News Bytes
Each month, LifeScience Alley collects interesting and timely news from the life sciences industry to include in our newsletter. Below, we have reproduced an extended version of our 'News Bytes'.
December 2008
First trachea transplant from stem cells
Doctors in Europe have performed the first trachea transplant that hinges on the patient's own stem cells. The patient was a 30-year-old woman whose left airway collapsed as a result of tuberculosis. She'd already had a stent implanted to reopen the airway, which later had to be removed. Doctors procured a trachea from an organ donor and stripped the donated trachea of cells that would have been rejected when transplanted. The doctors then grafted healthy adult stem cells from the recipient’s right airway onto the stripped-down donated trachea and marinated the trachea in chemicals in a lab to coax the trachea into rebuilding itself. More…
Duluth tech firm attacks medical translation errors
Duluth-based GeaCom, Inc. unveiled the first handheld solution for language barriers in the doctor-patient relationship at the 2008 National Public Health Conference, held Oct. 26-29 in San Diego, and came away with “Best of Show” recognition. More telling, GeaCom already has attracted strategic relationships with Emerson Electronics, Medtronic and Texas Instruments as potential manufacturers of its medical device, called “The Phrazer.” More…
FDA amends standards for device makers' 510(k) submissions
The FDA is revising its procedures for submitting consensus standards in 510(k) applications, an FDA official said in an AdvaMed audio conference. More...
Scientists develop less-invasive technique to study brain activity
Scientists are exploring the use of electrocorticography to predict the movement of fingers and sounds imagined by epilepsy patients. The procedure is less invasive since brain activity is recorded through a flat array of electrodes laid over the surface of the patient's brain, eliminating the need for penetrating electrodes. The scientists hope the findings will lead to the development of intuitive neural prostheses. More...
Technique may lead to faster, cheaper genome sequencing
Researchers at Pacific Biosciences are developing a technique that could make it possible to decode a person's entire genome within 15 minutes. The technique, called single-molecule real-time sequencing, would allow for easier identification of complex gene variants that have been linked to different human diseases, Pacific Biosciences CEO Hugh Martin said. More...
BIO defends ethanol as organization calls for end to subsidies
Two trade organizations are pushing for opposing policies on biofuel subsidies even as the true effect of biofuel on food prices remains unclear. The group Food Before Fuel says corn-based ethanol was to blame for 10% of food-price inflation and wants Congress to reduce or eliminate the subsidies for ethanol. Meanwhile, BIO says there is "a tremendous opportunity for jobs and growth" from increasing biofuel production. More...
Experts develop 3-D imaging device to view human arteries
U.S. scientists were able to generate 3-D images of the inner walls of coronary arteries in humans using an optical frequency-domain imaging device. The technique could provide better insights on coronary artery disease and may allow for the early detection and treatment of plaque deposits, one of the researchers said. More...
Japanese experts work on customized bone implants
Hospitals in Japan are conducting a clinical study of an implant made from calcium phosphate powder and developed using a patient's CT information. Called CT Bone, the device also can match complex structures of parts of the skull, including the jaw and cheek. More...
Imaging system captures molecular activity in deeper tissues
An international team of scientists has developed a 3-D near-infrared imaging system to produce higher-resolution images of the activity of biological molecules inside diseased tissues and cells. The system uses a combination of a femtosecond laser and an ultrafast camera to capture early-arriving photons, which carry better imaging data but travel through tissues too rapidly for earlier methods to record them. More...
Beijing home to FDA's first overseas office
The FDA is scheduled today to open in Beijing its first overseas office, the first of three stations the agency plans to set up in China to validate inspections of food, drugs, medical devices and other products bound for the U.S. The FDA will allow third-party certifiers from Chinese government agencies or private commercial facilities to assist. More...
3 biotech companies agree to merge
Cellular Dynamics International, Stem Cell Products and iPS Cells -- three firms set up by University of Wisconsin-Madison scientist James Thomson -- agreed to merge. The resulting company, which will operate using the CDI name, plans to concentrate on providing human heart cells derived from stem cells to drugmakers for use in studies. More...
USDA requests public comments on Syngenta biotech corn
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is seeking public comments on Syngenta Seeds' request to deregulate a biotech corn capable of generating a microbial enzyme useful in ethanol production. APHIS said it plans to lift restrictions after the comment period -- which ends Jan. 20 -- if it is determined that the crop does not endanger other plants. Studies have shown that the corn is unlikely to pose risks to human health, food safety or the environment, the division said. More...
Novartis sets sights on biotech drugs
Novartis AG said it plans to concentrate on biotech drugs in an effort to offset potential sales losses from generic rivals. The Swiss firm said biotech medicines account for more than 25% of the drugs undergoing clinical testing. More...
Ethanol sector may move toward consolidation next year
More ethanol producers are likely to consolidate next year as demand declines, said Bob Dinneen, head of the Renewable Fuels Association. He said he expects tax incentives to encourage the industry's growth as well as President-elect Barack Obama's support for federal rules that mandate the use of ethanol. More...
Bioengineered pigs may offer environmental benefits
Canadian scientists have genetically enhanced 21 pigs to generate a saliva enzyme that can help process phosphorus in their feed. Called Enviropigs, the animals could benefit the environment by excreting manure with lesser amounts of phosphorus, which pollutes rivers and other bodies of water. More...
U.S. DOE extends renewable energy grant deadline
Citing "extensive interest" in the program, the U.S. DOE has extended the application deadline for its Title XVII Loan Guarantee Program for renewable energy projects. The deadline, originally set for Dec. 31, has been extended to Feb. 26, 2009. More...
HHS announces final PSO rule
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt has announced the final rule for patient-safety organizations, which allows providers and researchers to collect and analyze patient information under confidential privacy regulations. Groups will have to demonstrate they are in compliance with the rule to be designated a PSO starting Jan. 19. More...
Siemens nursing tool mimics hospital IT systems
Clinical IT for Academics, a new program from Siemens Healthcare, offers nursing students and faculty Web-based courses that simulate information systems used in hospitals. The program, which was tested at Villanova University's College of Nursing, consists of seven interactive courses that can be modified to fit a curriculum. More...
How to spot innovators and help them flourish
Corporate America bemoans a lack of innovative talent, but it methodically smothers creative spark, say the leadership consultants who wrote this paper. "Even when stellar external talent comes in, it is frequently drawn into the same anti-innovation culture that has been squelching internal talent," they write. Their research at Reuters, Pitney Bowes, Visa and other companies that foster creativity well suggests ways to identify true innovators and nurture their genius. More...
Clinics preview a new credentialing process
Some Minnesota clinics are already using a simpler, smarter process for credentialing in the introductory phase of the Minnesota Credentialing Collaborative (MCC). More…