Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Pioneering work with human embryonic stem cells could speed up development of new treatments for Parkinson’s and diabetes

Pioneering work with human embryonic stem (hES) cells could speed up the development of new treatments for a range of degenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and diabetes according to Dr Stephen Minger of King’s College London, speaking today at the BA Festival of Science.

8 Sep 2004

First indication that Parkinson’s disease can be caused by a defect in a protein

The findings of Finnish scientists with their multinational collaborators shed light to the mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease and early menopause.

8 Sep 2004

Mitochondrial genes cause nuclear mischief

While the nucleus of a cell may be its command headquarters, mitochondria are equally vital—they are the power plants of the cell, and without them all cellular activity would quickly and irrevocably come to a halt.

7 Sep 2004

Scientists investigate the ability of heart muscle to repair itself

The scientists will investigate the ability of heart muscle to repair itself – after being damaged by a heart attack, for example – and to regain function.

6 Sep 2004

Hair growing stem cells may one day provide treatments for human hair conditions

Researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at The Rockefeller University have isolated stem cells from the skin of a mouse, and showed, for the first time, that an individual stem cell can renew itself in the laboratory and then be used in grafts to produce skin, hair and oil glands.

5 Sep 2004

Researchers unravel genetic makeup of ticks to tackle disease

Ticks as small as a freckle can transmit a number of illnesses for which there is no vaccine and, in some cases, no cure. These creatures even could become bioterrorism weapons.

4 Sep 2004

First Parkinson’s gene therapy patient well after 1 year suggesting that the therapy is safe and effective

The first ever patient to have undergone gene therapy for Parkinson’s appears to have come through phase I without a hitch, suggesting that the therapy is safe and effective, reports Marina Murphy in Chemistry & Industry.

2 Sep 2004

Drinking alcohol regularly in your 40's increases risk of mild cognitive impairment

People in their 40's who drink alcohol regularly could be increasing their risk of mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to dementia and Alzheimer's. The claim is reported in the current issue of the British Medical Journal.

2 Sep 2004

New ways of looking at treatment for lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis

A research team at Yale University has found that blocking a kind of cell death called apoptosis in fibrotic diseases of the lung, also blocks the fibrosis, opening new ways of looking at treatment for lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis.

2 Sep 2004

University of Nottingham research developments could mean new drugs will reach cancer patients more quickly

A £3 million grant and the establishment of a specialized business unit that will help new treatments reach cancer patients more quickly, have underlined The University of Nottingham’s place at the forefront of cancer drug development.

2 Sep 2004

First step in using gene therapy to treat glaucoma

Mayo Clinic researchers have demonstrated they can permanently transfer a functioning gene to targeted tissues within the eye.

2 Sep 2004

Study reveals what may be the earliest step in the development of prostate cancer

The finding could open the door to new tests that predict whether the cancer will become aggressive and the development of treatments to prevent the condition from progressing.

2 Sep 2004

Women perceive color better than men

Stereotypes about the superior color sense of women may well be rooted in genetics. Brian Verrelli, a researcher at the Biodesign Institute at ASU, is co-collaborator on a study suggesting that natural genetic selection has provided women with a frequent ability to better discriminate between colors than men.

2 Sep 2004

Chemotherapy experts refute ASCO recommendations on use of drug sensitivity and resistance assays

A group of leading chemotherapy experts assembled as the Clinical Oncologists for Individualized Therapy (COFIT) refute the findings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) technology assessment panel regarding the use of chemotherapy sensitivity and resistance assays (CSRAs).

1 Sep 2004

Knowing more about a gene’s responsibility will stir up a swarm of controversy

Pinning down how genetics contributes to behavior is slippery business. For instance, identifying the genes linked to a likelihood of developing schizophrenia or autism could stigmatize those who possess the genes, and may even play a role in defining the conditions themselves.

1 Sep 2004

Researchers accurately pinpoint the types of lymphoma, Hodgkins or non-Hodgkins

“There are many types and subtypes of lymphoma, some of which are easy to detect, but many that are very difficult to identify,” says Antonio Giordano, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sbarro Institute at Temple and one of the study’s principal investigators.

1 Sep 2004

Parental human leukocyte antigen genes linked to preterm delivery

The transmission of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes may play a significant role in the risk of preterm delivery, according to a study in the September issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

31 Aug 2004

Scientists discover breakthrough method to treat neuronal diseases

What do stroke, epilepsy, head or spinal cord trauma, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease patients have in common? They all suffer from neuronal cell death brought about by the absence or malfunction of specific genes.

30 Aug 2004

Further evidence of a genetic link to schizophrenia

Mice with specific genetic mutations exhibit behavior similar to human psychosis, report UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas researchers, providing further support to the notion of a genetic link to schizophrenia.

30 Aug 2004

Gene - beta1-integrin, could be key to breast cancer therapies

Canadian researchers at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and McMaster University have identified a new player in breast cancer. This gene, beta1-integrin, has been shown to be critical in the initiation of tumour growth and development in a mouse model of cancer.

30 Aug 2004

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Pioneering work with human embryonic stem cells could speed up development of new treatments for Parkinson’s and diabetes

First indication that Parkinson’s disease can be caused by a defect in a protein

Mitochondrial genes cause nuclear mischief

Scientists investigate the ability of heart muscle to repair itself

Hair growing stem cells may one day provide treatments for human hair conditions

Researchers unravel genetic makeup of ticks to tackle disease

First Parkinson’s gene therapy patient well after 1 year suggesting that the therapy is safe and effective

Drinking alcohol regularly in your 40's increases risk of mild cognitive impairment

New ways of looking at treatment for lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis

University of Nottingham research developments could mean new drugs will reach cancer patients more quickly

First step in using gene therapy to treat glaucoma

Study reveals what may be the earliest step in the development of prostate cancer

Women perceive color better than men

Chemotherapy experts refute ASCO recommendations on use of drug sensitivity and resistance assays

Knowing more about a gene’s responsibility will stir up a swarm of controversy

Researchers accurately pinpoint the types of lymphoma, Hodgkins or non-Hodgkins

Parental human leukocyte antigen genes linked to preterm delivery

Scientists discover breakthrough method to treat neuronal diseases

Further evidence of a genetic link to schizophrenia

Gene - beta1-integrin, could be key to breast cancer therapies

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