DNA News and Research

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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).

Research findings will likely aid efforts to develop a vaccine for Leishmania major

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Pennsylvania have found an immune system cell can "remember" a parasite's attack and help the body mount a more effective defense against subsequent invasions by the same parasite.

21 Oct 2004

Discovery of the gene for a form of Joubert Syndrome

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine have discovered the gene for a form of Joubert Syndrome, a condition present before birth that affects an area of the brain controlling balance and coordination in about 1 in 10,000 individuals.

21 Oct 2004

Researchers trim count of human genes to 20,000-25,000

Scientific description of the finished human genome sequence, reducing the estimated number of human protein-coding genes from 35,000 to only 20,000-25,000, a surprisingly low number for our species.

21 Oct 2004

Single nucleotide polymorphisms and forensic genetics, maybe not such a perfect combination

Forensic genetics is the branch of genetics that, through DNA analysis and comparison, deals with the resolution of legal problems such as paternity tests.

21 Oct 2004

Genetic predictions may bring “quantum leap” in breast cancer treatment success

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Massey Cancer Center received a prestigious award and a $600,000 grant from the V Foundation for Cancer Research, one of the nation’s leading organizations devoted exclusively to funding cancer research.

20 Oct 2004

Researchers are one step closer to understanding how high carbohydrate diets lead to obesity and diabetes

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas are one step closer to understanding how high carbohydrate diets lead to obesity and diabetes.

19 Oct 2004

UniSA to officially open its Nano and Bio Materials Centre

Some of the greatest wonders of the 21st century will probably occur on a small scale – in fact a tiny scale – smaller than a human blood cell, right down there at the level of atoms and molecules.

19 Oct 2004

Study suggests that some survivors have a genetic tendency to developing breast cancer as young women

Young women who were treated for cancer as children have a greater chance of developing breast cancer if their treatment included chest radiation, if they initially had cancer of the bones, muscles, or connective tissue, or had a family history of breast cancer

19 Oct 2004

Sister study that examines causes of breast cancer opens

A new study that will look at 50,000 sisters of women diagnosed with breast cancer opened today for enrollment across the United States. The Sister Study, conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), will investigate environmental and genetic causes of breast cancer.

18 Oct 2004

More efficient method to sequence the human genome

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have been tabbed to find a more efficient method to sequence the human genome.

18 Oct 2004

Comprehensive study raises questions about "demethylation" agents

Agents believed to selectively "restart" genes that limit cancer's growth -- a potential treatment option already in early clinical studies -- instead turn off as many genes as they turn on, a team of researchers from the National Cancer Institute and Johns Hopkins has discovered.

18 Oct 2004

Benitec receives exclusive rights to use DNA technology pioneered at Stanford University for all RNAi therapeutic uses

Benitec has announced an exclusive licensing deal with Stanford University. Under the license, Benitec receives exclusive rights to use the Minicircle DNA technology pioneered at Stanford University for all RNAi therapeutic uses, with sub-licensing rights.

18 Oct 2004

Mycophenolate mofetil is effective for managing symptoms of the most common type of lupus

Mayo Clinic investigators have found that the medication mycophenolate mofetil is effective for managing symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common type of lupus, for patients whose SLE does not affect the kidneys.

18 Oct 2004

Researchers have developed a novel drug-antidote pair

In a discovery that could give physicians more control over the actions of medications, researchers at Duke University Medical Center have developed a novel drug pair – a potent anti-coagulant with a matched "antidote."

18 Oct 2004

Genetic science gaining momentum by silencing genes

Along with five European academic laboratories, researchers from the Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) connected to Ghent University are accelerating the study of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.

16 Oct 2004

Technique for genetically modifying blood stem cells brings cure for blood diseases closer

The condition of mice with a genetic blood disease called beta-thalassemia improved significantly following treatment of their blood forming cells with a gene that enabled them to produce the type of hemoglobin normally found only in the fetus.

12 Oct 2004

New study offers rare glimpse of how the smallpox virus attacks its victims

Results of a new study in monkeys offer scientists a rare glimpse of how, on a molecular level, the smallpox virus attacks its victims. The findings shed light on how the virus caused mass death and suffering, and will help point the way to new diagnostics, vaccines and drugs that would be needed in the event of a smallpox bioterror incident.

12 Oct 2004

Discovery of naturally occurring RNA "switches" that manage the amino acid glycine

Two University of Washington computer scientists are part of a team that has discovered a pair of rare, naturally occurring RNA "switches" in a class of bacteria that work cooperatively to manage the amino acid glycine.

11 Oct 2004

Study sheds light on events orchestrating the changes when mammalian eggs are fertilized and become embryos

A new study sheds light on events orchestrating the changes when mammalian eggs are fertilized and become embryos. Researchers have discovered that expression of genes in mouse eggs and very early embryos is activated in part by regions of DNA called retrotransposons, which may have originated from retroviruses.

11 Oct 2004

Carbon nanotubes offer a new approach to gene therapy

Many genes that are related to particular diseases have now been identified. Scientists are trying to use this knowledge to treat diseases.

11 Oct 2004

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

Research findings will likely aid efforts to develop a vaccine for Leishmania major

Discovery of the gene for a form of Joubert Syndrome

Researchers trim count of human genes to 20,000-25,000

Single nucleotide polymorphisms and forensic genetics, maybe not such a perfect combination

Genetic predictions may bring “quantum leap” in breast cancer treatment success

Researchers are one step closer to understanding how high carbohydrate diets lead to obesity and diabetes

UniSA to officially open its Nano and Bio Materials Centre

Study suggests that some survivors have a genetic tendency to developing breast cancer as young women

Sister study that examines causes of breast cancer opens

More efficient method to sequence the human genome

Comprehensive study raises questions about "demethylation" agents

Benitec receives exclusive rights to use DNA technology pioneered at Stanford University for all RNAi therapeutic uses

Mycophenolate mofetil is effective for managing symptoms of the most common type of lupus

Researchers have developed a novel drug-antidote pair

Genetic science gaining momentum by silencing genes

Technique for genetically modifying blood stem cells brings cure for blood diseases closer

New study offers rare glimpse of how the smallpox virus attacks its victims

Discovery of naturally occurring RNA "switches" that manage the amino acid glycine

Study sheds light on events orchestrating the changes when mammalian eggs are fertilized and become embryos

Carbon nanotubes offer a new approach to gene therapy

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