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TOP STORIES

Geron's IND for Spinal Cord Injury Placed on Hold
Geron Corporation recently announced that its investigational new drug application for GRNOPC1, a cell therapy for neurologically complete, subacute spinal cord injury, has been placed on clinical hold by the FDA pending the agency's review of new nonclinical animal study data submitted by the company. [Geron, Menlo Park]

SCIENCE NEWS

Neurimmune Therapeutics Announces Advancement of Alzheimer's Program into Preclinical Development
Neurimmune Therapeutics AG recently announced that, following the successful completion of key research milestones, its lead human therapeutic antibody for Alzheimer's disease has advanced into preclinical development. [Neurimmune Therapeutics AG, Zurich]

Nano-magnets Guide Stem Cells to Damaged Tissue
Microscopic magnetic particles have been used to bring stem cells to sites of cardiovascular injury in a new method designed to increase the capacity of cells to repair damaged tissue researchers recently announced. [University College London, London]

NIH Researchers Identify Key Factor that Stimulates Brain Cancer Cells to Spread
Researchers have found that the activity of a protein in brain cells helps stimulate the spread of an aggressive brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme. [Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland]

Gene Vital to Brain's Stem Cells Implicated in Deadly Brain Cancer
Researchers have identified a protein that activates brain stem cells to make new neurons - but that may be hijacked later in life to cause brain cancer in humans. [Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York]

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CURRENT PUBLICATIONS

Regulation of Neural Specification from Human Embryonic Stem Cells by BMP and FGF
This study shows that human embryonic stem cells efficiently convert to neuroepithelial cells in the absence of BMP antagonists, or even when exposed to high concentrations of exogenous BMP4. [Stem Cells]

Adult Palatum as a Novel Source of Neural Crest-Related Stem Cells
The researchers in this paper describe for the first time the presence of nestin-positive neural crest-related stem cells within Meissner corpuscles and Merkel cell-neurite complexes located in the hard palate of adult Wistar rats. [Stem Cells]

Targeting Neural Precursors in the Adult Brain Rescues Injured Dopamine Neurons
Here, the researchers demonstrate that neural precursors express the angiopoietin receptor Tie2 and that injections of angiopoietin2 activate precursors in the adult brain. [Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences]

In vivo Role for CREB Signaling in the Noradrenergic Differentiation of Sympathetic Neurons
Signaling pathways involving cAMP and CREB which have been implicated in several aspects of sympathetic neuron differentiation were characterized with loss-of-function models. [Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience]

Reversal of Chlorpyrifos Neurobehavioral Teratogenicity in Mice by Nicotine Administration and Neural Stem Cell Transplantation
Identifying the mechanisms underlying the adverse effects of developmental neurotoxicants enables the design of therapies that can potentially reverse neurobehavioral deficits in adulthood. [Behavioural Brain Research]

INDUSTRY NEWS

Connexon Creative Launches Cord Blood News
Cord Blood News is a weekly e-newsletter that keeps members of the cord blood community informed by providing the latest news from all areas of the field, including its science, research, policy, and business.

BioLife Solutions, Inc. and StemCell Technologies Inc. Announce Worldwide Distribution Agreement
BioLife Solutions, Inc. recently announced that it has entered into a non-exclusive distribution agreement with STEMCELL Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of products that support innovative research in hematology, immunology, cancer research, developmental biology, and many other areas of life science research. [StemCell Technologies, Vancouver]

Cryo-Cell Announces Strategic Partnership With S-Evans Biosciences, Inc.
Cryo-Cell International, Inc. recently announced that it has signed an exclusive license agreement with S-Evans Biosciences, Inc. to market and manufacture proprietary C`elle(SM) menstrual stem cell technology. [Cryo-Cell International, Inc., Oldsmar]

Salk Institute President to Join Stem Cell Board
Salk Institute President William Brody was appointed yesterday by Lt. Gov. John Garamendi to the oversight board for the state's stem cell institute. [Salk Institute, San Diego]

Biotechnology Industry is Expected to Rebound
Investors accurately forecasted the rebound of the biotechnology industry, but underestimated the degree to which positive clinical trial data would drive the sector higher, according to recent findings.

POLICY NEWS

Legislature to Duke It Out Over Stem Cell Regulations
Opponents of embryonic stem cell research in Michigan have mobilized to push for proposals requiring in-vitro fertilization patients to sign a consent form that addresses issues such as potential excess embryos, costs to store leftover embryos and a statement on the prohibition of accepting anything valuable in exchange for frozen embryos.

Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Sworn in as NIH Director
Francis S. Collins, nominated to lead the NIH by President Barack Obama on July 8, was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 7.

New NIH chief: Turn Science into Better Care, Fast
In taking the reins of the NIH, Collins - best known for unraveling the human genetic code - said he wants a practical focus for the nation's premier research agency, that new discoveries may even help save precious health care dollars.

EVENTS

World Stem Cell Summit 2009
September 23-25, 2009
Baltimore, United States

TERMIS 2nd World Congress 2009
August 31 - September 3, 2009
Seoul, South Korea

Neuroscience 2009
October 17-21, 2009
Chicago, United States

Alzheimer's Disease Beyond Abeta
January 10-15, 2010
Copper Mountain, United States

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

ISSCR 8th Annual Meeting
June 16-19, 2010
San Francisco, United States

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