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The Black Friday sales are almost among us, meaning the halls of your local department store are about to become a battleground. (The smartest of shoppers know the key to maintaining sanity is to do it all online.)

But when faced with deals and discounts from every angle, its crucial to keep your cool. You dont want to panic-buy all those as-seen-on-Instagram products before youre covered the essentials you know, the things you'll use day in, day out, until they're empty.

Resist those shiny, sparkling impulse buys (although yes, that glitter lipstick would look pretty good on NYE), and youll come out triumphant with a well-curated skincare edit that will keep your skin happy long after the last Quality Street has been polished off.

So, skip the scrolling and head straight for the good stuff this year. Here, discover the eight most unequivocally iconic beauty products we've spotted in the Black Friday sales. Trust us: you cannot go wrong with any (or all) of these heroes.

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1Soleil Tan De Chanel

Chanel

WAS 40 NOW 36

Soleil Tan de Chanel is the kind of product beauty dreams are made of. The weighty pot will last you all year, while the lacquered, double-C engraved pot will look incredibly bouji on your dressing table.

But of course,it's what's on the inside that really counts, and boy is this a brilliantly formulated bronzer. Unlike literally anything else on the market (many brands have tried and failed to 'dupe' it), this dense, mattecream can be picked up with a powder brush, dusted under or over foundation, and swiped strategically to carve out killer cheekbones it's revolutionary.

2Blanche Eau de Parfum

Byredo

WAS 110 NOW 93.50

Byredo's perfumes are coveted the world over, but with so many to choose from, you'll be hard-pressed to find a favourite without some kind of divine intervention.

Our advice? Head straight for Blanche, which is a byword for the crispest, cleanest scent you'll ever spritz. Forget cloying talc notes or blink-and-you'll-miss-it citrus: this is pure violet and musk-tinted freshness, like the cleanest cotton sheets that ever were.

And seeing as there's a very generous 15% discount (thank you, Liberty), maybe treat yourself to the body wash, too.

3The Rich Cream

205.00

WAS 205 NOW 174

The hype around Augustinus Bader's debut product was remarkable across the world, A-listers and beauty editors fawned. (Victoria Beckham even tapped him up to create her debut skincare product.)

Turns out, this clever cream really delivers. The secret is the Trigger Factor Complex, which works to kick-start the natural healing process of the body's stem cells. 30 years of research and development have clearly paid off.

4Bronzing Powder

Narsasos.com

WAS 31 NOW 24.50

The name of many a Nars product precedes its performance Orgasm, anyone? But not this one: the brand's Laguna and Casino bronzing powdersare famed for their supreme performance alone.

Both illuminate without relying on glitter (which always looks fake), and are warming without imparting those giveaway ruddy undertones.

Paler skins are destined for Laguna, while darker tones will love Casino. Your bank balance will love either.

5Diorshow Pump 'N' Volume HD Mascara

DIOR

WAS 28 NOW 25.20

Ask any beauty editor what their ride-or-die mascara is and you'll get...a lot of conflicting opinions.

Like the perfect shade of red lipstick, a favourite mascara is a subjective thing. After all,few can deliver perfection when it comes to length, volumeand colour. Enter Dior's Pump 'N' Volume: the mascara to unite us all. (And yes, it's the one with the no-wastesqueezy tube.)

6Do Son Eau De Parfum

Diptyque

WAS 120 NOW 96

Many of Diptyque's fragrances could be considered iconic, but Do Son is the one that'll see you being stopped by strangersin the street.

The tuberose trail is enticing enough, but it's the unusual addition of orange blossom and jasmine that take things to truly memorable heights. A spectacularode to its namesake beach, in Vietnam's Ha Long Bay.

7Ruby Woo Matte Lipstick

WAS 17.50 NOW 14

If you're a 'lipstick person', you already know about this one. You've likely got one stashed in your bag right now, as well as one on your dresser, and an 'emergency' onefloating around your bedroom somewhere.

So good it's never been successfully imitated, MAC's Ruby Woo is the ultimate lipstick. A true red, it's neither too orange or too blue, and there's no skin tone it won't look beautiful against.

8Glow Tonic

WAS 18 NOW 15.30

We all know that alpha-hydroxy-acids are the gold standard when it comes to resurfacing, but so many require a degree in dermatology to use correctly.

Forgo the faffing in favour of Pixis cult Glow Tonic: it might look cute, but its packed with 5% brightening glycolic acid alongside soothing aloe vera. Simply sweep it over cleansed skin nightly no brow-furrowing required.

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DUBLIN, Nov. 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Genome Editing Services Market-Focus on CRISPR 2019-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report features an extensive study of the current landscape of CRISPR-based genome editing service providers. The study presents an in-depth analysis, highlighting the capabilities of various stakeholders engaged in this domain, across different geographical regions.

Currently, there is an evident increase in demand for complex biological therapies (including regenerative medicine products), which has created an urgent need for robust genome editing techniques. The biopharmaceutical pipeline includes close to 500 gene therapies, several of which are being developed based on the CRISPR technology.

Recently, in July 2019, a first in vivo clinical trial for a CRISPR-based therapy was initiated. However, successful gene manipulation efforts involve complex experimental protocols and advanced molecular biology centered infrastructure. Therefore, many biopharmaceutical researchers and developers have demonstrated a preference to outsource such operations to capable contract service providers.

Consequently, the genome editing contract services market was established and has grown to become an indispensable segment of the modern healthcare industry, offering a range of services, such as gRNA design and construction, cell line development (involving gene knockout, gene knockin, tagging and others) and transgenic animal model generation (such as knockout mice). Additionally, there are several players focused on developing advanced technology platforms that are intended to improve/augment existing gene editing tools, especially the CRISPR-based genome editing processes.

Given the rising interest in personalized medicine, a number of strategic investors are presently willing to back genetic engineering focused initiatives. Prevalent trends indicate that the market for CRISPR-based genome editing services is likely to grow at a significant pace in the foreseen future.

Report Scope

One of the key objectives of the report was to evaluate the current opportunity and the future potential of CRISPR-based genome editing services market. We have provided an informed estimate of the likely evolution of the market in the short to mid-term and long term, for the period 2019-2030.

In addition, we have segmented the future opportunity across [A] type of services offered (gRNA construction, cell line engineering and animal model generation), [B] type of cell line used (mammalian, microbial, insect and others) and [C] different geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and rest of the world).

To account for the uncertainties associated with the CRISPR-based genome editing services market and to add robustness to our model, we have provided three forecast scenarios, portraying the conservative, base and optimistic tracks of the market's evolution.

The research, analysis and insights presented in this report are backed by a deep understanding of key insights generated from both secondary and primary research. All actual figures have been sourced and analyzed from publicly available information forums and primary research discussions. Financial figures mentioned in this report are in USD, unless otherwise specified.

Key Topics Covered

1. PREFACE1.1. Scope of the Report1.2. Research Methodology1.3. Chapter Outlines

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3. INTRODUCTION3.1. Context and Background3.2. Overview of Genome Editing3.3. History of Genome Editing3.4. Applications of Genome Editing3.5. Genome Editing Techniques3.5.1. Mutagenesis3.5.2 Conventional Homologous Recombination3.5.3 Single Stranded Oligo DNA Nucleotides Homologous Recombination3.5.4. Homing Endonuclease Systems (Adeno Associated Virus System)3.5.5. Protein-based Nuclease Systems3.5.5.1. Meganucleases3.5.5.2. Zinc Finger Nucleases3.5.5.3. Transcription Activator-like Effector Nucleases3.5.6. DNA Guided Systems3.5.6.1. Peptide Nucleic Acids3.5.6.2. Triplex Forming Oligonucleotides3.5.6.3. Structure Guided Endonucleases3.5.7. RNA Guided Systems3.5.7.1. CRISPR-Cas93.5.7.2. Targetrons3.6. CRISPR-based Genome Editing3.6.1. Role of CRISPR-Cas in Adaptive Immunity in Bacteria3.6.2. Key CRISPR-Cas Systems3.6.3. Components of CRISPR-Cas System3.6.4. Protocol for CRISPR-based Genome Editing3.7. Applications of CRISPR3.7.1. Development of Therapeutic Interventions3.7.2. Augmentation of Artificial Fertilization Techniques3.7.3. Development of Genetically Modified Organisms3.7.4. Production of Biofuels3.7.5. Other Bioengineering Applications3.8. Key Challenges and Future Perspectives

4. CRISPR-BASED GENOME EDITING SERVICE PROVIDERS: CURRENT MARKET LANDSCAPE4.1. Chapter Overview4.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Service Providers: Overall Market Landscape4.2.3. Analysis by Type of Service Offering4.2.4. Analysis by Type of gRNA Format4.2.5. Analysis by Type of Endonuclease4.2.6. Analysis by Type of Cas9 Format4.2.7. Analysis by Type of Cell Line Engineering Offering4.2.8. Analysis by Type of Animal Model Generation Offering4.2.9. Analysis by Availability of CRISPR Libraries4.2.10. Analysis by Year of Establishment4.2.11. Analysis by Company Size4.2.12. Analysis by Geographical Location4.2.13. Logo Landscape: Distribution by Company Size and Location of Headquarters

5. COMPANY COMPETITIVENESS ANALYSIS5.1. Chapter Overview5.2. Methodology5.3. Assumptions and Key Parameters5.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Service Providers: Competitive Landscape5.4.1. Small-sized Companies5.4.2. Mid-sized Companies5.4.3. Large Companies

6. COMPANY PROFILES6.1. Chapter Overview6.2. Applied StemCell6.2.1. Company Overview6.2.2. Service Portfolio6.2.3. Recent Developments and Future Outlook6.3. BioCat6.4. Biotools6.5. Charles River Laboratories6.6. Cobo Scientific6.7. Creative Biogene6.8. Cyagen Biosciences6.9. GeneCopoeia6.10. Horizon Discovery6.11. NemaMetrix6.12. Synbio Technologies6.13. Thermo Fisher Scientific

7. PATENT ANALYSIS7.1. Chapter Overview7.2. Scope and Methodology7.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing: Patent Analysis7.3.1. Analysis by Application Year and Publication Year7.3.2. Analysis by Geography7.3.3. Analysis by CPC Symbols7.3.4. Emerging Focus Areas7.3.5. Leading Players: Analysis by Number of Patents7.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing: Patent Benchmarking Analysis7.4.1. Analysis by Patent Characteristics7.5. Patent Valuation Analysis

8. ACADEMIC GRANT ANALYSIS8.1. Chapter Overview8.2. Scope and Methodology8.3. Grants Awarded by the National Institutes of Health for CRISPR-based8.3.1. Year-wise Trend of Grant Award8.3.2. Analysis by Amount Awarded8.3.3. Analysis by Administering Institutes8.3.4. Analysis by Support Period8.3.5. Analysis by Funding Mechanism8.3.6. Analysis by Type of Grant Application8.3.7. Analysis by Grant Activity8.3.8. Analysis by Recipient Organization8.3.9. Regional Distribution of Grant Recipient Organization8.3.10. Prominent Project Leaders: Analysis by Number of Grants8.3.11. Emerging Focus Areas8.3.12. Grant Attractiveness Analysis

