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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

Sophia Genetics earns ISO 13485 and ISO 27001 certification for safe data handling and security

Sophia Genetics, the European leader in Clinical Genomics and Next Generation DNA Sequencing (NGS), has become the first company to achieve both ISO 13485 and ISO 27001 certification for its commitment to safe data handling and security.

16 Dec 2014

HudsonAlpha buys Illumina HiSeq X Ten sequencing system

HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology today announced it has purchased the HiSeq X Ten sequencing system manufactured by Illumina, Inc. The technology will enable HudsonAlpha to produce and analyze genomic data faster and at a lower cost. The purchase stems from the Institute's commitment to research programs for genomics excellence in patient care.

From Illumina, Inc. 14 Dec 2014

STSI researchers launch study to examine root cause of sudden unexpected death

Researchers at the Scripps Translational Science Institute have launched a clinical trial aimed at cracking one of the toughest mysteries in forensic science -- sudden unexplained death.

11 Dec 2014

Agent THZ1 shrinks human-like small cell lung tumors in mice

Small cell lung cancer - a disease for which no new drugs have been approved for many years - has shown itself vulnerable to an agent that disables part of tumor cells' basic survival machinery, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported.

9 Dec 2014

Researchers reveal that genetic mutations may cause more cases of ALS

Genetic mutations may cause more cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) than scientists previously had realized, according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The scientists also showed that the number of mutated genes influences the age when the fatal paralyzing disorder first appears.

7 Dec 2014

Landmark CoMMpass Study data now available through MMRF Researcher Gateway

The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation announced today that new data from the landmark CoMMpass Study is now available to researchers via the MMRF's Researcher Gateway, an online, open-access portal designed to make key genomic and clinical data publically available for additional study.

5 Dec 2014

New technology reveals cellular gene transcription process in detail

A new technology that reveals cellular gene transcription in greater detail has been developed by Dr. Daniel Kaufmann of the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre and the research team he directed. "This new research tool offers us a more profound view of the immune responses that are involved in a range of diseases, such as HIV infection. At the level of gene transcription, this had been difficult, complex and costly to do with current technologies, such as microscopy," explained the University of Montreal professor.

4 Dec 2014

Researchers publish first comprehensive characterization of genetic diversity in Sub-Saharan Africa

Researchers from the African Genome Variation Project have published the first attempt to comprehensively characterise genetic diversity across Sub-Saharan Africa. The study of the world's most genetically diverse region will provide an invaluable resource for medical researchers and provides insights into population movements over thousands of years of African history.

4 Dec 2014

Researchers remake brain and gut stem cells to study potential therapies for fatal diseases

Research scientists have developed a novel method to re-create brain and intestinal stem cells from patients who died decades ago, using DNA from stored blood samples to study the potential causes of debilitating illnesses such as inflammatory bowel disease.

3 Dec 2014

University of Chicago collaborates with NCI to set up Genomic Data Commons

The University of Chicago is collaborating with the National Cancer Institute to establish the nation's most comprehensive computational facility that stores and harmonizes cancer genomic data generated through NCI-funded research programs.

3 Dec 2014

CCR5 receptor plays key role in driving prostate cancer metastases

Although prostate cancer can be successfully treated in many men, when the disease metastasizes to the bone, it is eventually lethal. In a study published online December 1st in the journal Cancer Research, researchers show that the receptor CCR5 best known for its role in HIV therapy, may also be involved in driving the spread of prostate cancer to the bone.

1 Dec 2014

Researchers uncover easily detectable, 'pre-malignant' state in the blood

Researchers from the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard-affiliated hospitals have uncovered an easily detectable, "pre-malignant" state in the blood that significantly increases the likelihood that an individual will go on to develop blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, or myelodysplastic syndrome.

27 Nov 2014

MACROD2 gene may explain why some breast cancers are resistant to tamoxifen

After mining the genetic records of thousands of breast cancer patients, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have identified a gene whose presence may explain why some breast cancers are resistant to tamoxifen, a widely used hormone treatment generally used after surgery, radiation and other chemotherapy.

25 Nov 2014

Johns Hopkins researchers develop online tool to speed up creation of new drugs to prevent Ebola virus

Johns Hopkins biomedical engineers have developed a free, browser-based online tool that could speed up the creation of new drugs to treat or prevent Ebola virus infections.

24 Nov 2014

Personalized dietary advice based on person's genetic makeup improves eating habits

Personalized dietary advice based on a person's genetic makeup improves eating habits compared to current "one-size-fits-all" dietary recommendations, says a University of Toronto researcher.

21 Nov 2014

New method could make Ebola surveillance quicker, cheaper for West African nations

A new method for examining the Ebola virus genome could make surveillance quicker and cheaper for West African nations, and help detect new forms of the virus. The detailed procedure is being shared with the research community along with the study paper, which is freely available in the open access journal Genome Biology.

19 Nov 2014

Researchers use cutting-edge software to predict aggressive breast cancer tumours

Researchers at Western University are using cutting-edge genetic mutation-analysis software developed in their lab to interpret mutations in tumour genome that may provide insight into determining which breast cancer tumours are more likely spread to other parts of the body and which ones won't.

17 Nov 2014

Genetic testing, risk factor assessment could improve prevention strategies for breast cancer

Scientists used mathematical models to show that analysing genetic data, alongside a range of other risk factors, could substantially improve the ability to flag up women at highest risk of developing breast cancer.

14 Nov 2014

Rare gene mutation linked to lower cholesterol levels, reduced risk of heart attack

Rare mutations that shut down a single gene are linked to lower cholesterol levels and a 50 percent reduction in the risk of heart attack, according to new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the Broad Institute at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, and other institutions.