TOP STORY

Stem Cell Derived Neurons for Research Relevant to Alzheimer's and Niemann-Pick Type C Diseases
Stem cell derived neurons may allow scientists to determine whether breakdowns in the transport of proteins, lipids and other materials within cells trigger the neuronal death and neurodegeneration that characterize Alzheimer's disease and the rarer but always fatal neurological disorder, Niemann-Pick Type C. [ University of California School of Medicine, San Diego] 

SCIENCE NEWS

Nerve Cell Transplants Help Brain-Damaged Rats Fully Recover Lost Ability to Learn
Nerve cells transplanted into brain-damaged rats helped them to fully recover their ability to learn and remember, probably by promoting nurturing, protective growth factors, according to a new study. [National Institute for Mental Health, Bangalore]

Scientists Identify Stem Cell Control Mechanism
U.S. scientists say they've found the mechanism used by neural stem cells to continue growing and multiplying without changing their stem cell state. [City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte]

Skin-Derived Precursors Derive from Hair Follicle Precursors and Exhibit Properties of Adult Dermal Stem Cells
Despite the remarkable regenerative capacity of mammalian skin, an adult dermal stem cell has not yet been identified. Here, researchers investigated whether skin-derived precursors (SKPs) might fulfill such a role. SKPs were derived from Sox2⁺ hair follicle dermal cells and the two cell populations were shown to be similar with regard to their transcriptome and functional properties. [Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto]

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS

SOCS3 Deletion Promotes Optic Nerve Regeneration In Vivo
In analyzing axon regeneration in different mutant mouse lines, researchers discovered that deletion of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) in adult retinal ganglion cells promotes robust regeneration of injured optic nerve axons. [Neuron]

Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived L1 Overexpressing Neural Aggregates Enhance Recovery in Parkinsonian Mice
Researchers generated substrate-adherent embryonic stem cell-derived neural aggregates overexpressing the neural cell adhesion molecule L1, because it has shown beneficial functions after central nervous system injury. [Brain]

Trophically and Topographically Functionalized Silk Fibroin Nerve Conduits for Guided Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
Current nerve conduits lack adequate molecular and structural functionalities. Thus, researchers developed silk fibroin nerve conduits that were loaded with glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor and topographically functionalized with aligned and non-aligned silk fibroin nanofibers. [Biomaterials]

LIM Domain Only 4 Protein Promotes Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor-Induced Signaling in Neurons
Researchers show that granulocyte colony-stimulating factor treatment acetylates and phosphorylates Stat3, activates expression of a Stat3-dependent anti-apoptotic gene, p27, and increases neuron survival from ischemic injury. [Cell Mol Life Sci]

The bHLH Transcription Factor Hand2 Regulates the Expression of Nanog in ANS Differentiation
The forced expression of Hand2, promoted the autonomic nervous system (ANS) differentiation program in P19 embryonal carcinoma cells without aggregation. [Biochem Biophys Res Commun]

Enhanced Neurogenesis in the Olfactory Bulb in Adult Mice After Injury Induced by Acute Treatment with Trimethyltin
Neurogenesis in the olfactory bulb in adult mice after injury induced by acute treatment with trimethyltin was examined. [J Neurosci Res]

Differentiation of Neural Precursors and Dopaminergic Neurons from Human Embryonic Stem Cells
A reproducible, chemically defined protocol that allows directed differentiation of human embryonic stem cells to nearly pure neuroectodermal cells and neurons was described. [Methods Mol Biol]

Generation of Neural Crest Cells and Peripheral Sensory Neurons from Human Embryonic Stem Cells
This study details an improved method that uses two rounds of PA6-induction to rapidly generate peripheral somatic sensory neurons at more than 25% purity. [Methods Mol Biol]

INDUSTRY NEWS

Cedars-Sinai to Supply Stem Cells to Scientists Developing Treatments for Huntington's Disease
As part of the $3.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, the Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute, directed by Clive Svendsen, Ph.D., will supply scientists at five leading laboratories, including Cedars-Sinai, with all the adult stem cells used in the study.

Effort to Regenerate Damaged Spinal Cords Receives Federal Stimulus
Fueled by the National Institutes of Health Grand Opportunity grant of $2.4 million, a multi-institutional team of researchers associated with the University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute's Regeneration Project has begun creating genomic tools necessary to compare the extraordinary regenerative capacity of the Mexican axolotl salamander with established mouse models of human disease and injury.

Otago Researchers Gain Neurological Foundation Grants
University of Otago researchers have gained significant funding for brain health-related studies in the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand's latest funding round.

University of Florida to Lead National Effort to Help Patients with Rare Brain Disease
University of Florida neurologists are trying to aid patients with ataxia with the help of a $1 million Challenge grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to establish a nationwide network of physician-scientists with expertise in clinical ataxia research.

Regeneron Plans $40 Million Expansion, Adding 400 Jobs
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. is investing $40 million in an expansion that will create up to 100 jobs in East Greenbush and another 300 jobs at its Westchester County campus.

Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. Adds Another U.S. Patent to Its Intellectual Property Portfolio
Stem Cell Therapeutics Corp. announced recently that it has been granted U.S. Patent No. 7,629,169 entitled "Methods for the Production of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF)-Responsive Neural Precursor Cells". The claims cover methods of producing and self-renewing PDGF-responsive precursor cells in culture using PDGF and FGF-2.

POLICY NEWS

National Institutes of Health Approves 27 More Stem Cell Lines
National Institutes of Health chief Francis Collins approved another 27 human embryonic stem cell lines for federal research funding recently, but limited support to diabetes-related pancreatic cell experiments. [National Institutes of Health, United States]

CIRM Provides $11 Million Boost in Funding to Train Stem Cell Scientists
Two critical programs funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state stem cell agency, got an $11 million increase recently when the agency's 29-member Governing Board voted to approve funding for two additional grants in the Training II program and five additional grants in the Bridges program. [California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, United States]

State Stem Cell Funding Possibly In Jeopardy
State money has helped Connecticut carve a niche in stem cell research, luring top scientists to the state and funding more than 200 researchers at the University of Connecticut, Yale and Wesleyan as they pursue treatments for cancer, Parkinson's and other diseases using promising new methods. [University of Connecticut, Yale and Wesleyan, United States]

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (United States)

Delays in Grant Application Submission due to Winter Storm December 2009 (NOT-OD-10-028)

EVENTS

The Biology and Pathology of Tau and Its Role in Tauopathies
January 7-8, 2010
Cambridge, United Kingdom

Keystone Symposia: Alzheimer's Disease Beyond Abeta (A4)
January 10-15, 2010
Copper Mountain, United States

CHI's Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference 2010
February 3-5, 2010
San Francisco, United States

Keystone Symposia: Stem Cell Differentiation and Dedifferentiation (B4)
February 15-20, 2010
Keystone, United States

2010 Canadian Neuroscience Meeting
May 15-18, 2010
Ottawa, Canada

ISSCR 8th Annual Meeting
June 16-19, 2010
San Francisco, United States

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Research & Development Scientist - Mesenchymal Cell Biology (STEMCELL Technologies)

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