Australia | China| India | Japan | New Zealand | Singapore | Taiwan |
Australia
New Stem Cell Center Gives Hope for Stroke Damage
Researchers at the University of Adelaide’s new Centre for Stem Cell Research are aiming by the end of 2008 to show repair in stroke-damaged brains using stem cells taken from adult teeth.
The world-leading research using dental pulp stem cells from extracted human teeth and stroke-affected rat brain tissue were outlined as part of the launch of the Centre for Stem Cell Research. The focus of the new center will be on turning novel basic research into potential life-saving treatments and cures for serious conditions and diseases.
The center will draw together almost 100 research scientists and 80 research students from 18 research groups based at the University of Adelaide,theWomen’s andChildren’s Hospital, the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Sciences (IMVS), Hanson Institute and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The University of Adelaide vice-chancellor and President Professor James McWha said the new center would help put South Australian researchers at the forefront of stem cell research in Australia.
"The members of the center undertake internationally recognized and awarded research in areas such as the isolation of adult and cord blood stem cells, clinical applications including potential cures for stroke damage and cardiac repair, and novel approaches to diseases such as cystic fibrosis and leukemia," said Professor McWha.
Center Director and University of Adelaide Principal Research Fellow, Associate Professor Mark Nottle added that the focus of the center is on translating basic research into clinical and commercial outcomes through collaboration between members and with external partners.
The stroke research project is a collaboration between Dr Simon Koblar, University of Adelaide, and Associate Professor Stan Gronthos, IMVS and Hanson Institute. They have started injecting adult dental pulp stem cells into stroke-damaged rat brains and should have preliminary results on therapeutic outcomes by the end of 2008. “Stroke is the leading cause of disability inAustralia with 270 000 Australians left with the residue of strokes every year," said Dr Koblar. “Even if all we can do is get someone’s hand function to improve, that already would be a magnificent advance."
Sun Beds Killing 43 Aussies A Year
Researchers in Brisbane and Sydney have made a case for tough federal government regulations that either ban or sharply limit access to tanning solariums.
A team at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research has used a British mathematical model to estimate that sun beds are responsible for 281 cases of melanoma a year, the deadliest skin cancer. About 2500 new cases of other skin cancers could also be attributed to using solariums. Team scientist Louisa Gordon wrote in the Medical Journal of Australia: “The annual cost to the health system – predominantly Medicare Australia – for these avoidable skin cancer cases and deaths is about A$3 million (US$1.87 million)."
The reviews found the number of solarium-related businesses had increased four folds in most Australian cities and six folds in Melbourne since 1992.
China
Chinese Skin Cream Recalled After Steroid Found
A company in south-west China has recalled a skin cream after a potentially dangerous steroid hormone that should not be used for more than two weeks was found in it, state media said.
The Miaoling Medical Technology Group,based in Guizhou province, also said it had stopped production and sales of the cream, which was widely used to treat eczema in babies, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.
The hormone – clobetasol propionate – used to treat various skin disorders, should not be used by children under 12, according to drug information website drugs.com. It can cause changes in blood sugar and can lead to Cushing’s syndrome, a disorder characterized by a moon-shaped face, emotional disturbances, and in women, abnormal growth of facial and body hair.
The packaging of the cream, however, claimed it consisted only of 25 natural ingredients, according to an earlier report on Guangzhou news website gznet.com.
A report in Xiaoxiang Morning News in central China said that an eight-month-old girl in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, had appeared to menstruate after being given the cream for seven months. Doctors said they suspected the hormone was the cause.
Another report published on the popular web portal sina.com said Guizhou’s health department had fined the company 5000 yuan (US$730) as far back as August 2008 when it discovered the presence of hormone in the cream in a test.
The report, citing a local paper in east China, said the product’s license was in the process of being revoked. The news came as China is still reeling from a tainted milk scandal that has led to recalls and bans of Chinese-made dairy products around the world.
Milk made by 22 Chinese dairy companies was found to have been contaminated with melamine, an industrial chemical normally used to make plastic, causing the deaths of at least four babies and sickening another 53 000.
UN Urges China to Revamp Food Safety after Milk Crisis
China must change its approach to food safety, the United Nations said, arguing outdated thinking may have prolonged a milk crisis that sickened thousands of babies and damaged the country’s image.
In a newly released report on food safety in China, the UN urged Beijing to adopt a “modern" food safety law that clarifies authority and enforcement responsibilities and is in line with global trading requirements.
"The present system is managed by several laws and an old philosophy that government is responsible for everything," Mr Jorgen Schlundt, the director of the UN’s department of food safety, told journalists.“We have to change that kind of philosophy because we need the food producers to be responsible for food safety," he said.
The report was issued amid a tainted milk scandal that has sickened up to 53 000 infants,left the nation’s milk industry in tatters and badly damaged the “made in China" label.“In this incident we see that an old-fashioned system contributed to the event," Mr Schlundt said.
"This disjointed system with disjointed authoritybetween different ministries and agencies had resulted in broken communication and may have prolonged the outbreak with a late response."
The report called on China to set up a unified and enforceable system capable of ensuring product safety from farm to table, and which would highlight the responsibilities of producers to make safe food.
China needed to educate its companies to better understand the role they play in building market confidence both domestically and abroad, he said.
The ongoing milk scandal erupted when melamine,an industrial chemical normally used to make plastic, was discovered in Chinese-made dairy products, including baby formula,liquid milk and yogurt.The chemical was added to watered-down milk to make it appear higher in protein.
Although at least one company knew of the scam for months, it did not immediately report it to local government officials, who in turn delayed passing on the news for nearly a month.
