Volume 4.12 | Mar 31

TOP STORY

Light Switches for Neurons
A new molecular technique that controls whole circuits of neurons rather than a single cell, and will allow scientists to study the role of specific neural networks in the brain. [Press release from Technology Review by Massachusetts Institute of Technology discussing online prepublication in Cell]

SCIENCE NEWS

Israeli Advance in Stem Cell Tech 
By changing the conditions of the culture, researchers showed that they could control the ripening of human embryonic stem cell clusters in suspension into neural spheres. [Press release from Hadassah University Medical Center discussing online prepublication in Nature Biotechnology]

Insulin-Like Signal Needed to Keep Stem Cells Alive in Adult Brain
Biologists have found a signal that keeps stem cells alive in the adult brain, providing a focus for scientists looking for ways to re-grow or re-seed stem cells in the brain to allow injured areas to repair themselves. [Press release from University of California, Berkeley discussing online prepublication in Current Biology]

A Change of Mind
Massachusetts Institute of Technology neuroscientists have now found that a single protein, known as Arc, appears to control neurons’ ability to strengthen and weaken their synapses by regulating the number of neurotransmitter receptors on their surfaces. [Press release from Massachusetts Institute of Technology discussing online prepublication in Nature Neuroscience]

Alzheimer’s Rat Created for Human Research
Researchers at McGill University have genetically manipulated rats that can emulate Alzheimer’s disease in humans, enabling research that will include the development of new treatments. [Press release from McGill University discussing online prepublication in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease]

Animal Protein-Free Feeder-Independent Maintenance Medium for hESCs & hiPSCs by STEMCELL Technologies     WATCH THE TeSR™2 VIDEO

CURRENT PUBLICATIONS

Molecular and Cellular Approaches for Diversifying and Extending Optogenetics
Results illustrate use of cell-biological principles to enable expansion of the versatile fast optogenetic technologies suitable for intact-systems biology and behavior. [Cell]

Derivation, Propagation and Controlled Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells in Suspension
Investigators show that human embryonic stem cell lines can be derived from floating inner cell masses in suspension culture conditions that do not involve feeder cells or microcarriers. [Nat Biotechnol]

p75NTR-Dependent, Myelin-Mediated Axonal Degeneration Regulates Neural Connectivity in the Adult Brain
p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) maintains the specificity of neural connectivity by preventing inappropriate sprouting onto myelinated tracts and provide a physiological explanation for myelin inhibition after neural injury. [Nat Neurosci]

Loss of Arc Renders the Visual Cortex Impervious to the Effects of Sensory Experience or Deprivation
Arc is required for the experience-dependent processes that normally establish and modify synaptic connections in visual cortex. [Nat Neurosci]

Inactivation of Both foxo and reaper Promotes Long-Term Adult Neurogenesis in Drosophila
Researchers show that the absence of adult neurogenesis in Drosophila results from the elimination of neural stem cells (neuroblasts) during development. [Curr Biol]

The Effect of the Dosage of NT-3/Chitosan Carriers on the Proliferation and Differentiation of Neural Stem Cells
This study aimed to determine the optimal dosage range of NT-3 in the soluble form or loaded with chitosan carriers by using NT-3/chitosan carriers to support the survival and proliferation of neural stem cells and induce them to differentiate into desired phenotypes. [Biomaterials]

Histone Demethylase Lysine-Specific Demethylase 1 Regulates Neural Stem Cell Proliferation
These findings revealed a novel role for lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) in neural stem cell proliferation and uncovered a mechanism for neural stem cell proliferation through recruitment of LSD1 to modulate TLX activity. [Mol Cell Biol]

Enhanced IL-1(Beta) Production in Response to the Activation of Hippocampal Glial Cells Impairs Neurogenesis in Aged Mice
These findings suggest that aging may decrease hippocampal neurogenesis via epigenetic modifications accompanied by the activation of microglia and astrocytes with the increased expression of IL-1beta in the hippocampus. [Synapse]

INDUSTRY NEWS

Boehringer Ingelheim Launches Global Venture Fund to Foster Innovation in Life Sciences
Boehringer Ingelheim announced the launch of its corporate venture capital fund, the Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund. [Boehringer Ingelheim Press Release]

Abbreviated Trials Yield Misleading Results: Study
Many positive treatment effects are exaggerated in clinical trials that are stopped early due to encouraging results, a new study has found. [HealthDay News]

POLICY NEWS

Government Accountability Office: FDA Needs Better Plans To Protect Public Health
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is facing significant planning and management challenges that could affect its ability to protect the public health, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office. [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Innovative Neuroscience K-12 Education [SBIR (R43/R44)] (PAR-10-154) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Notice of Termination of Selected Research Training and Research Career Development Award Funding Opportunity Announcements (NOT-OD-10-069) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Final Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (Kirschstein-NRSA) Policy for Tuition, Fees, and Health Insurance on Training Grants and Fellowships (NOT-OD-10-073) [National Institutes of Health, United States]

Waivers for Conflicts of Interest for the April 12, 2010 Blood Products Advisory Committee Meeting [Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, United States]

Guidance for Industry on the Content and Format of the Dosage and Administration Section of Labeling for Human Prescription Drug and Biological Products; Availability [Docket No. FDA-2007-D-0201] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Advisory Committees; Technical Amendment [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Food and Drug Administration Clinical Trial Requirements, Regulations, Compliance, and Good Clinical Practices; Public Workshop [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0001] [Food and Drug Administration, United States]

Consultation: Proposed Standards for Haematopoietic Progenitor Cells Intended for Use in Haematopoietic Reconstitution [Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australia]

EVENTS

American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 101st Annual Meeting 2010
April 17-21, 2010
Washington, DC, United States

17th Annual Conference of the American Society for Neural Therapy & Repair (ASNTR)
April 29-May 1, 2010
Clearwater Beach, United States

2010 Canadian Neuroscience Meeting
May 15-18, 2010
Ottawa, Canada

International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 8th Annual Meeting
June 16-19, 2010
San Francisco, United States

BIT’s 1st World Congress of NeuroTalk 2010
June 25-28, 2010
Singapore City, Singapore

7th Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum of European Neuroscience
July 3-7, 2010
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

40th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience 2010
November 13-17, 2010
San Diego, United States

Visit our events page to stay up to date with the latest events in the cell, gene and immunotherapy community.

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