9. CASE STUDY: ADVANCED CRISPR-BASED TECHNOLOGIES/SYSTEMS AND TOOLS9.1. Chapter Overview9.2. CRISPR-based Technology Providers9.2.1. Analysis by Year of Establishment and Company Size9.2.2. Analysis by Geographical Location and Company Expertise9.2.3. Analysis by Focus Area9.2.4. Key Technology Providers: Company Snapshots9.2.4.1. APSIS Therapeutics9.2.4.2. Beam Therapeutics9.2.4.3. CRISPR Therapeutics9.2.4.4. Editas Medicine9.2.4.5. Intellia Therapeutics9.2.4.6. Jenthera Therapeutics9.2.4.7. KSQ Therapeutics9.2.4.8. Locus Biosciences9.2.4.9. Refuge Biotechnologies9.2.4.10. Repare Therapeutics9.2.4.11. SNIPR BIOME9.2.5. Key Technology Providers: Summary of Venture Capital Investments9.3. List of CRISPR Kit Providers9.4. List of CRISPR Design Tool Providers

10. POTENTIAL STRATEGIC PARTNERS10.1. Chapter Overview10.2. Scope and Methodology10.3. Potential Strategic Partners for Genome Editing Service Providers10.3.1. Key Industry Partners10.3.1.1. Most Likely Partners10.3.1.2. Likely Partners10.3.1.3. Less Likely Partners10.3.2. Key Non-Industry/Academic Partners10.3.2.1. Most Likely Partners10.3.2.2. Likely Partners10.3.2.3. Less Likely Partners

11. MARKET FORECAST11.1. Chapter Overview11.2. Forecast Methodology and Key Assumptions11.3. Overall CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market, 2019-203011.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market: Distribution by Regions, 2019-203011.4.1. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in North America, 2019-203011.4.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in Europe, 2019-203011.4.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in Asia Pacific, 2019-203011.4.4. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market in Rest of the World, 2019-203011.5. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market: Distribution by Type of Services, 2019-203011.5.1. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for gRNA Construction, 2019-203011.5.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Cell Line Engineering, 2019-203011.5.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Animal Model Generation, 2019-203011.6. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market: Distribution by Type of Cell Line, 2019-203011.6.1. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Mammalian Cell Lines, 2019-203011.6.2. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Microbial Cell Lines, 2019-203011.6.3. CRISPR-based Genome Editing Services Market for Other Cell Lines, 2019-2030

12. SWOT ANALYSIS12.1. Chapter Overview12.2. SWOT Analysis12.2.1. Strengths12.2.2. Weaknesses12.2.3. Opportunities12.2.4. Threats12.2.5. Concluding Remarks

13. EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS

14. APPENDIX 1: TABULATED DATA

15. APPENDIX 2: LIST OF COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Companies Mentioned

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/78rwbq

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

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Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Genome Editing Services, World Markets to 2030: Focus on CRISPR – The Most Popular Genome Manipulation Technology Tool – P&T Community | November 28th, 2019

Soon youll be able to cover your imperfect flesh with more flesh.

Japanese cosmetics company Kao Corporation has developed a custom synthetic spray-on skin to cover unwanted blemishes, moles or other marks on the natural epidermis.

The artificial product, called est, is composed of tiny, liquid fibers. When sprayed, the substance adheres to human skin, transforming into an extremely thin, derma-like material, the Daily Mail reports.

It has a similar elasticity to skin, and its porous, too. Water vapor and air can pass through this second skin to moisten the living dermis beneath. At its edges, est forms an even thinner bond, helping it blend in with natural flesh.

Est is set to hit the market exclusively in Japan beginning Dec 4. and will sell for roughly $532 as a diffuser and potion combination, with diffuser refills priced at $73. A lotion version will sell for $110, and everything will become available online in January, according to Japanese publication the Asahi Shimbun.

Japanese-language advertisements for the product call it Future Skin, which uses Fine Fiber Technology. Kao has plans to expand the line beginning next year and hopes to soon enter the medical market.

Until then, American consumers can check out the SkinGun by RenovaCare, which shoots a liquid mist infused with human stem cells and can help burn victims skin.

Kao Japan

Kao Japan

Kao Japan

Kao Japan

Kao Japan

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Makeup brand offers spray-on 'skin' to cover up zits and scars - New York Post

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27 Nov 2019

Twenty years ago, researchers took fibroblasts from the skin of eight Alzheimers patients, engineered them to produce nerve-growth factor, and slid them into each volunteers basal forebrain. They hoped the neurotrophin would halt or slow the neurodegeneration that robbed them of their memories, indeed their lives. The gamble failed and since then, scientists have shown little zest for gene therapy in neurodegenerative disorders. That is changing. As evident at this years Society for Neuroscience conference, held October 1923 in Chicago, gene therapy is back. Buoyed by success in treating spinal muscular atrophy in infants, scientists are flush with new ideasand funding.

What was once considered risky, expensive, and unlikely to succeed is now seen by many as risky, expensiveand quite likely to succeed. A growing number of scientists think gene-based therapies may have the best chance of slowing, or even preventing, neurodegeneration, especially for disorders caused by mutations in a single gene. SfN hosted a press briefing on gene therapy, plus many projects are active throughout the field beyond those showcased at the conference. There was no breaking clinical trial news at the annual meeting, but the scope and challenges of such therapies were outlined at the briefing moderated by Rush University s Jeff Kordower, Chicago, as well as a translational roundtable moderated by Asa Abeliovich, Columbia University, New York. Abeliovich recently co-founded Prevail Therapeutics, New York.

Going viral. Researchers are tweaking the capsid of adeno-associated viruses to optimize gene therapies for a multitude of disease. Shown here, AAV2.

From Zolgensma to Alzheimers? If the failure of the nerve growth factor therapy tempered enthusiasm for gene therapy (Mar 2018 news), then the success of AVXS-101, aka Zolgensma, reignited it. Developed by scientists at Nationwide Childrens Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, and AveXis, Bannockburn, Illinois, AVXS-101 uses an adeno-associated virus to deliver billions of copies of the survival motor neuron 1 gene to the brain. A small pilot trial tested the therapy in babies with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 1, the severest form of this neurodevelopmental disease. Lacking functional SMN1, these infants face progressive muscle weakness. Most die before their second birthday; those who live need a ventilator to breathe.

In Phase 1, AVXS-101 dramatically improved motor function of 15 treated infants; all were living 20 months later when historical data predicted only one would survive. Twelve babies who received the highest dose grew stronger within months, most sitting independently and rolling over. They hit the highest score on a scale of motor function, whereas untreated babies deteriorated. By 20 months, two of the treated babies had begun to walk (Mendell et al., 2017). The Food and Drug Administration approved zolgensma in May 2019. At SfN in Chicago, Petra Kaufmann, AveXis, played videos of the first patients treated with AVXS-101. Some four years later, they are walking, running, and appear to be playing almost normally. A video of a little girl walking downstairs with nary a hint of having SMA Type I visibly moved the audience.

Scientists say its a game-changer. It is really the tremendous success with SMA that has renewed interest in gene therapy, said Clive Svendsen, Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute, Los Angeles. Speaking with Alzforum before SfN, Bart De Strooper, Dementia Research Institute, London, said the same. The success in SMA patients of both gene therapy and antisense therapy has revived interest in the whole area, De Strooper said. Nowadays, researchers tend to lump gene therapy and antisense therapy under one moniker, i.e., gene-based therapy. The SMA antisense therapy nusinersen also works in babies with SMA Type 1 and is FDA-approved (Nov 2016 news; May 2018 conference news). Unlike gene therapy, antisense therapy needs to be delivered indefinitely.

How About Neurodegenerative Disease?At SfN, scientists outlined strategies for treating adults who face years of decline due to Alzheimers, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, Huntingtons (HD) and Parkinsons diseases (PD), or other synucleinopathies. Some are being tested in clinical trials, others are in preclinical development. Some target specific losses or gains of function, others aim to rescue dying neurons more broadly. Scientists also believe that working on rare childhood diseases of lysosomal storage may give them an opening to treat this common phenotype in age-related neurodegeneration, as well.

Just this October, an ApoE gene therapy trial started enrolling. Led by Ronald Crystal at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, it will inject adeno-associated virus carrying the gene for ApoE2 into patients with early to late-stage AD who inherited two copies of ApoE4. The idea is to flood their brains with the protective allele of this apolipoprotein to try to counteract the effects of the risk allele. AAV-rh10-APOE2 will be injected directly into the subarachnoid cisternae of participants brains. The Phase 1 trialwill recruit 15 patients with biomarker-confirmed AD. Beverly Davidson, Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, has a similar ApoE2 gene therapy in preclinical development.

At SfN, Abeliovich detailed Prevails programs for forms of PD and for frontotemporal dementias that are caused by risk alleles. A trial has begun for a glucocerebrosidase-based gene therapy. The enzyme GCase is essential for lysosomes to function properly. People who have loss-of-function mutations in both copies of the GBA1 gene develop Gauchers, a lysosomal storage disease. The severest form starts in babies, most of whom die before age 2. Milder forms cause later-onset Gauchers, while heterozygous mutations in GBA1 increase risk for Parkinsons, making restoration of GCase an obvious strategy for PD. Some researchers are trying to develop ways to boost activity of the mutated enzyme (e.g., Oct 2019 news), whereas Abeliovich and colleagues have constructed AAV-9 vectors to deliver normal GBA1 into the brain to restore GCase production.

In preclinical studies, the AAV9-GBA1 construct PR001 rescued both lysosomal and brain function in models of GCase deficiency and of Parkinsons, Abeliovich said. In mice fed the GCase inhibitor conduritol epoxide (CBE), PR001 injected into the brain ventricles beefed up GCase activity and reduced glycolipid accumulation, which is a sign that lysosomes are functional. A single dose worked for at least six months. Similar results were seen in a commonly used model of Gauchers that expresses the V394L GBA mutation and only weakly expresses prosaposin and saposins, lysosomal proteins that metabolize lipids. In these 4L/PS-NA mice, PR001 made increased levels of active GCase, fewer lipids accumulated, and the mice were more mobile on a balance beam. 4L/PS-NA mice also accumulate -synuclein, the major component of Lewy bodies in PD and other synucleinopathies. In these mice, and also in A53T -synuclein mice made worse with CBE, PR001 halved the amount of insoluble -synuclein, Abeliovich reported at SfN.

In search of the right dose for humans, the scientists next turned to nonhuman primates. They injected PR001 into the cisterna magna in hopes AAV9 would broadly distribute throughout the brain. At the highest dose, 8 x 1010 capsids per gram of brain weight, exposure in the brain was similar to that seen in the mice. The virus permeated the spinal cord, frontal cortex, hippocampus, midbrain, and putamen.

