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Key to Making Egg Cells Mature Found, Researchers Say MyHealthNewsDaily 24 in the journal Human Molecular Genetics. Pass it on: By studying a protein called cdk1, researchers may gain a better insight into some cases of infertility in women. Follow MyHealthNewsDaily on Twitter @MyHealth_MHND. Find us on Facebook. woman ... Discovery of a molecule that initiates maturation of mammalian eggs can lead ...Science Daily (press release) all 6 news articles »

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Talk of the Sound

Iona Prep AP Biology Class Visits DNA Learning Center in Cold Spring Harbor Talk of the Sound By Talk of the Sou... on Tue, 03/06/2012 - 22:56 Iona Prep's AP biology class recently visited the DNA Learning Center in Cold Spring Harbor to perform a molecular genetics laboratory exercise called DNA Restriction Analysis. On Wednesday, February 29, ...

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During one such visit a senior executive noticed that two of my colleagues, sitting next to each other, supported their system (two different implementations of the same software) across two different geographies. They happened to have the name of the systems they support, pinned to a board at their desks. The executive wanted us to take a picture of the two cubicles and email to him. We were quite surprised at the request. Before moving on to speak to other people he asked a couple of questions and realized the guys were sharing each other’s experiences and leveraging the lessons learnt from one deployment for the other geography.  It turned out that this does not happen in their organization, in fact their internal teams hardly communicate as they are part of different business units and geographies

Read full article on at inPharmatics

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MissionIR would like to highlight Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE AMEX: CUR). The company's patented technology enables the ability to produce neural stem cells of the human brain and spinal cord in commercial quantities, and the ability to control the differentiation of these cells constitutively into mature, physiologically relevant human neurons and glia. In addition to ALS, Neuralstem is also targeting major central nervous system conditions with its cell therapy platform, including spinal cord injury, ischemic spastic paraplegia, chronic stroke, and Huntington's disease.

In the company's news yesterday,

Neuralstem reported dosing of the fourteenth patient in its ongoing Phase I clinical trialing of the companys spinal cord neural stem cells in ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrigs disease), marking the second patient to receive cells in the cervical (upper back) region of the spine and the trials first female patient. This is the first FDA-approved neural stem cell trial for the treatment of ALS.

This treatment is designed to help remediate breathing function loss associated with progressive ALS, and the transplantation of stem cells observed in the trial will be keenly watched for safety/efficacy of spinal cord neural stem cells, as well as the intraspinal transplantation method. The first twelve patients received lumbar (lower back) transplants and the trial has now been underway since January of 2010.

Having begun with non-ambulatory patients and progressing to patients able to walk, this trial has now entered into the final six patients, all of whom will receive cervical transplants, with trial conclusion projected for six months after the final surgery is complete. The proprietary CUR spinal cord delivery platform with floating cannula has helped tremendously in making this dream a possibility and represents a true breakthrough in the field, making the first ever intraspinal injections feasible.

Chairman and CSO of CUR, Karl Johe, PhD., was proud to be breaking new ground with this latest cohort of patients, as it represents a major milestone for the trial, with direct implantation of cells into the gray matter of the spinal cord in the cervical region. Dr. Johe was especially proud of the potential these successful surgeries represent for the numerous patients who suffer from significant quality of life impairment due to ALS. With the 14th successful transplant notched into their belts, CUR is confident that the demonstration of safety in this novel procedure is going quite well.

This is a huge coup for CUR which is also making significant advancements towards developing a robust cell therapy platform capable of addressing a wide range of major central nervous system conditions, ranging from spinal cord injuries and chronic stroke, to ischemic spastic paraplegia and other crippling conditions. The company has an IND submitted to FDA for Phase I safety trials in chronic spinal cord injury.

The company is also well-positioned to service systematic screening needs in the large chemical library space. With proprietary screening technology and the ability to generate appropriate human neural stem cell lines, CUR is ready to leverage discovered/patented compounds that help to stimulate brain activity and neuron regeneration. The potential exists to even reverse debilitating CNS conditions.

The company has also received FDA clearance to conduct a Phase Ib safety trial for their first small molecule compound, NSI-189, for treatment of MDD (major depressive disorder); technology that could easily pan out into schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and Alzheimers offerings.

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Neuralstem Shows Solid Progress in Spinal Cord Neural Stem Cell Trial for ALS

SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), an emerging biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions, today discussed the potential use of the companys cell encapsulation technology with modified stem cells to treat late stage cancers.

