Masters vs. PhD : biology. Scientists at Harvard have developed a stem cell that kills cancer - National News. At Harvard, a team of scientists have developed a novel way of fighting cancer, stem cells. By using stem cells that have been specially designed to excrete a cancer-killing toxin, a group of researchers have developed a form of treatment that can target only cancer cells without damaging any normal healthy cells. The Independent reported on Saturday that the genetically engineered stem cells proved to be so effective on mice that experts now believe that the treatment could become a major breakthrough in cancer research. The study was published in the journal Stem Cell. While using toxins to fight cancer is fairly common, the scientists behind the study innovated in their development of a stem cell that not only deploys the right kind of toxin, but doesn’t succumb to the effects of the toxin itself. The toxin is also safe for normal healthy cells to be in contact with.
Partial reversal of aging achieved in mice. Harvard scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute say they have for the first time partially reversed age-related degeneration in mice, resulting in new growth of the brain and testes, improved fertility, and the return of a lost cognitive function. In a report posted online by the journal Nature in advance of print publication, researchers led by Ronald A. DePinho, a Harvard Medical School (HMS) professor of genetics, said they achieved the milestone in aging science by engineering mice with a controllable telomerase gene. The telomerase enzyme maintains the protective caps called telomeres that shield the ends of chromosomes. As humans age, low levels of telomerase are associated with progressive erosion of telomeres, which may then contribute to tissue degeneration and functional decline in the elderly. By creating mice with a telomerase switch, the researchers were able to generate prematurely aged mice.
Importantly, the animals showed no signs of developing cancer. Mice with bad ends: mouse models for the study of telomeres and telomerase in cancer and aging. Structure of DNA. Scientists Create Brain Cells From Skin Cells - Stanford breakthrough in mice skips stem cell stage | User Submitted. Challenges in Cardiac Tissue Engineering. Danger of Genetically Modified Foods with Dr. OZ. TEDxAustin Robyn O'Brien 2011. The Skin Gun.