StemCell Therapy

13-01-2012 12:10 http://www.justgiving.com/vanessa-appeal In Feb 2009, Vanessa, then aged 8, was diagnosed with Stage 4 (High-Risk) Neuroblastoma, a very rare, aggressive and difficult to treat form of childhood cancer. Fewer than 100 children in the UK are diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year, most of which are below the age of 5 and generally have a better prognosis as the older the child is the worse the prognosis is. Since Feb 09, Vanessa has undergone many different treatments at Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow, these include; 12 rounds of High Dose Chemotherapy, two 7 hour surgical operations, the removal of one of her kidneys, a stem cell transplant, Radiotherapy, Retinoic Acid treatment and Immunotherapy treatment......all of which was agonising to watch as parents never mind to have to endure as a child! Having undergone all this difficult and often very painful treatment the fact remained that due to a high relapse rate the long term prognosis for Vanessa's survival remained very poor with less than a 40% survival rate. All the same, Vanessa finished her treatment at Yorkhill Hospital in Aug 2010 and was given the all clear. In Dec 2011 after routine scans, we were given the devastating news that Vanessa had relapsed. She has many hotspots on the skull, neck, spine, leg and knees. The UK doctors have told us that this time round there is very little chance of survival; "much less than 10%" they said, as we do not have any relapse protocols in the UK. This is due to the Government not ...

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Please Help Vanessa - Video

23-01-2012 19:28 "Left this world a little better just because I was here." Yesterday, the 22nd of January, marked a devastating and unforgettable day for all those who knew, loved and followed precious Layla Grace Marsh's story as she battled fiercely against the disease that claimed her life. After a routine check-up following her stem cell transplant Layla's parents were given the news that instead of getting better she had new tumors. Not only were they back in her abdomen but they were now crowding and invading her kidney. Her only good kidney. Precious Layla Grace was sent home with no treatment options aimed toward a cure. She was sent home to pass away. On the 9th of March, 2010 Layla gave up the fight for her "sparky" (sparkly) wings and has been her family's guardian angel ever since. Layla was full of life, happiness, love, fearlessness, determination, spunk, wit, joy and above all, strength. She loved wearing her flower beanies, babylegs and tutus. A smile was always flashed across her cheeky little face and she would often claim that she "had a good day" despite all the shit she was going through at the time. Layla lived, she loved and her legacy on how to do this is still here. I will never forget you. Miss you, boo. This video is dedicated to my wonderful friend through Twitter, Melly. Thank you for motivating me to finish this video even if I had to "cut it off where I finished." Seeing Layla's face and making videos (especially those commemorating certain painful milestones) are ...

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january twenty second two thousand ten | two years later. she was here. - Video

28-01-2012 05:25 Warning: Jeunesse Luminesce contains no stem-cells, only stem cell serums, however, below is a blurb that support the use of stem-cells http://www.wisemlm.com http This is a very 'hot button' issue that keeps arising in the face of politicians everywhere in the country. What if anything should the government involve itself in for the issues of stem cell research? How far should the government press into the fields of medical science research? Should the government interfere at all, or stand back and come up with laws to handle the consequences of such research? It comes into question, how many ordinary Americans really know and understand what stem cell research is, how it can effect our lives, and what does it have the ability to do in the future? With topics such as abortion being very hot and causing pressures on all sides, it only seems natural that stem cell research should cause just as much controversy. Many supporters argue that the research gathered will be able to save millions of lives, while those opposing the research all argue that they are killing thousands of innocent children in the process. This brings the question, where do the embryos come from? The majority of the embryos used in the research come from couples that have donated them, following a treatment for infertility; there are often 10 or more embryos left over after such procedures, which can be put to use in the laboratory environment. The options for those embryos are limited; they can be preserved ...

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Stem Cells Explained - Jeunesse Luminesce on http://www.WiseMLM.com - Video

Public release date: 27-Jan-2012
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Contact: Daniel Kane
dbkane@ucsd.edu
858-534-3262
University of California - San Diego

Stem cells derived from fat have a surprising trick up their sleeves: Encouraged to develop on a stiff surface, they undergo a remarkable transformation toward becoming mature muscle cells. The new research appears in the journal Biomaterials. The new cells remain intact and fused together even when transferred to an extremely stiff, bone-like surface, which has University of California, San Diego bioengineering professor Adam Engler and colleagues intrigued. These cells, they suggest, could hint at new therapeutic possibilities for muscular dystrophy.

In diseases like muscular dystrophy or a heart attack, "muscle begins to die and undergoes its normal wounding processes," said Engler, a bioengineering professor at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego. "This damaged tissue is fundamentally different from a mechanical perspective" than healthy tissue.

Transplanted stem cells might be able to replace and repair diseased muscle, but up to this point the transplants haven't been very successful in muscular dystrophy patients, he noted. The cells tend to clump into hard nodules as they struggle to adapt to their new environment of thickened and damaged tissue.

Engler, postdoctoral scholar Yu Suk Choi and the rest of the team think their fat-derived stem cells might have a better chance for this kind of therapy, since the cells seem to thrive on a stiff and unyielding surface that mimics the damaged tissue found in people with MD.

In their study in the journal Biomaterials, the researchers compared the development of bone marrow stem cells and fat-derived stem cells grown on surfaces of varying stiffness, ranging from the softness of brain tissue to the hardness of bone.

Cells from the fat lineage were 40 to 50 times better than their bone marrow counterparts at displaying the proper proteins involved in becoming muscle. These proteins are also more likely to "turn on" in the correct sequence in the fat-derived cells, Engler said.

Subtle differences in how these two types of cells interact with their environment are critical to their development, the scientists suggest. The fat-derived cells seem to sense their "niche" on the surfaces more completely and quickly than marrow-derived cells. "They are actively feeling their environment soon, which allows them to interpret the signals from the interaction of cell and environment that guide development," Choi explained.

Perhaps most surprisingly, muscle cells grown from the fat stem cells fused together, forming myotubes to a degree never previously observed. Myotubes are a critical step in muscle development, and it's a step forward that Engler and colleagues hadn't seen before in the lab.

The fused cells stayed fused when they were transferred to a very stiff surface. "These programmed cells are mature enough so that they don't respond the environmental cues" in the new environment that might cause them to split apart, Engler says.

Engler and colleagues will now test how these new fused cells perform in mice with a version of muscular dystrophy. The cells survive in an environment of stiff tissue, but Engler cautions that there are other aspects of diseased tissue such as its shape and chemical composition to consider. "From the perspective of translating this into a clinically viable therapy, we want to know what components of the environment provide the most important cues for these cells," he said.

