Primate research and twenty years of stem cell firsts

This guest post is by Jordana Lenon, B.S., B.A., Senior Editor, Wisconsin National Primate Research Center and University of Wisconsin-Madison Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center. The research will also be featured this evening in a public talk at UW-Madison's Wednesday Nite at the Lab. WN@tL: “Twenty Years of Stem Cell Milestones at the UW.”  Details … Continue reading Primate research and twenty years of stem cell firsts

Stem cell therapy allows blind to see again, thanks to animal research

A team of scientists led by stem cell pioneer Professor Robert Lanza has reported today in the Lancet (1) the first evidence for the long-term safety of  retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) in patients who took part in a trial undertaken in four centres in the US. substantial … Continue reading Stem cell therapy allows blind to see again, thanks to animal research

How to help girls with Rett syndrome, and strike a blow against extremism!

Today we have a guest post by Dr Nicoletta Landsberger, Associate Professor at the University of Insubria and Principle Investigator at the San Raffaele Rett Research Center. The San Raffaele Rett Research Center is supported by the Pro Rett Ricerce (proRett), a small but energetic Italian patient organization that funds research in Italy and abroad … Continue reading How to help girls with Rett syndrome, and strike a blow against extremism!

From clinic to mouse to clinic: New HIV gene therapy shows promise!

Yesterday a team of University of Pennsylvania researchers – led by Dr Pablo Tebas, Professor Carl June, and Dr Bruce Levine – announced the successful conclusion of a clinical trial to evaluate the safety of a new gene therapy technique for treating HIV. It is a result that may eventually allow millions of HIV positive … Continue reading From clinic to mouse to clinic: New HIV gene therapy shows promise!

Visionary Science: Gene therapy saves sight thanks to animal research

Yesterday the BBC News and Guardian Newspaper reported that a team led by surgeon Professor Robert Maclaren at the Oxford Eye Hospital had succeeded in using gene therapy to halt the decline in vision in six patients with the progressive eye disorder choroideremia. All six patients were taking part in a clinical trial, and what was … Continue reading Visionary Science: Gene therapy saves sight thanks to animal research

Animal research brings hope to the girl whose skin never heals

On Friday the BBC broadcast a moving report about a young girl named Sohana Collins, who suffers from the painful and life threatening genetic disorder epidermolysis bullosa (EB), caused by mutations in the type VII collagen gene (Col7a1).  The report also included an interview with Prof John McGrath, Professor of Molecular dermatology at Kings College … Continue reading Animal research brings hope to the girl whose skin never heals

A new drug to treat type II diabetes: Thank the…Gila monster?

Earlier this week Lyxumia (generic name Lixisenatide), a new drug that helps to control type II diabetes, was launched in the UK. In addition to being an effective and saft therapy for type II diabeted, including in some patients that do not respond to current first-line therapies, Lyxumia is relatively inexpensive when compared to current therapies for type … Continue reading A new drug to treat type II diabetes: Thank the…Gila monster?

Treating Progeria; How GM mice give hope to some very special children

Something big is going on right now in the world of research. Something very specific for some very special children with a very rare disease. It may not be widely known by name but I am sure you have seen these children. The disease is called Progeria. From the Progeria Research Foundation's website, we learn: … Continue reading Treating Progeria; How GM mice give hope to some very special children