We’d also like to take the time to congratulate Bob Klein, Chairman of the Governing Board for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, for earning to the 2010 Biotech Humanitarian Award. Mr. Klein was the driving force behind the “California Stem Cell Research and Cures” ballot initiative, which reignited languishing stem cell research with $3 BILLION over 10 years. And speaking of stem cells…

PIG STEM CELLS COULD LEAD TO CURING HUMAN ILLNESSES – Scientists at the University of Georgia Regenerative Bioscience Center have created a more accurate model of studying human illnesses using stem cells…by using pigs. This actually makes sense because pigs are physiologically closer to humans than other lab animals are:

According to Dr. Steve Stice, director of the University of Georgia Regenerative Bioscience Center, his team took a bone marrow cell from a pig and injected six new genes, which caused it turn into an embryo-like cell. Pluripotent stem cells were harvested from this embryo-like cell and injected in another pig embryo…So far human embryonic stem cell research has not actually found its way into the human body. Most of the research is still in mice. But mice aren’t the best animal models to get more accurate data on how a treatment may affect a person. For example, mice hearts beat four times faster than a human heart and mice don’t get atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) – but pigs do.

EAT YOUR BROCCOLI KIDS, IT COULD CURE CANCER – Well, sort of. Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center discovered a compound commonly found in broccoli (sulforaphane), prevented new cancerous tumors from growing in mice and killed cancer stem cells in the lab. Study author Duxin Sun had this to say:

“Sulforaphane has been studied previously for its effects on cancer, but this study shows that its benefit is in inhibiting the breast cancer stem cells. This new insight suggests the potential of sulforaphane or broccoli extract to prevent or treat cancer by targeting the critical cancer stem cells.”

RESEARCHERS FIND GENETIC LINK TO TOURETTES – Researchers Yale University identified an extremely rare genetic mutation that could lead to a novel way of treating Tourette syndrome by studying a family where the father and all eight of his children suffer from the neurological disorder.

[Matthew State, co-director of the Yale Program on Neurogenetics]’s lab took DNA samples from all family members and was able to find one region of the genome that everyone with the disorder shared. By analyzing all 51 known genes in the region, the researchers identified a mutation in a gene required to produce histamine. Histamine plays a role in allergic reactions, but is also a neurotransmitter that influences brain functions, including sleep and cognition.
Dr. State has applied for a grant to launch a two-year trial involving 20 adult patients.

MARYLAND BIOTECH BOOMS, CREATES JOBS – Here’s proof there’s no stopping a growing biotech community. Backed by Johns Hopkins University and key business and political leaders, Montgomery County, MD, plans to construct a “science city” in hopes of eventually erecting a $10 billion, 17.5 million-square-foot research and development center

…which they say could create a scientific research center that would rival North Carolina’s Research Triangle or Palo Alto, Calif. County officials predict that the number of jobs in the area west of Interstate 270 could triple to at least 60,000, many of them high-paying. The development also would include retail and housing.

The county is already home to almost 300 biotech companies, including MedImmune, Human Genome Sciences, United Therapeutics, QIAGEN, Novavax and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

LINK TO AUTISM GENE FOUND – We may be one step closer to a genetic cure for autism. Researchers at the Penn State College of Medicine have discovered two new genes that may be involved with autism:

One of the newly discovered gene mutations is in NCAM2 and the other is in PTPRD…The new finding, [lead author and professor Daniel] Notterman says, adds to the growing evidence for genetic links for autism but doesn’t rule out a role for environmental factors. “Over the last couple of years, beginning in 2007, it’s become clear that some cases of autism, maybe up to 15%, will be caused by rare mutations, either occurring spontaneously or that can be inherited by a parent,” he says.

According to the CDC, autism affects one in 110 U.S. children.

