| Beating the Stem Cell Drum
October 28, 2009 at 7:00 pm
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| | PR practitioners for California stem cell researchers moved quickly today to tout the disease team awards to their institutions and businesses. Here is an initial list of links to the various news releases we have seen, along with institutions yet to be heard from.Novocell, $20 million shared with UCSFSalk Institute. $16 millionSangamo Biosciences, of Richmond, Ca., $14.6 million, shared with |
| A Peek at News Coverage of CIRM's $230 Million Disease Team Round
October 28, 2009 at 6:29 pm
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| | California's stem cell research effort today climbed over the $1 billion mark with its whopping disease team round. The awards began generating news coverage internationally this afternoon, and more stories will surface later today and tomorrow.Erika Check Hayden filed a report on Nature magazine's breaking news blog. She said CIRM regards the round as the "crown jewel of its portfolio." She said |
| Novocell Receives a Disease Team Award for $20 Million from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to Develop a Stem Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Diabetes
October 28, 2009 at 6:00 pm
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| Two Research Teams Funded Through the Innovative Partnership Program Between Canada and California to Advance Cancer Stem Cell Research
October 28, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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| Stem cell therapy may offer hope for acute lung injury
October 28, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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| Salk Institute scientist receives $10.8 million CIRM disease team award
October 28, 2009 at 5:00 pm
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| Stem Cell Therapy International, Inc. Releases Shareholder Update
October 28, 2009 at 3:07 pm
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| Clemson research receives grant to study breast cancer reconstruction
October 28, 2009 at 3:07 pm
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| CIRM News Release: More than $250 Million in Disease Team Round, Including International Partners
October 28, 2009 at 2:44 pm
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| | The California stem cell agency has posted its press release on the largest research round in its history.The release notes that, with funding from international partners, the total comes to more than $250 million. The release also contains the identities of all the winning researchers and their institutions. |
| CIRM News Conference Link
October 28, 2009 at 2:30 pm
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| | Here is a link to the live news conference on CIRM's $230 million disease team program. |
| California Stem Cell Agency Approves $230 Million Aimed at Clinical Trials
October 28, 2009 at 2:24 pm
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| | The California stem cell agency today formally awarded $230 million to 14 teams of scientists in the largest and most ambitious round of research grants in CIRM history.Already the world's largest source of funding for human embryonic stem cell research, the $3 billion agency said the grants and loans would lead to the beginning stage of clinical trials in four years.The disease team round also |
| Concerns About Size of Disease Team Round
October 28, 2009 at 1:42 pm
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| | Some CIRM directors seem to be concerned about the overall size of the disease team package and the original budget of $210 million. There may well be an effort to trim the overall size, which would mean that some grants in tier one are removed. Normally all grants in tier win ultimate approval from directors, but they have the ability to do whatever they want. |
| City of Hope Wins Initial Appeal
October 28, 2009 at 1:19 pm
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| | Directors of the California stem cell agency this morning gave a positive nod to an attempt to win approval of an application from the City of Hope in the agency's disease team round. The board approved, on a unanimous vote, a motion to move the application into the first tier of grants expected to be approved later today. The grant was proposed by Karen Aboody of City of Hope in Duarte, Ca., to |
| City of Hope Grant Being Discussed
October 28, 2009 at 1:10 pm
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| | The CIRM board is now discussing an appeal on a grant proposal by Karen Aboody of the City of Hope. |
| CIRM Directors Nix Buck Appeal
October 28, 2009 at 12:21 pm
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| | Directors of the California stem cell agency turned back an attempt to win approval of a $17 million application from the Buck Institute on a stem cell research proposal involving Parkinsons disease. The board rejected, on a 6-11 vote with one abstention, a motion to move the application into the first tier of grants expected to be approved later today.The grant was proposed by Xianmin Zeng of |
| Recovery Act funds expand studies of stem cell biology
October 28, 2009 at 12:07 pm
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| Buck Institute Application Being Discussed
October 28, 2009 at 11:29 am
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| | The board of the California stem cell agency has resumed its discussion of disease team grants and loans. Currently it is considering an effort by Xianmin Zeng of the Buck Institute for Age Research to overturn a negative decision on her application by science reviewers. |
| Looking at CIRM Grant Appeals Issues
October 28, 2009 at 9:36 am
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| | Here are links to documents relating to the California stem cell agency and complaints about fairness in its grant review process.Text of CIRM policy on appeals via "extraordinary petition."An October 2008 examination of transparency and conflict of interest issuesConsumer Watchdog Identifies Businesses Rejected for CIRM GrantsFirst ever successful conflict appeal, December 2008CIRM's August 2008 |
| Stem Cell Therapy for the Broken Heart: Mini-Organ Transplantation.
