Cancer | One of the most common disease in the world

In what may prove as a breakthrough in the treatment of leukaemia and other blood diseases, scientists at UCLA have discovered a protein produced by a gene known as MLLT3 and its connection to the multiplication of human blood stem cells.

The discovery which was published in a study is very much significant as cancers such as leukaemia can be effectively treated using blood stem cells, also known as Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), produced outside the human body and could serve as an alternative to existing treatment options such as bone marrow transplants.

Self-renewal is the process by which stem cells divide to create more cells. The study focused on a specific type of the kind: Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) which are present within the bone marrow where along with self-renewal, they also produce different types of blood cells such as red and white by transforming into them.

Placing HSCs in laboratory dishes after their removal from the bone marrow causes then to lose their ability to self-renew, and they either transform into other blood types or perish. It is this process that the scientists studied. Through a series of steps, the researchers studied the genes that shutdown as the cells lost their capacity to self-renew.

They discovered that the HSCs' ability to self-renew corresponded with the expression of a gene called MLLT3. They also found that MLLT3 generated a protein that instructed HSCs to retain their capacity to self-renew. As the cells divide, the protein works along with other regulatory proteins to keep vital components of the HSCs' functioning.

Employing a viral vector the researchers tried to ascertain if maintaining the MLLT3 protein levels in lab dishes would help improve the self-renewing abilities of HSCs. A viral vector is a specially designed virus that transfers genetic information to the nucleus of a cell without giving rise to a disease. Using the vector, the scientists introduced an active MLLT3 gene into HSCs. They found that there was nearly a twelvefold multiplication of working HSCs in lab dishes.

"If we think about the amount of blood stem cells needed to treat a patient, that's a significant number," said Dr. Hanna Mikkola, a member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, and senior author of the study, to the UCLA Newsroom.

The UCLA scientists observed that the use of 'small molecules' organic compounds that help in the multiplication of human HSCs, improved self-renewal in general. However, the cells were unable to maintain stable MLLT3 levels and did not perform well when implanted into mice.

"Our method, which exposes blood stem cells to the small molecules and also inserts an active MLLT3 gene, created blood stem cells that integrated well into mouse bone marrow, efficiently produced all blood cell types and maintained their self-renewing ability," said Vincenzo Calvanese, a UCLA project scientist and the study's co-corresponding author, to the UCLA Newsroom.

The team noted that the self-renewal of HSCs caused by MLLT3 was at a safe rate. This means that they did not acquire potent characteristics such as mutation or excessive multiplication, or the production aberrant cells that can cause leukaemia.

Determining which proteins and constituents within the DNA of the HSCs affect the activation and deactivation of MLLT3 is the next step for the team. Also, understanding the regulation of the process using components in the lab dishes is another step. The information gathered may help find ways in which MLLT3 could be switched on and off without employing a viral vector.

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Protein that can help treatment of leukemia identified, UCLA scientists upbeat - International Business Times, Singapore Edition

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Protein that can help treatment of leukemia identified, UCLA scientists upbeat – International Business Times, Singapore Edition | December 1st, 2019

MAGICAL Nature is Rebecca Bennett's first exhibition in four years following her stem cell transplant.

Running throughout December at Rydal Hall Old School Room Teashop at Ambleside, the exhibition features various media from acrylics and watercolours to photography.

Rebecca loves capturing the magic of colour and pattern within nature in her artwork. She grew up surrounded by the beautiful fells and lakes of Cumbria. Coming from an artistic family, painting and drawing from an early age was natural.

From photographs of lakes seen through the prism of a crystal ball to an enigmatic acrylic painting of a grey heron, Magical Nature includes striking images of the wildlife and countryside of Rebeccas native Lake District.

With a BA(hons) degree in Contemporary Applied Arts from Cumbria Institute of the Arts, Rebecca furthered her art practice and skills to create porcelain ceramic pieces and textile mixed media artworks.

Following university Rebecca completed a variety of successful art projects and workshops alongside her exhibitions. These included art workshops with young people at the Coniston Water Festival and Blencathra Field Studies Centre.

In 2015 Rebecca had a stem cell transplant at London's Kings College Hospital. An unrelated donor provided the stem cells to treat failing bone marrow caused by rare Gata2 deficiency and Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Painting and photography have, she says, been a great therapy throughout her transplant journey.

"When you feel up to it having something to immerse yourself in such as art and photography can be a fantastic way to help you forget about your pain and problems. For those moments, you are focused on what you are creating and can escape for a little while."

Alongside exhibiting her work for the first time since being diagnosed with her illnesses, Rebecca hopes to raise awareness of MDS and blood disorders. Donations to the charity MDS UK patient support will be made from sales of Rebeccas greeting cards and prints during the exhibition.

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Artist's first exhibition following stem cell transplant - The Westmorland Gazette

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Artist’s first exhibition following stem cell transplant – The Westmorland Gazette | December 1st, 2019

Emi receives kisses from her adoptive parents, Jason and Katie Ballard, at the NIH Clinical Center as she gets ready to receive a lifesaving hematopoietic stem cell transplant, the only way to cure her fatal immune deficiency, using cells donated by her birth mom.

Emi smiles at The Children's Inn at NIH prior to undergoing a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, the only potential cure for her rare and deadly immune deficiency.

Bethesda, Maryland, Nov. 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- One Texas family has lots to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Their daughter, now 13, is doing well after undergoing a bone marrow transplantthe only chance for a cure for her rare and deadly disease. But Emis story is not only a story about the triumph of medical research that is making her cure possibleits also a story about extraordinary parental love and sacrifices by her birth mom and her adoptive family that are giving this very ill girl the best chance at life. Emi's birth mom donated her stem cells to make the lifesaving transplant possible.

We are most thankful for an answer to years of prayers, Emis adoptive mom says. Emi got a new start at life, a rebirth day. Every holiday this year will be like the first. Were so grateful to the doctors, nurses and The Childrens Inn.

Emi and her family will be celebrating Thanksgiving at The Childrens Inn at NIH, a nonprofit hospitality house that provides free lodging and a wide variety of support services to families of children with rare and serious diseases whose best chance for a treatment is a clinical research study at the National Institutes of Health. Emi and her mom have spent several months at The Childrens Inn so far and bonded with other families. On Thanksgiving Day, families staying at The Childrens Inn who cannot go home for the holiday will be served a traditional Thanksgiving meal prepared by a group of dedicated volunteers.

It took two moms who love this little nugget to fight for her right to life, Emis adoptive mom says. We finally are getting to see that beautiful part of the story that we always knew was there.

Read Emis full story.

See photos of Emi and her family.

About The Childrens Inn at NIH:

The Childrens Inn at NIH provides free lodging and a wide range of supportive services to more than 1,500 children and their families every year whose best chance for a treatment is a clinical trial at the National Institutes of Health. Opened in 1990 and located across from the NIH Clinical Center, the worlds largest hospital dedicated entirely to medical research, The Childrens Inn has welcomed children from all 50 states and 94 countries. Children staying at The Childrens Inn are making important contributions to rare disease and cancer research, including the successful treatment of childhood leukemia, as well as treatments for HIV/AIDS, childhood asthma, bone and growth diseases, childhood onset schizophrenia and other mental health issues, neurofibromatosis type 1 and a wide variety of genetic and rare diseases. For more information, visit http://www.childrensinn.org. To support The Childrens Inn, make a donation at http://www.childrensinn.org/donate.

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The Best Thanksgiving - GlobeNewswire

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on The Best Thanksgiving – GlobeNewswire | December 1st, 2019

Birds of a feather may flock together, but the feathers of birds differ altogether.

New research from an international team led by USC scientists set out to learn how feathers developed and helped birds spread across the world. Flight feathers, in particular, are masterpieces of propulsion and adaptation, helping penguins swim, eagles soar and hummingbirds hover.

Despite such diversity, the feather shares a common core design: a one-style-fits-all model with option trims for specialized performance. This simplicity and flexibility found in nature holds promise for engineers looking for better ways to build drones, wind turbines, medical implants and other advanced materials.

Those findings, published today in Cell, offer an in-depth look at the form and function of a feather based on a comparative analysis of their physical structure, cellular composition and evolution. The study compares feathers of 21 bird species from around the world.

Weve always wondered how birds can fly in so many different ways, and we found the difference in flight styles is largely due to the characteristics of their flight feathers, said Cheng-Ming Chuong, the studys lead author and a developmental biologist in the Department of Pathology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. We want to learn how flight feathers are made so we can better understand nature and learn how biological architecture principles can benefit modern technology.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the flight feather, Chuong formed a multi-disciplinary international team with Wen Tau Juan, a biophysicist at the Integrative Stem Cell Center, China Medical University in Taiwan. The work involved experts in stem cells, molecular biology, anatomy, physics, bioimaging, engineering, materials science, bioinformatics and animal science. The bird species studied include ostrich, sparrow, eagle, chickens, ducks, swallow, owl, penguin, peacock, heron and hummingbird, among others.

They compared feathers using fossils, stem cells and flight performance characteristics. They focused on the feather shaft, or rachis, that supports the feather much like a mast holds a sail, bearing the stress between wind and wing. They also focused on the vane, the lateral branches astride the shaft that give the feather its shape to flap the air. And they examined how evolution shaped the barbs, ridges and hooks that help a feather hold its form and lock with adjacent feathers like Velcro to form a wing. The goal was to understand how a simple filament appendage on dinosaurs transformed into a three-level branched structure with different functions.

We want to learn how flight feathers are made so we can better understand nature and learn how biological architecture principles can benefit modern technology.

Cheng-Ming Chuong

For birds such as ducks, eagles and sparrows that fly in different modes, the scientists noted significant differences in the feather shaft compared to ground-hugging birds. On the rigid exterior, the shaft cortex was thinner and lightweight, while the interior was filled with porous cells resembling bubble wrap, aligned into bands of various orientations and reinforced with ridges that operate like tiny lateral beams. Together, it forms a light, hollow and buoyant structure to enable flight. Cross-sections of feather shafts of different birds show highly specialized shapes and orientations of the inner core and outer cortex.

