Thermo Fisher Scientific Significantly Broadens Stem Cell Offering

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Article Date: 01 Aug 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, has expanded its Thermo Scientific Stem Cell ExcellenceTM program, providing new tools and technologies to advance the stem cell research process. The expanded Stem Cell Excellence portfolio now includes Thermo Scientific HyClone AdvanceSTEM™ reagents, kits and stem cell lines, as well as the Thermo Scientific Dharmacon Accell™ siRNA reagent for gene silencing and Nunc™ cell culture inserts for cell-based assays. These products address the needs of researchers conducting stem cell collection and preparation, expansion and differentiation, characterization and analysis, as well as storage and transport.

The recently launched AdvanceSTEM range of products serves a wide range of stem cell applications and includes HyClone AdvanceSTEM Serum Replacement, to support the growth of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells with minimal or no requirement for fetal bovine serum supplementation; HyClone AdvanceSTEM Low Osmo DMEM, featuring an optimized osmolarity (osmo) approximating that of murine embryonic tissue; and HyClone AdvanceSTEM™ ES-Screened Fetal Bovine Serum to aid the rapid growth of ES cells while retaining their pluripotent abilities.

Other HyClone AdvanceSTEM tools include mesenchymal stem cell and amniotic epithelial stem cell expansion kits, osteogenic, adipogenic and neural differentiation kits (developed to support human bone marrow), adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells as well as multipotent cord blood unrestricted somatic stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells from Wharton's Jelly, and amniotic epithelial stem cells from Cellular Engineering Technologies (CET). Murine embryonic stem cells, B6N and 129/X1 mouse ES cell lines from Primogenix are also available as vital tools for the modeling of human disease and the understanding of gene function.

A breakthrough gene-silencing tool, the Dharmacon Accell small-interfering RNA (siRNA) product line, has also been adopted for use within the Thermo Scientific Stem Cell Excellence program. The Accell siRNA enables uptake by stem cells and other difficult cell types without the use of viral or lipid-based delivery systems, which can be toxic to cells. This innovative capability greatly simplifies RNA-interference applications by eliminating the barriers associated with previous cellular delivery methods.

New products launched within the Nalgene® and Nunc high-quality life science labware product family include the Nunc cell culture inserts. These are available for use with 24-, 12- and 6�"well multidishes and 96-microwell plates. The inserts are treated and tested for cell attachment and growth and allow researchers to culture cells in conditions that promote more natural cellular environments than ordinary tissue culture dishes and plates.

The Thermo Scientific Stem Cell Excellence program offers a choice of proven best-in-class products, including dedicated stem cell media products from the HyClone AdvanceSTEM product family; advanced RNAi technologies from the Dharmacon product line; high-quality life science plasticware from the Nalgene and Nunc product portfolio; time-tested lab instruments from the Sorvall®, Heraeus®, Forma® and Revco® product lines; purified water from its Barnstead® product suite, along with key technologies such as its Nautilus® LIMS software and Matrix® liquid handling automation products.

For more information about the Thermo Scientific Stem Cell Excellence solutions portfolio, please visit http://www.thermo.com/stemcell.

Thermo Scientific is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving science, enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. With annual revenues of $10 billion, we have more than 30,000 employees and serve over 350,000 customers within pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research institutions and government agencies, as well as environmental and industrial process control settings. Serving customers through two premier brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific, we help solve analytical challenges from routine testing to complex research and discovery. Thermo Scientific offers customers a complete range of high-end analytical instruments as well as laboratory equipment, software, services, consumables and reagents to enable integrated laboratory workflow solutions. Fisher Scientific provides a complete portfolio of laboratory equipment, chemicals, supplies and services used in healthcare, scientific research, safety and education. Together, we offer the most convenient purchasing options to customers and continuously advance our technologies to accelerate the pace of scientific discovery, enhance value for customers and fuel growth for shareholders and employees alike.

Thermo Fisher Scientific