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FDA approves second anti-HIV drug from Rutgers-Janssen collaboration

Two decades after Rutgers scientists began working with Paul Janssen, a legendary drug developer and founder of Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceutica, to create new and potent drugs to fight AIDS, the FDA has approved the second anti-HIV drug that came from this collaboration.

24 Jun 2011

Epilepsy may arise from complex mixture of altered ion channels

Imagine two flat screen televisions tuned to the same channel and sitting side-by-side. From a distance, their pictures are virtually the same, however up close, you can see subtle variations in the pixels - one blurred here, another dropped out there.

24 Jun 2011

Stresses can change gene expression without DNA sequence change

None of us are strangers to stress of various kinds. It turns out the effects of all those stresses can change the fate of future generation, influencing our very DNA without any change to the underlying sequence of As, Gs, Ts and Cs. Now, researchers reporting in the June 24th issue of Cell, a Cell Press publication, have new evidence that helps to explain just how these epigenetic changes really happen.

24 Jun 2011

Scientists uncover new therapeutic target for Huntington's disease

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified compounds that appear to inhibit a signaling pathway in Huntington's disease, a finding that may eventually lead to a potential drug therapy to help slow the progression of degenerative nerve disorders.

24 Jun 2011

Study traces precursor of deadly esophageal cancers to leftover embryonic cells

The ultimate source of some cancers is embryonic cells. Research published in the June 24th Cell, a Cell Press publication, traces the precursor of deadly esophageal cancers to leftover embryonic cells found in all adults.

24 Jun 2011

Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis have higher vascular density in mouth

A team led by Johns Hopkins researchers has found that a hereditary colon cancer syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), is associated with abnormally dense blood vessel growth in the skin lining the mouth.

24 Jun 2011

New VAAST software tool can identify disease-causing mutations in rare genetic disorders

Harnessing the new generation of rapid, highly accurate gene-sequencing techniques, a research team has identified the disease-causing mutation in a newly characterized rare genetic disease, by analyzing DNA from just a few individuals.

24 Jun 2011

Researchers identify novel viral sensor complex

Double-stranded (ds) RNA viruses are a diverse group of viruses that include rotaviruses, a common cause of gastroenteritis. The ability of the immune system to detect and destroy viruses is critical for human health and survival.

24 Jun 2011

ITG researchers uncover unexpected sex between two different parasites

What we anxiously fear in the influenza virus - a cross between two strains, resulting in a new variant we have no resistance against - has occurred in another pathogen, the Leishmania parasite. This was uncovered by researchers of the Institute of Tropical Medicine.

24 Jun 2011

Oxytocin hormone holds promise for children with Prader-Willi syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare genetic disorder which affects one child in 25,000. Children born with this syndrome have a range of complex neurological and developmental problems which continue into adult life. These can manifest as cognitive and behavioral difficulties, weight gain, problems in controlling their temper and attendant difficulties in socialization.

24 Jun 2011

Adeona enters agreement to begin proprietary zinc-based therapy Phase IIb trial in ALS

Adeona Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a developer of innovative medicines for serious central nervous system diseases, announced today that it has expanded its pipeline of proprietary zinc-based therapies to include a planned Phase IIb clinical trial of patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

24 Jun 2011

Researchers discover new mechanism for origin of Barrett's esophagus

Researchers have discovered a new mechanism for the origin of Barrett's esophagus, an intestine-like growth in the esophagus that is triggered by chronic acid reflux and often progresses to esophageal cancer.

24 Jun 2011

Majority of cancers are due to epigenetic influences

Dr. Ajay Goel, Ph.D., Director of Epigenetics and Cancer Prevention at the Gastrointestinal Research Center at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, TX, has announced plans for a series of upcoming studies to continue to unlock the mechanisms by which curcumin prevents cancer via its influence on epigenetic activity.

23 Jun 2011

Computer algorithms might help identify sources of groundwater pollution

Computer algorithms might be useful in identifying sources of groundwater pollution, according to researchers in Australia and India. Writing in the International Journal of Environment and Waste Management they explain how notoriously difficult it is to trace such pollution.

23 Jun 2011

Veredus Labs develops ‘Lab-on-Chip’ to detect and differentiate several food-borne pathogens, including Escherichia coli

Veredus Laboratories, a leading provider of molecular detection tests, and its technology partner, STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), today announced the successful development and deployment of VereFoodborne™, a Lab-on-Chip application that is able to detect 10 to 12 food-borne pathogens in one test, including the Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) responsible for the recent severe food poisoning outbreak in Europe.

23 Jun 2011

SNP identification may help predict patients’ susceptibility to postoperative nausea and vomiting

There are several anesthetic complications that may have a hereditary background, including postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Past observations have shown PONV to occur in blood relatives as far back as two to three generations.

23 Jun 2011

Unraveling molecular dysfunction due to environmental toxin exposure

In a new article published in the journal Molecular Neurodegeneration, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine take some of the first steps toward unraveling the molecular dysfunction that occurs when proteins are exposed to environmental toxins. Their discovery helps further explain recent NIH findings that demonstrate the link between Parkinson's disease and two particular pesticides - rotenone and paraquat.

23 Jun 2011

New genetic research holds promise for patients with Chuvash polycythemia

New research conducted at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, offers hope for people with a rare disorder called Chuvash polycythemia.

23 Jun 2011

Rush scientist receives NIH grant to evaluate whether cinnamon may treat MS

A neurological scientist at Rush University Medical Center has received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to evaluate whether cinnamon, a common food spice and flavoring material, may stop the destructive process of multiple sclerosis.

23 Jun 2011

Scientists uncover novel mechanism linked to Spinocerebellar ataxia 7

A team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, have uncovered a novel mechanism regulating gene expression and transcription linked to Spinocerebellar ataxia 7, an inherited neurological disorder.

22 Jun 2011