued recently three official Requests for Applications for funding through the Maryland Stem Cell Research Fund under the Maryland Stem Cell Research Act.

Review of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine Approved
The state's Little Hoover Commission, an advisory body to the governor and Legislature, said recently that it will examine the structure and governance of the state stem cell institute.