October 28, 2009 at 6:25 am
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| | Stem Cell Therapy for the Broken Heart: Mini-Organ Transplantation. Transplant Proc. 2009 Oct;41(8):3353-3357 Authors: Mansour S, Roy DC, Lemieux B, Ouellet C, Stevens LM, Noiseux N BACKGROUND: Myocardial infarction (MI) is characterized by irreversible loss of cardiomyocytes, resulting in impaired ventricular function. Stem cell therapy using autologous progenitor cells has emerged as a promising approach. Experimental studies have demonstrated that highly selected hematopoeitic stem cells, which are characterized by the presence of the surface markers CD34 and CD133, may contribute to repair of the acutely infarcted myocardium by inducing neovascularization, inhibiting apoptosis, and promoting cardiomyogenesis. We sought, to evaluate the intracoronary injection of CD133(+) stem cells for cardiac repair in patients with dysfunctional myocardium after an acute MI. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this Canadian randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase I-II study ("COMPARE-AMI"), we are evaluating the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of intracoronary injection of selected CD133(+) stem cells for cardiac repair in patients with impaired cardiac function after successfully stented acute MI. Since November 2007, we have enrolled 14 patients in the study. Their mean age was 50.5 +/- 9.1 years, including 93% men. The culprit lesion was always on the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Their maximum troponin and CKMB levels were 8.4 +/- 6.1 mug/L and 322 +/- 225 U/L, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, we observed a significant 8.7% improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction at 4 months follow-up, namely, from 41.3 +/- 5.5% to 50.0 +/- 8.2% (n = 7; P = .008). There were no protocol-related complications. Our trial is designed to recruit 40 patients who are randomized 1:1 to receive CD133(+) cells or placebo. PERSPECTIVE: There is a need to seek out new therapeutics for the treatment of ischemic heart disease addressing the early loss of viable myocytes. Stem cell transplantation has shown early promise; this appraisal needs well-designed, controlled studies. PMID: 19857748 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] |
| Overcoming diffusional limitations in vascular tissue engineering with transmural flow.
October 28, 2009 at 6:05 am
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| | Overcoming diffusional limitations in vascular tissue engineering with transmural flow. Biotechnol Bioeng. 2009 Oct 26;104(6):fmvii Authors: PMID: 19859989 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] |
| Microstructure and properties of nano-fibrous PCL-b-PLLA scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering.