Also in October, Prevail scientists began recruiting for a Phase 1/2 double-blind, sham-controlled trial to test this gene therapy in 16 people with moderate to severe PD, who have mutations in one or both copies of their GBA1 genes. Six patients each will receive a low or high dose of PR001A. Blood and CSF biomarkers to be analyzed at three and 12 months, and at follow-up, include GCase, lipids, -synuclein, and neurofilament light chain. Participants will also undergo cognitive, executive, and motor-function tests and brain imaging. A Phase 1/2 trial of PR001 in neuronopathic Gauchers, which affects the brain and spinal cord, will start soon, Abeliovich said.

Other groups are boosting dopamine production in Parkinsons by way of gene therapy. VY-AADC,developed by Voyager Therapeutics, Cambridge, Massachusetts, packages the gene for L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC), which converts L-dopa into dopamine, in an AAV-2 vector that is delivered into the brain. Two Phase 1 open-label trials are testing safety and efficacy. Both the PD-1101 and PD-1102 trials use MRI to guide injections of the vector bilaterally into the putamina of 15 or 16 patients, respectively. According to preliminary results presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology this past May, the virus penetrated half of the putamen and AADC activity, as judged by 18F-DOPA PET, increased by 85 percent in the latter study. Seven of eight treated patients reported improvement after a year, along with longer on time on L-DOPA, and shorter off time. Off time is the period when L-DOPA effects wear off and patients experience loss of motor control. RESTORE-1, a Phase 2 study of 42 patients, started in 2018 and will run to the end of 2020.

Long-Lived Gene Therapy. When a Parkinsons disease patient died eight years after neurturin gene therapy, the trophin was still being expressed in their putamen (top left) and substantia nigra (bottom left), where it corresponded with tyrosine hydroxylase activity (right). [Courtesy of Jeff Kordower.]

Also in PD, Kordower and colleagues plan to re-evaluate neurturin-based gene therapy. Previously, the gene for this neurotrophin was delivered in an AAV2 vector into the brains of Parkinson patients in Phase 1 and 2 trials. This did not improve motor function. Even so, in Chicago Kordower showed that in two patients who died eight and 10 years later, the inserted gene was still expressing neurturin and that dopamine levels were higher on the injected than the contralateral side of the substantia nigra/putamen. This shows us that long-term gene expression can be achieved in the human brain, said Kordower (see image above). He believes that by focusing delivery with ultrasound, or tweaking the capsid itself, he may be able to generate enough gene expression to improve function.

Separately, AAV-GAD, a gene therapy for PD that showed promise in Phase 2 (Mar 2011 news) was acquired by MeiraGTx, New York, which will continue to develop it in the U.S. and Europe, according to founder Samuel Waksal (Nov 2018 news).

For its part, Prevail has a gene transfer construct for frontotemporal dementia in the pipeline, as well. Called PR006, it carries GRN, the gene encoding progranulin, on an AAV9 vector. GRN mutations cause familial FTD and, much like GBA mutations, do their dirty work via lysosomal dysfunction. In Chicago, Abeliovich reported that PR006 boosted progranulin release from neurons derived from FTD-GRN patients, nearly doubling their levels of mature Cathepsin D, the lysosomal protease that chops progranulin into granulins and indicates healthy lysosomes. In progranulin knockout mice, PR006 restored brain GRN expression and progranulin secretion into the CSF. Abeliovich said he expects a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in FTD patients to start in early 2020.

The biotech company Passage Bio, Philadelphia, is planning for clinical trials early next year with its AAV-GRN vector. MeiraGTx, New York, is banking on a different approach for FTD. They have developed an AAV carrying UPF1, which encodes regulator of nonsense transcripts 1. This protein helps clear out aberrant RNAs through a process call nonsense-mediated decay. MeiraGTx hopes this will restore homeostasis to RNA processing. AAV-UPF1 will be trialed for FTD and all forms of ALS bar those caused by mutations in SOD1. For SOD ALS, Novartis, Basel, Switzerland, and REGENXBIO, Rockville, Maryland, have a vector in preclinical testing.

For his part, Svendsen is taking a different approach. His lab tackles ALS with ex vivo gene therapy. The idea is to engineer clinical-grade human stem cells to produce glial-derived growth factor, and inject them into the spinal cord, much like the early NGF studies did in AD. Svendsen hopes the cells will churn out enough of the neurotrophin to protect spinal cord motor neurons. In a Phase 1/2a trial, 18 ALS patients have received these cells into one side of their spinal cords, such that each person serves as his or her own control. If this works, they would regain mobility only on the injected side. The trial finished in October; Svendsen expects results to come out in a few months. In a follow-up study, the scientists are trying to do the same with induced pluripotent stem cells. This would allow them to transplant autologous cells into patients, avoiding immune rejection

Other groups are deploying gene therapy as a way to improve immunotherapy, shield neurons from stress, or even generate neurons from astrocytes to make up for those lost to neurodegeneration.Tom Fagan

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The warnings are already up in the popular press: Conversations during the Thanksgiving feast can be hazardous if they veer into political territory. But political talk can take place in theory: A data research company has now determined what topics are safe to talk about on the holiday.

With some qualitative analysis and a little common sense, weve created a cheat sheet that will help you blaze a path through Thanksgiving dinner that steers clear of treacherous political pitfalls and dangerous inter-uncle conflicts, reports Ranker.com, a Los Angeles-based media company which uses crowdsourcing to rank public opinion on multiple topics, typically at the rate of 15 million votes a month.

They have determined what political topics are the least and the most likely to set off a Thanksgiving dinner squabble. Their judgment is based on 300,000 votes from 40,000 respondents.

The topics to avoid this year: Abortion, immigration, terrorism and gender equality. The topics which are safe for dinnertime discussion: Ineffective government, health care reform and education.

If there are millennials present, they will be triggered, the organization says, by talk of abortion, police brutality and pollution. Generation X members will be set off by such topics as homelessness, affordable housing and campaign finance reform. Baby boomers will go to battle over terrorism, immigration and the moral decline of the nation.

The organization also has warnings for dinner hosts in certain states. If they live in Florida, their guests will be particularly sensitive about discussions of vaccines. In Indiana, its gender equality while Georgia diners are prone to fight over police brutality. Beware of talking about gun control at dinner tables in both California and Missouri; Texans get feisty over moral decline. New Yorkers get upset over transgender issues.

We examined each issue on a case-by-case basis to find the topics that are most likely to cause disagreement, as well as the ones on which people tend to either agree or not care about, Ranker.com explains.

A VERY SPECIALIZED MEAL

While most of us are enjoying turkey and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, the staff at one laboratory at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles will be busy serving a meal to stem cells.

Stem cells do not observe national holidays, says Loren Ornelas-Menendez, manager of the very specialized lab that converts samples of adult skin and blood cells into stem cells which the human body uses to make our cells in the first place.

These special cells help medical scientists learn how diseases develop and how they might be cured. The lab is tending millions of them. Oh, but they have needs.

Stem cells are living creatures that must be hand-fed a special formula each day, monitored for defects and maintained at just the right temperature. And that means the cell lab is staffed every day, 52 weeks a year, the lab notes in a public advisory.

Many people have dogs. We have stem cells, says Ms. Ornelas-Menendez.

Derived from hundreds of healthy donors and patients, the resident induced pluripotent stem cells or iSPCs are keys to potential treatments for diabetes, breast cancer, Alzheimers disease, blindness, Parkinsons disease and Crohns disease, among other conditions. Ten lab technicians monitor the cells through microscopes each day and cull out any cells which have gone awry for one reason or another.

But what do they eat even on Thanksgiving?

While the cells get sorted, a special feeding formula is defrosting in a dozen bottles spread around a lab bench. The formula includes sodium, glucose, vitamins and proteins. Using pipettes, employees squeeze the liquid into food wells inside little compartments that contain the iPSCs. Afterward, they return the cells to their incubators, the lab advises.

Lab director Dhruv Sareen suggests that people consider offering a toast to the stem cells on Thanksgiving.

One day the cells they tend could lead to treatments for diseases that have plagued humankind for centuries, he says. And thats something to be truly thankful for.

THE GIPPERS FAVORITE

Back by popular demand, Inside the Beltway again shares this little known but historic recipe for President Reagans Favorite Macaroni and Cheese enjoyed by Ronald Reagan and his family on Thanksgiving and other holidays. What follows is a step-by-step shared by Mrs. Ronald Reagan, Washington, D.C., Wife of the President in a spiral-bound community cookbook published by the American Cancer Societys Northern Virginia division in 1983. The recipe serves six and is baked at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.

The directions are from the cookbook reflecting the style, perhaps, of another era:

1/2 pound macaroni, 1 teaspoon butter, 1 egg, beaten; 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, 3 cups grated cheese, sharp; 1 cup milk.

Boil macaroni in water until tender and drain thoroughly. Stir in butter and egg. Mix mustard and salt with 1 tablespoon hot water and add to milk. Add cheese leaving enough to sprinkle on top. Pour into buttered casserole, add milk, sprinkle with cheese. Bake until custard is set and top is crusty.

Curious about what transpired at a Reagan Thanksgiving? A 1985 Los Angeles Times account noted this:

President and Mrs. Reagan gathered with their family for a quiet Thanksgiving dinner at their fogbound ranch in the Santa Ynez mountains, where the main topic of conversation was the weather. The Reagans did not seem to mind the enforced seclusion as they sat down to a traditional turkey dinner, prepared by Ann Allman, the Reagan familys longtime cook in California. It was an all-American menu that included cornbread dressing, cranberries, string beans, mashed potatoes, salad, pumpkin pie and monkey bread, a family favorite.

POLL DU JOUR

46% of Americans say long standing family tensions are the cause of family fights during holidays.

37% say general politics is the cause; 33% cite the 2020 presidential race.

24% say someones future plans cause the fights; 24% say money.

22% say the behavior of guests; 21% say drinking and alcohol.

18% say holiday cooking is the cause.

Source: A YouGov poll of 1,310 U.S. Adults conducted Sept. 25-26 and released Tuesday.

Have a happy Thanksgiving and thank you for reading Inside the Beltway.

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Inside the Beltway: Abortion, immigration among forbidden topics at Thanksgiving table - Washington Times

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Aristotle already observed in the fourth century B.C. that some animals can regrow their tails after losing them, but the mechanisms that support this kind of regeneration remain difficult to understand.

Using single-cell genomics, scientists at the Wellcome Trust / Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute at the University of Cambridge developed an innovative strategy to show what happens in different tadpole cells when they regenerate their tails.

Recent advances at Cambridge in next-generation single-cell sequencing mean that scientists can now track which genes are turned on throughout a whole organism or tissue, at the resolution of individual cells. This technique, known as single-cell genomics, makes it possible to distinguish between cell types in more detail based on their characteristic selection of active genes.