###

Co-authors for the Biomaterials study "Mechanical derivation of functional myotubes from adipose-derived stem cells" include Ludovic G. Vincent and Andrew R. Lee in the Department of Bioengineering at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering, and Marek K. Dobke from the Division of Plastic Surgery, UC San Diego School of Medicine. The research was funded by the Human Frontier Science Program and the National Institutes of Health Common Fund.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

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Need muscle for a tough spot? Turn to fat stem cells, UC San Diego researchers say

To: HEALTH, MEDICAL AND NATIONAL EDITORS

CLEVELAND, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Juventas Therapeutics is a privately-held, clinical-stage company developing novel regenerative therapies for treatment of cardiovascular disease. The Company's lead product, JVS-100, encodes Stromal cell-Derived Factor 1 (SDF-1) which has been shown to repair damaged tissue through recruitment of circulating stem cells to the site of injury, prevention of ongoing cell death and restoration of blood flow. Juventas recently presented the 12-month results from its Phase I heart failure trial at the 7th International Conference on Cell Therapy for Cardiovascular Disease.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120130/DC43104LOGO)

The 17-person, open-label, dose-escalation study targeted New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III heart failure patients, who represent approximately a quarter of the 6 million heart failure patients in the United States and account for half of all heart failure hospital admissions. The clinical trial met its primary safety endpoint with no serious adverse events deemed drug related. Fifteen of the 17 patients survived to a year. Importantly, patients receiving target therapeutic doses demonstrated clinically significant improvements at 12 months in 6 minute walk distance (6MWD) and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). Nearly half of the patients improved a full NYHA class, with multiple patients improving 2 full classes.

"The patient population we treated in this trial have a true unmet clinical need and tend to have rapidly deteriorating quality of life," states Marc Penn, M.D., Ph.D, Founder and Chief Medical Officer for Juventas and Director of Cardiovascular Research at the Summa Cardiovascular Institute at Summa Health System. "To see clinical symptomatic benefits of this magnitude maintained from 4 to 12 months after JVS-100 treatment suggests we are inducing fundamental changes in the heart of treated patients. We believe this is consistent with our understanding of the mechanisms associated with JVS-100 and warrants further investigation."

Based on these results, the company is preparing to enroll a placebo-controlled, randomized, double blinded Phase II heart failure clinical trial in the United States to further define the efficacy of JVS-100. Also, Juventas has received FDA clearance to enroll a Phase IIa trial evaluating safety and efficacy of JVS-100 in patients with critical limb ischemia. The CLI trial is enrolling patients in the United States and India. In addition to safety, the trial will assess time to amputation and other efficacy endpoints and will begin enrollment in the first quarter of 2012.

"We are thrilled by our Phase I data and excited to be transitioning into multiple mid-stage clinical trials," states Rahul Aras, Ph.D., President and CEO for Juventas. "We are excited about the platform potential for JVS-100 in a broad range of clinical indications."

About Juventas Therapeutics

Juventas Therapeutics, headquartered in Cleveland, OH, is a privately-held clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a pipeline of regenerative therapies to treat life-threatening diseases. Founded in 2007 with an exclusive license from the Cleveland Clinic, Juventas has transitioned its therapeutic platform from concept to initiation of mid-stage clinical trials. Investors include New Science Ventures, Takeda Ventures, Triathlon Medical Venture Partners, Early Stage Partners, Fletcher Spaght Ventures, Reservoir Venture Partners, North Coast Angel Fund, X Gen Ltd., JumpStart Inc., and Blue Chip Venture Co. The company has received non-dilutive grant support through the Ohio Third Frontier funded Cleveland Clinic Ohio BioValidation Fund, Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center and Center for Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine.

About JVS-100

The company's lead product, JVS-100 encodes Stromal-cell Derived Factor 1 (SDF-1). SDF-1 promotes tissue repair through recruitment of endogenous stem cells to the damaged organ, promotion of new blood vessel formation and prevention of ongoing cell death. The SDF-1 repair pathway is well-conserved in a broad range of end organ systems, including the heart, vasculature, dermis, kidney, and eye. JVS-100 is currently being clinically evaluated for treatment of heart failure and late stage peripheral vascular disease and has been shown to protect and repair tissue following organ-damage in a broad range of pre-clinical disease models.

SOURCE Juventas Therapeutics

-0-

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Juventas Therapeutics Reports One Year Data From Phase I Heart Failure Clinical Trial

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Advanced Cell Technology,
Inc. (“ACT”;
OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative
medicine, announced today that the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary,
the largest of the Grampian University Hospitals in Scotland,
has been confirmed as a site for its Phase 1/2 human clinical
trial for Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy (SMD) using retinal
pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from human embryonic
stem cells (hESCs). The Phase 1/2 trial is a prospective,
open-label study designed to determine the safety and
tolerability of the RPE cells following sub-retinal
transplantation into patients with SMD.

“A leading medical institution in the United Kingdom, Aberdeen
Royal Infirmary is an ideal partner for our European clinical
trial for SMD,” said Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT.
“Moreover, we are particularly pleased that the lead
investigator is Dr. Noemi Lois, a leading expert in SMD. We
continue to forge ties with some of the best eye surgeons and
hospitals in the world and work towards bringing this
cutting-edge therapy closer to fruition. Our preliminary
results to date keep us optimistic that we are on the right
path both in terms of our science and the clinical team we are
working with, particularly eye surgeons such as Dr. Lois.”

Stargardt's Macular Dystrophy affects an estimated 80,000 to
100,000 patients in the U.S. and Europe, and causes progressive
vision loss, usually starting in people between the ages of 10
to 20, although the disease onset can occur at any age.
Eventually, blindness results from photoreceptor loss
associated with degeneration in the pigmented layer of the
retina, the retinal pigment epithelium. “The first Stargardt’s
patient to be treated in the U.S. with stem cell-derived RPE
cells was a patient who was already legally blind as a
consequence of this disease” stated Dr. Robert Lanza M.D., the
chief scientific officer at ACT. Preliminary results from the
treatment of the first SMD patient were recently
reported in
The Lancet (23 January 2012) and have been
characterized by experts in the field of regenerative medicine
as providing early signs of safety and efficacy.

This approved SMD clinical trial that Dr. Lois and her team
will participate in is a prospective, open-label study designed
to determine the safety and tolerability of RPE cells derived
from hESCs following sub-retinal transplantation to patients
with advanced SMD, and is similar in design to the FDA-cleared
US trial initiated in July 2011.

“It is an honor to have been designated as a site for this
path-breaking clinical trial,” said Noemi Lois, M.D., Ph.D. “We
could not be more pleased to be a part of this trial for a
promising potential new treatment for SMD, using hESC-derived
RPE cells.” Dr. Lois is a is a member of the Department of
Ophthalmology, NHS Grampian, and associated to the University
of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom. Dr. Lois practices at
the Aberdeen Royal Infirmary; she is an Ophthalmologist with
special interest in Medical retina and Retinal surgery.

On January 23, 2012, the company
announced that the first patient in this SMD clinical trial
in Europe had been treated at Moorfields Eye Hospital in
London.

