UCSF Sets Pace on Stem Cells(Expert Assessment)

jnacario12

  • In San Francisco in 1981, at UCSF Gail Martin discovered stem cells from a mouse embryo. Today, a University of Wisconsin scientist has made Martin's techiniques for mice to humans.
  • This new discovery led to great ethical controversy and led to the Bush administration in 2001 to limit funding human stem cell research. UCSF has stepped forward and raised $13 million from private funds and over 60 scientists have been researching to see the potential of stem cells. They have tested to see how treatments could be for diabetes and strokes with stem cells.
  • the help of Prop. 71 has allowed a $3 billion stem cell initiative and UCSF is ready to lead the pack. They have now found a potential treatment for Parkinson's through stem cells. They also have studies that show that stem cells in bone marrow and bloodstream can give aid to the heart if it suffers a heart attack.
  • The readiness of therapies and treatments regarding stem cells are years away but because of the Prop. 71, UCSF has been able to trudge forward in their research and their dreams can come true.
  • This course has given me the opportunity to single out key information that relates to the main purpose of the article. I have looked at this article's purpose which is how UCSF hasled the way in stem cell research. From there I look at what UCSF has discovered and how they started off. The key conclusion is stated a tht end of the article, which was the reason why UCSF has been the leader of the pack was because of Prop. 71 that allowed them the funds to continue their research.
  • UCSF
  • Gail Martin
  • University of Wisconsin
  • Bush Administration
  • Intel Corp. chairman Andy Grove
  • Arnold Kriegstein
  • California Prop. 71
  • Susan Fisher
  • Renee Reijo Pera
  • Yerem Yeghiazarians
  • Michael German
  • This is a review article, new research development, has a topic of ethnical implacations because people believe an embryo is a living being, topic that has dealt with government/president because former Pres. Bush in 2001 did not fund stem cell research with federal money.

  • In one article here, we have the opposition of stem cell research to a certain degree. People in the University of Nebraska are considering limiting stem cell research. The article also refers to the Bush administration’s policy on having up to 21 cell lines for research. The supporters of stem cell research however feel that if restrictions are in place, then researchers may feel less inclined to go the University of Nebraska for regenerative medicines. The article also claims that the university would not all for the destruction of human embryos.

    In another article we have the support of stem cell research in California. The state granted $230 million to Californian universities, which is a giant step for stem cell research. This money can be used to take research to application for treatments in AIDs or cancer. This article refers back to the Prop 71 in California that allowed a 10 yr, $3 billion effort in 2004. This was used to get around the Bush administrations restrictions, which were set up in 2001. Another project that is associated with stem cell research, which was granted $20 million, was the research for stem cells to produce islet cells. These cells could produce insulin, which can help treat Type 1 diabetes. Funding has gone to Novocell, a San Diego biotechnology company and UCSF.

  • In my article I have detected some bias. First off when the author wrote out that UCSF was one of 2 centers federally approved for stem cell research. The placement of this makes it seem like UCSF is superior and the fact that they do not mention the other center’s name also adds onto the bias. This same section of the article has another bias, title. It claims that UCSF sets the pace for stem cells, but what about the other center that was federally permitted to do stem cell research? Do they not get credit for their work? I think that a lack of bias is evident for a certain section of my article, which says that the prop.71 gave UCs a $3 billion funding over 10 yrs. However they should have said not only were they the premier medical research institution, but also say they were the only institution federally allowed in California.

Mason, By Betsy. "Stem Cells - News - UCSF Sets Pace on Stem Cells." Stem Cell News - The Latest News and Information About Newborn Cord Blood Stem Cells. 12 July 2005. Web. 20 May 2010. .

"The New York Times Log In." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 19 Nov. 2009. Web. 20 May 2010. .

"The New York Times Log In." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 28 Oct. 2009. Web. 20 May 2010. .

http://www.labinfo.cn/customer/ucsf.jpg
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New Rules Proposed For GMOs

jnacario12

  • Back in 1999, the Bush administration had been proposing new regulations for GM foods. The USDA also follows up with a voluntary program to separate GM and non GM seeds and crops.
  • There had been tests of GM crops by independent and partisan groups to see if there are anything harmful in them. The tests back then show that GM crops have no harm but they do question of long term effects for the people.
  • The trade of GM crops on Europe was also a big thing back in the day because European countries demanded labels of GM products. The big proposal of the time was to have all GM products and ingredients labeled back in 1999.
  • Article ties with Genetics because of GMOs. We watched videos on GMOs and how they have become the biggest thing in the food industry. One thing we talked about was the public reactions who did not know about GMOs in their daily food.
I chose this article because of it's date and it's topic. The proposition of labels for GM products has now become a demand. Many people now still do not know GM crops are everywhere and most people want to be informed of that. Labels are great to differentiate GM crops from natural crops. But since this article is in '99 and has the same issue of labeling, have we moved forward at all? I don't think so, I think the companies who own GM seeds are trying their best to cover up this whole deal. They do not want people to know what they are eating then and now, and they are committed to that. All the people want to know is what is being used to make their food, and if we do not prefer GM foods, organic is a lot more expensive and some people cannot afford it. This article to me just shows how powerful the food industry is and tells me how long they have kept their act going.
"New Rules Proposed For GMOs » Market to Market." Iowa Public Television. 9 Aug. 2002. Web. 20 May 2010. .
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New Clues to Treating Immune System Disorders

