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).

Rare new disease identified – calcium accumulates in blood vessels

A new rare disease has been identified. Louise Benge’s started having difficulty in walking when she was 25. She developed hardening and pain over her calves and hands. She worsened over the next 20 years. Her family physician in Mount Vernon, Ky., was at a loss, as were a vascular specialist, a hand specialist and a kidney specialist. Her two sisters and two brothers had the problem too, but no doctor could understand why.

3 Feb 2011

New England Biolabs expands line of reagents for sample preparation

New England Biolabs has expanded its line of reagents for sample preparation upstream of next generation sequencing to include NEBNext® Small RNA Sample Prep Set 1 for sequencing on the Illumina® platforms, and NEBNext Small RNA Sample Prep Set 3 for sequencing on LIFE's SOLiD™ platform. These new products offer a new and unique protocol, which results in higher yields and lower adaptor-dimer formation, as compared to other protocols.

From New England Biolabs 3 Feb 2011

Study reveals how MMSET gene enables disease-causing mutations to occur

For several decades, researchers have been linking genetic mutations to diseases ranging from cancer to developmental abnormalities. What hasn't been clear, however, is how the body's genome sustains such destructive glitches in the first place.

3 Feb 2011

HMORN, iSAEC collaborate to enroll subjects in SAE research project using EMR database

The International Serious Adverse Events Consortium announced today a new collaboration with the HMO Research Network to enroll subjects in research to identify genetic markers that may help predict risk associated with a range of serious drug-related adverse events.

3 Feb 2011

Merck announces publication of GARDASIL pivotal Phase III study data in NEJM

Merck announced today that data from the pivotal Phase III study with GARDASIL in males were published in the February 3 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

3 Feb 2011

Generation of iPSCs can be enhanced by modulating miRNA action

Stem cells are ideal tools to understand disease and develop new treatments; however, they can be difficult to obtain in necessary quantities. In particular, generating induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be an arduous task because reprogramming differentiated adult skin cells into iPS cells requires many steps and the efficiency is very low - researchers might end up with only a few iPS cells even if they started with a million skin cells.

3 Feb 2011

DNAnexus announces new cloud-based tools for analyzing large-scale genomic variation datasets

DNAnexus, Inc., a leading provider of cloud-based solutions for analyzing, visualizing, and managing next-generation sequencing data, today announced the availability of a comprehensive set of new informatics tools that enable life science researchers to efficiently analyze and manage large-scale genomic variation datasets in a cloud-based workflow.

3 Feb 2011

Automation protocols for TruSeq kits is now available in Sciclone NGS Workstation

Caliper Life Sciences, today announced that it has developed and optimized automation protocols on its Sciclone NGS Workstation for Illumina's TruSeq DNA and TruSeq RNA sample preparation kits.

3 Feb 2011

NIH awards CMU $1.2 million grant to analyze ethical, policy problems linked with DNA ID practices

Forensic DNA profiling has become a standard tool in the search for missing people in the aftermath of mass violence and disaster, but until now there has been very little effort to identify and analyze the major ethical and policy challenges associated with this new use of genetic technology.

3 Feb 2011

Agilent introduces first commercial RNA target enrichment system

Agilent Technologies, Inc., today introduced SureSelect RNA Capture Kits, the first commercial RNA target enrichment system enabling geneticists to focus on specific genomic loci or transcripts of research interest. The RNA capture kits make it possible to precisely measure expression levels of genes of interest and detect allelic-specific expression, splicing events and gene fusions.

3 Feb 2011

Study uncovers genetic hierarchy in plant sperm formation

Biologists at the University of Leicester have published results of a new study into the intricacies of sex in flowering plants.

3 Feb 2011

Scientists challenged to sequence genome and RNA content derived from single cancer cell

Life Technologies Corporation today announced that the Life Grand Challenges Contest, initially introduced in December 2010, is expanding to include a fourth challenge. This latest contest challenges scientists to sequence the genome and all RNA content derived from a single cancer cell using the 5500 Series SOLiD™ Sequencers.