The scandal has hit China’s dairy industry hard, and continues to escalate around the world as a growing number of multinationals and countries recall Chinese milk products.
Key Proteins Identified In the Quest for Male Contraceptive
In an advance toward a long-sought new male contraceptive, researchers in China have identified key proteins in men that suppress production of sperm and could become new targets for a future male birth control pill.
Jiahao Sha and colleagues pointed out that scientists do not understand one effect of the male sex hormone, testosterone, that is, how injections of the hormone suppress the production of sperm. Building on a previous study showing almost total sperm suppression with an injectable testosterone combined with a synthetic hormone called levonorgestrel (LNG), the researchers sought new insights into how hormones affect sperm-producing cells in the testicles.
In a new study on men, they found that testosterone combined with LNG changed the body’s production of 31 proteins compared to only 13 proteins for men given only testosterone.The scientists identified proteins that could serve as both targets for new male contraceptives as well as medications for treating infertility.
Gene that May Contribute to Improved Rice Yield Identified
A team of scientists, including Penn State Distinguished Professor of Biology Hong Ma, has identified a gene in rice that controls the size and weight of rice grains. The gene may prove to be useful for breeding high-yield rice and, thus, may benefit the vast number of people who rely on this staple food for survival.
"Our work shows that it is possible to increase rice’s yield by enhancing the expression of a particular gene," said Prof Ma. The researchers first searched for and identified the mutant strains of rice that exhibited underweight grains. “We found a particular mutant that is defective in its ability to produce normal-sized grains," said Zuhua He, a biology professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the leader of the team. The group then examined the mutant and found that it carried a mutation within the GIF1 gene. “The GIF1 gene is responsible for controlling the activity of the enzyme invertase, which is located in the cell wall and converts sucrose to substances that are then used to create starch," said Prof He. “Invertase is important in the formation of starch within developing grains of rice. If invertase is not active, the rice plant cannot produce edible grains."
Next, to test the ability of the GIF1 gene to control the production of invertase, the team measured the activity of invertase within a normal strain of rice, in which the GIF1 gene lacked any mutations, and within a mutant strain of rice, in which the GIF1 gene contained a mutation that caused a defect in the invertase activity.The scientists found that the invertase activity in the mutant strain was only 17% of the activity that was observed in the normal strain, suggesting that the GIF1 gene does, indeed, control invertase activity.The team then created transgenic lines of rice in which the GIF1 gene is over-expressed and found that, compared with normal strains, the transgenic rice had larger and heavier grains.
According to Prof Ma, the team was surprised to find that the GIF1 gene was so specialized in controlling invertase activity in a particular part of the grain — the vascular tissue, which transports nutrients, including sugars generated by invertase, to the developing grain. “The expression pattern was not expected, in part, because invertase is a general enzyme that is used by many cell types. In fact, the corresponding gene in wild rice is not expressed specifically."
The team also found that the GIF1 gene is one of the genes that were selected during the domestication of rice.“By selectively growing only those strains of rice with heavier grains, humans, for thousands of years unknowingly,have been increasing the frequency of rice populations that had modifications in the GIF1 gene," said Prof Ma. “This process has caused GIF1 to be expressed specifically in the vascular tissue and, thus, to produce larger rice grains," continued Prof Ma. The scientists hope that their findings will help others to create hybrid varieties of rice that produce even larger grains. In the meantime, they plan to perform additional analyses that will help them to understand how other genes might be involved in the process of improving rice yield.“The goal is to understand what controls grain weight and other factors, and to look for ways to increase yield," said Prof Ma.
This research was supported by grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the National Science Foundation of China, and the Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences.
A New Institution to be Formed by Teaming up Biological Institutes in Beijing
A new Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) institution is to be set up by collaborating seven biological institutes in Beijing, said Professor Kang Le, head of the preparatory group for the new establishment. It will be a research consortium with novel mechanism, according to Prof Kang, a zoologist and former director-general of the CAS Bureau of Life Sciences and Biotechnology.
While maintaining the independence of its member institutes, the new institution will establish several research centers to carry out pan-institute and interdisciplinary studies in various fields, such as bioinformatics, chemical biology, integrative biology, systems biology and stem cell research.
By taking advantage of the academic buildup in mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, geology and biology housed in various institutes in Beijing, the new institution will make efforts to combine biological studies with those in non-biological realms. Efforts will be made to step up technology transfer by introducing seed funds and forming partnership with business enterprise.
Big Pharma Ranks China as No. 1 Destination in Asia for Pharmaceutical Outsourcing
Big pharmaceutical companies now rank China as the best location for outsourcing in Asia, followed by India, Korea and Taiwan, respectively, according to a newly released PricewaterhouseCoopers index.
The index evaluates Asian countries according to cost, risk and market opportunity for the pharmaceutical industry.
The index was published in a new PricewaterhouseCoopers report entitled “The Changing Dynamics of Pharma Outsourcing in Asia: Are You Readjusting Your Sights?" which found that Asia is emerging not just as a drug manufacturing powerhouse but a rival to the United States as a leading source of drug discovery and high-end innovation. Both clinical trial activity and investments by pharmaceutical companies to expand presence in Asia are accelerating, and the report suggests Asia outsourcing is moving up the value chain, as low-cost production is eclipsed by a broad range of factors, including market potential and R&D capacity as the drivers of growth.