The flight feather is made of two highly adaptable architectural modules, light and strong materials that can develop into highly adaptable configurations, Chuong said.

The researchers discovered two different molecular mechanisms guiding feather growth. Cortex thickness was governed by bone morphogenetic proteins, which are molecular signals for tissue growth. The porous feather interior, or medulla, relied upon a different mechanism known as transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-b). Both components originate as stem cells in the birds skin.

By contrast, feathers in flightless birds were simpler, consisting of a dense cortex exterior that is more rigid and sturdy with fewer internal struts and cells found in flying birds. The features were especially pronounced for penguins, which use wings as paddles under the water.

As part of the study, the researchers looked at 100 million-year-old feathers, found embedded in amber in Myanmar. These fossils show early feathers lacked one key feature that modern birds have. Specifically, the researchers report that fossil feathers had barb branches and barbules, which form a feather vane by overlapping, but not hooklets. The hooklets, which act like clasps to turn fluffy feathers into a tight flat plane for high-performance flight, evolved later. The scientists also identified WNT2B, another growth factor, as the agent that controls hooklet formation. These also originated from epidermal stem cells.

Taken together, the findings show how feathered dinosaurs and early birds could form a primitive vane by overlapping barbule plates, although that wasnt aerodynamically fit to carry much load. As more complex composite features occurred in the wing, it got heavier, so feather shafts became stronger yet more lightweight, which led to stiffer feathers and sturdy wings that powered flight to carry birds around the world.

Our findings suggest the evolutionary trends of feather shaft and vane are balanced for the best flight performance of an individual bird and become part of the selective basis of speciation, the study said. The principles of functional architectures we studied here may also stimulate bio-inspired designs and fabrication of future composite materials for architectures of different scales, including wind turbines, artificial tissues, flying drones.

Chuong and Juan are co-leaders of the 31-person team, joined by co-authors Randall B. Widelitz, Shuo Wang, Michael Habib, Ting-Xin Jiang, Zhong-Lai Luo and Ping Wu of the Keck School of Medicine of USC; Wei-Ling Chang, Hao Wu, Yung-Chi Lai, Ming Xing Lei, and Shih-Chieh Hung of the China Medical University Hospital in Taiwan; Ming-You Shie, Jui-Ting Hsu, Heng-Li Huang and Yi-Wen Chen of the China Medical University, Taiwan; Chih-Feng Chen, Ping Chi Tang, Hus Chen Cheng, and Yen-Cheng Lin of the National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan; How-Jen Gu, Yu-Kun Chiu, Tse-Yu Lin, Shun-Min Yang, Tsung-Tse Lee, J.C. Tsai and Yeu-Kuang Hwu of the Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taiwan; Cheng-Te Yao of the Endemic Species Research Institute, Taiwan; Shyh-Jou Shieh of the National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan; Ang Li of the University of Texas, Arlington.

Work at USC was supported by the National Institutes of Health (AR 047364, AR 060306) while team members in Taiwan were supported by grants from their own institutes and the Taiwan government.

More stories about: Biology, Research

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How birds fly: New USC study examines the evolution of flight feathers - USC News

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on How birds fly: New USC study examines the evolution of flight feathers – USC News | November 29th, 2019

The most raved about secret in beauty this year wasn't a magic facialist or Real Housewife-lauded injection, it was an unassuming moisturizer made by a 60-year-old German scientist who'd never worked in the industry, let alone had an Instagram following. And yet, despite having none of the traditional resources that makes a beauty brand an overnight successlike paid celebrity spokespeople, $1 million ad campaigns, or millennial pink packagingAugustinus Bader became a sleeper hit purely through word of mouth.

In the nearly two years since it launched, AB's "miracle cream" has gotten accolades from Ashley Graham, Kate Bosworth, and Victoria Beckham (who's since launched a moisturizing primer with the brand). Glamour even gave it a Beauty Award for Best Moisturizer, a highly competitive category as you can surely imagine. So before I even uncapped the weighty blue-and-copper tube of its famed The Cream, which costs a cool $265 for 50 mL, I was basically set to fall in love with itprice tag be damned.

But the only kind of hype I pay real attention to is beauty editor hype; if my product-inundated colleagues are raving about it, I figure it has to stand out from the pack. And for weeks, every single editor I knew had told me about the cream in an attitude I can only describe as reverent. I was ready to experience my own Bader-sparked miracle.

Bizarrely, I didn't immediately fall head over heels for it (don't worry, a second plot twist will follow shortly). Sure, it was a good face cream. The light texture absorbed quickly and my skin looked decent, but it didn't exactly wow me. I felt like a thin layer just wasn't doing much in the moisturizing departmentwhich, apparently, I later learned isn't even what The Cream claims to do. It's more of an overall skin rejuvenator. The brand also sells a Rich Cream for dry skin, which contains additions like avocado and argan oil to aide with extra hydration, but I began with the original thinking it'd be enough.

In order to get maximum effectiveness from the active ingredients, I did what a few other friends and makeup artists had advised and skipped all other products, except face wash. The Bader formula is based on TFC8 (Trigger Factor Complex 8), a proprietary cocktail of over 40 different ingredients, including vitamins and amino acids. It's meant to encourage regeneration and healingProfessor Bader actually discovered the formula while looking for solutions to help burn survivors heal quickerand TFC8 is supposed to activate your stem cells, which go to work to repair fine lines, dark spots, and visible pores. I had heard that the ingredients within were enough to replace all other skin care, so I devoted myself to a one-step kind of lifestyle and waited for my skin to start looking like I had just walked out of a spa. And then I waited some more...

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Augustinus Bader The Cream Review: Why It's Worth Every Cent - Glamour

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Augustinus Bader The Cream Review: Why It’s Worth Every Cent – Glamour | November 29th, 2019

Winter is not just for hot cocoa and cozy blankets; the season is not always kind to the skin.

When the air outside gets gold and dry, without proper care, you skin can quickly follow suit. Having dry skin is the most uncomfortable feeling in the world.

The entire winter season, dead skin cells can build up on the skin's surface, which would result in a dry and dull complexion. The cold weather can lead to chapped lips, cracked hands and dry flaky skin.

Once the temperatures drop, your skincare routine should rise to the challenge.

That's why it's important to moisturize at this time of the year. However, it's also important to keep exfoliation in your winter skincare routine, and here's why.

Exfoliation isn't something yo;ll need to put on the back burner. In fact, winter is one of the best times for exfoliations. If you aren't spending your snow days sloughing away dead skin, then you're totally missing out.

Exfoliations helps replenish the skin.

Between the dry indoor heating and the cold air outside, your skin cells need to hydrate. They easily die out faster in the colder season, so it's essential to buff away the dead cells so new cells can come in healthier. It's recommended to exfoliate at least twice a week.

Exfoliators improve the effectiveness of the moisturizers.

Because you'll be slapping extra heavy lotion for the winter, you'll want to maximize its power. Do this by exfoliating regularly. The dead cells block moisture from the layers of live skin cells that actually need it.

Exfoliating beads, salt or sugar scrubs, dry scrubbing or even common body sponges are best examples of physical exfoliants that will help tremendously.

The usual at-home scrubs are the sugar scrub and the salt scrub.

The difference between the two is that the sugar scrub is more gentle, less abrasive and tends to dissolve fast in warm water.

Whereas the salt scrub tends to be a little more aggressive because the granules are larger. With a salt scrub, you're going to want to exfoliate a little less than you would with a sugar scrub or other exfoliating beads.

Keep scrolling to check 5 of our top picks for adding some body scrub time to your tub or shower regime.

M3 Naturals Himalayan Salt Scrub

Detoxify the skin with the M3 Naturals Himalayan Salt Scrub. It is infused with collagen and stem cell that increases skin cell longevity. Combined, these deliver an anti-aging performance.

This salt scrub is made from an all-natural Himalayan pink salt with lychee fruit and almond oil that will provide moisture and cleans out impurities of the skin and will effectively remove dirt, oil and reduce the appearance of acne, scars, blackheads and cellulites.

(Photo : Amazon)

Dove Exfoliating Body Polish Body Scrub

This easy-to-find exfoliating body scub removes dull, dry skin while deeply nourishes it to restore its natural nutrients.

The product is formulated with moisturizing cream and has a whipped texture that provides a creamy coverage.

(Photo : Amazon)

Brooklyn Botany Arabica Coffee Scrub

A coffee body scrub that can be used on the face, hand and foot. It will easily remove dead skin giving you a fresher, younger and moisturized appearance.

It will also reduce the signs of aging because of the coffee's antoxidants, fighting the appearance of fine lines, sun spots and wrinkles.

(Photo : Amazon)

Majestic Pure Cosmeceuticals Sweet Orange Body Scrub

A vegan-friendly, bright and refreshing body scrub crafted with nourishing ingredeints such as sweet orange oil, dead sea salt, organic aloe vera juice and coconut oil.

Using this product can promote more supple and smooth skin, gently removing dead skin and exposing it to enriching and moisturizing minerals and nutrients.

(Photo : Amazon)

Shea Moisture Exfoliating Hand and Body Sugar Scrub

The sugar scrub is made from natural ingredeints that gently cleanses skin from impurities, pollutants and build-up. It is created with argan oil and organic raw shea butter.

It will provide your skin with intense moisture and can exfoliate your hand and body by removing dead skin cells.

