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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).

10 new kits available for fast and simple isolation of nucleic acids from blood, plasma and serum

Norgen Biotek Corp., an innovative privately held Canadian biotechnology company focusing primarily on advancing powerful tools for nucleic acids (NA) and protein purification, today announced the launch of 10 new kits for the fast and simple isolation of nucleic acids from blood, plasma and serum, including circulating nucleic acids.

3 Feb 2010

Research shows DNA looping can impact gene expression

University of Michigan researchers have shown that tension on DNA molecules can affect gene expression---the process at the heart of biological function that tells a cell what to do.

3 Feb 2010

Medco Health Solutions acquires DNA Direct

Committed to being at the forefront of translating personalized medicine from the science to its daily practice in healthcare, Medco Health Solutions, Inc. today announced the acquisition of DNA Direct, Inc., a leader in providing guidance and decision support for genomic medicine to patients, providers, payors and employees.

2 Feb 2010

Researchers identify 1.1M base pairs of DNA in soybean genome

In 2009, soybeans represented an almost $30 billion industry in the U.S. alone, making soybeans the second-most profitable crop next to corn. Worldwide, soybeans have been used in human foods and livestock feed for centuries and have been a key component in industrial products, such as plastics and soy biodiesel, an environmentally friendly fuel.

2 Feb 2010

New therapeutic made from tobacco plants shown to arrest West Nile virus infection

A new therapeutic made from tobacco plants has been shown to arrest West Nile virus infection, according to a new study by Arizona State University scientist Qiang Chen and his colleagues.

2 Feb 2010

Genetic mutations may trigger suicidal behavior in depressed patients

Single mutations in genes involved with nerve cell formation and growth appear to be associated with the risk of attempting suicide among individuals with depression, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the April print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

2 Feb 2010

New research shows tumor suppressor p53 prevents cancer progression in cells

Cells missegregate a chromosome approximately once every hundred divisions. But don't be too alarmed: new research in the Journal of Cell Biology shows that the tumor suppressor p53 limits the growth of cells with incorrect numbers of chromosomes and prevents their progression toward cancer.

2 Feb 2010

Thermo Fisher Scientific to acquire Finnzymes

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Finnzymes, a well-recognized provider of integrated tools for molecular biology analysis, including reagents, instruments, consumables and kits. Headquartered in Espoo, Finland, Finnzymes has 90 employees and generated revenue of $20 million in 2009.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. 2 Feb 2010

Oxford Nanopore Technologies raises $28M in new funding

Oxford Nanopore Technologies Ltd., a privately held company that is developing a disruptive technology platform for the electronic, label-free analysis of single molecules, today announced that it has raised £17.4 million ($28 million) in new funding.

From Oxford Nanopore Technologies 1 Feb 2010

Epigenetics may help determine CT radiation risk to patients' offsprings

There remains a lack of consensus amongst the medical and scientific communities about any cancer risk from low level radiation, particularly low-dose radiation delivered from computed tomography (CT) scans. However, the study of epigenetics may play a role in determining whether or not future trends of diseases can in fact be linked to utilization of CT, according to an article in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR).

1 Feb 2010

Breakthrough in HIV research leads to better treatment potential

Researchers have made a breakthrough in HIV research that had eluded scientists for over 20 years, potentially leading to better treatments for HIV, in a study published today in the journal Nature.

31 Jan 2010

USPTO allows claims to Rosetta Genomics' two microRNA related patent applications

Rosetta Genomics today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has allowed claims in two patent applications.

30 Jan 2010

Musical video to teach basics of biotechnology

The video will be made available to high school students across North Carolina to help teach them how biotechnology harnesses cellular machinery to cure diseases, detect biohazards and manufacture new materials.

30 Jan 2010

Pathway Genomics' genetic health report provides valuable insight into certain health conditions

In the past few years, the science of genetic testing has advanced exponentially, both in the amount of information genetic testing can reveal and the precision and reliability of the results.

30 Jan 2010

Medical equipment could be a key weapon in stopping nuclear waste seeping into environment

Medical equipment used for diagnosis of patients with heart disease and cancer could be a key weapon in stopping nuclear waste seeping into the environment, according to new research.

From The University of Manchester 30 Jan 2010

Rubicon Genomics reaches agreement with ZyGEM to market its PicoPlex single-cell amplification kits

Rubicon Genomics, Inc., a developer of pre-analytical amplification products that enable more comprehensive genetic analysis of clinical and research samples, announced today that it has reached agreement with ZyGEM to non-exclusively market Rubicon's PicoPlex™ single-cell amplification kits in Australia and New Zealand.

30 Jan 2010

BioCentric Energy to grow algae strain with high EPA/DHA oil content in V3 Algae-Pro systems

BioCentric Energy is pleased to announce that the final engineering on the V3 Algae-Pro Photobioreactor system is now complete. We have received via shipment from China the 32 Corners for the V3 Alga-Pro system. Also received at the Santa Ana headquarters are the 8,000 lineal feet of proprietary, seven layer tubing. Installation of the V3 Algae-Pro system will commence over the next two weeks.

29 Jan 2010

Should medical workers participate in the development of "medicalized" weapons?

(Garrison, NY) The latest issue of the Hastings Center Report features articles on "medicalized" weapons that temporarily incapacitate targets, sharing the benefits of newly found biological resources, and applications of GINA (the Genetic Information Nondisclosure Act).

29 Jan 2010

Discovery may help in designing drugs for sun-damaged skin

Researchers at Ohio State University have found a new way to study how enzymes move as they repair DNA sun damage -- and that discovery could one day lead to new therapies for healing sunburned skin.

29 Jan 2010

Targeted sequencing of exome can help identify potential disease-causing genes

Researchers from University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Roche Applied Science have recently published a research study on human exome resequencing results from eight individuals that span across three generations of a family. The findings of this study showcased the value of targeted enrichment for family-based studies which allows researchers to quickly identify potential disease-causing genetic variants and will provide the data and information for further research to better understand disease and the impact across generations of a family.

29 Jan 2010