"Within five to 10 years, we will be moving from ‘made in China’ to ‘discovered in China’," said an executive from the pharmaceutical industry interviewed for the report. “Pharmaceutical companies need to make sure they are refining their strategies to make the most of the opportunities presented in Asian countries," said Michael Keech, director, PricewaterhouseCoopers globalpharmaceuticalandlifesciences industry group.“China and India will continue to spearhead growth in the Asian pharmaceutical sector, but, alongside those countries, Singapore will maintain its position as a center for research and innovation. While the trio of India,China and Singapore are proving to be the ‘hotspots’ of the Asian pharmaceutical sector, other countries, notably Korea and Taiwan, are also going to be increasingly significant. The companies that will be most successful at making pharma outsourcing and location decisions will be those that are most adept at managing and mixing a range of contractual relationships and partnerships across a number of different locations."
According to the report, pharmaceutical companies in the United States and other developed countries are facing an array of challenges that are constraining revenue growth, thus driving their need to look for new ways to boost drug discovery potential, reduce time to market, and minimize costs. For example, only nine of the 18 new treatments launched in the United States in 2006 came from the laboratories of the 13 companies that comprise the big pharma universe. The report highlights three significant developments that are shaping Asian pharmaceutical outsourcing: the trend towards high-end innovation.Intellectual property (IP) concerns have previously inhibited this trend in pharma but, increasingly, such concerns are being overcome and major moves are being made by big pharmaceutical companies to increase their drug discovery investment in Asia.
"Rapid expansion of clinical trials in Asia, the volume of clinical trials being conducted in countries outside of Europe, North America and Japan has been growing rapidly in recent years with Asian countries leading much of the growth. China has overtaken India as one of the fastest-growing locations. By June 2008, China had 428 clinical trials registered on the website Clinicaltrials.gov as under way and a cumulative total of 870 completed or ongoing trials compared with 737 in India. Cost has been a critical factor in this expansion. For example, clinical trials are estimated to be up to 50% cheaper in India compared to the U.S.
"A scaling up of pharma manufacturing in Asia. With an increased commitment to international standards,Asian contract manufacturingorganizations (CMOs) are securing more outsourcing orders from big pharmaceutical companies. In India, for example, there are more than 100 FDA-approved pharmaceutical facilities, the largest number in any country outside the
The report shows that China and India, followed by Korea and Taiwan, are now delivering a number of benefits for the pharmaceutical industry including a pool of educated and qualified scientists, intellectual property (IP) law reform and market growth. These trends are outweighing factors that had previously inhibited development, principally uncertain regulatory frameworks and enforcement.
Significant risks remain, but the report observes a growing convergence with international regulatory standards. However, the report’s authors point out that such convergence is also being felt in labor markets, with the result that traditionally wide wage differentials, compared to developed country locations, are narrowing. Such convergence will continue to shrink the cost gap, prompted in part by the need for Asian countries to compete for “high-end" skills in an international labor market. India, for example, is already finding it difficult to recruit in certain areas such as clinical research personnel.
India
Reliance Life Sciences Launches India’s First Portal for Breast Cancer Genomics
The Molecular Medicine Group of Reliance Life Sciences has developed a portal,to help the medical fraternity predict familial and/or early on-set breast cancer in Indian women.
Breast cancer constitutes 18.5% of the total new cancer cases in Indian women today.The ReliBRCA portal aims to make data generated by the scientific community easily accessible to doctors and oncologists, to help identify hotspots and targets for easy intervention for “Predictive Diagnosis" and possibly in “Prognosis and Therapy".
The portal will include “published data" and “to be published data" defining “Mutations" and “Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms" (variations called SNPs) on BRCA1/ BRCA2 genes, associated with increased susceptibility to breast cancer. The initiative is the first BRCA1/BRCA2 Mutation/SNP database in Indian women.The portal is launched with an initial report of 500 alterations. It is interactive and accessible to all, enabling submission and accrual of global inputs on BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations/SNPs in Indian women.
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy affecting women worldwide. The peak occurrence of breast cancer in developed countries is above the age of 50 years, as compared to India, where it occurs in a younger age group, about a decade earlier then their western counterparts. Approximately 5% to 12% of all breast cancers result due to genetic predisposition owing to inheritance of the dominant susceptibility genes BRCA1/BRCA2. In 1990, DNA linkage studies on large families with the above characteristics identified the first susceptibility gene associated with breast cancer, named “Breast Cancer 1" or BRCA1, located on chromosome 17. Since it was clear that not all breast cancer families were linked to BRCA1, studies continued and in 1994, another gene called BRCA2, located on chromosome 13, was identified. Both BRCA1 and BRCA2 are tumor suppressor genes that function in control of cell growth and cell death. Mutations in breast cancer susceptibility genes —; BRCA1 and BRCA2, predispose women to breast and ovarian cancers. Besides,indicating an increased risk in development of breast cancer, most women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, develop early onset breast cancer at the relatively younger age of 25 - 40 years old.
Mutations in the gene are transmitted inanautosomal dominant pattern in a family. The lifetime risk of developing breast cancer in BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation carriers is 85%, and ovarian cancers is 40%, as compared to lifetime risks of 12% in breast cancer and 1% in ovarian cancer in women, with no mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Hence, a need for a comprehensive set of data for all mutations and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these genes.
New Health Scheme Launched in Kerala
In a major initiative for providing health facilities to the poors of the society, CPI-M-led Left Democtatic Front (LDF) government in Kerala launched a program titled “Kerala Social Security Mission" which included extending free treatment to children suffering from cancer.
The State Health Minister P K Sreemathi said the main objective of the mission was to provide security to destitute, poor elderly, children, women and people suffering from cancer. A total of Rs. 65 crore (US$13.1 million) has been earmarked for the mission and out of this, Rs.15 crore (US$3.02 million) would be set aside for the treatment of children suffering from cancer, Health Minister Sreemathi said. The plan was to provide free treatment in government hospitals and also to rehabilitate persons who were discharged from hospitals, but have no place to go. A program to supply mid-day meal at Rs. 2 (US$0.04) to by-standers of patients in government hospitals would also be undertaken.
