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DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Obesity raises Lynch syndrome CRC risk

Obesity increases the risk of colorectal cancer in patients with Lynch syndrome, research indicates, but daily aspirin use may combat this excess risk.

27 Aug 2015

Researchers find way to trigger 'virus alert' that may help boost drug's ability to prevent cancer cells

Working with human cancer cell lines and mice, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and elsewhere have found a way to trigger a type of immune system "virus alert" that may one day boost cancer patients' response to immunotherapy drugs. An increasingly promising focus of cancer research, the drugs are designed to disarm cancer cells' ability to avoid detection and destruction by the immune system.

27 Aug 2015

Discovery could help in development of novel cancer-selective viral therapies

Every organism--from a seedling to a president--must protect its DNA at all costs, but precisely how a cell distinguishes between damage to its own DNA and the foreign DNA of an invading virus has remained a mystery.

27 Aug 2015

New test predicts breast cancer relapse months in advance

UK-based researchers have developed a blood test that can predict whether patients with breast cancer will experience a relapse after receiving treatment, months before tumors are visible using hospital scans.

27 Aug 2015

New study describes multi-method strategy to improve detection of PMS2 gene mutations in Lynch syndrome

About 3% of colorectal cancers are due to Lynch syndrome, an inherited cancer susceptibility syndrome that predisposes individuals to various cancers. Close blood relatives of patients with Lynch syndrome have a 50% chance of inheritance. The role that PMS2 genetic mutations play in Lynch syndrome has been underestimated in part due to technological limitations.

27 Aug 2015

Common gene mutation may cause brain damage associated with ALS and FTD

Johns Hopkins researchers say they have discovered some of the first steps in how a very common gene mutation causes the brain damage associated with both amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

27 Aug 2015

Theresa Alenghat receives 2015 AGA-CCFA-Janssen Research Award in IBD Epigenetics Research

The American Gastroenterological Association, in partnership with the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America and Janssen Biotech, Inc., announced today that Theresa Alenghat, VMD, PhD, from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH, was awarded with the 2015 AGA-CCFA-Janssen Research Award in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Epigenetics Research.

27 Aug 2015

ASTRO awards $675,000 to seven physician-researchers to advance radiation oncology research

The American Society for Radiation Oncology has selected seven leading physician-researchers to receive a total of $675,000 in awards and grants to advance radiation oncology research. Together, the seven funding grants, including ASTRO Junior Faculty Career Research Training Award, the ASTRO Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Research Seed Award and the ASTRO/Radiation Oncology Institute Comparative Effectiveness Research Award, will support studies in radiation and cancer biology, radiation physics, translational research, outcomes/health services research and comparative effectiveness research within radiation oncology.

27 Aug 2015

Scientists reveal how a common gene mutation in ALS and FTD disrupts normal cell function

Researchers have determined how the most common gene mutation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) disrupts normal cell function, providing insight likely to advance efforts to develop targeted therapies for these brain diseases.

27 Aug 2015

GOSH to improve rare disease diagnosis with adoption of Congenica’s Sapientia technology

Ian was ‘a clumsy child’. He kept bumping into objects and couldn’t see well in the dark. He endured 15 years of tests and misdiagnoses during a lengthy, and sometimes traumatic, diagnostic odyssey.

26 Aug 2015

Variations in opioid receptor genes linked to neonatal abstinence syndrome severity in newborn babies

A new study led by researchers at Boston Medical Center indicates that variations in opioid receptor genes are associated with more severe neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in newborn babies. The findings, published online in Drug & Alcohol Dependence, could help lead to the development of individualized treatment plans tailored to each infants' risk of requiring medication to curb their NAS symptoms, which could help improve these patients' outcomes and reduce how long some stay in the hospital.

26 Aug 2015

Persistent leukemia-associated genetic mutations linked to increased risk of relapse, reduced overall survival

In preliminary research, the detection of persistent leukemia-associated genetic mutations in at least 5 percent of bone marrow cells in day 30 remission samples among adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia was associated with an increased risk of relapse and reduced overall survival, according to a study in the August 25 issue of JAMA.