jnacario12

  • Researchers have come out to say that they have been able to use 2 different types of noninvasive probes to define the roles played by different cell types in the immune system.
  • One probe called FDG is used in PET scans to observe how cells break down glucose. The other probe called FAC is sent to see the activity of cells in certain biochemical passages. These probes are hoped to help doctors determine how to treat specific cells in the immune system
  • The study shows that the probes target certain cells with high specificity. The FDG probe detects a macrophage for example while the FAC detects lymphocytes or cells that lead the immune response to kill infected or cancerous cells.
  • These probes are being used in mice and hopefully humans soon to evaluate how the immune system responds to diseases like arthritis, inflammatory bowl disease, and sclerosis.
  • This article relates to our Immune System unit because it talks about how scientists are trying to get a better understanding of the immune system specifically. We know in class how the immune system works to protect out bodies but we do not know how specifically the immune system responds to different diseases.
It is interesting of how far along technology has come to see that a probe can go inside a living being and detect specific cells. I think that if we can continue this research, we can be able to get a better learning experience on how the immune system works. We have a bird's eye view from class in which a pathogen is detected and the whole body acts upon it. If we covered the same topic 20 years from now, we can have an overview but we can also have a specific disease to focus on and see what cell reacts to the disease.

Wed May 19. "New Clues to Treating Immune System Disorders - Yahoo! News." The Top News Headlines on Current Events from Yahoo! News - Yahoo! News. 19 May 2010. Web. 20 May 2010. .

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New Hominid Species Discovered in South Africa

jnacario12

  • A nine year old in South Africa had stumbled across fossils of a new hominid species that existed on Earth 2 million years ago.
  • The fossils found had a mix of primitive and advanced anatomy of humans. It has become a new species and is called Australopithecus sediba. Sediba means fountain in Sotho, and it walked on 2 legs, with human-shaped hips and pelvis. However it climbed trees with monkey like arms, small teeth, and a some what modern face but without the modern brain.
  • In a conference, the new species is said to be a possible ancestor of Homo erectus, the immediate predecessor to Homo sapiens.
  • I relate this article to evolution. This discovery gives mankind a new species and it has characteristics that represent modern and primitive ancestors. This fossil can further educate the world of how he became more human and less ape like.
This is very recent news, and I am happy to see that there are even more species of our ancestors. Discoveries like these give us all a better understanding on how we could have been, how we evolved, and how we grew smart. Sediba had a few human like characteristics, but still had some ape like traits. Could that mean that evolution was working but still had some time to go to develop into what we are today? Most likely in my opinion. I can infer that the fossil still retained ape like arms because of natural selection. Where it lived in Africa could have been full of trees and hard to reach places that required strong arms. It was still in the process of evolution and it learned to walk upright but natural pressures made the Sediba retain it's ape like arms because it was still useful. Discoveries like this is what makes paleontology interesting.
"World Image." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. 08 Apr. 2010. Web. 20 May 2010. .
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Prostate Cancer Vaccine May Get FDA Approval

jnacario12


  • The FDA are in the process of approving a new vaccine called Provenge, which can be used to give men with prostate cancer a greater chance of survival. It acts like chemotherapy, just without the side effects.
  • The vaccine is not a cure, a way to prevent prostate cancer, and doesn't slow the growth of the cancer. But if used on prostate cancer in it's early stages, it can be highly effective. Provenge is therapeutic and the way it works is it uses the patient's own white blood cells. It mixes with a drug and is inserted back into the patient. The cells once returned to the body trigger a immune response that kills the cancer cells and leaves the treated cells alone.
  • The drug is used primarily for men with advanced prostate cancer who failed with hormonal treatments. The use of Provenge has increased the life span of a patient from 2-3 months to 2-3 years. The price for this drug is not cheap, a whopping $75,000 bill has to be paid for treatment, which can have different results with each patient.
  • The side effects are minimal, showing only mild flu symptoms. However Provenge itself is flawed in it's own way. The process is on a daily basis, where the patient must donate his own white blood cells every day. It is cumbersome because of this and costs a lot. The rival of Provenge is Abiraterone, which stops the production of testosterone.
  • The relation of this article to our class is within the context of cancer and the immune system. This new drug Provenge is a new treatment option for men with Prostate cancer and it utilizes the patient's own immune system to fight cancer cells, where they couldn't previously. This is different from chemotherapy and hormonal therapy, and it has less severe side effects.
I am very concerned of prostate cancer because it is the second most common cancer amongst men. I fear for my family because cancer has affected us very much. I am glad to see this as an alternative to chemotherapy because if I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I wouldn't want to be spending my time in more pain than necessary. Even if though this is a new drug, I think that it is a step into a new type of treatment, allowing the immune system to act properly and kill cancer cells. My only complaint with this treatment is the fact that a patient has to donate white blood cells daily. It would be a real pain in the neck to drive to a hospital day after day when you may have plans set or you live a fair distance away from a hospital. I think think that over time, this treatment will evolve and become more effective and cheaper.
Reinberg, Steven. "Cancer Issues - Prostate Cancer Vaccine May Get FDA Approval." Cancer Issues - News and Information Related to Cancer. Read about Colon, Lung, Prostate, Skin and Many Other Forms of Cancer. Web. 20 May 2010. .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MvPVq9gK2M
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Stress Hormone Affects Immune System