(Photo : Amazon)

READ MORE: 7 Gifts that Will Not Break Your Bank Account this Christmas 2019

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5 Scrubs and Exfoliators You NEED This Winter 2019 - Enstarz

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on 5 Scrubs and Exfoliators You NEED This Winter 2019 – Enstarz | November 29th, 2019

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are a group of very rare disorders, also known as orphan diseases. They belong to the group of lysosomal storage diseases which are caused by a deficiency of one of the enzymes involved in the degradation of mucopolysaccharides (the acid glycosaminoglycans or GAGs). The enzymes are coded by genes which produce deficient gene products due to gene variants in each of the two gene-alleles.

Children of two carriers as parents have a 25% risk to suffer from MPS. For many families, the birth of the first affected child is a shock and a disaster. The disease is continuously progressing, and life spans are dramatically decreased without therapy. As a result, extensive efforts are put into the cure of these fatal disorders.

Enzymes are relatively small proteins, produced in the endoplasmatic reticulum of each cell. Before reaching the locus of their function, the lysosomes, additional modifications with special sugars are performed in the Golgi apparatus (glycosylation). Via mannose-6-phosphate marker, they connect to the mannose-6-phosphat receptor on the lysosomal membrane and can reach the final locus of their function. In the lysosomes, enzymes degrade the GAG chains into the smallest molecules for recycling or excretion. Any disturbance in this process leads to the accumulation of non-degraded material, which affects many other cell functions such as homeostasis, calcium metabolism, accelerates apoptosis and induces inflammation processes.

As lysosomes are ubiquitous, any disturbance leads to storage in many different tissues and organs. MPSs are a good example for chronic progressive multi-systemic disorders. The best theoretical option for treatment of any patient is to supplement the missing enzyme which could reach any organ via blood flow and get inside the lysosomes continuing the interrupted degradation processes.

The enzymes are ubiquitous and have some tissue specific compositions. Enzymes produced in the different cells and tissues have their own characteristics and are available on site. The production of recombinant enzymes means that the artificial glycosylation is created in a uniform composition for intravenous substitution with the aim to reach the organs with the blood-flow. There is no doubt that the therapeutic efficacy is ideal for many organs, such as liver, spleen, lung, and skin. All these organs have a good blood circulation and some ability to regenerate.

However, after years of treatment with the already available enzymes, it is shown that some organs are poorly supplied with blood and renewal cycles are slow, the ability to regenerate is decreased. Organs such as bones, cartilage, muscles, cornea, heart valves, meninges or the brain do not show the hope-for effect. All MPS types with brain involvement (neuronopathic forms of MPS types I, II and VII) or predominant skeletal dysplasia (MPS types IVA and B) cannot benefit from enzyme-replacement therapy and do not show the desired improvement.

In animal studies, modifications of glycosylation can change the ability to pass into organs not yet sufficiently reached such as cartilage or bones, but tissue-specific features cannot be sufficiently considered in any artificial production of the enzymes.

Avascular cartilage, heart valves and corneas cannot be reached by blood flow. Also, between blood vessels and brain tissue, several specialised cells form the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) to protect the brain from any unwanted substances in the blood. Therefore, new strategies are necessary to improve the therapeutic efficiency and to provide better outcomes for the affected patients. If patients with MPS I are diagnosed at a very young age, the best option is to treat them with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Migrating stem cells can reach the brain and other organs, and then differentiate into organ-specific cells producing the missing lysosomal enzymes.

A straightforward method to overcome BBB is the direct injection of a recombinant enzyme into the cerebral fluid. This can be by lumbar puncture (intra-thecal) or intra-ventricular injections in the brain ventricles. Effects can be observed, however unfortunately not all challenges can currently be solved. The liquor flow can be reduced by thickened meninges with storage and vertebral deformities, which are typical for the disease. However, the barrier between cerebral fluid and brain tissue has still not been fully studied. The half-life of enzymes is limited, and the procedure has to be repeated regularly. The clinical trials for patients with MPS I, II, IIIA and IIIB could show some reduced or reversed progression of CNS pathology but long-term effects remain unclear.

Another possibility to overcome BBB is to fuse the enzyme proteins with macromolecules which enter the brain through receptor mediated active transport systems. This physiological transport is known for hormones, neurotransmitters and many other proteins (such as transferrin and insulin). They are transported through the BBB directly into the brain via specific receptores, so, the strategy is to fuse the natural proteins with the artificial enzymes needed in the MPS patient. It is important to note that clinical trials could potentially still show some improvement in affected MPS patients.

Another method is to conjugate the therapeutic enzymes with nano-capsules and to then ferry them across BBB via transcytosis or other transport mechanisms directly into brain cells. Pharmacological chaperones have been proven to be effective in other lysosomal storage diseases such as Gaucher or Fabry disease. Chaperones are able to stabilise three-dimensional conformation of misfolded proteins, such as enzymes. This would be the case of genetic variants causing missense mutation and exchange of only one amino acid in the protein chain. The misfolding pathology reduces stability, half-life and effect of the genetically conditioned enzyme, whereas the chaperone can reverse this disadvantage and increase the activity and efficacy of the enzyme. As a result, pharmacological chaperones are a good option for some diseases and could therefore be an option for some MPS patients in the future.

Some genetic variants cause stop-codons and the production of truncated dysfunctional peptides without any enzymatic activity and degradation within the cell. Stop-codon read through therapy aims for the genetic correction on an RNA level, resulting in the production of a sufficiently functioning gene product. It is already used for some specific mutation for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, but it is too early to predict positive results for patients with MPS I.

Another possibility in the future might be the use of GAG-reducing small molecules such as Genistein, Pentosam polysulfate or Rhodamine B. They are able to influence and/or reduce the synthesis of GAGs which cannot be degraded sufficiently by the genetically changed enzymes with reduced function.

To reduce the GAGs as substrate, could be a chance to create a better relation between substrate and the impaired substrate reducing enzyme. As a result, lysosomal storage could therefore be reduced. Substrate reduction therapy is an established therapeutic concept in some of the other lysosomal storage diseases, but the usefulness in MPS disorders still needs to be proven.

The genetic corrections of DNA sequences in patient cells are no longer only future options as they have now become a reality. Gene variants causing missing or impaired functioning gene products could be replaced by correct genetic sequences and genes. This can be made as an ex vivo approach, where stem cells or fibroblast are removed from the patient and are then cultured in vitro, genetically corrected and consecutively re-injected into the patient.

The genetically corrected DNA in the re-transplanted autologous cells is able to produce correct gene products (in terms of MPS, this is the specific enzyme). The amounts of newly produced enzymes might be sufficient to positively influence the disease course of the treated patients.

An in vivo approach utilises viral vectors which invade cells, and even cell nuclei. Such viruses used are adeno-associated-viruses or lenti-viruses. Such manipulated viruses with the corrective genetic material are directly injected into the patient where they are internalised into deficient cells and are then able to produce the missing gene product. In the case of MPS, the aim is to produce enzyme proteins with sufficient concentrations and activity to prevent the storage of GAGs. Furthermore, clinical trials are underway for several MPS types and therefore, might offer a therapeutic opportunity in early life for affected patients. However, larger studies and a longer follow-up is still needed.

To conclude, MPS are rare genetic disorders and for a long time, they were linked with the myth of being untreatable diseases. Although some of the new therapeutic options are still in clinical trials and not routinely used, the present shows that many of the patients can benefit from the yet available options of HSCT and enzyme replacement therapies. These therapies have an undoubted effect for some of the MPS patients, especially if any form of therapy is started early or if the course of the disease does not affect the nervous system.

However, in the future, new therapeutic options will hopefully bring benefits to those that are not sufficiently improved; the decision of the best therapy will be made on the basis of factors such as the genetic defect, the type of MPS, and the age during treatment. This individualised and personalised therapy will improve the success of MPSs therapies.

Susanne Gerit KircherMedical University of Vienna, AustriaCenter of Pathobiochemistry and Geneticssusanne.kircher@meduniwien.ac.atwww.mps-austria.at

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Mucopolysaccharidoses: future therapies and perspectives - SciTech Europa

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Mucopolysaccharidoses: future therapies and perspectives – SciTech Europa | November 29th, 2019

Although one in nine men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis in his lifetime, cutting-edge research has allowed more men to live longer or even be cured.

One such program that sheds light on this cause is City of Hopes NoShaver November. The month-long fundraising and awareness campaign urges participants to forego shaving to start a conversation, encourage testing and raise critical funds to continue leading-edge prostate cancer research and promising new therapies conducted at City of Hope.

CURE recently spoke with Dr.Tanya Dorff, a medical oncologist at City of Hope who specializes in prostate cancer, about the campaign, her current work and where she sees the future of prostate cancer treatment shifting in the coming years.

CURE: What led you to City of Hope? What do you do there?Dorff: City of Hope was attractive to me because I am a clinical and translational researcher. The reason I came here was to work with scientists who share what we are seeing in the clinic and who incorporate the latest insights from the scientific discoveries in our laboratories into patient care. There is a real sense of mission and urgency that binds scientists to clinicians at City of Hope in a way that is unique and gratifyingly productive.First and foremost, I take care of patients who remain my central inspiration and raison detre, but I spend part of my time writing and running clinical trials that have real potential to impact how we treat patients in the future how we can do even better in the future than we do today. I lead the genitourinary cancer program, which includes fostering collaborations between the incredible physicians from urology, radiation oncology, radiology and pathology to work together both clinically and in research projects.You are Grammy-winning songwriter and vocal producer Kuk Harrells physician. Can you tell me what it was like to treat him?Kuk is such an incredible gentleman; it has been a pleasure to be part of his care team. His attitude toward treatment was one of diligence, and he has approached his illness as an opportunity for personal growth and for giving back by promoting prostate cancer awareness through his story. It has been inspiring to see him come through what was a lengthy and involved treatment with so much positive energy.How has the field of prostate cancer treatment evolved in recent years?More and more men with prostate cancer can be cured, and the men who cannot be cured with todays treatments are clearly living longer and better. This is thanks to new drug approvals in advanced, resistant prostate cancer but even more so to the application of more intensive therapy earlier in the course of the disease. This has been the biggest paradigm shift in prostate cancer over the last five years: up-front intensification in metastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer.The next big shift in prostate cancer treatment is just now upon us molecular selection of therapies to individualize prostate cancer treatment. The most imminent example is olaparib (Lynparza), a PARP inhibitor, which worked better than standard treatment in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer whose tumors harbor mutations in DNA repair genes. But the ingenious theranostic approach will be close behind where imaging (scans) show us whether a cancer is expressing a certain target (i.e. PSMA) and if so, a radioactive particle linked to that target is applied (i.e. Lu-177 PMSA).