BACTERIAL GENE MAPPING LEADS TO POTENTIAL VACCINE – A group of Novartis scientists have discoveredcertain bacterial components that could potentially be used to develop a vaccine against Escherichia coli (that’s E.coli) infections. According to this article from Reuters, dangerous strains of E.coli account for more than 80 percent of cases of urinary tract infections, which can damage the kidneys, and are also the second leading cause of neonatal meningitis and blood poisoning. According to Maria Grazia Pizza (yes, Pizza):

“We know that we have the potential there, and this could mean that once you get vaccinated you could even be covered against all the different diseases that E.coli can cause”. She said the team, who conducted the research using computer modelling and then experiments on mice at the firm’s labs in Siena, hoped the first test of the broad-spectrum vaccine could take place in humans by 2012.

PROTEIN: GOOD FOR THE STOMACH AND THE BONES- A team of researchers reported they discovered a protein, called Wnt that signals bone stem cells to regenerate a new bone.

“We believe our strategy has the therapeutic potential to accelerate and improve tissue healing in a variety of contexts,” said Dr. Jill Helms of Stanford University in California, who led the study.

According to the Reuters report, researchers plan to test their newly discovered method in treating skin wounds, strokes and heart attacks.

BIOTECH SECTOR REACHES MILESTONE REVENUES- By decreasing spending on research, biotechnology companies around the globe leveraged a profit of $3.7 billion, a landmark figure in the industry’s revenue since 1985.

“What we don’t know is whether it was just fat that was cut or if some of these cutbacks in spending got into the muscle,” Giovannetti said. “Unfortunately it could be planting the seeds for a slowdown several years out.”

NEW FINDINGS CAN PUT A HALT TO CANCER RADIATION DAMAGE- A team of researchers found melanin-covered nanoparticles protect the bone marrow from ionized radiation, which will in turn allow physicians to utilize more extensive cancer radiation therapies.

Polymerization of melanin precursors on the surface of silica nanoparticles resulted in formation of a 15-nm [nanometers] thick melanin layer as confirmed by light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence, wrote Dadachova and colleagues. The researchers found that these particles successfully lodged in bone marrow after being injected into mice. Systemic melanin-covered nanoparticles administration reduced hematologic toxicity in mice treated with external radiation or radioimmunotherapy, whereas Dadachova and colleagues did not observe any radiation protection.

VATICAN TO CONTRIBUTE RESOURCES FOR ADULT STEM CELL RESEARCH- Although the Catholic Church still considers embryonic stem cell research a sin, the Vatican may foresee potential blessings from their recent support to experts that are studying intestinal adult stem cell treatments.

“This research protects life,” Cardinal Renato Martino said during a meeting with Italian and American scientists and health officials to outline the project. “I want to stress that it doesn’t involve embryonic stem cells, where one helps oneself and then throws the embryo away and kills a human life.”

CANCER LINKED VIRUSES CHANGE CELLS INTO “VIRAL HOTELS”- A group of U.K. scientists discovered how some cancer-causing viruses can spread widely by sabotaging the tiny molecules existent in human DNA.

“The UK study found that some viruses can boost microRNA activity to suppress the immune system’s reaction to them. One herpes virus with this ability can trigger a cancer called Kaposi’s sarcoma in susceptible individuals. Another is the herpes virus which causes cold sores. Scientists are investigating the role of microRNAs which, like the RNA molecules involved in protein synthesis, are derived from DNA. But instead of performing the usual RNA function of carrying protein-making instructions from the genetic code, they suppress the action of genes.”

PUSH TO POLICE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST- Iowa Republican, Sen. Charles Grassley, requested the CDC to outline how the agency is monitoring conflicts of interests among scientists serving on federal advisory committees.

“Grassley has been pushing to limit the influence drugmakers have over the practice of medicine in the United States, after investigations revealed that prominent Harvard University psychiatrist Dr. Joseph Biederman and others failed to fully disclose payments from drug companies.”

FDA AIMS TO ENHANCE TRANSPARENCY GUIDELINES- A new proposal posted on the FDA website would require advisory panel members to reveal any financial strings attached to them by advertisers, unless advisors obtain a waiver for disclosing their conflicts of interest.

“By making fully informed decisions when considering waivers of conflict of interest, and by improving the transparency of those waivers that are granted, FDA can both obtain needed input and maintain external credibility,” FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said Wednesday in a letter posted on the agency’s website.