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. is a biotechnology company
applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative
medicine. For more information, visit
http://www.advancedcell.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this news release regarding future financial
and operating results, future growth in research and
development programs, potential applications of our technology,
opportunities for the company and any other statements about
the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects
expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. Any statements that are not statements of
historical fact (including statements containing the words
“will,” “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “expects,”
“estimates,” and similar expressions) should also be considered
to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of
important factors that could cause actual results or events to
differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking
statements, including: limited operating history, need for
future capital, risks inherent in the development and
commercialization of potential products, protection of our
intellectual property, and economic conditions generally.
Additional information on potential factors that could affect
our results and other risks and uncertainties are detailed from
time to time in the company’s periodic reports, including the
report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010.
Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs,
opinions, and expectations of the company’s management at the
time they are made, and the company does not assume any
obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those
beliefs, opinions, expectations, or other circumstances should
change. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs,
opinions, and expectations of the company’s management at the
time they are made, and the company does not assume any
obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those
beliefs, opinions, expectations, or other circumstances should
change. There can be no assurance that the Company’s clinical
trials will be successful.

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ACT Announces Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in Scotland as Additional Site for Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial Using hESC-Derived ...

NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com
announces that a new market research report is available in its
catalogue:

Biobanking for Medicine: Technology and Market
2012-2022

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Report Details

What does the future hold for biobanks? Visiongain's report
shows you potential revenues and trends to 2022. Find data,
forecasts and discussions for biobanking in medicine.

Discover sales predictions at overall market, submarket and
national levels to 2022. Our study gives you business research,
analysis and opinion for applications in medical research,
pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. 

How will the biobanking industry perform? Receive forecasts for
human tissue banking, stem cell banking, private cord banking,
other services (e.g., DNA and RNA storage), commercial
biobanks, academic collections and other operations. You find
revenues and discussions.

R&D applications are multiplying and widening. Assess
contributions of biobanks in understanding disease, drug
discovery, drug development and biomarkers. This decade will
result in technological and organisational progress, public and
private, benefiting healthcare. 

Our report discusses Cryo-Cell International, Cord Blood
America, Tissue Solutions, Asterand,
ViaCord, LifebankUSA, China Cord Blood and other
organisations. See activities and outlooks. 

Biobanks and biorepositories will become more important to
medical R&D and human healthcare. Biological science and
technology stand to benefit. Discover the prospects. 

Visiongain's study provides data, analysis and opinion aiming
to help your research, calculations, meetings and
presentations. You can find answers now in our work.

Revenue forecasts, market shares, developmental trends,
discussions and interviews

In the report you find revenue forecasting, growth rates,
market shares, qualitative analyses (incl. SWOT and STEP), news
and views. You receive 72 tables and charts and six research
interviews.

Advantages of Biobanking for Medicine: Technology and
Market 2012-2022 for your work

In particular, this study gives you the following knowledge and
benefits:• Find revenue predictions to 2022 for the overall
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companies in medical biobanking, discovering activities and
outlooks• See revenue forecasts to 2022 in leading countries
for human tissue banking -
US, Japan, Germany,France, UK, Spain, Italy, China and India•
Review developmental trends for biobanks - technologies and
services• Investigate competition and opportunities influencing
commercial results• Find out what will stimulate and restrain
that industry and market• View expert opinions from our survey
of that biotechnology sector.

There, you receive a distinctive mix of quantitative and
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Gain business research, data and analysis for medical
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Table of Contents1. Executive Summary

1.1 Summary Points of this Report

1.2 Aims, Scope and Format of the Report

1.2.1 Speculative Aspects of Assessing the Biobanking Market

1.2.2 Chapter Outlines

1.3 Research and Analysis Methods

1.3.1 Human Tissue Banking Market

1.3.2 Stem Cell Banking Market

2. Introduction to Biobanking2.1 Biobanking2.1.1 Processes
Involved in Biobanking2.2 Biobanks: A Two-Fold Character2.3 Key
Features2.4 Classification of Biobanks2.4.1 Volunteer
Groups2.4.1.1 Population-Based Biobanks2.4.1.2 Disease-Oriented
Biobanks2.4.2 Ownership or Funding Structure2.5 Guidelines and
Standards2.5.1 Guidelines for Biobanks and Use of Biological
Samples for Research2.5.2 Industry Standards for Biobanks2.5.3
Biobanking Processes Governed by Guidelines2.6 Laws and
Regulations for Biobank-Based Research

3. Biobanking and the Pharmaceutical Industry

3.1 Scientific and Commercial Use of Biobanking in the
Pharmaceutical Industry

3.1.1 Research and Drug Development

3.1.1.1 Understanding Disease Pathways

3.1.1.2 Drug Discovery

3.1.1.3 Biomarker Discovery

3.1.2 Therapeutics

3.1.3 Clinical Trials

3.2 Biobanks Operated by Pharmaceutical Companies

4. Biobanking Associated Market: Systems, Software, Consumables
and Services Associated with Biobanking4.1 Overview4.2
Systems/Technologies4.2.1 Automated Liquid Handling4.2.1.1
Frozen Aliquotting: New Technology in Development4.2.2
Storage4.2.2.1 Ultra-Low Temperature Freezing4.2.2.2
Room-Temperature Storage4.2.3 RFID and Tagging Technologies4.3
Software4.3.1 Laboratory Information Management System
(LIMS)4.3.1.1 LIMS Functions4.4 Consumables4.5 Services

5. The World Medical Biobanking Market to 2022

5.1 Current State of the Biobanking Market

5.2 Geographical Footprint

5.3 Growing Demand for Biobank Resources

5.4 Revenue Forecast for Overall Market

5.4.1 Scope and Limitations

5.4.2 Biobanking Market, 2011-2022

5.4.2.1 Sales Forecasts for Biobanking Market, 2011-2016

5.4.2.2 Sales Forecasts for Biobanking Market, 2017-2022

5.5 Commercial Biobanks: New Resources for Research

6. Human Tissue Banking Market6.1 Revenue Forecast for Overall
Human Tissue Banking Market, 2011-20226.1.1 Revenue Forecast
for Overall Human Tissue Banking Market, 2011-20166.1.2 Revenue
Forecast for Overall Human Tissue Banking Market, 2017-20226.2
Revenue Forecasts for Human Tissue Banking Market by Type of
Biobank, 2011-20226.2.1 Revenue Forecast for Commercial Human
Tissue Banking Market, 2011-20166.2.2 Revenue Forecast for
Commercial Human Tissue Banking Market, 2017-20226.2.3 Revenue
Forecast for Academic & Other Human Tissue Banking Market,
2011-20166.2.4 Revenue Forecast for Academic & Other Human
Tissue Banking Market, 2017-20226.3 Revenue Forecasts for Human
Tissue Banking in Leading National Markets, 2011-20226.4 Some
Commercial Participants in the Human Tissue Banking Market6.4.1
Business Models of Companies in the Biobanking Market6.4.2
Tissue Solutions6.4.2.1 Overview6.4.2.2 Global Presence6.4.2.3
Products and Services6.4.2.3.1 Banked Samples6.4.2.3.2
Prospective Samples6.4.2.3.3 Fresh Samples6.4.2.3.4 Freshly
Isolated and Primary Cells6.4.2.3.5 Services6.4.2.4 Strengths
and Capabilities6.4.2.5 Future Outlook6.4.3 Asterand6.4.3.1
Overview6.4.3.2 Global Presence6.4.3.3 Products and
Services6.4.3.3.1 XpressBANK6.4.3.3.2 ProCURE6.4.3.3.3
PhaseZERO6.4.3.3.4 BioMAP6.4.3.4 Asterand: Raised Barriers for
New Market Entrants?6.4.3.5 Financial Performance6.4.3.6 Future
Outlook

