Genetic News and Research

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Scientists map origin of MRSA, technology could help understanding of other diseases

"Scientists have found a way to track minutely-differing strains of the 'superbug' MRSA [methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus] as they spread between people and across the globe, a finding that could aid efforts to control the deadly bacteria," Reuters/ABC News reports (Kelland, 1/21).

23 Jan 2010

Complete Genomics receives 2009 Red Herring Global 100 award

Complete Genomics Inc., a third-generation human genome sequencing company, today announced that it has been selected as a 2009 Red Herring Global 100 award winner. The company was also recognized as a 2009 Red Herring North America 100 award winner earlier last year.

23 Jan 2010

Simple, five minute saliva test to determine baby's risk for more than 100 life-threatening genetic diseases

Genetic diseases like those seen in the new Harrison Ford movie "Extraordinary Measures" can now be prevented with a simple saliva test which is free with insurance for more than 100 million Americans.

22 Jan 2010

Benefits of DNA testing

Does the term “genetic testing” conjure up thoughts of cloned, robot-like human beings and malevolent plots to rule the world? If so, you’ve been reading too much science fiction! The truth is, DNA testing has been put to very beneficial use for decades, primarily in the medical, law enforcement, and legal fields.

22 Jan 2010

Sexual reproduction leads to lesser accumulation of harmful DNA mutations than asexual reproduction

Living organisms have good reason for engaging in sexual, rather than asexual, reproduction according to Maurine Neiman, assistant professor of biology in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and researcher in the Roy J. Carver Center for Genomics.

22 Jan 2010

Seven-time PGA TOUR winner designates funds to the National Fragile X Foundation

Seven-time PGA TOUR winner Steve Stricker has recently designated a check in the amount of $10,000 to the National Fragile X Foundation. This contribution is a portion of the charitable proceeds generated from The Presidents Cup 2009 at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco, California, in which Stricker participated as a member of the victorious U.S. Team for the third time in his career.

22 Jan 2010

Researchers show how MRSA transmission can be tracked in hospital settings

For the first time, researchers have shown how transmission of MRSA from one person to another can be precisely tracked in a hospital setting. The team have developed a remarkable new method that can 'zoom' from large-scale inter-continental transmission events to the much finer detail of person-to-person infection of MRSA within a single hospital.

22 Jan 2010

Norepinephrine responses to bucindolol influenced by alpha-2C adrenergic receptor genotype

ARCA biopharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing genetically targeted therapies for heart failure and other cardiovascular disease, today announced that the paper “An alpha-2C-Adrenergic Receptor Polymorphism Alters the Norepinephrine Lowering Effects and Therapeutic Response of the Beta Blocker Bucindolol in Chronic Heart Failure” was published in the January 2010 edition of the peer-reviewed journal Circulation: Heart Failure (http://circheartfailure.ahajournals.org).

22 Jan 2010

Researchers discover genetic variations that predict clinical outcomes in patients with stomach cancer

Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) have, for the first time, identified specific genetic variations that predict clinical outcomes in patients with gastric (stomach) cancer.

22 Jan 2010

New study concerning the severity of H1N1 influenza published in CMAJ

A new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/doi/10.1503/cmaj.091884 concerning the severity of H1N1 influenza has found that admissions to an intensive care unit (ICU) were associated with a longer interval between symptom onset and treatment with antivirals and with presence of an underlying medical condition.

22 Jan 2010

Combination of saliva test with ultra high-tech biopsy process may help prevent genetic disorders

Florida's largest fertility clinic announced it is the first in the state to offer promising new tests against birth defects: a coupling of technologies that will allow couples to avoid passing along more than 100 genetic diseases to their newborn.

22 Jan 2010

BC Centre for Disease Control launches influenza genome sequencing project

The BC Centre for Disease Control has launched an influenza genome sequencing project to better understand how the pandemic H1N1 flu virus has evolved in British Columbia, and may continue to evolve in the coming months.

22 Jan 2010

FDA accepts ACT Biotech's ACTB1003 IND

ACT Biotech Inc., a privately held biotechnology company developing a portfolio of oral kinase inhibitors as anti-cancer drugs, today announced the acceptance of the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for ACTB1003 by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company has now assembled a complete preclinical package, including manufacturing and toxicology studies, allowing ACTB1003 to enter a clinical trial.