Nobel Biocare Introduces New Dental Implant Program in India
Nobel Biocare, world leaders in restorative and aesthetic dentistry, has introduced in India for the first time,‘The Total Implant Proficiency’ (TIP) Program – a five-module, one-year program to be conducted in Chennai, beginning from October 2008.
The TIP program is designed to provide a comprehensive study on implants and its prosthetic excellence by providing thorough clinical exposure for aspiring dentists. This program is a contemporary one-year full spectrum course, awarding the Fellowship in the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI).
TheTIP program is the first-ever program of its kind covering from the building blocks of implantology to the advanced treatment solutions available. The main objective to introduce this program is to continually train dental professionals on the latest and innovative techniques of implantology. Nobel Biocare, reputed for offering the finest dental education, has also done the maximum number of training and education programs for implant education in India. The TIP program is designed to meet the dearth of expert implantologists across the country by providing a comprehensive course, conducted by some of the best faculties across the world.
Partnering with dental professionals, Mr Sameer Bhat, Country Manager of Nobel Biocare India said: “With the practice of dental implants certainly on the rise in the Indian Markets, the need for a full spectrum program, tailored to meet the specific educational needs of a competent dental professional, cannot be emphasized more. ‘The TIP’ is just that! "
Malaria Drug through Synthetic Biology
A novel, effective and affordable antimalarial drug is expected to reach the market in a couple of years and is based on synthetically engineered micro-organisms, a top biologist said at the Human Genome Meeting held in September in Hyderabad, India.
To reduce the cost of the antimalarial drug, it was important to use synthetic biology to engineer microorganisms to produce artemisinin from renewable resources, chemical engineering professor Jay Keasling of University of California, Berkeley said at the meeting.
"We used yeast to engineer and surprisingly the product was formed outside the yeast cell making purification easier,"he said.The fast-acting and more effective artemisinin- based drugs are currently produced from plant sources and are too expensive for large-scale use in the countries where they are needed most,he said adding the development of this technology will eventually reduce the cost of artemisinin-based combination therapies significantly below their current price.
Synthetic biology is the design and construction of new biological entities such as enzymes, genetic circuits and cell or the redesign of existing biological systems. Synthetic biology builds on the advances in molecular, cell and systems biology and seeks to transform biology in the same way that synthesis transformed chemistry and integrated circuit design transformed computing, Keasling said.
Japan
Sleep Disorder Due to Genetic Mutation
Scientists in Japan have identified a genetic mutation linked to narcolepsy, a disease that can cause someone to doze off in mid-sentence or behind the wheel of a car, a latest study reports.
Other symptoms of the condition, which shows up in late adolescence, include excessive daytime drowsiness, vivid hallucinations on the threshold of sleep, and the sudden, temporary loss of muscle control,often triggered by emotional shock. A team of researchers led by KatsushiTokunaga at the University of Tokyo compared the genetic profiles of people with and without the sleep-inducing disease.
Across four different ethnic groups, patients with narcolepsy were far more likely to carry a specific mutation of DNA located between two genes, one of which has been associated with sleep regulation and the other with the sleep-wake cycle. The statistical link was strongest among Japanese, but remained significant among Europeans and persons of African descent as well.
The study also showed that the suspect genetic variant – known as rs57770917 – is common among Koreans. The prevalence of the disease varies widely in different countries. In Europe and the U.S., narcolepsy is roughly as common as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis, affecting on average one in every 2500 people. But in Japan, the frequency is four times higher, while in Israel only one in half-a-million people has the condition. There is no known cure for narcolepsy, which is often treated with stimulants to combat daytime fatigue.
Previous studies had already pointed to genetic factors as playing a role.An immediate family member with narcolepsy increases one’s chances of having the disease by 10 to 40 times. It was found that all Japanese suffering from the disease carried another genetic variant. But 10% of the Japanese population shared that same mutation, so researchers suspected the existence of additional genetic drivers as well.
New Zealand
Crop and Food and Hortresearch to Merge
Crop and Food Research and Hortresearch are to merge into a new Crown Research Institute (CRI).
Ministerof Research,Scienceand Technology Pete Hodgson said that the merger would go ahead subject to Commerce Commission’s approval. New Zealand Press Association (NZPA) reported that the two big science companies which split off from the government departments in 1992, had political approval to look at merging.
Mr Hodgson said the “bold and exciting" merger would combine the two CRIs’ strength in plant-based food research capabilities. “The merger will combine the two companies’ knowledge and expertise in nationally significant areas of sustainable production, elite genetics and smart breeding, and food and health, which will benefit wider national initiatives and strategies," he said. “The critical mass created through the merger will allow the combined CRI to better service key client needs, combine complementary skills, and share equipment." Mr Hodgson said there were no plans to close any sites but staff would be brought together in some areas.
Jim McLean, current chairman of HortResearch has been appointed as chairman.A name for the new CRI will be announced before December 2008.
HortResearch has 541 staff and in 2007/08 earned revenue of NZ$65 million (US$37.46 million). Mr Hodgson said it was an acknowledged world leader in integrated fruit research and its cultivation successes included the zespri gold kiwifruit and enza jazz apple. Crop and Food Research has 380 staff and in 2007/08 earned revenue of NZ$56 million (US$32.2 million). Its key research focus was producing and transforming high-quality raw materials into high-value foods.
The two companies were among 10 Crown Research Institutes set up in 1992.The poorly funded Institute for Social Research and Development fell over in 1995, but nine survived. A decade after the restructuring, the Government’s “Knowledge Wave" push in 2002 was followed by the biggest science company,Agresearch, making an abortive bid for a super-merger with Hortresearch, Crop and Food Research and Forest Research.