NEW REMEDY FOR THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL OF SPINAL INJURIES- U.S. researchers believe a generic diabetes drug infused with a gene-blocking therapy may prevent the accumulated damage from spinal cord injuries that can ultimately paralyze people.

“Simard’s team blocked this gene in mice and rats using gene-blocking therapy called antisense and showed that after a spinal cord injury, the damage and effects were much less without ABCC8.They also tested the spinal cords of seven patients who died within five days of a spinal cord injury and showed the same gene was active. The next step is to try this approach in people, said Simard”.

According to the Reuters report the occurrence of spinal cord injuries ranges from 10 to 83 million per year.

SILENCE AND ASTRAZENECA EXTEND RESEARCH CONTRACT- The biotechnology company Silence Therapeutics extended their research contract for another year with Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca, suggesting the probability of a second extension once the former expires this summer.

“Silence said a collaboration with the Anglo-Swedish drug maker to develop methods of delivering drugs based on RNA interference to targets in the body has been extended for another year. RNA interference is an experimental branch of medicine which involves shutting off or silencing genes involved in disease by disrupting RNA “messages” in cells.”

*I am not 100% sure if this blog is mobile device compatible. So try it and see, then tell me in the comments how it goes.

FLORIDA BIOTECH RESEARCH MONEY IN JEOPARDY- Researchers are at risk of losing $50million in biomedical research funding because of the $3 billion budget deficit in Florida.

“The money funds young scientists with innovative ideas whose efforts often lead to commercialization of new medications and treatments, which can spur entrepreneurship. Plus, the research grants help the region by attracting existing and startup biotech firms, which also helps diversify the area’s economy.”

This cutback could delay important scientific discovers, eliminate jobs, and stunt the growth of Florida’s biotech industry.

NEW METHOD TO DETECT CANCER- A team of researchers at Harvard Med developed a method to test blood for cancerous cells and may be able to use the same method to forecast whose cancer will return after treatment.

“They found circulating tumor cells in patients with tumors that had not spread, low-grade cancers and in patients who had their prostate glands taken out three months before. These are patient groups in whom we would normally not expect to see circulating tumor cells, so it gives us a tremendous amount of information about their risk,” said Harvard’s Sunitha Nagrath, who led the study.”

According to the National Post report, prostate cancer is the leading deadly cancer for men after lung cancer.

THE RIGHT DRUGS IMPROVE TREATMENT- In a trial called BATTLE, which stands for Biomarker-integrated Approaches of Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer Elimination, researchers have improved the longevity of lung cancer patients by matching their tumors to targeted drugs.

“They looked for some kind of effects after two months of treatment — either limited growth of the tumor or a sign it had shrunk. ’If a patient was able to achieve disease control at eight weeks their survival was 11.3 months,’ Kim said. ‘Patients who did not see any effects of the drugs by two months only lived on average for seven months.’” Also, the researchers were able to get samples of patients’ tumors so they can continue to test the tumor as new drugs or discovers arise.

This advancement indicates that doctors will be able to prescribe treatments much faster, saving time, money and pain for patients and their families.

BORIS HITS THE ROAD- Scientists developed a vaccine for the transcription factor, Brother of the Regulator of Imprinted Sites (BORIS), a protein that is renowned for facilitating tumor growth.

“Researchers tested the value of a mutated virus using the factor on mice with a form of cancer similar to breast cancer found in humans. They delivered the vaccine into the body by using immune cells known as dendritic cells, whose treelike branches form connections with other cells in the body. The factor delivered by dendritic cells “elicited strong antitumor cellular immune responses in tumor-free mice,” Agadjanyan said. “More importantly, therapeutic vaccination dramatically inhibited both tumor growth and the number of metastases in the lungs of tumor-bearing mice.”

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER HOW TO BYPASS A BAD EGG– Researchers at Newcastle University in northern England discovered how to prevent a range of genetic disorders, such as diabetes and learning disabilities from spreading by swapping DNA from one fertilized human egg to another.

