Articles - Embryonic Stem Cell en-us http://www.thescizone.com/news N/A http://www.thescizone.com/news michael@thescizone.com 20 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/1677/1/Breakthrough-in-spinal-injury-treatment/1.html Manipulating embryo-derived stem cells before transplanting them may hold the key to optimizing stem cell technologies for repairing spinal cord injuries in humans. Research published in BioMed Central's open access Journal of Biology, may lead to cell based therapies for victims of paralysis to recover the use of their bodies without the risk of transplant induced pain syndromes. Dr. Stephen Davies, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, reported that in collaboration with researchers at the University of Rochester, NY his research team has transplanted two types of the major support cells of the brain and spinal cord, cells called astrocytes. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/1466/1/Human-embryonic-stem-cell-work-must-go-on-says-researcher/1.html A top scientist using stem cells from human embryos to cure disease and repair injuries will proceed with his work, he said in Tucson on Tuesday, despite a recent breakthrough showing the controversial embryos may no longer be needed. That blockbuster breakthrough was announced last week by researchers in Wisconsin and Japan, who have discovered how to genetically program human skin cells to behave like embryonic stem cells.That means the skin cells can develop into any cell in the human body — in the brain, heart, liver, muscle or bones — where they potentially can be used for lifesaving repairs or cures. Until now, only stem cells from human embryos — each a potential human life — could do that. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Wed, 28 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/1316/1/Stem-cells-made-from-eggs-not-embryos/1.html Scientists say they've created embryonic stem cells by stimulating unfertilized eggs, a significant step toward producing transplant tissue that's genetically matched to women.The advance suggests that someday, a woman who wants a transplant to treat a condition like diabetes or a spinal cord injury could provide eggs to a lab, which in turn could create tissue that her body wouldn't reject.Ethicists disagreed on whether the strategy would avoid the long-standing ethical objections to creating embryonic stem cells by other means. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/1315/1/New-mouse-stem-cell-is-just-like-ours/1.html The discovery of a mouse embryonic stem cell that is a near-perfect match to human cells will speed research in regenerative medicine and treatments for conditions such as Parkinson's and diabetes, researchers say. Embryonic stem cells from mice are usually taken from very early stage embryos, called blastocysts (see Instant Expert: Stem Cells). These cells are significantly different from human cells and so have limited value. Roger Pedersen at Cambridge University, UK, and colleagues took cells from the mouse embryo at a later stage in its development, when it is an epiblast. They found that epiblast stem cells, taken from the innermost layer of week-old rodent embryos, shared many of the same properties of human embryonic stem cells. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Thu, 28 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/1299/1/Paralyzed-woman-hopes-to-walk-again/1.html Fifteen years ago when Amanda Boxtel crossed her ski tips at Snowmass Ski Area, she somersaulted and landed hard, severely injuring four vertebrae. She knew instantly she was paralyzed from the waist down, and doctors said she would never walk again.But as they say, never say never.Boxtel is heading to Delhi, India, where she planned to begin two months of groundbreaking embryonic stem cell treatments from a doctor whose other patients with spinal chord injuries have experienced everything from increased sensation to walking with the help of leg braces. The chance of seeing even the most minute of changes in her body is an opportunity Boxtel just couldn’t pass up. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Fri, 22 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/1289/1/Bush-vetoes-stem-cell-bill/1.html Science, religion, and politics collided Wednesday at the White House as President Bush vetoed a bill authorizing federal support for embryonic stem cell research. It is the third veto of his presidency and the second involving embryonic stem cell research. Bush said he supports science, but also believes that "all human life is sacred." michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/1281/1/Hillary-Clinton-Clinton-Pledges-to-Lift-Ban-on-Stem-Cell-Research-as-President/1.html Joins Families, Medical Professionals at New Hampshire Conversation to Discuss Potential Life-Saving Treatments Hillary Clinton said today that science, not narrow ideology, should drive our national research agenda, and pledged to lift the ban on ethical embryonic stem cell research. At a conversation at Dartmouth College in Hanover, Clinton was joined by two New Hampshire families with personal experiences with illnesses and disabilities that could potentially be cured or helped by stem cell research, as well as the Associate Chief of Neurology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Clinton discussed the potential of stem cell research to both save lives and keep the United States on the cutting-edge of scientific advancement. She argued that ideology should never get in the way of scientific progress. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Sat, 16 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/1215/1/Odds-high-funds-sparse-for-stem-cell-researchers/1.html Patrick's $1b offer a temporary boostFor all the hype and hope surrounding stem cell research, most of the companies trying to develop treatments from these powerful cells live in a place Governor Deval Patrick this week called the "valley of death." It is a harsh place where neither the federal government nor private investors provide much support and small firms with limited funding struggle to figure out how to harness stem cells' extraordinary power.No one knows that better than Dr. Thomas Okarma , whose company, Geron Corp., hopes next year to start the nation's first human tests of a treatment derived from embryonic stem cells. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Fri, 11 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/1208/1/Embryonic-stem-cells-trial-on-track-to-start/1.html The first clinical trial of embryonic stem cells is on track to start early next year on patients with spinal cord injury. Geron (NASDAQ:GERN - news), the California-based biotechnology company, will carry out the study on accident victims in six trauma centres across the US. "The world's spotlight will be on this trial," Tom Okarma, Geron's chief executive, told the Bio conference in Boston. To get it right, the company has carried out several years of preparatory work in collaboration with its academic partners at the University of California, Irvine. Geron's product will have been tested in 2,000 animals before it goes into its first patient, Mr Okarma said. It consists of immature oligodendrocytes - specialised nerve cells - grown from human embryonic stem cells. The animal tests show that these can repair spinal cord injuries in rats, by growing new nerves with the myelin sheaths they need to work properly. Paralysed rats can walk again. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Wed, 09 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/1198/1/Banning-stem-cell-research-prolongs-suffering/1.html Diabetes affects 140,000 young Australians, who would die unless they received multiple insulin injections each day of their lives. The cause is the self-destruction of the insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. Attempts have been made recently to replace these cells with surrogates, allowing recipients to cease injecting insulin. The source of the replacement cells is a pancreas donated after death. But organ supply is limited, with as few as 200 donors in Australia a year. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Mon, 07 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400