These groundbreaking discoveries are beginning to reveal a map of cellular identities and lineages, as well as the factors involved in controlling how cells choose between alternative pathways during embryo development to produce the range of cell types in adults.

Using this technology, Can Aztekin and Dr Tom Hiscock under the direction of Dr Jerome Jullien made a detailed analysis of cell types involved in regeneration after damage in African clawed frog tadpoles (Xenopus laevis). Details were published in the journal Science.

Dr Tom Hiscock said: Tadpoles can regenerate their tails throughout their life; but there is a two-day period at a precise stage in development where they lose this ability. We exploited this natural phenomenon to compare the cell types present in tadpoles capable of regeneration and those no longer capable.

The researchers found that the regenerative response of stem cells is orchestrated by a single sub-population of skin cells, which they named Regeneration-Organizing Cells, or ROCs.

Can Aztekin said: Its an astonishing process to watch unfold. After tail amputation, ROCs migrate from the body to the wound and secrete a cocktail of growth factors that coordinate the response of tissue precursor cells. These cells then work together to regenerate a tail of the right size, pattern and cell composition.

In mammals, many tissues such as the skin epidermis, the intestinal epithelium and the blood system, undergo constant turnover through life. Cells lost through exhaustion or damage are replenished by stem cells. However, these specialised cells are usually dedicated to tissue sub-lineages, while the ability to regenerate whole organs and tissues has been lost in all but a minority of tissues such as liver and skin.

Professor Benjamin Simons, a co-author of the study said: Understanding the mechanisms that enable some animals to regenerate whole organs represents a first step in understanding whether a similar phenomenon could be reawakened and harnessed in mammalian tissues, with implications for clinical applications.

This research was funded by the University of Cambridge, the Cambridge Trust andthe Wellcome Trust;and supported by theEuropean Molecular Biology Organization, the Royal Society,theEuropean Molecular Biology Laboratory, and Cancer Research UK.

Source: University of Cambridge Research

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Scientists find a cell that helps tadpoles tails regrow - Vryheid Herald

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(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

David G. Armstrong, University of Southern California

(THE CONVERSATION) What if someone told you that theres a disease you could catch where you couldnt feel any symptoms coming on? And that this occurs every 1.2 seconds somewhere in the world?

What if you were stricken with this disease then there would be a 5% chance youd lose a limb within a year and a 50-70% chance youd be dead in five years? What if you were told that this problem cost more than the five most expensive cancers in the U.S. but far less than one one-thousandth of comparative federal and private funding is spent on attacking it?

Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to introduce you to the humble diabetic foot ulcer. While the problem may strike at the end of the body, far away from the heart or the brain, its effects are far-reaching.

I have spent my career treating and researching the lower extremity complications of diabetes. Based on my research and experience, I believe our society could eliminate immeasurable suffering if we collectively paid more attention to this problem.

How do diabetic foot ulcers occur?

OK, I know this isnt a sexy topic. Foot wounds are ugly. Many people who have them are poor. But bear with me. They are a reality for far too many Americans and people across the globe. The ages of these patients are bimodal, in that there is one population of people who are old and getting older. Conversely, with more and more people being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes earlier, there is a population that is younger than ever being afflicted with wounds, infections and amputation. Ignoring the problem is an example of ignoring the needs of a silent and vulnerable population.

About 31 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, and about half a billion worldwide.

Diabetic foot ulcers develop because people with diabetes slowly lose the gift of pain. Over many years, people with diabetes lose feeling in their extremities. This occurs first and generally most profoundly in their feet.

Once this occurs, people with diabetes might wear a hole in their foot, just as you or I might wear a hole in a sock or shoe. This hole is called a diabetic foot ulcer.

About half the time, the ulcer will become infected. This increases the risk of further tissue damage and, in the face of frequent vascular disease, high-level amputation. Often all of this occurs with few, if any, symptoms until it is too late.

Solutions and hope

There is also good news. Studies have suggested that high-level amputations seem to decrease when interdisciplinary care is in place, regardless of the country.

Interdisciplinary teams consist of podiatric and vascular surgeons, the so-called Toe and Flow model. The concept is simple; these two specialists, can manage a great deal of the medical, surgical and biomechanical aspects of healing and aftercare.

When we add core physical therapy to this, then the threesome (what we in the field call Toe, Flow and Go) is really quite formidable. For example, our clinics at the University of Southern California and Rancho Los Amigos in Los Angeles have active participation from more than eight specialists ranging from plastic surgery to prosthetics/orthotics, to occupational therapy to nutrition to general practice to infectious disease to diabetology to nurse case management.

Truly, it takes a village to preserve a limb.

Smart boots, high-tech vacuums and sheets of stems cells

It has long been said in wound care that its not what one puts on a wound that heals it, but what one takes off. That maxim is absolutely true in the diabetic foot. Protection of the wound is key.

The gold standard for protecting the wound has been, believe it or not, to put the patient into a special cast. This device works so well because it protects the foot in a process known as offloading, or taking the burden off the foot. By its design, this cast is not easy to remove.

While this has been my personal favorite device to heal these foot wounds, patients dont like it and most doctors dont, either. In fact, fewer than 2% of centers in the country use this as their primary means of offloading. Reasons for this include fear of putting an open wound into a cast (even though the data largely refute this), the time required to apply and remove it and patients being miserable in a hot and heavy device.

Very recently, tech company offshoots have begun to partner with prosthetic/orthotic companies to create next-gen devices that can coax patients into wearing their protective device rather than forcing it upon them. They are using phone calls and a smartwatch.

After focusing on offloading pressure, the next question is what can be done to heal the wound.

Technologies ranging from fancy vacuums, to donated placental tissue, to repurposing blood cells into a dressing to topical oxygen systems have shown recent promise. Active research is being conducted with stem cell sheets consisting of specialized cells seeded on a clear sheet, spread-on skin, and gene therapy.

Remission

As challenging as healing the wound heals, the real challenge is whats next. Following healing, 40% of foot wounds will recur in one year, about two-thirds at three years, and nearly three out of four at five years.

At USC, along with colleagues in the National Health Service in the U.K., we have developed remission clinics designed to extend and promote an active life for this high-risk patient population.

This has also been combined with things like smart insoles, socks and home-based bathmats that can identify wounds before they occur. These technologies will likely initially be subscription-based but may expand beyond that.

Diabetic foot ulcers are common, complex and costly. Theyre sinister in that they come on quietly. Perhaps, though, it is now up to us to alert our own families, communities and leaders to this condition. It is, I believe, only by teaming up that we can stem the tide and preserve not only limbs, but extend lifespan, healthspan and hope.

[ Youre smart and curious about the world. So are The Conversations authors and editors. You can read us daily by subscribing to our newsletter. ]

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation.com/diabetic-foot-wounds-kill-millions-but-high-tech-solutions-and-teamwork-are-making-a-difference-127218.

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Diabetic foot wounds kill millions, but high-tech solutions and teamwork are making a difference - Thehour.com

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A new study by Rutgers University researchers suggests that two genes expressed in the intestinal cells that line the inside of the colon may also be involved in cancer development.

Recent studies have shown that intestinal stem cells can increase in animals on a high fat Western diet, potentially explaining an elevated cancer risk from such a diet.Diet being able to control cell proliferation is an interesting research development, particularly the convergence of dietary factors and dysregulated gene signaling driving malignant transformations and promoting an adenoma-to-adenocarcinoma progression.

This new study suggests a novel connection between HNF4A and HNF4G genes, diet and cancer.Genetic expression of HNF4 has previously been shown by to be heavily influenced by the gut microbiota, which in turn can influence a multitude of intestinal disorders.

Non-host gene regulation was further explored in this study by using a high fat diet to test how these genes work, and the researchers discovered they help co-regulate stem cell proliferation, as well as help intestine cells burn dietary fat. This was done by isolating cells from knockout and control mice and observing intestine stem cell proliferation under conditions of high fat and control. Mice that had both HNF4A and HNF4G knocked out were unable to have their stem cells proliferate under high fat conditions.

Intestinal stem cells undergo constant renewal and fuel the continuous turnover of the lining of the intestine. People naturally lose millions of intestinal cells daily, much like they lose skin cells. If this rate of replication is not closely controlled, it can quickly lead to malignancy. Lack of proliferation can be very problematic for the colon and damaging to lower layers of cells.

This [research] is important because scientists have shown that when theres too much dietary fat in the intestine, stem cell numbers increase, boosting susceptibility to colon cancer, said senior author Michael Verzi, an associate professor in the Department of Genetics in the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers UniversityNew Brunswick.

Rutgers scientists believe HNF4A and HNF4G help stem cells burn fat, providing them energy. By linking gene activation, cell replication number, diet and cancer risk, scientists might be able to better understand the cancer development process in high risk patients. Going forward, the researchers plan to continue studying whether these two genes alter stem cell numbers and cancer risk alongside a high fat diet, said Verzi.

Colorectal cancer (of the colon or rectum) is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, over 100,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colon cancer this year. This cancer is also the second most deadliest in the United States, but due to a combination of increased screening and heightened awareness the death rate has been dropping. However, in patients under the age of 55, the death rate of colon cancer has increased each year by 1% since 2007. Approximately 50,000 colon cancer patients are expected to die in 2019.

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New Link Discovered Between Cells That Burn Fat and Colon Cancer - Clinical OMICs News

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AVITA Medical (ASX: AVH, NASDAQ: RCEL), a regenerative medicine company with a technology platform positioned to address unmet medical needs in therapeutic skin restoration, and scientists at the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have announced a preclinical research collaboration to establish proof-of-concept and explore further development of a spray-on treatment of genetically modified cells for patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), with potential applicability to other genetic skin disorders.

The partnership will pair AVITA Medicals patented and proprietary Spray-On Skin Cells technology and expertise with the Gates Centers innovative, patent pending combined reprogramming and gene editing technology to allow cells to function properly. Under the terms of the Sponsored Research Agreement (SRA), AVITA Medical retains the option to exclusively license technologies emerging from the partnership for further development and commercialization. The Gates Center team is further supported by the EB Research Partnership in New York, the Los Angeles-based EB Medical Research Foundation, the London-based Cure EB Charity and government grants, in a collaborative effort to rapidly develop and translate this technology to the clinic for meaningful impact on patient lives.

The Gates Center is a leader in developing therapeutic approaches for genetic skin diseases. Researchers at the Gates Center have developed a powerful new approach for treating genetic skin disorders and improving the lives of patients with epidermolysis bullosa, said Mike Perry, PhD, chief executive officer of AVITA Medical and adjunct professor at the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine. We look forward to collaborating with the team at the Gates Center on the expanded use of our technology. This agreement marks an important milestone in AVITAs mission to harness the potential of regenerative medicine to address unmet medical needs across a broad range of dermatological indications, including genetic disorders of the skin.

