Genes News and Research

RSS

New BD MAX Check-Points CPO assay receives FDA 510(k) clearance

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, along with Check-Points Health B.V., announced today that FDA 510(k) clearance was obtained for a molecular screening test for antibiotic-resistant carbapenemase-producing organisms on the fully-automated BD MAX System.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 30 Oct 2019

TDP-43 study could speed up the diagnosis and treatment of ALS

A new study suggests that TDP-43 may be used as a biomarker in the diagnosis and treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

30 Oct 2019

DNA sequences encode information in many different ways

DNA sequences encode information in many different ways. Codons specify the amino acids involved in making a protein.

30 Oct 2019

Brain function changes could help diagnose and manage depression

Ever heard of the lateral habenula? Very few, outside of neuroscience, probably have. Yet a new study, published in the journal Neuron, shows that characteristic changes in the way this area of the brain fires can result in a total loss of will to do anything – which is characteristic of one form of depression.

29 Oct 2019

Boozing leads to small brains or people with small brains drink more?

Research has shown that excessive alcohol use is associated with reduction in brain volume. Now a new study has shown that brain volume is associated genetically with a predisposition to excessive alcohol consumption.

29 Oct 2019

Synthetic scaffolds could detect multiple types of cancers

Invasive procedures to biopsy tissue from cancer-tainted organs could be replaced by simply taking samples from a tiny "decoy" implanted just beneath the skin, University of Michigan researchers have demonstrated in mice.

29 Oct 2019

Researchers make progress toward gene-based strategies to treat inherited neurometabolic diseases

Researchers are making great strides toward developing gene-based strategies to treat a variety of inherited neurometabolic diseases characterized by severe neurological involvement.

29 Oct 2019

Researchers develop new test to detect nutrient deficiencies in harsh environments

Mothers and children in low resource communities may appear well fed but often suffer from micronutrient deficiencies.

29 Oct 2019

New method can indicate prognosis of aggressive breast cancer

Aggressive forms of breast cancer often manipulate the immune response in their favor. This manipulation is revealed in humans by the same immunological "signature" as in mice. This is shown by a study carried out by scientists from the University of Bonn together with Dutch colleagues.

29 Oct 2019

NUS researchers use glowing nanoparticles to control biological processes

The biological technique of 'optogenetics' uses light to control cells within living tissues that have been genetically modified to be light-sensitive.

29 Oct 2019

Researchers develop new genomic analysis method for identifying Yersinia strains

The Yersinia genus covers a vast range of bacteria that are distinguished by criteria such as whether or not they are able to cause disease (their pathogenicity).

29 Oct 2019

Dynamic molecular signaling waves control embryonic fates

Timing is everything for young cells waiting to determine their identities.

29 Oct 2019

New cystic fibrosis drug now available through NHS England

On October 24, 2019, cystic fibrosis (CF) patients rejoiced at the news that three years of talks between the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals had succeeded in a compromise which could see about 5,000 patients gaining access to a potentially life-saving drug called Orkambi within the next month. Orkambi is perceived to be a ‘wonder drug’ because it helps these patients to breathe easier and better, and can be started as young as two years.

28 Oct 2019

How the SETD1A gene produces schizophrenia in mice

A new study published in the journal Neuron on October 9, 2019 reports that scientists have unlocked part of the secrets of the SETD1A gene – how mutations in the gene put the individual at risk for the condition.

26 Oct 2019

Discovery in monkeys could pave way for treatment of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

A genetic mutation that leads to a rare, but devastating blindness-causing syndrome has been discovered in monkeys for the first time. The finding offers a promising way to develop gene and cell therapies that could treat the condition in people.

25 Oct 2019

Study pinpoints cell types linked to age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of blindness in the elderly, affecting more than 2 million people in the United States and leading to progressive loss of central vision.

25 Oct 2019

Socially housed and isolated mice may be poor research models for humans

Animal models can serve as gateways for understanding many human communication disorders. Insights into the genetic paths possibly responsible for conditions such as autism and schizophrenia often begin by studying acoustic behavior in mice.

25 Oct 2019

Scientists pinpoint epigenetic differences in the way lupus affects black women

Scientists at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology have pinpointed epigenetic differences in the way lupus affects black women compared to other lupus patients, revealing important mechanics of the puzzling disease.

24 Oct 2019

Ultraviolet B light is good for the gut microbiome

A small study published in the journal Frontiers in Immunologyon October 24, 2019, shows that exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) light, which is commonly achieved through sunlight exposure, can trigger specific beneficial changes in the gut microbiome, which are dependent on the preceding serum levels of vitamin D.

24 Oct 2019

Unhealthy gut microbiome reduces brain synaptic pruning, impairs learning

A new study by Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell University has come up with more explanations of how gut microbes communicate with the brain neurons. The study, published in the journal Nature on October 23, 2019, examined the brains of mouse models and found that when the gut microbiome is significantly reduced, there are changes in gene expression in the brain’s microglial cells.

24 Oct 2019