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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).

New technique can detect minute traces of tumoral DNA in biological fluids

It will perhaps be possible, in the near future, to detect cancer by a simple blood or urine test. In fact, biologists from CNRS, Inserm, Paris Descartes and Strasbourg universities have developed a technique capable of detecting minute traces of tumoral DNA present in the biological fluids of patients suffering from cancer.

23 May 2011

Roche's new cobas TaqScreen MPX viral discriminatory test, v2.0 now available in Europe

Roche announced today that the cobas TaqScreen MPX Test, version 2.0 for use on the cobas s 201 system is now commercially available in Europe.

23 May 2011

Lab21 acquires molecular diagnostics company Myconostica Ltd

Lab21 Limited, the global specialist in personalised medicine and clinical diagnostics has today announced that it has acquired Myconostica Ltd, a molecular diagnostic company focussing on the diagnosis of fungal infections of clinical importance.

23 May 2011

Researchers discover new genes that influence severity of cystic fibrosis

Johns Hopkins Institute for Genetic Medicine researchers working as part of the North American Cystic Fibrosis Consortium have discovered two regions of the genome that affect the severity of cystic fibrosis, a genetic condition that causes scarring throughout the body, affecting most notably the pancreas and lungs.

23 May 2011

Researchers identify new drug resistant protein in breast cancer

Researchers have identified a new protein involved in the development of drug resistance in breast cancer which could be a target for new treatments, they report today in the journal Nature Medicine.

23 May 2011

Salk researchers successfully edit diseased gene in patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells

In principle, genetic engineering is simple, but in practice, replacing a faulty gene with a healthy copy is anything but. Using mutated versions of the lamin A gene as an example to demonstrate the versatility of their virus-based approach, researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies successfully edited a diseased gene in patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells as well as adult stem cells.

21 May 2011

Golden Helix integrates CMC and KBAC methods of analyzing rare DNA sequence variants in SVS product

Though two of the best-known methods for analyzing rare variants in sequencing data were published in 2008 and 2010, they have never been available to the public as a supported package.

21 May 2011

First nucleic acid amplification test to diagnose early stages of Q fever infections receives FDA approval

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today cleared the first nucleic acid amplification test to diagnose the early stages of Q fever infections in military personnel serving overseas.

21 May 2011

New research explores role of genes, environment in post-natal depression

New research involving the University of York explores the interplay between genes and environment when determining whether a mother is at high or low risk for post-natal depression.

21 May 2011

New research contributes to basic biological understanding of how retinas develop

New research at UC Santa Barbara is contributing to the basic biological understanding of how retinas develop. The study is part of the campus's expanding vision research.

21 May 2011

Researchers uncover new details of unusual biological mechanism in brains of diverse species

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have uncovered new details of an unusual biological mechanism in the brains of diverse species that not only helps regulate how their brains develop, but also how they function later in life. The discovery could lead to new biomarkers for specific neurological diseases in humans and, possibly, the development of drugs to cure them.

21 May 2011

Researchers develop cheap, reliable diagnostic test for HLRCC

Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a cheap and reliable diagnostic test for a rare form of cancer. The test involves screening tumour samples for a particular molecular fingerprint unique to this type of cancer.

21 May 2011

Multiple toxic mechanisms link elevated iron, copper levels in the brain and extensive DNA damage

No one knows the cause of most cases of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative disorders. But researchers have found that certain factors are consistently associated with these debilitating conditions.

21 May 2011

Stopping prostate cancer cells from 'bulking up' with nutrients blocks spread of disease

Cancer Research UK scientists have discovered that stopping prostate cancer cells from 'bulking up' with nutrients reduces the spread of the disease and tumour size, according to research published today in EMBO Journal.

21 May 2011

Bitter cumin contains high levels of antioxidants and protects against DNA damage

Bitter cumin is used extensively in traditional medicine to treat a range of diseases from vitiligo to hyperglycemia. It is considered to be antiparasitic and antimicrobial and science has backed up claims of its use to reduce fever or as a painkiller. New research published in BioMedCentral's open access journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine shows that this humble spice also contains high levels of antioxidants.

20 May 2011

Berkeley Lab scientists reveal how protein-making machine bends without breaking

It sounds like hype from a late-night infomercial: It can twist and bend without breaking! And wait, there's more: It could someday help you fend off disease!

20 May 2011

GIS discovery could help generate stem cells more efficiently for biomedical applications

A team of scientists from Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) have shown how proteins involved in controlling genes work together to carry out their functions in stem cells and demonstrated for the very first time, how they can change interaction partners to make other types of cells.

20 May 2011

Mitomics enters licensing agreement with QDx Pathology Services for QPredict Prostate Mitomic Test

Mitomics, world leader in the research and development of mitochondrial genome-based products, today announced it has entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement with QDx Pathology Services to develop, market and process the QPredict™ Prostate Mitomic Test.

19 May 2011

AstraZeneca announces encouraging results from olaparib phase II study in serous ovarian cancer

AstraZeneca announced today encouraging results from a phase II study in patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed serous ovarian cancer (SOC) who had received maintenance treatment with the investigational drug olaparib, after the completion of chemotherapy.

19 May 2011

XTRAC Excimer Laser treatment offers new hope for patients with psoriasis

With XTRAC® Excimer Laser treatments, psoriasis patients can say goodbye to the red, dry patches of scaly, thickened skin they have been covering up all winter. Developed by PhotoMedex, Inc., an innovator of medical devices, the XTRAC laser offers new hope to the 7.5 million Americans suffering from this embarrassing and socially isolating disease.

19 May 2011

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

New technique can detect minute traces of tumoral DNA in biological fluids

Roche's new cobas TaqScreen MPX viral discriminatory test, v2.0 now available in Europe

Lab21 acquires molecular diagnostics company Myconostica Ltd

Researchers discover new genes that influence severity of cystic fibrosis

Researchers identify new drug resistant protein in breast cancer

Salk researchers successfully edit diseased gene in patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells

Golden Helix integrates CMC and KBAC methods of analyzing rare DNA sequence variants in SVS product

First nucleic acid amplification test to diagnose early stages of Q fever infections receives FDA approval

New research explores role of genes, environment in post-natal depression

New research contributes to basic biological understanding of how retinas develop

Researchers uncover new details of unusual biological mechanism in brains of diverse species

Researchers develop cheap, reliable diagnostic test for HLRCC

Multiple toxic mechanisms link elevated iron, copper levels in the brain and extensive DNA damage

Stopping prostate cancer cells from 'bulking up' with nutrients blocks spread of disease

Bitter cumin contains high levels of antioxidants and protects against DNA damage

Berkeley Lab scientists reveal how protein-making machine bends without breaking

GIS discovery could help generate stem cells more efficiently for biomedical applications

Mitomics enters licensing agreement with QDx Pathology Services for QPredict Prostate Mitomic Test

AstraZeneca announces encouraging results from olaparib phase II study in serous ovarian cancer

XTRAC Excimer Laser treatment offers new hope for patients with psoriasis

Understanding the DNA Damage Response in Innate Immunity eBook

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