22 Jan 2010

Tips to identify signs of eating disorders

It's estimated that one-third of Americans made a New Year's resolution to lose weight this year. Though these dieting individuals may have healthy intentions, they could be putting themselves at risk for an eating disorder, warns Eating Recovery Center (www.eatingrecoverycenter.com), a licensed and Joint Commission accredited behavioral hospital providing comprehensive treatment and sustainable recovery for eating disorders.

22 Jan 2010

Applied Biosystems' AmpFℓSTR MiniFiler PCR Amplification Kit receives NDIS approval

Applied Biosystems, part of Life Technologies Corporation today announced that its AmpFℓSTR® MiniFiler™ PCR Amplification Kit has been approved for inclusion in the National DNA Index System (NDIS), a United States Federal Bureau of Investigation database that facilitates the electronic comparison and exchange of DNA profiles between participating local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and forensic laboratories.

21 Jan 2010

Study lays groundwork to develop new treatments for cardiovascular disease and other conditions

In a significant step toward restoring healthy blood circulation to treat a variety of diseases, a team of scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College has developed a new technique and described a novel mechanism for turning human embryonic and pluripotent stem cells into plentiful, functional endothelial cells, which are critical to the formation of blood vessels.

21 Jan 2010

New effort to produce standardized DNA parts for reducing development time of synthetic biology in labs

With seed money from the National Science Foundation (NSF), bioengineers from the University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University are ramping up efforts to characterize the thousands of control elements critical to the engineering of microbes so that eventually, researchers can mix and match these "DNA parts" in synthetic organisms to produce new drugs, fuels or chemicals.

21 Jan 2010

Quorum sensing offers a dynamic approach to increase sensitivity to external signals

Researchers at UC San Diego who last year genetically engineered bacteria to keep track of time by turning on and off fluorescent proteins within their cells have taken another step toward the construction of a programmable genetic sensor. The scientists recently synchronized these bacterial "genetic clocks" to blink in unison and engineered the bacterial genes to alter their blinking rates when environmental conditions change.

21 Jan 2010

Aetna and Walgreens collaborate to educate people on taking adequate levels of Vitamin D

Aetna (NYSE: AET) and Walgreens announced today that they have joined forces to educate people about the need to take in adequate levels of Vitamin D. The two organizations are working with United Way of the Midlands on a Vitamin D giveaway program being piloted in Richland and Lexington counties in South Carolina.

21 Jan 2010

DNA testing can help individuals make more-informed health and lifestyle decisions

Mention the term “genetic testing” and reactions can vary widely—from curiosity, to reticence or anxiety, to enthusiastic acceptance. The reality is, DNA testing has been used for decades, primarily to determine the paternity of children and to obtain forensic evidence for police investigations and legal trials.

20 Jan 2010

Genetic News and Research

Scientists map origin of MRSA, technology could help understanding of other diseases

Complete Genomics receives 2009 Red Herring Global 100 award

Simple, five minute saliva test to determine baby's risk for more than 100 life-threatening genetic diseases

Benefits of DNA testing

Sexual reproduction leads to lesser accumulation of harmful DNA mutations than asexual reproduction

Seven-time PGA TOUR winner designates funds to the National Fragile X Foundation

Researchers show how MRSA transmission can be tracked in hospital settings

Norepinephrine responses to bucindolol influenced by alpha-2C adrenergic receptor genotype

Researchers discover genetic variations that predict clinical outcomes in patients with stomach cancer

New study concerning the severity of H1N1 influenza published in CMAJ

Combination of saliva test with ultra high-tech biopsy process may help prevent genetic disorders

BC Centre for Disease Control launches influenza genome sequencing project

FDA accepts ACT Biotech's ACTB1003 IND

Tips to identify signs of eating disorders

Applied Biosystems' AmpFℓSTR MiniFiler PCR Amplification Kit receives NDIS approval

Study lays groundwork to develop new treatments for cardiovascular disease and other conditions

New effort to produce standardized DNA parts for reducing development time of synthetic biology in labs

Quorum sensing offers a dynamic approach to increase sensitivity to external signals

Aetna and Walgreens collaborate to educate people on taking adequate levels of Vitamin D

DNA testing can help individuals make more-informed health and lifestyle decisions

eBook: Using iPSCs models for human disease research and drug discovery eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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