Stem cell therapy is not new to physicians dealing with blood and bone cancers, with stem cell transplants being an important treatment for growing new bone marrow since the 1970s. Recent studies have indicated the potential for using stem cells across a much broader range of cancers is becoming a reality, mostly a result of advances in cell and molecular biology techniques.

Traditional chemotherapy works by targeting the fast-growing cells common to cancer tumors. Unfortunately, chemotherapeutics dont differentiate between healthy and cancerous cells. Patients suffering from metastatic cancers, where tumors have spread to multiple areas of the body, often have substantial difficulties with the chemotherapy needed to treat their disease.

In one case, researchers at City of Hope and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital may have found a way to treat cancers that have spread throughout the body more effectively. They used genetically modified stem cells to activate chemotherapeutic drugs at the tumor sites, so that normal tissue surrounding the tumor and throughout the body remain relatively unharmed. The stem cells were designed to produce a specific enzyme that converts the nontoxic prodrug into the chemotherapeutic agent. This method also targets the brain tumor treatment to remain localized within the brain, similar to the pancreatic cancer clinical trial carried out by SG Austria, providing for high dosage chemotherapy without affecting surrounding tissues and avoiding the severe side effects normally associated with cancer therapy.

Nuvilex believes that incorporating Cell-in-a-Box encapsulation with this type of genetically modified stem cell, along with the proprietary cancer treatment being acquired, could significantly aid and improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Nuvilex, commented, We are hopeful for the day when late stage cancers can be routinely and safely treated using genetically modified cells like those used in the pancreatic cancer trial, increasing the ability of clinicians to avoid inducing side effects that typically accompany aggressive chemotherapy and/or radiation. Our cell encapsulation technology will enable practitioners to target tumors while preserving the health of the surrounding tissues. We continue to look for leading stem cell and oncology researchers to partner with us as we bring this technology to market.

About Nuvilex

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX) is an emerging international biotechnology provider of clinically useful therapeutic live encapsulated cells and services for encapsulating live cells for the research and medical communities. Through our effort, all aspects of our corporate activities alone, and especially in concert with SG Austria, are rapidly moving toward completion, including closing our agreement. One of our planned offerings will include cancer treatments using the companys industry-leading live-cell encapsulation technology.

Safe Harbor Statement

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Nuvilex Points Toward Cell Encapsulation Technology Future to Expand Stem Cell Use for Late Stage Cancer Treatments

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., one of the worlds premier leukemia and stem cell transplant researchers and clinicians, has been named the new director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Nimer, the Alfred P. Sloan Chair in Cancer Research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, will assume the key University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and UHealth-University of Miami Health System post this spring, bringing 30 years of pioneering research and clinical experience and an unquenchable passion for improving the lives of patients with cancer, and their families.

The focus will not be solely on taking care of the cancer, it will be on taking care of the patient, said Nimer, whose patient-centered philosophy has won him as much acclaim as his clinical and laboratory accomplishments. That means trying to understand as fully as possible each patients cancer the biology driving the cancer, and the impact of the cancer on the patients life in order to develop a personalized therapeutic approach suited to each individual.

Pascal J. Goldschmidt, M.D., Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Dean of the Miller School, and CEO of UHealth, said Nimer, who headed the Division of Hematologic Oncology at Sloan-Kettering for a dozen years, is the ideal physician-scientist to lead Sylvester into its third decade and to designation as one of the nations official comprehensive cancer centers by the NIHs National Cancer Institute.

Stephen possesses a unique combination of outstanding clinical skills and visionary scientific acumen in cancer research that will lead Sylvester to become the next top comprehensive cancer center in the U.S., Dean Goldschmidt said. He brings a true patient-centered approach to clinical care and leading-edge research that makes a real difference for our fellow humans. Cancer patients across South Florida and around the world will benefit from his expertise and leadership.

Dr. Nimer will be a spectacular leader for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, said UM President Donna E. Shalala.This is a momentous development for the Miller School, the University of Miami, and all of South Florida.

Joseph Rosenblatt, M.D., who has served as interim director of Sylvester, said Dr. Nimers arrival will allow Sylvester to find its rightful place among the worlds premier cancer centers, and his leadership will usher in a new era for our cancer center, which I and our faculty anticipate with great enthusiasm.

Nimer, currently vice chair for faculty development at Sloan-Ketterings Department of Medicine, plans to develop and expand a number of services at Sylvester, including programs for breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer and hematological malignancies, among others. He also plans to recruit more than 30 new scientists and physicians, develop key core facilities and expand the clinical and laboratory research capabilities.