26 Aug 2015

Sequenom, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center collaborate to explore utility of liquid biopsy assay

Sequenom, Inc., a life sciences company committed to enabling healthier lives through the development of innovative products and services, today announced that it has entered into a clinical research collaboration with the University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center.

26 Aug 2015

Study reveals potential health risks associated with burning of incense in indoor environments

The burning of incense might need to come with a health warning. This follows the first study evaluating the health risks associated with its indoor use. The effects of incense and cigarette smoke were also compared, and made for some surprising results. The research was led by Rong Zhou of the South China University of Technology and the China Tobacco Guangdong Industrial Company in China, and is published in Springer's journal Environmental Chemistry Letters.

25 Aug 2015

Dr. Sharma receives research award from ASCO to continue study on triple-negative breast cancer

Dr. Sharma was awarded the 2015 Advanced Clinical Research Award in Breast Cancer from the American Society of Clinical Oncology to continue her research on triple-negative breast cancer.

25 Aug 2015

FSU investigator solves cell division mystery

In the second part of his lab's recent one-two punch, Florida State University researcher Daniel Kaplan said he has solved a cell division mystery in a way that will intrigue the makers of cancer-fighting drugs.

25 Aug 2015

Researchers awarded $6.4 million grant to identify causes of neurodevelopmental disorders in children with CHDs

As advances in medicine are giving rise to growing numbers of children who are surviving severe heart defects, a phenomenon is emerging that is catching parents and healthcare providers off-guard. Over half of these children also have a seemingly unrelated disability: neurodevelopmental disorders. Some have severe cognitive and motor deficits that arise early.

25 Aug 2015

Benitec Biopharma announces closing of U.S. initial public offering of ADSs

Benitec Biopharma Limited, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, is pleased to announce the closing of its U.S. initial public offering of 1,500,000 American Depositary Shares (ADSs), representing 30,000,000 fully paid ordinary shares of Benitec, together with warrants to purchase 500,000 ADSs, representing 10,000,000 fully paid ordinary shares.

24 Aug 2015

Understanding the causes of sudden death in epilepsy: an interview with Professor Sanjay Sisodiya

SUDEP is the sudden unexpected witnessed or unwitnessed, non-traumatic and non-drowning death in people with epilepsy, with or without evidence of a seizure. It doesn’t necessarily have to be in the known context of a seizure, excluding documented status epilepticus, where people have seizure after seizure.

24 Aug 2015

New study shows partial genetic basis underlying racial differences in slow-wave sleep

A new study clearly establishes a partial genetic basis underlying racial differences in slow-wave sleep, suggesting that it may be possible to develop sleep-related therapies that target specific genetic variants.

24 Aug 2015

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

Obesity raises Lynch syndrome CRC risk

Researchers find way to trigger 'virus alert' that may help boost drug's ability to prevent cancer cells

Discovery could help in development of novel cancer-selective viral therapies

New test predicts breast cancer relapse months in advance

New study describes multi-method strategy to improve detection of PMS2 gene mutations in Lynch syndrome

Common gene mutation may cause brain damage associated with ALS and FTD

Theresa Alenghat receives 2015 AGA-CCFA-Janssen Research Award in IBD Epigenetics Research

ASTRO awards $675,000 to seven physician-researchers to advance radiation oncology research

Scientists reveal how a common gene mutation in ALS and FTD disrupts normal cell function

GOSH to improve rare disease diagnosis with adoption of Congenica’s Sapientia technology

Variations in opioid receptor genes linked to neonatal abstinence syndrome severity in newborn babies

Persistent leukemia-associated genetic mutations linked to increased risk of relapse, reduced overall survival

Sequenom, UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center collaborate to explore utility of liquid biopsy assay

Study reveals potential health risks associated with burning of incense in indoor environments

Dr. Sharma receives research award from ASCO to continue study on triple-negative breast cancer

FSU investigator solves cell division mystery

Researchers awarded $6.4 million grant to identify causes of neurodevelopmental disorders in children with CHDs

Benitec Biopharma announces closing of U.S. initial public offering of ADSs

Understanding the causes of sudden death in epilepsy: an interview with Professor Sanjay Sisodiya

New study shows partial genetic basis underlying racial differences in slow-wave sleep

Understanding the DNA Damage Response in Innate Immunity eBook

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