The Human Dynasty

STEMCELL Technologies, Inc. today announced the release of MesenCult®-ACF Medium, the first defined, animal component-free (ACF) and serum-free medium for culturing human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). (PRWeb Apr 28, 2009)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/stemcelltechnologies/mesencultacf/prweb2365414.htm

For two decades, researchers have been using a growing volume of genetic data to debate whether ancestors of Native Americans emigrated to the New World in one wave or successive waves, or from one ancestral Asian population or a number of different populations. Now, after painstakingly comparing DNA samples from people in dozens of modern-day Native American and Eurasian groups, an international team of scientists thinks it can put the matter to rest: virtually without exception, the new evidence supports the single ancestral population theory.

Genetic clues contained in the cells that nurture developing human eggs may reveal those that are most likely to produce healthy embryos

DNA “barcodes” to halt a disfiguring disease

Why have most of the deaths from the new H1N1 flu virus been in Mexico? How deadly is it? What do its genes tell us? Flu virus expert Wendy Barclay gives New Scientist her opinion

Scientists have completed the first comprehensive, molecular-level numerical study of gene therapy. Their work should help other scientists design new experimental gene therapies and possibly solve some of the problems associated with this promising technique.

(Elsevier) A growing body of basic animal research and studies of abused and neglected children provide a strong basis of support for the hypothesis that individuals with particular genotypes are at greater risk for depression, anxiety disorders, and problems with the abuse of alcohol and other substances. These gene-by-environment interactions are so powerful that some might assume that these genotypes identify people who are predestined to negative life outcomes.

(JRS Biodiversity Foundation) The University of Ghana, supported by the Philadelphia-based JRS Biodiversity Foundation, is pioneering the use of DNA “barcodes” to map menacing mosquito species in West Africa that spread lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis. The ability to precisely identify mosquito species is a promising advance in the battle against LF, an often disfiguring disease that today threatens 1 billion people across roughly 80 countries.

(Cell Press) New research finds that a complex interaction between separate factors underlies the pathology associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD), reinforcing the concept that multiple therapeutic targets should be considered when designing treatment strategies. The findings, published by Cell Press in the April 30 issue of the journal Neuron, also help to explain why known risk factors do not predict PD in a straightforward manner.

(University of Minnesota) Researchers at the University of Minnesota and Massachusetts General Hospital have used a genome engineering tool they developed to make a model crop plant herbicide-resistant without significant changes to its DNA.