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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).

No increased risk of childhood cancer if born near mobile phone stations: Study

There have been concerns regarding increased risk for cancer in children born to mothers who lived near mobile phone stations during their pregnancy after a report of a cluster of childhood cancer cases near such stations. A newly published study in the British Medical Journal refutes such beliefs and has found no link to early childhood cancers and living near mobile phone masts.

22 Jun 2010

Ensemble Discovery announces name change to Ensemble Therapeutics Corporation

Ensemble Discovery today announced that it will begin operating as Ensemble Therapeutics Corporation to reflect the Company's progress and emerging pipeline by applying its macrocycle drug platform to develop novel therapeutics. The new name, Ensemble Therapeutics, conveys the company's leadership and advancement in developing novel macrocycle drug compounds that are small molecules with expanded therapeutic properties of large molecule biological drugs.

22 Jun 2010

Beneficial effects of LifeVantage's Protandim on DMD mouse model published in Journal of Dietary Supplements

LifeVantage Corporation, the maker of Protandim®, a patented, science-based solution to oxidative stress, announced today that a peer-reviewed manuscript was published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements examining the beneficial effects of Protandim® on a mouse model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), an X-linked inherited disease affecting one in 3,500 males.

22 Jun 2010

New study that describes sequencing and analysis of body louse genome published

A global research team led by scientists from the J. Craig Venter Institute today published a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences describing the sequencing and analysis of the body louse genome. Lead author, Ewen Kirkness, Ph.D., JCVI, directed the sequencing and gene-finding efforts in the project. Detailed analysis of the genome was then conducted by a large international group of 71 scientists, coordinated by Barry Pittendrigh, University of Illinois, and Professor Evgeny Zdobnov, University of Geneva Medical School.

22 Jun 2010

New legal, ethical framework needs to be placed around banking of human biological material: Review

A lawyer and researcher at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics says a new legal and ethical framework needs to be placed around the donation and banking of human biological material, one that would more clearly define the terms of the material's use - and address donor expectations before research begins.

22 Jun 2010

SynCon DNA vaccine shows advantages in magnitude and breadth of immune responses in non-human primates

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today that the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Therapy has published a paper entitled "Comparative Analysis of Immune Responses Induced by Vaccination With SIV Antigens by Recombinant Ad5 Vector or Plasmid DNA in Rhesus Macaques." The paper, co-authored by researchers from Merck, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Inovio Pharmaceuticals, notes that significant advances in the design, formulation, and delivery of DNA plasmid-based vaccines have dramatically increased their ability to induce antigen-specific immune responses.

22 Jun 2010

Michigan State University researchers analyze histiocytic sarcomas

Michigan State University veterinarians are taking part in a two-year, $5.3 million project to analyze five cancers in dogs, research that could offer new insight into canine cancer genes and their potential impact on the human form of the disease.

22 Jun 2010

Ipsen reports top line results from European study of GuidAge for Alzheimer's Dementia

Ipsen today announced top line results of GuidAge®, the longest (5 years) and largest (2,854 subjects) European study in the prevention of Alzheimer's Dementia (AD). This trial was conducted according to the most stringent international standards. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a 5-year treatment with EGb 761® in the prevention of Alzheimer's Dementia in a population of elderly aged 70 or more, with memory complaint spontaneously expressed to their family physician and who lived at home at the inclusion in the study.

22 Jun 2010

Today's OpEds: Medicare reimbursements threaten health care; Battling health care fraud; A national standard on nurse-patient ratios

The Senate on Friday passed the annual "doc fix" -- but this short-term stay on the reimbursement rates for physicians who treat Medicare patients does not resolve the underlying problem: Those reimbursements are woefully below market. And if Congress does not address this, the much-heralded health-care reform is at risk (Dr. Michael Newman, 6/19).

21 Jun 2010

Electron cryomicroscopy helps observe molecules in hydrated state close to natural state

Gene expression takes place in two stages: the transcription of DNA to RNA by an enzyme called RNA polymerase, , followed by the translation of this RNA into proteins, whose behaviour affects the characteristics of each individual.

21 Jun 2010

Inovio Pharmaceuticals set to be added to Russell 3000 Index

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today that the company is set to be added to the broad-market Russell 3000® Index when Russell Investments reconstitutes its comprehensive set of U.S. and global equity indexes on June 25, according to a preliminary list of additions updated on June 18 on www.russell.com.