What are you most hopeful for in cancer treatment in the future?I believe immunotherapy will be the way to durable remission or a cure. Here at City of Hope, we are working hard to improve the effectiveness of immunotherapy for patients with metastatic prostate cancer, studying intensive treatments such as CAR-T and bispecific T-cell engaging antibodies, among other approaches. Our scientists are looking at our patients in real time to learn why treatments work or dont work, and how to better engage the immune system. I am very hopeful that these biologic insights will eventually translate into therapeutic success such as we have seen in leukemia with CAR-T and melanoma with immune checkpoint inhibitors.What advice would you offer someone who has just received a cancer diagnosis of their own?One: Play an active role. Ask questions, and if something doesnt sound right or make sense, ask again. It is so important that patients buy into their treatment, understand and feel confident about the treatment plan. No one is perfect, not even the best doctor, and working together as a team will lead to the best success.

Two: Be a squeaky wheel. Patients who communicate symptoms in real time fare better because problems are addressed before they become more serious.

Three: Stay active. Exercise is one of the things that has been shown over and over again to help cancer survivors and cancer patients in various stages. Obviously, a conversation should occur with the treatment physicians to ensure that there are no restrictions but patients who are more active will come through treatment in better shape.

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Exploring the Future of Prostate Cancer with City of Hope - Curetoday.com

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Exploring the Future of Prostate Cancer with City of Hope – Curetoday.com | November 29th, 2019

If are fasting intermittently or taking long food breaks, here's the news for you. A new study presented at the 2019 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia has found the good health outcomes of intermittent fasting for cardiac catheterisation patients.The study showed that patients who practised intermittent fasting lived longer than those who didn't. In addition, they are less likely to be diagnosed with heart failure. Cardiac catheterisation is a procedure used to diagnose and treat certain cardiovascular conditions. "It is another example of how we're finding that regular fasting can lead to better health outcomes and longer lives," said the study's principal investigator Benjamin Horne, PhD, director of cardiovascular and genetic epidemiology at the Intermountain Healthcare Heart Institute.Researchers asked 2,001 intermountain patients undergoing cardiac catheterization from 2013 to 2015 a series of lifestyle questions, including whether or not they practised routine intermittent fasting. They then followed up with those patients 4.5 years later and found that routine intermittent fasters had a greater survival rate than those who did not.Because people who fast routinely also are known to engage in other healthy behaviours, the study also evaluated other parameters including demographics, socioeconomic factors, cardiac risk factors, comorbid diagnoses, medications and treatments, and other lifestyle behaviours like smoking and alcohol consumption.Correcting statistically for these factors, long-term routine fasting remained a strong predictor of better survival and lower risk of heart failure, according to researchers. While the study does not show that fasting is the causal effect for better survival, these real-world outcomes in a large population do suggest that fasting may be having an effect and urge continued study of the behaviour. "While many rapid weight loss fasting diets exist today, the different purposes of fasting in those diets and in this study should not be confused with the act of fasting," said Dr Horne. "All proposed biological mechanisms of health benefits from fasting arise from effects that occur during the fasting period or are consequences of fasting," he added.Why long-term intermittent fasting leads to better health outcomes is still largely unknown, though Dr Horne said it could be a host of factors. Fasting affects a person's levels of haemoglobin, red blood cell count, human growth hormone, and lowers sodium and bicarbonate levels, while also activating ketosis and autophagy - all factors that lead to better heart health and specifically reduce risk of heart failure and coronary heart disease. "With the lower heart failure risk that we found, which is consistent with prior mechanistic studies, this study suggests that routine fasting at a low frequency over two-thirds of the lifespan is activating the same biological mechanisms that fasting diets are proposed to rapidly activate," Dr Horne noted.Researchers speculate that fasting routinely over a period of years and even decades conditions the body to activate the beneficial mechanisms of fasting after a shorter length of time than usual.

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Can intermittent fasting help you live long? - Times of India

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Can intermittent fasting help you live long? – Times of India | November 29th, 2019

Hailie and Treylin Hyman saw the bruising on their baby girls leg as a symbol that the active 1-year-old was getting to walk.

But as a blood test would following disclose and reveal, little Maci was suffering from an extremely unusual blood cancer that scared her life outwardly a risky treatment a practice nearly as serious as the disease.

At the start, it was very scary, Hailie Hyman told the reports.

Terrifying periods followed the diagnosis, punctuated by one crucial difficulty after another, starting the Boiling Springs couple to wonder if Maci would remain and survive or not.

The Hymans course started last February at Macis 1-year-old well-child checkup.

We had no clue anything was incorrect, her mom told. But they did a normal (blood test) and a few hours later, we attended a call telling her platelets were very low.

The Hymans was transferred to a hematologist who gained other abnormalities in Macis blood and listed a bone marrow biopsy to examine further.

During the treatment, the child endured an aneurysm in an artery and progressed into cardiac arrest. The medical team gave CPR for 20 minutes before she was steadied, her mom told.

Later, in the Emergency room, she underwent internal bleeding, too.

It was difficult, she told. There were many times that I would just pray and pray and pray.

Initially considering Maci had leukemia, doctors finally discovered she had myelodysplastic syndrome or MDS.

The situation occurs when abnormal cells in the bone marrow leave the patient weak and unable to make adequate blood.

In children, its more uncommon still. Most people are diagnosed in their 70s.

Maci had to produce regular blood transfusions, antibiotics, and other medicines to struggle the MDS, Bryant stated. But the only support for a remedy was a stem cell transplant.

The transplant is very risky.

Its also laden with possibly life-threatening difficulties, including graft vs. host disease, which happens when immune cells from the donor strike the patients body, Bryant told. Other difficulties incorporate permanent kidney damage and gastrointestinal problems.

There were so many moments during her initial months that it appeared like she would not survive, Bryant stated. So the fact that she is here is a miracle.

Macis family got an anonymous donor by the National Marrow Donor Program, participating many individuals to register in the process, Bryant told.

Maci was admitted to MUSC on June 5 and discharged on Oct. 14.

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Toddler Bravely Cheats Death After He Survived Rare Cancer And Its Treatment - The Digital Weekly

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novoheart (Novoheart or the Company) (TSXV: NVH; FWB: 3NH), a global stem cell biotechnology company, is pleased to announce a collaboration with global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, in an effort to develop the worlds first human-specific in vitro, functional model of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), a common condition especially among the elderly and in women, with the reported prevalence approaching 10% in women over the age of 80 years.1

Heart failure (HF) is a global pandemic with an estimated 64.3 million cases worldwide in 2017, with an increasing trend in prevalence2. The annual global economic burden of HF is estimated at over US$100 billion3. Accounting for approximately 50% of HF cases, HFpEF in particular is a major and growing public health problem worldwide, with its pathological mechanisms and diverse etiology poorly understood. Due to these complexities, models of the disease available to date, including various animal models, have limited ability to mimic the clinical presentation of HFpEF4. Therefore, drug developers lack an effective tool for preclinical testing of drug candidates for efficacy, and as a result, clinical outcomes for HFpEF have not improved over the last decades, with no effective therapies available.

In collaboration with the Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism therapy area of AstraZeneca, the initial phase of the project aims to establish a new in vitro model, leveraging Novohearts proprietary 3-D human ventricular cardiac organoid chamber (hvCOC) technology, that reproduces key phenotypic characteristics of HFpEF. Also known as human heart-in-a-jar, the hvCOC is the only human engineered heart tissue available on the market to date that enables clinically informative assessment of human cardiac pump performance including ejection fraction and developed pressure. Unlike animal models, engineered hvCOCs can be fabricated with specific cellular and matrix compositions, and patient-specific human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), that allow control over their physical and mechanical properties to mimic those observed in HFpEF patient hearts. Together with Novohearts proprietary hardware and software, this aims to provide a unique assay for understanding the mechanisms of HFpEF, identification of new therapeutic targets, and assessment of novel therapeutics for treating HFpEF patients. Novoheart will exclusively own the intellectual property rights to the newly developed HFpEF hvCOC model.

We are delighted to partner with AstraZeneca, an organization which has long invested in cardiovascular research and is committed to bringing new therapeutic solutions to patients with heart failure, said Novoheart CSO, Dr. Kevin Costa. We look forward to co-developing this new HFpEF hvCOC model into a powerful new tool in the worldwide battle against heart failure.

Regina Fritsche Danielson, Senior Vice President, Head of Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, said, There are significant unmet treatment needs in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. By combining Novohearts proprietary hvCOC model with our expertise in heart failure, we aim to create the first in vitro model reproducing phenotypic characteristics of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. This could bridge the gap between in vivo animal models and clinical trials to help accelerate the drug discovery process by providing human-specific preclinical data.

1 Heart Fail Clin. 2014; 10(3):377388.2 Lancet. 2018; 392:1789-1858.3 Int J Cardiol. 2014; 171(3):368-76.4 JACC Basic Transl Sci. 2017; 2(6):770-789.