He specifically hopes to recruit experts in areas such as bone marrow transplantation, mouse models of human cancer, and molecular diagnostics, as well as additional surgeons skilled in complex, curative and restorative procedures, such as breast reconstruction. He also will expand efforts in cancer prevention, screening and early diagnosis and in identifying those factors that predispose people to develop cancer.

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Internationally Recognized Leukemia Physician and Researcher to Lead Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

by Stephen Coates

HONG KONG, March 7, 2012 (AFP) - One of the world's leading researchers into spinal cord injuries says China could hold the key to a cure that he has been searching for since he met late actor Christopher Reeve in the 1990s.

US-based Doctor Wise Young first used the word "cure" in relation to his work after a conversation with Reeve, the "Superman" hero who became quadriplegic in an equestrian accident in 1995.

Reeve contacted him looking for help and the two became close friends. The actor died of heart failure in 2004 at the age of 52, having devoted his life to raising awareness about spinal cord injuries and stem-cell research.

But it was a star of a different sort, Chinese gymnast Sang Lan, who set Young on the path he believes has brought a cure closer than ever, thanks to ground-breaking clinical trials of stem-cell therapy he is conducting in China.

"Everybody assumed that I'm doing this in China because I wanted to escape George W. Bush, but that's not the case at all," Young told AFP in an interview, recalling the former US president's 2001 decision to effectively stop Federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.

"I started the clinical trials in 2005 here in Hong Kong ... mainly because of a promise that I made to a young woman. Her name is Sang Lan."

Sang crushed her spine during a routine warm-up exercise at the Goodwill Games in New York in 1998. She met Young as she underwent treatment and rehabilitation in the United States over the next 12 months.

"Her parents came to me and asked whether or not there would ever be a cure for her, and I said we're working very hard on it," recalled Young, who was by then one of the leading US experts on spinal cord injuries.

"When she went back to China after doing her rehabilitation in New York she cried and asked how would therapies go from the United States to China.

Read the original here:
Doctor looks to China for spinal injury 'cure'

Public release date: 6-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Megan Fellman fellman@northwestern.edu 847-491-3115 Northwestern University

Northwestern University scientists have developed a powerful analytical method that they have used to direct stem cell differentiation. Out of millions of possibilities, they rapidly identified the chemical and physical structures that can cue stem cells to become osteocytes, cells found in mature bone.

Researchers can use the method, called nanocombinatorics, to build enormous libraries of physical structures varying in size from a few nanometers to many micrometers for addressing problems within and outside biology.

Those in the fields of chemistry, materials engineering and nanotechnology could use this invaluable tool to assess which chemical and physical structures -- including size, shape and composition -- work best for a desired process or function.

Nanocombinatorics holds promise for screening catalysts for energy conversion, understanding properties conferred by nanostructures, identifying active molecules for drug discovery or even optimizing materials for tissue regeneration, among other applications.

Details of the method and proof of concept is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"With further development, researchers might be able to use this approach to prepare cells of any lineage on command," said Chad A. Mirkin, who led the work. "Insight into such a process is important for understanding cancer development and for developing novel cancer treatment methodologies."

Mirkin is the George B. Rathmann Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and professor of medicine, chemical and biological engineering, biomedical engineering and materials science and engineering. He also is the director of Northwestern's International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN).

The new analytical method utilizes a technique invented at Northwestern called polymer pen lithography, where basically a rubber stamp having as many as 11 million sharp pyramids is mounted on a transparent glass backing and precisely controlled by an atomic force microscope to generate desired patterns on a surface. Each pyramid -- a polymeric pen -- is coated with molecules for a particular purpose.

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Influencing stem cell fate

SAN DIEGO, March 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Histogen Inc., a regenerative medicine company, and Suneva Medical, a privately-held aesthetics company, today announced that they have entered into a license agreement for physician-dispensed aesthetic products containing Histogen's proprietary multipotent cell conditioned media (CCM).

Under the terms of this license agreement, Suneva Medical has acquired exclusive U.S. licensing rights to Histogen's multipotent CCM and the ReGenica branded line of products for topical applications in the licensed market. Suneva Medical will manufacture the ReGenica product line and market it to aesthetic practitioners throughout the U.S. Histogen will receive a transfer price on the CCM, as well as royalties on future sales of ReGenica and product line extensions.

