TOP STORIES

Gladstone Scientists Identify Role of Fatty Acids in Alzheimer's Disease
Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease and the University of California have found that complete or partial removal of an enzyme that regulates fatty acid levels improves cognitive deficits in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

SCIENCE

Gene Find Sheds Light on Motor Neuron Diseases like ALS
Scientists have identified a gene in mice that plays a central role in the proper development of one of the nerve cells that goes bad in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, and some other diseases that affect our motor neurons.

Mediator in Communication Between Neurons and Muscle Cells Found
A missing piece of the puzzle of how neurons and muscle cells establish lifelong communication has been found by researchers who suspect this piece may be mutated and/or attacked in muscular dystrophy.

ABSTRACTS

Membrane Microdomain Switching: a Regulatory Mechanism of Amyloid Precursor Protein Processing
This study proposes that microdomain switching is a mechanism of cholesterol- and activity-dependent regulation of APP processing in neurons.

Liaisons Dangereuses: Autophagy, Neuronal Survival and Neurodegeneration
The researchers describe how autophagy protects cells from damage leading to neurodegeneration.

Cystatin C-Cathepsin B Axis Regulates Amyloid Beta Levels and Associated Neuronal Deficits in an Animal Model of Alzheimer's Disease
This paper identifies CysC as the key inhibitor of CatB-induced A degradation, an early trigger of Alzheimer's disease, in vivo.

LRP4 Serves as a Coreceptor of Agrin
The researchers propose a model of how signal is transduced from agrin to MuSK.

INDUSTRY

The United Kingdom and California Announce International Collaboration to Advance Stem Cell Research Toward Cures
The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine and the United Kingdom's Medical Research Council announced recently an international collaboration on stem cell research.

Cellartis, Novo Nordisk and Lund University Enter into a Collaboration to Develop Insulin-Producing Cells from Stem Cells for the Treatment of Diabetes
The collaboration aims to develop a cell therapy for the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes and, in the longer term, a cure for diabetes.

McGovern Institute Funds Collaborative Neurotechnology Projects
The McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT recently announced six awards to develop new technologies for neuroscience research.

University College Cork to Allow Stem Cell Research
University College Cork became the first third level institution in Ireland to effectively allow embryonic stem cell research, under strict ethical guidelines.

POLICY

Britain Widens Scope for Stem Cell Research
British plans to allow scientists to use hybrid animal-human embryos for stem cell research won final approval from lawmakers Wednesday in a sweeping overhaul of sensitive science laws.

UK Adult Stem Cell Researcher Moves to France Over 'Funding Lack'
Colin McGuckin, professor of regenerative medicine at Newcastle University and an expert in adult stem cells, claimed that the Government and funding bodies are biased towards embryonic stem cell research.

Stem Cell Science Experts Release Letter Urging U.S. Commitment to All Avenues of Stem Cell Research
The International Society for Stem Cell Research joined with other leading scientists to issue an open letter to reiterate the urgent need for U.S. support for all types of stem cell research.

HHS Preparing to Open FDA Offices in China, India, Europe, and Latin America This Year
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will send the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration staff to China, India, Europe, and Latin America before the end of 2008.