Technology

Scientists at MIT have developed a microscopic coating process that can release drugs at the command of an electrical signal. The coating, a thin film, is made of a therapeutic and an electrically-active compound called Prussian blue that can be applied to medical devices like stents or to polymers that can be injected into the body. By applying an electrical field to the device the coating of Prussian blue dissolves and the drug is released. Story [1]

Stem Cell Research

In order to add some leverage to its $3 billion program to support stem cell research in California, the state stem cell institute announced that 12 applicants for funding offered to put up $495 million of their own money in order to win up to $262 million pooled for grants. That collective contribution, says the institute, will boost sending on new laboratories by $750 million. The most ambitious offer: Stanford's, where university officials pledged $150 million in order to gain state backing. Report [2]

Human embryonic stem cells produce a protein that can be used to contain breast and skin cancers, according to researchers at Northwestern University. Report [3]

Rejecting arguments that patents held by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation are unfairly hindering research in the field, an official with the patent office ruled that one of the three patents will stand. Two others remain under appeal. Lawyers urging a repeal of the patents, though, say they've only just begun to fight. Story [4]

Japanese officials are launching a stem cell project at four research institutions. Report [5]

A review of previously published research suggests that stem cells harvested from an adult's blood or marrow may provide treatment benefit to select patients for some autoimmune diseases and cardiovascular disorders. Article [6]

PrimeGen Biotech says it has developed "embryonic-like" stem cells that can offer the therapeutic benefits of ESCs without the risk of cancer. The company says that by using purified proteins they can hasten the reprogramming process while avoiding the cancer threat. Report [7]

Adult stem cells may provide an explanation for the cause of Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, a rare disease that causes premature aging in children, according to researchers at the National Cancer Institute. Release [8]

Genetics

A rare genetic mutation triggers the mechanism involved in Lou Gehrig's disease, according to researchers at the University of Virginia. Their discovery offers a new target for drug developers. Report [9]

A prior genetic mapping study indicated that a particular gene, multiple epidermal growth factor-like domains 10 or MEGF10, may be associated with schizophrenia. Release [10]

A team of researchers at the University of Alberta, including a scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, have discovered a gene that is able to block HIV, and thought to in turn prevent the onset of AIDS. Release [11]

A University of Southampton research team, led by Professor Andrew Lotery, has identified a new genetic risk factor for age-related macular degeneration. Report [12]

By comparing genes in Utah whites to members of the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria, researchers say the differences they have discovered helps explain why people respond differently to the same therapies. Report [13]

Australian researchers have identified a genetic mutation associated with a rare form of epilepsy that also triggers kidney failure. Report [14]

Smoking is a known risk factor for respiratory diseases like chronic bronchitis, but genes also play a significant role in its development, according to researchers in Sweden. Release [15]

Cancer Research

The cancer research work underway at George Mason University underscores the payoff for Virginia officials who are working to make the area west of the Potomac River a "player" in biotechnology. Report [16]

An Indian scientist has developed a treatment against ovarian cancer that has shown "encouraging results," as it targets a protein that causes tumors to grow. Release [17]

454 Life Sciences says that researchers from The International Mesothelioma Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston used its long-read sequencing technology to characterize for the first time mutations in expressed genes unique to malignant pleural mesotheliomas. Release [18]

More Research

The South American shrinking frog is helping to point to a possible cure for diabetes. A compound isolated from the frogs--pseudin-2--spurs insulin release and could be synthesized in developing a new therapy. Report [19]

Researchers at UC Davis have identified a compound that prevents cell death, offering new drug targets for treating heart attack and stroke victims. Report [20]   

Researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified a gene in Asian monkeys that may have evolved as a defense against lentiviruses, the group of viruses that includes HIV. The study suggests that AIDS is not a new epidemic. Release [21] 

In a study on mice, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found new drug targets for sepsis by identifying an important pathway involving the vascular coagulation system and certain cells in the immune system. Report [22]

And Finally… An MIT student found a way to make antibiotics more effective, winning a $30,000 prize for his efforts. Report [23]