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Novel PET radiotracer reveals epigenetic activity in the human brain for the first time

A novel PET radiotracer developed at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital is able for the first time to reveal epigenetic activity - the process that determines whether or not genes are expressed - within the human brain.

11 Aug 2016

Scientists identify new genetic variations contributing to onset of APL

A study led by a team of scientists from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore at the National University of Singapore has identified new genetic alterations contributing to the onset of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL).

27 Jul 2016

Chromatrap describes methodologies to increase ChIP efficiency

Chromatrap, a business unit of Porvair Sciences, has published a new technical article that discusses and describes methodologies to increase Chromatin Immunoprecipitation efficiency by making sure chromatin in your samples is sheared to the correct size range.

From Chromatrap® - Porvair Sciences Ltd 19 Jul 2016

Chromatrap reports benefits of ChIP technology in ground breaking research

Chromatrap reports on 3 further customer papers published in different prestigious peer reviewed journals, which cite how its proprietary solid state Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) technology has enabled ground breaking research.

From Chromatrap® - Porvair Sciences Ltd 12 Jul 2016

JAX researchers find precise, reliable way to identify leukemia cells of origin

Every cancer starts with a single cell, and Jackson Laboratory researchers have found a precise and reliable way -- whole-genome profiling of open chromatin -- to identify the kind of cell that leads to a given case of leukemia, a valuable key to cancer prognosis and outcome.

11 Jul 2016

Scientists identify epigenetic alterations involved in autoinflammatory diseases

Researchers from the Chromatin and Disease group of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, led by Dr. Esteban Ballestar, have identified for the first time epigenetic alterations in autoinflammatory diseases, particularly in cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS).

8 Jul 2016

Researchers discover mechanism of gene silencing in hormone-dependent breast cancer cells

Sometimes, the silencing of a gene is as important as its activation. Nonetheless, up to now, most studies on hormone-mediated gene regulation have focused on researching the factors that influence the activation of certain genes. Little attention has been paid to gene silencing.

8 Jul 2016

Researchers demonstrate simple approach to prove how classes of new drugs work

A collaborative effort by cancer researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and chemists at Boehringer Ingelheim, a pharmaceutical firm, has resulted in the identification of a new drug target in leukemia and creation of a candidate drug that hits the target.

6 Jul 2016

Researchers reveal novel mechanism by which viral protein VII suppresses immune alarm signals

Viruses must avoid a host's immune system to establish successful infections—and scientists have discovered another tool that viruses use to frustrate host defenses.

30 Jun 2016

Scientists detect gene networks likely to be shared by all CLL patients

Research, involving scientists and doctors at the University of Southampton and Royal Bournemouth Hospital, has identified a network of genes that are likely to be shared by all patients who have chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL).

28 Jun 2016

HDAC inhibitors may help regulate alcoholism-induced anxiety

Epigenetics is the study of changes in organisms caused by modifying gene expression - by alcohol, for example - rather than alteration of the genetic code itself. Recent evidence suggests that alcohol can inhibit activity of an enzyme called histone deacetylase (HDAC) in the amygdala, a brain region that is crucial for storing memories and regulating fear, anxiety, and other emotions.

27 Jun 2016

Researchers identify new potential target for pancreatic cancer treatment

Using an innovative approach to identify a cancer's genetic vulnerabilities by more swiftly analyzing human tumors transplanted into mice, researchers have identified a new potential target for pancreatic cancer treatment, published online in Cell Reports.

24 Jun 2016

Drexel University researchers aim to identify new molecular mechanisms involved in chronic pain

Chronic pain is one of the most prevalent, disabling and expensive public health crises in the United States. It affects more than 100 million Americans, with annual costs estimated at $635 billion, says a 2014 report from the American Pain Society.

22 Jun 2016

Penn researchers help identify unique characteristics of reserve stem cells

Adult stem cells represent a sort of blank clay from which a myriad of different cell and tissue types are molded and as such are of critical importance to health, aging and disease.

16 Jun 2016

Study underscores importance of developing PRMT5 inhibitors as promising treatment for GB patients

A new study suggests that blocking an enzyme called PRMT5 in tumor cells could be a promising new strategy for the treatment of glioblastoma (GB), the most aggressive and lethal form of brain cancer.

14 Jun 2016

Epigenomic alterations play key role in triggering obesity-induced diabetes

Obesity is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, yet not all obese humans develop the disease. In a new study, researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and from the Institute of Health and Medical Research in France have identified epigenomic alterations that are associated with inflammation and type 2 diabetes

7 Jun 2016

Research describes how gene BRCA1 plays vital role in DNA repair

Scientists at the University of Birmingham are a step closer to understanding the role of the gene BRCA1. Changes in this gene are associated with a high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.

30 May 2016

Unlocking the dark proteome: an interview with Dr Kriwacki

The term dark proteome refers to proteins whose structural features and thus functions are not well understood. Many proteins within the dark proteome do not fold into stable three-dimensional structures. These proteins are called intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and feature highly flexible, disordered confirmations.

16 May 2016

Genetic change to non-DNA structures in cell can cause cancer

A mutation that affects the proteins that package DNA--without changing the DNA itself--can cause a rare form of cancer, according to new findings in this week's Science from researchers at The Rockefeller University.

13 May 2016

Study suggests ways of minimizing DNA folding errors

Induced pluripotent stem cells hold promise for regenerative medicine because they can, in theory, turn into any type of tissue and because they are made from a patient's own adult cells, guaranteeing compatibility. However, the technique that turns adult cells into these iPS cells is not foolproof; after reverting to their pluripotent state, these cells don't always correctly differentiate back into adult cells.

11 May 2016