October 28, 2009 at 6:05 am
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| | Microstructure and properties of nano-fibrous PCL-b-PLLA scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering. Eur Cell Mater. 2009;18:63-74 Authors: He L, Liu B, Xipeng G, Xie G, Liao S, Quan D, Cai D, Lu J, Ramakrishna S Nano-fibrous scaffolds which could potentially mimic the architecture of extracellular matrix (ECM) have been considered a good candidate matrix for cell delivery in tissue engineering applications. In the present study, a semicrystalline diblock copolymer, poly(e-caprolactone)-block-poly(L-lactide) (PCL-b-PLLA), was synthesized and utilized to fabricate nano-fibrous scaffolds via a thermally induced phase separation process. Uniform nano-fibrous networks were created by quenching a PCL-b-PLLA/THF homogenous solution to -20 degrees C or below, followed by further gelation for 2 hours due to the presence of PLLA and PCL microcrystals. However, knot-like structures as well as continuously smooth pellicles appeared among the nano-fibrous network with increasing gelation temperature. DSC analysis indicated that the crystallization of PCL segments was interrupted by rigid PLLA segments, resulting in an amorphous phase at high gelation temperatures. Combining TIPS (thermally induced phase separation) with salt-leaching methods, nano-fibrous architecture and interconnected pore structures (144+/-36 mm in diameter) with a high porosity were created for in vitro culture of chondrocytes. Specific surface area and protein adsorption on the surface of the nano-fibrous scaffold were three times higher than on the surface of the solid-walled scaffold. Chondrocytes cultured on the nano-fibrous scaffold exhibited a spherical condrocyte-like phenotype and secreted more cartilage-like extracellular matrix (ECM) than those cultured on the solid-walled scaffold. Moreover, the protein and DNA contents of cells cultured on the nano-fibrous scaffold were 1.2-1.4 times higher than those on the solid-walled scaffold. Higher expression levels of collagen II and aggrecan mRNA were induced on the nano-fibrous scaffold compared to on the solid-walled scaffold. These findings demonstrated that scaffolds with a nano-fibrous architecture could serve as superior scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering. PMID: 19859871 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] |
| Osteogenic differentiation of human amniotic fluid-derived stem cells induced by bone morphogenetic protein-7 and enhanced by nanofibrous scaffolds.
October 28, 2009 at 6:05 am
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| | Osteogenic differentiation of human amniotic fluid-derived stem cells induced by bone morphogenetic protein-7 and enhanced by nanofibrous scaffolds. Biomaterials. 2009 Oct 24; Authors: Sun H, Feng K, Hu J, Soker S, Atala A, Ma PX Amniotic fluid-derived stem cells (AFSCs) are becoming an important source of cells for regenerative medicine given their apparent advantages of accessibility, renewal capacity and multipotentiality. In the intermediate stage between the embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and adult stem cells, AFSCs may have a distinct mechanism to choose their fate. Unfortunately, until now, little is known about how bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) control the osteoblastic differentiation of AFSCs, especially on 3D scaffolds. Our research shows that human AFSCs (hAFSCs) can be induced for osteoblastic differentiation by rhBMP-7, and hAFSCs respond to rhBMP-7 more strongly than human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). As synthetic ECM, scaffolds play a central role in tissue engineering. The hAFSCs, on the nanofibrous scaffolds (NF scaffolds) with morphology similar to that of natural collagen fibers, showed significantly enhanced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium content, von Kossa staining and the expression of osteogenic genes than those on the traditional scaffolds, i.e. solid walled scaffolds. The data on the bone formation in vivo presented further evidence that biomimetic NF scaffolds provided hAFSCs a more favorable synthetic ECM, and thus, facilitated the osteogenic differentiation of hAFSCs. The relative strong responsiveness to rhBMP-7 makes hAFSCs promising in bone regeneration. The synthetic NF scaffolds, which mimic the morphology of natural collagen fibers, enhanced the osteoblastic differentiation of hAFSCs in vitro and bone formation in vivo. PMID: 19857889 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] |
| Cryopreservation of primate embryonic stem cells with chemically-defined solution without Me(2)SO.
October 28, 2009 at 6:05 am
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| | Cryopreservation of primate embryonic stem cells with chemically-defined solution without Me(2)SO. Cryobiology. 2009 Oct 23; Authors: Nishigaki T, Teramura Y, Suemori H, Iwata H Human embryonic stem (hES) cells are expected to be useful in the fields of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering due to their pluripotency. Therefore, it is necessary to establish highly efficient and reliable methods for the cryopreservation of hES cells. We have cryopreserved cynomolgus and human ES cells by the vitrification method, using a chemically-defined dimethyl sulfoxide (Me(2)SO)-free and serum-free medium composed of Euro-Collins solution as a base medium and 40% (v/v) ethylene glycol (EG) and 10% (w/v) polyethylene glycol (PEG) as cryoprotectants. When the vitrification and the cryoprotectants were combined, the recovery ratio of hES cells was 22.9 + 7.7%, compared to 0.4 + 0.2% when the conventional slow-freezing method was used. After the cryopreservation and thawing cycle, hES cells were easily cultured and expressed undifferentiated cell markers such as Nanog, Oct-4, SSEA-4, and alkaline phosphatase activity after several subculturing steps. We also found that the pluripotency of hES cells was maintained, as demonstrated by teratoma formation of ES cells transplanted into severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. Thus, we conclude that we have successfully cryopreserved primate ES cells with high efficiency using a Me(2)SO-free, chemically-defined medium. PMID: 19857481 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] |
| The use of fluorochrome labels for in vivo bone tissue engineering research.
