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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).

Cell Therapeutics launches Pixuvri in the European Union

Cell Therapeutics, Inc., a company focused on translating science into novel cancer therapies, today announced the initiation of the commercial launch of Pixuvri in the European Union with entry into Sweden, Denmark and Finland in September, to be followed by Austria and Norway in early October 2012 and Germany, United Kingdom and the Netherlands in November 2012.

11 Sep 2012

Researchers gain new insight into regulation of adult nerve cell generation in the hypothalamus

Researchers from the University of Utah have gained new insight into the regulation of adult nerve cell generation in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates many aspects of behavior, mood, and metabolism.

11 Sep 2012

Researchers discover small DNA sequence that drives GATA2 protein

The protein GATA2 is known as a "master regulator" of blood cell development. When a mutation occurs in the gene that makes GATA2, serious blood diseases such as acute myeloid leukemia can result.

11 Sep 2012

Data from Sangamo BioSciences’ SB-728-T Phase 1 clinical programs on HIV/AIDS

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. announced that data from its Phase 1 clinical programs to develop SB-728-T, a novel therapeutic approach designed to generate a "functional cure" for HIV/AIDS, were presented at the 52nd Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC).

11 Sep 2012

HIF-1 activity directly responsible for spread of breast cancer to lymph vessels

The invasion of cancer cells into the lymph vessels that connect the breast to surrounding lymph nodes is the first step leading to the metastasis, or spread, of cancer throughout the body. Metastasis is the primary cause of breast cancer deaths. Surprisingly little is known about the control of this process and how it might be interrupted to prolong the lives of women with breast cancer.

11 Sep 2012

Sifting through the junk with ENCODE

The first large-scale results from the ENCylopedia Of DNA Elements Consortium have shed light on possible functions of large areas of the genome previously thought of as “junk DNA.”

10 Sep 2012

Antioxidants improve sperm quality in infertile men

Infertile men may benefit from taking antioxidant supplements to improve sperm quality, study findings suggest.

10 Sep 2012

Islet Sciences licenses noninvasive technology from Winthrop for detecting Beta cell death

Islet Sciences, Inc., a biotechnology company engaged in the research, development and commercialization of patented technologies in the field of transplantation therapy for patients with diabetes, today announced that it has exclusively licensed technology from Winthrop University Hospital. This technology is complimentary to the early Beta cell destruction diagnostic that Islet Sciences licensed last month.

10 Sep 2012

Automated system for mapping protein-DNA interactions

Since the sequencing of the human genome in 2001, all our genes - around 20,000 in total - have been identified. But much is still unknown - for instance where and when each is active. Next to each gene sits a short DNA segment, and the activity of this regulatory segment determines whether the gene will be turned on, where and how strongly.

10 Sep 2012

Researchers identify many potential therapeutic targets for squamous cell lung cancers

A new paper published online in Nature holds out hope that people with the second most common type of lung cancer may one day benefit from targeted therapies that have transformed treatments for other lung cancer patients.

10 Sep 2012

Researchers identify genetic variations linked with onset of Barrett's oesophagus

Genetic variations that are linked with the onset of Barrett's oesophagus (BE), a pre-cancerous condition of the lower end of the gullet, have been identified for the first time. The discovery of variations in regions on two chromosomes makes it possible to develop screening tests for people at high risk of developing the disease.

10 Sep 2012

Scientists characterize the lung squamous cell carcinoma genome

In the September 9, 2012 early online edition of Nature, scientists with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) report that they have characterized the lung squamous cell carcinoma genome.

10 Sep 2012

Researchers identify three genetic regions associated with primary biliary cirrhosis

Researchers have newly identified three genetic regions associated with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), the most common autoimmune liver disease, increasing the number of known regions associated with the disorder to 25.

10 Sep 2012

Scientists report first comprehensive genetic analysis of lung squamous cell carcinoma

A nationwide consortium of scientists has reported the first comprehensive genetic analysis of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, a common type of lung cancer responsible for about 400,000 deaths each year.

10 Sep 2012

Simple low-cost biosensor to detect contaminated drinking water

Diarrheal disease is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old - killing as many as 1.5 million children worldwide every year. These startling statistics from the World Health Organization (2009) point to the reason why a group of undergraduate students from Arizona State University is working to develop a low-cost biosensor - a simple device that would detect contaminated drinking water.

7 Sep 2012

Mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors can prevent radiation-induced tissue damage

Radiation therapy is one of the most widely used cancer treatments, but it often damages normal tissue and can lead to debilitating conditions. A class of drugs known as mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors can prevent radiation-induced tissue damage in mice by protecting normal stem cells that are crucial for tissue repair, according to a preclinical study published by Cell Press in the September issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell.

7 Sep 2012

DNA synthesis methods: an interview with Clemens Richert

Automated DNA synthesis has been around for almost three decades. The key difference between the established methodology for making oligodeoxynucleotides (short stretches of single-stranded DNA) and our method is the template strand.

7 Sep 2012

The Institute of Cancer Research, CRT and Astex to discover and develop novel drug candidates

Astex Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel small molecule therapeutics, Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT) and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, have initiated a collaboration to discover and develop drug candidates targeting an undisclosed epigenetic target in a blood cancer with high unmet medical need.

7 Sep 2012

Interleukin-18 plays a key role in inflammation

The naturally occurring cytokine interleukin-18, or IL-18, plays a key role in inflammation and has been implicated in serious inflammatory diseases for which the prognosis is poor and there are currently limited treatment options.

7 Sep 2012

Study finds PARP1 and EZH2 as potential therapeutic targets for small cell lung cancer

Newly discovered molecular differences between small cell lung cancer and nonsmall cell lung cancer have revealed PARP1 and EZH2 as potential therapeutic targets for patients with small cell lung cancer, according to the results of a study published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

7 Sep 2012

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

Cell Therapeutics launches Pixuvri in the European Union

Researchers gain new insight into regulation of adult nerve cell generation in the hypothalamus

Researchers discover small DNA sequence that drives GATA2 protein

Data from Sangamo BioSciences’ SB-728-T Phase 1 clinical programs on HIV/AIDS

HIF-1 activity directly responsible for spread of breast cancer to lymph vessels

Sifting through the junk with ENCODE

Antioxidants improve sperm quality in infertile men

Islet Sciences licenses noninvasive technology from Winthrop for detecting Beta cell death

Automated system for mapping protein-DNA interactions

Researchers identify many potential therapeutic targets for squamous cell lung cancers

Researchers identify genetic variations linked with onset of Barrett's oesophagus

Scientists characterize the lung squamous cell carcinoma genome

Researchers identify three genetic regions associated with primary biliary cirrhosis

Scientists report first comprehensive genetic analysis of lung squamous cell carcinoma

Simple low-cost biosensor to detect contaminated drinking water

Mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors can prevent radiation-induced tissue damage

DNA synthesis methods: an interview with Clemens Richert

The Institute of Cancer Research, CRT and Astex to discover and develop novel drug candidates

Interleukin-18 plays a key role in inflammation

Study finds PARP1 and EZH2 as potential therapeutic targets for small cell lung cancer

Understanding the DNA Damage Response in Innate Immunity eBook

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