"First, let me say that, as the first step in expanding our business, we are very excited about this particular opportunity as the advent of regenerative medicine is upon us. One of our key business objectives is to find novel products that complement our rapidly growing dermal filler business. We believe Histogen's innovative technology coupled with our proven experience of developing and marketing aesthetic products is a winning combination as it enables us to offer our customers a differentiated product line," stated Nicholas Teti, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Suneva Medical.

Through Histogen's technology process, which mimics the embryonic environment including conditions of low oxygen and suspension, cells are triggered to become multipotent, and naturally produce proteins associated with skin renewal and scarless healing. The result is a soluble cell conditioned media containing cell-signaling proteins such as KGF, follistatin, stem cell factor, collagens and laminins, which support the epidermal stem cells that renew skin throughout life. In addition, factors associated with scarring, such as TGF-beta, are decreased or nonexistent.

"The applications for this proprietary multipotent CCM within the field of medical aesthetics are numerous and, based upon the way the proteins within the complex signal the body's own stem cells to rejuvenate and regenerate skin, potentially groundbreaking," said Dr. Gail K. Naughton, CEO and Chairman of the Board at Histogen. "This recognition from Suneva's expert team, with a rich background in developing and marketing aesthetics, validates Histogen's technology and supports the fact that it is different from anything currently in the market."

About Histogen Histogen, launched in 2007, seeks to redefine regenerative medicine by developing a series of high value products that do not contain embryonic stem cells or animal components. Through Histogen's proprietary bioreactors that mimic the embryonic environment, including low oxygen and suspension, newborn cells are encouraged to naturally produce the vital proteins and growth factors from which the Company has developed its rich product portfolio. Histogen has two product families a proprietary cell conditioned media, and a human Extracellular Matrix (ECM) material. For more information, please visit http://www.histogen.com.

About Suneva Medical Suneva Medical, Inc. is a privately-held aesthetics company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing novel, differentiated products for the dermatology, plastic and cosmetic surgery markets. The Company's long-lasting injectable product is marketed as Artefill in the U.S. and Bellafill in Canada to correct facial wrinkles. For more information visit http://www.sunevamedical.com.

Contacts:

For Histogen Inc.:

Eileen Brandt Phone: (858) 200-9520 ebrandt@histogeninc.com

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Histogen Signs License Agreement with Suneva Medical for Cell Conditioned Media-based Aesthetic Products

by: Tara Green

Bisphenol A overrides the natural heartbeat signal causing female heart cells to misfire, according to a recent study. Given how pervasive BPA is these days, this could mean heart problems, possibly even fatal ones, for millions of women.

BPA is everywhere

BPA is ubiquitous in the industrial world: in clear plastic containers, in the epoxy lining of canned foods, in dental sealants, and even coating many store receipts. Studies in the past five years have shown that nearly everyone living in the industrial world encounters at least trace amounts of this compound.

Yet industries using plastics for packaging, as well as some mainstream medical experts, have long assured the public that small concentrations of BPA do not pose a serious health hazard. FDA efforts in reference to BPA have so far been limited to supporting industry self-limitation such as eliminating the compound from products specifically designed for infants and children. Read more...

Ayurtox for Body Detoxification

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Mid-Hudson News

Westchester to seek developer for 60-acre biotechnology incubator in Valhalla The Journal News | LoHud.com VALHALLA — The biotechnology incubator plan at New York Medical College — which already has endorsements from local and federal officials and $4 million in new stimulus money from the state – now has the Westchester County Executive on board. Astorino proposes biotech centerMid-Hudson News all 75 news articles »

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Business Recorder

Experts call for promotion of Bio technology in agriculture sector Business Recorder ISLAMABAD: The experts including international biotechnologists here called for promotion of bio-technology in the agricultural sector for ensuring food security to the increasing population in the country. "Bio-Technology crops are the safest for ... Biotech crops can counter food insecurityPakistan Observer all 2 news articles »

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The Express Tribune

Biotechnology is vital for food, social, economic security: experts Pakistan Daily Times ISLAMABAD: International biotechnology experts have stressed that the development of agriculture sector is important for food, social and economic security of developing countries while the options of using biotech crops can create a useful impact on ... Biotechnology comes without proper researchThe Express Tribune Experts advocate use of biotech crops to counter food insecurityBusiness Recorder (blog) all 7 news articles »

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Editor's note: Climate Query is a semi-weekly feature offered by Daily Climate, presenting short Q&A's with players large and small in the climate arena. Read others in the series at http://wwwp.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/query/climate-queries .

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A nearly 13-year-old skin cancer drug rapidly alleviates molecular signs of Alzheimer's diseas e and improves brain function, according to the results of a new mouse study being hailed as extremely promising. Early-stage human clinical trials could begin within months.

