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Researchers reveal how butterfly disease patients develop cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas

Fragile skin that blisters easily: 90 percent of the patients that suffer from the skin condition recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) develop rapidly progressing cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, a type of skin cancer, by the age of 55. 80 percent of these patients will die due to metastasis within five years after the cancer has been first detected.

11 Mar 2016

Scientists identify novel gene variants associated with childhood BMI

An international team of scientists has identified novel gene locations associated with childhood body mass index (BMI)--an important measurement related to childhood obesity. The meta-analysis, covering over 47,000 children, is the largest genetic study to date of childhood BMI.

11 Mar 2016

Researchers develop new process for synthesis of potent anti-cancer agents

A team led by Rice University synthetic organic chemist K.C. Nicolaou has developed a new process for the synthesis of a series of potent anti-cancer agents originally found in bacteria.

10 Mar 2016

CYP3A7 gene may over-activate metabolism, reduce effectiveness of cancer treatments

Some patients with breast cancer, lung cancer and leukaemia seem to fare poorly after treatment because of the effects of a particular gene, a new study finds.

10 Mar 2016

EAF celebrates first anniversary of Brussels Declaration on ADPKD, urges MEPs to unite for better patient care

On World Kidney Day, leading experts from the European ADPKD Forum today issue a collaborative letter to over 350 European decision makers (European Parliament, European Commission, Council representatives) celebrating the year one progress of the Brussels Declaration on ADPKD, while calling for urgent backing from policy makers to reduce the widespread inequalities and variations in care that remain.

10 Mar 2016

Specific gene mutation may significantly reduce risk of heart attack

People with a specific gene mutation have a 50 percent lower risk of suffering a heart attack. This is what an international team of researchers headed by the cardiologist Prof. Heribert Schunkert, Medical Director of the German Heart Center at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), discovered in a broad comparative study. If this gene were switched off with medications it could reduce the risk of coronary disease significantly.

10 Mar 2016

Scientists discover novel drug candidate to treat breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma

Using a new approach, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and collaborating institutions have discovered a novel drug candidate that could be used to treat certain types of breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma.

10 Mar 2016

Gar genome helps identify genetic sequences shared by human disease genes and zebrafish

Led by Drs John Postlethwait and Ingo Braasch from the Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, US, in collaboration with the Broad Institute, the study of the Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) genome reveals that it is small and manageable. Furthermore, it lacks much shuffling and duplication that occurred in the 'main' fish ancestral line; it conserved its genome.

10 Mar 2016

MDI Biological Laboratory discover mechanisms underlying regeneration of heart tissue

The MDI Biological Laboratory has announced new discoveries about the mechanisms underlying the regeneration of heart tissue by Assistant Professor Voot P. Yin, Ph.D., which raise hope that drugs can be identified to help the body grow muscle cells and remove scar tissue, important steps in the regeneration of heart tissue.

10 Mar 2016

Overprescribing of opioids leads to serious public health problems

Overprescribing of opioids and opioid addiction are serious and growing public health problems in the U.S., and are the focus of a new report by an expert panel, entitled The American Opioid Epidemic: Population Health Implications and Potential Solutions," from the National Stakeholder Panel, Jefferson College of Population Health, which is published in a special supplement to Population Health Management, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The supplement is available open access on the Population Health Managementwebsite

10 Mar 2016

Early childhood presents short-lived window for intervention to ensure future cardio-metabolic health

Research conducted at LSU Health New Orleans School of Public Health has found that exposure to poverty does not produce metabolic and inflammatory biomarkers in young, healthy children. It identifies early childhood as an opportunity to prevent a known association in adults between poverty and the metabolic syndrome. The study is one of the first to characterize the timing of exposure to such stress and the emergence of the physiologic changes leading to cardio-metabolic disease and to document these relationships during this critical developmental period.

10 Mar 2016

TSRI researchers uncover new molecular mechanism underlying neurodegenerative diseases

A new study led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute suggests that cells construct protein "clumps" to protect against neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a.k.a. ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.

10 Mar 2016

Discovery may provide potential target for new therapies to treat bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder, which affects nearly eight million Americans, takes a toll not only on patients, but also on their families and communities.

10 Mar 2016

HIV-positive individuals in Africa with certain genetic variant have lower chance of developing TB

In the first known discovery of its kind, a Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine-led team has found that HIV patients in Africa with a certain genetic variant have a 63-percent lower chance of developing tuberculosis than HIV patients without the genetic variant.