Epidermolysis bullosa is a group of rare and incurable skin disorders caused by mutations in genes encoding structural proteins resulting in skin fragility and blistering, leading to chronic wounds and, in some sub-types, an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma or death. There are no approved curative therapies, and current treatment is palliative - focused primarily on pain and nutritional management, itching relief, wound care, and bandaging.

Its very exciting to partner with AVITA Medical to help advance our epidermolysis bullosa program, said Director of the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine Dennis Roop, PhD. Were looking forward to exploring a novel approach to delivering gene-edited skin cells to patients that addresses current treatment challenges.

We believe that Spray-On Skin Cells technology combined with our genetically corrected cells has the potential to be game changing in the treatment of this disease. This combination could reduce time to treatment, lower manufacturing complexity, reduce costs and improve patient outcomes, said Ganna Bilousova, PhD, assistant professor of dermatology, who is a co-principal investigator on this research program.

ABOUT THE CHARLES C. GATES CENTER FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE

The Charles C. Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine was established in 2006 with a gift in memory of Denver industrialist and philanthropist, Charles C. Gates, who was captivated by the hope and benefit stem cell research promised for so many people in the world. The Gates Center aspires to honor what he envisionedby doing everything possible to support the collaboration between basic scientific researchers and clinical faculty to transition scientific breakthroughs into clinical practice as quickly as possible.

Led by Founding Director Dennis Roop, PhD, the Gates Center is located at the University of Colorados Anschutz Medical Campus, the largest new biomedical and clinical campus in the United States. Operating as the only comprehensive Stem Cell Center within a 500-mile radius, the Gates Center shares its services and resources with an ever-enlarging membership of researchers and clinicians at the Anschutz Medical Campus, which includes University of Colorado Hospital, Childrens Hospital Colorado and the Veterans Administration Medical Center, as well as the Boulder campus, Colorado State University, the Colorado School of Mines, and business startups. This collaboration is designed to draw on the widest possible array of scientific exploration relevant to stem cell technology focused on the delivery of innovative therapies in Colorado and beyond.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine work to advance science and improve care. These faculty members include physicians, educators and scientists at University of Colorado Hospital, Childrens Hospital Colorado, Denver Health, National Jewish Health, and the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The school is located on the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system. To learn more about the medical schools care, education, research and community engagement, visit its web site.

ABOUT AVITA MEDICAL LIMITED

AVITA Medical is a regenerative medicine company with a technology platform positioned to address unmet medical needs in burns, chronic wounds, and aesthetics indications. AVITA Medicals patented and proprietary collection and application technology provides innovative treatment solutions derived from the regenerative properties of a patients own skin. The medical devices work by preparing a REGENERATIVE EPIDERMAL SUSPENSION (RES), an autologous suspension comprised of the patients skin cells necessary to regenerate natural healthy epidermis. This autologous suspension is then sprayed onto the areas of the patient requiring treatment.

AVITA Medicals first U.S. product, the RECELL System, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2018. The RECELL System is indicated for use in the treatment of acute thermal burns in patients 18 years and older. The RECELL System is used to prepare Spray-On Skin Cells using a small amount of a patients own skin, providing a new way to treat severe burns, while significantly reducing the amount of donor skin required. The RECELL System is designed to be used at the point of care alone or in combination with autografts depending on the depth of the burn injury. Compelling data from randomized, controlled clinical trials conducted at major U.S. Burn Centers and real-world use in more than 8,000 patients globally, reinforce that the RECELL System is a significant advancement over the current standard of care for burn patients and offers benefits in clinical outcomes and cost savings. Healthcare professionals should read the INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE - RECELL Autologous Cell Harvesting Device (https://recellsystem.com/) for a full description of indications for use and important safety information including contraindications, warnings and precautions.

In international markets, our products are marketed under the RECELL System brand to promote skin healing in a wide range of applications including burns, chronic wounds and aesthetics. The RECELL System is TGA-registered in Australia and received CE-mark approval in Europe.

To learn more, visit http://www.avitamedical.com.

Photo at top: From left, Igor Kogut, PhD, Ganna Bilousova, PhD, and Dennis Roop, PhD.

Guest contributor: Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine/ASX

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AVITA Medical Teams With Gates Center to Advance Therapeutic Skin Restoration - CU Anschutz Today

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When it comes to our beauty and skincare products, it's easy for years to pass without an updateor even an upgrade. But because advances in beauty technology are happening at the speed of light, its always important to pause and reassesswhat we're usingfrom dog shampoo to stem-cell skincare. SoI've rounded up the best of the latest trends that have earned a place inmymakeup bag.

Its no secret that Ima major fan of Kjaer Weisthere is something utterly fresh and clean about everything for the face and body, and its as organic as it can get. Enter the latest additions to the line: the cleanser ($95) and toner ($85, both pictured above). Not only does the soft, gel-like cleanser effectively remove all makeup, but its also calming. Follow it with a quick spritz of the toner and you have hydrated and re-balanced skin. Plus, the scents aredreamy.If I could accurately describe them, I would. But I was in Bluemercury downtown recently they have sample bottles to give it a go yourself.Bluemercury, 1500 Main Street, Sarasota. (941) 365-0020

Two things on my must-do-better list: Sunscreen and preventing this neck from aging. Addressing the first, Alastin Skincares HydraTint Pro Mineral Sunscreen SPF 36 ($55) is a revelation. Not only is it lightweight, with broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sun protection, it also protects against environmental pollution and it has a universal tint that enhances most skin tones. Its the first thing Iput on in the morning before taking the dogs for a walk; I love the just-right tinted coverage.

Second, that neck thing. As much as I prefer organic and natural skincarewhen possible, I tend to lean on science for combatting aging. Enter: Nectifirm Advanced ($133). Its next-gen technology based on the ecosystem of the skins microbiome, plus eight peptides that helps skin appear firmer and lifted while lessening the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Not to mention that those in the know at Sarasota Facial Aesthetics rave about the results. Get both products atSarasota Facial Aesthetics, 1445 South Osprey Ave., Suite 2, (941) 955-8384.

I was of the mind that a razor is a razoris a razor. Well, thats changed since theFlamingo razor($9.99) came on my radar. The team raised the bar on shaving after spending years talking to women (what a concept!) who shared the nuances of their personal care rituals and how typical razors fell short. Use this once and it will be clear that they did not overlook those edges of our bodies that need extra attention.Target, 101 N. Cattlemen Road, (941) 360-7520

Speaking of: here's another kind of sunscreen, this time for the eye area. Who knew? I recently discovered Colorescience Total Eye3-in-1 Renewal Therapy SPF 35 ($74)they say it visibly improves the appearance of dark circles, puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles, while protecting the delicate eye area against photoaging with 100 percent SPF 35 mineral sunscreen. I say its great coverage, and if it comes with all of those benefits then...yay!L. Spa, 556 Pineapple Ave., (941) 906-1358

Brace yourself (and maybe your credit card) because Augustinus Baders The Cream ($265) is right there at the cutting edge for stem cell skincare. Get this: the stem cells found in skin lie dormant, awaiting an activation signal to repair the damage inflicted by life and environmental factors.The patented technology TFC8Bader's proprietary "Trigger Factor Complex"is comprised of natural amino acids, high-grade vitamins and synthesized molecules that are found naturally in the skin. Its a repairing force in an ultra-lightweight cream that guides key nutrients and powerful natural ingredients to the skin cells, creating an optimal environment for the body's innate processes of repair and renewal.Thats a lot, but all I know is that I can see the results after a lotta life has happened to my skin. Its crazy good, and I guess for the price it should be. Saks Fifth Avenue, 120 University Town Center Drive, Sarasota. (941) 364-5300

Lastly, this one is for the love of our fur kids, especially those with sensitive skin. The Malin + Goetz Dog Shampoo ($28) is infused with natural botanical amino acids to gently cleanse fur and skin without drying, stripping or irritating. And I can attest that fur dries soft and oh-so-shiny. Malin + Goetz, malinandgoetz.com

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Seven Products Our Beauty Editor Used to the Last Drop - Sarasota

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Nov. 24, 2019 23:45 UTC

VALENCIA, Calif., MELBOURNE, Australia & AURORA, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AVITA Medical (ASX: AVH, NASDAQ: RCEL), a regenerative medicine company with a technology platform positioned to address unmet medical needs in therapeutic skin restoration, and scientists at the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine announced today a preclinical research collaboration to establish proof-of-concept and explore further development of a spray-on treatment of genetically modified cells for patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), with potential applicability to other genetic skin disorders.

The partnership will pair AVITA Medicals patented and proprietary Spray-On Skin Cells technology and expertise with the Gates Centers innovative, patent-pending combined reprogramming and gene-editing technology to allow cells to function properly. Under the terms of the Sponsored Research Agreement (SRA), AVITA Medical retains the option to exclusively license technologies emerging from the partnership for further development and commercialization. The Gates Center team is further supported by the EB Research Partnership in New York, the Los Angeles-based EB Medical Research Foundation, the London-based Cure EB Charity, and government grants in a collaborative effort to rapidly develop and translate this technology to the clinic for meaningful impact on patient lives.

The Gates Center is a leader in developing therapeutic approaches for genetic skin diseases. Researchers at the Gates Center have developed a powerful new approach for treating genetic skin disorders and improving the lives of patients with epidermolysis bullosa, said Dr. Mike Perry, Chief Executive Officer of AVITA Medical and adjunct professor at the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine. We look forward to collaborating with the team at the Gates Center on the expanded use of our technology. This agreement marks an important milestone in AVITAs mission to harness the potential of regenerative medicine to address unmet medical needs across a broad range of dermatological indications, including genetic disorders of the skin.

Epidermolysis bullosa is a group of rare and incurable skin disorders caused by mutations in genes encoding structural proteins resulting in skin fragility and blistering, leading to chronic wounds and, in some sub-types, an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma or death. There are no approved curative therapies, and current treatment is palliativefocused primarily on pain and nutritional management, itching relief, wound care, and bandaging.

Its very exciting to partner with AVITA Medical to help advance our epidermolysis bullosa program, said Director of the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine Dr. Dennis Roop. Were looking forward to exploring a novel approach to delivering gene-edited skin cells to patients that addresses current treatment challenges.

We believe that Spray-On Skin Cells technology combined with our genetically corrected cells has the potential to be game changing in the treatment of this disease. This combination could reduce time to treatment, lower manufacturing complexity, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes, said Dr. Ganna Bilousova, assistant professor of dermatology, who is a co-principal investigator on this research program.

ABOUT THE CHARLES C. GATES CENTER FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE

The Charles C. Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine was established in 2006 with a gift in memory of Denver industrialist and philanthropist Charles C. Gates, who was captivated by the hope and benefit stem cell research promised for so many people in the world. The Gates Center aspires to honor what he envisionedby doing everything possible to support the collaboration between basic scientific researchers and clinical faculty to transition scientific breakthroughs into clinical practice as quickly as possible.