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The New Medicine Service (NMS) offered by Engalnd’s  NHS community pharmacies came into effect since 1st October 2011. NMS is a patient adherene service and focuses on patients with long term conditions that have been prescribed new medicines.

It is hoped that NMS will lead to the following outcomes:

• improve medicines adherence
• increase patient engagement with their condition and medicines, which will support them in making decisions about their treatment and self management
• reduce medicines wastage
• reduce hospital admissions due to adverse events associated with medicines
• increase reporting of medicine adverse reactions by pharmacists and patients
• positive patient assessments
• provide evidence base on the effectiveness of the service
• enable the development of outcome and/or quality measures for community pharmacy

But the Service since launch has seen severe criticism from pharmacists’ over several issues, especially how the pharmacist is re-imbursed for the providing the service which also involved patient counselling.

The answer perhaps can be found by applying predictive analytics to identify patients who are more likely to deviate or other likely to exhibit non-compliance in adhering to the prescription.

Express Scripts has developed a set of proprietary computer models that predict, up to a year in advance, which patients are at risk of not following through on their prescribed drug therapy. details

FICO an analytics service provider also provides medication adherence ranking based on predictive analytics details

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The California stem cell agency today released its letter to leaders of the California legislature concerning the conflict of interest violation by the scientist who was then chairman of the panel that makes the de facto decisions on hundreds of millions of dollars in research grants.

The agency also posted the review summary of the application involved in the conflict of interest, which had been missing from its web site.

The incident occurred last April, but was not publicly disclosed by the $3 billion research enterprise until questions were raised this month by the California Stem Cell Report. The case involved John Sladek of the University of Colorado in Denver, then chairman of the CIRM grant review group, which makes decisions on the hundreds of grant applications. The CIRM board of directors has final approval but it almost never overturns a favorable recommendation from the grant panel.

Sladek resigned from the review group after CIRM staff discovered the conflict following the March 17 review session. CIRM called it a "technical violation."

The information provided today by CIRM added some details to the matter, including Sladek's statement that the conflict was inadvertent on his part.

The June 15 letter to the speaker of the state Assembly and the leader of the state Senate was labelled "confidential disclosure." Signed by then CIRM Chairman Robert Klein, it said,

"While preparing the public summary for Basic Biology III Awards Application No. RB3-02119, CIRM staff discovered that Dr. Sladek had co-authored two papers in the last three years with a researcher on the application. Although the researcher’s name was included on the CIRM conflict of interest form, Dr. Sladek did not disclose these publications to CIRM."

As reported earlier, Sladek's participation did not affect the outcome on the application, which was not recommended for funding.

As is CIRM's practice, the review summary of the grant application did not identify the scientist seeking funding. The summary listed one reviewer with an unspecified conflict, Ali Brivanlou of Rockefeller University.

The letter was provided by CIRM at the request of the California Stem Cell Report, which also asked for the review summary of the grant application after discovering it was missing. James Harrison, outside counsel to the agency, said in an email that the summary was not posted because of a "programming error."

The summary can be found here. Here is the letter.Sladek/CIRM Conflict of Interest Letter to California Legislative Leadership

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A conflict of interest on a grant application before the $3 billion California stem cell agency last year led to the resignation of the grant review committee's longstanding chairman, John Sladek of the University of Colorado.

The incident occurred last April but was not publicly disclosed by CIRM until the California Stem Cell Report (CSCR) raised a question earlier this month.

Sladek is professor of neurology, pediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Colorado in Denver and a former president of Cal Lutheran University in the Los Angeles area. He had served on the stem cell agency's grant review group since 2005 and as its chairman from 2009 until April of last year.

Responding to an email from CSCR, James Harrison of Remcho, Johansen and Purcell of San Leandro, Ca., outside counsel to the stem cell agency, said that CIRM's staff uncovered the conflict in April after the grant review session was concluded on March 17. Harrison described it as a "technical violation."

He said,

"While preparing the public summary for Basic Biology III (grant round)applications, CIRM staff discovered that Dr. John Sladek was one of several co-authors on scientific publications with a researcher who was listed as a consultant on a CIRM grant application."

Harrison said,

"This is a technical violation of CIRM's conflict of interest rules, which prohibit a member of the Grants Working Group ("GWG") from participating in the review of an application if the member has co-authored papers with a salaried investigator listed on a CIRM application within a three year window."

Harrison said Sladek's conflict did not violate the state's political reform act nor did he have a financial interest in the application.

