Sangamo’s technology (ZFP) for efficient, permanent correction of disease-causing gene accepted for publication by Nature

September 8th, 2005 Researchers at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangdong, China, and Intradigm in Maryland, have reported the first successful use of Interfering RNA (siRNA) against the viral respiratory disease SARS, in primates (Nature Medicine, DOI: 10.1038/nm1280). Two siRNA sequences that matched bits of the SARS virus genome largely protected macaques against SARS when given as nasal sprays shortly before, or four hours after, infection.

August 24th, 2005 A Korean husband-and-wife scientist team has made headway in adult stem cell research by discovering a gene in charge of differentiating the parent cells in human bodies. “Up until now, researchers have dug up many factors involved in the differentiation of adult stem cells.

September 27th, 2005 Pfizer Inc. said U.S. regulators (FDA) have approved its cholesterol lowering drug Lipitor. Lipitor is used to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack in diabetic patients.

March 21st, 2005 Researchers from North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in Manhasset, N.Y. have identified a gene which expresses as a protein called macrophage migration inhibitory factor, or MIF.

April 18th, 2005 A group of Japanese scientists has used gene therapy to deliver three insulin transcription factors, MafA, PDX-1, and NeuroD, to the livers of diabetic mice. As a result, the mice experienced an increase in insulin gene expression and insulin production, raising the possibility that this could eventually be used to treat diabetes.

May 23rd, 2005 Embryonic stem cells with identical genomes grow into distinctive tissues, such as heart, bone, and brain. At one time, scientists believed the differences among cell types arose from various sets of genes switched on inside developing cells.

February 27th, 2005 They walk with canes, their bodies victim to degenerative diseases with no known cure. For 50-year-old John Kellermann, it's Parkinson's, a ruthless disease that seizes his body and sometimes his speech, leaving him so vulnerable that he has to crawl to the bathroom at night.

July 21st, 2006 Dr. Charles Hux, MD, high risk Ob/Gyn and a geneticist, commented on the stem cell veto by US President Mr. Bush and the impact of stem cell research.

October 9th, 2006 X-Prize Foundation is offering $10m for the first private team that can decode 100 human genomes in 10 days. It is said to be the largest medical prize in history.

March 14th, 2005 A discussion on immune system re-education results.

June 8th, 2007 Imagine the best way to give dictation (without spelling mistakes) or to program without typing and that pesky carpal tunnel syndrome - by pure mind control alone. Scientists at Brown University and Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems (and others) have made this possible; as published last week in Nature.

August 3rd, 2005 Two years ago the Human Genome Project published its final draft – a protein parts list, if you will, for human cells. Noticeably missing, though, were the instructions needed to put those pieces together.

April 14th, 2005 While the rest of the world is cautiously experimenting with stem cell therapy, Russian clinics and beauty salons have claimed that they are already using both adult and embryonic stem cells to treat everything from wrinkles to Parkinson's disease to impotence. Scientists warn that while stem cells are still being researched in laboratories, treatment by clinics claiming to use stem cells may cost patients their health and fortunes.

March 23rd, 2005 "Positron Emission Tomography is being installed at AIIMS next month, through which we will get the final proof of our work on heart patients. All the patients would be screened for finding how viable our work was and would also study various heart tissues of the patients metabolically," Dr P Venugopal, director AIIMS, said.  "We also plan to inject stem cells directly into the pancreatic arteries of patients suffering from diabetes," he says.

February 26th, 2005 Sen. Matt Bartle, a Lee's Summit Republican has sponsored a bill in the Mossouri legislature banning stem cell growth procedure. Economically that would mean Stowers Institute would be forced to look elsewhere for an estimated $250-300 million expansion, backed by Stowers' $2 billion endowment fund.