Mapping of ‘Sixth Nucleotide’ in Embryonic Stem Cells Indicates it May Activate Genes Stem cell researchers have generated the first genome-wide mapping of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine — a DNA modification sometimes called the “sixth nucleotide” — in human embryonic stem cells and have discovered that the molecule is found predominantly in genes that are turned on, or active. [Press release from the University of California, Los Angeles discussing online prepublication in Genome Biology]
Researchers Create Reprogrammed Stem Cells for Disease Studies The University of Michigan’s Consortium for Stem Cell Therapies has achieved another of its primary goals: reprogramming adult skin cells so they behave like embryonic stem cells. [University of Michigan Press Release]
Generation of Healthy Mice from Gene-Corrected Disease-Specific Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Using the murine model of tyrosinemia type 1 (fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase [FAH] deficiency; FAH-/- mice) as a paradigm for orphan disorders, investigators evaluated fibroblast-derived FAH-/--induced pluripotent stem cells as targets for gene correction in combination with the tetraploid embryo complementation method. [PLoS Biol]
BUSM Awarded $9 Million to Investigate Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease Using iPS Cells Researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) were recently awarded a five-year $9 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to mass-produce sickle cell anemia-specific induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. [EurekAlert! Press Release]
Ten UConn Researchers Receive State Stem Cell Funding Ten scientists at the University of Connecticut and its Health Center received grant awards totaling $5.7 million from the Connecticut Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee, to support their pioneering embryonic stem cell research. [University of Connecticut Press Release]
POLICY NEWS
Advocates Attempt to Advance Regenerative Medicine with Introduction of HR 1862 The nonprofit Alliance for Regenerative Medicine hopes to accomplish more stem cell-based therapy approvals in part through the Regenerative Medicine Promotion Act of 2011 (HR 1862), which was introduced in May. [Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, United States]
HHS Unveils Plan to Tighten Human Subjects Rules After 20 years, it’s time for an overhaul. That was the message from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which wants to beef up protections for people participating in research. [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, United States]
Federal Judge Dismisses Stem Cell Suit Against NIH In a surprise decision, a federal judge ruled today in favor of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in a court battle over the legality of human embryonic stem cell research. [U.S. District Court, United States]
Regulations Proposed for Animal–Human Chimaeras Animal-human chimeras might be useful to researchers studying human cognition or human-specific pathogens. But it would be ethically unacceptable and should be banned, argues a government-commissioned report from the UK Academy of Medical Sciences. [UK Academy of Medical Sciences, United Kingdom]
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