Support Stem Cell Research Today!

Over-Regulation of Parthenotes Stifles Valuable Scientific Research
by Sean Kealy, posted in the UPenn Law RegBlog

A recent article in Scientific American questioned whether research on stem cell lines derived from unfertilized eggs was too tightly regulated by the federal government. Now that technology allows the creation of stem cells without fertilization, there is no question that federal laws and guidelines are overly restrictive, causing a detrimental effect on valuable scientific inquiry.

Since 1996, Congress has included the Dickey-Wicker Amendment in the annual federal budget. This amendment was a conservative reaction to what some considered to be scientific research that showed little respect toward life.... Read More

Why I Support Stem Cell Research by Victoria Staebler

My support for stem cell research has its foundation in my deep-seeded belief in reproductive rights for women. Since I came of age in the 1970’s, women’s reproductive rights and freedom have been continually eroded by federal and state legislation. That has been coupled with diminished government support and funding – ranging from access to abortion services to stem cell research. Because of that, I have volunteered time and donated money to help preserve these rights.

But last summer, my support for stem cell research became personal. During a mugging on the Cape, my stepson was shot by the assailant, resulting in a severed spinal cord at T-5. He’s now a parapalegic... Read More

IN THE LAB

Progress in Circadian Rhythms and Stem Cells

BSCRF scientists have derived two unique lines of stem cells that may lead to a breakthrough in the efficiency of stem cell derivation and expansion.

BSCRF scientists are following up their discovery that the genes that regulate the rhythms of daily life, circadian rhythm genes, may play important roles in stem cell derivation and stability in culture. Circadian rhythm genes regulate cells in the body by turning “on” and “off” over a 24-hour cycle in response to signals such as light/dark cycles, hormone pulses, and body temperature variations. Read More

November 10, 2011

The BSCRF Newsletter - Winter 2011

In This Issue: Progress in Circadian Rhythms and Stem Cells, Developing the First Circadian Incubator, Doing More With Less: A Letter From the Director, Testis Project Update, The 2011 Activated Egg Symposium, Victoria Staeble Joins the Board of Trustees and more.

Download the PDF or join the mailing list to get a hard copy delivered right to your door!

Learn More -- Nine amazing speakers at this year's symposium:

Keynote: Dr. Janet Rossant, Professor of Molecular Genetics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, and Chief of Research at The Hospital for Sick Children Dr. Rossant is internationally recognized for her pioneering research in mouse genetics. Her major findings are related to the question of how genetically identical cells adopt distinct characteristics during embryo development.
Dieter Egli, PhD New York Stem Cell Foundation "Egg Donation and Reprogramming after Nuclear Transfer"	Ann Kiessling, PhD Harvard Medical School, and Director of the Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation "Are early human embryos naturally aneuploid?"
Rafael Fissore, PhD Chair of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts "Calcium signaling during egg maturation"	Alex Meissner, PhD Harvard University, Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Broad Institute "DNA Methylation Dynamics in Stem Cells and Development"
Laura Grabel, PhD Professor of Biology, Wesleyan University "Embryonic stem cell-derived neurogenesis in vitro and in the hippocampus"	Maya Mitalipova, PhD Director of Whitehead Institute's Stem Cell Facility, MIT "Cellular Reprogramming"
David Keefe, MD Chair of Ob/Gyn at New York University School of Medicine "Efficient generation of pluripotent stem cells from immature oocytes"	Chris Hempel Founder, Addi and Cassi Fund Dinner Speaker: "Regulatory hurdles to research"

We're delighted to report that Dr. Janet Rossant, Professor of Molecular Genetics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Toronto, and Chief of Research at The Hospital for Sick Children has graciously agreed to be our keynote speaker for the 2011 Activated Egg Symposium.

Dr. Rossant is internationally recognized for her pioneering research in mouse genetics. Her major findings are related to the question of how genetically identical cells adopt distinct characteristics during embryo development.

In 2010, she received the Premeir's Summit Award, and they made this video:

Janet Rossant grew up in the UK and trained at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. When still a graduate student, she conducted now-classic work defining cell lineages and cell fates in the early mouse embryo. (read more)

As you may know, Bedford's laboratory helps cover some of our overhead by offering a couple unique products -- GEM and PVSA -- that were developed as by-products of our research. PVSA, the newer of the two, was launched just 18 months ago.

PVSA is the first and only post-vasectomy test kit that provides CLIA certified laboratory results from a mail-in kit. This kit was developed using Bedford's patented specimen fixative and mail-in kits for research. The kit solves a vital problem for urologists... (read more)

This award honors an alumna or alumnus who has shown superior achievement in a field other than nursing since graduating from the University of Virginia School of Nursing. It recognizes distinction in one’s field and/or contributions to another profession, business or industry, government or public service, education, science or technology, or service to humanity.

Foundation scientists are deriving new stem cell lines from fertilized mouse eggs in fully defined, protein-free culture medium, GEM (Gamete Embryo Medium). GEM is a specialized fluid that simulates fluids in the womb. The goal of these experiments is to improve the efficiency of deriving new stem cell lines from testis biopsies. By studying time lapse videos of developing mouse embryos, Foundation scientists will pinpoint the exact time to add stem cell growth factors to the culture medium. Learn more

Workshop in Taiwan: Foundation scientists get a rare look inside Taiwan’s premiere stem cell institute. (read the blog posts)
New steps toward a stem cell cure for HIV: Retooling cancer therapy to use HIVresistant bone marrow. (read the blog post)
New Work on Prostate Cancer: Finding the genes for prostate cancer.

Timothy Ray Brown can personally affirm that stem cells cure HIV disease, according to a December 2 report in the journal BLOOD. Mr. Brown, an HIV-positive American living in Germany, had leukemia and underwent chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation in Berlin in 2007. His bone marrow match carried a rare gene mutation in the CCR5 receptor protein, rendering the transplanted cells resistant to HIV infection. Twenty months following the bone marrow transplant, the German team reported Mr. Brown's leukemia appeared cured, and there was no evidence of HIV in his blood even though he had stopped his antiviral medication prior to the bone marrow transplant. Read more

• Has Obama’s Policy Helped Fund Stem Cell Research?
• Why do patients need their own stem cells?
• Why do Bedford scientists work with parthenote and testis stem cells?
• How does Bedford Stem Cell Research Foundation fund its research?