About Novoheart:

Novoheart is a global stem cell biotechnology company pioneering an array of next-generation human heart tissue prototypes. It is the first company in the world to have engineered miniature living human heart pumps that can revolutionize drug discovery, helping to save time and money for developing new therapeutics. Also known as 'human heart-in-a-jar', Novohearts bio-artificial human heart constructs are created using state-of-the-art and proprietary stem cell and bioengineering approaches and are utilized by drug developers for accurate preclinical testing of the effectiveness and safety of new drugs, maximizing the successes in drug discovery whilst minimizing costs and harm caused to patients. With the recent acquisition of Xellera Therapeutics Limited for manufacturing Good Manufacturing Product (GMP)-grade clinical materials, Novoheart is now developing gene- and cell-based therapies as well as next-generation therapeutics for cardiac repair or regeneration.

For further information, please contact:Ronald Li, CEOinfo@novoheart.com

For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:Media Relationsmedia@novoheart.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the risks identified in under the heading Risk Factors in Novohearts annual information form for the year ended June 30, 2019 or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and the respective companies undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

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Novoheart to Co-develop First of its Kind Human Heart-in-a-Jar Model of Heart Failure with AstraZeneca - GlobeNewswire

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Novoheart to Co-develop First of its Kind Human Heart-in-a-Jar Model of Heart Failure with AstraZeneca – GlobeNewswire | November 29th, 2019

ANI | Updated: Nov 29, 2019 20:58 IST

Washington D.C. [USA], Nov 29 (ANI): Researchers have discovered a stem cell therapy that might help the heart recuperate from an attack.This study published in the journal Nature reported that injecting living or even dead heart stem cells into the injured hearts of mice triggers an acute inflammatory process, which in turn generates a wound healing-like response to enhance the mechanical properties of the injured area.Mediated by macrophage cells of the immune system, the secondary healing process provided a modest benefit to heart function after a heart attack, according to the principal investigator Jeffery Molkentin, PhD, director of Molecular Cardiovascular Microbiology a Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and a professor of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)."The innate immune response acutely altered cellular activity around the injured area of the heart so that it healed with a more optimized scar and improved contractile properties," Molkentin said.The findings build on a 2014 study published by the same research team. As in that earlier study, the current paper shows that injecting c-kit positive heart stem cells into damaged hearts as a strategy to regenerate cardiomyocytes doesn't work.The findings prompted Molkentin and his colleagues to conclude that there is a need to "re-evaluate the current planned cell therapy based clinical trials to ask how this therapy might really work."Researchers worked with two types of heart stem cells currently used in the clinical trials -- bone marrow mononuclear cells and cardiac progenitor cells.As they went through the process of testing and re-verifying their data under different conditions, they were surprised to discover that in addition to the two types of stem cells, injecting dead cells or even an inert chemical called zymosan also provided benefit to the heart by optimizing the healing process. Zymosan is a substance designed to induce an innate immune response.They reported that stem cells or zymosan therapies tested in this study altered immune cell responses that significantly decreased the formation of extracellular matrix connective tissue in the injury areas, while also improving the mechanical properties of the scar itself.Researchers also found that stem cells and other therapeutic substances like zymosan have to be injected directly into the hearts surrounding the area of infarction injury."Most of the current trials were also incorrectly designed because they infuse cells into the vasculature. Our results show that the injected material has to go directly into the heart tissue flanking the infarct region. This is where the healing is occurring and where the macrophages can work their magic," Molkentin explained. (ANI)

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Researchers discover a stem cell therapy that can help heal injured heart - ANI News

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Researchers discover a stem cell therapy that can help heal injured heart – ANI News | November 29th, 2019

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) can be used to better understand and treat blood-based diseases. Stem cell research in the model organism zebrafish is well-studied in the developmental stage, but is limited in the adult stage because HSCs are difficult to purify in this species. Researchers at Kanazawa University and their collaborators have developed a new purification scheme that allows HSCs to be purified from adult zebrafish kidneys, potentially opening new possibilities for stem cell research.

Kanazawa, Japan Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are multipotent cells that can develop into every type of blood cell in the body. They can also be used in medical research to understand and treat blood-based diseases. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are used to study HSCs, particularly in the field of developmental biology, but the research in the adult animal is often limited because stem cells are difficult to purify in this species. Researchers at Kanazawa University and their collaborators now describe a purification scheme that allows these elusive zebrafish HSCs to be collected.

Zebrafish are a great system to study how hematopoietic cells function in normal development and their role in disease, says lead researcher Isao Kobayashi. Much of their biology mirrors what we see in humans, and with zebrafish theres the added benefit of having quite a few experimental tools at our fingertips, including live cell imaging and comparative analysis among vertebrates. Unfortunately, its proven challenging to effectively isolate HSCs from this species, and this has been a major impediment to the field.

HSCs are highly abundant in the kidneys of adult zebrafish (unlike in humans, where HSCs are found in bone marrow). The challenge is separating them from other cells found in kidneys. Cell separation usually involves a purification technique called flow cytometry, where cells are sent in single file through a tube and hit with a laser beam. The machine (a flow cytometer) then sorts the cells based on how they reflect or scatter light.

In the study, published in Scientific Reports, the researchers created a strain of zebrafish that makes two light-emitting proteins, one green (Green Fluorescent Protein, GFP) and one red (mCherry), that can be sensed and sorted by a flow cytometer. Each fluorescent protein in this zebrafish strain was regulated by the genes related with blood cells, but the cells having both fluorescent proteins were limited in HSCs. By color coding the cells with two distinct blood cell markers, the team was able to purify cells that show hallmark signs stemness like the ability to self-propagate and differentiate into other types of blood cells.

So, what might the successful isolation of HSCs in zebrafish mean for the field of stem cell research?

When HSCs were finally purified in mice, the research community learned an enormous amount about how and where stem cells self-renew and differentiate to form blood cells, says co-author Mao Kondo. Were very hopeful that this might spur a similar proliferation of research in zebrafish. In addition to some experimental advantages in zebrafish, we found that zebrafish HSCs share many key genes in common with HSCs in mammals. This suggests that mechanistic discoveries in zebrafish could have direct implications for understanding blood diseases in humans and for developing new medical treatments.

Figure.

Hematopoietic stem cells can be isolated as gata2a:GFP+ runx1:mCherry+ (gata2a+ runx1+) cells in the zebrafish kidney by flow cytometry (left panels). Transplantation assays confirmed the hematopoietic potential of gata2a+ runx1+cells (right panels).

Article

Enrichment of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in the zebrafish kidney

Journal: Scientific Reports

Authors: Isao Kobayashi, Mao Kondo, Shiori Yamamori, Jingjing Kobayashi-Sun, Makoto Taniguchi, Kaori Kanemaru, Fumihiko Katakura & David Traver

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50672-5

Funder

This work was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (17K15393).

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Researchers Find a Way to Collect Elusive Blood Stem Cells from Zebrafish - Mirage News

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Researchers Find a Way to Collect Elusive Blood Stem Cells from Zebrafish – Mirage News | November 29th, 2019

A TODDLER born with two types of leukaemia will spend Christmas at home after recovering from a second stem cell transplant.

Amelia Topa, who turned two on Wednesday, was donated cells harvested from a newborn babys umbilical cord blood flown in from the US.

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The brave youngster is now in remission and is preparing to enjoy the festive season with relieved parents Kerri Paton, 23, and Igor Topa, 24, in Turriff, Aberdeenshire.

Recalling Junes life-saving op, mum Kerri said: Amelia soared through the transplant and shes doing really well. I couldnt be prouder.

Its rare enough to be born with leukaemia but to be born with a mix of two kinds is almost unheard of.

Worried medics alerted Amelias parents to raised purple spots on her body shortly after she was born at Dr Grays Hospital, Elgin.

She was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia and spent Christmas 2017 in hospital.

The tot was given a bone marrow transplant six months later using stem cells donated by a man aged between 16 and 30.

The treatment worked but tests showed Amelias cancer had returned in February.

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She endured gruelling chemo before her second transplant in the summer.

Kerri added: I hope Amelias story will help other families going through cancer. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Amelia has now been chosen to receive Cancer Research UKs first Children & Young People Star Award.

The prize, backed by TK Maxx and stars including Dame Emma Thompson, is open to under-18s battling cancer or who have been treated in the last five years.

The charitys Lisa Adams said: Were calling on families to nominate inspirational youngsters so we can recognise their courage.

VISIT cruk.org/childrenand youngpeople to nominate.

scottish-sun@the-sun.co.uk

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Brave Scots tot born with two types of leukaemia to spend Christmas at home after second stem cell transplant - The Scottish Sun

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This Mesenchymal Stem Cells research study consists of the historical data from and forecasts till 2026. The report is created keeping in mind to make it a valuable source of information for market specialists in readily accessible documents. The documents are curated with clearly presented graphs and figures.

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The global mesenchymal stem cells market size to reach USD 2,518.5 Million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.0% during forecast period, according to a new research report published by Alexa Reports Research. The report Mesenchymal Stem Cells Market, [By Source (Bone Marrow, Umbilical Cord Blood, Peripheral Blood, Lung Tissue, Synovial Tissues, Amniotic Fluids, Adipose Tissues); By Application (Injuries, Drug Discovery, Cardiovascular Infraction, Others); By Region]: Market Size & Forecast, 2018 2026 provides an extensive analysis of present market dynamics and predicted future trends. The market was valued at USD 1,335.1 million in 2017. In 2017, the drug discovery application dominated the market, in terms of revenue. North America region is observed to be the leading contributor in the global market revenue in 2017.

are adult stem cells, which are traditionally found in the bone marrow. However, they can also be parted from other available tissues including peripheral blood, cord blood, fallopian tube. These stem cells mainly function for the replacement of damaged cell and tissues. The potential of these cell is to heal the damaged tissue with no pain to the individual. Scientists are majorly focusing on developing new and innovative treatment options for the various chronic diseases like cancer. Additionally, the local governments have also taken various steps for promoting the use of these stem cells.

