Research Roundups and Community Initiatives

Guest: Dr. Scott Noggle, VP of Stem Cell Research at The New York Stem Cell Foundation discusses his automated system for making iPS cells. Dr. Noggle applies new advances in pluripotent stem cell biology and cell reprogramming to the creation of human models of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease to discover new disease targets. Resources and Links Reversing Muscle Atrophy with Food: Eating Apples, Green Tomatoes May Increase Muscle Strength – Researchers from the University of Iowa discovered that the ursolic acid in apple peels and tomatidine compounds in the skin of green tomatoes prevented muscle atrophy — the loss of muscle mass due to the natural aging process — by turning off the problematic protein ATF4. Homo naledi, a New Species of the Genus Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa – According to this article, Berger et al. report the recent discovery of an extinct species from the genus Homo naledi that was unearthed from deep underground in what has been named the Dinaledi Chamber, in the Rising Star cave system in South Africa. Neurodegeneration: Amyloid-Β Pathology Induced in Humans – This article reveals that people who died of the neurodegenerative condition Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease after treatment with cadaver-derived human growth hormone also developed some of the pathological traits of Alzheimer's disease. Nearsightedness Develops When Kids with Specific Gene Read a Lot – This article suggests that when children with a certain gene spend much of their time doing activities that involve close work such as reading, they are more likely to develop nearsightedness. Brazilian Wasp Venom Kills Cancer Cells by Opening Them Up – In this article, a study reveals exactly how the social wasp Polybia paulista venom's toxin - called Polybia-MP1 - selectively kills cancer cells without harming normal cells. Neuroscientists Locate 'Alcoholism Neurons' in the Brain – According to this article, alcohol consumption alters the structure and function of neurons in an area of the brain called the dorsomedial striatum. New Strategy to Lower Blood Sugar May Help in Diabetes Treatment​ – Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggest a different strategy to lower blood sugar: by slowing the production of glucose in the liver. Tree Resin Research Offers New Epilepsy Treatment Potential – Researchers in Sweden published innovative new research that details how certain types of tree resin might contain substances with the potential to relieve or cure epilepsy. A New Factor in Depression? Brain Protein Discovery Could Lead to Better Treatments – This article points out that the discovery, about a protein called fibroblast growth factor 9 goes against previous findings that depressed brains often have less of key components than non-depressed brains. Sleep Deprivation Quadruples Your Risk of Catching a Cold – This article describes how sleep deprivation is greatly detrimental to your health, making you four times more likely to catch a cold. Researchers Explore Memory Problems Related to Parkinson's – This article reports that many people with Parkinson's disease have memory problems. The Earth Has 3 Trillion Trees, Study Finds – A study led by Yale University estimates the Earth is home to 3 trillion trees – more than what was previously believed. Automated, High-Throughput Derivation, Characterization and Differentiation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells – The authors demonstrate that automated reprogramming and the pooled selection of polyclonal pluripotent cells results in high-quality, stable induced pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cell Procedures Need More Oversight – This article suggests that federal officials need to do more to prevent for-profit stem cell clinics from exploiting and potentially injuring patients, according to an article published in a leading medical journal. Masayo Takahashi Is Awarded Inaugural Ogawa-Yamanaka Stem Cell Prize Cent...