5TH ANNUAL RALLY WILL BE HELD SEPT 22TH, 2012

5th ANNUAL RALLY FOR ALI

IN SEARCH OF A CURE FOR DIABETES

ALL DONATIONS WILL GO TO HARVARD STEM CELL INSTITUTE

PICNIC FOR A CAUSE

KRAUSE’S GROVE, 2 Beach Road, Halfmoon, NY

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2013

1:00 PM TO 6:00 PM ~ RAIN OR SHINE

$30.00 per adult ticket at gate - $20.00 for children under 12

includes donation to Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

5 hour picnic with soda, beer, games, raffles, 50/50, live music

JAMBONE - THE BEAR BONES PROJECT - BLUE HAND LUKE

SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE BY AWARD-WINNING IRISH STEP DANCER

GRACE CATHERINE MOMROW (Ali’s cousin)

Abundant food and dessert being served 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Those who wish to join a pre-picnic motorcycle cavalcade around the beautiful Tomhannock Reservoir in Ali’s honor will meet at the Troy Plaza on Hoosick Street at 10:00 A.M. for sign up and the cavalcade will kick off at 11:00 A.M. sharp.

For more info: https://www.facebook.com/Rally4Ali


For Further Information

Contact

For the Run, Wally Urzan

518-368-4826

For the Picnic & Cause

Alison Fisk

AFisk10302@aol.com




Tuesday, June 30, 2009

GENERAL ELECTRIC GETTING INVOLVED IN STEM CELL RESEARCH

BOSTON, June 30 (Reuters) - General Electric Co (GE.N) is teaming up with U.S. biotech company Geron Corp (GERN.O) to use stem cells to develop products that could give drug developers an early warning of whether new medicines are toxic.

The venture is the largest U.S. conglomerate's most direct attempt to make a commercial products from human embryonic stem cells. Scientists say the cells hold great medical promise, but their use has been highly controversial in the United States.

Embryonic stem cells are the body's master cells and can grow into various types of human tissue, such as skin or internal organs.

GE and Geron aim to use an existing batch of stem cells to develop sample human cells that drug companies could use to test the toxicity of new drugs early in the development process, before they are ready for animal testing or human clinical trials.

The venture would not sell actual stem cells, but rather heart or liver cells derived from stem cells, said Konstantin Fiedler, general manager of cell technologies at GE Healthcare.

"This could replace, to a large extent, animal trials," Fiedler said in a telephone interview. "Once you have human cells and you can get them in a standardized way, like you get right now your lab rats in a standardized way, you can actually do those experiments on those cells."

Fiedler emphasized the products are still in an early development stage. GE estimated it would have the first commercial cells ready next year.

Geron shares surged on the news of its deal with the Fairfield, Connecticut-based company, which has made expanding its healthcare operation a major strategic push this year.

POTENTIAL, CONTROVERSY

Scientists say that research on embryonic stem cells, which are the most malleable, has enormous potential to develop treatments for cancer and other diseases [ID:nN08329064].

But using stem cells derived from days-old human embryos has been intensely controversial in the United States, where opponents say the destruction of any embryo is wrong. The Obama administration in March lifted a Bush-era decision that had forbidden federally funded researchers to work with the cells.

GE and Geron said their research would use batches of stem cell listed on a National Institutes of Health registry, which would make the work eligible for U.S. funding.

GE will fund the research and manufacturing and sell any resulting products, while Menlo Park, California-based Geron will provide its data on stem cells.

The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the arrangement.

Needham analyst Mark Monane, who follows Geron, wrote in a note to clients that the financial terms were likely "modest," but added: "The value of the opportunity lies in the quality of the partner."

In May, GE reached a deal with Cytori Therapeutics Inc (CYTX.O) to commercialize that company's StemSource product.

GE, whose healthcare unit is best known for advanced imaging systems such as CT-scan machines, said in May it planned to invest $3 billion in research and development, with a primary focus on making its products less costly to buy and operate.

GE has had since 2005 a policy to do research on stem cells, while following all U.S. and applicable laws, but had not tried to commercialize a product from them, Fiedler said.

Geron shares were up $1.14 at $7.83 in afternoon trading on the Nasdaq, while GE was down 8 cents at $11.68 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Smaller U.S. companies including StemCells Inc (STEM.O) and Aastrom Biosciences Inc (ASTM.O) and Osiris Therapeutics Inc (OSIR.O) have focused on stem-cell research, although the technology has also caught the attention of drug giants such as No. 1 Pfizer Inc (PFE.N), which last year quietly launched a stem cell initiative. (Reporting by Scott Malone in Boston, additional reporting by Esha Dey in Bangalore; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Andre Grenon)

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