Genetic News and Research

RSS

Gut bacteria play major role in diabetes, obesity depending on host’s genetic makeup

The trillions of bacteria in your digestive system play a major role in your metabolism, and they're linked to your risks of type 2 diabetes, obesity and the related conditions that make up "metabolic syndrome," which has become a global health epidemic.

4 Sep 2015

Mel18 protein regulates development of heart muscle

It is arguably the hardest working muscle in our body and without its incessant, regular beating our organs would be starved of life-giving nutrients.

4 Sep 2015

Ex-prisoners with common psychiatric disorders more likely to commit violent crimes after release

Ex-prisoners with common psychiatric disorders such as bipolar disorder (manic-depressive disorder) and alcohol and drug abuse are substantially more likely to commit a violent crime after release than other prisoners, according to new research published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.

4 Sep 2015

Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier could potentially be a new drug target to treat diabetes

High blood sugar is a defining characteristic of Type 2 diabetes and the cause of many of the condition's complications, including kidney failure, heart disease, and blindness. Most diabetes medications aim to maintain normal blood sugar (glucose) levels and prevent high blood sugar by controlling insulin.

3 Sep 2015

Children's Hospital Los Angeles receives $2 million to spur research on brain, spinal cord tumors

A life-changing event for a Los Angeles family has resulted in their funding an endowment to support The Kort Family Foundation Brain and Spinal Cord Tumor Research Program in the Division of Neurosurgery at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

3 Sep 2015

Valerion announces positive results from non-clinical pilot study of VAL-1221 for treatment of Pompe disease

Valerion Therapeutics, LLC yesterday announced positive results from a non-clinical "proof of concept" pilot study for a novel humanized antibody and acid alpha glucosidase (GAA) fusion candidate for the treatment of Pompe disease.

3 Sep 2015

New technology may allow mass production of flu vaccines

Vaccines to protect against an avian influenza pandemic as well as seasonal flu may be mass produced more quickly and efficiently using technology described today (Sept. 2) by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the journal Nature Communications.

3 Sep 2015

Scientists identify new mechanism for severe early infant epilepsy

Scientists at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden have discovered a new explanation for severe early infant epilepsy. Mutations in the gene encoding the protein KCC2 can cause the disease, hereby confirming an earlier theory.

3 Sep 2015

Imetelstat drug shows promise in treating patients with myelofibrosis

Imetelstat, a novel drug that targets telomerase, has demonstrated potential value in treating patients with myelofibrosis, according to the results of a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine.

3 Sep 2015

Study reveals new epigenetic mechanism underlying progression of cancer tumors

Aggressive cancer growth and alterations in gene activity without changes in DNA sequence (epigenetics) are associated with mutant p53 proteins, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

3 Sep 2015

Researchers create method to watch activity of motor neurons in real time

When you're taking a walk around the block, your body is mostly on autopilot--you don't have to consciously think about alternating which leg you step with or which muscles it takes to lift a foot and put it back down. That's thanks to a set of cells in your spinal cord that help translate messages between your brain and your motor neurons, which control muscles.

3 Sep 2015

University of Basel scientists identify genes that play central role in development of Alzheimer's disease

Genes are not only important for regular memory performance, but also for the development of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers at the University of Basel now identified a specific group of genes that plays a central role in both processes. This group of molecules controls the concentration of calcium ions inside the cell.

3 Sep 2015

Double mastectomies on the rise in men with breast cancer, new report finds

The number of men with breast cancer who undergo surgery to remove the unaffected breast has risen sharply, according to a new report by American Cancer Society and Dana Farber Cancer Institute researchers. The report, appearing in JAMA Surgery, is the first to identify the trend, which mirrors a trend seen in U.S. women over the past two decades.

3 Sep 2015

New study suggests potential use of targeted therapies for two subtypes of esophageal cancer

Nearly all advanced esophageal cancers harbor genetic mutations that can be targeted with emerging drug therapies, according to a new study published in The Oncologist on September 2, 2015.

3 Sep 2015

Study reveals presence of new genetic mutation in melanoma cancer cells

There is strong evidence that the protein complex APC/C may function as a tumor suppressor in multiple cancers including lymphoma, colorectal and breast cancer, and now melanoma. A new study has revealed that a genetic mutation leading to repression of a specific protein, Cdh1, which interacts with APC/C, is present in melanoma cancer cells.

3 Sep 2015

Shire and Sangamo revise agreement to expedite development of ZFP Therapeutics for Huntington's disease, hemophilia A and B

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc., a leader in therapeutic genome editing, announced today that the company and its collaborator, Shire plc, have agreed to revise their January 2012 collaboration and license agreement to expedite the development of ZFP Therapeutics for hemophilia A and B and Huntington's disease.

2 Sep 2015

Huntington’s disease prevention breakthrough? An interview with Professor Lesley Jones

Huntington’s disease is an inherited disease which, whilst quite rare, is one of the more common inherited neurodegenerative diseases. About 1 in 6,000 people in the UK are at risk and what’s horrible about this disease is that if one of your parents has it, then you have a fifty-fifty chance of inheriting it.

2 Sep 2015

USF, FARA to jointly host scientific symposium on Friedreich's ataxia

The University of South Florida will again bring together leading researchers and patients searching for a treatment for Friedreich's ataxia and related disorders at the seventh annual scientific symposium "Understanding Energy for A Cure." The symposium will be held 5 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 17, at the USF Marshall Student Center Ballroom, USF Cedar Circle, Tampa, FL 33620.

2 Sep 2015

Incorporating clinical genomic sequencing data into clinical management improves pediatric cancer treatment

In a study that included children and young adults with relapsed or refractory cancer, incorporation of integrative clinical genomic sequencing data into clinical management was feasible, revealed potentially actionable findings in nearly half of the patients, and was associated with change in treatment and family genetics counseling for a small proportion of patients, according to a study in the September 1 issue of JAMA.

2 Sep 2015

TGen scientists identify potential gene associated with NAFLD-related liver damage

In a first-of-its-kind exploratory study, the Translational Genomics Research Institute has identified a potential gene associated with the initiation of the most common cause of liver damage.

2 Sep 2015

Genetic News and Research

Gut bacteria play major role in diabetes, obesity depending on host’s genetic makeup

Mel18 protein regulates development of heart muscle

Ex-prisoners with common psychiatric disorders more likely to commit violent crimes after release

Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier could potentially be a new drug target to treat diabetes

Children's Hospital Los Angeles receives $2 million to spur research on brain, spinal cord tumors

Valerion announces positive results from non-clinical pilot study of VAL-1221 for treatment of Pompe disease

New technology may allow mass production of flu vaccines

Scientists identify new mechanism for severe early infant epilepsy

Imetelstat drug shows promise in treating patients with myelofibrosis

Study reveals new epigenetic mechanism underlying progression of cancer tumors

Researchers create method to watch activity of motor neurons in real time

University of Basel scientists identify genes that play central role in development of Alzheimer's disease

Double mastectomies on the rise in men with breast cancer, new report finds

New study suggests potential use of targeted therapies for two subtypes of esophageal cancer

Study reveals presence of new genetic mutation in melanoma cancer cells

Shire and Sangamo revise agreement to expedite development of ZFP Therapeutics for Huntington's disease, hemophilia A and B

Huntington’s disease prevention breakthrough? An interview with Professor Lesley Jones

USF, FARA to jointly host scientific symposium on Friedreich's ataxia

Incorporating clinical genomic sequencing data into clinical management improves pediatric cancer treatment

TGen scientists identify potential gene associated with NAFLD-related liver damage

Sequencing & Genomics: Elevating Science and Healthcare eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Latest News