FUNDING SHOULD CONTINUE UNDER APPEL

Sept. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The government should be allowed to continue funding embryonic stem-cell research while it appeals a lower court order banning the programs, the Justice Department said in a court filing.

“Disruption of ongoing research will result in irreparable setbacks and, in many cases, may destroy a project altogether,” the department wrote in a filing today with the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington. Arguments are set for Sept. 27.

The appeals court said on Sept. 9 the government can keep funding embryonic stem-cell research at least in the initial stages of its challenge to a judge’s ban on taxpayer support for any activity using cells taken from human embryos. The Justice Department argued that District Judge Royce Lamberth’s order cutting off funding would cause irreversible harm to researchers, taxpayers and scientific progress.

Foes of U.S. funding for embryonic stem-cell research said a ban won’t have any permanent impact on the research and should remain in effect while the federal government appeals. U.S. arguments are “speculation, misinformation, and hyperbole,” the opponents, adult stem-cell researchers competing for funds, said in legal papers filed last week.

The case is Sherley v. Sebelius, 10-5287, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (Washington).

STEM CELLS AND HEART FAILURE

Banner Sun Health Research Institute is on the front line of nature-inspired research that could put an end to heart failure.
One million Americans die from coronary artery disease each year, making it the nation’s No. 1 killer, according to Banner’s announcement of $2.6 million in funding backing research led by Dr. Mohamed Gaballa.
“The heart can rebuild tissue, that is a fact,” said the Banner institute senior scientist and lead investigator for the adult-stem-cell research project. “Our technique using adult stem cells simply mirrors the work of nature. We’re providing the resources that allow the complex mechanisms of the body to heal itself.”
Sun Health Foundation is providing $2 for the current research with the other $600,000 coming from Banner Health.
Human trials using adult stem cells to build new heart tissue are expected to begin within a year and a half, however, that step brings challenges in funding, Gaballa said. Without patentable drugs or tools that could provide profits, investors often ignore this type of project, according to Banner.


Read more: Stem cell research gets $2.6M seeking cure for heart failure - Phoenix Business Journal

TROY RECORD ARTICLE WITH COMMITTEE CHAIRWOMAN MARY DUBOIS

Five Questions for Sept. 8, 2010: Mary DuBois
Published: Wednesday, September 08, 2010

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By Siobhan Connally












Mary DuBois is a Capital District busi¬

ness woman and committee chairwoman,

corporate donations and master of cere¬

monies for the second annual “Rally for

Ali,” an annual event honoring Alison

FiskUrzan, who died Sept. 21, 2008 from

complications of diabetes. The event takes

place Sept. 25 from 1 to 6 p.m. at Krause’s

Grove in Halfmoon.


Q What is the Rally for Ali?


A The 2nd Annual ‘Rally for Ali’, a

Picnic for a Cause is a fundraising

event in search of a cure for Diabetes.

All donations raised in Ali’s memory

will go to Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

Because Ali and her husband, Wally

Urzan, were avid motorcycle enthusiasts,

a pre-picnic motorcycle rally around the

beautiful Tomhannock Reservoir in Ali’s

honor will meet at the Troy Plaza on

Hoosick Street at 10 a.m.


Q How did you become involved in the

organization?


A I became involved in the organiza¬

tion initially because of my lifelong

friendship and love of Ali and wanting

to lend my support to the hard working

committee of family and friends working

on the cause. I remain committed to the

organization for the same reasons as

well as wanting to make a difference in

the lives of so many people who are

afflicted with this disease.


Q How much has the event raised

since it began?


A To date we have raised nearly

$20,000.


Q What events are planned for this

year's rally?





A In addition to the motorcycle rally

and picnic, there will also be live

entertainment; raffle tickets for fabulous

prizes donated by local businesses,

artists, and crafters; a 50/50 raffle will

be held, as well as door prizes will be

given out. Joanie Colarusso, a represen¬

tative of Silpada Jewelry, has graciously

offered to hold a book party with all of

her profit going to the Rally for Ali.


Q You said your assumptions about

stem cell research had changed since

your involvement. Can you explain what

they were and how they changed?


A In the beginning I knew very little

about stem cell research other than

the view I received through the media

and was concerned with this contempo¬

rary moral issue. As I became involved

with the Rally for Aliorganization and

did some research, I was impressed with

the dedicated scientists at Harvard Stem

Cell Institute (www.hsci.harvard.edu/)

who are moving beyond traditional

methods and will have a significant

impact to benefit not only diabetes, but

many other chronic diseases and illness¬

es such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s,

spinal cord injury, heart disease, stroke,

arthritis, cancer, and burns to name a

few.