Agresearch claimed that the sectoral split of state science companies reflected what New Zealand used to do historically rather than what it would be doing in future. Hortresearch said at the time that it needed to “guard very, very strongly against loss of focus", and Crop and Food said the benefits of co-operation could be gained by working together on specific projects without a full merger.
Singapore
NUS Researchers Create Antibody that may Eradicate Viral Diseases
ResearchersattheNational University of Singapore (NUS) may have found a potential cure for viral diseases like SARS and HIV.
They have created an antibody that can “capture" large molecules such as viruses, and neutralize them before infection takes place.
Viral diseases like SARS, HIV and even the common flu have long defied attempts of a cure, due to frequent virus mutations.And that is why, for instance, people have to take flu vaccines every season. Moreover, the rate of viral mutation may also delay the speed at which the body’s immune system can recognize, and deal with, the infection. Antibiotics may be taken to fight the bacteria – which further aggravate flu symptoms — but they do not actually target the virus itself.
So Singapore researchers have developed particles – each less than one-tenth the thickness of a human hair – that can recognize viruses.
Assistant Professor Tong Yen Wah,Faculty of Engineering,National University of Singapore, explained: “We create a nanoparticle that can recognize the entire structure of the virus, so even if the virus mutates partially, the structure will still be recognized by the nanoparticles and will still capture it to prevent infection."
The method involves mixing solvents and different organic molecules which researchers said can be commercialized cheaply and easily.
These are heated for 24 hours in low heat (40°C) under continuous stirring. The template molecules which are used to create the “imprint" are then dissolved through repeated washing, resulting in the nanoparticles.
The process behind Dr Tong’s work is called molecular imprinting. By fusing the nanoparticle and the virus, what he has done in effect is to create a new particle that will only recognize, and therefore capture, the specific virus.
The virus may then be removed from the body by cleaning the blood, in a process similar to kidney dialysis. Dr Tong is working on a hand-held device that will do the job. Another option is to inject the nanoparticles into the body, but he said dialysis is preferable as it is safer.
Molecular imprinting is not yet widely used in the industry, although some pharmaceutical companies use it to purify vitamins and proteins. The process has so far been used to capture small proteins, and this is the first time a team has successfully patented a way to capture large molecules.
Initial tests using this patented method on the proteinAlbumin have been successful, winning the team a US$100 000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
And if the researchers can demonstrate their idea on viruses, they will receive an additional US$1 million in funding, while providing the world with another weapon against infectious disease.
AMO Opens Eye-Care Training Centre in Singapore
An eye-care training center that can cater to over 100 eye care specialists and engineers from the Asia-Pacific region annually was launched in Singapore.
The center, called Asia Pacific Technical, Training and Education Centre, is operated by the United States-based Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) group of companies. In its announcement, AMO Singapore Pte Ltd said it spent S$1.5 million (US$1 million) to set up the facility, reputedly to be one of the largest of its kind in Asia-Pacific, and the new venture brought AMO’s total investment in the city-state to more than S$40 million (US$ 26.65 million) to date.
AMO said the center would provide a location for training in the latest surgical procedures for cataracts as well as refractive laser eye surgery. This included iLasik, which utilized NASA-approved technologies, as well as the only Lasik mono-vision procedure used to correct “presbyopia", a condition where the eye’s ability to focus on near objects progressively diminished with age.
AMO said cataracts continued to be one of the leading causes of preventable blindness and the center would provide facilities for training on the newest technology to restore vision to cataract patients.
Singapore and New Zealand Set Up First Joint R&D Research Fund in Heart Disease and Cancer
Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) has teamed up with the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) to launch the new A*STARNZ Joint Research Fund worth S$3.48 million (US$2.32 million) for research in heart disease and cancer. The joint research fund, which will involve A*STAR and HRC investing S$1.74 million (US$1.16 million) each, is open to researchers from Singapore and New Zealand. It stipulates that each application must be made up of at least one principal investigator each from Singapore and New Zealand.
The HRC chief executive, Dr Robin Olds said:“This is a significant step forward as it opens up doors for leading researchers in New Zealand to work with highly-experienced scientists in Singapore. There is a growing demand for more understanding of health issues such as heart disease and cancer in both New Zealand and Singapore. It will allow our scientists to share their knowledge with counterparts in Singapore and to access the significant resources of A*STAR."
Professor Lee Eng Hin, executive director of A*STAR’s Biomedical Research Council said: “This partnership between A*STAR and New Zealand’s HRC marks a milestone in the growing relationship between the two organizations. I am confident that researchers from A*STAR and HRC will be able to tap on each other’s expertise in areas of cardiovascular disease and cancer – which are the two leading causes of death in Singapore – to foster deep and abiding ties through the collaborations, and bring about results that will benefit patients, clinicians and researchers."Agreeing, DrOldsadded:“Workingtogetherwill build strong relationships between researchers from both countries that will benefit the global knowledge base and lead to improved health for everyone. It is also a valuable opportunity for researchers to tap into new funding."
The first grant call will focus on research into heart disease and is scheduled for May 2009.Twenty-one top scientists from the two countries will meet for a symposium, jointly chaired by Professor Judith Swain (executive director of A*STAR’s Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences) and Professor Mark Richards (University of Otago in New Zealand,to discuss collaborative research in heart disease.
The second grant call for research in cancer, scheduled for May 2010, will see experts in the field of cancer research converging on Singapore for a symposium in October 2009,jointly chaired by Professor Neal Copeland (executive director of A*STAR’s Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Singapore) and Professor Peter Lobie (Liggins Institute in the University of Auckland in New Zealand). They will discuss possible joint research projects in cancer at the meeting.
