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Three Scottish universities to offer a new course in stratified medicine

Stratified medicine, which uses the genetic make-up of patients and their differing responses to drugs to create more personalised and effective forms of treatment, has been hailed as one of the most important concepts to emerge in 21st century clinical science.

7 Aug 2014

MIT researchers generate liver tumors in adult mice

Sequencing the genomes of tumor cells has revealed thousands of mutations associated with cancer. One way to discover the role of these mutations is to breed a strain of mice that carry the genetic flaw — but breeding such mice is an expensive, time-consuming process.

7 Aug 2014

UCSF researchers identify novel molecular features within the developing human brain

UC San Francisco researchers have identified cells' unique features within the developing human brain, using the latest technologies for analyzing gene activity in individual cells, and have demonstrated that large-scale cell surveys can be done much more efficiently and cheaply than was previously thought possible.

7 Aug 2014

New reporting standards proposed for spinal cord injury experiments

The difficulty in replicating and directly comparing and confirming the scientific results reported by researchers worldwide who are studying new approaches to treating spinal cord injuries is slowing the translation of important new findings to patient care.

7 Aug 2014

RSAM, Rettsyndrome.org renew commitment to defeat Rett syndrome

Rett Syndrome Association of Massachusetts and Rettsyndrome.org are thrilled to announce today their renewed commitment to work together to defeat Rett syndrome. A generous $150,000 donation from RSAM will support a Rettsyndrome.org approved grant to Dr. Michela Fagiolini's project at the Boston Children's Hospital: "Assessing NMDA receptor (NMDAr) modulators to ameliorate cortical regression in Rett syndrome".

7 Aug 2014

Researchers take major step forward in developing real ALS treatments

A series of studies begun by Harvard Stem Cell Institute scientists eight years ago has lead to a report published today that may be a major step forward in the quest to develop real treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease.

7 Aug 2014

Induced immunorejection may eliminate tumors post-cell transplantation

Recent studies have shown that transplanting induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural stem cells (iPS-NSCs) can promote functional recovery after spinal cord injury in rodents and non-human primates. However, a serious drawback to the transplantation of iPS-NSCs is the potential for tumor growth, or tumorogenesis, post-transplantation.

7 Aug 2014

Twin study supports psychosis continuum

A study of adolescent twins suggests that similar factors influence psychotic experiences regardless of their severity, consistent with a psychosis continuum.

6 Aug 2014

Comprehensive database collecting information about microRNAs, multiMiR

Your genes are blueprints for proteins, and molecules called microRNA can help to determine how often these genetic blueprints are manufactured into proteins. Researchers often ask what microRNA regulates a gene related to disease.

6 Aug 2014

Researchers identify genetic variants associated with severe skin reactions to antiepileptic drug

Researchers have identified genetic variants that are associated with severe adverse skin reactions to the antiepileptic drug phenytoin, according to a study in the August 6 issue of JAMA.

6 Aug 2014

New techniques offer insight into cell-by-cell makeup of organisms

In general, our knowledge of biology-and much of science in general-is limited by our ability to actually see things. Researchers who study developmental problems and disease, in particular, are often limited by their inability to look inside an organism to figure out exactly what went wrong and when.

6 Aug 2014

Researchers develop new methods to identify genes important for survival of MRSA in pigs

It is important to keep the number of MRSA infections at a low level. In a PhD project at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, the latest technologies within whole genome sequencing were exploited to develop new methods to identify genes which are important for the survival of MRSA in pigs.

5 Aug 2014

New guideline recommends genetic testing of tumors for colorectal cancer patients

Of the 143,000 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer annually in the U.S., up to 25 percent have a familial risk of colorectal cancer. A new guideline from the U.S. Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer recommends genetic testing of tumors for all newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients.

5 Aug 2014

FDA grants orphan-drug designation to Genoa's pirfenidone for treatment of IPF disease

Genoa Pharmaceuticals, the leader in inhaled medicines for pulmonary fibrosis, today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan-drug designation to Genoa for the use of pirfenidone in their lead program - inhaled GP-101 for the treatment of IPF.

5 Aug 2014