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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).

People with rare mutations of gene MUTYH at increased risk of bowel cancer

CANCER RESEARCH UK funded scientists have found that people who carry rare mutations within both copies of a gene called MUTYH are 28 times more likely to develop bowel cancer compared to the general population, according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

1 Oct 2009

Epigentek Group releases SuperSense Methylated DNA Quantification kit

Epigentek Group Inc. today announced that it released the SuperSense(TM) Methylated DNA Quantification Kit to complete its line of methylated DNA quantification products. The SuperSense(TM) kit fluorometrically measures global DNA methylation shifts.

1 Oct 2009

Screening and diagnostic tests contribute to health care value across spectrum of care

Amidst ongoing debate in Congress over reforming the nation's health care system, a new report from the Lewin Group finds that screening and diagnostic laboratory tests are central to achieving some of the most important goals of health care reform.

1 Oct 2009

Presence of sequencing technologies in routine hospital and physician office labs over the next decade

As DNA testing expands and the price and speed of sequencing equipment improves, it's not out of the question that the half-million dollar sequencers now only available in top research labs may find their way into routine hospital and physician office labs throughout the U.S. over the next decade, according to the findings of Kalorama Information.

1 Oct 2009

Doris Duke Innovations award for sickle cell disease research

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced today that research led by Donald B. Kohn, M.D., Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics (MIMG) and Pediatrics, the Director of the UCLA Human Gene Medicine Program and member of the Broad Stem Cell Research Center, and Philip Gregory, D. Phil., Sangamo's chief scientific officer and vice president, research, has been selected to receive a $486,000 Doris Duke Innovations in Clinical Research Award from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

1 Oct 2009

Grand Opportunity grant to pursue "whole-genome" sequencing of patients with autism

Children's Hospital Boston, with the Broad Institute and Harvard Medical School, has been awarded a Grand Opportunity grant from the National Institute of Mental Health as part of the federal stimulus package, to pursue "whole-genome" sequencing of patients with autism, using new technologies for rapid DNA sequencing to better understand autism's causes.

1 Oct 2009

Rush University receives grants to study how epigenomic changes define cognitive decline

The National Institutes of Health has awarded Rush University Medical Center approximately $5.5 million in grants to study how epigenetic changes - chemical modifications to genes that result from diet, aging, stress, or environmental exposures - define and contribute to memory formation and cognitive decline. Results from the studies could profoundly alter the way the medical community understands, diagnoses, and treats Alzheimer's disease, according to the researchers.

1 Oct 2009

OICR completes evaluation of NEB's new reagents for use with the Illumina Genome Analyzer

Dr. John McPherson, Platform Leader, Cancer Genomics and High-Throughput Screening, and Dr. Kamran Shazand, Project Manager, of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) led a team of scientists who have completed a thorough evaluation of the NEBNext(TM) DNA Sample Prep Reagents for use with OICR's Illumina® Genome Analyzer II.

From New England Biolabs 1 Oct 2009

Brdt protein in developing sperm cells direct tight re-packaging of sperm DNA

In the quest for speed, olympic swimmers shave themselves or squeeze into high-tech super-suits. In the body, sperm are the only cells that swim and, as speed is crucial to fertility, have developed their own ways to become exceptionally streamlined. Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg and Grenoble, the Institut de Biologie Structurale (IBS) and the Institut Albert Bonniot, both also in Grenoble, have been studying the secrets of speedy sperm.

1 Oct 2009

Biology and geography scientists explain the spread of HIV-1 epidemic in Africa

Scientists studying biology and geography may seem worlds apart, but together they have answered a question that has defied explanation about the spread of the HIV-1 epidemic in Africa.

1 Oct 2009

New Magna Pure 96 System from Roche Applied Science

The new MagNA Pure 96 System from Roche Applied Science has been designed and engineered to meet the needs for high throughput laboratories worldwide. Its performance is based on Roche Applied Science’s 10 years experience in the development and application of glass-magnetic-particle based automated nucleic acid purification systems.

1 Oct 2009

NCI and NHGRI collaborate to characterize genetic and genomic changes that occur in cancers

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is one of twelve centers announced today by President Obama as part of an unprecedented large-scale, collaborative effort by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) to systematically characterize the genomic changes that occur in cancer.

1 Oct 2009

Parabon Nanolabs receives SBIR grant to design DNA biometric devices

Parabon NanoLabs (PNL), a leading designer and manufacturer of breakthrough, nano-enabled products, announced today its award of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant.

1 Oct 2009

U.S. patent for Idaho Technology’s high resolution nucleic acid melting techniques

Idaho Technology’s patent portfolio continues to grow as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted the company U.S. Patent No. 7,582,429 relating to methods of performing genetic analysis in the presence of a double-stranded nucleic acid binding dye.

30 Sep 2009

Hologic's ThinPrep integrated imager receives CE marking approval

Hologic, Inc., a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced it has received CE marking approval for its ThinPrep® integrated imager.

From Hologic, Inc. 30 Sep 2009

ARRA stimulus funds fuel research projects across America

The Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and The Science Coalition (TSC) today released highlighted examples of the important scientific work happening across the country as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The brief report summarizes just a handful of the thousands of projects benefiting from stimulus dollars.

30 Sep 2009

NuGEN launches the Ovation WGA System for genome amplification

NuGEN Technologies Inc, a pace-setter in nucleic acid sample preparation, announces its entrance into the DNA market today with the Ovation WGA System, a linear, remarkably reliable, and more robust solution to whole genome amplification.

30 Sep 2009

Offer period for conversion of bonds extended by Pharming

Biotech company Pharming Group NV ("Pharming" or the "Company") has received commitment from bondholders, representing 70% of the nominal amount of the currently outstanding bonds, to accept the offer to convert the bonds as announced on September 21, 2009. Together, they exceed the threshold level of 60% which Pharming set as a minimum participation in order to execute the transaction.

30 Sep 2009

Life Technologies Foundation awards grants for advancements in science

The Life Technologies Foundation, a non-profit arm of Life Technologies Corporation dedicated to advancing science education and scientific discovery, has awarded approximately $1.7 million in new grants that include the creation of an online biology textbook, and building a museum exhibit about the human cell.

30 Sep 2009

Scientists use new techniques to explore vocal learning at molecular level

You can learn a lot from an animal. By manipulating the DNA of mice, flies, frogs and worms, scientists have discovered a great deal about the genes and molecules behind many of life's essential processes. These basic functions often work about the same in people as they do in "model" animals.

30 Sep 2009