The Lead
Creating New Immune Systems for HIV Patients
August 5, 2024 | by Cynthia Fox | Comments
There is good news in attempts to halt HIV by growing, in patients, new immune systems lacking a gene that led to the first—and only—cured HIV patient. Using hematopoietic (blood) stem cells possessing a CCR5 gene mutation that blocks CD4 T cell entry of HIV, Calimmune—led by Nobel Laureate David Baltimore—has, for one year, safely begun growing new immune systems in patients.
The Latest Anti-Science War: Christians Against Dinosaurs
February 18, 2024 3:57 pm | by Cynthia Fox, Science Writer | CommentsAll day last Friday, a cyber-war waged over, essentially, books: textbooks versus The Good Book; Peer Review vs. the Psalms, etc. Starting at 9 a.m. EST that day, on Reddit (the famous entertainment and news social networking website), a ‘Redditor’ posted a quote from Mumsnet (a parenting website), by a member of the Facebook group “Christians Against Dinosaurs (CAD)” who called herself “CADministry."
“Living Drug” Stem Cells to Fight Cancer, Blindness, HIV—and Infertility?
June 24, 2024 2:33 pm | by Cynthia Fox | CommentsLed by Charlie Rose, top US stem cell experts hailed new clinic-bound techniques designed to persuade “aspects of the body to cure itself,” as New York Stem Cell Foundation head Susan Solomon put it. The main technique discussed creates stem cells out of adult cells, then shapes those into armies of robust, specialized cells that may let people cure their own blindness; kill their own tumors; and “obliterate” their own infertility.
Many “Acid Bath” Stem Cell Investigators Are Investigated
May 6, 2024 3:05 pm | by Cynthia Fox | CommentsThe STAP “acid bath” cell saga has been filled with twists and turns. Now, in the latest development, most members of the committee investigating the work are under investigation themselves, and the committee chairman, Shunsuke Ishii, has resigned.
Stress May Naturally Make Stem Cells of Mature Cells
April 30, 2024 3:21 pm | by Cynthia Fox | CommentsStress can naturally prompt mammals to make “extraordinary” stem cells from certain “ordinary” mature cells by dedifferentiation. Three strong papers finding this came out within weeks of the controversial Nature “acid bath” work, which was about dedifferentiating mature cells into stem cells via the stress of acid. Confidence in the “acid” work hit a new low. But the other three studies drew some raves.
Breaking News: Growing Concerns Over STAP Cell Sources
March 27, 2024 10:25 am | by Cynthia Fox | CommentsCloning pioneer Teru Wakayama found two STAP stem cell batches made for recent Nature STAP papers were apparently not derived from a 129 mouse strain, as he was told, but F1 and B6 strains. While the erroneous data, which appeared in one of the papers, does not affect the works' main thrust, it is spurring calls for reviews of other STAP stem cell sources.
Nature Rejects Challenge to "Acid Stem Cells"; Scientists Try New Tips
March 24, 2024 9:51 am | by Cynthia Fox | CommentsNature has rejected the paper of a top Hong Kong researcher whose lab several times failed to replicate results of the now-famous “acid bath” stem cell papers. That researcher is now trying to reproduce the work as it appears in yet another new updated protocol, posted Thursday by Harvard researchers. Meanwhile, in interviews, Harvard's Vacanti clarifies some mysteries.
"Acid Bath" Stem Cell Developments Rapidly Accumulate
March 17, 2024 10:16 am | by Cynthia Fox | CommentsHarvard's Charles Vacanti will post tips to make "acid bath" stem cells as early as today. This, even as "acid bath" lead author Haruko Obokata said she plans to withdraw her 2011 thesis. And four of 14 co-authors of "acid bath" papers—along with some coauthors’ boss— want them retracted. Yet that same boss signaled confidence in the papers' premise. “Almost too amazing,” says CIRM's recent chief.
New Stem Cell Sagas
February 25, 2024 11:20 am | by Cynthia Fox | CommentsA recipe detailing how to make extraordinary stem cells from ordinary cells—just by "stressing" them with acid—will "soon" be posted for all to try, says Riken. This could settle much controversy surrounding the cells...or spur more. Meanwhile, there have been "anecdotes" of success.
Stem Cells' Janus Faces
January 23, 2024 3:52 pm | by Cynthia Fox | CommentsStem cells are the most potent cells in the body. But they can also become, it seems increasingly clear, the most dangerous cells in the body--serving as a biological safe house for HIV. Indeed, the ability of HIV to linger in the body for decades may be due to the simple fact that stem cells live for decades...Then, of course, there's cancer.
The Dope on Dormant Viruses
October 21, 2024 4:32 pm | by Editor | CommentsDormant viruses can lie within a human host until the proper conditions for their activity are provided. You might think of viruses' as robots that need to take over a factory to make more of themselves. Without that, the viruses are dormant.
Nobel Aspirations
March 6, 2024 3:53 pm | by Cynthia Fox | CommentsOver the last few months, the Nobel Prize has generated much controversy—again. More than 3,000 scientists contributed to the most high profile science event of 2012: the discovery of the Higgs boson subatomic particle. Yet the Nobel can only be split between three laureates. Was the Nobel Prize finally obsolete, the press fretted, in one angst-ridden blog after another?
Turning Back the Clock
September 5, 2024 7:44 am | by Robert Fee | CommentsStem cells are pretty amazing things. Almost weekly, I seem to come across research briefs describing beneficial applications that were unimaginable just a few years ago.
Insomnia: Hypertension and Prevention
June 20, 2024 10:56 am | by Liam Donovan | CommentsA recent study from Henry Ford hospital in Detroit has confirmed that insomnia can lead to hypertension. The study has shown that hypertension was more prevalent in people suffering from insomnia compared with normal sleepers.
Being in the Know
November 21, 2023 10:25 am | CommentsI’ve learned lately that there are some advantages to working on a magazine covering life science technology and producing a daily newsletter filled with research news. Every now and then, I come across a story that directly impacts me or my family and inspires change.
“Oh look! It’s what’s-her-face”
August 9, 2024 11:15 am | by Mary Sakacs | CommentsHave you ever been in a situation where you see someone you recognize but for some reason you can’t remember their name? It can be quite an awkward situation, and while you may greet them and be smiling on the outside, you’re intensely rummaging around your brain for a name—hoping they don’t realize that you have forgotten it. This is a common situation, but no one ever seems to wonder why it is that we can remember a face but not always a name.