7. Stem Cell Banking

7.1 Overview

7.2 Revenue Forecast for Overall Stem Cell Banking Market,
2011-2022

7.2.1 Revenue Forecast for Stem Cell Banking Market, 2011-2016

7.2.2 Revenue Forecast for Stem Cell Banking Market, 2017-2022

7.3 Stem Cell Banks for Research: High Growth Possible

7.4 Umbilical Cord Blood Banking for Stem Cells

7.4.1 Blood Banks: Private vs. Public

7.4.2 Biological Insurance: Private Blood Banking

7.4.3 Umbilical Cord Banking: The Controversies

7.4.3.1 US Oversight of Cord Blood Stem Cells

7.4.4 Revenue Forecast for Private Cord Blood Banking Market,
2011-2016

7.4.5 Revenue Forecast for Private Cord Blood Banking Market,
2017-2022

7.4.6 Companies in the Field

7.4.6.1 Cord Blood America: Looking Towards the Chinese
Market

7.4.6.2 ViaCord: 145,000 Blood Units in Storage

7.4.6.3 Cryo-Cell International: The First Cord Blood Bank

7.4.6.4 Stem Cell Authority: Exclusive Stem Cells

7.4.6.5 LifebankUSA: Placenta-Cord Banking

7.4.6.6 Biogenea-Cellgenea

7.4.6.7 China Cord Blood Corp

7.4.6.8 Cryo-Save

7.4.6.9 Thermogenesis

7.5 Gene/DNA Banking

8. Industry Trends8.1 Automated Biobanking8.1.1 Increased
Uptake of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) in
Biobanking8.1.2 Addressing Sample Storage and Tracking
Issues8.2 Green Banking8.3 Creation of National Biobanks8.4
HIPAA Amendments

9. Qualitative Analysis of the Biobanking Sector

9.1 Strengths

9.1.1 Wealth of Information for Genetic Research

9.1.2 Potential to Change Treatments

9.1.3 Many Governments Support Biobanking

9.2 Weaknesses

9.2.1 Quality Concerns for Some Existing Biospecimen
Collections

9.2.2 Lack of Standardisation and Harmonisation of Best
Practices

9.2.3 Limited Sharing and Linkage of Biobanks

9.3 Opportunities

9.3.1 Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS)

9.3.2 Personalised Medicine

9.3.3 Pharmacogenomics: Driving the Personalised Medicine
Approach

9.4 Threats

9.4.1 Ethical and Regulatory Issues

9.4.1.1 Limitations of Informed Consent in Biobanking

9.4.1.2 Confidentiality and Security to Prevent Improper Use

9.4.2 Social and Cultural Issues

9.4.3 Ownership Issues

9.4.4 Funding

10. Research Interviews from Our Survey10.1 Dr Morag McFarlane,
Chief Scientific Officer, Tissue Solutions10.1.1 On the Use of
Biobank Samples in the Pharmaceutical Industry 10.1.2 On
Commercial Aspects of Biobanking10.1.3 On the Business of
Tissue Solutions10.1.4 On the Attractiveness of Human Tissue
Banking10.1.5 On the Future of the Biobanking Market10.2 Dr
Angel García Martín, Director, Inbiomed10.2.1 On the Importance
of Biobanking in the Pharmaceutical Industry 10.2.2 On the
Use of Technology in Biobanking 10.2.3 On Increased
Recognition of Biobanking and Harmonisation of
Samples 10.2.4 On the Use of Biobanks by the
Pharmaceutical Industry 10.2.5 On Private Biobanks and
Scale of Operations 10.2.6 On Commercial and Public
Biobanking and Legislation 10.2.7 On the Most Attractive
Segment in Commercial Biobanking10.2.8 On the Future of
Biobanking: Drivers and Challenges10.3 Dr Piet Smet, Director,
Business Development, BioStorage Technologies10.3.1 On Defining
Biorepositories and Biobanks10.3.2 On the Services of
Biostorage10.3.3 On Main Customers for Biostorage10.3.4 On the
Importance of Biorepositories in Research and Industry10.3.5 On
Technology Use in Biobanks10.3.6 On Increased Recognition of
Biobanking and Harmonisation of Samples 10.3.7 On the Use
of Biobanks by the Pharmaceutical Industry 10.3.8 On
Private Biobanks and Scale of Operations 10.3.9 On
Commercial and Public Biobanking and Legislation 10.3.10
On the Most Attractive Segment in Commercial Biobanking10.3.11
On Biobanking in 202010.3.12 On Drivers and Challenges in the
Sector10.4 Dr Tom Hoksbergen, Marketing and Sales,
SampleNavigator Laboratory Automation Systems10.4.1 On the
Services of SampleNavigator10.4.2 On Main Customers for
SampleNavigator10.4.3 On the Importance of Biorepositories in
Research and Industry10.4.4 On Technology Use in Biobanks10.4.5
On Increased Recognition of Biobanking and Harmonisation of
Samples 10.4.6 On the Use of Biobanks by the
Pharmaceutical Industry 10.4.7 On Commercial
Biorepositories/Banks and Scale of Operations 10.4.8 On
Commercial and Public Biobanking10.4.9 On the Most Attractive
Segment in Commercial Biobanking10.4.10 On Biobanking in
202010.4.11 On Drivers and Challenges in the Sector10.5 Mr Rob
Fannon, Clinical Operations Manager, BioServe10.5.1 On the
Services of BioServe10.5.2 On Main Customers for BioServe10.5.3
On the Importance of Biorepositories in Research and
Industry10.5.4 On Technology Use in Biobanks10.5.5 On Increased
Recognition of Biobanking and Harmonisation of
Samples 10.5.6 On the Use of Biobanks by the
Pharmaceutical Industry 10.5.7 On Commercial
Biorepositories/Banks and Scale of Operations 10.5.8 On
Commercial and Public Biobanking10.5.9 On the Most Attractive
Segment in Commercial Biobanking10.5.10 On Biobanking in
202010.5.11 On Drivers and Challenges in the Sector10.6 Dr
Frans A.L. van der Horst, Chairman, Dutch Collaborative
Biobank10.6.1 On Importance of Biorepositories in Research and
Industry10.6.2 On Increased Recognition of Biobanking and
Harmonisation of Samples 10.6.3 On the Services of Dutch
Collaborative Biobank10.6.4 On Commercial Drivers for
Bio-Repositories/Biobanking Market10.6.5 On Commercial and
Public Biobanking10.6.6 On Sustaining/Recovering Costs10.6.7 On
the Most Attractive Segment in Commercial Biobanking10.6.8 On
Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Biorepositories/Biobanks

11. Conclusions

11.1 Biobanking for Research and Therapeutics

11.2 Biobanking: The Future for Drug Discovery and Personalised
Medicine

11.3 Commercial Drivers of the Biobanking Market

11.4 The Sector Has Marked Challenges, but Many Opportunities
for Growth

List of TablesTable 2.1 Prominent Population-Based
Biobanks, 2011

Table 2.2 Prominent Disease-Oriented Biobanks, 2011

Table 2.3 Some Guidelines and Recommendations for Biobanks,
2011

Table 2.4 Laws and Regulations for Biobank-Based Research,
Consent Requirements, and Privacy/ Data Protection, 2011