3 Feb 2011

EGEN receives 4-year, $1.6M FDA grant for EGEN-001 Phase II clinical study in ovarian cancer

EGEN, Inc. today announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has awarded the company a four-year grant of $1,600,000 to assist in the Phase II clinical development of EGEN-001, the company's lead product. EGEN-001 is under clinical development for the treatment of advanced recurrent ovarian cancer.

2 Feb 2011

Five young scientists receive Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award for cancer research

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation announced that five scientists with novel approaches to fighting cancer have been named 2011 recipients of the Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award. The grant of $450,000 over three years is awarded each year to early career scientists whose projects have the potential to significantly impact the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

2 Feb 2011

Inovio publishes scientific paper detailing SynCon DNA vaccine preclinical study for prostate cancer

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today the publication of a scientific paper in the journal Human Vaccines detailing potent immune responses in a preclinical study of Inovio's SynCon DNA vaccine for prostate cancer targeting two antigens.

2 Feb 2011

Defective nucleoli linked to Parkinson's disease

"Nucleolus", or small nucleus, is the term coined by early biologists for the tiny structure within the nucleus which they saw under the microscope. In this structure within the nucleus, RNA molecules and proteins are assembled to form ribosomes, the true protein factories of cells.

2 Feb 2011

Researchers find better way to create iPS cells from blood samples

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found a better way to create induced pluripotent stem cells-adult cells reprogrammed with the properties of embryonic stem cells-from a small blood sample. This new method, described last week in Cell Research, avoids creating DNA changes that could lead to tumor formation.

2 Feb 2011

CDH first hospital in New England to use Xenex PX-UV disinfection system

Cooley Dickinson Hospital (CDH) today announced it is the first hospital in New England to use the Xenex PX-UV disinfection system to disinfect its patient and operating rooms.

2 Feb 2011

Intrexon announces AgBio Division launch and Agarigen acquisition

Intrexon Corporation, a next generation synthetic biology company, today announced the launch of its Agricultural Biotechnology (AgBio) Division in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and the acquisition of Agarigen, Inc., a North Carolina-based company that has developed a novel, mushroom-based expression platform for the rapid, high yield production of recombinant proteins.

2 Feb 2011

EA sponsors research grant to investigate specific cancers and kinase mutations

Expression Analysis today announced a jointly sponsored research grant for up to eight American Cancer Society Grantees to investigate and draw parallels between specific cancers and recurring mutations in specific kinases, using targeted genome sequencing.

2 Feb 2011

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

Rare new disease identified – calcium accumulates in blood vessels

New England Biolabs expands line of reagents for sample preparation

Study reveals how MMSET gene enables disease-causing mutations to occur

HMORN, iSAEC collaborate to enroll subjects in SAE research project using EMR database

Merck announces publication of GARDASIL pivotal Phase III study data in NEJM

Generation of iPSCs can be enhanced by modulating miRNA action

DNAnexus announces new cloud-based tools for analyzing large-scale genomic variation datasets

Automation protocols for TruSeq kits is now available in Sciclone NGS Workstation

NIH awards CMU $1.2 million grant to analyze ethical, policy problems linked with DNA ID practices

Agilent introduces first commercial RNA target enrichment system

Study uncovers genetic hierarchy in plant sperm formation

Scientists challenged to sequence genome and RNA content derived from single cancer cell

EGEN receives 4-year, $1.6M FDA grant for EGEN-001 Phase II clinical study in ovarian cancer

Five young scientists receive Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award for cancer research

Inovio publishes scientific paper detailing SynCon DNA vaccine preclinical study for prostate cancer

Defective nucleoli linked to Parkinson's disease

Researchers find better way to create iPS cells from blood samples

CDH first hospital in New England to use Xenex PX-UV disinfection system

Intrexon announces AgBio Division launch and Agarigen acquisition

EA sponsors research grant to investigate specific cancers and kinase mutations

From Discovery Biology to ELRIG Chair

Breathing New Life into Diagnostics: Plasmion's SICRIT Technology

Discover how SciY empowers scientists

Latest Life Science News