jnacario12

  • UCLA study shows that the immune system can be hindered during chronic stress through a stress hormone called cortisol.
  • It has been found that cortisol suppresses immune cells' ability to use it's telomerase, which is an enzyme that keeps immune cells young and fit by keeping it's telomere length and the ability to divide continuously.
  • The telomere is a cell's "clock" which grows shorter each time the cell divides. Short telomeres are linked to diseases like HIV, aging, and heart diseases. Influences of cortisol on telomerase can explain how people under stress have their cells on short "clocks."
  • The study also claims that stress makes people more likely to fall ill. A specific drug can be used to prevent harm of the immune system for people under a lot of stress, like soldiers, astronauts, and caretakers.
  • Cortisol is injected into the bloodstream when under stress and prolonged presence of cortisol can harm the immune system. Scientists are working on a treatment and a pill to increase telomearse levels in cells and reducing the effect of cortisols on the body.
  • I find that this article ties with the immune system unit in our class discussions. We talk of how cells protect us but we did not talk of what hormones can do for the body. I think that talking about hormones can give us a better understanding of how our immune system can be weaker at times, even if we are healthy.
I was quite intrigued by this article. I understand that too much of anything in our body is bad, like to much adrenaline, which can kill. I am surprised of how this particular hormone, cartisol harms our body over time. But I guess that when people say stress isn't good for you, they were right all along. I suppose that cartisols are like kryptonite to Superman, it weakens him the longer he is near it. In regards to a pill that can improve our immune system, I feel like we shouldn't been trying to push to many buttons. The immune system is vital for people and I don't trust a pill to make it stronger without knowing the draw backs. If I am risking a little cold to a bad side effect, I'd rather be sick for a day.
"Stress Hormone Affects Immune System | Psych Central News." Psych Central - Trusted Mental Health, Depression, Bipolar, ADHD and Psychology Information. 15 July 2008. Web. 20 May 2010. .
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Mouse Experiment Suggests Quickly Evolving Bacteria Could Improve Digestive Health

jnacario12

  • An experiment at Duke and NC state was derailed when bacteria evolved from it's original form into various forms. There original goals have been replaced with higher ideas.
  • Researchers put a group of mice in a sterile isolator and introduced a bacteria to them. The bacteria mutated into numerous types and this find was unexpected. The new bacteria were hardier in mice than it's original form.
  • The assistant professor said that this was the first time bacteria evolution has been seen in a complex environment. He also had another idea of experimenting with evolution that could use bacteria to do good for biotechnology and medicine.
  • Experimental evolution is used in labs to try to get bacteria to develop new strains, which could be used probriotic substances, which are organisms that are are seen within the digestive system.
  • Only problem is that engineered bacteria may not stay that way for long, the mutation of bacteria was so quick in the study, that newer forms of bacteria were more diverse and different than it's predecessors. The culprit to this diversity was evolution, even in a sterile, isolated environment.
  • This article relates to evolution in a different way then what we talk about in class. We talk about evolution happening in a non controlled environment but in this article the evolution takes place in a sterile, controlled environment. This means that even without selective pressures, the bacteria in the experiment continued to differentiate.
To me, I thought the bacteria in a controlled and sterile environment would stay the same because there were no selective pressures in their environment. However I was proven wrong in this article and evolution can still take place no matter the environment. I wonder if the bacteria evolves not because of pressures, but of interest in itself. I know we said that we cannot evolve into anything we want, but what if there are no pressures to evolve from? Would evolution just take course in any way it pleases? This article has broadened my thoughts on evolution and makes me think that nothing is impossible for evolution.
"Mouse Experiment Suggests Quickly Evolving Bacteria Could Improve Digestive Health." Medical News Today: Health News. 19 May 2010. Web. 20 May 2010. .

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