Genetic Engineering News and Research

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Different processes govern sight, light detection - findings could point toward help for SAD, insomnia patients

A Johns Hopkins University biologist, in research with implications for people suffering from seasonal affective disorder and insomnia, has determined that the eye uses light to reset the biological clock through a mechanism separate from the ability to see.

23 Apr 2008

The good and bad side of anti-cancer compounds

Compounds known as "HDAC inhibitors" exhibit cancer-killing activities in cultured cells.

11 Apr 2008

Mosquito mating mechanism could lead to new attack on dengue and yellow fever

Cornell researchers have identified a mating mechanism that possibly could be adapted to prevent female mosquitoes from spreading the viruses that cause dengue fever, second only to malaria as the most virulent mosquito-borne disease in the tropical world.

11 Apr 2008

Research using human embryonic stem cells reveals earliest step in human development

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have uncovered the molecular underpinnings of one of the earliest steps in human development using human embryonic stem cells.

10 Apr 2008

Conjugated linoleic acid side effects - hormone leptin helps protect

An oil made of natural fatty acids that is sometimes used as a weight-loss supplement may need to be paired with hormones or other substances to prevent health problems that can follow rapid weight loss, a new study suggests.

10 Apr 2008

New mouse model grants insight into the genetic and molecular mechanisms underpinning acute myeloid leukemia

Leukaemia - cancer of blood or bone marrow is caused by mutations that allow defective blood cells to accumulate and displace healthy blood.

8 Apr 2008

Rare genetic syndrome may hold key to cure for heat stroke

A genetic disorder that can cause a fatal rise in body temperature in some patients undergoing general anesthesia may hold the key to a cure for heat stroke, according to research published in the April 4 edition of the journal Cell.

4 Apr 2008

Key factor in brain development revealed, offers insight into lissencephaly

In the earliest days of brain development, the brain's first cells - neuroepithelial stem cells - divide continuously, producing a population of cells that eventually evolves into the various cells of the fully formed brain.

28 Mar 2008

Lithium chloride slows development of inclusion body myositis

A new UC Irvine study finds that lithium chloride, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder, can slow the development of inclusion body myositis, a skeletal muscle disease that affects the elderly.

19 Mar 2008

Silencing gene in tobacco plants reduces harmful carcinogens

In large-scale field trials, scientists from North Carolina State University have shown that silencing a specific gene in burley tobacco plants significantly reduces harmful carcinogens in cured tobacco leaves.

19 Mar 2008

On the trail of rogue genetically modified pathogens

Bacteria can be used to engineer genetic modifications, thereby providing scientists with a tool to combat many challenges in areas from food production to drug discovery.

18 Mar 2008

Penn researchers identify first sex chromosome gene involved in meiosis and male infertility

A team of scientists led by University of Pennsylvania veterinary researchers have identified a gene, TEX11, located on the X chromosome, which when disrupted in mice renders the males sterile and reduces female fecundity.

17 Mar 2008

MicroRNAs help zebrafish regenerate fins

Biologists have discovered a molecular circuit breaker that controls a zebrafish's remarkable ability to regrow missing fins, according to a new study from Duke University Medical Center.

17 Mar 2008

Finding in mice could help prevent common complications of kidney damage

Kidney damage often sets off a slew of complications in patients, spreading organ failure like wildfire throughout their bodies.

14 Mar 2008

New mouse model of bipolar disorder

Bipolar Disorder (BPD or manic-depressive illness) is one of the most serious of all mental disorders, affecting millions of individuals worldwide.

13 Mar 2008

Novel brain cancer drug HhAntag for children may damage bones

A novel drug that fully eliminated brain tumors from mice in a dramatic 2004 study has shown a darker side - causing permanent bone damage in younger mice.

11 Mar 2008

Paradoxical Alzheimer's finding may provide better understanding of memory loss

Do you remember the seventh song that played on your radio on the way to work yesterday?

10 Mar 2008

Improved method for genetically manipulating human embryonic stem cells

UC Irvine researchers have discovered a dramatically improved method for genetically manipulating human embryonic stem cells, making it easier for scientists to study and potentially treat thousands of disorders ranging from Huntington's disease to muscular dystrophy and diabetes.

10 Mar 2008

Watery pools in bone marrow key to psoriatic arthritic damage

Researchers have learned more about how a leading drug prevents certain types of arthritis from eating away at bone, according to a study published in the March edition of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

4 Mar 2008