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Research: Stem cell culture on soft substrate maintain homogeneous pluripotent colonies

In a paper published in the journal PLoS One, the researchers demonstrated that culturing mouse embryonic stem cells on a soft gel rather than on a hard plate or dish keeps them in their pluripotent state, a ground state with the ability to become any type of tissue.

16 Dec 2010

Almonds can help treat, prevent type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease

With nearly 16 million Americans living today with pre-diabetes, a condition that is the precursor to type 2 diabetes, and half of all Americans expected to have some form of diabetes by the year 2020, healthy eating is more important than ever. But here is some good news: a recent scientific study shows that incorporating almonds into your diet can help treat and possibly prevent type 2 diabetes, as well as cardiovascular disease.

15 Dec 2010

Protein p53 plays crucial role in coordinated growth of organ parts

In studies conducted on the fruit fly, researchers at IRB Barcelona headed by ICREA Professor Marco Milán have revealed that organs have the molecular mechanisms to control their proportions. In this process the protein p53 plays a crucial role. The study is published today in the prestigious journal PLoS Biology.

15 Dec 2010

PharmaNet launches Initiator and PKS technology platforms to improve clinical study timelines

PharmaNet Development Group, Inc., a leading provider of clinical development services to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, generic drug and medical device companies, is pleased to announce that it is launching two technology platforms – Initiator™ and PKS™ - that will provide dramatic improvements in clinical study timelines by accelerating data acquisition and the processing of final client reports in its Phase I clinics. By providing clients with real time data faster, sponsors can make informed decisions about their products earlier in the process.

15 Dec 2010

Demand for clinical research professionals double

ResourcingPoint announces that demand for clinical research professional placement has doubled in the last two months. An increase in clinical activity across the industry, coupled with a strategic expansion of the ResourcingPoint database of professional staff, has enabled significant clinical outsourcing growth for the company. A variety of different companies, from emerging device to large pharma and CROs, rely on ResourcingPoint for their contracting needs.

15 Dec 2010

Innovative research investigates importance of reading to newborns in the NICU

The first few days after birth is an important time when babies learn to recognize the sound of their parents' voice and the parents in turn bond with their children. However, the separation between parents and newborns admitted to the intensive care unit can be very difficult and can disrupt the early development of this relationship.

15 Dec 2010

Early intervention for children with autism improves I.Q., language and social skills

Early intervention for children with autism, as young as 6 months of age, may change the development trajectory for later symptoms of the disorder according to a research project being spearheaded by the MIND Institute at the University of California Davis Medical Center. A recent study published by Pediatrics recorded randomized trials of daily therapy through games and pretend play for children, which demonstrated an improvement in I.Q., language and social skills.

15 Dec 2010

Domainex wins 2010 Genesis Life Science Innovation and Enterprise Programme Of The Year Award

Domainex Ltd, the leading UK-based drug discovery CRO, has won the 2010 Genesis Life Science Innovation and Enterprise Programme Of The Year Award. This Award was made in recognition of Domainex's proactive work on promoting academic-industry collaborations, and was adjudicated by leading representatives of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

From Domainex 15 Dec 2010

Yorkshire Cancer Research to grant over GBP1.26 million for research at universities of Leeds and Sheffield

Yorkshire Cancer Research (YCR) is set to give more than GBP1.26 million of funding to researchers at the universities of Leeds and Sheffield next year.

15 Dec 2010

CTT, Bayer sign Research and License Option Agreement

Cancer Targeted Technology (CTT), a Seattle-based biotechnology firm focusing on small molecule cancer enzyme inhibitors for the generation of novel diagnostics and therapeutics, today announced that it has signed a Research and License Option Agreement with Bayer Pharma AG, Germany. Under the agreement, CTT will work with Bayer to optimize a novel PET imaging agent based on its unique inhibitor scaffold that recognizes a validated cancer enzyme biomarker.

15 Dec 2010

Echo acoustic liquid handler improves discovery of potential therapeutics

When the revolutionary Echo® acoustic liquid handler is used in the process of discovering potential therapeutics, important drug candidates are identified that are missed using traditional liquid handlers. In a recently issued patent, the global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca describes the discovery of a novel set of potential cancer therapeutics that was found only when the Echo system was used. Other major pharmaceutical companies have also reported that the Echo liquid handler was a critical platform in discovering drug candidates.

15 Dec 2010

DSM licenses c-LEcta's alcohol dehydrogenases for enzyme screening programs

DSM Pharmaceutical Products, the custom manufacturing organization of Royal DSM NV, today announces a license agreement with c-LEcta GmbH for proprietary screening technology.

15 Dec 2010

Study broadens understanding of role of IDH1 and IDH2 mutations in AML

Agios Pharmaceuticals, the leading biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel drugs in the rapidly emerging field of cancer metabolism, today announced the publication of a paper in Cancer Cell that illuminates the mechanism by which 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG), and the mutations in the metabolic genes IDH1 and IDH2 that produce it, may be driving the growth of tumors in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

15 Dec 2010

Study suggests unexpected role for NLRP3 protein in cancer vaccine development

The promise of vaccines targeted against various types of cancer has raised the hopes of patients and their families. The reality, however, is that these promising treatments are difficult to develop. One of the challenges is identifying a discrete cellular target to stop cancer growth without inactivating the immune system. Scientists at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center report a laboratory finding that has the potential to increase the effectiveness of therapeutic cancer vaccines.

15 Dec 2010

Reuters looks at cost-effectiveness of pursuing malaria vaccine, eradication

Reuters examines the effort to create an effective malaria vaccine and asks: "[I]s the vaccine - and the global health community's aim of completely eradicating a disease that kills a child every 45 seconds - really worth the money?"

15 Dec 2010

Angiogenesis inhibition is a validated strategy for cancer therapy

Scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute may have uncovered a mechanism for blocking tumor angiogenesis that involves the patient's immune system, according to findings published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

15 Dec 2010

German Research Foundation opens four new research units

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) is establishing four new Research Units. The decision was made by the DFG Senate at its December session in Bonn. The establishment of the Research Units will enable researchers to explore prevailing topical questions and generate new approaches in their respective fields.

15 Dec 2010

Hemispherx granted extension to modify Ampligen NDA for CFS indication

Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc. announced today that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted a 12 month extension for the Company to modify its NDA in response to a Complete Response Letter (CRL) received November 25, 2009 for the CFS indication.

15 Dec 2010

BUSM awarded NCI EDRN, DOD grants to develop novel procedures for early detection of lung cancer

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have been awarded a five-year, $2 million grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Early Detection Research Network (EDRN), as well as a four-year, $1.3 million grant from the Department of Defense (DOD). These grants will allow the scientists to develop novel and complementary procedures for early detection of lung cancer in high-risk patients.

15 Dec 2010

UCSF scientists explain why oligodendroglioma is more responsive to therapy than other brain tumors

For patients with glioma, the most common primary brain tumor, new findings may explain why current therapies fail to eradicate the cancer. A UCSF-led team of scientists has identified for the first time that progenitor rather than neural stem cells underly a type of glioma called oligodendroglioma.

15 Dec 2010