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CHOP scientist says that mitochondria play central role in human evolution, disease

Mitochondria are not only the power plants of our cells, these tiny structures also play a central role in our physiology. Furthermore, by enabling flexible physiological responses to new environments, mitochondria have helped humans and other mammals to adapt and evolve throughout the history of life on earth.

26 Sep 2015

New study on deep-diving whales may help researchers create synthetic blood for human trauma patients

The ultra-stable properties of the proteins that allow deep-diving whales to remain active while holding their breath for up to two hours could help Rice University biochemist John Olson and his colleagues finish a 20-year quest to create lifesaving synthetic blood for human trauma patients.

26 Sep 2015

Scientists identify different CRISPR system with potential to advance genetic engineering

A team including the scientist who first harnessed the revolutionary CRISPR-Cas9 system for mammalian genome editing has now identified a different CRISPR system with the potential for even simpler and more precise genome engineering.

26 Sep 2015

H7N9 influenza vaccine failure may be due to immune camouflage, study reveals

The avian influenza A (H7N9) virus has been a major concern since the first outbreak in China in 2013. Due to its high rate of lethality and pandemic potential, H7N9 vaccine development has become a priority for public health officials. However, candidate vaccines have failed to elicit the strong immune responses necessary to protect from infection.

25 Sep 2015

Scientists compile complete genetic information of people affected by PAH

The genetic architecture of a debilitating and potentially fatal vascular disease has for the first time been detailed in its entirety, providing clinicians with the comprehensive data needed to improve diagnosis and deliver more personalised patient care.

25 Sep 2015

Matchmaker Exchange platform launched for uncovering rare disease genes

In a special issue of Human Mutation, a team including investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital has announced the launch of the Matchmaker Exchange - a way for the rare disease community to share information and find new connections. Matchmaker Exchange connects databases of genetic information and symptoms that physicians and investigators can "match" with a patient's rare disease.

25 Sep 2015

Research highlights potential new treatment strategy for degenerative diseases

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have discovered evidence of a mechanism at the heart of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and related degenerative diseases. The research appears in today's edition of the journal Cell and highlights a possible new treatment strategy for the devastating disorders.

25 Sep 2015

Discovery opens door to more targeted, effective treatments for cancer

In a discovery that could lead to more targeted and effective treatments for certain lung and prostate cancers, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have identified two new cancer-causing gene mutations - mutations that may be particularly susceptible to cancer-fighting drugs already approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. One of the gene mutations also may play a key role in early menopause.

24 Sep 2015

TUM, Stanford University scientists create new cancer therapy concept

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer and one of the most difficult to treat. Its high resistance to treatment is a major problem, particularly in the advanced stages.

24 Sep 2015

Soft palate plays key role in viruses' ability to spread

Flu viruses come in many strains, and some are better equipped than others to spread from person to person. Scientists have now discovered that the soft palate -- the soft tissue at the back of the roof of the mouth -- plays a key role in viruses' ability to travel through the air from one person to another.

24 Sep 2015

UT Southwestern researchers find a previously unknown genetic code

UT Southwestern physiologists trying to understand the genetic code have found a previously unknown code that helps explain which protein should be created to form a particular type of cell.

24 Sep 2015

New analysis shows rare gene mutations cause half of all ASD cases

A team led by researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) this week publishes in PNAS a new analysis of data on the genetics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

23 Sep 2015

New gene mutation linked to fatal swelling in unborn and newborn babies

Scientists have discovered a new gene mutation that causes potentially fatal swelling in unborn and newborn babies. Identifying the gene is the first step toward a future diagnostic test and targeted treatment for this condition.

23 Sep 2015

New genetic cause identified for congenital heart arrhythmia

Scientists at The Ohio State University Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute have identified a new genetic cause for congenital heart arrhythmia. The results of their research are published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

23 Sep 2015

Johns Hopkins scientists discover earliest premalignant genetic changes that mark potential onset of lung cancer

Working with tissue, blood and DNA from six people with precancerous and cancerous lung lesions, a team of Johns Hopkins scientists has identified what it believes are among the very earliest “premalignant” genetic changes that mark the potential onset of the most common and deadliest form of disease.

23 Sep 2015

TSRI study reveals key morphine regulator that may help develop less-addictive pain medications

Once used in the 18th century as currency to reverse the trade imbalance between China and Britain, opiates that contain morphine have been misunderstood almost continually ever since.

23 Sep 2015

FAU researcher finds unique way to monitor sickle cell disease

A researcher from Florida Atlantic University has come up with a unique way to monitor sickle cell disease -- a serious blood disorder -- using a smart phone. With a $166,935 grant from the National Science Foundation, E. (Sarah) Du, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering in FAU's College of Engineering and Computer Science, and principal investigator, will develop a portable smart sensor and a phone application for patients to analyze and store the results of their blood tests on a smart phone.

23 Sep 2015

Mayo Clinic's Gianrico Farrugia highlights five areas that may impact patient care

How is individualized medicine working? Let us count the ways. That's just what Mayo Clinic Vice President Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., did this morning in his opening keynote at the 4th annual Individualizing Medicine Conference. The core of his talk highlighted five areas in which the knowledge and know-how from the human genome will be most impactful in patient care, not just at Mayo Clinic, but anywhere in the nation and globally.

23 Sep 2015

TSRI scientists discover new role for enzyme involved in cell death

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered a new role for an enzyme involved in cell death. Their study shows how the enzyme, called RIPK3, relays signals between the cell’s mitochondria “powerhouses” and the immune system.

22 Sep 2015

New initiative aims to improve early detection, treatment of mitochondrial disease in Canada

The MitoCanada Foundation has announced a national research venture focused on improving the early detection and treatment of mitochondrial disease in Canada.

21 Sep 2015