NIGMS funds new stem cell centers - Focus on basic biology, training scientists

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NIGMS funds new stem cell centers - Focus on basic biology, training

scientists

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=28929

10 Aug 2005

Human embryonic stem cells have properties that make them uniquely

valuable for studying virtually any cellular process. Despite their

promise for research and therapeutic purposes, stem cells are

difficult to grow in the laboratory and scientists do not know how to

reliably direct them to become a specific cell type.

" If we are to realize the tremendous potential of stem cells, we

urgently need more fundamental knowledge about their basic biology

and more scientists trained to work with them, " said M. Berg,

Ph.D., director of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences

(NIGMS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

To address these needs, NIGMS has funded three new Exploratory

Centers for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research. These centers, which

will receive an estimated $9 million over three years, join three

others that the institute funded in September 2003. All of the

centers are limited to using federally approved stem cell lines

listed on the National Institutes of Health Human Embryonic Stem Cell

Registry.

" These centers are a crucial step in establishing the infrastructure

for scientists to address essential questions about human development

and cell differentiation, " said n M. Zatz, Ph.D., program

director for the center grants.

Each center will establish a core facility to support and train

scientists and to define the growth conditions and molecular

characteristics required for maintaining human embryonic stem cells

in an undifferentiated state. Scientists at the centers also will

work on specific pilot projects to advance fundamental knowledge of

human embryonic stem cell properties and functions.

The new centers are:

-- Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City (Gordon Keller,

Ph.D., principal investigator)--$965,150 for the first year of

funding to study the growth, differentiation and genetic alteration

of human embryonic stem cells. The group will focus on developing

methods to genetically modify stem cells and will study the molecular

signals that cause them to differentiate into red blood cells.

-- Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City (

Bouhassira, Ph.D., principal investigator)--$965,032 for the first

year of funding to study how specific proteins control the growth and

differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. The team will also

analyze genetic networks and study DNA replication and gene

expression in stem cells.

-- The Burnham Institute in La Jolla, California (Evan Snyder, M.D.,

Ph.D., principal investigator)--$1,060,699 for the first year of

funding to study the molecular signals that enable stem cells to self-

renew and specialize, develop a novel imaging technology to study the

cells in real time, and improve methods for the cells' growth and

maintenance. The group will also lead training courses for other

scientists.

In addition to funding the six center grants, NIGMS supports

individual grants and grant supplements to advance stem cell

research.

To arrange an interview with M. Berg or n M. Zatz,

contact the NIGMS Office of Communications and Public Liaison at 301-

496-7301. More information about NIGMS initiatives related to human

embryonic stem cells is available at

nigms.nih.gov/funding/stemcells.html. More information on stem cells

in general is available at http://stemcells.nih.gov

NIGMS (http://www.nigms.nih.gov) is one of 27 components of the

National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services. The NIGMS mission is to support basic biomedical research

that lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis,

treatment, and prevention.

NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences

http://www.nigms.nih.gov