The significant aspects that are increasing the development in market for mesenchymal stem cells consist of enhancing need for these stem cells as an efficient therapy option for knee replacement. Raising senior populace throughout the world, as well as increasing frequency of numerous persistent conditions consisting of cancer cells, autoimmune illness, bone and cartilage diseases are elements anticipated to enhance the market development throughout the forecast period. The mesenchymal stem cells market is obtaining favorable assistance by the reliable federal government policies, as well as funding for R&D activities which is anticipated to influence the market growth over coming years. According to the reports released by world health organization (WHO), by 2050 individuals aged over 60 will certainly make up greater than 20% of the globes population. Of that 20%, a traditional quote of 15% is estimated to have symptomatic OA, as well as one-third of these individuals are expected to be influenced by extreme specials needs. Taking into consideration all these aspects, the market for mesenchymal stem cells will certainly witness a substantial development in the future.

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Increasing demand for better healthcare facilities, rising geriatric population across the globe, and continuous research and development activities in this area by the key players is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of Mesenchymal Stem Cells market. North America generated the highest revenue in 2017, and is expected to be the leading region globally during the forecast period. The Asia Pacific market is also expected to witness significant market growth in coming years. Developing healthcare infrastructure among countries such as China, India in this region is observed to be the major factor promoting the growth of this market during the forecast period.

The major key players operating in the industry are Cell Applications, Inc., Cyagen Biosciences Inc. Axol Bioscience Ltd., Cytori Therapeutics Inc., Stem cell technologies Inc., Celprogen, Inc. BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc. These companies launch new products and undertake strategic collaboration and partnerships with other companies in this market to expand presence and to meet the increasing needs and requirements of consumers.

Alexa Reports Research has segmented the global mesenchymal stem cells market on the basis of source type, application and region:

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Source Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 2026)

Bone MarrowUmbilical Cord BloodPeripheral BloodLung TissueSynovial TissuesAmniotic FluidsAdipose Tissues

Mesenchymal Stem Cells Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2015 2026)

InjuriesDrug DiscoveryCardiovascular InfractionOthers

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Thank you for your time. You can also ask for individual chapter wise or section or region wise report version.

About Us:Alexa Reports is a globally celebrated premium market research service provider, with a strong legacy of empowering business with years of experience. We help our clients by implementing decision support system through progressive statistical surveying, in-depth market analysis, and reliable forecast data. Alexa Reports is a globally celebrated premium market research service provider, with a strong legacy of empowering business with years of experience. We help our clients by implementing decision support system through progressive statistical surveying, in-depth market analysis, and reliable forecast data.

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Systematic analysis and evaluation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Market with share, growth rate, Forecasts to 2026 - WindStreetz

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GammaDelta Therapeutics is a company that focusses on utilizing the unique properties of gamma delta () T cells to develop novel immunotherapies for patients.Through their research, the companys scientists have discovered a number of targets and antibodies that have the potential to modulate the activity of T-cells in situ. Therefore, GammaDelta Therapeutics recently announced the formation of Adaptate Biotherapeutics, a spin-out company that will focus on research in this area.

Technology Networks spoke with Natalie Mount, CEO of Adaptate BioTherapeutics, to learn more about the company's aims and the challenges faced when developing immunotherapies and advancing them into clinical studies.

Molly Campbell (MC) Please can you tell us more about T-cell based cell therapy products and their potential applications?Natalie Mount (NM): T cells play an increasingly appreciated critical role in immune surveillance, being able to recognize malignant/transformed cells through a pattern of stress markers. The recognition mechanism is not major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restricted and not dependent on a single antigen.

T cells therefore have potential in a range of disease indications, including both hematological and solid malignancies and a positive correlation between T cell infiltration and prognosis/survival in patients has been determined in a range of oncology indications in studies published in the literature by other groups. Additionally, as a cell therapy, T cells can be used in an allogeneic setting (ie, T cells can be used for unrelated recipients without a requirement for matching).

Both Adaptate Biotherapeutics and GammaDelta Therapeutics are focussed on harnessing the potential of T cells, in particular the V1 subtype which is the predominant T cell type in tissue.This is based on data originating from the labs of Professor Adrian Hayday of Kings College London and the Crick Institute, supported by Cancer Research Technology and also from Professor Bruno Silva Santos of Institute for Molecular Medicine at the University of Lisbon, Portugal.

Previous clinical trials conducted by other groups/companies targeting or using T cells in cancer have focussed on the V2 subtype which is predominant in the blood. These trials have demonstrated safety, but efficacy has been limited.Compared to V2 cells, V1 cells, which are the focus of work at Adaptate Biotherapeutics and GammaDelta Therapeutics, are less susceptible to exhaustion and activation induced cell death. Expansion of donor derived V1 has been shown to be a positive prognostic indicator for acute myeloid leukemia patients following hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

MC: Why are current immunotherapy treatment approaches limited?NM: Immunotherapy approaches have had very significant success and impact in Oncology recently, however, challenges and unmet needs remain.One challenge is effective treatment of solid tumors. The hypoxic, low nutrient tumor environment provides a challenge for successful infiltration and activation of T cells. However, V1 T cells have real potential as they are naturally tissue resident and hence primed for this environment. In addition, their ability to recognize malignant cells by a pattern of markers expressed by dysregulated, transformed cells rather than one specific antigen presented by the MHC provides an additional advantage for both specificity of response and maintenance of efficacy.

T cells act as orchestrators of an immune response and, following recognition of a cell as malignant, they induce maturation of monocytes and signal to alpha beta T cells, hence increasing immunogenicity of the tumor and providing a sustained response, with potential even in tumors with low mutational load which have proven challenging with other immunotherapies.

MC: The new spin-out company, Adaptate Biotherapeutics, will build on GammaDelta's knowledge to modulate T-cell activity using therapeutic antibodies. Why have you decided to create a spin-out focusing on this area of research?NM: GammaDelta Therapeutics was formed in 2016 to harness the unique properties of T cells, and since then has gained extensive knowledge of T-cell biology. In addition to gaining insight into cell growth and isolation, the companys scientists have also discovered a number of targets and antibodies that have potential to modulate the activity of T-cells in situ.

GammaDelta Therapeutics now has a pipeline of cell therapy products progressing into clinical development under the guidance of CEO, Dr Paolo Paoletti.

Adaptate Biotherapeutics will be developing antibodies which will be administered to cancer patients to modulate activity of the patient's gamma delta T cells in situ.

Delivery of cell therapy and antibody therapeutics each needs focus and specific skillsets and formation of two independent entities will facilitate this. The two companies share a common goal to harness the potential of T cells to bring effective therapies to patients. Both benefit from support of the scientific founding team and have common investors, Abingworth and Takeda Pharmaceuticals.MC; Your goal is to develop targets and antibodies that can modulate the activity of T-cells and advance them into clinical studies. What challenges exist here, and how do you hope to overcome them?

Our assets at Adaptate Biotherapeutics are currently at the pre-clinical stage and therefore face the non-clinical development risks for a novel therapy. However, these risks are mitigated by biology understanding from our scientific founders and the work at GammaDelta Therapeutics to date.

One of our challenges is in selecting the most suitable patient population for initial trials. There is potential for opportunity for our therapeutics in multiple indications but the utility of animal models in modelling the human immune compartment and human tumor setting is limited. Therefore in vitro and ex vivo models are important, in addition to the learnings from other clinical studies.

MC: GammaDelta Therapeutics formed in 2016 to gain extensive knowledge of T-cell biology and to developing a portfolio of investigational cell therapies. Some of these cell therapies are poised to enter clinical development. Can you tell us any further information about these therapies?NM: GammaDelta was set up to develop cell-based therapy utilizing ex-vivo expanded tissue resident gd T cells. Subsequent acquisition of Lymphact SAS allowed GammaDelta to augment its capabilities with a platform for ex-vivo expansion of blood derived V1 cells. GammaDelta is focussed on progressing ex-vivo expanded skin and blood derived V1 cells to the clinic both in unengineered and engineered formats. Clinical trials are currently on track to commence in the next 12-18 months.

MC: Your press release states: "The two companies will continue sharing their insights into T-cell biology as they work towards developing different therapeutic modalities". How will you continue to share insights here?NM: Antibodies and cells represent complementary approaches to realizing the potential of T cell activity for patients with solid and haematological malignancies.

The two companies will work together in areas of common interest in the biology of these fascinating cells, such as understanding the phenotype and behavior of T cells in tumors and mechanisms of cell regulation as well as the effects of antibody on the T cells.

We have deliberately established a contractual framework that allows efficient collaboration between scientists of both the companies via formal and informal meetings.

MC: What are your hopes for the future of Adaptate Biotherapeutics?NM: This is a remarkable time in the development of new immune therapies, and the role of "non-conventional" cell types of the immune system is coming to the fore as we recognize the successes achieved to date and the needs of patients and related scientific challenges that remain.

Both GammaDelta Therapeutics and Adaptate Biotherapeutics are at the lead of translating our increasing understanding of T cell biology and its potential into therapies to address these unmet needs.

Adaptate Biotherapeutics has a fantastic opportunity to build and accelerate a portfolio of antibody-based approaches in this novel area and I look forward to the successful translation of this science into therapies with the support of our investors at Abingworth and Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

Dr Natalie Mount, CEO of Adaptate Biotherapeutics was speaking with Molly Campbell, Science Writer, Technology Networks.

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Harnessing Gamma T Cells To Bring Effective Therapies to Patients - Technology Networks

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DUBLIN, Nov. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Genome Editing Services Market-Focus on CRISPR 2019-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report features an extensive study of the current landscape of CRISPR-based genome editing service providers. The study presents an in-depth analysis, highlighting the capabilities of various stakeholders engaged in this domain, across different geographical regions.

Currently, there is an evident increase in demand for complex biological therapies (including regenerative medicine products), which has created an urgent need for robust genome editing techniques. The biopharmaceutical pipeline includes close to 500 gene therapies, several of which are being developed based on the CRISPR technology.

