>Robert Lanza is now reporting that his research group has produced induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPS) that are safe for use in humans. The website, Red Orbit, has provided a link to the original (.pdf)article. See the Time magazine news article, here. Lanza gives credit to the pioneering work of Shinya Yamanaka: Dr. Robert Lanza, … Continue reading
Research in stem cells and the origin and treatment of disease is definitely moving away from destructive embryonic stem cell research toward induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). A fantastic review that connects Japan’s Dr. Yamanaka, San Francisco’s Srivastava, the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and the Burnetts of Sulphur Springs, Texas, is … Continue reading
>The journal, Cell, has published an article (free abstract, full article and supplements for purchase) on patient-derived induced Pleuripotent Stem Cells (iPSC’s) that appear to be brain neurons that produce dopamine, which is lacking in Parkinson’s patients. Besides being derived from the patient’s own skin cells (they won’t be rejected and are cheaper and more … Continue reading
> A member of the “lobby group Comment on Reproductive Ethics” maintains that there are “some scientists who like to hold on to what they’ve got, but” she doesn’t “think people are going to waste time on embryonic stem cells any more.” (Josephine Quintanelle, quoted in the Guardian, 3/1/09) The American Medical Association sends its … Continue reading
> “The adenovirus will infect the cells but then will clear themselves from the cells. After a few cell divisions there are no traces of the virus in the cell,” Hochedlinger said. “You can’t tell the virus was ever there.” Science Magazine has published a report on induced Pluripotent (iPS) stem cells from liver cells … Continue reading
>Here’s a great review about those new “induced pleuripotent stem cells” (iPS) we’ve been hearing about. iPS’s are truly “patient specific stem cells” since they come from the patient himself or herself. The cells are manipulated in the lab, using viral particles and specific environments to make the able to become many different types of … Continue reading
>Lee Silver, author of is someone that I’ve read about on the ‘net and about whom Robert George and Patrick Lee said, “He hides his ideology under a veneer of science.” He was the guest on Carl Zimmerman’s Bloggingheads.tv November 30, discussing reprogrammed skin cells. Dr. Lee is convinced that if a couple of more … Continue reading
> “When I saw the embryo, I suddenly realized there was such a small difference between it and my daughters,” said Dr. Yamanaka. The New York Times article on Shinya Yamanaka, “Risk taking is in his genes,” (free one time registration necessary) should get the headline-writer in trouble for a sad pun. Instead, Dr. Yamanaka … Continue reading
>Lots of people (here, here, and here, etc.) are commenting on the “Proof of Concept” by Jaenisch, et. al., in this week’s ScienceExpress (early online publication before print) that showed gene modification to reprogram mouse cells in order to create blood line stem cells that would achieve gene therapy – or even, a cure – … Continue reading
>Scientists who report their findings are expected to discuss the problems as well as the outcome of their research. This is usually found in the “Discussion,” “Conclusions” or “Results” section of the paper. This is the best place to figure out what the researches intended, what they did and what the report means. (Then you … Continue reading