“The approach discards almost all the defective DNA inherited from the mother that disrupts the tiny energy generators inside cells, and may prevent related disorders such as blindness and liver failure, the researchers said. They are planning further experiments to see whether the technique could help people who carry mutated genes to have healthy babies — an end result that may still be a decade away.”

According to the Bloomberg report, 1 out of every 200 children is born each year with mutations in mitochondrial DNA that cause mild conditions.

THE TWO FACED GENE – A gene associated with coronary artery disease reveals another variation of itself that may double one’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

“We are hopeful our identification of MTHFD1L as a risk gene for Alzheimer’s disease will help us to better understand how this disease develops and potentially serve as a marker for people who may be at increased risk,” Adam Naj of the University of Miami, who worked on the study, said in a statement.

Alzheimer’s disease affects 26 million people globally and is expected to reach 100 million people by 2050, according to the Reuters report.

GRANTING EXCLUSIVE LICENSES INSTIGATES GENE DEBATE – Duke University researchers say companies and institutions who declare an exclusive license for gene-by-gene testing will inhibit the advancement of new discoveries.

“The revolution in genetic discovery over the past two decades has led to patents for hundreds of genetic sequences issued to universities, companies and other parties. The patents, or licenses to the patents, are assets that have helped launch many start-up companies. They use the intellectual property to attract partners or investors to help develop products such as tests for genetic diseases based on the genes and market them to the public.”

MAGNETS GUIDE STEM CELLS TO HEAL HEART – When someone says that Jimmy’s a real chick magnet, he’s not really a magnet. But when I tell you about a stem cell magnet, we’re talking about the real deal here. Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles say they’ve used magnets to guide stem cells to damaged areas of animal hearts, making it more likely that the heart will retain the cells and improve overall treatment. Head researcher, Dr. Eduardo Marban, explains the dilemma:

“Stem cell therapies show great promise as a treatment for heart injuries, but 24 hours after infusion, we found that less than 10 percent of the stem cells remain in the injured area. Once injected into a patient’s artery, many stem cells are lost due to the combination of tissue blood flow, which can wash out stem cells, and cardiac contraction, which can squeeze out stem cells. We needed to find a way to guide more of the cells directly to the area of the heart that we want to heal.”

So to bypass this problem, Marban actually put microscopic bits of iron into the stem cells. He then injected the cells into rats that had heart attacks and manipulated the cells with a toy magnet. The research indicated that magnetism attracted the stem cells to injured areas, tripling the retention rate in the heart.

BP TO INVEST BILLIONS IN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY – Alternative Energy Chief Executive of BP, Katrina Landis, announced that the company expects to invest $1.3 billion in alternative energy in 2010, part of the $8.0 billion the company intends to invest through 2015. Just how much of this will go towards biofuel production was not made clear, but have no fear! Biofuels Digest will publish a “major” interview with BP Biofuels CEO Philip New next Monday, discussing the company’s biofuels goals in more detail.

BIOFUEL TAX CREDIT ON ITS WAY – Keeping with biofuel news, US House Ways and Means chairman Sandor Levin revealed that the House tax writing committee expects to have a biodiesel tax credit bill finalized by Memorial Day. The main issue is “the House and Senate agree on the tax credits, but disagree on the means of paying for them, raising the potential of a Senate filibuster.” Let’s cross out fingers, folks!

MAPPING THE GENETIC CODE FOR PANCREATIC CANCER – A team of Australian researchers is focusing on sequencing the genome for pancreatic cancer, which is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in Australia. The Australian radio show, AM, spoke with Professor Andrew Biankin, a pancreatic surgeon and the head of pancreatic cancer research at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney:

We don’t hear much about [pancreatic cancer] because most people that get it die. Almost 90 per cent of people who get diagnosed with pancreatic cancer die within a year of diagnosis. By understanding and looking at the map of what makes these cancers different, we can understand more about the cancer. We can, in the future, start to direct specific treatments for specific cancer, really heralding an age of genetically guided personalised medicine.

Listen to the full story here.