DNA News and Research

RSS

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).

Researchers identify new genetic anomalies in smoking-related lung cancers

Developing effective treatments for lung cancer has been challenging, in part because so many genetic mutations play a role in the disease.

22 Dec 2014

Chromosome X microduplications implicated in infancy-onset gigantism

Researchers report that heritable microduplications on chromosome Xq26.3 may underlie a “striking” form of gigantism with onset in late infancy, and reveal a candidate culprit gene.

22 Dec 2014

New computational technique reveals genetic roots of autism, cancers

In the decade since the genome was sequenced in 2003, scientists and doctors have struggled to answer an all-consuming question: Which DNA mutations cause disease?

22 Dec 2014

Porvair Sciences releases 2015 catalogue of tissue culture plastics and epigenetic consumables

Porvair Sciences has released a new 2015 catalogue that describes its popular range of high quality tissue culture treated plastics and consumable products for Epigenetics.

From Chromatrap® - Porvair Sciences Ltd 22 Dec 2014

FDA approves Myriad’s BRACAnalysis CDx for use with ovarian cancer drug

Myriad Genetics, Inc. today announced that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for BRACAnalysis CDx to be used as the only companion diagnostic in conjunction with AstraZeneca’s drug Lynparza™ (olaparib).

22 Dec 2014

Study: Inactivating polymorphism may influence progression of ovarian and luminal breast cancer

A common polymorphism - a variation in a person's DNA sequence that is found with regularity in the general population - can lead to a chain of events that dictates how a tumor will progress in certain types of cancer, including a form of breast cancer as well as ovarian cancer, according to new research from The Wistar Institute that was published online by the journal Cancer Cell.

19 Dec 2014

SLU investigators find promising candidates for new herpes virus treatments

Saint Louis University research findings published in the December issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy report a family of molecules known as nucleotidyltransferase superfamily (NTS) enzyme inhibitors are promising candidates for new herpes virus treatments.

19 Dec 2014

Study reveals why older people are at increased risk for developing cancer

Why are older people at higher risk for developing cancer? Prevailing opinion holds that, over time, your body's cells accumulate DNA damage and that eventually this damage catches up with the body in a way that causes cancer.

19 Dec 2014

Endogenous retroviruses also play critical role in the body's immune defense against pathogens

Retroviruses are best known for causing contagious scourges such as AIDS, or more sporadically, cancer.

19 Dec 2014

Scientists develop new system for studying how proteins, other biological molecules unfold and refold

Collaborating scientists from The Scripps Research Institute and the University of California San Diego have developed a powerful new system for studying how proteins and other biological molecules form and lose their natural folded structures.

19 Dec 2014

TUM researchers discover new mechanism for regulating programmed cell death

Programmed cell death is a mechanism that causes defective and potentially harmful cells to destroy themselves. It serves a number of purposes in the body, including the prevention of malignant tumor growth. Now, researchers at Technische Universität München have discovered a previously unknown mechanism for regulating programmed cell death.

18 Dec 2014

Inovio begins hTERT DNA immunotherapy trial in adults with breast, lung and pancreatic cancer

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced it has initiated a phase I trial of its hTERT DNA immunotherapy (INO-1400) alone or in combination with Inovio's IL-12 immune activator (INO-9012) in adults with breast, lung, or pancreatic cancer at high risk of relapse after surgery and other cancer treatments.

18 Dec 2014

Broccoli can help reduce HGPS-related defects

Children who suffer from Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria syndrome age prematurely due to a defective protein in their cells. Scientists at Technische Universität München have now identified another important pathological factor: the system responsible for removing cellular debris and for breaking down defective proteins operates at lower levels in HGPS cells than in normal cells. The researchers have succeeded in reactivating protein breakdown in HGPS cells and thus reducing disease-related defects by using a substance from broccoli.

18 Dec 2014

Two orphan receptor proteins exert fatal double whammy effect against glioblastoma cells

Two related proteins exert a lethal double whammy effect against glioblastoma cells when activated with a small molecule, say researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.

18 Dec 2014

Eight researchers to receive 2015 Leibniz Prize

The new recipients of Germany's most prestigious research funding prize have been announced. In Bonn today, the Joint Committee of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) decided to award the 2015 Leibniz Prize to eight researchers.

18 Dec 2014

Tel Aviv University study throws spotlight on gene mutation responsible for premature ovarian failure

Premature ovarian failure, also known as primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), affects 1% of all women worldwide. In most cases, the exact cause of the condition, which is often associated with infertility, is difficult to determine.

18 Dec 2014

Two UH researchers named fellows of National Academy of Inventors

Two University of Houston faculty members have been named fellows of the National Academy of Inventors for their contributions to scientific and technological innovation.

17 Dec 2014

Mitochondrial DNA may predict overall risk of frailty, death

New research from The Johns Hopkins University suggests that the amount of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) found in peoples’ blood directly relates to how frail they are medically. This DNA may prove to be a useful predictor of overall risk of frailty and death from any cause 10 to 15 years before symptoms appear.

17 Dec 2014

New study shows that people may inherit intestinal bacteria that cause inflammatory bowel disease

A new study by an international team of researchers shows for the first time that people may inherit some of the intestinal bacteria that cause Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively know as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The study, recently published in Genome Medicine, also confirmed that antibiotics could worsen the imbalance in the gut microbes.

16 Dec 2014

Scientists demonstrate technique for editing genome in sperm-producing adult stem cells

Scientists at Indiana University and colleagues at Stanford and the University of Texas have demonstrated a technique for "editing" the genome in sperm-producing adult stem cells, a result with powerful potential for basic research and for gene therapy.

16 Dec 2014

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

Researchers identify new genetic anomalies in smoking-related lung cancers

Chromosome X microduplications implicated in infancy-onset gigantism

New computational technique reveals genetic roots of autism, cancers

Porvair Sciences releases 2015 catalogue of tissue culture plastics and epigenetic consumables

FDA approves Myriad’s BRACAnalysis CDx for use with ovarian cancer drug

Study: Inactivating polymorphism may influence progression of ovarian and luminal breast cancer

SLU investigators find promising candidates for new herpes virus treatments

Study reveals why older people are at increased risk for developing cancer

Endogenous retroviruses also play critical role in the body's immune defense against pathogens

Scientists develop new system for studying how proteins, other biological molecules unfold and refold

TUM researchers discover new mechanism for regulating programmed cell death

Inovio begins hTERT DNA immunotherapy trial in adults with breast, lung and pancreatic cancer

Broccoli can help reduce HGPS-related defects

Two orphan receptor proteins exert fatal double whammy effect against glioblastoma cells

Eight researchers to receive 2015 Leibniz Prize

Tel Aviv University study throws spotlight on gene mutation responsible for premature ovarian failure

Two UH researchers named fellows of National Academy of Inventors

Mitochondrial DNA may predict overall risk of frailty, death

New study shows that people may inherit intestinal bacteria that cause inflammatory bowel disease

Scientists demonstrate technique for editing genome in sperm-producing adult stem cells

Understanding the DNA Damage Response in Innate Immunity eBook

Latest eBooks

Industry Focus eBook - Analytical Chemistry (3rd edition)

Industry Focus eBook - Microbiome (1st edition)

Industry Focus eBook - Cell biology (5th edition)

Advancing degrader and proximity-based drug development

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo