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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).

Panobinostat able to target and destroy triple negative breast cancer

The histone de-acetylase (HDAC) inhibitor panobinostat is able to target and destroy triple negative breast cancer, reveals a new study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research.

21 May 2012

Prenatal Diagnosis publishes Sequenom CMM’s MaterniT21 PLUS LDT clinical study

Sequenom, Inc., a life sciences company providing innovative genetic analysis solutions, today announced that a new publication from the large Women & Infants multi-center clinical study on the Sequenom Center for Molecular Medicine's (Sequenom CMM) MaterniT21 PLUS laboratory-developed test (LDT) has been published online in the peer-reviewed journal, Prenatal Diagnosis.

19 May 2012

Large survey of genetic variation offers insights into human diseases

A large survey of human genetic variation, published today in the online version of the journal Science, shows that rare genetic variants are not so rare after all and offers insights into human diseases.

19 May 2012

Researchers identify mechanism by which Zds1 protein regulates key function in mitosis

Researchers from the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) have identified the mechanism by which protein Zds1 regulates a key function in mitosis, the process that occurs immediately before cell division.

19 May 2012

Rare DNA variations may be responsible for differences in susceptibility to common disorders

One-letter switches in the DNA code occur much more frequently in human genomes than anticipated, but are often only found in one or a few individuals. The abundance of rare variations across the human genome is consistent with the population explosion of the past few thousand years, medical geneticists and evolutionary biologists report in the May 17 advanced online edition of Science.

19 May 2012

Regular eating times, extended daily fasting may prevent diabetes, obesity

It turns out that when we eat may be as important as what we eat. Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have found that regular eating times and extending the daily fasting period may override the adverse health effects of a high-fat diet and prevent obesity, diabetes and liver disease in mice.

18 May 2012

Tiny filter could fight against tuberculosis

A tiny filter could have a big impact around the world in the fight against tuberculosis. Using the traditional microscope-based diagnosis method as a starting point, a University of Florida lung disease specialist and colleagues in Brazil have devised a way to detect more cases of the bacterial infection.

18 May 2012

Researchers identify novel base modification in RNA

Over the past decade, research in the field of epigenetics has revealed that chemically modified bases are abundant components of the human genome and has forced us to abandon the notion we've had since high school genetics that DNA consists of only four bases.

18 May 2012

Researchers sequence genomes of 21 breast cancers

In two back-to-back reports published online on 17 May in Cell, researchers have sequenced the genomes of 21 breast cancers and analysed the mutations that emerged during the tumours' development. The individual results are described below.

18 May 2012

USPTO issues patent to Vandalia’s process for large-scale DNA production technology

Vandalia Research, Inc. announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted U.S. Patent No. 8,163,489, covering Vandalia's process for large-scale DNA production using polymerase chain reaction.

18 May 2012

Researchers identify 57 SNPs associated with autism

By focusing on the identification of common genetic variants, researchers have identified 57 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that predict-with a high degree of certainty--the risk that siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) will also develop the condition. The findings were presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research.

18 May 2012

Medgenics’ EPODURE receives FDA clearance to proceed into clinical trials

Medgenics, Inc., developer of the novel Biopump technology for the sustained production and delivery of therapeutic proteins in patients using their own tissue, today announced receipt of clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to proceed with a Phase IIb clinical trial of EPODURE for the treatment of anemia in patients undergoing renal dialysis.

18 May 2012

Inovio SynCon avian influenza vaccine demonstrates broad coverage

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that its SynCon avian influenza vaccine generated protective HAI titers against six different unmatched strains of H5N1 in a phase I clinical trial - a distinct clinical achievement on Inovio's path to develop universal influenza vaccines.

17 May 2012

Cardiac ischemia plays an important role in adenovector gene transfection in mammalian hearts

Cardium Therapeutics today announced a late-breaking poster presentation at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) 15th Annual Meeting being held May 16-19, 2012 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA.

17 May 2012

Nottingham researchers lead largest ever research project into genetics of pre-eclampsia

Researchers from The University of Nottingham are leading the largest ever international research project into the genetics of the potentially fatal condition pre-eclampsia.

17 May 2012

Mary Ann Liebert releases BioResearch Open Access journal

The inaugural issue of BioResearch Open Access, a new bimonthly peer-reviewed open access journal, was released today by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The Journal provides a new rapid-publication forum for a broad range of scientific topics including but not limited to molecular and cellular biology, tissue engineering and biomaterials, regenerative medicine, stem cells, gene therapy, systems biology, genetics, biochemistry, virology, microbiology, and neuroscience.

17 May 2012

High-throughput sequencing can detect early signs of leukemia relapse

A study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has found that a next-generation, high-speed DNA-decoding technology called high-throughput sequencing can detect the earliest signs of potential relapse in nearly twice the number of leukemia patients as compared to flow cytometry, the current gold standard for detecting minimal residual disease.

17 May 2012

Radiation oncology researchers revise glioblastoma classification system

Radiation oncology researchers have revised the system used by doctors since the 1990s to determine the prognosis of people with glioblastoma, which is the most devastating of malignant brain tumors.

17 May 2012

Book highlights new developments in forensic anthropology

The new book, "A Companion to Forensic Anthropology," edited by Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat, chair of the Applied Forensic Sciences Department and the Master of Science program in Anthropology at Mercyhurst University, Erie, Pa., presents the most comprehensive assessment of the philosophy, goals, and practice of forensic anthropology today, with chapters by renowned international scholars and experts.

17 May 2012

Lecture discusses how negative emotions fuel cancer formation and metastasis

When it comes to cancer, there are obvious mind-body links. Stress, pessimism and other emotional factors have been proven to play a role, increasing the risk of cancer, metastasis and early mortality. This is a double-whammy for cancer patients, who must overcome anxiety from the moment they are diagnosed. In particular, stress has been shown to depress the immune system, increase inflammation and affect our bodies on the molecular level, even damaging DNA.

17 May 2012