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Scientists have made breakthrough in understanding cancer-promoting action of herbal products

A team of scientists from the National Cancer Centre Singapore, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, and Taiwan's Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, LinKou, have made a breakthrough in understanding the cancer-promoting action of Aristolochic Acid (AA), a natural product of Aristolochia plants traditionally used in some Asian herbal remedies for weight loss and slimming.

14 Aug 2013

Study shows enhancer RNA molecules may open new avenues for gene therapy

A study investigating the function of the recently discovered enhancer RNA molecules may open new avenues for gene therapy. According to the study researchers, altering the production and function of these molecules could affect the expression of genes and, in consequence, possibly also the progression of various diseases.

14 Aug 2013

Researchers identify clear genetic risk factors in patients with severe epilepsy

Neurologists and epilepsy researchers from NYU Langone Medical Center were among scientists who have 329 random genetic mutations associated with two of the most severe forms of epilepsy, according to a paper published today in Nature.

13 Aug 2013

Viewpoints: Obama overlooking legal constraints on employer mandate delay; Bush's 'unnecessary' heart procedure; discrimination against people with mental illnesses

In his Friday remarks, Mr. Obama also claimed that he had the "executive authority" for the mandate delay. But if he really believes that, then why did he say he would normally ask for a legislative "tweak." Either the fix requires legislation or it doesn't. His comments are certainly revealing about his attitudes on Presidential power and the constraints of the U.S. Constitution. Article II, Section 3 instructs him to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, not merely what he thinks is "the essence" of laws (8/10).

13 Aug 2013

Study reveals new genetic mutations that cause epilepsy

Results from a landmark international study using state of the art technology has revealed new genetic mutations that cause epilepsy. The findings could help to advance treatments for the most severe forms of epilepsy.

13 Aug 2013

Strategy that dismantles flu viral genome in human lung cells ensures safe research

A new strategy that dismantles a viral genome in human lung cells will ensure safe research on deadly strains of influenza, say researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

13 Aug 2013

Patients with rare epilepsy aphasia share mutations on same gene

Some patients with a rare type of epilepsy called epilepsy aphasia have something else in common. They have mutations in the same gene. Epilepsy aphasia disorders are characterized by seizures and speech abnormalities.

13 Aug 2013

Learning "grammar" helps determine whether gene gets switched on or not

Researchers have probed deep into the cell's genome, beyond the basic genetic code, to begin learning the "grammar" that helps determine whether or not a gene gets switched on to make the protein it encodes.

13 Aug 2013

Scientists present novel method to visualize how nuclear protein mobility changes following DNA damage

Understanding the cellular response to DNA strand breaks is crucial to decipher the mechanisms maintaining the integrity of our genome. In eukaryotic cells, the molecular events triggered by DNA damage are strongly influenced by the local chromatin environment surrounding the lesion. The ensuing DNA repair process, in turn, impacts on chromatin structure. In order to understand how these two fundamental processes are mutually connected, both chromatin rearrangements induced by DNA damage as well as DNA repair activity have to be visualized in living cells.

12 Aug 2013

Complex and messy ethical, social and cultural issues often left on table

Resolving complex ethical, social and cultural issues in the early stage of a global health research project or clinical trial can improve the impact and quality of that research, a new report says.

12 Aug 2013

Study of childhood epilepsies links two new genes to severe forms of disease

A genetic study of childhood epilepsies has linked two new genes to severe forms of disease and provides a novel strategy for identifying therapy targets. This study used a cutting-edge genetic technique, called exome sequencing, to search for new mutations that are not inherited.

12 Aug 2013

Study shows schizophrenia, bipolar disorder share the most common genetic variation

The largest genome-wide study of its kind has determined how much five major mental illnesses are traceable to the same common inherited genetic variations. Researchers funded in part by the National Institutes of Health found that the overlap was highest between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder; moderate for bipolar disorder and depression and for ADHD and depression; and low between schizophrenia and autism.

