Genetic News and Research

RSS

Scientists discover novel genes that are mutated in stomach cancer

An international team of scientists, led by researchers from the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS) in Singapore and National Cancer Centre of Singapore, has identified hundreds of novel genes that are mutated in stomach cancer, the second-most lethal cancer worldwide.

9 Apr 2012

Study explores link between intraoperative blood loss and pediatric patients' underlying condition

The relative risk of blood loss during corrective spine surgery in children appears linked to the underlying condition causing the spinal deformity, according to a new study from Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

7 Apr 2012

Research on how cells cope with stress could lead to more effective cancer treatment

Both radiation and many forms of chemotherapy try to kill tumors by causing oxidative stress in cancer cells. New research from USC on a protein that protects cancer and other cells from these stresses could one day help doctors to break down cancer cells' defenses, making them more susceptible to treatment.

7 Apr 2012

Powerful link between circadian rhythms and metabolism

The discovery of a major gear in the biological clock that tells the body when to sleep and metabolize food may lead to new drugs to treat sleep problems and metabolic disorders, including diabetes.

7 Apr 2012

PloS ONE publishes research on GenVec's new vaccine vectors

GenVec, Inc. announced publication of research on GenVec's new vaccine vectors. These vectors circumvent neutralizing antibodies in order to generate the desired immunologic response.

7 Apr 2012

Innate patient factors, overall morbidity affect neurodevelopment in infants with single-ventricle disease

In the largest multicenter clinical trial of children undergoing early-stage surgery for single-ventricle heart defects, differences in intraoperative management did not significantly affect neurodevelopmental outcomes at 14 months of age. Instead, the strongest influences were innate patient characteristics and general medical morbidity during the child's first year of life.

6 Apr 2012

Study finds alarming misconception about fertility among women

Many women do not fully appreciate the consequences of delaying motherhood, and expect that assisted reproductive technologies can reverse their aged ovarian function, Yale researchers reported in a study published in a recent issue of Fertility and Sterility.

6 Apr 2012

Obese men more likely to underestimate their weight than women

When University of Illinois researchers surveyed over 3,500 college applicants, more than a third couldn't report their weight accurately, and overweight and obese men were more likely to underestimate their weight than women.

6 Apr 2012

Researchers generate endodermal progenitor cells for future diabetes treatments

Researchers have generated a new type of human stem cell that can develop into numerous types of specialized cells, including functioning pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. Called endodermal progenitor (EP) cells, the new cells show two important advantages over embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells: they do not form tumors when transplanted into animals, and they can form functional pancreatic beta cells in the laboratory.

6 Apr 2012

New technique reveals another piece of spectrum's genetic architecture

There is little argument among experts that autism spectrum disorders (ASD), complex developmental disabilities that vary widely in their severity, are caused by both genetic and environmental factors. Advances in genome sequencing now permit scientists to uncover specific mutations in DNA that are associated with ASD at unprecedented resolution. Such data are vital to understanding the genetic basis of the disorder.

6 Apr 2012

Positive effect of tafamidis on neurological degeneration

Tafamidis meglumine was approved in November 2011 for the treatment of transthyretin amyloidosis in adults. This rare disorder is caused by a defective gene and is associated with progressive nerve damage (neurological degeneration) that tafamidis is supposed to delay.

6 Apr 2012

African American women more likely to have ER-negative breast cancer

American women of African ancestry are more likely than European Americans to have estrogen-receptor-negative (ER-negative) breast cancer. There continues to be discussion about the role of low levels of vitamin D in the development of breast cancer for these women.

6 Apr 2012

Collaborative Cross project to develop lab mice with increased genetic diversity

With a 95 percent genomic similarity to humans, mice have long been used to learn about the genetic causes of human disease. Once researchers can shine a light on the genetic factors that cause disease in mice, they can start to develop prevention and treatment options to protect the human population.

6 Apr 2012

New microfluidics-based microarray can accurately detect breast cancer

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime. The earlier cancer is detected, the better the chance of successful treatment and long-term survival. However, early cancer diagnosis is still challenging as testing by mammography remains cumbersome, costly, and in many cases, cancer can only be detected at an advanced stage.

6 Apr 2012

PTSD could be genetically predicted

PTSD can occur after any kind of experience that causes trauma, whether that be in war, after a natural disaster or because of child abuse or sexual assault. Symptoms can include flashbacks, feeling emotionally numb or hyper-alert to danger, and avoiding situations that act as reminders of the original trauma. It is estimated that up to 3% of the general population is likely to be affected by PTSD at some point.

5 Apr 2012

Gene mutations, age of parents and autism

New research shows that several gene mutations sharply increase the chances that a child will develop autism spectrum disorders. The researchers have found further evidence that the risk increases with the age of the parents, particularly in fathers over age 35.

5 Apr 2012

Drug resistance woes hamper anti-malaria fight

Researchers have found that there is increasing resistance to the front-line treatments for malaria. A pair of studies published in The Lancet and the journal Science showed how the disease is moving fast into new territory and identified a region of the parasite's genome that may be responsible for mutating in order to survive.

5 Apr 2012

Vaccination most promising against asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory and respiratory disease caused by an abnormal reactivity to allergens in the environment. Of the several avenues of exploration that are currently being developed, vaccination appears to be the most promising approach.

5 Apr 2012

New NewYork-Presbyterian autism center to open in early 2013

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, along with its affiliated medical schools Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, today celebrated the start of construction on the new Center for Autism and the Developing Brain at the Hospital's Westchester campus in White Plains.

5 Apr 2012

Only few women consume aspirin to reduce risk of heart disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, and evidence-based national guidelines promote the use of daily aspirin for women at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. However, less than half of the women who could benefit from aspirin are taking it, according to an article in Journal of Women's Health, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

5 Apr 2012