Led by Founding Director Dennis Roop, Ph.D., the Gates Center is located at the University of Colorados Anschutz Medical Campus, the largest new biomedical and clinical campus in the United States. Operating as the only comprehensive Stem Cell Center within a 500-mile radius, the Gates Center shares its services and resources with an ever-enlarging membership of researchers and clinicians at the Anschutz Medical Campus, which includes University of Colorado Hospital, Childrens Hospital Colorado, and the Veterans Administration Medical Center, as well as the Boulder campus, Colorado State University, the Colorado School of Mines, and business startups. This collaboration is designed to draw on the widest possible array of scientific exploration relevant to stem cell technology focused on the delivery of innovative therapies in Colorado and beyond.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine work to advance science and improve care. These faculty members include physicians, educators, and scientists at University of Colorado Hospital, Childrens Hospital Colorado, Denver Health, National Jewish Health, and the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The school is located on the Anschutz Medical Campus, one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system. To learn more about the medical schools care, education, research, and community engagement, visit its web site.

ABOUT AVITA MEDICAL LIMITED

AVITA Medical is a regenerative medicine company with a technology platform positioned to address unmet medical needs in burns, chronic wounds, and aesthetics indications. AVITA Medicals patented and proprietary collection and application technology provides innovative treatment solutions derived from the regenerative properties of a patients own skin. The medical devices work by preparing a REGENERATIVE EPIDERMAL SUSPENSION (RES), an autologous suspension comprised of the patients skin cells necessary to regenerate natural healthy epidermis. This autologous suspension is then sprayed onto the areas of the patient requiring treatment.

AVITA Medicals first U.S. product, the RECELL System, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in September 2018. The RECELL System is indicated for use in the treatment of acute thermal burns in patients 18 years and older. The RECELL System is used to prepare Spray-On Skin Cells using a small amount of a patients own skin, providing a new way to treat severe burns, while significantly reducing the amount of donor skin required. The RECELL System is designed to be used at the point of care alone or in combination with autografts depending on the depth of the burn injury. Compelling data from randomized, controlled clinical trials conducted at major U.S. Burn Centers and real-world use in more than 8,000 patients globally, reinforce that the RECELL System is a significant advancement over the current standard of care for burn patients and offers benefits in clinical outcomes and cost savings. Healthcare professionals should read the INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE - RECELL Autologous Cell Harvesting Device (https://recellsystem.com/) for a full description of indications for use and important safety information, including contraindications, warnings, and precautions.

In international markets, our products are marketed under the RECELL System brand to promote skin healing in a wide range of applications, including burns, chronic wounds, and aesthetics. The RECELL System is TGA-registered in Australia and received CE-mark approval in Europe.

To learn more, visit http://www.avitamedical.com.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This letter includes forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of words such as anticipate, expect, intend, could, may, will, believe, estimate, look forward, forecast, goal, target, project, continue, outlook, guidance, future, other words of similar meaning and the use of future dates. Forward-looking statements in this letter include, but are not limited to, statements concerning, among other things, our ongoing clinical trials and product development activities, regulatory approval of our products, the potential for future growth in our business, and our ability to achieve our key strategic, operational and financial goal. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. Each forward- looking statement contained in this letter is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statement. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, among others, the timing of regulatory approvals of our products; physician acceptance, endorsement, and use of our products; failure to achieve the anticipated benefits from approval of our products; the effect of regulatory actions; product liability claims; risks associated with international operations and expansion; and other business effects, including the effects of industry, economic or political conditions outside of the companys control. Investors should not place considerable reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this letter. Investors are encouraged to read our publicly available filings for a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements in this letter speak only as of the date of this release, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of these statements.

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AVITA Medical and the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Enter into Collaboration to Explore...

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on AVITA Medical and the Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Enter into Collaboration to Explore… | November 26th, 2019

Over lunch at the Canadian Centre for Alternatives to Animal Methods (CCAAM), Charu Chandrasekera nonchalantly mentions one of the projects her team is working on. We are just printing some human liver tissue right now, she says.

Chandrasekera launched the CCAAM at the University of Windsor in 2017, with help from the schools vice-president of research and innovation, Michael Siu, and dean of science, Chris Houser. The centre promotes non-animal methods in biomedical research, education, and regulatory (chemical safety) testing. In October 2019, the centre received a million-dollar gift from the Eric S. Margolis Family Foundation, which Chandrasekera says was instrumental in establishing the state-of-the art research laboratory, and in launching a number of important initiatives.

Chandrasekera says the move away from animal testing to human-based research models isnt radical but inevitable. After many years working in biomedical research with mouse models of heart disease and diabetes, It became very obvious that the work I was doing was not translatable [to humans], she says. Nothing was really reproducible; there were so many discrepancies and contradictions, even among the top-notch researchers.

Ninety-five per cent of drugs tested to be safe and effective in animal models fail in human clinical trials, says Chandrasekera. Alzheimers disease99.6 per cent drug failure rate, she says. It has been cured in mice. But we dont even understand the molecular mechanisms of this disease in humans, much less a cure.

RELATED:I am mine: This is what Alzheimers is like at 41

Empirical evidence from across a whole host of biomedical science disciplines shows us that animal models are failing both science and human health, echoes Elisabeth Ormandy, co-founder and executive director of Animals in Science Policy Institute, a registered Canadian charity working to promote better science without animals. Animal models can falsely show that a drug is effective, she says. They can also falsely show no effect, in which case a drug that would have been shown to be effective in humans never gets advanced to human clinical trials.

The result, she says, is billions of public tax dollars being wasted on research using ineffective animal models, and diversion of precious research funding away from other lines of scientific inquiry that might hold greater promise in terms of predicting drug safety, risk, and effectiveness.

Those other promising lines of scientific inquiry, say Ormandy and Chandrasekera, are human biology-based models. We can use human cells and tissues from cadavers, biopsies, and explanted organs [from surgeries], says Chandrasekera. And we can also engineer them. With adult stem cell technology, you can take a small biopsylike two-to-three millimetres from a persons skinto create any cell type in your body, she says. And if that person has a disease, such as Alzheimers, it will still be present in these cells. These cells can then be assembled to form tissue-like structures called organoids, or engineered through 3D-bioprinting to create more complex tissues, all of which can be combined to create what has become known as disease-in-a-dish. At present,Chandrasekera iscreating diabetes-in-a-dish.

Further, those cells and tissues can also be placed onto computer chips the size of thumb drives, where a large number of drugs can be tested to select whats most appropriate for youpersonalized medicine based on your cells, your tissues, your biologynot mouse biology, Chandrasekera explained in her April 2019 TedX Talk. The goal of the scientific community at large is to create a human-on-a-chip to emulate human biology better than animals, she says, which I think will happen over the next decade.

Currently there is no data on the success rates of human biology-based methods, because there are no drugs that have been approved without animal testing, since animal testing was mandated by regulatory guidelines several decades ago, says Chandrasekera.

However, a growing body of scientific data and internationally approved guidelines in chemical safety testing, indicate that alternative methods are equal or superior to animal models in predicting human biology, Chandrasekera says. Even computer simulations are out-predicting animal-derived data.

RELATED:Health care cannot modernize unless health policy changes first

Ifdisease-in-a-dish and toxicity-on-a-chip effortscontinue to advance at a fast pace with a sense of urgencybacked by global scientific, financial, legislative, and ethical mandates, she says, we will come to a point where we can test drugs without relying on animals.

And while Chandrasekera is busy both in the lab and on the global stage promoting her work, she is also focused on enlightening future scientists. Shes working the development of courses and degrees to train the next generation, she says, to think outside the cage.

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Hatching disease in a dish: The new frontier in drug testing - Maclean's

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Hatching disease in a dish: The new frontier in drug testing – Maclean’s | November 26th, 2019

The 88-year-old actor known for his role as Captian James T. Kirk on the popular cinema and television series Star Trek, William Shatner recently Tweeted, Today I received restorative stem cells and told his followers Is it possible to turn back the clock? I will let you know.Mr. Shatner also tweeted the Stem Cells are manufactured by Invitrx.Center for Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell Therapy at Valencia Medical Center is a pioneer in stem cell regenerative medicine in Santa Clarita Valley has been producing PRP and stem cell treatments for cosmetic treatments for cosmetic rejuvenation, hair restoration and chronic knee pain due to arthritis knee meniscus injury, cartilage, ligaments (ACL, MCL), osteoarthritis treatment. Invitrx, a California native is a global research-based company in regenerative medicine and is a major source of stem cell products for Valencia Medical Center.Non-surgical regenerative cell-based treatment uses the bodys natural healing ability to repair damaged bones, muscles, cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Knee injuries are painful and often patients are unable to walk. Our treatment protocol always uses products following FDA guidelines. Injections done with ultrasound guided needle recognition capability to ensure safety as well target the area needing treatment. Plasma; Alpha-2-Macroglobulim (A2M) is the new biologic treatment for your arthritic knee (osteoarthritis)When your hips hurt, or your knee is stiff, or your back is throbbing, that means your joint is bone on bone and there is no lubrication to ease movement.Regenerative medicine giving new hope to patients suffering from painful joint injuries such as knee, shoulder and hip with a chance to live a pain free life.Regenerative cell-based ultrasound guided injection now available to treat pain associated with joint injury. There are indications that it reduces the pain and swelling of the joints and helps lubricating and improve movements.Commonly Treated Conditions: Osteoarthritis of the Hips, Knee, and Shoulders Rotator Cuff tears of the Shoulder Meniscus, ACL and PCL tears of the kneeOur stem cell treatment using your own stem cells and with using imaging guidance ensures precise injection of stem cell, it is a highly-specialized practice.Besides treating above injuries we have advance stem cell micro-needling treatment for the following: Cell-based PRP Hair Restoration combining micro-needling with growth factors and hair follicles voluma vitamins plus BLotinyl T1, Biotin, Anti-aging and Kopexil. Non-toxin facial renewal Anti-Aging APGF Advanced Peptide Micro-needling PRP, Dual Anti-Aging Ampoules for deep hydration, more collagen to reduce wrinkles and firm skin.Dr. Ibrahim is the staff physician at Valencia Medical Center specializing in regenerative medicine, pain management, and rejuvenation. Call for a consultation at 661-222-9117.

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Star Trek's William Shatner Receives Stem Cell Treatment to Restore his Youth - Magazine of Santa Clarita

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Star Trek’s William Shatner Receives Stem Cell Treatment to Restore his Youth – Magazine of Santa Clarita | November 26th, 2019

You can maintain your youthful appearance and be less likely to have more invasive procedures later on in life if you put it effort to maintain the appearance. The same with skincare, if you put more effort now, with daily sunscreen, look after the skin and rejuvenate the skin, the likelihood of you having wrinkly sun-damaged skin later on is obviously much less.

This is the view of Dr Alexandra Grubnik, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon from Nip Tuck at the Netcare Milpark Hospital and Netcare Rosebank Hospital.

