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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).

Researchers discover 11 DNA sequence variants in genes influencing high BP, heart disease

New research from Queen Mary University of London has discovered 11 new DNA sequence variants in genes influencing high blood pressure and heart disease.

24 Feb 2014

Non-coding RNAs linked to cancer and cancer survival

Several scientists, including one at Simon Fraser University, have made a discovery that strongly links a little understood molecule, which is similar to DNA, to cancer and cancer survival.

21 Feb 2014

Genetic study reveals 11 new genetic signals are associated with blood pressure levels

A large international study analyzing genes in tens of thousands of individuals has discovered 11 new genetic signals associated with blood pressure levels. Ten of those signals are in or very near genes encoding proteins that appear to be likely targets for drugs already in existence or in development.

21 Feb 2014

Study: Recurrence of SCCOP may differ in HPV-positive and HPV-negative patients

Patients with HPV-positive squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (SCCOP) had a longer time to development of distant metastasis (DM) after initial treatment, and had more metastatic sites in more atypical locations compared to HPV-negative patients, according to research presented today at the 2014 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium.

21 Feb 2014

MATH biomarker with HPV status may provide improved outcomes in HNSCC patients

Evaluating next-generation sequencing (NGS) data and associated clinical records of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients from several institutions, made available through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), showed that combining Mutant-Allele Tumor Heterogeneity (MATH) as a biomarker with the patient's HPV status provides an effective indicator of improved patient outcome, according to research presented today at the 2014 Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium.

21 Feb 2014

New DNA Quantification kits may help scientists to quickly assess highly compromised human DNA

Forensic scientists can now more quickly assess the quantity and quality of human DNA in highly compromised and degraded casework samples and provide the critical information needed to drive informed decisions on subsequent steps in the analysis process, thanks to two new Life Technologies quantification solutions announced today by Thermo Fisher Scientific.

21 Feb 2014

Researchers propose new treatment to prevent mucositis in cancer patients

Experimental work pointing to a therapy for alleviating mucositis -- a common, severe side effect of chemotherapy and irradiation of cancer patients or patients prepared for bone marrow transplantation - has been achieved by an international team of researchers from the US and Israel headed by scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

20 Feb 2014

Supercomputer dramatically accelerates genome analysis

Although the time and cost of sequencing an entire human genome has plummeted, analyzing the resulting three billion base pairs of genetic information from a single genome can take many months.

20 Feb 2014

Ten researchers receive 2014 Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prizes

This year's recipients of the most important prize for early career researchers in Germany have been announced. The selection committee, appointed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), has chosen ten researchers, three women and seven men, to receive the 2014 Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prizes.

20 Feb 2014

Pediatric Cancer Genome Project identifies genetic alteration in brain tumor ependymoma

The St. Jude Children's Research Hospital-Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project has identified the most common genetic alteration ever reported in the brain tumor ependymoma and evidence that the alteration drives tumor development. The research appears February 19 as an advanced online publication in the scientific journal Nature.

20 Feb 2014

Certain fragments of DNA shed by tumors can be used to non-invasively screen for early-stage cancers

Certain fragments of DNA shed by tumors into the bloodstream can potentially be used to non-invasively screen for early-stage cancers, monitor responses to treatment and help explain why some cancers are resistant to therapies, according to results of an international study led by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center investigators.

20 Feb 2014

Babies who develop leukemia appear to inherit strong genetic predisposition to disease

Babies who develop leukemia during the first year of life appear to inherit an unfortunate combination of genetic variations that can make the infants highly susceptible to the disease, according to a new study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of Minnesota.

20 Feb 2014

Scientists produce reliable set of genotypes to benchmark human genome sequencing

Led by biomedical engineer Justin Zook of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a team of scientists from Harvard University and the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute of Virginia Tech has presented new methods to integrate data from different sequencing platforms, thus producing a reliable set of genotypes to benchmark human genome sequencing.

19 Feb 2014

Researchers discover protein for treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is an aggressive type of cancer with a poor prognosis for which there is currently no effective treatment. Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered for the first time that an epithelial basement membrane protein, called laminin-5 gamma-2 (LAMC2), has the potential to be an ideal target for the treatment of ATC.

19 Feb 2014

Discovery could lead to improved early detection, prevention strategies for sudden cardiac death

UC Irvine researchers have found a specific genetic flaw that is connected to sudden death due to heart arrhythmia - a leading cause of mortality for adults around the world.

18 Feb 2014

Scientists develop mathematical method for classifying forms of glioblastoma

Scientists at The Wistar Institute have developed a mathematical method for classifying forms of glioblastoma, an aggressive and deadly type of brain cancer, through variations in the way these tumor cells "read" genes. Their system was capable of predicting the subclasses of glioblastoma tumors with 92 percent accuracy. With further testing, this system could enable physicians to accurately predict which forms of therapy would benefit their patients the most.

18 Feb 2014

Pathway Genomics announces launch of Hereditary Colorectal Cancer DNA Insight genetic test

Pathway Genomics Corporation, a San Diego-based CLIA and CAP accredited clinical laboratory that offers genetic testing services worldwide, today announced the launch of Hereditary Colorectal Cancer DNA Insight, the company's premier hereditary cancer genetic test. Based on a simple saliva sample, the test uses next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to identify gene alterations or mutations that increase a patient's risk of developing certain types of cancer.

18 Feb 2014

The Future of DNA Sequencing

In this interview, Barret Bready discusses the current gold standards in DNA sequencing and how the Nabsys platform is revolutionizing this process.

18 Feb 2014

Bioline enters Epigenetics field with launch of new EPIK product range

Bioline, The PCR Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meridian Bioscience, Inc., announces that it has entered the rapidly growing Epigenetics field, with the launch of the first kits in the new EPIK™ product range; EPIK™ Fast Quantification Kit and EPIK™ Amplification Kit.

18 Feb 2014

Small non-coding RNAs can help predict individuals with breast cancer

Small non-coding RNAs can be used to predict if individuals have breast cancer conclude researchers who contribute to The Cancer Genome Atlas project. The results, which are published in EMBO reports, indicate that differences in the levels of specific types of non-coding RNAs can be used to distinguish between cancerous and non-cancerous tissues. These RNAs can also be used to classify cancer patients into subgroups of individuals that have different survival outcomes.

18 Feb 2014

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

Researchers discover 11 DNA sequence variants in genes influencing high BP, heart disease

Non-coding RNAs linked to cancer and cancer survival

Genetic study reveals 11 new genetic signals are associated with blood pressure levels

Study: Recurrence of SCCOP may differ in HPV-positive and HPV-negative patients

MATH biomarker with HPV status may provide improved outcomes in HNSCC patients

New DNA Quantification kits may help scientists to quickly assess highly compromised human DNA

Researchers propose new treatment to prevent mucositis in cancer patients

Supercomputer dramatically accelerates genome analysis

Ten researchers receive 2014 Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prizes

Pediatric Cancer Genome Project identifies genetic alteration in brain tumor ependymoma

Certain fragments of DNA shed by tumors can be used to non-invasively screen for early-stage cancers

Babies who develop leukemia appear to inherit strong genetic predisposition to disease

Scientists produce reliable set of genotypes to benchmark human genome sequencing

Researchers discover protein for treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

Discovery could lead to improved early detection, prevention strategies for sudden cardiac death

Scientists develop mathematical method for classifying forms of glioblastoma

Pathway Genomics announces launch of Hereditary Colorectal Cancer DNA Insight genetic test

The Future of DNA Sequencing

Bioline enters Epigenetics field with launch of new EPIK product range

Small non-coding RNAs can help predict individuals with breast cancer

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