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Vitamin D deficiency may contribute to higher risk of death among African-Americans compared to whites

Vitamin D deficiency may contribute to a higher number of heart and stroke-related deaths among black Americans compared to whites, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study.

6 Jan 2010

Genetic rogue elements could help diagnose breast and bowel cancer

Scientists at The University of Nottingham have found that a group of genetic rogue elements, produced by DNA sequences commonly known as 'junk DNA', could help diagnose breast and bowel cancer.

5 Jan 2010

UAE hosts five-day global health conference

Public health experts and researchers from around the world gathered on Monday for a five-day conference at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) in Al Ain, UAE, to discuss the role of the Middle East in tackling global health issues, AMEinfo.com reports.

5 Jan 2010

Study confirms link between GI and autism

An article published today in the journal Pediatrics confirms what parents and advocacy organizations have been saying for years: many individuals with autism suffer from gastrointestinal disease that can contribute to behaviors and symptoms associated with autism.

5 Jan 2010

Autism Speaks lauds recommendations for evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of GI in ASD children

Autism Speaks applauds the consensus statement and recommendations for the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) released online in Pediatrics as one step in advancing physician awareness of unique challenges in the medical management of children with autism.

5 Jan 2010

Elusive human protein outsmarted

A team of researchers is being recognized for devising a new way to study a human protein that long has evaded close scrutiny by scientists investigating its role in the communication of important genetic messages inside a cell's nucleus to workhorse molecules found elsewhere.

5 Jan 2010

Study identifies novel factor that causes Alzheimer's disease

Inheritance of an extra copy of the gene- β -amyloid precursor protein, APP, in individuals with Down syndrome leads to the inevitable development of early onset Alzheimer's disease, known to be linked to the deposition of Amyloid β peptide or Aβ in the brain.

5 Jan 2010

Anti-inflammatory prescription drug reduces the risk of common skin cancer in humans

A widely-available anti-inflammatory prescription drug can reduce the risk of a common skin cancer in humans, according to a researcher at Stanford's School of Medicine.

5 Jan 2010

Carbon nanotube: A viable alternative for rapid DNA sequencing

Faster sequencing of DNA holds enormous potential for biology and medicine, particularly for personalized diagnosis and customized treatment based on each individual's genomic makeup.

4 Jan 2010

Scientists identify genetic marker to diagnose DFTD

An international team of scientists led by a Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) investigator has discovered that the deadly facial tumors decimating Australia's Tasmanian devil population probably originated in Schwann cells, a type of tissue that cushions and protects nerve fibers.

4 Jan 2010

US-German team studies genome mutations

"While the long term effects of genome mutations are quite well understood, we did not know how often new mutations arise in the first place," said Detlef Weigel, director at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. It is routine today to compare the genomes of related animal or plant species.

3 Jan 2010

New chromosomal screening strategy shows promise in PGS

A new strategy that researchers believe provides a more comprehensive screening of the entire chromosomal makeup of an embryo shows tremendous promise in the field of preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) according to a study published in the December issue of Fertility and Sterility.

31 Dec 2009

Scientists discover a new family of giant virus

After Mimivirus, Mamavirus and the virophage, the group of giant viruses now has a new member called Marseillevirus. Discovered in an amoeba by the team led by Didier Raoult at the Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales Emergentes research group (CNRS/Université Aix-Marseille 2), a description of this new virus was published this week on the website of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

31 Dec 2009

Gene mutation that decreases flesh-eating disease discovered by scientists

Scientists at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston recently discovered a simple gene mutation that decreases the chance people will get a flesh-eating disease called necrotizing fasciitis. Further, they proved that inactivating this section of the gene lessens the devastating disease in humans.

30 Dec 2009

NFXF applauds the Congress and President for including Fragile X Syndrome for research funding

The National Fragile X Foundation applauds the United States Congress and President Barack Obama for including Fragile X Syndrome for the first time ever within a select group of conditions eligible for research funding from the U.S. Department of Defense.

30 Dec 2009

Overview of Psoriasis

Psoriasis, a chronic disease that causes red, raised patches of skin, is increasingly seen as a systemic disease with links to arthritis and cardiovascular disease. The December issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource provides an overview of this sometimes embarrassing condition, what's known about it and how it's treated.

30 Dec 2009

Scientists develop straightforward technique to find ethnic origin of stem cells

An international team of scientists led by researchers at The Scripps Research Institute has developed a straightforward technique to determine the ethnic origin of stem cells.

30 Dec 2009

DMET genotyping platform screens for 1256 genetic variations in 170 genes

It's the ultimate goal in the treatment of cancer: tailoring a person's therapy based on his or her genetic makeup. While a lofty goal, scientists are steadily moving forward, rapidly exploiting new technologies. Researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center report a significant advance in this field of research using a new chip that looks for hundreds of mutations in dozen of genes.

29 Dec 2009

Study suggests genetic variations predispose African-Americans to diabetes

For years, scientists have tried to determine the basis for discrepancies between race and the predisposition for development of diseases such as type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Could factors such as differences in lifestyle or access to health care play a role, or is there something else in play?

29 Dec 2009

Successful RNA interference to turn off multiple genes raises hope for new liver disease treatments

Researchers at MIT and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals report this week that they have successfully used RNA interference to turn off multiple genes in the livers of mice, an advance that could lead to new treatments for diseases of the liver and other organs.

29 Dec 2009