While surgical facial procedures are still being requested by South Africans, Dr Grubnik says there has been a rise in non-surgical procedures, with botox being one of the commonest procedures.

All the non-surgical procedures are done in rooms and theres absolutely no downtime. This is why theyre gaining popularity worldwide. There are people who say that in 20 years we will be doing no surgical operations.

A botox procedure involves injecting a serum that weakens the muscles to avoid getting wrinkles, while some use it to get rid of frown lines.

There is a very good twin study identical twins who participated in the study. One of them had regular botox injections every three to four months and the other just had it once upfront and did not have any for 10 years. The difference is absolutely remarkable. The other one without botox looks 20 years older than their sister, says Dr Grubnik.

This is sometimes confused with a filler, which is done to restore volume to the face and make it look more youthful.

As you age there is some resorption on the bone in the face, because theres bone loss and the soft tissues hang. When these people maintain themselves with filler, when they get to their 60s they may not need a facelift because they didnt have that droopiness that the previous generation would have had.

A filler injection (per millimetre) can cost you up to R3,000 each, while botox (per unit) is around R60.

A facelift, also common among South African women, is a procedure that involves removing excess facial skin from the lower half of the face including the chin and neck and tightening loose skin in different areas in the face.

According to Dr Grubnik, this is a big operation and requires recovery time.

There will be bruising, swelling in the face.

You can expect to pay around R95,000 for a facelift.

Also read: They do it for sexual satisfaction, says surgeon on rise in vaginal rejuvenation

Another common facial procedure in South Africa is blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery). This involves taking out excess skin in the upper and lower eyelid to remove bags in the eyelids.

Model and businesswoman Kim Kardashian shocked her social media followers a few years ago after telling them she regularly got vampire facials to keep her face looking younger.

The procedure has gained popularity among women, and Dr Grubnik says its because the procedure actually works.

A vampire facial involves taking blood from parts of your body (apart from the face), and spinning it to separate the red blood cells and the plasma.

In the plasma the platelets are in the blood. Its called platelet red plasma and this platelet red plasma is a stem cell. Stem cells have growth factors, so they rejuvenate the skin. We inject it in the face we can micro-needle it in the face.

Youre allowed to have it once every six weeks. It definitely works, theres a reason why Kim Kardashian is having it, explains Dr Grubnik.

A vampire treatment could cost you at least R3,300 per procedure and R4,200 with PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections.

Other skin care procedures include acne and oily skin treatments (R880), skin brightening treatment (R880), hydrating treatment (R880) and the red carpet peel for R1,300.

While Dr Grubnik encourages the use of these procedures for those who are willing, she also advocates for good skin care with the use of a sunscreen.

Sunscreen is paramount because the sun damages skin skin quite badly, so before you know it you will have very bad wrinkles and sun damage with pigmentation, regardless of the skin tone or colour everybody suffers equally.

People say there is a genetic predisposition to how you age and, to a certain extent it is true. If your mother looks fantastic at 70, youre blessed with those genes as well, but its not only the genetics. Looking after yourself always makes a difference.

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Vampire facials and other medical witchcraft you can buy to stay youthful today - Citizen

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Vampire facials and other medical witchcraft you can buy to stay youthful today – Citizen | November 26th, 2019

Skin is our largest organ and something we may take for granted when its healthy.

As an academic dermatologist I frequently hear misleading facts that seem to be stubbornly enduring.

Here are some of the most commonly shared myths that can be cleared up immediately, and some truths you can rely on.

TRUE Skin constantly renews itself

The skin provides a dynamic barrier between your bodys internal environment and the outside world.

Cells called keratinocytes in the epidermis (the outer layer of skin) are constantly dividing to produce a supply of cells that move up through this layer and are shed from its surface.

Skin is a rich source of stem cells with the capacity to divide and renew themselves.

FALSEDrink two litres of water a day for healthy skin

The amount of water you drink does not directly affect your skin.

Water is supplied to the skin by blood flowing through the dermis, the inner layer of skin; water is lost from the epidermis, especially in a dry environment.

Water is needed to maintain skin hydration and when you become seriously dehydrated your skin appears dull and is less elastic.

In a healthy person the internal organs kidneys, heart and blood vessels control the amount of water reaching the skin.

There is no fixed volume of water that you need to drink, it simply depends on the amounts you are using and losing.

TRUE Stress can make skin unhealthy

There are many health issues in modern life that we blame on stress, but several skin conditions have been shown in scientific studies, to be worsened by life events, possibly via stress hormones including cortisol (a steroid hormone made in the adrenal glands).

Notable examples are alopecia areata, an auto-immune condition where the bodys immunity begins to attack the hair follicles, causing hair to fall out; psoriasis, another auto-immune condition that causes skin thickening, scaling and inflammation; and eczema, itchy red skin inflammation often occurring alongside asthma, hay fever and other allergies.

Unfortunately a flare up of these skin conditions is exactly what you dont need when you are feeling stressed or under pressure.

FALSE Eating chocolate causes acne

Acne vulgaris, the common teenage acne which can actually persist into your 30s and 40s, occurs as a result of the interaction between hormonal effects on grease glands in the skin, plus the skins immune response to blocked pores and microbes living on the skin.

Eating a high fat diet is unhealthy for many reasons, but it doesnt cause acne.

In fact some tablets prescribed for severe acne such as oral isotretinoin are better absorbed when pills are swallowed with a fatty meal and that could include chocolate.

FALSE Washing powder causes eczema

Eczema is a condition where the skin is dry, itchy and red. It is caused by a combination of genetic factors (how your skin is made) and environmental effects, leading to inflammation.

Soap, detergents and washing powders can irritate the skin and contribute to dryness because they remove oil from the skin (just as washing-up liquid removes grease from your dishes).

Biological washing powders contain enzymes proteins that break down fats and other proteins to remove stains and these can irritate sensitive skin, so they may worsen eczema.

It is important that any washing power is thoroughly rinsed out of clothing before it is worn, to avoid skin irritation.

FALSE White marks on nails = calcium deficiency

Itchiness usually occurs due to dry skin, an infection or an allergic reaction.

However, it can also be a sign of cancer.

Although it is unclear how some forms of the disease cause itchiness, medics believe it may be due to substances released by the tumour or how the body reacts to the growth.

This itching tends to be all over the body but worse on the legs and chest.

It usually goes away once cancer treatment starts.

But cancer drugs themselves can also cause itchiness, which can be a sign they are working.

Certain anti-depressants, steroid creams and complementary therapies like foot massages can help ease the irritation.

To cope people should limit the numbers of baths they have, apply unscented moisturisers, wear natural fabrics and keep rooms cool.

Keeping nails short also reduces the damage scratching the skin can cause.

Source:

Nails are manufactured in the nail matrix, an area under the skin at the top edge of your nail.

If the matrix is traumatised, bumped or bitten, an irregularity in the developing nail occurs and air can become trapped.

This appears as a white mark as the nail grows out. Calcium is important for healthy nails (as well as bones and teeth) but these white marks are not a sign of deficiency.

TRUE AND FALSE Sunshine is good for you

Many people have experienced the feel-good factor of a sunny day, but there are good and bad effects of sunlight.

Light from the sun includes a mixture of different wavelengths of light: some are visible to the human eye, some are shorter than the colours we can see these are called ultraviolet (UV) and some are longer, the infrared. Different wavelengths have different effects on skin.

UVB is used by skin to manufacture vitamin D which is essential for bone health. Without sun exposure this vitamin must be obtained from the diet.

Dermatologists use specific wavelengths of UVA and UVB in carefully controlled doses to reduce skin inflammation, a valuable treatment for some skin conditions.

But when the skin is exposed to too much UV it can damage the skin cells DNA, leading to uncontrolled growth the basis of cancer.

As a simple rule, unless you have a disease or treatment that suppresses your immune system, sunshine is good for you in moderation, but always avoid getting sunburned.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

The basic principles of keeping skin healthy are mainly common sense. You should wash your skin regularly to remove dirt, but not so much that you remove the essential moisture and water-proofing substances.

Use a moisturiser if your skin feels tight or dry a greasy ointment works best unless you have acne-prone skin, in which case you should use a non-greasy water-based cream.

Avoid stress if possible, eat a healthy diet and drink water when you feel thirsty. And finally, protect your skin from too much sun with a hat and clothing or sunscreen.

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The SEVEN myths and truths about healthy skin - Stock Daily Dish

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on The SEVEN myths and truths about healthy skin – Stock Daily Dish | November 26th, 2019

The era of environmentally conscious users has hit the market; and theres a sharp increase of customers who prefer sustainable life choices. They tend to seek out and promote cruelty-free products and brands. Consumers today are becoming more and more vigilant about the ingredients used in their favourite merchandise, the technology, and science behind it all, especially when it comes to cosmetics.

This change in mindset has created a completely new sector of skincare: vegan products. Completely warding off any animal products or by-products, veganism is becoming the popular choice of the modern world. Having a vegan outlook helps in the detoxing of your body and gives great health benefits to your skin. Plabita Sharma, a skincare expert at The Body Shop, India, underlines some benefits of vegan skincare products:

Skin-friendly: Vegan products are a rich source of nourishment and natural goodness as they are made from plants, minerals, and some safe synthetic ingredients.

Animal-friendly/not tested on animals: While not everyone is an animal rights activist, but knowing the essentials used on your skin are not tested on animals is guilt-free in itself.

Safe from harmful chemicals: Choosing vegan products will save you from harmful chemicals and cruel cosmetics and give you glowing skin.

Prevents various skin problems: Vegan products decreases the chances of skin problems such as rashes, allergies, eczemas, acne, skin inflammation and skin diseases due to lack of chemicals used. These are perfect for sensitive skin.

Remedy for all skin concerns: Ingredients such as Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Red Algae, Coconut Oil, Plant stem cells and alike products benefit the skin addressing all kinds of concerns. Like Vitamin C for radiance, Tea tree oil for grumpy acne, aloe vera to soothe the skin, wheat germ oil to nourish the skin and many more.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

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This is why you should switch to vegan skin care products - Hindustan Times

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on This is why you should switch to vegan skin care products – Hindustan Times | November 25th, 2019

Discovery of New Method Speeds Up Precision 3D BioprintingAndrew Wheeler posted on November 19, 2019 |

In the world of additive manufacturing (AM), the promises of bioprinting would be truly groundbreaking if they were to be kept and fully realized. The unscalable mountain is the ability to 3D print patient-specific organs. There would be no more organ rejection from transplants in post-operative care. In 2017, Gartner predicted that this medical innovation would occur within a decade.

Currently, simple tissues are 3D printed by various companies. For example, Poietis established and commercialized a laser methodology for 3D printing biological matter like skin cells and liver tissue. They released a commercial skin product in 2018 and established a partnership with LOral and BASF. Another example comes from the company CELLINK. It makes bioprinters used by pharmaceutical researchers in order to test the effects of drugs on living human tissue.

