Epigenetics News and Research

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Epigenetics is the study of chemical reactions that influence gene expression, through activation or deactivation of genes at specific times and locations.

New discovery could lead to effective drugs to prevent excessive lymphatic growth in cancer

Cancer cells spread to other sites in the body through promoting the growth of new 'roads' to travel on.

27 Dec 2016

High BMI leads to epigenetic changes, study shows

The extra pounds you gain during the holidays will not only show up on your hips but will also affect your DNA.

22 Dec 2016

Research sheds new light on key drivers of cancer metastasis

Latest research from New Zealand's University of Otago is shedding new light on why and how cancer cells spread from primary tumours to other parts of the body. This phenomenon - known as metastasis - causes about 90 per cent of all cancer deaths.

21 Dec 2016

Low-carbohydrate diet may help reverse inherited intellectual disability linked to Kabuki syndrome

Experimenting on mice with a genetic change similar to that found in people with a rare inherited disease called Kabuki syndrome, Johns Hopkins scientists report that a very low-carbohydrate diet can "open up" DNA and improve mental function.

20 Dec 2016

U-M awarded NIH grant to investigate molecular changes that occur during and after physical activity

The University of Michigan was recently awarded $8.2 million from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the molecular changes that occur during and after physical activity.

16 Dec 2016

Researchers find new insights into silencing of X-chromosomes in human embryos

Researchers have discovered new insights into how one of the two X-chromosomes is silenced during the development of female human embryos and also in lab-grown stem cells.

16 Dec 2016

Viral infection during pregnancy affects maternal care and can trigger depression in offspring

A viral infection in a pregnant woman not only affects her subsequent ability to provide maternal care but can also trigger depression in her offspring, which can then even extend into the next generation as a result of changes to genetic mechanisms in the brain.

15 Dec 2016

Western diet during pregnancy may increase obesity risk in offspring

Diet composition around the time of pregnancy may influence whether offspring become obese, according to a new study using animal models at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI).

15 Dec 2016

Porvair sciences introduce products for use in animal and plant genetics

Porvair Sciences will showcase two important technical breakthroughs at PAG XXV in San Diego (USA) from January 14-18, 2017.

From Chromatrap® - Porvair Sciences Ltd 15 Dec 2016

Honeybee brain helps unravel mystery behind long-term memory formation

A breakdown of memory processes in humans can lead to conditions such as Alzheimer's and dementia.

8 Dec 2016

Detecting inflammation in diabetic patients

As well as presenting with high blood glucose, diabetic patients have chronic low-grade inflammation, which can be measured by a range of inflammatory markers such as so-called high-sensitive CRP, TNFa and IL-6 as well as a full blood cell count.

7 Dec 2016

Scientists uncover changes in immediate environment of DNA after fertilization

A team of scientists at the Helmholtz Zentrum München shows changes in the immediate environment of DNA after the ovum and sperm fuse to form the zygote. The results suggest why all conceivable somatic cells can develop from the germ cells. The study has been published in the journal 'Genes and Development'.

6 Dec 2016

Researchers uncover how molecular switches control gene activity in human embryonic stem cells

Researchers at the Babraham Institute have revealed a new understanding of the molecular switches that control gene activity in human embryonic stem cells.

6 Dec 2016

Cigarette smoking may lead to fibrosis in the heart and kidneys, study reveals

Smoking may lead to fibrosis in the heart and kidneys and can worsen existing kidney disease, according to a new study.

1 Dec 2016

UA awarded $1.5 million funding for long-term study of cancer in firefighters

Researchers at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health will lead a collaborative project to develop the framework for a larger long-term study of cancer in firefighters.

1 Dec 2016

Researchers uncover new prognostic marker and possible therapeutic target for Ewing's sarcoma

Researchers of the Sarcoma research group of the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, led by Dr. Òscar Martínez-Tirado, have first described the methylation profile of Ewing's sarcoma, a cancer of bone and soft tissues that mainly affects children and teenagers.

1 Dec 2016

DNA changes in blood samples could pave way for simple tests to diagnose IBD

Scientists have identified chemical changes in the DNA of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases that could improve screening for the conditions.

28 Nov 2016

Editing preferences of enzymes may play role in infertility and cancer

To "turn off" particular regions of genes or protect them from damage, DNA strands can wrap around small proteins, called histones, keeping out all but the most specialized molecular machinery.

28 Nov 2016

New ULB study shows how cancer cell of origin controls malignant transition

Researchers at the Université libre de Bruxelles, ULB define for the first time how the cancer cell of origin controls invasive and metastatic properties of tumor cells.

24 Nov 2016

Karolinska Institute biologist receives 2016 Naomi Berrie Award for excellence in diabetes research

Columbia University has awarded the 2016 Naomi Berrie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Diabetes Research to Peter Arner, MD, PhD, a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Medicine at the Karolinska Institute, whose studies on the turnover of fat tissue in the human body has revealed processes that contribute to obesity and diabetes.

23 Nov 2016