Recently, in July 2019, a first in vivo clinical trial for a CRISPR-based therapy was initiated. However, successful gene manipulation efforts involve complex experimental protocols and advanced molecular biology centered infrastructure. Therefore, many biopharmaceutical researchers and developers have demonstrated a preference to outsource such operations to capable contract service providers.

Consequently, the genome editing contract services market was established and has grown to become an indispensable segment of the modern healthcare industry, offering a range of services, such as gRNA design and construction, cell line development (involving gene knockout, gene knockin, tagging and others) and transgenic animal model generation (such as knockout mice). Additionally, there are several players focused on developing advanced technology platforms that are intended to improve/augment existing gene editing tools, especially the CRISPR-based genome editing processes.

Given the rising interest in personalized medicine, a number of strategic investors are presently willing to back genetic engineering focused initiatives. Prevalent trends indicate that the market for CRISPR-based genome editing services is likely to grow at a significant pace in the foreseen future.

Report Scope

One of the key objectives of the report was to evaluate the current opportunity and the future potential of CRISPR-based genome editing services market. We have provided an informed estimate of the likely evolution of the market in the short to mid-term and long term, for the period 2019-2030.

In addition, we have segmented the future opportunity across [A] type of services offered (gRNA construction, cell line engineering and animal model generation), [B] type of cell line used (mammalian, microbial, insect and others) and [C] different geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and rest of the world).

To account for the uncertainties associated with the CRISPR-based genome editing services market and to add robustness to our model, we have provided three forecast scenarios, portraying the conservative, base and optimistic tracks of the market's evolution.

The research, analysis and insights presented in this report are backed by a deep understanding of key insights generated from both secondary and primary research. All actual figures have been sourced and analyzed from publicly available information forums and primary research discussions. Financial figures mentioned in this report are in USD, unless otherwise specified.

Key Topics Covered

1. PREFACE1.1. Scope of the Report1.2. Research Methodology1.3. Chapter Outlines

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3. INTRODUCTION3.1. Context and Background3.2. Overview of Genome Editing3.3. History of Genome Editing3.4. Applications of Genome Editing3.5. Genome Editing Techniques3.5.1. Mutagenesis3.5.2 Conventional Homologous Recombination3.5.3 Single Stranded Oligo DNA Nucleotides Homologous Recombination3.5.4. Homing Endonuclease Systems (Adeno Associated Virus System)3.5.5. Protein-based Nuclease Systems3.5.5.1. Meganucleases3.5.5.2. Zinc Finger Nucleases3.5.5.3. Transcription Activator-like Effector Nucleases3.5.6. DNA Guided Systems3.5.6.1. Peptide Nucleic Acids3.5.6.2. Triplex Forming Oligonucleotides3.5.6.3. Structure Guided Endonucleases3.5.7. RNA Guided Systems3.5.7.1. CRISPR-Cas93.5.7.2. Targetrons3.6. CRISPR-based Genome Editing3.6.1. Role of CRISPR-Cas in Adaptive Immunity in Bacteria3.6.2. Key CRISPR-Cas Systems3.6.3. Components of CRISPR-Cas System3.6.4. Protocol for CRISPR-based Genome Editing3.7. Applications of CRISPR3.7.1. Development of Therapeutic Interventions3.7.2. Augmentation of Artificial Fertilization Techniques3.7.3. Development of Genetically Modified Organisms3.7.4. Production of Biofuels3.7.5. Other Bioengineering Applications3.8. Key Challenges and Future Perspectives

4. CRISPR-BASED GENOME EDITING SERVICE PROVIDERS: CURRENT MARKET LANDSCAPE4.1. Chapter Overview4.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Service Providers: Overall Market Landscape4.2.3. Analysis by Type of Service Offering4.2.4. Analysis by Type of gRNA Format4.2.5. Analysis by Type of Endonuclease4.2.6. Analysis by Type of Cas9 Format4.2.7. Analysis by Type of Cell Line Engineering Offering4.2.8. Analysis by Type of Animal Model Generation Offering4.2.9. Analysis by Availability of CRISPR Libraries4.2.10. Analysis by Year of Establishment4.2.11. Analysis by Company Size4.2.12. Analysis by Geographical Location4.2.13. Logo Landscape: Distribution by Company Size and Location of Headquarters

5. COMPANY COMPETITIVENESS ANALYSIS5.1. Chapter Overview5.2. Methodology5.3. Assumptions and Key Parameters5.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Service Providers: Competitive Landscape5.4.1. Small-sized Companies5.4.2. Mid-sized Companies5.4.3. Large Companies

6. COMPANY PROFILES6.1. Chapter Overview6.2. Applied StemCell6.2.1. Company Overview6.2.2. Service Portfolio6.2.3. Recent Developments and Future Outlook6.3. BioCat6.4. Biotools6.5. Charles River Laboratories6.6. Cobo Scientific6.7. Creative Biogene6.8. Cyagen Biosciences6.9. GeneCopoeia6.10. Horizon Discovery6.11. NemaMetrix6.12. Synbio Technologies6.13. Thermo Fisher Scientific

7. PATENT ANALYSIS7.1. Chapter Overview7.2. Scope and Methodology7.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing: Patent Analysis7.3.1. Analysis by Application Year and Publication Year7.3.2. Analysis by Geography7.3.3. Analysis by CPC Symbols7.3.4. Emerging Focus Areas7.3.5. Leading Players: Analysis by Number of Patents7.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing: Patent Benchmarking Analysis7.4.1. Analysis by Patent Characteristics7.5. Patent Valuation Analysis

8. ACADEMIC GRANT ANALYSIS8.1. Chapter Overview8.2. Scope and Methodology8.3. Grants Awarded by the National Institutes of Health for CRISPR-based8.3.1. Year-wise Trend of Grant Award8.3.2. Analysis by Amount Awarded8.3.3. Analysis by Administering Institutes8.3.4. Analysis by Support Period8.3.5. Analysis by Funding Mechanism8.3.6. Analysis by Type of Grant Application8.3.7. Analysis by Grant Activity8.3.8. Analysis by Recipient Organization8.3.9. Regional Distribution of Grant Recipient Organization8.3.10. Prominent Project Leaders: Analysis by Number of Grants8.3.11. Emerging Focus Areas8.3.12. Grant Attractiveness Analysis

9. CASE STUDY: ADVANCED CRISPR-BASED TECHNOLOGIES/SYSTEMS AND TOOLS9.1. Chapter Overview9.2. CRISPR-based Technology Providers9.2.1. Analysis by Year of Establishment and Company Size9.2.2. Analysis by Geographical Location and Company Expertise9.2.3. Analysis by Focus Area9.2.4. Key Technology Providers: Company Snapshots9.2.4.1. APSIS Therapeutics9.2.4.2. Beam Therapeutics9.2.4.3. CRISPR Therapeutics9.2.4.4. Editas Medicine9.2.4.5. Intellia Therapeutics9.2.4.6. Jenthera Therapeutics9.2.4.7. KSQ Therapeutics9.2.4.8. Locus Biosciences9.2.4.9. Refuge Biotechnologies9.2.4.10. Repare Therapeutics9.2.4.11. SNIPR BIOME9.2.5. Key Technology Providers: Summary of Venture Capital Investments9.3. List of CRISPR Kit Providers9.4. List of CRISPR Design Tool Providers

10. POTENTIAL STRATEGIC PARTNERS10.1. Chapter Overview10.2. Scope and Methodology10.3. Potential Strategic Partners for Genome Editing Service Providers10.3.1. Key Industry Partners10.3.1.1. Most Likely Partners10.3.1.2. Likely Partners10.3.1.3. Less Likely Partners10.3.2. Key Non-Industry/Academic Partners10.3.2.1. Most Likely Partners10.3.2.2. Likely Partners10.3.2.3. Less Likely Partners

11. MARKET FORECAST11.1. Chapter Overview11.2. Forecast Methodology and Key Assumptions11.3. Overall CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market, 2019-203011.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market: Distribution by Regions, 2019-203011.4.1. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in North America, 2019-203011.4.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in Europe, 2019-203011.4.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in Asia Pacific, 2019-203011.4.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in Rest of the World, 2019-203011.5. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market: Distribution by Type of Services, 2019-203011.5.1. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for gRNA Construction, 2019-203011.5.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Cell Line Engineering, 2019-203011.5.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Animal Model Generation, 2019-203011.6. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market: Distribution by Type of Cell Line, 2019-203011.6.1. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Mammalian Cell Lines, 2019-203011.6.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Microbial Cell Lines, 2019-203011.6.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Other Cell Lines, 2019-2030

12. SWOT ANALYSIS12.1. Chapter Overview12.2. SWOT Analysis12.2.1. Strengths12.2.2. Weaknesses12.2.3. Opportunities12.2.4. Threats12.2.5. Concluding Remarks

13. EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS

14. APPENDIX 1: TABULATED DATA

15. APPENDIX 2: LIST OF COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/78rwbq

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com

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Genome Editing Services, World Markets to 2030: Focus on CRISPR - The Most Popular Genome Manipulation Technology Tool - P&T Community

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.

The Black Friday sales are almost among us, meaning the halls of your local department store are about to become a battleground. (The smartest of shoppers know the key to maintaining sanity is to do it all online.)

But when faced with deals and discounts from every angle, its crucial to keep your cool. You dont want to panic-buy all those as-seen-on-Instagram products before youre covered the essentials you know, the things you'll use day in, day out, until they're empty.

Resist those shiny, sparkling impulse buys (although yes, that glitter lipstick would look pretty good on NYE), and youll come out triumphant with a well-curated skincare edit that will keep your skin happy long after the last Quality Street has been polished off.