Table 3.1 Some Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies with
In-House Biobanks, 2011

Table 4.1 Prominent Companies in the Automated Liquid Handling
Market, 2011

Table 4.2 Prominent Companies in Ultra-Low Temperature Freezer
Market, 2011

Table 4.3 Prominent LIMS Vendors, 2011

Table 4.4 Prominent Consumables Suppliers for Biobanking, 2011

Table 4.5 Prominent Biorepository Service Providers, 2011

Table 5.1 Estimated Number of Biobanks in Europe, 2011

Table 5.2 Biobanking Market: Grouped Revenue Forecasts,
2010-2016

Table 5.3 Biobanking Market: Grouped Revenue Forecasts,
2017-2022

Table 6.1 Human Tissue Banking Market: Overall Revenue
Forecast, 2010-2016

Table 6.2 Human Tissue Banking Market: Overall Revenue
Forecast, 2017-2022

Table 6.3 Human Tissue Banking Market: Revenue Forecasts by
Type of Biobank, 2010-2016

Table 6.4 Human Tissue Banking Market: Revenue Forecasts by
Type of Biobank, 2017-2022

Table 6.5 Human Tissue Banking Market: Revenue Forecasts for
Leading National Markets, 2010-2016

Table 6.6 Human Tissue Banking Market: Revenue Forecasts for
Leading National Markets, 2017-2022

Table 6.7 Some Leading Companies in the World Biobanking
Market, 2011

Table 6.8 Asterand: Revenue by Segment, 2009 and 2010

Table 6.9 Asterand: Revenue by Geographical Area, 2010

Table 7.1 Stem Cell Banking Market: Overall Revenue Forecast,
2010-2016

Table 7.2 Stem Cell Banking Market: Overall Revenue Forecast,
2017-2022

Table 7.3 Prominent Stem Cell Banks Serving the Research
Community, 2011

Table 7.4 Costs of Various Private Cord Blood Banks Worldwide,
2011

Table 7.5 Private Cord Blood Banking Market: Revenue Forecast,
2010-2016

Table 7.6 Private Cord Blood Banking Market: Revenue Forecast,
2017-2022

Table 7.7 Cord Blood Banking Market: Drivers and Restraints,
2012-2022

Table 7.8 Some Prominent Companies in the Cord Blood Banking
Market, 2011

Table 7.9 Cryo-Cell International Revenue, 2009-2010

Table 7.10 China Cord Blood Corp Revenue and Subscribers,
2009-2010

Table 7.11 Cryo-Save Revenue and Operating Profit, 2009-2010

Table 7.12 Cryo-Save Revenue by Region, 2010

Table 9.1 SWOT Analysis of the Biobanking Market: Strengths and
Weaknesses, 2012-2022

Table 9.2 SWOT Analysis of the Biobanking Market: Opportunities
and Threats, 2012-2022

Table 9.3 Information for a Biobank Donor, 2011

Table 11.1 Human Tissue Biobanking Market by Country, 2010,
2016, 2019 & 2022

List of FiguresFigure 2.1 Main Processes Involved in
Biobanking, 2011

Figure 2.2 Classification of Biobanks, 2011

Figure 3.1 Biobanking and Pharmaceutical Development, 2011

Figure 4.1 Biobanking, Applications and Users, 2011

Figure 4.2 Functions of LIMS, 2011

Figure 5.1 Overall Biobanking Market: Revenue Forecast,
2010-2016

Figure 5.2 Overall Biobanking Market: Revenue Forecast,
2017-2022

Figure 6.1 Human Tissue Banking Market: Overall Revenue
Forecast, 2010-2016

Figure 6.2 Human Tissue Banking Market: Overall Revenue
Forecast, 2017-2022

Figure 6.3 Human Tissue Banking Market: Forecast by Type of
Biobank, 2010-2016

Figure 6.4 Human Tissue Banking Market: Forecast by Type of
Biobank, 2017-2022

Figure 6.5 Human Tissue Banking Market: Share by Type of
Biobank, 2010

Figure 6.6 Human Tissue Banking Market: Share by Type of
Biobank, 2022

Figure 6.7 World and US Human Tissue Banking Markets: Revenue
Forecasts, 2010-2022

Figure 6.8 Japan, EU 5 and Other Leading Human Tissue
Banking Markets: National Revenue Forecasts, 2010-2022

Figure 6.9 Human Tissue Banking: National Market Shares, 2010

Figure 6.10 Human Tissue Banking: National Market Shares, 2016

Figure 6.11 Human Tissue Banking: National Market Shares, 2019

Figure 6.12 Human Tissue Banking: National Market Shares, 2022

Figure 6.13 Commercial Sourcing of Biological Samples, 2011

Figure 6.14 Commercial Banking of Biological Samples, 2011

Figure 6.15 Asterand: Revenues, 2009 & 2010

Figure 6.16 Asterand: Revenue Shares by Region of Destination,
2010

Figure 6.17 Asterand: Revenue Shares by Region of Origin, 2010

Figure 7.1 Stem Cell Banking Market: Revenue Forecast,
2010-2016

Figure 7.2 Stem Cell Banking Market: Revenue Forecast,
2017-2022

Figure 7.3 Twenty-Year Storage Costs at Various Private Cord
Blood Banks Worldwide, 2011

Figure 7.4 Cord Blood Banking Market: Revenue Forecast,
2010-2016

Figure 7.5 Cord Blood Banking Market: Revenue Forecast,
2017-2022

Figure 7.6 Cryo-Cell International Revenue, 2009-2010

Figure 7.7 China Cord Blood Corp Revenue and Subscribers,
2009-2010

Figure 7.8 Cryo-Save Revenue and Operating Profit, 2009-2010

Figure 7.9 Cryo-Save Revenue Shares by Region, 2010

Figure 11.1 Biobanking Market: World Sales Forecast, 2010,
2012, 2016, 2019 & 2022 

Companies ListedAbcellute

Abgene

Adnexus Therapeutics

AFNOR Groupe

AKH Biobank

AlloSource

American National Bioethics Advisory Commission 

American Type Culture Collection

Amgen

Analytical Biological Services

ARCH Venture Partners

Asterand

AstraZeneca

Australasian Biospecimen Network (ABN)

Autoscribe

AXM Pharma 

Bayer-Schering

Beckman Coulter

Beike Biotechnology 

Biobank Ireland Trust

Biobank Japan

Biobanking and Biomolecular Resources Research Infrastructure
(BBMRI) 

BioFortis

Biogen Idec

Biogenea-CellGenea 

BioLife Solutions

Biomatrica

Biopta

BioRep

BioSeek

BioServe

BioStorage LLC

BioStorage Technologies

BrainNet Europe

Caliper LifeSciences

Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow

CARTaGENE

Cellgene Corporation

Cells4Health

Chemagen

China Cord Blood Corp

Chinese Ministry of Health

CLB/Amsterdam Medical Center

CorCell

Cord Blood America

Cord Blood Registry 

CORD:USE (US Public Cord Blood Bank) 

