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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).

CAP commends SACGHS stand against human health-related gene patents

The College of American Pathologists today expressed its support for a key government advisory group's recommendation to create an exemption from liability for infringement of gene patent claims when used for patient care purposes.

24 Oct 2009

PhotoMedex announces the closure of private placement, raises $2.7 million

PhotoMedex, Inc. today announced that it has closed a private placement of approximately 4.17 million shares of its common stock at a price of $0.65 per share. Gross proceeds from the private placement are approximately $2.7 million. The purchasers were accredited investors, some of which were institutions.

24 Oct 2009

NASDAQ issues delisting notice to Commonwealth Biotechnologies

On July 24, 2009, The NASDAQ Stock Market notified Commonwealth Biotechnologies, Inc. that CBI was to be delisted from the NASDAQ Capital Market as a result of a failure to comply with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5550(b) due to a failure to maintain minimum stockholders’ equity of $2.5 million and a failure to file a Form 8-K affirming compliance with Rule 5550(b).

24 Oct 2009

Modified NAGA: New enzyme for enzyme replacement therapy

A new study uses a creative structure-based remodeling strategy to design a therapeutic protein that exhibits significant advantages over currently available treatments for a rare disease that often leads to cardiac and renal failure. The research, published by Cell Press on October 22nd in the American Journal of Human Genetics, describes a new and highly promising candidate for enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for Fabry disease.

23 Oct 2009

Follow healthy lifestyle to overturn genetic predisposition to heart disease

When it comes to heart disease, lifestyle usually trumps genetics, says noted genetic researcher Dr. Robert Hegele, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada Lecturer at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2009.

23 Oct 2009

Methyl-Seq and Ultra-Deep Resequencing applications from RainDance Technologies

RainDance Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of innovative microdroplet-based solutions for human health and disease research, announced today it will extend the capabilities of its Sequence Enrichment Solution by offering Methyl-Seq and Ultra-Deep Resequencing applications.

23 Oct 2009

Study reveals benefits of recombinant human C1 inhibitor in treating ischemic brain injury

Biotech company Pharming Group NV announced today publication of a preclinical study showing the benefit of using recombinant human C1 inhibitor (rhC1INH) in ischemic brain injury.

23 Oct 2009

Study finds link between high levels of pesticide exposure and suicidal thoughts

A new study in China has found that people with higher levels of pesticide exposure are more likely to have suicidal thoughts. The study was carried out by Dr Robert Stewart from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London together with scientists from Tongde Hospital Zhejiang Province.

23 Oct 2009

ZyGEM and Phthisis Diagnostics to develop products for detecting infectious pathogens

ZyGEM Corp. Ltd. and Phthisis Diagnostics today announced that they have entered into an agreement to develop products enabling the detection of infectious pathogens in complex samples, such as stool, blood and water.

23 Oct 2009

Roche's xCELLigence RTCA SP Instrument used for in vitro testing of cells

The C-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA Polymerase II consists of multiple repeats of an evolutionary conserved motif of seven amino acids, forming a repetitive structure of 52 repeats in humans and 26 repeats in yeast. Twenty years after the first description of the RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain, its function is still unclear.

23 Oct 2009

Applied Biosystems announces the global availability of its 3500 Series Genetic Analyzer

Applied Biosystems, part of Life Technologies Corporation, today announced the global commercial availability of a new capillary electrophoresis (CE) sequencing system. The 3500 Series Genetic Analyzer builds on Applied Biosystems’ industry-leading CE sequencing systems, with state-of-the-art advancements, setting significant new standards for throughput, data quality and ease of use.

22 Oct 2009

Progenika to provide blood group genotyping reference laboratory services to ARUP

Progenika, Inc. today announced that it has entered into an agreement with ARUP Laboratories (ARUP) of Salt Lake City, UT, to provide blood group genotyping reference laboratory services to ARUP to determine patient red blood cell antigen profiles when serology has logistic and functional limitations.

22 Oct 2009

NCI implements NanoString Technologies' nCounter Analysis System

NanoString Technologies, Inc., a privately held life sciences company marketing a molecular barcoding detection system, today announced that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) is employing its nCounter™ Analysis System at two of its core labs.

From NanoString Technologies 22 Oct 2009

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices supports the permissive use of GARDASIL

Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) supports the permissive use of GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16 and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] for boys and young men ages 9 to 26, which means that GARDASIL may be given to males ages 9 to 26 to reduce the likelihood of acquiring genital warts at the discretion of the patient's health care provider.

22 Oct 2009

LANL and international researchers propose new genome sequence strategies

A team of geneticists at Los Alamos National Laboratory, together with a consortium of international researchers, has recently proposed a set of standards designed to elucidate the quality of publicly available genetic sequencing information.

22 Oct 2009

SAEC to collaborate with HMORN to improve the safe use of drugs

The International Serious Adverse Events Consortium (SAEC) announced today it will collaborate with the HMO Research Network (HMORN) to improve the safe use of drugs by exploring why the genetic makeup of some individuals makes them more likely to experience serious drug-related adverse events (SAEs).

22 Oct 2009

Illumina announces 2010 roadmap for Infinium whole-genome genotyping platform

At the 59th annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, Illumina, Inc. today announced its 2010 roadmap for the Infinium whole-genome genotyping platform, offering products capable of analyzing up to five million (5M) variants per sample.

From Illumina, Inc. 22 Oct 2009

University of Granada scientists develop a new forensic technique for identifying persons missing in armed conflicts

A research work carried out at the Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology of the University of Granada will speed up the identification of more than 2,000 missing persons in Kosovo during former Yugoslavia war, besides developing a new forensic technique based on the study of ribs and pubis, which will be very useful for the identification of persons in armed conflicts. This work, pioneer all over the world, has involved the study of one of the greatest forensic samples never before analysed.

21 Oct 2009

Contribution of glycosaminoglycans to skeletal abnormalities in patients with lysosomal storage diseases demonstrated

A group led by Dr. Dieter Br-mme at the University of British Columbia has demonstrated that glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) contribute to skeletal abnormalities in patients with lysosomal storage diseases. Their report can be found in the November 2009 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

21 Oct 2009

Roche NimbleGen and High Throughput Genomics enter into a supply agreement

Roche NimbleGen and High Throughput Genomics, Inc. (HTG), provider of the quantitative Nuclease Protection Assay (qNPA), have entered into a supply agreement. Under the agreement, Roche NimbleGen will provide HTG with high density, multiplex DNA microarray slides for advanced gene expression analysis.

21 Oct 2009