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Surprising discovery about physical properties of cancer cells

A surprising discovery about the physical properties of cancer cells could help improve a new diagnostic approach - a liquid biopsy - that detects, measures, and evaluates cancer cells in blood.

5 Dec 2012

University of Chicago professor wins Manpei Suzuki International Prize for diabetes work

Graeme Ian Bell, PhD, the Louis Block Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics and an investigator in the Kovler Diabetes Center at the University of Chicago, has been awarded the Manpei Suzuki International Prize for 2012 for his pioneering work in understanding the role of genetics in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

5 Dec 2012

Copper can prevent horizontal transmission of genes in antibiotic-resistant bacteria

New research from the University of Southampton has shown that copper can prevent horizontal transmission of genes, which has contributed to the increasing number of antibiotic-resistant infections worldwide.

5 Dec 2012

Highlights for December 2012 issue of GSA’s Genetics journal

Listed below are the selected highlights for the December 2012 issue of the Genetics Society of America's journal, Genetics.

5 Dec 2012

Mainz University neuroscientist professor receives ERC Advanced Grant

The European Research Council (ERC) has earmarked some EUR 2.5 million to fund research being conducted by neuroscientist Professor Dr. Robert Nitsch at the Mainz University Medical Center.

5 Dec 2012

Mutations signaling poor neuroblastoma prognosis identified

Children with neuroblastoma who have mutations in the ARID1A and ARID1B genes in their tumors have a poor prognosis compared with those without these alterations, show study findings.

4 Dec 2012

Excess vitamin A intake has calcification repercussions

Excess dietary vitamin A intake is significantly associated with increased heart valve calcification, show results from an animal study.

4 Dec 2012

Hebrew University researchers pave way for development of new approaches to cure malaria

More than a million people die each year of malaria caused by different strains of the Plasmodium parasite transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito. The medical world has yet to find an effective vaccine against the deadly parasite, which mainly affects pregnant women and children under the age of five. By figuring out how the most dangerous strain evades the watchful eye of the immune system, researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have now paved the way for the development of new approaches to cure this acute infection.

4 Dec 2012

Feeding probiotics to baby zebrafish accelerates their development into adulthood

Probiotics like those found in yogurt are not only good for people--they are also good for fish. A new study by scientists at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology found that feeding probiotics to baby zebrafish accelerated their development and increased their chances of survival into adulthood.

4 Dec 2012

Researchers identify 4 new genetic regions that influence birth weight

Researchers have identified four new genetic regions that influence birth weight, providing further evidence that genes as well as maternal nutrition are important for growth in the womb. Three of the regions are also linked to adult metabolism, helping to explain why smaller babies have higher rates of chronic diseases later in life.

4 Dec 2012

Researchers discover 15 new genetic regions linked with coronary artery disease

The University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) participated in the largest genetic study of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) to date. Researchers from the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D Consortium report the identification of 15 genetic regions newly associated with the disease, bringing to 46 the number of regions associated with CAD risk.

3 Dec 2012

Enzalutamide shows promise in treating triple-negative and estrogen-positive breast cancer

Breast cancers are defined by their drivers - estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR) and HER2 are the most common, and there are drugs targeting each. When breast cancer has an unknown driver, it also has fewer treatment options - this aggressive form of breast cancer without ER, PR or HER2, which was thought not to be driven by hormones, is known as triple negative.

3 Dec 2012

microRNAs play an important role during embryonic development

Sanford-Burnham researchers discover that microRNAs play an important role in germ layer formation-the process that determines which cells become which organs during embryonic development

3 Dec 2012

Researchers identify new genetic regions associated with heart attacks

In the largest genetic study of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) to date, researchers from the CARDIoGRAMplusC4D Consortium report the identification of 15 genetic regions newly associated with the disease, bringing to 46 the number of regions associated with CAD risk.

3 Dec 2012

Childhood trauma can leave permanent epigenetic marks on DNA

Abused children are at high risk of anxiety and mood disorders, as traumatic experience induces lasting changes to their gene regulation. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have now documented for the first time that genetic variants of the FKBP5 gene can influence epigenetic alterations in this gene induced by early trauma.

3 Dec 2012

Specific transporters could be exploited to deliver toxic substances into cancer cells

Whitehead Institute scientists report that certain molecules present in high concentrations on the surfaces of many cancer cells could be exploited to funnel lethal toxic molecules into the malignant cells. In such an approach, the overexpression of specific transporters could be exploited to deliver toxic substances into cancer cells.

3 Dec 2012

Researchers discover four new gene regions that contribute to low birth weight

An international team of genetics researchers has discovered four new gene regions that contribute to low birth weight. Three of those regions influence adult metabolism, and appear to affect longer-term outcomes such as adult height, risk of type 2 diabetes and adult blood pressure.

3 Dec 2012

Scientists identify 15 new genetic regions associated with coronary artery disease

Fifteen new genetic regions associated with coronary artery disease have been identified by a large, international consortium of scientists - including researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine - taking a significant step forward in understanding the root causes of this deadly disease. The new research brings the total number of validated genetic links with heart disease discovered through genome-wide association studies to 46.

3 Dec 2012

Children with changes in bully genes have poor survival

In a genome sequencing study of 74 neuroblastoma tumors in children, scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) found that patients with changes in two genes, ARID1A and ARID1B, survive only a quarter as long as patients without the changes. The discovery could eventually lead to early identification of patients with aggressive neuroblastomas who may need additional treatments.

3 Dec 2012

Scientists discover how humans and mammals develop intelligence

Scientists have discovered for the first time how humans - and other mammals - have evolved to have intelligence.

3 Dec 2012

Genes News and Research

Surprising discovery about physical properties of cancer cells

University of Chicago professor wins Manpei Suzuki International Prize for diabetes work

Copper can prevent horizontal transmission of genes in antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Highlights for December 2012 issue of GSA’s Genetics journal

Mainz University neuroscientist professor receives ERC Advanced Grant

Mutations signaling poor neuroblastoma prognosis identified

Excess vitamin A intake has calcification repercussions

Hebrew University researchers pave way for development of new approaches to cure malaria

Feeding probiotics to baby zebrafish accelerates their development into adulthood

Researchers identify 4 new genetic regions that influence birth weight

Researchers discover 15 new genetic regions linked with coronary artery disease

Enzalutamide shows promise in treating triple-negative and estrogen-positive breast cancer

microRNAs play an important role during embryonic development

Researchers identify new genetic regions associated with heart attacks

Childhood trauma can leave permanent epigenetic marks on DNA

Specific transporters could be exploited to deliver toxic substances into cancer cells

Researchers discover four new gene regions that contribute to low birth weight

Scientists identify 15 new genetic regions associated with coronary artery disease

Children with changes in bully genes have poor survival

Scientists discover how humans and mammals develop intelligence

Discover how SciY empowers scientists

Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

Changing the landscape of R&D to build clinical success from the ground up

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