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DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Epimutation in BRCA1 gene may cause early-onset of breast cancer

An Australian research team from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the University of Melbourne and the University of Queensland has identified a new risk factor for developing breast cancer. This has been published online in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

10 Nov 2010

Lung cancer in smokers versus non-smokers shows different genetic mutations

A group of scientists at B.C. Cancer Agency have found that lung cancers in smokers have different genetic mutations and look different than lung cancer in non-smokers. According to senior scientist at the BC Cancer Agency Research Centre Wan Lam, this finding is significant because it means that from now on, research, treatments and diagnostics should be tailored to the distinct genetic variations in the different lung cancers instead of expecting that a one-size fits all approach will work. He said, “At the current time, treatment does not distinguish between these different types. The subtypes are all grouped together. But with this work, we are beginning to tease out the subtypes.” The study was presented Tuesday at a conference in Philadelphia of the American Association of Cancer Research.

10 Nov 2010

Bioniche Life Sciences announces first quarter fiscal 2011 results

Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., a research-based, technology-driven Canadian biopharmaceutical company, today announced financial results for the first quarter of its 2011 fiscal year (ended September 30, 2010).

10 Nov 2010

China Medical Technologies' EGFR PCR Assay for lung cancer targeted drugs receives Chinese SFDA approval

China Medical Technologies, Inc., a leading China-based advanced in-vitro diagnostic ("IVD") company, today announced that it has received approval for its real-time PCR-based Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Assay (the "EGFR PCR Assay") for the use of lung cancer targeted drugs from the State Food and Drug Administration of China (the "SFDA").

10 Nov 2010

Exact Sciences completes underwritten public offering

Exact Sciences Corp. today announced that it has completed its previously announced underwritten public offering of common stock at a price of $6.00 per share.

10 Nov 2010

Researchers identify molecular cascade that drives process of reconnection in adult brain after stroke

A stroke wreaks havoc in the brain, destroying its cells and the connections between them. Depending on its severity and location, a stroke can impact someone's life forever, affecting motor activity, speech, memories, and more.

10 Nov 2010

Study finds different DNA alterations in tumor genomes of smokers and never-smokers

Lung tumors in those who smoke and those who never smoked have different DNA alterations in the tumor genomes, according to results of a pilot study presented at the Ninth Annual AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held Nov. 7-10, 2010, in Philadelphia.

10 Nov 2010

Preclinical data from Idera's autoimmune and inflammatory disease program presented at 74th ACR

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced two presentations of preclinical data from its autoimmune and inflammatory disease program at the 74th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in Atlanta, Georgia. One presentation is entitled "IMO-3100, a Toll-like Receptor (TLR) Antagonist, Suppresses TLR7- and TLR9-mediated Immune Responses in Non-human Primates" (#856).

10 Nov 2010

UC Davis researchers identify new pathway to repair oxidative-damaged DNA

UC Davis researchers have found a new pathway for repairing DNA damaged by oxygen radicals. The results are published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

10 Nov 2010

Contraceptive, antiviral gel using bee venom wins 2010 Gates Foundation grant

A vaginal gel that affords both contraception and HIV protection using nanoparticles that carry bee venom is one of the bold, unconventional ideas that won a 2010 Grand Challenges Explorations grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

10 Nov 2010

Home smoking restrictions needed to reduce tobacco-related carcinogens in children's urine

Ninety percent of children who lived in a house where an adult smoked had evidence of tobacco-related carcinogens in their urine, according to research presented at the Ninth AACR Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held here from Nov 7-10, 2010.

10 Nov 2010

Research report on current and evolving technologies in drug delivery

The drug delivery market is a rapidly evolving force in the pharmaceutical industry. Within this segment injectables have a significant role to play at present with the increasing use of proteins and peptides.

9 Nov 2010

Innovative method for in-cell gene manipulation

A cross-disciplinary Small Medicine and Advanced Research Translation (SMART) team led by Prof. Dar-Bin Shieh of Institute of Oral Medicine in Medical College at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan, has announced a breakthrough in the precision in-cell gene scission at pre-designed sequence sites using Artificial Targeting Light Activated Nano Scissors (ATLANS) and a custom build photonic device.

9 Nov 2010

Researchers examine impact of gene mutation on Salmonella bacterium growth rate

Most mutations in the genes of the Salmonella bacterium have a surprisingly small negative impact on bacterial fitness. And this is the case regardless whether they lead to changes in the bacterial proteins or not.

9 Nov 2010

Abbott, CHAI enter agreement to provide HIV testing to infants

Abbott and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) have joined forces to provide HIV testing to infants in all countries working in partnership with the CHAI. A key focus of this cooperation will be sub-Saharan Africa, which the World Health Organization estimates to account for 90 percent of global HIV infections in children.

9 Nov 2010

ORVACS launches ERAMUNE 01 Phase II study to decrease HIV viral reservoirs

ORVACS has launched a Phase II study designed to test the hypotheses that combination therapy with potent antiviral agents and immunomodulator can lead to a decrease in the HIV viral reservoirs and, ultimately, to eradication of the virus. The study is currently being conducted at clinical sites in France, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

9 Nov 2010

Genta commences tesetaxel Phase 2b clinical trial as 1st-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer

Genta Incorporated today announced that the Company has initiated a new Phase 2b clinical trial of tesetaxel as 1st-line chemotherapy for women with metastatic breast cancer. Tesetaxel is the leading oral taxane currently in clinical development. The new trial will be conducted at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY and at the Accelerated Community Oncology Research Network (ACORN) based in Memphis, TN.

9 Nov 2010

Interleukin Genetics receives two grants under QTDP program to advance obesity, osteoarthritis genetic research

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. today announced that on November 1, 2010 notification was received that it has been awarded two grants totaling $473,393 by the United States Government under the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project (QTDP) Program to advance the Company's genetic research projects related to obesity and osteoarthritis.

9 Nov 2010

Positive adult interactions during childhood guard against personality disorders later in life

Learning a hobby or other complex task in childhood with assistance from a trusted adult may help guard against the emergence of a personality disorder (PD) later on in life, reports a study in the current issue of the journal, Development and Psychopathology.

9 Nov 2010

New COLD-PCR technology to detect EGFR gene mutation

Transgenomic, Inc. today announced completion of a development study of several new assays to detect genetic mutations using the Company's proprietary Co-amplification at Lower Denaturing Temperature PCR (COLD-PCR) technology in the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) gene.

8 Nov 2010