This joint research fund is similar to the collaborative research fund set up jointly by A*STAR and the United Kingdom’s Medical Research Council to support inter-disciplinary projects in infectious diseases in June 2008. A joint grant call between A*STAR and Hungary’s National Office for Research and Technology (NKTH) was also recently concluded in September as well. For New Zealand, this partnership is the first-of-its-kind and it is part of the HRC’s work in the International Investment Opportunities Fund (IIOF) objective 2, which is focused on the development of international funding partnerships with other countries to facilitate research programs of joint interest.
More Singaporeans Expected to Seek Help for Clinical Depression, Anxiety
The global economy being in a crisis in the third quarter of 2008, psychiatrists said they expect to see more Singaporeans seeking help for clinical depression and anxiety.
Psychiatrists said many people sought such treatment during the 1998 Asian Financial crisis, SARS epidemic and after the 911 terrorist attacks in the U.S. It would be no different this time round.Psychiatrists explained that men are more likely to face psychological pressures, which they try to overcome by drinking, overworking or self-medicating sleeping pills – thereby worsening the situation. Many also fear job loss, failed investments and lower property values.
Those suffering from depression or anxiety will be perpetually in low moods and losing sleep, appetite and weight. Dr Yeo Seem Huat, a psychiatrist, said: “This crisis will affect different levels of people, from housewives to workers to directors of companies. So I think, compared to SARS, 911 terrorist attacks, this one is more intense, and is more serious."
Moleac Launches Presence in Europe
Singapore-based Moleac has established an office in Paris, France, demonstrating its commitment in marketing the company’s stroke-recovery drug, NeuroAid, globally.
Moleac Europe SAS will be preparing for the introduction of NeuroAid in Europe, working with health authorities and key clinicians on the future sales, marketing and promotion of NeuroAid. NeuroAid is the world’s only oral drug to help stroke patients in their neurological andfunctionalrecovery.TheEuropean office will also be supporting the Named Patient Program.This allows a small number of patients to access a medicine ahead of its listing with the health authority, under the close supervision of a prescribing physician, when no therapeutic alternative are available locally.
Launching our presence in Europe is a major milestone for a home-grown biopharmaceutical company like Moleac. It brings us a step closer in extending the benefits of our first product NeuroAid globally. Moving forward, we hope to push our pipeline of other products through this same channel," said Mr David Picard, CEO of Moleac. “In the next five years, we target to reach revenues of US$30 million a year from NeuroAid,and we envision that approximately a third of this will come from the European market."
As part of Moleac’s efforts to build awareness on clinical data of NeuroAid and reach out to the European scientific community, the company exhibited at the 6th World Stroke Congress, held in Vienna Austria in September 2008.
At this event, which was organized by the World Stroke Organization, Moleac showcased data from a case report that was recently published in European 2Neurology1. The report described the stroke recovery process of 10 patients who took NeuroAid after ischemic stroke onset. Significant improvements were recorded in motor, balance, visual, speech and cognitive functions. Six patients showed full recovery, three patients good to moderate recovery and one patient showed poor recovery.
These findings support the efficacy of NeuroAid in stroke recovery and are consistent with earlier trials done in 2000, which showed that patients receiving NeuroAid were 2.4 times more likely to achieve independence a month after stroke than the control group.A multi-center clinical trial is currently being done by the CHIMES Society, with 1100 patients.This is the largest clinical trial on stroke recovery and the first time any Traditional Chinese
In addition to handling sales and marketing, Moleac Europe SAS will participate in research initiatives looking into the mechanism of action for NeuroAid, which are being done in Europe.Already,preliminary data are looking very positive.
New Study Shows Heterogeneity in Brain Tumor Cells-of-Origin
A new study led by the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI) and A*STAR’s Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS) shows for the first time that primary brain tumors are caused by a minority group of cells that display a genetic profile distinct from that of the tumor bulk. This minority group of cells has reliably established a method of cryopreservation for these tumor-initiating cells (frequently termed “cancer stem cells"), thus facilitating the development of a brain tumor stem cell repository for future research and drug screening efforts. The findings have been accepted for publication in the esteemed journal Stem Cells.
Although malignant tumors are known to be made up of a variety of different cell types, this concept of cellular heterogeneity in the study and design of anticancer therapeutics has largely been ignored.Emerging evidence in recent years has established key culprit cells within the tumor mass – the “cancer stem cells", which are responsible for initiation and propagation of tumor growth. These cancer stem cells are notoriously resistant to radiation and chemotherapy. The latter adjuvant therapies, which preferentially target rapidly dividing cells thus end up eliminating the bulk of tumor cells but spare these stem cells which divide at a much slower rate.
Primary malignant brain tumors are devastating cancers with poor survival rates despite major advances in surgical technology and adjuvant therapies. The results of this study demonstrate the isolation of brain tumor stem cells from patient tumor samples, which are capable of re-creating tumor masses in mice. These implanted cells in the mouse brain eventually form tumors with morphology identical to that seen on the pathological analysis of patient specimens. These tumor cells-of-origin display genetic profiles completely distinct from the tumor bulk. Importantly, the researchers have found that different patients with similar tumor tissue pathology on microscopic examination display different genetic profiles in their cells-of-origin, the cancer stem cells. This has major implications as current treatment strategies are largely decided based upon classification systems tailored according to morphological characteristics of the tumor. The different genetic profiles of such tumor stem cells might explain the variability of treatment response and points to the existence of different genetic brain tumor subtypes which one is unable to discern based on current classification systems.