21 Jun 2010

ZIOPHARM Oncology announces guidance on palifosfamide Phase III trial in metastatic soft tissue sarcoma

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. announced guidance today regarding the Company's planned pivotal Phase III trial for palifosfamide in metastatic soft tissue sarcoma, including details of the proposed study's design, timing and regulatory review.

21 Jun 2010

Beyond Moose and Mountains initiative focuses on building Canada's business and regulatory environment

At its 2010 annual general meeting in Montreal yesterday, the national biotechnology association, BIOTECanada, confirmed a national team of industry leaders, whose expertise will ensure Canada keeps growing what today is an $84 billion bio-economy.

21 Jun 2010

Exiqon licenses LNA technology to BD for diagnosing infectious diseases

Exiqon A/S, today announced that it has granted a non-exclusive license to BD to use Exiqon's proprietary locked nucleic acids technology in defined products for infectious disease diagnostics.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 21 Jun 2010

Research findings support the need to establish standards for DFSA care

New toxicology findings reveal the presence of drugs and/or alcohol in 76 per cent of women and men who suspect they were victims of drug-facilitated sexual assault. Of those, 64 per cent did not report voluntarily consuming the drugs found, supporting their belief that they may have been slipped a drug. In addition, unexpected male DNA was found in a substantial number of cases, confirming sexual activity.

19 Jun 2010

Canadian scientists describe safe, inexpensive way for kids to make microfluidic devices

With "hands-on" experiences in childhood and adolescence having sparked so many science careers, scientists in Canada are describing a quick, simple, safe, and inexpensive way for kids to participate in making microfluidic devices. Those devices are at the heart of lab-on-a chip, inkjet printing, DNA chip, and other technologies.

19 Jun 2010

Research may identify reasons underlying increased risk of AAA in men

Research currently being undertaken at the University of Leicester may identify reasons underlying an increased risk of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in men.

19 Jun 2010

Research on evolution of malaria parasite to develop improved control strategies

An international team, led by researchers at Imperial College London, have found that the potentially deadly tropical disease evolved alongside anatomically modern humans and moved with our ancestors as they migrated out of Africa around 60-80,000 years ago. The research is published in the journal Current Biology.

18 Jun 2010

UCSB physicists create microscopic device to help biologists understand protein folding

Physicists at UC Santa Barbara have created a microscopic device to assist biologists in making very fast molecular measurements that aid the understanding of protein folding. This development may help elucidate biological processes associated with diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Since proteins in the body perform different functions according to their shape, the folding process is considered a key area of study.

18 Jun 2010

9th INT'L BIO FORUM & BIO EXPO JAPAN from June 30 - July 2, 2010

9th INT'L BIO FORUM & BIO EXPO JAPAN, organized by Reed Exhibitions Japan, will come back again as Asia's largest bio-event from June 30 - July 2, 2010. "Gene diagnosis" is one of the featured topics for this year.

18 Jun 2010

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

No increased risk of childhood cancer if born near mobile phone stations: Study

Ensemble Discovery announces name change to Ensemble Therapeutics Corporation

Beneficial effects of LifeVantage's Protandim on DMD mouse model published in Journal of Dietary Supplements

New study that describes sequencing and analysis of body louse genome published

New legal, ethical framework needs to be placed around banking of human biological material: Review

SynCon DNA vaccine shows advantages in magnitude and breadth of immune responses in non-human primates

Michigan State University researchers analyze histiocytic sarcomas

Ipsen reports top line results from European study of GuidAge for Alzheimer's Dementia

Today's OpEds: Medicare reimbursements threaten health care; Battling health care fraud; A national standard on nurse-patient ratios

Electron cryomicroscopy helps observe molecules in hydrated state close to natural state

Inovio Pharmaceuticals set to be added to Russell 3000 Index

ZIOPHARM Oncology announces guidance on palifosfamide Phase III trial in metastatic soft tissue sarcoma

Beyond Moose and Mountains initiative focuses on building Canada's business and regulatory environment

Exiqon licenses LNA technology to BD for diagnosing infectious diseases

Research findings support the need to establish standards for DFSA care

Canadian scientists describe safe, inexpensive way for kids to make microfluidic devices

Research may identify reasons underlying increased risk of AAA in men

Research on evolution of malaria parasite to develop improved control strategies

UCSB physicists create microscopic device to help biologists understand protein folding

9th INT'L BIO FORUM & BIO EXPO JAPAN from June 30 - July 2, 2010

Understanding the DNA Damage Response in Innate Immunity eBook

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