Harrison continued,

"Nonetheless, in the spirit of setting an example of strict compliance, Dr. Sladek tendered his resignation from the GWG."

Asked for comment, Sladek said that Harrison's account was accurate and that he had nothing to add. (Both Harrison's and Sladek's verbatim comments can be found here.)

In December, the CIRM board of directors approved, on a unanimous voice vote of the 21 directors present out of 29, a resolution commending Sladek for serving in "exemplary fashion."

The stem cell agency disclosed specifics of the conflict of interest violation after the California Stem Cell Report discovered a vague reference to it in the transcript of the January meeting of the Citizens Financial Oversight and Accountability Committee, the only state entity specifically charged with oversight of the agency and its directors.

Members of the committee had raised questions about conflicts of interests at CIRM. At one point, Harrison said,

"We have also had occasion where we have had a conflict of a very technical nature on the grants working group which we addressed pursuant to our procedure and reported to the legislature."

It was that remark that triggered the request for more details.

Asked about the report to the legislature, Harrison said CIRM wrote a letter to the legislative leadership about the incident. We have asked for a copy of the letter, which we will carry when we receive it.

As of this writing, the review summary for the grant application (RB3-02119) in question was not available on the CIRM web. Normally all the summaries are posted. We have queried the agency concerning its absence.

Harrison also said that in the seven-year history of CIRM no other instances exist of grant review committee members having been determined to be in a conflict of interest after participation in a review.

Our comment: CIRM is to be commended for taking care of this situation quickly last April. Sladek correctly resigned promptly. However, failure to disclose the incident at the time does not reflect well on the California stem cell agency nor does it inspire confidence in the agency's now improving openness and transparency.

CIRM is an enterprise that has substantial built-in conflicts of interests – all legal courtesy of Prop. 71, the ballot initiative that created CIRM. Institutions linked to CIRM directors have received $1.1 billion of the $1.2 billion the agency has given away. A display of reticence in this conflict-of-interest case does little to quell the suspicions of those who have criticized the agency for "cronyism," including the journal Nature and some in the biotech business community and elsewhere. As for the description of the incident as a "very technical" violation, that amounts to a bit of PR. Either it is a violation or it isn't.

Sladek's violation is the sort of thing not well understood by the public. Most public attention is focused on financial conflicts of interest in science. However, professional conflicts of interest involving scientists are among the most invidious. The California Stem Cell Report regularly hears complaints and suspicions about such dealings at CIRM: Big-name scientists receiving favored treatment, academic researchers unfairly evaluating applications from business researchers, younger researchers being shunted to background and more. All this as a billion dollars worth of applications have been evaluated behind closed doors with no public disclosure of the economic or professional interests of the reviewers. The stem cell agency would do well to improve its openness and transparency, particularly as it moves into ticklish and expensive relationships with industry. The first step would be to post on its web site the disclosure forms filed by its grant reviewers but withheld from the public by CIRM.

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Here are the verbatim statements from James Harrison, outside counsel to the California stem cell agency, and John Sladek concerning Sladek's conflict of interest and resignation as chair of the agency's grant review group.

Harrison made these initial remarks first and provided a few other details later.

"While preparing the public summary for Basic Biology III (grant round)applications, CIRM staff discovered that Dr. John Sladek was one of several co-authors on scientific publications with a researcher who was listed as a consultant on a CIRM grant application.
"This is a technical violation of CIRM's conflict of interest rules, which prohibit a member of the Grants Working Group ("GWG") from participating in the review of an application if the member has co-authored papers with a salaried investigator listed on a CIRM application within a three year window.

"It should be noted, however, that Dr. Sladek's participation in the review of the application would not have constituted a conflict of interest under the Political Reform Act's conflict of interest standards because Dr. Sladek did not have a financial interest in the application. In addition, the amount of funding involved - approximately $3,000 of salary per year for three years, less than one percent of the total award - was not material, and Dr. Sladek did not stand to receive any financial benefit from the application. Finally, Dr. Sladek's participation in the review did not affect the outcome because the application was not recommended, or approved, for funding.

"Nonetheless, in the spirit of setting an example of strict compliance, Dr. Sladek tendered his resignation from the GWG."

Sladek's response to a question for comment:

"Mr. Harrison’s account  is accurate and there really isn’t anything to add other than I was pleased to serve CIRM and California  for several years and wish them well as they pursue such an important mission with respect to the potential for therapeutic applications to human disease and disorders. Thank you for your inquiry."

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