10 Mar 2016

Clinical review examines benefit of RT in breast cancer patients with BRCA1, BRCA2 mutations

In light of conflicting and inconclusive clinical data on the benefit of radiation therapy in cancer patients with the BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation, a clinical review examined the current status of data regarding BRCA1 and BRCA2 deficiency and radiation therapy sensitivity and a potential strategy to intensify the effects of radiation therapy (RT) by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi), the pharmacologic drugs under investigation as monotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer in patients with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations.

9 Mar 2016

Startling lack of resistance genes discovered in intensively-farmed beef

In the first study to track antibiotic resistance in intensively-farmed beef, scientists discovered a "startling" lack of resistance genes in meat.Meanwhile, in soil and faeces samples from cattle pens they found genes resistant to a powerful "last resort" class of antibiotics called carpabemens that aren't used in the livestock industry. These genes may have jumped from humans or companion animals to livestock, or could even be present at low levels in the wider environment.

9 Mar 2016

New discoveries reveal why smokers have increased risk of type 2 diabetes

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have made two new discoveries with regard to the beta cells' ability to release insulin. The findings can also provide a possible explanation as to why smokers have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

9 Mar 2016

Drug-incorporated nanoparticle platforms allow for selective targeting of cancer cells

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. It is a leading cause of death and the burden is expected to grow worldwide due to the growth and aging of the population, mainly in less developed countries, in which about 82% of the world's population resides. By 2030, the global burden is expected to grow to 21.7 million new cancer cases and 13 million cancer deaths simply due to the growth and aging of the population. Current cancer therapy approaches are based in surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, being the chemotherapy the one that shows the greater efficiency for cancer treatment, mainly in more advanced stages. A major problem with this conventional chemotherapy is its toxicity and it also destroys healthy tissues resulting in systemic toxicity besides beneficial characteristics of killing cancer cells. Anticancer drugs also destroy healthy tissues resulting in systemic toxicity.

8 Mar 2016

CNIO researchers find panoramic view of proteins that intervene in a cellular process

Three years ago, the research team directed by Óscar Fernández-Capetillo, head of the Genomic Instability Group at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, obtained, for the first time, a panoramic view of the proteins that intervene in one of the most important and delicate cellular processes: the copying of genetic material during cellular division. They observed that the parts of the genome where the DNA was copied were also very rich in the modification by some very particular proteins, SUMOylations, and poor in others, ubiquitinations, but they were unable to understand why.

8 Mar 2016

Cause of amyloid beta pathology may be more versatile than previously known

Accumulation of the substance amyloid beta in the brain impairs the memory and cognitive ability in people with Alzheimer's. New findings from Lund University in Sweden show that the cause of amyloid beta pathology might be more versatile than previously known. Researchers believe that these new findings may be of significance to the development of new medications.

8 Mar 2016

Genetic News and Research

Researchers reveal how butterfly disease patients develop cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas

Scientists identify novel gene variants associated with childhood BMI

Researchers develop new process for synthesis of potent anti-cancer agents

CYP3A7 gene may over-activate metabolism, reduce effectiveness of cancer treatments

EAF celebrates first anniversary of Brussels Declaration on ADPKD, urges MEPs to unite for better patient care

Specific gene mutation may significantly reduce risk of heart attack

Scientists discover novel drug candidate to treat breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma

Gar genome helps identify genetic sequences shared by human disease genes and zebrafish

MDI Biological Laboratory discover mechanisms underlying regeneration of heart tissue

Overprescribing of opioids leads to serious public health problems

Early childhood presents short-lived window for intervention to ensure future cardio-metabolic health

TSRI researchers uncover new molecular mechanism underlying neurodegenerative diseases

Discovery may provide potential target for new therapies to treat bipolar disorder

HIV-positive individuals in Africa with certain genetic variant have lower chance of developing TB

Clinical review examines benefit of RT in breast cancer patients with BRCA1, BRCA2 mutations

Startling lack of resistance genes discovered in intensively-farmed beef

New discoveries reveal why smokers have increased risk of type 2 diabetes

Drug-incorporated nanoparticle platforms allow for selective targeting of cancer cells

CNIO researchers find panoramic view of proteins that intervene in a cellular process

Cause of amyloid beta pathology may be more versatile than previously known

Genetics & Genomics - Second Edition eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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