The technology and techniques of 3D bioprinting still have a long way to go before patient-specific organ transplants transform from fantasy to reality. Recent developments from TU Wien in Austria highlight one of the main factors in achieving what is now impossible: speed.

These are living cells photographed in a 3D scaffold. Weeks 1, 3 and 5 are pictured from left to right. The top images show the 3D setup and the bottom shows just one layer. The indications for increased precision and speed are significant for bioprinting and the ultimate goal of 3D printing patient-specific organs for transplants. (Image courtesy of TU Wien.)

The 3D scaffold and bioink developed at TU Wien will allow researchers to achieve new levels of accuracy in ongoing studies about the behavior of cells. The cell behavior as diseases spread is an important aspect of discovering new treatment methods. The introduction of stem cells to the new process makes it possible to create fully customized tissue.

3D bioprinting techniques differ in many ways. Some are less precise while others produce cells that do not last very long. Some cells produced through 3D bioprinting have material properties that limit their efficacy.

Cell behavior can differ greatly depending the chemical properties, shape and mechanical nature of the environment. For example, it is important for the environment to be permeable in order to ensure the survival and multiplication of cells embedded within. Countering that, the environment must strike the right type of balance in respect to stiffness and flexibility so that the structures do not degrade.

The key is to have new environments for embedding the cells, either liquids or gels, that solidify exactly where they are shot with a focused laser beam. The catch-22 is that the laser beam and the materials must not in any way harm the embedded living cells, and it has to happen as rapidly as possible.

TU Wien researchers solved this complex issue by using two-photon polymerization methods. These methods use a chemical reaction that has specific prerequisites for activation. When a molecule of the material that makes up the environment where the living cells are embedded absorbs two photons, an extremely intense laser beam activates a chemical reaction. At the precise point where the two photons are absorbed, the environmental substance stiffens but the surroundings remain liquid. The level of precision and intricacy at which structures can be constructed increases.

This process alone is slow, but using scaffolds has helped researchers develop a method that enables them to print structures in a few hours. Additionally, these new structures have an increased likelihood of surviving and living longer.

Researchers can now define exactly how an environmental structure should behave to foster specific types of cell migration and growth. They also can predict with greater accuracy how long a structure will last and when it will degrade.

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Discovery of New Method Speeds Up Precision 3D Bioprinting - ENGINEERING.com

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Discovery of New Method Speeds Up Precision 3D Bioprinting – ENGINEERING.com | November 25th, 2019

Tonight, the ABC will air a three-part documentary series tackling sexual harassment in the workplace.

Among many other brave and formidable women, one of the people featured in the documentary is me.

Except, ironically, you cant actually know what happened to me. What precisely was done to me, which led me to being on your TV screens. You also cant know how my employers handled the situation. You cant know what happened to that perpetrator.

Despite the name of the documentary, Silent No More, I, for a large part, am legally silenced.

This is absolutely through no fault of the incredible documentary makers, who fought so hard for the inclusion of my story. Rather, the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) I signed when I resigned from the workplace after experiencing ongoing sexual harassment from this one employee.

I suppose one of the questions on your mind must be what compelled me to sign an NDA. I had just turned 18 when the perpetrator walked into my life. I was also 18 when I resigned and the settlement, including the NDA, was processed.

Now 21, I dont think Im far enough away from the experience to truly understand how my age impacted the situation. However, I am certain that when youre 18 and your employers, colleagues and perpetrator arent, the imbalance of power between all parties is only tipped further.

At no age is it easy to stare down the barrel of a sexual harassment case, but when youre 18 years old and receiving letters from lawyers, my mind said to get out. Fast.

When I first told my mum what this man was doing to me at work, I just wanted to resign. I didnt want to report. I just so desperately wanted to get out. I had become terrified and physically sick with fear at work, that I wanted the fastest one-way route out of that place: resignation.

With some convincing from my mum and a lawyer, we started some very simple proceedings. Opening up conversations with the employer about my options. To be transparent, I could have escalated my claim to the states Workplace Health and Safety regulator or taken it to court. It was explained that both of those could be quite long and rigorous processes to endure.

And, like many people who dont report allegations of violence, they were simply processes I could not endure. Few people warned me the process of reporting, which I cant talk about, would incur a different type of trauma to the harassment itself. I still had uni to go to the next day, work in my other jobs, and also be an 18-year-old who didnt run home fuelled by bottled panic from the train station.

So, thats how we came to me resigning and settling. Settlement involves a whole bunch of things and agreements, which you cant know about, but the biggest part of the settlement is the NDA inclusion.

I balanced what the settlement gave me; my safety, against what it took away from me; my ability to explain what had been done to me, and I chose my safety.

Despite the way it tears at my heart that people cant know about my experiences, I would choose my safety again. Because, unfortunately, we still do live in a cruel structure that makes many of us choose.

Safety.

Or, your voice.

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"I was 18 when I came home and told my mum I was being sexually harassed at work." - Mamamia

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on "I was 18 when I came home and told my mum I was being sexually harassed at work." – Mamamia | November 25th, 2019

In Switzerland we know how to make watches. We also know how to stop time, reads the giant poster in the lobby.

Im at Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa in Interlaken to sample their Better Aging program and find out if you really can stop the clock and stay looking young or if such ideas are just cuckoo.

The area certainly has a feel of youthful exuberance about it when I arrive Im greeted by paragliders, their colourful canopies drifting down onto the green across from the hotel. During my stay, not a day goes by without seeing the red and yellow wings in death-defying loops.

I can watch them from my room a smart black, brown and gold chamber housing a hard double bed with two single duvets, the traditional Swiss arrangement presumably designed to prevent greedy partners from hogging the covers. Every evening theres a Swiss truffle on my pillow.

The balcony looks out towards the Bernese Alps and the snowy peaks of Jungfrau, which means young woman or maiden. The setting of my anti-ageing quest really couldnt be better.

My journey begins at Nescens Spa, a bright space with lots of natural light, candles and trailing plants.

Spa director Hans-Peter notes down my vitals and bids me stand on a body analysis machine before Im whisked off to a room with personal trainer Brigitte, an intimidatingly fit-looking 49-year-old with a blonde crop.

Its not all bad news I have more muscle than her but I have a lot of body fat (not exactly news to me). She tells me my visceral fat is of particular concern and, among other things, advises me to avoid fruit with a high sugar content such as pineapple and grapes.

The next step is easier to take a de-stressing massage using anti-ageing Nescens oil. This should smoothe the skin and boost cell recapitalisation. The massage is gentler than others Ive had, and quite relaxing, but I cant say my skin looked different afterwards.

The spa does boast outstanding relaxation areas, however. Comfortable couches with mountain views, a smart sauna and the apex of steam rooms with twinkly lights in its starry ceiling, a fountain in middle and a gentle mint scent wafting through the air.

The next morning we come at the ageing issue via exercise with a morning of gentle Pilates. Its run by another uber-fit blonde, Iris.

Then its time for a Better Aging lunch beetroot, goats cheese and orange salad followed by a delicious sea bream with basillicum and vegetables.

Usually guests on the programme stay for at least four days, during which time meals are matched to help them achieve their fitness goals but this cant be easy with a pizzeria, Sapori, as part of the hotel.

The afternoon is dedicated to more exercise a brisk 5km walk with Iris again, through woodland and along the river, emerald with glacier water.

I have the highest hopes for todays anti-ageing treatment a classic silk bliss facial using Sensai products.

My beautician, Nicole, explains how the silk in the range was previously reserved for the Emperor of Japan. Apparently the products can activate your stem cells to help remove wrinkles.

The facial begins with Sensai Silky Purifying Creamy Soap followed by a steamer to open the pores, and some seriously thorough extraction work.

Next came the Silky Purifying Silk Peeling Mask and a mud soap wash and mask, left for six minutes. Finally came four more serums and creams.

My skin looked blotchy but felt very soft afterwards like a velvety cushion. The blotchiness was gone within half an hour, replaced with a glow. The next morning I could feel a spot coming on my neck but my face was plump, smooth and even.

The next day, after a Better Aging breakfast of light bites including tomatos, olives and smoothies, Im back with Brigitte for Nescens Full Body Training. Im cheered by the sight of some pensioners in the class. How hard can it be?

Quite hard, is the answer a full-on but not unbearable 45 minutes of planks, sit ups, star jumps and stretching giant blue elastic bands.

Afterwards I reward myself with a swim in the stunning pool. The main spa has a white, black and gold theme and incredible views.

It also has a lovely outdoor jacuzzi which you swim out to, with bubble beds, jets to massage your feet and back, and a clearer look at the mountains.

At the end of my trip I was more relaxed, my skin felt smoother and I felt fitter. While I may not look younger, as someone approaching 40 Im certainly less stressed about ageing.

Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa (Picture: Yvette Caster/Metro.co.uk)

Where to stay in Switzerland

Rooms at Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa cost from 296 per night, with breakfast. Better Aging guests get a 50 per cent discount in high season and 25 per cent discount in low season.

The Better Aging program lasts from four days and costs from 2,499 per person, which includes treatments, personal training and meals.

I flew with Swiss Air from Heathrow to Zrich. Flights cost from 177 return.

To get to the spa I took the train from Zrich airport to Interlaken OST via Bern. Return tickets cost from 116 via Switzerland Tourism. The hotel was about five minutes from the station by taxi.

A Swiss Travel Pass offers unlimited travel throughout the rail, bus and boat network. It includes entrance to 500 museums and costs from 185.

For more on Switzerland visit http://www.MySwitzerland.com.

Where to stay in Heathrow

I stayed at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow a decadent way to extend the spa experience.

The lobby features an impressive chandelier and theres dark wood and bronzes throughout.

The hotels spa has just had a revamp, and has a relaxation area, cosy sauna, powerful jacuzzi and beautiful blue and gold steam room.

The revamped Radisson spa at the hotel (Picture: Yvette Caster/Metro.co.uk)

I loved the showers you use between each part of the spa. Im sure they would delight fellow Pratchett fans, bringing to mind the Archchancellors bathroom as they do. There were buttons for cold mist, Caribbean storm and waterfall (but thankfully no Old Faithful).

I also tried their chocolate orange massage a thorough, full body treatment. I wasnt overpowered by scent and only really noticed the mild smell of cocoa when it was applied to my chest. It left me feeling refreshed and smelling sweet.

The hotel has two places to dine, Indian restaurant Anayu and Steak and Lobster. My T-bone steak was pleasant, although the blue cheese sauce was a bit bland, while the skinny fries were deliciously seasoned.

I enjoyed chatting to Radissons virtual host, Edward. You can text him anything 24/7 order room service, ask for late checkout and enquire about hotel services. It was like having my own PA.

Rooms at Radisson Blu Edwardian cost from 76.50 per night. They are offering Stay, Park and Fly packages from 102.50 per night, including parking for trips for eight to 15 days.

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The fountain of youth? I tested a better anti-ageing program in Switzerland - Metro.co.uk

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