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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).

RainDance Technologies increases commercial activities in Europe with series of technology seminars

RainDance Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of innovative microdroplet-based solutions for human health and disease research, today announced it is increasing its commercial activities in Europe beginning with a series of technology seminars during the week of 24 May 2010.

25 May 2010

New research finding may change direction of vaccine research for M. tuberculosis

Scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered that the strategy of "immune evasion" common to many viruses, bacteria and parasites, is uncommon to M. tuberculosis where the antigens remain strikingly unchanged and homogenous. The study published in Nature Genetics on May 23, 2010, suggests that M. tuberculosis antigens do not mutate because they hope to be recognized by the body's immune system- perhaps because the host immune mechanism that leads to the typical lung destruction and cough can contribute to the spread of the disease.

25 May 2010

Northrop Grumman begins delivery of critical assay technology to DHS for homeland defense applications

Northrop Grumman Corporation has begun deliveries of critical assay technology to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as part of the company's BioWatch Gen-3 contract to develop a new generation of biological detectors for homeland defense applications.

25 May 2010

Researchers identify mechanisms involved in gene mutation

Genetic variation due to DNA mutation is a driving force of adaptation and evolution, as well as a contributing factor to disease. However, the mechanisms governing DNA mutation rate are not well understood.

25 May 2010

Scientists develop DNA-vaccine that restricts supply of blood to tumours

A DNA-vaccine that restricts the supply of blood to tumours has been developed by scientists at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet. The vaccine slows the growth of breast cancer tumours in mice.

24 May 2010

Expression Analysis agrees to purchase PacBio RS DNA sequencing system from Pacific Biosciences

Expression Analysis, a leading provider of genomic services for clinical trials and research, announced today that it has agreed to purchase a PacBio RS DNA sequencing system from northern-California based Pacific Biosciences, whose third-generation DNA sequencing technology is expected to revolutionize the field of genetic analysis through the use of single molecule real time detection of biological events.

24 May 2010

ZyGEM announces acquisition of MicroLab Diagnostics

ZyGEM Corp. Ltd., today announced that it has acquired MicroLab Diagnostics Inc., a private company developing microfluidic devices for rapid DNA testing. ZyGEM intends to market products integrating its unique DNA extraction and reagents and detection assays with the breakthrough microfluidic chip technology developed by MicroLab, which will operate as a business unit of the new company.

24 May 2010

Sangamo's ZFP Therapeutics technology highlighted at ASGCT Annual Meeting

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced today that data from research and preclinical programs focused on the development of zinc finger DNA-binding protein Therapeutics were described in fifteen presentations given by Sangamo scientists and collaborators at the 13th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy.

24 May 2010

State roundup: Genetic testing on campus, Texas docs in Mass., and more

"A plan by the University of California, Berkeley to voluntarily test the DNA of incoming freshman has come under fire from critics who said the school was pushing an unproven technology on impressionable students. The university has said it will send test kits to 5,500 new students to analyze genes that help control the body's responses to alcohol, dairy products and folic acid" (Wohlsen, 5/21).

24 May 2010

Research on new types of anti-HIV drugs presented at International Microbicides Conference

Researchers testing a vaginal microbicide based on a new type of anti-HIV drug found it provided monkeys significant protection against infection with a virus similar to HIV, according to a study reported at the International Microbicides Conference in Pittsburgh today.

24 May 2010

Data on serum DNA blood tests for early detection of cancer to be presented at ASCO 2010

Chronix Biomedical today reported a summary of data supporting the utility of its serum DNA blood tests for the early and accurate detection of breast cancer and prostate cancer. The unique testing algorithms developed by Chronix detected and correctly identified DNA fragments in the blood from dying (apoptotic) cancer cells with 92% sensitivity and 100% specificity in both prostate cancer and breast cancer.

21 May 2010

European researchers define research priorities in biogerontology

The quality of the medical care for geriatric patients is a major investment for society and must imperatively be a research priority in Europe. This is why 50 European researchers, met on May 17 - 19 in Brussels, to define the research priorities in the field of biogerontology for the next 10 to 15 years.

