http://www.physorg.com/ en-us Physorg.com internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. (PhysOrg.com) -- Bioengineers at UC San Diego have developed a breakthrough method for sequencing-based methylation profiling, which could help fuel personalized regenerative medicine and even lead to more efficient and cost-effective methods for studying certain diseases. http://www.physorg.com/news159643088.html Biology Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:19:15 EST news159643088 MIT engineers have developed a new, highly efficient way to pair up cells so they can be fused together into a hybrid cell. The new technique should make it much easier for scientists to study what happens when two cells are combined. For example, fusing an adult cell and an embryonic stem cell allows researchers to study the genetic reprogramming that occurs in such hybrids. http://www.physorg.com/news150297594.html Biology Sun, 04 Jan 2009 13:19:54 EST news150297594 Whitehead Institute researchers have greatly simplified the creation of so-called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, cutting the number of viruses used in the reprogramming process from four to one. Scientists hope that these embryonic stem-cell-like cells could eventually be used to treat such ailments as Parkinson's disease and diabetes. http://www.physorg.com/news148583537.html Biology Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:12:17 EST news148583537 In the study, the scientists screened known drugs and identified small molecules that could replace conventional reprogramming genes, which can have dangerous side effects. This new process offers a new way to generate stem cells from fibroblasts, a general cell type that is abundant and easily accessible from various tissues, including skin. http://www.physorg.com/news145108757.html Biology Wed, 05 Nov 2008 11:59:17 EST news145108757 Some of the most challenging obstacles limiting the reprogramming of mature human cells into stem cells may not seem quite as daunting in the near future. Two independent research papers, published by Cell Press in the September 11th issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell, describe new tools that provide invaluable platforms for elucidating the molecular, genetic, and biochemical mechanisms associated with reprogramming. The new findings also offer considerable hope toward making the reprogramming process more therapeutically relevant. http://www.physorg.com/news140266638.html Biology Wed, 10 Sep 2008 11:57:18 EST news140266638 (PhysOrg.com) -- In a feat of biological prestidigitation likely to turn the field of regenerative medicine on its head, Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) co-director Doug Melton and post doctoral fellow Qiao "Joe" Zhou report having achieved what has long been a dream and ultimate goal of developmental biologists - directly turning one type of fully formed adult cell into another type of adult cell. http://www.physorg.com/news139061767.html Biology Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:16:07 EST news139061767 Adult cells of mice created from genetically reprogrammed cells -so-called induced pluripotent stem (IPS) stem cells -can be triggered via drug to enter an embryonic-stem-cell-like state, without the need for further genetic alteration. http://www.physorg.com/news134145159.html Biology Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:32:39 EST news134145159