As brain tumor stem cells constitute the minority of the tumor mass, a key challenge has been to create a stable collection of such cells to enable investigative efforts in drug screening. The researchers have established a method of cryopreservation that facilitates the establishment of a brain tumor stem cell repository.
The study is led by senior coinvestigators, Dr Carol Tang, an NNI research scientist and Dr Christopher Ang Beng Ti, a neurosurgeon at NNI and clinical investigator with SICS, together with collaborative efforts from the National University of Singapore (NUS), National Cancer Centre,Duke-NUSGraduate Medical School and Genome Institute of Singapore. Both lead investigators are encouraged by the implications of their findings. On the uniqueness of the study, both investigators commented: “While most cancer stem cell studies in Singapore utilize genetically engineered mouse models, we have the advantage of starting from clinical specimens, and then finding that the cells reflect individual patient variability which cannot be captured in a single mouse model. This forces a re-evaluation of how drugs should be designed to deal with the different brain tumor subtypes. Without the cells, there is no science, so we now look forward to exciting days ahead."The brain tumor stem cell repository is now currently the subject of a drug screening effort with a major pharmaceutical company.
Singapore Launches New Cancer Research Centre of Excellence (CRCE) to Study Asian Cancers
In its quest to establish itself as a key global center for translational medicine, Singapore launched the Cancer Research Centre of Excellence (CRCE) to boost basic and translational cancer research efforts. The CRCE, hosted at the National University of Singapore (NUS), will focus on cancers that afflict Asian populations, such as gastric, colorectal and breast cancers as well as leukemia.
Established with funding of S$172 million (US$117 million) from the National Research Foundation and the Ministry of Education over a period of seven years, the CRCE aims to build on NUS’ existing capabilities in cancer research to position itself as one of the world’s leading centers for translational cancer research.The center currently has 125 researchers and plans are to increase that number to 250, and it expects to train 100 graduates in its first five years.
A team of local scientists from the National University Health System (which groups the National University Hospital, the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and the Faculty of Dentistry), the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School as well as distinguished scientists from top academic institutions worldwide have been recruited to lead programs at the CRCE.
By organizing its researchers under five programs – cancer stem cells, cancer biology, epigenetics, genomic oncology and experimental therapeutics–theCRCEendeavoursto look at the disease from development to treatment.Individualised medicine can potentially reduce the cost of cancer treatments as the type of drug and dosage can be specifically tailored to a patient’s genetic make-up.
Going forward, the CRCE will continue its global search to recruit world-renowned cancer researchers. It will also strengthen its collaborative interactions with cancer research groups in Singapore and the rest of the world.
Scientists Identify Gene that May Make Humans More Vulnerable to Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Researchers from the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and its collaborators have now identified for the first time a new gene that may confer susceptibility to pulmonary tuberculosis.Their findings,published in the journal PLoS Genetics, reported that a gene, named Toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8), previously shown to only recognize some factors from viruses such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), has a probable role in human susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Dr Sonia Davila, research scientist at the GIS and first author of the article,said "We are really excited about this discovery as it is the first time TLR8 has been implicated in bacteria infections. Our analysis of the results from cohort studies in Indonesia and Russia suggested that susceptibility was attributed to genetic variants of TLR8, which is located in the X chromosome. Males carrying only one copy of the gene could have a higher chance of suffering from the disease. These findings open up a whole new area of research and we hope that it will increase our understanding of the disease process of pulmonary tuberculosis."
GIS senior group leader and associate director of Infectious Diseases, Dr Martin Hibberd added: “This project is a great example of international teams coming together to solve a difficult problem, with groups from Indonesia, Singapore, U.K., Russia and the Netherlands playing important roles. We hope that this work can initiate further research that will make a difference to people suffering from TB."
"The team from the GIS led by Drs Davila,Seielstad and Hibberd has made an important new discovery of an alternative cellular receptor for one of the world’s most important infectious agents, M. tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB," said Assistant Professor Paul MacAry, from the National University of Singapore Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering. “The identification of a role forTLR8 inTB infection has the potential to open up new areas of exploration in TB host/ pathogen interactions and provide researchers and clinician scientists with novel targets for therapeutic intervention. This is extremely important given the emergence of multi-drug resistant strains of M. tuberculosis that are refractive to current treatment regimes."
Pulmonary tuberculosis is a contagious lung disease caused by a bacterium known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). Although a third of the world population is infected with M. tuberculosis, only 5% to 10% of them will ever develop tuberculosis, giving rise to a proposition that there may be a difference in genetic variants within the genes involved in host immune response.
BioServe Introduces Customizable DNA Panels for Genetic Research
BioServe has announced a more affordable pricing plan for its vast bank of DNA with comprehensive, de-identified, covariate data that includes age, gender, diet, body mass index (BMI), and race. In addition, each sample has the data on the complete diagnostic and treatment history of the donor.
BioServe's DNA represents a wide range of disease states including cancers (breast, prostate, lung, colon, etc.), diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, arthritis, obesity, as well as some rarer diseases. The repository also includes over 14 000 control subjects that are free of major illnesses. DNA is available in quantities from a few nanograms to hundreds of micrograms per subject to suit customer needs. Customized DNA panels and case-control studies can be designed based upon the investigators’ needs, taking into consideration the specific data points available for each individual DNA sample. Another useful function of these DNAs is for investigators to utilize them as second group of samples to validate data generated from their studies.
"We are making high-quality DNA available at price points that are affordable to any research laboratory during these tough budgetary times," stated Kevin Krenitsky MD, chief executive officer of BioServe. “This will result in many more investigators who will be able to perform their research using very well annotated DNA samples. Experiments with these DNAs can be executed both in the investigators’ own laboratory, and/or at BioServe with a large variety of genomic platforms that are currently utilized. We also welcome collaborations that can make access even more affordable,” said Dr Krenitsky.