CordLife

Cordon Vital (CBR) 

Coriell Institute for Medical Research

Council of Europe (CoE)

Covance

Cryo Bio System

Cryo-Cell International

Cryometrix

Cryo-Save

Cureline

Cybrdi

Danubian Biobank Foundation

deCODE Genetics

Department of Health (DoH, UK)

Draper Laboratory

Duke University Medical Center

Dutch Collaborative Biobank

EGeen

Eli Lilly

Eolas Biosciences 

Estonian Genome Project

EuroBioBank

European Commission (EC)

European Health Risk Monitoring (EHRM)

European Medicines Agency (EMA/EMEA)

European Union Group on Ethics (EGE)

Fisher BioServices

Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Neurologico C. Besta

Food and Drug Administration (US FDA)

Foundation for the National Institutes of Health 

Fundación Istituto Valenciano de Oncología

Fundeni Clinical Institute

Genentech

Generation Scotland

GeneSaver

GeneSys

Genetic Association Information Network (GAIN)

Genizon Biosciences

Genome Quebec Biobank 

GenomEUtwin

Genomic Studies of Latvian Population

GenVault

German Dementia Competence Network

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and
Research Institute 

Hamilton

Hopital Necker Paris - Necker DNA Bank

Human Tissue Authority (HTA)

Hungarian Biobank

HUNT, Norway

ILSBio LLC

Inbiobank

Inbiomed

Indivumed

INMEGEN

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale
(INSERM)

Integrated BioBank of Luxembourg

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)

International Air Transport Association (IATA)

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

International Society for Biological and Environmental
Repositories (ISBER)

International Stem Cell Corporation

Kaiser Permanente

KORA-gen

LabVantage Solutions

LabWare

Leiden University Medical Center

LifebankUSA

LifeGene

LifeStem

Malaysian Cohort Project

Matrical Biosciences

Matrix

Medical Research Council (MRC)

Medical University of Gdansk

Merck & Co.

Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited (MSD)

Merck-Serono

Micronic

Millennium (Takeda Oncology Company)

MVE-Chart

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

National DNA Bank (US)

National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

National Institute of Environmental Health

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

National Public Health Institute 

National Research Ethics Service (NRES) 

NeoCodex

NeoStem

Neuromuscular Bank of Tissues and DNA Samples

New Brunswick Scientific

NEXUS Biosystems

Northwest Regional Development Agency

Novacare Bio-Logistics

Novartis

NUgene Project

Ocimum Biosolutions

Office of Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research (OBBR)

OnCore UK

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

OriGene

Oxagen

Pacific Bio-Material Management

PathServe

Perkin Elmer

Pfizer

Pharmagene Laboratories Trustees Limited

Polaris Ventures 

Pop-Gen (University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein)

PrecisionMed

Prevention Genetics

ProMedDx

Promoting Harmonisation of Epidemiological Biobanks
in Europe (PHOEBE)

ProteoGenex

Public Population Projects in Genomics (P3G Consortium)

Qiagen

RAND Corporation

Regenetech

REMP

Reproductive Genetics Institute (RGI)

Research Centre of Vascular
Diseases, University of Milan

Rhode Island BioBank, Brown University

Roche

RTS Life Science

Saga Investments LLC

SampleNavigator Laboratory Automation Systems

Sanofi

SANYO Biomedical

Scottish Government

Seattle Genetics

Sejtbank (Hungarian Cord Blood Bank) 

SeqWright DNA Technology Services

SeraCare Life Sciences

Singapore Tissue Network

StarLIMS

Steelgate

Stem Cell Authority

Stem Cells for Safer Medicine (SC4SM)

Stem Cells Research Forum of India

Stemride International

Taiwan Biobank

Taizhou Biobank

TAP

Tecan

The Automation Partnership

The Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation (SMGF)

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermogenesis

Tissue Bank Cryo Center (Bulgaria)

Tissue Solutions

Titan Pharmaceuticals

TotipotentSC

Trinity Biobank

Tumorothèque Necker-Entants Malades

UK Biobank

UK Stem Cell Bank

UmanGenomics

Umeå University

University Hospital Angers

University Medical Center Gent

University of Massachusetts Stem Cell Bank

University of Tuebingen, Department of Medical
Genetics

US Biomax

Västerbotten County Council

ViaCord

Wellcome Trust

Wellcome Trust Case-Control Consortium (WTCCC)

Western Australian Genome Health Project

Wheaton Science International

Wisconsin International Stem Cell (WISC) Bank

World Health Organization (WHO)

Zhejiang Lukou Biotechnology Co 

To order this report:Blood Supply, Tissue Banking and Transplantation
Industry: Biobanking for Medicine: Technology and Market
2012-2022

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CONTACT
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Reportlinker
Email: nbo@reportlinker.com
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Read more from the original source:
Biobanking for Medicine: Technology and Market 2012-2022

26-01-2012 02:37 Animacel ltd. is offering your animal stem cell treatment with newly developed stem cell therapy. At the moment, excellent results are with treatments of different joint problems (arthritis and injury/damage of cartilage, hip dysplasia), tendon problems and supporting/adjuvant stem cell therapy for faster healing of broken bones. We are also developing treatment for heart insufficiency, eye dissease, diabetes, etc. See our webpage http://www.animacel.com

Read more:
Stem cell treatment for animals - Video

12-12-2009 13:45 What are stem cells? - An short educational film by the Irish Stem Cell Foundation Stem cells are master cells of the body — want to learn more? Visit http://www.irishstemcellfoundation.org ISCF is an independent not-for-profit organisation whose primary objective is to educate about stem cells, their basic biology and the research and therapies using them. The Foundation will initially focus on education outreach programs, hoping to address the growing problem of bogus stem cell scams being offered to Irish patients over the internet. The Foundation will also assist the development of Irish policy and legislature in this area of medicine and science, ensuring Ireland is informed. The Foundation consists of a broad range of people including Irish doctors, scientists, patient advocates, educators, bioethicists and other associated parties seeking to expand and develop the Irish public's understanding of stem cells.

See more here:
What are stem cells? How can they be used for medical benefit? - Video

04-02-2010 18:43 (October 6, 2009) Dr. Jill Helms, Associate Professor of Surgery at the Stanford School of Medicine, discusses developments in stem cell research and the future of regenerative medicine. Stanford Mini Med School is a series arranged and directed by Stanford's School of Medicine, and presented by the Stanford Continuing Studies program. Featuring more than thirty distinguished, faculty, scientists and physicians from Stanford's medical school, the series offers students a dynamic introduction to the world of human biology, health and disease, and the groundbreaking changes taking place in medical research and health care. Stanford University http://www.stanford.edu Stanford Continuing Studies http Stanford University Channel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com

See the rest here:
Stem Cells

Colon Cancer Screening Needed Less Than Every 5 Years - Colon cancer is easily treated if found early enough, but it appears current recommendations for scope screening every 5 years is unnecessarily frequent.

