In this issue: Science News  | Current Publications | Industry News  | Policy News | Events Subscribe |  Unsubscribe TOP STORIES Research may Hold Key to Maintaining Embryonic Stem Cells in Lab In a new study, scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered why mouse embryonic stem cells can be easily grown in a laboratory while other mammalian ES cells are difficult, if not impossible, to maintain. [UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas] SCIENCE NEWS Cellular Dynamics International Reprograms Blood Cells into Stem Cells Researchers at Cellular Dynamics International report the ability to generate pluripotent stem cells, from very small volumes of ordinary human blood samples. [Cellular Dynamics, Madison] Max Planck Researchers have Succeeded in Reprogramming Clearly Defined Adult Cells into Pluripotent Stem Cells, Directly and Without Viruses Researchers have succeeded for the first time in culturing a clearly defined cell type from the testis of adult mice and converting these cells into pluripotent stem cells without introduced genes, viruses or reprogramming proteins. [Max Planck Institute, Munich] Research Shows Viability of Purification of Near-pure Cell Populations and Improved Cell Survival After Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting New data presented at the International Society for Stem Cell Research 7th Annual Meeting highlights data further validating the viability of tools used for separating near-pure populations of stem cell-derived neurons from undifferentiated stem cells. [BD Biosciences, San Diego] Novel Stem Cell Trial Targets Heart Disease Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute recently enrolled its first patient in the FOCUS clinical trial in hopes of reversing damage to the patient's cardiac muscle caused by heart disease. [Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville] Stem Cells' "Suspended" State Preserved by Key Step Scientists have identified a gene that is essential for embryonic stem cells to maintain their all-purpose, pluripotent state. [University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco] Visit our events page to stay up to date with the latest events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community. CURRENT PUBLICATIONS Etoposide Induces MLL Rearrangements and Other Chromosomal Abnormalities in Human Embryonic Stem Cells For the first time human embryonic stem cells were used as a model to test the effects of etoposide, known to induce MLL rearrangements, on human early embryonic development. [Carcinogenesis] Surface Antigen Phenotypes of Hematopoietic Stem Cells from Embryos and Murine Embryonic Stem Cells This study compares the cell-surface phenotype of hematopoietic repopulating cells from murine yolk sac, aorta-gonad-mesonephros, placenta, fetal liver, and bone marrow with that of HSCs derived from the in vitro differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells. [Blood] A Simple and Efficient Cryopreservation Method for Feeder-free Dissociated Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Human Embryonic Stem Cells Exposure to ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 in freezing solution, and ROCK inhibitor added to both pre- and post-thaw culture media enhanced the survival rate. [Human Reproduction] Dependence of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells on Threonine Catabolism Measurements of the abundance of common metabolites in cultured embryonic stem cells revealed an unusual state with respect to one-carbon metabolism. [Science] Analysis of the Distinct Functions of Growth Factors and Tissue Culture Substrates Necessary for the Long-term Self-renewal of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines The researchers derived a feeder/serum-free culture system that can support the long-term (at least 10 passages) self-renewal of several euploid hES cell lines including MAN1, HUES7, and HUES1 with minimal spontaneous differentiation and without the need for manual propagation. [Stem Cell 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. iZumi Bio and Pierian Merge to Form iPierian to Advance Cellular Reprogramming iZumi Bio, Inc. and Pierian, Inc. recently announced they have merged to form a new company, iPierian, Inc. Building on the iZumi infrastructure and vision, the company is focused on the application of cellular reprogramming to change the paradigm of drug discovery. Start-Ups Say Innovation Doesn't Grow on Trees When nearly $10 billion in stimulus funds went to the NIH this year, a last-minute change in the legislation exempted the agency from setting aside 2.8 percent of its research budget for small businesses and the commercialization of technologies developed at universities. First cGMP Feeder-independent Pluripotent Stem Cell Banks Released for Distribution The WiCell Research Institute and the Waisman Clinical Biomanufacturing Facility announced recently the release of the first current Good Manufacturing Practices feeder-independent pluripotent stem cell banks available for sale and distribution to researchers worldwide. Cytori Expands Patent Protection for the Celution(R) System and Uses for Adipose Derived Stem and Regenerative Cells Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. recently received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office related to uses of the Celution(R) System for the treatment of bone related disorders. POLICY NEWS NIH Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research (NOT-OD-09-116) Embryonic Stem Cell Research Expands With U.S. Funds The final guidelines released today by the National Institutes of Health increase the number of stem cell lines available for research from 20 to more than 700. House Approves $2.99 Billion FDA Budget The House on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a $373 million budget increase for the Food and Drug Administration, the largest boost in the agency's history. Women Should Be Paid for Eggs: Academic Women in Australia who allow their eggs to be harvested for embryonic stem cell research should be paid for the procedure, an academic says. EVENTS ISS Piran 2009 - Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine August 21-29, 2009 Piran, Slovenia TERMIS 2nd World Congress August 31-September 3, 2009 Seoul, South Korea 16th International Society of Developmental Biologists Congress September 6-10, 2009 Edinburgh, United Kingdom International Society for Hematology and Stem Cells 38th Annual Scientific Meeting September 9-12, 2009 Athens, Greece  Learn more about Embryonic Stem Cell News:  Archives | Events  | Subscribe | Contact Us This email was sent by: Connexon Creative 400-570 W. 7th Avenue Vancouver, British Columbia V5Z 1B3 Canada