October 28, 2009 at 6:05 am
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| | The use of fluorochrome labels for in vivo bone tissue engineering research. Tissue Eng Part B Rev. 2009 Oct 26; Authors: van Gaalen SM, Kruyt M, Geuze R, de Bruijn J, Alblas J, Dhert W The use of fluorochromes in bone research is a widely accepted technique that dates back to the 1950s. Several pioneers, such as Harold Frost, have thoroughly investigated the potential of fluorochrome use for the study on bone formation and bone remodeling dynamics. Since the development of bone tissue engineering, a renewed interest in the benefits of fluorochrome use is perceived. Fluorochrome use in animal models makes it possible to determine the onset time and location of osteogenesis, fundamental parameters in bone tissue engineering studies. There is however a lack of standardized procedures for using this technique. In addition, many types of fluorochromes exist and one could be confused upon selecting the appropriate type, the appropriate concentration, the route of administration and methods of visualization. All these variables can potentially affect the outcome during fluorescence microscopy. This work aims at providing the bone tissue engineering researcher with an overview of the history, working mechanism and the potential pitfalls in the use of fluorochromes in animal studies. Experiments using some of the more frequently used fluorochromes are explained and illustrated. PMID: 19857045 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] |
| Weissman's $20 Million Proposal Dodges Rejection
October 28, 2009 at 1:36 am
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| | A $20 million grant application from reknown scientist Irv Weissman of Stanford tonight avoided disaster as CIRM directors overturned a decision by scientific reviewers to reject the proposal.The application was moved, 14-2 vote with two directors abstaining, into the top tier of disease team grants that are headed for approval by the directors tomorrow morning.Another $20 million application |
| Correction
October 28, 2009 at 1:25 am
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| | The "public appeal" item on Oct. 27, 2009, incorrectly said that extraordinary petitions filed by six grant applicants were not available on the CIRM Web site. The petitions were not noted on the CIRM board agenda but could be found three layers down on six of the 20 summaries of the grants rejected by reviewers. |
| Weissman's Grant and Appeal Now Being Discussed
October 28, 2009 at 12:10 am
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| | Currently being discussed by the CIRM board is a rejected grant (1485) by noted Stanford scientist Irv Weissman. |
| Advisory
October 27, 2009 at 11:54 pm
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| | The meeting of the California stem cell agency board has resumed with much improved clarity. Up for discussion are the $167 million in disease team grants and loans. |
| Six Rejected Grant Applicants Make Public Appeal to CIRM Board
October 27, 2009 at 11:39 pm
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| | Six research teams that lost out in CIRM's closed door reviews of their applications for up to $20 million dollars are now seeking to overturn the decisions.The rejected applicants include three from Stanford(Irv Weissman, Judith Shizuru and Gary Steinberg), one from the City of Hope (Karen S. Aboody) in Duarte, Ca., one from UC Irvine(Aileen Anderson) and one from the Buck Institute(Xianmin Zeng |
| CIRM Board Recesses for Confidential Grant Review
October 27, 2009 at 9:15 pm
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| | Directors of the California stem cell agency have gone into executive session to discuss confidential information related to applications for $167 million grants and loans in the agency's disease team round. The CIRM board moved into closed door discussions tonight shortly after the CIRM staff presented a brief overview of the round. It is not clear when the board will return to open session. The | | | 
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