The 2009 World Stem Cell Summit, co-sponsored by Johns Hopkins Medicine, begins today and continues until September 23 in Baltimore, Maryland. The conference assembles key experts in the science, ethics, policy, and business of stem cell research with an expected audience of over 1,200 participants from more than 25 countries. Among the diverse topics, there will be robust discussion about reprogrammed stem cells (iPSCs) and their use alongside embryonic stem cells in regenerative medicine.

The summit organizers have employed traditional and social networking technologies to disseminate information and updates, such as a website, news blog, Twitter site, and video (shown below).

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The “New & Interesting” series is a biweekly compilation of select research findings, news articles, and random tidbits in bullet-point format. The entries are highly abbreviated, but provide links to the original articles or abstracts if you desire to read further.

General Articles

• Brown fat as a future strategy for weight loss? (NY Times)

• Blue food dye improves recovery from spinal cord injury in mice (U Rochester)

• Americans spent $34 billion on alternative medicine in 2007 (ABC)

• Scientists decode HIV genome (US News)

Technical Articles

• The FDA initially investigated the association of TNF (tumor necrosis factor) inhibitors with lymphoma or other cancers in children in June 2008, after receiving approximately 30 reports of cancer in children and young adults on the medication. On August 4, 2009, they released their findings of an increased risk of lymphoma, leukemia, and other cancers in children and adolescents who take the TNF inhibitors. They are now requiring a Black Box Warning for these drugs, such as Remicade, Enbrel, Humira, Cimzia, and Simponi. (FDA)