21 May 2010

ZIOPHARM Oncology to present phase II data from PICASSO trial for soft tissue sarcoma at ASCO meeting

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. announced today that Dr. Claire Verschraegen of the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, lead author of the abstract on the palifosfamide study entitled, "A phase II randomized controlled trial of palifosfamide plus doxorubicin vs. doxorubicin in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (PICASSO)", will present in an oral session at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting on Monday, June 7th at 2:15 pm in the Vista Room (location S 406).

21 May 2010

JCVI researchers construct first self-replicating, synthetic bacterial cell

Researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not-for-profit genomic research organization, published results today describing the successful construction of the first self-replicating, synthetic bacterial cell. The team synthesized the 1.08 million base pair chromosome of a modified Mycoplasma mycoides genome.

21 May 2010

Biocept granted US patent for cell separation technology using microfluidic device

Biocept, Inc., an emerging leader in rare cell capture, announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent for Biocept's cell separation technology using a microfluidic device. U.S. patent #7,695,956 entitled "Device for Cell Separation and Analysis and Method of Using" protects Biocept's microflow device to isolate cells from a bodily fluid using a flow path where straight-line flow is interrupted by transverse posts arranged in a random pattern.

21 May 2010

New study reveals PTPN2 gene loss causes bone cancer

In patients with leukemia, the formation of white blood cells in the bone marrow is disrupted. This makes leukemia patients particularly susceptible to infections, because properly functioning white blood cells ensure protection against intruders such as viruses and bacteria.

21 May 2010

GeoVax Labs spotlighted on interactive map posted on the website of Inc. magazine

GeoVax Labs, Inc., a biotechnology company that creates, develops and tests innovative HIV/AIDS vaccines, is spotlighted on an interactive map posted on the website of Inc. magazine.

20 May 2010

GSK, EMBL-EBI, NLM and CDD collaborate to apply principles of open source to drug discovery for malaria

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) had teamed up with leading public-domain data providers European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the U.S.-based informatics service provider Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD) to make freely available key scientific information on more than 13,500 compounds that could ultimately lead to new treatments for malaria.

20 May 2010

Boston University biomedical engineers develop new nanopore method for DNA sequencing

Sequencing DNA could get a lot faster and cheaper - and thus closer to routine use in clinical diagnostics - thanks to a new method developed by a research team based at Boston University. The team has demonstrated the first use of solid state nanopores - tiny holes in silicon chips that detect DNA molecules as they pass through the pore - to read the identity of the four nucleotides that encode each DNA molecule.

20 May 2010

Mutation in BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene helps develop breast, ovarian cancer: Study

Studies have well established that women who harbor a mutation in the BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene are at greater risk for developing breast and ovarian cancers. Less known is information on other molecular events that may impact cancer formation in cells having a BRCA1 mutation. Investigators from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey and a number of major cancer centers in Europe have identified the role a key protein plays in helping cells with mutant BRCA1 genes to survive.

20 May 2010

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

RainDance Technologies increases commercial activities in Europe with series of technology seminars

New research finding may change direction of vaccine research for M. tuberculosis

Northrop Grumman begins delivery of critical assay technology to DHS for homeland defense applications

Researchers identify mechanisms involved in gene mutation

Scientists develop DNA-vaccine that restricts supply of blood to tumours

Expression Analysis agrees to purchase PacBio RS DNA sequencing system from Pacific Biosciences

ZyGEM announces acquisition of MicroLab Diagnostics

Sangamo's ZFP Therapeutics technology highlighted at ASGCT Annual Meeting

State roundup: Genetic testing on campus, Texas docs in Mass., and more

Research on new types of anti-HIV drugs presented at International Microbicides Conference

Data on serum DNA blood tests for early detection of cancer to be presented at ASCO 2010

European researchers define research priorities in biogerontology

ZIOPHARM Oncology to present phase II data from PICASSO trial for soft tissue sarcoma at ASCO meeting

JCVI researchers construct first self-replicating, synthetic bacterial cell

Biocept granted US patent for cell separation technology using microfluidic device

New study reveals PTPN2 gene loss causes bone cancer

GeoVax Labs spotlighted on interactive map posted on the website of Inc. magazine

GSK, EMBL-EBI, NLM and CDD collaborate to apply principles of open source to drug discovery for malaria

Boston University biomedical engineers develop new nanopore method for DNA sequencing

Mutation in BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene helps develop breast, ovarian cancer: Study

Understanding the DNA Damage Response in Innate Immunity eBook

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