blog.bioethics.net
a Nature Top 50 science blog from The American Journal of Bioethics
Entries from blog.bioethics.net tagged with 'iPS cells'
Stem Cell Update: Welcome New iPS Cell Lines!
While the media has been sidetracked with the Olympic games, the mental illness of the anthrax scientist, a hyped report about water on Mars, and drugs that turn mice into athletes, stem cells researchers have been quietly announcing truly spectacular work - the creation of 11 induced pluripotent stem (iPS)... (read the rest)
Suzanne Somers: Stem Cell Master?
In case anyone still has any misgivings about the promise of stem cell therapy, rest assured, for a new expert voice has emerged – the eminent scientist Suzanne Somers. Yes, she of Three’s Company fame is the new spokesperson for NeoStem Inc., about to launch a stem-cell-storage campaign in California.... (read the rest)
Discovered [Sort Of]: Personalized [Not Quite Therapeutic] Cell Stuff
The latest achievement in the stem cell research community was announced yesterday in ScienceXpress finding that iPS cells can be generated from ALS patients which then can be used to create healthy motor neuron cells. As the authors of study put it, the generation of iPS cells from these patients... (read the rest)
Possibly a step towards solving the iPS cell tumor problem
The Yamanaka team announced in a Science paper today that it was able to induce pluripotency in cells taken from the liver and intestinal lining of mice -- and in the process they found that the retroviruses used to turn the cells pluripotent don't have to insert themselves at specific... (read the rest)
What President Bush said about stem cells in the State of the Union
Here's the section (whole speech transcript), which also includes mentions of cloning and intellectual property: On matters of life and science, we must trust in the innovative spirit of medical researchers and empower them to discover new treatments while respecting moral boundaries. In November, we witnessed a landmark achievement when... (read the rest)
Science's Breakthrough of 2007
And the winner is... human genetic variation. From the journal's article explaining its choice: The unveiling of the human genome almost 7 years ago cast the first faint light on our complete genetic makeup. Since then, each new genome sequenced and each new individual studied has illuminated our genomic landscape... (read the rest)
Thinking about stem cell research and intent
The New York Times profiles Shinya Yamanaka today and the piece includes a number of interesting details about his research. But the anecdote that stands out most is the one about what prompted him to pursue the creation of induced pluripotent stem cells. Shinya YamanakaFrom the piece by Martin Fackler:... (read the rest)
iPS cell therapy coverage roundup
As we reported yesterday, a team from Rudy Jaenisch's lab at the Whitehead Institute, along with a group led by Tim Townes at UAB, announced in Science that it has used induced pluripotent stem cells to treat sickle cell anemia in mice. + Jaenisch tells the Washington Post's Rick Weiss... (read the rest)
Induced pluriptoent stem cells used for therapy
A team from Rudy Jaenisch's lab at the Whitehead Institute reports this week in Science that it has used induced pluripotent stem cells to treat sickle cell anemia in mice. The researchers are touting the results as "proof of principle" that iPS cells can used for therapies, though they caution... (read the rest)
Bush and iPS cells: another "Mission Accomplished"?
By James Fossett The White House, Charles Krauthammer, Wesley J. Smith and other Bush Administration apologists have been working hard the last few days to spin the announcement of the development of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC’s) as a scientific silver bullet that wouldn’t have happened without the Bush Administration’s... (read the rest)
Thomson takes on the conversation surrounding induced pluripotent stem cells
James Thomson and AAAS head Alan Leshner have a very direct op-ed in the Washington Post today about all the discussion surrounding induced pluripotent stem cells. It seems they're not too happy with what they've been hearing. Here's a clip: A new way to trick skin cells into acting like... (read the rest)
Following up: robot marriage, political (neuro)science and stem cell politics
Here are a few updates and extensions to earlier posts on blog.bioethics.net: And you thought gay marriage was controversial Back in October we posted an item about one researcher's speculation that human-robot marriage was at most 50 years away. Of course, this prompts the question that also sounds like a... (read the rest)
Do iPS cells mean an end to stem cell federalism? It might just mean the opposite
By James Fossett There’s been enormous speculation about the scientific and political consequences of the development of “induced pluripotent stem cells” (iPSC) by labs in Wisconsin and Japan for the entire stem cell research enterprise. One line of speculation, as described in an article by Rick Weiss in the Washington... (read the rest)
Induced pluripotent stem cells: one week later
A little more follow up to all the news from last week: + While most of the popular coverage of stem cells focuses on using them as a therapies or replacement tissues, it's looking like, at least right now, the most promising application of iPS cells will be for modeling... (read the rest)
Politics and cell reprogramming
The political world is starting to weigh in on induced pluripotent stem cells. + The AP reports that some in the Republican party are calling the news the end of the discussion on the ethics and funding of embryonic stem cell research. + Among the GOP presidential candidates, it seems... (read the rest)
Art Caplan at MSNBC: 'Panacea' cells revive ancient hopes
Art writes that today's news about induced pluripotent stem cells shouldn't be the end of research on cloning: In the Middle Ages, the alchemists believed someday they’d find a magical tool that could transmute lead into gold, metals into medicines and plants and animal tissues into powerful elixirs — a... (read the rest)
Looking ahead: induced pluripotent stem cells
The papers have been published, so what's next? Here are a few questions to keep an eye on: Can cells be reprogrammed into embryonic-like stem cells without the use of retroviruses? Quick biology overview: the teams in Japan and Wisconsin were able re-program skin cells by inserting four genes into... (read the rest)
Induced pluripotent stem cell press coverage roundup
+ In the Washington Post, Rick Weiss reports that scientists are talking about the news "with stunned elation reminiscent of scientists' reactions in 1997 to the cloning of Dolly the sheep." + "Everyone was waiting for this day to come. You should have a solution here that will address the... (read the rest)
Cells that look and act like human embryonic stem cells created from skin cells
As mentioned over the weekend, the papers reporting that scientists in Japan and Wisconsin have re-programmed human skin cells to become virtually indistinguishable from embryonic stem cells were published today. The Yamanaka team reports in Cell (pdf) (updated link) that it was able to create "induced pluripotent stem" cells using... (read the rest)
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