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A new gene expression analysis technique on a single molecule sequencer

A new gene expression technique adapted for single molecule sequencing has enabled researchers at the RIKEN Omics Science Center (OSC) to accurately and quantitatively measure gene expression levels using only 100 nanograms of total RNA. The technique, which pairs RIKEN's Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) protocol with the Helicos(R) Genetic Analysis System developed by Helicos BioSciences Corporation, opens the door to the detailed analysis of gene expression networks and rare cell populations. In recent years, next-generation DNA sequencers have produced an increasingly detailed picture of how genes are expressed at the molecular level. The transcriptional output of these genes - the RNA copies produced from DNA - has revealed a richness of complexity in transcript structure and function, providing insights into the molecular-level properties of cancers and other diseases.

19 May 2011

Abbott RealTime PCR assay for measuring HCV viral load receives FDA marketing approval

Abbott announced today that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market its RealTime PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test for measuring the viral load of hepatitis C (HCV), the leading cause of liver cancer in the United States.

19 May 2011

PCR testing for B. burgdorferi bacteria in joint fluid may confirm Lyme arthritis diagnosis

New research shows that polymerase chain reaction testing for Borrelia burgdorferi DNA—the spirochetal bacteria transmitted by deer ticks—in joint fluid may confirm the diagnosis of Lyme arthritis, but is not a reliable indicator for active joint infection in patients whose arthritis persists after antibiotic therapy. Findings of this study are published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.

13 May 2011

'Healthy' smokers have gene expression profiles similar to COPD patients

'Healthy' smokers experience changes in the gene expression of their lungs similar to that suffered by smokers who have developed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This is the conclusion of a new study, led by Catalan researchers, which confirms the crucial role that smoking plays in causing these alterations.

10 May 2011

MGH, Duke University and Angion Biomedica partner to develop novel therapeutics for ischemic stroke

Angion Biomedica Corp. announced today the establishment of an alliance with Duke University and Massachusetts General Hospital to pursue advanced development and clinical studies of its lead therapeutics for treatment of ischemic stroke.

10 May 2011

Roche seeks FDA clearance for fully automated Chlamydia and gonorrhoeae test

Roche announced today that it has filed for FDA clearance of its Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (CT/NG) tests.

7 May 2011

UT Southwestern researcher measures estrogen's effect on breast cancer cells

A UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher has identified the most comprehensive measurement to date of estrogen's effect on breast cancer cells, showing for the first time how immediate and extensive the effect is.

6 May 2011

Quest Diagnostics' Simplexa C. difficile test is now available in Europe

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced the availability in Europe of the Simplexa C. difficile Universal Direct test on the 3M Integrated Cycler.

From Quest Diagnostics 6 May 2011

Diagnostic test Xpert MTB/RIF proven fast and effective in low-resource settings

The Lancet published a significant development for TB diagnostics yesterday with concrete and encouraging study outcomes on the effectiveness of the new Xpert MTB/RIF test for TB and rifampicin resistance in realistic health care field conditions. One of the authors, Prof. Mark Nicol of the University of Cape Town (South Africa) who contributed to this study, is an EDCTP Senior Fellow. The article demonstrates that the test can effectively be used in low-resource settings to simplify early and accurate diagnosis of patients. The potential impact is a reduction in the morbidity associated with diagnostic delay, dropout and mistreatment. The article has appeared online on 19 April 2011 and will be published in volume 377 on 30 April 2011.

20 Apr 2011

FEN1 enzyme might serve as anti-cancer therapy target

An enzyme essential for DNA replication and repair in humans works in a way that might be exploited as anti-cancer therapy, say researchers at The Scripps Research Institute and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

15 Apr 2011

NIST's new reference can aid in Huntington's disease diagnosis

A new Standard Reference Material from the National Institute of Standards and Technology will help clinical genetics labs accurately diagnose Huntington's disease, an inherited degenerative brain disorder that usually begins between ages 35 and 50 and progressively leads to physical impairment, dementia and death.

15 Apr 2011

Scientists develop new method to detect virus presence in cells

Scientists at the Naval Research Laboratory Center for Bio-Molecular Science and Engineering have developed a method to detect the presence of viruses in cells and to study their growth.

12 Apr 2011

Scientists develop new approach to accelerate evolution of biomolecules in lab

Scientists at Harvard University have harnessed the prowess of fast-replicating bacterial viruses, also known as phages, to accelerate the evolution of biomolecules in the laboratory.

11 Apr 2011

Roche LightCycler 480 PCR System to be used at Koch Institute for advanced cancer research

Roche announced today that the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT will be using the Roche LightCycler® 480 System, a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system for the analysis of gene expression and genetic variation, in advanced cancer research.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 7 Apr 2011

Quest Diagnostics Simplexa molecular test receives bronze award for best new product

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced that the Simplexa™ molecular test on the 3M™ Integrated Cycler was honored with a bronze award for best new science and medical diagnostic product during the 2011 Edison Awards gala ceremony last night in New York City.

From Quest Diagnostics 7 Apr 2011

Retrovirus XMRV may not be associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in the central nervous system

There has been substantial mystery surrounding the origins of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), a condition affecting as many as four million Americans and marked by symptoms that include a sense of weariness that sleep does not improve and difficulty with memory and concentration.

6 Apr 2011

Life Technologies launches new TaqMan Mutation Detection Assays

Life Technologies Corporation today announced the launch of its TaqMan Mutation Detection Assays -- highly sensitive and novel molecular analysis research tools with the precision to detect a single mutant molecule hiding in a background of 1 million normal copies.

4 Apr 2011

Experts must monitor new antiviral compounds for HCV treatment

Data presented at the International Liver CongressTM highlight the fact that new novel antiviral compounds for the treatment of hepatitis C virus must be prescribed and monitored by experts and specialists to ensure resistance is minimised.

2 Apr 2011

Boehringer Ingelheim advances into Phase 3 clinical trial of BI 201335

Boehringer Ingelheim today announced a preview of the study designs for the pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials evaluating BI 201335, its investigational once-daily oral protease inhibitor, in both treatment-naive and -experienced patients with chronic genotype-1 hepatitis C virus, the most challenging genotype to treat.

2 Apr 2011

Rsearchers define new step that controls programmed cell death in cancer cells

When cells find themselves in a tight spot, the cell cycle regulator p21 halts the cell cycle, buying cells time to repair the damage, or if all else fails, to initiate programmed cell death.

2 Apr 2011