Sigmoidoscopy screening for colon cancer is recommended every five years for people over 50, however a new study found that screening that often may be unnecessary.

Sigmoidoscopy screening allows a doctor to identify polyps, or small growths, in the colon that could turn into cancer. Other colon cancer screening methods include fecal occult blood testing, which identifies blood in the stool, and colonoscopy, which examines the entire colon (sigmoidoscopy only examines the lower part).

While the American Cancer Society recommends that adults over 50 receive sigmoidoscopy screening every five years and a fecal occult blood test annually, some say this may be overly aggressive.

According to experts, it could take up to 15 years for polyps to develop into cancer and it may be that a one-time sigmoidoscopy screening is enough for those at average-risk. Read more...

AyurGold for Healthy Blood

Source:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/integratedmedicine

Via Scoop.it – inPharmatics

Oracle Exadata gets into Personlized Medicine & Bioinformatics space dressed as Oracle® Health Sciences Omics Data Bank.    Oracle Health Sciences today announced availability of Oracle® Health Sciences Omics Data Bank, a molecular data model, which is part of Oracle Health Sciences Translational Research Center.   The new data model provides integration and analysis of cross-platform omics data to support translational research. Oracle Health Sciences Translational Research Center runs on Oracle Exadata Database Machine, delivering the extreme performance required for querying vast data sets.
Via http://www.oracle.com

Source:
http://microarray.wordpress.com/feed/

The magazine GEN this week produced two relatively lengthy articles dealing with the current state of affairs and the future of the $3 billion California stem cell agency.

Much of the material is familiar to readers of the California Stem Cell Report, but GEN, which says it reaches "221,035 biotech and life science professionals, also produced an online survey that asked its readers: "How helpful has CIRM been in advancing stem cell science?"

At the time of this writing, the results showed that 40.9 of respondents said CIRM was "very helpful."  An identical percentage said "not very" or were undecided. The survey showed 18.2 percent as ranking the agency "somewhat" helpful. The number of respondents was not disclosed.

The two articles (see here and here)by Alex Philippidis also discussed the possibility of a bond issue in a "few years," before CIRM runs out of cash in 2017. Philippidis wrote,

"By then CIRM hopes to have won what ICOC (the CIRM governing board) chairman Jonathan Thomas, Ph.D., has called the 'communications war' the agency is fighting with California newspapers and the CIRM-focused blog California Stem Cell Report. Both have criticized the agency over a host of governance and pay issues."

For the record, the California Stem Cell Report has not criticized the agency in connection with the level of its executive pay. We have pointed out that many California voters have a highly negative and visceral reaction to high public salaries, which is a matter that CIRM must deal with in connection with retention of public confidence. We have also noted that the salaries represent a tiny, tiny fraction of CIRM spending.

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

The blue-ribbon Institute of Medicine panel examining the performance of the $3 billion California stem cell agency has quietly concluded its first public hearing in California without so much as a smidgen of daily coverage in the mainstream media.

Instead, the big state news in California yesterday was a lawsuit filed by lawmakers against the state's top fiscal officer to prevent him from cutting their pay again when they fail to pass a balanced budget.

It would have been extremely unlikely, however, to have seen any daily coverage of the IOM session. The mainstream media generally ignores the affairs of the California stem cell agency.

Other than what has appeared on the California Stem Cell Report, the most comprehensive look at the $700,000, IOM examination of CIRM was provided on Tuesday by Marcy Darnovsky of the Center for Genetics and Society, which has followed CIRM, and the ballot measure that created it, since 2004.

Darnovsky brought her readers on the Biopolitical Times up to speed on CIRM matters. She noted that CIRM will need more cash in a few years when its bond funding runs out. She concluded,

"But ballot measure or no ballot measure, CIRM will continue to disperse the public money it controls - another billion and a half dollars. This is a public agency spending increasingly scarce public resources. It is funding a field of research in which we place great hopes for medical and scientific advances. These factors make it all the more crucial that CIRM follow the basics of good governance and public accountability, and eschew the hyperbole and exaggerated promises that have tainted stem cell research for so long."

The California Stem Cell Report emailed a 1,370-word statement to the panel. The study director of the IOM panel said the statement would be placed in the panel's record.

The document provided perspective on the formation of CIRM, the political context in which it operates and discussed some of the potential pitfalls of CIRM's necessary but delicate courting of industry. Suggestions were offered for changes to ease potential conflicts of interest and to open to the public the statements of the economic interests of the grant reviewers who make the de facto decisions on CIRM's funding.

Here is the full statement from the California Stem Cell Report.
CSCR Statement to IOM-CIRM Performance Inquiry

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

A promising, positive story on stem cell research in California popped up in the news this week, involving improvements in vision as the result of the only hESC clinical trial in the nation.

The story came after Jonathan Thomas, chairman of the $3 billion California stem cell agency, said in the San Francisco Business Times that what he likes least about his job is that "the coverage in the press chooses to focus on items besides the extraordinary work that our scientists are doing."

The good news about the eye research appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and across the nation. However, it did not involve work at the stem cell agency, probably for reasons that likely have to do in good part with CIRM. The research involves a firm headquartered in Santa Monica, Ca., Advanced Cell Technology, that moved its base to the Golden State in hopes of securing CIRM funding. ACT has applied more than once for CIRM cash but has never received a grant. And it is one of the rare companies that has complained publicly to the CIRM governing board about a conflict of interest on the part of a CIRM reviewer. In ACT's case, its complaints received a public brushoff at a CIRM board meeting in 2008.

ACT's results in its clinical trial are quite tentative. They involve only two persons. One of the UCLA scientists involved said part of the results could have been the result of a placebo effect. Nonetheless, the reports carried the kind of story line that CIRM yearns for. Indeed, Thomas stressed the need for positive news when he told CIRM directors last June that the agency is in a "communications war" that is tied to its ultimate fate. (The agency runs out of cash in 2017.)

The New York Times' Andy Pollock wrote,

"Both patients, who were legally blind, said in interviews that they had gains in eyesight that were meaningful for them. One said she could see colors better and was able to thread a needle and sew on a button for the first time in years. The other said she was able to navigate a shopping mall by herself."

On its research blog, CIRM described the ACT results as a "milestone." CIRM's Amy Adams wrote,

"It’s the first published paper showing that—at least in this small number of patients for the first few months—the cells are safe."

She quoted Hank Greely of Stanford as saying that the news from ACT is "at least, a little exciting – and in a field that saw its first approved clinical trial stopped two months ago, even a little exciting news is very welcome."

Greely's reference, of course, was to Geron's sudden abandonment in November of its hESC trial, only three months after CIRM gave the firm a $25 million loan. It was widely believed that ACT was one of the initial applicants in the round that provided funding for Geron, although CIRM does not release the names of non-funded applicants.

Last week, CIRM directors spent a fair amount of time discussing the agency's future. The talk was of priorities, hard choices and generating results that would resonate with the people of California.

This week's news from a company that was not funded by CIRM will give them more to ponder.

