April 2012

Erik O. Johnsen,Rebecca C. Frøen, Réka Albert, Bente K. Omdal, Zsolt Sarang, András Berta,
Bjørn Nicolaissen, Goran Petrovski, Morten C. Moe
Activation of neural progenitor cells in human eyes with proliferative vitreoretinopathy
Experimental Eye Research 98 (2012) 28-36

Aboulghassem Shahdadfar, Kristiane Haug, Meeta Pathak, Liv Drolsum, Ole Kristoffer Olstad,
Erik O. Johnsen, Goran Petrovski, Morten C. Moe, Bjørn Nicolaissen
Ex vivo expanded autoloous limbal epithelial cells on amniotic membrane using a culture medium with human serum as single supplement
Experimental Eye Research 97 (2012)1-9

18 April 2012

Senior Lecturer in Molecular Biology, Justin M. O'Sullivan of Massey University (NZ) will present work that highlights the general principles of genome organization in Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Time and place: 18 April, 12.00-13.00, Seminar room 2240, Dept. of Biochemistry, Domus Medica

13 Mars 2012

Det medisinske fakultet ved Universitetet i Oslo har mye godt internasjonalt forskningssamarbeid. Visedirektør for Nasjonalt Senter for Stamcelleforskning, professor Philippe Collas, presenterer noe av hans omfattende internasjonale samarbeid her
 

8 February 2012

Interrogating disease and development with human pluripotent stem cells

by Dr. Stephen Sullivan, University of California, San Diego

Wednesday February 8 at 1300, Seminar room 2183, Nutrition, Domus Medica

3 February 2012

Cand.med. Jan Otto Beitnes (Brinchmann lab) defends his PhD thesis entitled: "Cell therapy in acute myocardial infarction"

Trial lecture:
10:15  at Auditorium 1 (green), Rikshospitalet

Disputas:
13:15 at Auditorium 1 (green), Rikshospitalet

24 Januar 2012

I USA har to kvinner blitt bedre av uhelbredelige øyesykdommer ved bruk av stamceller. - Dette har vi ventet på, det ser veldig lovende ut, sier førsteamanuensis og netthinnekirurg ved Oslo Universitetssykehus Morten C. Moe.

Les mer om dette på:
http://www.nrk.no/vitenskap-og-teknologi/1.7966666

13 January 2012

Metakaryotic biology, a revolution in
cancer stem cell research

by Professor William G. Thilly
Professor of Genetics, Toxicology and Biological Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Friday January 13 at 11 A.M. The auditorium at the research building, Radium Hospital.

Metakaryotic biology: stem cells of organogenesis and carcinogenesis

The stem cells of human organ development and tumor growth are not eukaryotic cells! They are "metakaryotic"
cells with hollow bell shaped nuclei appended to rather than enclosed in the cytoplasm. They divide by both
symmetric and asymmetric amitoses creating the eukaryotic (mitotic) cells of tissue and tumor parenchyma. Their
"chromosomes" appear to be continuous, joined at telomeres. They create a double stranded RNA/DNA replicative
intermediate prior to and during cytokinesis. They are strongly resistant to x-rays and chemo-"therapeutic" agents.
Multiple agents that kill them in cell culture have been found.

Friday January 13 at 1 P.M. The auditorium at the research building, Radium Hospital.

Metakaryotic biology: stem cell mutation and age-specific cancer mortality rates

Fetal/juvenile organogenic stem cells appear to have very high mutation rates. "Initiation" is presented as blockage
of maturation of organogenic stem cells resulting in a slowly growing mutator/hypermutable preneoplastic stem cell
population. A modified Armitage-Doll two stage cancer model is offered and discussed in terms of colorectal cancer
mortality rates, heritable cancer risk and immigrant cancer pattern shifts.

1 December 2011 

Marked proteins provide instructions for gene expression after fertilization

When a sperm fertilizes an egg, their individual genes combine to form a new genome in what is known as a zygote. Basically, activation of the zygotic genome represents the transfer of developmental control from the parents to the offspring. The factors that regulate expression of the zygotic genome have not been explored and are not well understood. Now, a new study published by Cell Press on December 1^st in the journal Developmental Cell identifies "decorations" that mark the zygotic genes before they are activated and may serve to regulate expression of critical developmental genes.

It is well established that one major mechanism for regulating gene expression is histone modification. Histones are proteins that are like spools around which the long strands of DNA are wound.  Histones can be altered to repress or promote gene transcription. "Previous work has demonstrated that developmental genes are marked by modified histones in sperm, and this suggests a potential predictive role for histone modification in the regulation of zygotic genome activation," suggests senior study author, Dr. Philippe Collas from the University of Oslo and the Norwegian Center for Stem Cell Research. 

In collaboration with colleagues at the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, the University of Birmingham and the Genome Institute of Singapore, Dr. Collas examined histone modifications on zebrafish genes before and after activation of the zygotic genome. They were able to accomplish this because after fertilization, there is a brief period during which the zebrafish zygote undergoes several rounds of cell division before any of the zygotic genes are activated. They found that histone modifications of inactive zygotic genes guided the developmental gene expression program.

Taken together, the results suggest that there is a "pre-patterning" of the developmental program that is in place prior to gene activation."Intriguingly, these findings suggest that early developmental instructions may be provided by specific marking of the sperm and egg genomes by modified histones, which may be transmitted to the embryo through fertilization," explains Dr. Collas.

Listen to podcast interview with Philippe Collas here
 

15 November 2011

Dr. Gareth Sullivan has been hired as new group leader in the area of human pluripotent stem cell biology. Sullivan, who at the time of hiring had been working at the MRC Center of Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, brings to the Center very strong expertise in human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. With a research plan focused on endoderm differentiation and the development of novel  methodologies for reprogramming somatic cells, and with past experience in both academic and biotech industry sectors, Sullivan greatly strengthens the Center's capabilities in this dynamic and innovative research area. Of particular importance is Sullivan's commitment to develop cell-based drug testing platforms and to build translational bridges to the clinic. The Center extends a warm welcome to Gareth and looks forward to a highly fruitful and collaborative interaction in the coming years.

Read Forskningsrådets presentation of Sullivan
(in Norwegian only) here

The 8th Annual Norwegian Stem Cell Meeting was held at Losby Gods on October 17-18. 95 participants attended, and heard a program featuring 26 lectures and short research presentations, including keynote and guest lectures by Rolf Bjerkvig (Bergen), Peter Andrews (UK), Colin Bishop (USA), Barbara Stecca (Italy), Herwig Schüler (Sweden), and Massimo Pasqualetti (Italy).

Five themes were represented covering a broad segment of current stem cell research in Norway and internationally: Pluripotency (hES and hiPS cells), Stem Cell Signaling, Cancer Stem Cells, Translational Efforts using Ocular and Mesenchymal Stem Cells, and Making Neurons.

A feature article about the meeting (in Norwegian) has been published on the Norwegian Research Council Stem Cell Program website - see the article here