12 Aug 2013

Gene combination therapy repairs and prevents future damage of muscles caused by DMD

New research on two promising gene therapies suggests that combining them into one treatment not only repairs muscle damage caused by Duchenne muscular dystrophy, but also prevents future injury from the muscle-wasting disease.

12 Aug 2013

Study: 3 enzymes required for building sugar superstructure involved in muscular dystrophies

For many inherited diseases, such as cystic fibrosis or Huntington disease, the disease-causing genetic mutation damages or removes a protein that has an essential role in the body. This protein defect is the root cause of the disease symptoms.

9 Aug 2013

Researchers unveil comprehensive portrait of the genome of world's first immortal cell line

A team from the University of Washington has unveiled a comprehensive portrait of the genome of the world's first immortal cell line, known as HeLa. The cell line was derived in 1951 from an aggressive cervical cancer that killed Henrietta Lacks, a 31-year-old African-American tobacco farmer and mother of five - the subject of the 2010 New York Times bestseller, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

8 Aug 2013

Brain tumor cells in arrested development contribute to cell variety that protects cancer

A program that pushes immature cells to grow up and fulfill their destiny as useful, dedicated cells is short-circuited in the most common and deadly form of brain tumor, scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report this week in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

8 Aug 2013

DNA mutation 'signature' identified in urinary tract cancers linked to birthwort herb

Genomic sequencing experts at Johns Hopkins partnered with pharmacologists at Stony Brook University to reveal a striking mutational signature of upper urinary tract cancers caused by aristolochic acid, a plant compound contained in herbal remedies used for thousands of years to treat a variety of ailments such as arthritis, gout and inflammation.

8 Aug 2013

Cancer-linked mitosis: an interview with Professor Scott Kern, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Mitosis is the process by which a cell gives rise to two daughter cells. It’s the basis behind the growth of the human body, the renewal of the human body as it ages, and unfortunately, the growth of cancers.

7 Aug 2013

Roche releases new software for accurate sequencing of long 16S ribosomal RNA amplicons

Roche announced today the global launch of a new software update that significantly extends the range of amplicon lengths available for targeted next-generation sequencing studies on the 454 GS FLX+ System.

7 Aug 2013

Findings may allow lower doses of chemotherapy, limit toxic side effects

In research recently published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology, Alessandro Vindigni, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Saint Louis University, discovered how cancer cells respond to the damage caused by an important class of anti-cancer drugs, topoisomerase I inhibitors.

7 Aug 2013

Genome News and Research

Scientists have made breakthrough in understanding cancer-promoting action of herbal products

Study shows enhancer RNA molecules may open new avenues for gene therapy

Researchers identify clear genetic risk factors in patients with severe epilepsy

Viewpoints: Obama overlooking legal constraints on employer mandate delay; Bush's 'unnecessary' heart procedure; discrimination against people with mental illnesses

Study reveals new genetic mutations that cause epilepsy

Strategy that dismantles flu viral genome in human lung cells ensures safe research

Patients with rare epilepsy aphasia share mutations on same gene

Learning "grammar" helps determine whether gene gets switched on or not

Scientists present novel method to visualize how nuclear protein mobility changes following DNA damage

Complex and messy ethical, social and cultural issues often left on table

Study of childhood epilepsies links two new genes to severe forms of disease

Study shows schizophrenia, bipolar disorder share the most common genetic variation

Gene combination therapy repairs and prevents future damage of muscles caused by DMD

Study: 3 enzymes required for building sugar superstructure involved in muscular dystrophies

Researchers unveil comprehensive portrait of the genome of world's first immortal cell line

Brain tumor cells in arrested development contribute to cell variety that protects cancer

DNA mutation 'signature' identified in urinary tract cancers linked to birthwort herb

Cancer-linked mitosis: an interview with Professor Scott Kern, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Roche releases new software for accurate sequencing of long 16S ribosomal RNA amplicons

Findings may allow lower doses of chemotherapy, limit toxic side effects

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