Genes News and Research

RSS

Connectome remains dynamic during development, says Scripps Research

Connected highways of nerve cells carry information to and from different areas of the brain and the rest of the nervous system. Scientists are trying to draw a complete atlas of these connections-sometimes referred to as the "connectome"-to gain a better understanding of how the brain functions in health and disease.

28 Jan 2011

Protein Erk necessary for nerve fibers to be wrapped with myelin

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have pinpointed a crucial function for a key player in the development of the nervous system. They found that this player - a protein called Erk - is necessary for nerve fibers to be wrapped with an insulating substance called myelin, which allows messages to be sent from the brain to the peripheral limbs and back again.

28 Jan 2011

UMMS, Lundbeck enter research collaboration to develop targeted therapy for HD

The University of Massachusetts Medical School and Lundbeck today announced a research collaboration aimed at further development of a targeted therapy to slow or halt the progression of Huntington's disease.

28 Jan 2011

Aging-associated protein deficiency may lead to positive breast cancer in women

The most common type of breast cancer in older women - estrogen and progesterone receptor positive breast cancer - has been linked to a protein that fends off aging-related cellular damage.

28 Jan 2011

Golden Helix releases new Sequence Analysis Module for SNP & Variation Suite

Golden Helix, Inc. today announced the release of a new Sequence Analysis Module for its SNP & Variation Suite software. The new module introduces innovative tertiary analysis methods for next-generation DNA sequencing studies.

27 Jan 2011

St. Michael's Hospital to build first automated high-throughput zebrafish screening facility in Canada

Zebrafish are the new fruit flies.

27 Jan 2011

Fibroblasts help 'recruit' immune cells for tumor growth

The most common connective tissue cell in animals is the fibroblast, which plays an important role in healing wounds. But Dr. Neta Erez of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine has now demonstrated that fibroblasts can also do a body great harm, helping to "recruit" immune cells for tumor growth.

27 Jan 2011

Caffeine could decrease cost of lentiviral production

Give caffeine to cells engineered to produce viruses used for gene therapy and the cells can generate 3- to 8-times more virus, according to a paper published in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

27 Jan 2011

NuGEN expands NGS utility for microbial transcriptome analysis with Ovation Prokaryotic RNA-Seq System

NuGEN Technologies, a leader in genomics sample preparation, expands the utility of next-generation sequencing for the analysis of microbial species and microbiome samples with its Ovation Prokaryotic RNA-Seq System.

27 Jan 2011

Researchers develop anti-HIV gene therapy for rendering T-cells resistant to infection

An innovative genetic strategy for rendering T-cells resistant to HIV infection without affecting their normal growth and activity is described in a paper published in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The paper is available free online.

26 Jan 2011

Study results presented at ASCO-GI reinforce value of Genomic Health's Oncotype DX Colon Cancer test

Genomic Health, Inc. today announced presentation of three studies at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium, including one finding that high tumor grade was not a marker of higher recurrence risk in stage II colon cancer, suggesting that other markers, such as the Oncotype DX® Recurrence Score® (RS) test as well as T-stage and mismatch repair (MMR) status, should be considered by physicians during the treatment decision-making process.

25 Jan 2011

Study results of Pathwork Diagnostics's Tissue of Origin Test presented at ASCO 2011

Pathwork Diagnostics, Inc., a privately held molecular diagnostics company focused on oncology, announced today that results from a decision impact study of its Tissue of Origin Test were presented this weekend at the ASCO 2011 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco.

25 Jan 2011

Bax factor that promotes cell death is also involved in regulating mitochondria behavior

New research led by UC Davis scientists provides insight into why some body organs are more susceptible to cell death than others and could eventually lead to advances in treating or preventing heart attack or stroke.

24 Jan 2011

University of California study may shed light on human ability to adapt hypoxia

In an important study that may shed light on human ability to adapt to hypoxia, or inadequate levels of oxygen, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have proven that the genome of flies exposed to long-term hypoxia are changed to permanently affect gene expression.

24 Jan 2011

New study shows biomarker test can aid in early, precise diagnosis of melanoma

A new study shows that a test of biomarkers for DNA methylation is technically feasible and could aid in earlier, more precise diagnosis of melanoma.

24 Jan 2011

Blocking rogue gene may stop cancer spread: Study

In a new breakthrough British scientists have discovered a “rogue gene” which helps cancer spread around the body and add that this could mean specific therapy, if developed against the gene, could stop cancer spread.

24 Jan 2011

Contagious cancer repairs own genetic mutations

A curious contagious cancer, found in dogs, wolves and coyotes, can repair its own genetic mutations by adopting genes from its host animal, according to a new study in the journal Science.

24 Jan 2011

Functional tests are necessary to understand human disease despite genetic sequencing

Despite what you might have heard, genetic sequencing alone is not enough to understand human disease. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have shown that functional tests are absolutely necessary to understand the biological relevance of the results of sequencing studies as they relate to disease, using a suite of diseases known as the ciliopathies which can cause patients to have many different traits.

24 Jan 2011

Mutation of microRNA miR-96 causes deafness

New research from the University of Sheffield has revealed that the molecular mechanism underlying deafness is caused by a mutation of a specific microRNA called miR-96. The discovery could provide the basis for treating progressive hearing loss and deafness.

21 Jan 2011

Researchers reveal how genetic mutation contributes to cancer development

Scientists around the world have been hot on the trail of a genetic mutation closely associated with some brain cancers and leukemia since the mutation's discovery in 2008. The hunt is now yielding fruit. In the Jan. 18, 2011 issue of Cancer Cell, researchers reveal how the mutation contributes to cancer development and suggest potential ways to counter its effects.

21 Jan 2011