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

Colon Cancer Screening Needed Less Than Every 5 Years - Colon cancer is easily treated if found early enough, but it appears current recommendations for scope screening every 5 years is unnecessarily frequent.

Sigmoidoscopy screening for colon cancer is recommended every five years for people over 50, however a new study found that screening that often may be unnecessary.

Sigmoidoscopy screening allows a doctor to identify polyps, or small growths, in the colon that could turn into cancer. Other colon cancer screening methods include fecal occult blood testing, which identifies blood in the stool, and colonoscopy, which examines the entire colon (sigmoidoscopy only examines the lower part).

While the American Cancer Society recommends that adults over 50 receive sigmoidoscopy screening every five years and a fecal occult blood test annually, some say this may be overly aggressive.

According to experts, it could take up to 15 years for polyps to develop into cancer and it may be that a one-time sigmoidoscopy screening is enough for those at average-risk. Read more...

AyurGold for Healthy Blood

Source:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/integratedmedicine

Via Scoop.it – inPharmatics

Oracle Exadata gets into Personlized Medicine & Bioinformatics space dressed as Oracle® Health Sciences Omics Data Bank.    Oracle Health Sciences today announced availability of Oracle® Health Sciences Omics Data Bank, a molecular data model, which is part of Oracle Health Sciences Translational Research Center.   The new data model provides integration and analysis of cross-platform omics data to support translational research. Oracle Health Sciences Translational Research Center runs on Oracle Exadata Database Machine, delivering the extreme performance required for querying vast data sets.
Via http://www.oracle.com

Source:
http://microarray.wordpress.com/feed/

The magazine GEN this week produced two relatively lengthy articles dealing with the current state of affairs and the future of the $3 billion California stem cell agency.

Much of the material is familiar to readers of the California Stem Cell Report, but GEN, which says it reaches "221,035 biotech and life science professionals, also produced an online survey that asked its readers: "How helpful has CIRM been in advancing stem cell science?"

At the time of this writing, the results showed that 40.9 of respondents said CIRM was "very helpful."  An identical percentage said "not very" or were undecided. The survey showed 18.2 percent as ranking the agency "somewhat" helpful. The number of respondents was not disclosed.

The two articles (see here and here)by Alex Philippidis also discussed the possibility of a bond issue in a "few years," before CIRM runs out of cash in 2017. Philippidis wrote,

"By then CIRM hopes to have won what ICOC (the CIRM governing board) chairman Jonathan Thomas, Ph.D., has called the 'communications war' the agency is fighting with California newspapers and the CIRM-focused blog California Stem Cell Report. Both have criticized the agency over a host of governance and pay issues."

For the record, the California Stem Cell Report has not criticized the agency in connection with the level of its executive pay. We have pointed out that many California voters have a highly negative and visceral reaction to high public salaries, which is a matter that CIRM must deal with in connection with retention of public confidence. We have also noted that the salaries represent a tiny, tiny fraction of CIRM spending.

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

The blue-ribbon Institute of Medicine panel examining the performance of the $3 billion California stem cell agency has quietly concluded its first public hearing in California without so much as a smidgen of daily coverage in the mainstream media.

Instead, the big state news in California yesterday was a lawsuit filed by lawmakers against the state's top fiscal officer to prevent him from cutting their pay again when they fail to pass a balanced budget.

It would have been extremely unlikely, however, to have seen any daily coverage of the IOM session. The mainstream media generally ignores the affairs of the California stem cell agency.

Other than what has appeared on the California Stem Cell Report, the most comprehensive look at the $700,000, IOM examination of CIRM was provided on Tuesday by Marcy Darnovsky of the Center for Genetics and Society, which has followed CIRM, and the ballot measure that created it, since 2004.

Darnovsky brought her readers on the Biopolitical Times up to speed on CIRM matters. She noted that CIRM will need more cash in a few years when its bond funding runs out. She concluded,

"But ballot measure or no ballot measure, CIRM will continue to disperse the public money it controls - another billion and a half dollars. This is a public agency spending increasingly scarce public resources. It is funding a field of research in which we place great hopes for medical and scientific advances. These factors make it all the more crucial that CIRM follow the basics of good governance and public accountability, and eschew the hyperbole and exaggerated promises that have tainted stem cell research for so long."

The California Stem Cell Report emailed a 1,370-word statement to the panel. The study director of the IOM panel said the statement would be placed in the panel's record.

The document provided perspective on the formation of CIRM, the political context in which it operates and discussed some of the potential pitfalls of CIRM's necessary but delicate courting of industry. Suggestions were offered for changes to ease potential conflicts of interest and to open to the public the statements of the economic interests of the grant reviewers who make the de facto decisions on CIRM's funding.

Here is the full statement from the California Stem Cell Report.
CSCR Statement to IOM-CIRM Performance Inquiry

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

A promising, positive story on stem cell research in California popped up in the news this week, involving improvements in vision as the result of the only hESC clinical trial in the nation.

The story came after Jonathan Thomas, chairman of the $3 billion California stem cell agency, said in the San Francisco Business Times that what he likes least about his job is that "the coverage in the press chooses to focus on items besides the extraordinary work that our scientists are doing."

The good news about the eye research appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and across the nation. However, it did not involve work at the stem cell agency, probably for reasons that likely have to do in good part with CIRM. The research involves a firm headquartered in Santa Monica, Ca., Advanced Cell Technology, that moved its base to the Golden State in hopes of securing CIRM funding. ACT has applied more than once for CIRM cash but has never received a grant. And it is one of the rare companies that has complained publicly to the CIRM governing board about a conflict of interest on the part of a CIRM reviewer. In ACT's case, its complaints received a public brushoff at a CIRM board meeting in 2008.

ACT's results in its clinical trial are quite tentative. They involve only two persons. One of the UCLA scientists involved said part of the results could have been the result of a placebo effect. Nonetheless, the reports carried the kind of story line that CIRM yearns for. Indeed, Thomas stressed the need for positive news when he told CIRM directors last June that the agency is in a "communications war" that is tied to its ultimate fate. (The agency runs out of cash in 2017.)

The New York Times' Andy Pollock wrote,

"Both patients, who were legally blind, said in interviews that they had gains in eyesight that were meaningful for them. One said she could see colors better and was able to thread a needle and sew on a button for the first time in years. The other said she was able to navigate a shopping mall by herself."

On its research blog, CIRM described the ACT results as a "milestone." CIRM's Amy Adams wrote,

"It’s the first published paper showing that—at least in this small number of patients for the first few months—the cells are safe."

She quoted Hank Greely of Stanford as saying that the news from ACT is "at least, a little exciting – and in a field that saw its first approved clinical trial stopped two months ago, even a little exciting news is very welcome."

Greely's reference, of course, was to Geron's sudden abandonment in November of its hESC trial, only three months after CIRM gave the firm a $25 million loan. It was widely believed that ACT was one of the initial applicants in the round that provided funding for Geron, although CIRM does not release the names of non-funded applicants.

Last week, CIRM directors spent a fair amount of time discussing the agency's future. The talk was of priorities, hard choices and generating results that would resonate with the people of California.

This week's news from a company that was not funded by CIRM will give them more to ponder.

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss