TOP STORIES

Umbilical Stem Cells May Help Recover Lost Vision for Those with Corneal Disease
New research has found that transplanting human umbilical mesenchymal stem cells into mouse models that lack the protein lumican restored the transparency of cloudy and thin corneas. [University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati]

SCIENCE NEWS

New Stem Cell Technology Leads to Better Treatment for Complicated Bone Fractures
The Hebrew University group has developed a technology called immuno-isolation in which mesenchymal stem cells are sorted out from the other cells residing in a bone marrow sample, using a specific antibody. It was shown that the immuno-isolated cells could be immediately used to form new bone tissue when implanted in laboratory animals, without having to undergo a prolonged incubator growth period. [The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem]

Researchers Launch Phase II Trial of Stem Cells and Acute Heart Attack
The second phase of a clinical trial testing a new stem cell-based therapy on injured heart muscle has been launched by researchers at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. [University of Texas Medical School at Houston, Houston]

Bone Marrow Cells may Significantly Reduce Risk of Second Heart Attack
Cells from heart attack survivors' own bone marrow reduced the risk of death or another heart attack when they were infused into the affected artery after successful stent placement. [J.W. Goethe University, Frankfurt]

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS

Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Infants with MLL-AF4+ Acute Leukemia Harbor and Express the MLL-AF4 Fusion Gene
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) from 38 children diagnosed with cytogenetically different acute leukemias were screened for leukemic fusion genes.  MLL-AF4 was detected and expressed in BM-MSCs from all cases of MLL-AF4+ B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia. [J Exp Med]

Prospective Identification, Isolation, and Systemic Transplantation of Multipotent Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Murine Bone Marrow
Researchers used phenotypic,morphological, and functional criteria to identify and prospectivelyisolate a subset of mesenchymal stem cells [PDGFR(alpha)⁺Sca-1⁺CD45^-TER119^- ]from adult mouse bone marrow. Individual mesenchymal stem cells generated coloniesat a high frequency and could differentiate into hematopoieticniche cells, osteoblasts, and adipocytes after in vivo transplantation. [J Exp Med]

Endometrial Cancer Side-Population Cells Show Prominent Migration and Have a Potential to Differentiate into the Mesenchymal Cell Lineage
In this study, researchers isolated and characterized cancer stem-like cell subpopulations in human endometrial cancer cells and in rat endometrial cells expressing oncogenic human K-Ras protein. [Am J Cardiovasc Pathol]

Clonal Analysis and Hierarchy of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem and Progenitor Cells
This study was performed to assess adult human bone marrow mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells at a single-cell level and to determine a hierarchy based on proliferative potential. [Exp Hematol]

Isolation and Differentiation of Chicken Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Bone Marrow
For the first time, mesenchymal stem cells can be isolated from postnatal chicken bone marrow.  These cells are capable of in vitro multiplication and multilineage differentiation, thus making them a suitable model in the field of stem cell research. [Stem Cells Dev]

A Simplified Method for Stem Cell Autografting in Multiple Myeloma: a Single Institution Experience
In a 14-year period in a single institution, 31 autografts were performed in 26 patients with multiple myeloma, using a simplified and affordable autografting procedure: conducting the grafts on an outpatient basis and avoiding stem cell freezing. [Bone Marrow Transpl]

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INDUSTRY NEWS

ThermoGenesis Announces Agreement for Adipose Tissue Clinical Program
ThermoGenesis Corp. recently announced that it has entered into a material transfer agreement with the GID Group which has been working with ThermoGenesis to use ThermoGenesis' MarrowXpress™ based technology for the processing of adipose, or fatty, tissue - a rich source of adult stem cells.

Cleveland Clinic Receives $2.75 Million Grant to Study Stem Cell Use in Treating Multiple Sclerosis
The four-year grant from the Department of Defense will fund a 24-patient study to be done by the Center for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine.  In the study, patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis who are still able to walk, even though they have moderate to severe disability, will have bone marrow removed from their hips.

POLICY NEWS

NIH Approves 27 More Stem Cell Lines
National Institutes of Health chief Francis Collins approved another 27 human embryonic stem cell lines for federal research funding recently, but limited support to diabetes-related pancreatic cell experiments. [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Clinical Trials Involving Animal to Human Transplantation
The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council recently announced that clinical trials involving animal to human transplantation (xenotransplantation) would be allowed to proceed, when stringent regulatory and surveillance frameworks have been put in place. [National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia]

CIRM Provides $11 Million Boost in Funding to Train Stem Cell Scientists
Two critical programs funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state stem cell agency, got an $11 million increase recently when the agency's 29-member Governing Board voted to approve funding for two additional grants in the Training II program and five additional grants in the Bridges program. [California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, United States]

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (United States)

Delays in Grant Application Submission due to Winter Storm December 2009 (NOT-OD-10-028) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Administrative Supplement to Extend Human Tissue Banking Efforts to Distribute CNS Tissues Collected by the NIH Roadmap GTEx Project (NOT-MH-10-007) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Modification: This Notice modifies RFA-RM-09-019 with regard to Research Design, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Clinical Research Ethics (NOT-RM-10-001) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Development of Multifunctional Drug and Gene Delivery Systems (R01) (PAR-10-048) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

EVENTS

Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine World Congress
January 20-21, 2010
San Francisco, United States

CHI's Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference 2010
February 3-5, 2010
San Francisco, United States

2010 Bone Marrow Transplant Tandem Meetings
February 24-28, 2010
Orlando, United States

36^th Annual Meeting of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation
March 21-24, 2010
Vienna, Austria

9th Transgenic Technology Meeting
March 22-24, 2010
Berlin, Germany

4th UK Mesenchymal Stem Cell Meeting
April 14, 2010
Leeds, United Kingdom

2010 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting
June 4-8, 2010
Chicago, United States

16th Annual ISCT meeting
May 23-26, 2010
Philadelphia, United States

5^th World Congress on Preventative and Regenerative Medicine
October 5-7, 2010
Hannover, Germany

2010 American Society for Matrix Biology Meeting
October 24-27, 2010
Charleston, United States

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Business Development Europe - Cell Therapy Products (PALL Corporation)

Research & Development Scientist - Mesenchymal Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies)

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