BioServe's DNA is obtained from human subjects that provided informed consent with strict Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance. BioServe has obtained informed consent, detailed questionnaire data and DNA from over 120 000 subjects.
Taiwan
Unitech Launches Its Healthcare PDA to Catch Medical Market Trend
Unitech, a leading worldwide manufacturer of automatic data collection products and services and the top player in the rugged PDA marketplace, announced that it has launched the PA600 Healthcare PDA. The PA600 Healthcare PDA has been specifically designed to meet the increasing requirement in medical environment.
The PA600 Healthcare PDA is a compact and rugged mobile computer with an integrated 13.56 MHz High Frequency RFID reader. The unit also supports 2D barcode, making it ideal for any medical RFID applications. Furthermore, the Unitech PA600 Healthcare PDA is especially targeted for healthcare application as its case is constructed from anti-microbial material and is capable of housing both RFID and 2D barcode readers. This feature enables hospital staff to correctly identify patients by reading their RFID enabled wrist bands and ensure that the correct treatment is administered to the correct patient when scanning medicines.
Supporting Oracle Database Lite and Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006, the PA600 Healthcare PDA allows end users to synchronize RFID data with existing business systems and databases. Support for Wavelink Avalanche enables easier management of wireless devices, decreasing cost and time of deployment. The PA600 Healthcare PDA's rounded shape is designed to fit perfectly into user's palm. A full QVGA touchscreen enables applicants to view more information about the RFID tags that have been read and an ergonomic alphanumeric keypad makes data entry simple.
Nowadays, it is a market trend to apply RFID technology with 2D barcode system in the medical environment specifically as it is even safer to reduce vital mistakes happening during treatment. Unitech recognizes this trend and has committed much effort into developing a product that specifically meets needs for today and tomorrow to reduce total cost of ownership said Judy Huang, global RFID product manager, Unitech.
Controversies Around the Set-up of Heavy-Ion Therapy Facility in Taiwan
Department of Health ("DOH" Minister Yeh Ching-chuan defended his agency's decision not to allow a controversial heavy-ion therapy facility to be built.
The nation's level of cancer treatment has kept pace with other countries and will remain among the leaders in proton radiation therapy, Yeh Ching-chuan said after his agency nixed a foundation's plan to introduce heavy-ion therapy to Taiwan last month in September 2008.
"Taiwan can already be considered among the leading countries [in the area of cancer treatment]," Mr Yeh said at a committee hearing in the legislature when asked if the country was in immediate need of the heavy-ion therapy. Mr Yeh said proton radiation therapy was more effective than heavy-ion therapy, noting that Hon Hai Group chairman Terry Gou donated NT$15 billion (US$463.9 million) last year to National Taiwan University Hospital to build the country's first proton therapy center.
The questions were raised after Evergreen Group chairman Chang Yung-fa angrily denounced the department on Monday for rejecting his foundation's proposal to build a cancer center equipped with a heavy-ion treatment facility. Mr Chang said the foundation had abandoned the project, which would cost between NT$6 billion (US$180.19 million and NT$10 billion (US$300.30 million), and he would fire the center's preparatory team.
Advocates of heavy-ion radiotherapy believe it is more effective at killing tumors than proton therapy while causing less damage to healthy tissue. In rejecting Mr Chang's proposal, the department said high radiation heavy-ion therapy was dangerous and such treatment would have to pass clinical trials in Taiwan before it could be approved.
Bureau of Medical Affairs Director Shih Chung-liang said such clinical tests could only be conducted in conjunction with a teaching hospital, so the foundation was not eligible to introduce the equipment on its own. Mr Yeh said that he was willing to discuss the project with the foundation and perhaps provide help if the foundation was willing to cooperate with a teaching hospital.Studies and proof of the safety and efficacy of the technology would have to be presented before heavy-ion therapy could be introduced to Taiwan. If there was insufficient evidence or its efficacy varies among different ethnic groups, clinical trials would be needed to verify its safety.
There are three heavy-ion treatment facilities in the world, two in Japan and one in Germany and a total of 29 proton treatment facilities in 13 countries, the DOH said.
Cancer has been the leading cause of death in Taiwan for almost two decades. More than 40 000 people died of cancer in Taiwan last year.
Researchers Find Method to Extract DHA from Algae
Researchers at the Tainan-based National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) have invented a new way to extract pollution-free docosa hexaenoic acid (DHA) from an indigenous species of algae that could revolutionize the way the supplement is produced commercially, academic sources said.
Team members said DHA is normally derived from fish and shellfish, but minute quantity of toxins — such as methyl mercury or dioxins — may migrate from the fish to the DHA, a common nutritional additive used in food or animal feeds.
Chen I-min, an NCKU assistant professor and the co-leader of the project, said this contamination led the team to search for new avenues to extract DHA, and it decided to further investigate the possibility of deriving DHA from algae. The researchers first selected an alga species as the subject of their experiment and then induced fermentation among algae to observe their DHA productivity, Chen said.
Yang Huey-lang, a professor at NCKU's Institute of Biotechnology, noted that the results proved the algae can produce DHA in quantity and without man-made pollutants, indicating its potential as a food ingredient.
Prof Yang said several Taiwan-based biotech companies have showed interest in the process and its related technologies and in applying the method to mass production. DHA is a highly touted food supplement that is said to help reduce the risk of heart disease or mitigate DHA deficiencies that may lead to diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Meanwhile, after presenting the results to the 2008 annual meeting of the European Aquaculture Society, the team's achievements were highly praised and an award in the “Best Poster” section was given to the team, according to the university.