So, skip the scrolling and head straight for the good stuff this year. Here, discover the eight most unequivocally iconic beauty products we've spotted in the Black Friday sales. Trust us: you cannot go wrong with any (or all) of these heroes.

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1Soleil Tan De Chanel

Chanel

WAS 40 NOW 36

Soleil Tan de Chanel is the kind of product beauty dreams are made of. The weighty pot will last you all year, while the lacquered, double-C engraved pot will look incredibly bouji on your dressing table.

But of course,it's what's on the inside that really counts, and boy is this a brilliantly formulated bronzer. Unlike literally anything else on the market (many brands have tried and failed to 'dupe' it), this dense, mattecream can be picked up with a powder brush, dusted under or over foundation, and swiped strategically to carve out killer cheekbones it's revolutionary.

2Blanche Eau de Parfum

Byredo

WAS 110 NOW 93.50

Byredo's perfumes are coveted the world over, but with so many to choose from, you'll be hard-pressed to find a favourite without some kind of divine intervention.

Our advice? Head straight for Blanche, which is a byword for the crispest, cleanest scent you'll ever spritz. Forget cloying talc notes or blink-and-you'll-miss-it citrus: this is pure violet and musk-tinted freshness, like the cleanest cotton sheets that ever were.

And seeing as there's a very generous 15% discount (thank you, Liberty), maybe treat yourself to the body wash, too.

3The Rich Cream

205.00

WAS 205 NOW 174

The hype around Augustinus Bader's debut product was remarkable across the world, A-listers and beauty editors fawned. (Victoria Beckham even tapped him up to create her debut skincare product.)

Turns out, this clever cream really delivers. The secret is the Trigger Factor Complex, which works to kick-start the natural healing process of the body's stem cells. 30 years of research and development have clearly paid off.

4Bronzing Powder

Narsasos.com

WAS 31 NOW 24.50

The name of many a Nars product precedes its performance Orgasm, anyone? But not this one: the brand's Laguna and Casino bronzing powdersare famed for their supreme performance alone.

Both illuminate without relying on glitter (which always looks fake), and are warming without imparting those giveaway ruddy undertones.

Paler skins are destined for Laguna, while darker tones will love Casino. Your bank balance will love either.

5Diorshow Pump 'N' Volume HD Mascara

DIOR

WAS 28 NOW 25.20

Ask any beauty editor what their ride-or-die mascara is and you'll get...a lot of conflicting opinions.

Like the perfect shade of red lipstick, a favourite mascara is a subjective thing. After all,few can deliver perfection when it comes to length, volumeand colour. Enter Dior's Pump 'N' Volume: the mascara to unite us all. (And yes, it's the one with the no-wastesqueezy tube.)

6Do Son Eau De Parfum

Diptyque

WAS 120 NOW 96

Many of Diptyque's fragrances could be considered iconic, but Do Son is the one that'll see you being stopped by strangersin the street.

The tuberose trail is enticing enough, but it's the unusual addition of orange blossom and jasmine that take things to truly memorable heights. A spectacularode to its namesake beach, in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay.

7Ruby Woo Matte Lipstick

WAS 17.50 NOW 14

If you're a 'lipstick person', you already know about this one. You've likely got one stashed in your bag right now, as well as one on your dresser, and an 'emergency' onefloating around your bedroom somewhere.

So good it's never been successfully imitated, MAC's Ruby Woo is the ultimate lipstick. A true red, it's neither too orange or too blue, and there's no skin tone it won't look beautiful against.

8Glow Tonic

WAS 18 NOW 15.30

We all know that alpha-hydroxy-acids are the gold standard when it comes to resurfacing, but so many require a degree in dermatology to use correctly.

Forgo the faffing in favour of Pixis cult Glow Tonic: it might look cute, but its packed with 5% brightening glycolic acid alongside soothing aloe vera. Simply sweep it over cleansed skin nightly no brow-furrowing required.

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Angie Grice is a such huge Clemson football fan that in 20 years shes rarely missed a home game or any of the Tigers-Gamecocks match-ups.

At her tailgate parties, the plates, the tablecloth and even a rug are orange.

Angie Grice gets a visit from the Clemson Tigers mascot during her three months in the hospital.(Photo: Bon Secours St. Francis Health System)

But for this years annual Thanksgiving weekend face-off between Clemson and USC, shell be watching from home.

Diagnosed with aplastic anemia in May, the Simpsonville woman spent three months in the hospital and is still too sick to cheer her beloved Tigersfromthe stadium. Instead, she hopes to have a few friends over to catch the gameon TV.

Ive liked Clemson forever," she told The Greenville News.

"Im missing the game this yearand Im sad about that, she said.But its OK. At least Im able to watch it.

Grice, 52, first realized something was wrong in August 2018 when she suddenly had trouble crossing the parking lot from her car to her job as a physical therapy assistant.

I was very short of breath, she recalls. It would take me a long time to do anything. I just couldnt breathe.

She saw her family doctor, who sent her to Bon Secours St. Francis Health System when her blood work wassuspicious.

Angie Grice at Clemson University(Photo: Angie Grice)

An initial bone marrow biopsy was negative.But a second revealedaplastic anemia,which prevents the bone marrow frommakingenough new blood cells for the body to function normally, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The condition is so rare it strikes only 600 to 900 Americansa year, according to the The Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation.

Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, infections, and easy bruising or bleeding,the NIHreports.The cause can bethe bodys own immune system attackingthe bone marrow, heredity, some drugs, and certain toxins likepesticides and benzene.

When St. Francis hematologist Dr. Fahd Quddus first saw her, Grices platelet level was 8,000 compared to a normal of 150,000.

Whenever you drop below 20,000, youre at risk of significant, life-threatening bleeding, he said. She also had significant anemia. And her white cells were also very low.

She was started on immunosuppressive medication and other drugs in combination with blood transfusions. But sadly, he said, she suffered multiple infections, fevers and a mild stroke, requiring her to stay in the hospital.

Dr. Fahd Quddus(Photo: Bon Secours St. Francis Health System)

For a few weeks, it was touch and go, Quddus said. She was very sick.

Grice'sblood counts eventually rebounded and though shes now out of the hospital, shestill needsregulartransfusions.

She's wellenough to begin a new treatment, he said, butnot yet strong enoughfor a stem celltransplant.

Theresstill a long road to recovery, Quddussaid. But she always looks at it half full. And thats a good thing because people who stay positive can do better.

No longer able to work because of the weakness and danger of infection, Gricesays shes doing OK thanks tofamily and friends.

Angie Grice at a Clemson game(Photo: Angie Grice)

My mom and dad and sister help, she says. And I am truly blessed with a lot of friends who help.

In years past, Grice and her friends arrived at the stadiumseveral hours before kick-off, spending 10 to 12 hours thereon game days.

Inside their orange tent, they set up a coupleTVs to watch other games before and after the Clemson game. There was always plenty ofgood food,smack talk and Tigersmerchandise.

Were a little over the top, she says. But its fun.

During her grueling three-monthhospital stay, it was a visit from the Clemson Tigers mascot that lifted her spirits.

One of Angie Grice's many Clemson decorations(Photo: Angie Grice)

While watching from home wont be as exciting, Grice says shes going to make the best of it. And when asked whos going to win this years game, sheexclaims, Clemson, of course!

If you ask Carolina, they will say they are, she adds with a chuckle. But theyre delusional. Were going to win this year.

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Despite illness, this Clemson fan will be tuned in for the Tigers-Gamecocks game - Greenville News

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It may finally be a happy Christmas for a brave toddler recovering from a rare combination of cancers after pioneering stem cell treatment.

Amelia Topa, who celebrated her second birthday yesterday, is looking forward to spending the festive period with her family at home in Turriff.

Her parents Kerri Paton, 23, and Igor Topa, 24, were told that raised purple spots across Amelias body could be a sign of something seriously wrong when she was born at Dr Grays Hospital in Elgin.

Amelia was soon after diagnosed with a mix of two types of leukemia acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia and spent Christmas in hospital.

Miss Paton said: Its rare enough to be born with leukaemia but to be born with a mix of two kinds is almost unheard of.

Doctors gave Amelia a bone marrow transplant using stem cells donated by a managed between 16 and 30.

The treatment worked and, by the following autumn, she was home and awaiting the arrival of her baby brother.

But tragedy struck when Amelias grandmother, Angela McNabb, died suddenly from heart failure aged 48 the day before Amelias birthday.

Miss Paton said: My mum was my best friend, she was everything to me.

Mum absolutely loved Amelia and was so close to her.

My major source of support was gone and I hadnt even had the chance to say goodbye. I couldnt believe it. It was so unfair. Last Christmas was heartbreaking.

Things went from bad to worse for the family in February, when tests showed that Amelias cancer had returned.

After intense chemotherapy she was given a second transplant using stem cells from umbilical cord blood flown specially from America at the end of June.

That procedure was a success and the toddler has entered remission.

Having spent Christmas in 2017 in hospital, and in mourning last year, Amelias parents are now looking forward to a happy festive season.

Miss Paton said: Amelia soared through the transplant and shes doing really well now,I couldnt be prouder.

I hope Amelias story will help other families going through cancer there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Amelia has now been selected to receive the first Cancer Research UK children and young people star award in recognition of the courage she showed since being diagnosed.

The award, supported by TK Maxx, is open to all people under 18s who currently have cancer or who have been treated in the last five years with every child being awarded a trophy, TK Maxx gift card, t-shirt and certificate signed by the likes of Nanny McPhee star Dame Emma Thompson.

Spokeswoman for the charity, Lisa Adams, said: We know that a cancer diagnosis is devastating at any age, but that it can be particularly difficult for a child or young person and their families.

Thats why were calling on families across Scotland to nominate inspirational youngsters for an award so that we can recognise their incredible courage.

Nominations can be made online at cruk.org/childrenandyoungpeople

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