TOP STORIES

Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant Effective in Stroke Treatment
Researchers have used mice to test the effectiveness of umbilical cord blood transplants in treating paralysis, a common post stroke symptom. [Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan]

SCIENCE NEWS

VIDEO: Introducing TeSR2 medium for feeder-free, animal protein-free culture of human ESCs and iPSCs

Strategy for Mismatched Stem Cell Transplants Triggers Protection Against Graft-vs.-Host Disease
A new technique being tested in stem-cell transplants from imperfectly matched donors has revealed a striking, unforeseen response that can suppress graft-versus-host disease. [Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston]

How Hematopoietic Stem Cell Development is Regulated
During cell division, whether hematopoietic stem cells will develop into new stem cells or differentiate into other blood cells depends on a chemical process called DNA methylation. [Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin]

High-sensitivity Bone Marrow Aspiration Technology Enhances Leukemia Cell Detection
Scientists have created a viable technology to improve the detection of leukemia cells in bone marrow. [University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque]

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS

Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Human Cord Blood
This study reports the generation of human iPSCs from cord blood as a juvenescent cell source. [Cell Stem Cell]

Transplantation of Unrelated Donor Umbilical Cord Blood for Nonmalignant Diseases: a Single Institution's Experience with 45 Patients
When cell dose and other factors are optimal, unrelated CBT is a promising approach for curative therapy of nonmalignant diseases. [Blood]

Generation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Human Cord Blood Using OCT4 and SOX2
Researchers describe reprogramming of CB cells to pluripotency by retroviral transduction of four (OSKM), three (OSK), and as few as two (OS) transcription factors, without the need for additional chemical compounds. [Cell Stem Cell]

ADAR1 is Required for Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Survival via RNA Editing
In this report, the researchers show that ADAR1 is required for survival of differentiating hematopoietic progenitor cells as opposed to more primitive cells in adult mice by multiple strategies targeting floxed ADAR1 for deletion by Cre recombinase. [PNAS]

Non-haematological Uses of Cord Blood Stem Cells
The latest developments in the use of CB in regenerative medicine are reviewed. [Br J Haematol]

INDUSTRY NEWS

STEMCELL Technologies Inc. Introduces MethoCult(R) Express for Cord Blood Banks and Transplant Centers
STEMCELL Technologies Inc., announces the launch of MethoCult(R) Express, an innovative methylcellulose-based medium specifically formulated to allow enumeration of total colony-forming cells after only 7 days of culture. With this new medium, reliable information on hematopoietic progenitor cell numbers in cord blood can be obtained much earlier than with standard 14-day assays.

STEMCELL Technologies Inc. Announces Direct Distribution to Spain
STEMCELL Technologies Inc., a leader in specialty cell culture media, cell separation products and ancillary reagents for life science research, is pleased to announce that they are now selling directly to customers in Spain.

Cryo-Cell Expands Strategic Partnership with S-Evans Biosciences, Inc.
Cryo-Cell International, Inc. has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with its Chinese partner, S-Evans Biosciences, Inc. for the distribution of C'elle menstrual stem cell technology in Thailand.

Riverside Acquires Portuguese Provider of Cryopreservation and Isolation of Umbilical Cord Stem Cells
The Riverside Company has acquired Crioestaminal, a company that isolates and cryopreserves stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

POLICY NEWS

Obama Announces $5 Billion for New Medical Research
President Barack Obama announced a plan on Wednesday to spend $5 billion on medical and scientific research, medical supplies and upgrading laboratory capacity, which he said would create tens of thousands of new jobs.

NHLBI Awards $170 Million to Fund Stem Cell Research
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, one of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded $170 million to be paid over seven years to 18 teams of research scientists to develop the high-potential field of stem and progenitor cell tools and therapies.

FDA Issues Strategic Plan for Risk Communication
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued its Strategic Plan for Risk Communication, which outlines the agency's efforts to disseminate more meaningful public health information.

EVENTS

51st ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition
December 9-12, 2009
New Orleans, LA

2010 BMT Tandem Meetings
February 24-28, 2010
Orlando, Florida

The European Group for Blood & Marrow Transplantation Annual Meeting
March 21-24, 2010
Vienna, Austria

Canadian Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium Annual Meeting
April 7-10, 2010
Vancouver, BC

16th Annual International Society for Cellular Therapy Meeting
May 22-26, 2010
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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