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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 approach for early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic tumors are one of the most lethal cancers, with fewer than five percent of patients surviving five years after diagnosis. But a new study that peers deeply into the genetics of pancreatic cancer presents a bit of good news an opportunity for early diagnosis. In contrast to earlier predictions, many pancreatic tumors are, in fact, slow growing, taking nearly 20 years to become lethal after the first genetic perturbations appear.

29 Oct 2010

Researchers develop morpholino oligonucleotides that can turn off specific genes

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a way to "cage" genetic off switches in such a way that they can be activated when exposed to UV light. Their technology gives scientists a more precise way to control and study gene function in localized areas of developing organisms.

29 Oct 2010

Prominent scientist in mitochondrial genetics joins Children's Hospital to establish CMEM

Douglas C. Wallace, Ph.D., a pioneer and internationally prominent scientist in the field of human mitochondrial genetics, has joined The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to continue his investigations into the role of mitochondrial energy in health and disease.

29 Oct 2010

Non-invasive stool-based screening test detects 64% of colorectal pre-cancers

Exact Sciences today presented data showing that its non-invasive Cologuard stool-based (sDNA) screening test detected 64 percent of colorectal pre-cancers and 85 percent of cancers. The study was conducted in collaboration with Mayo Clinic and examined more than 1,100 patient samples. Results were presented at the 2010 Special Conference for Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy held by the American Association for Cancer Research in Philadelphia, PA.

29 Oct 2010

Study finds site of tumor impacts disease stage in head and neck cancer

Developing a molecular fingerprint for head and neck cancer tumors could help improve diagnosis and treatment for this deadly and often-times disfiguring form of cancer, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

29 Oct 2010

Inefficient suppression of DUX4 gene causes facioscapulohumeral dystrophy: Study

An international team of researchers led by an investigator from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has made a second critical advance in determining the cause of a common form of muscular dystrophy known as facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, or FSHD.

29 Oct 2010

New noninvasive stool DNA test to predict colorectal cancer

An investigational DNA methylation test could alter the screening landscape for colorectal cancer, according to data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research special conference on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy, held here Oct. 27-30, 2010.

29 Oct 2010

Researchers depict new statistical algorithm to identify genetic variations for common diseases

A group of researchers at The Scripps Research Institute and the Scripps Translational Science Institute has published a paper that reviews new strategies for identifying collections of rare genetic variations that reveal whether people are predisposed to developing common conditions like diabetes and cancer.

29 Oct 2010

Researchers find link between telomere length and colorectal cancer risk

For the first time, researchers have found a link between long telomeres and an increased risk for colorectal cancer, according to research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research special conference on Colorectal Cancer Biology to Therapy, held here Oct. 27-30, 2010.

29 Oct 2010

Common psychiatric drugs could slow dementia

Researchers say commonly used psychiatric drugs could be effective in slowing the progression of certain types of dementia. Dr John Kwok and colleagues from Neuroscience Research Australia have discovered a mutant gene that causes abnormal proteins build up in the brains of people with frontotemporal dementia, a disease that affects people in their 50s and 60s.

28 Oct 2010

Researchers explore knowledge of palliative care oncologists with respect to genetic testing

If you were dying from cancer, would you consider genetic testing. A recent study conducted by researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center showed that most terminally ill cancer patients who were eligible for genetic testing never received it despite that it could potentially save a relative's life.

28 Oct 2010

Pancreatic cancer develops and spreads more slowly than thought before

Pancreatic cancer develops and spreads much more slowly than scientists have thought, according to new research from Johns Hopkins investigators. The finding indicates that there is a potentially broad window for diagnosis and prevention of the disease.

28 Oct 2010

AnaptysBio announces issuance of two new patents for SHM-XEL platform

AnaptysBio, Inc., a privately-held therapeutic antibody platform and product company, announced the issuance of patents in the US and Europe that provide additional coverage for its SHM-XEL platform. These patents extend AnaptysBio's leadership in the use of somatic hypermutation (SHM) for the discovery and optimization of antibodies and other proteins.

28 Oct 2010

Epigenomics presents data on Septin9 biomarker clinical study for colorectal cancer at UEGW

Epigenomics AG, the cancer diagnostics company, announced that new data obtained in a clinical study with the Company's proprietary Septin9 biomarker for the blood-based detection of colorectal cancer, were presented yesterday at the 18th United European Gastroenterology Week (UEGW) in Barcelona, Spain.

28 Oct 2010

Essential Pharmaceuticals to commence sales of cell media products acquired from Lifeblood Medical

Essential Pharmaceuticals, LLC, a private company dedicated to providing specialty reagents and solutions to the life sciences market, announced today that the Company will commence sales and distribution of three distinct animal-component-free products: serum replacement, cryopreservation and clinical pathology media, formerly sold under the LiforCell® name.

28 Oct 2010

1000 Genomes Project publishes comprehensive map of genetic variations in Nature journal

Small genetic differences between individuals help explain why some people have a higher risk than others for developing illnesses such as diabetes or cancer. Today in the journal Nature, the 1000 Genomes Project, an international public-private consortium, published the most comprehensive map of these genetic differences, called variations, estimated to contain approximately 95 percent of the genetic variation of any person on Earth.

28 Oct 2010

New computational techniques to overcome obstacles in hard-to-study genes

Scientists have invented methods to scout the human genome's repetitive landscapes, where DNA sequences are highly identical and heavily duplicated. These advances, as reported today in Science, can identify subtle but important differences among people in the number and content of repeated DNA segments.

28 Oct 2010

deCODE genetics publishes high resolution recombination map of human genome in Nature journal

Scientists from deCODE genetics today publish in Nature the highest resolution recombination map of the human genome yet developed. Recombination is the reshuffling of the genome that occurs in the formation of eggs and sperm: we inherit one version of each chromosome from each of our parents, and create novel blends of the two that we pass on to our offspring.

28 Oct 2010

BioNanomatrix nanoAnalyzer 1000 System to be introduced at ASHG Annual Meeting

BioNanomatrix, Inc., which is developing and commercializing breakthrough single-molecule genomic analysis technology, will introduce next month the nanoAnalyzer 1000 System at the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Annual Meeting from November 2-6, 2010 in Washington, D.C.

28 Oct 2010

Exact Sciences 2010 third quarter total revenue increases to $1.4 million from $1.3 million

Exact Sciences Corp. today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2010.

27 Oct 2010

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

New approach for early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

Researchers develop morpholino oligonucleotides that can turn off specific genes

Prominent scientist in mitochondrial genetics joins Children's Hospital to establish CMEM

Non-invasive stool-based screening test detects 64% of colorectal pre-cancers

Study finds site of tumor impacts disease stage in head and neck cancer

Inefficient suppression of DUX4 gene causes facioscapulohumeral dystrophy: Study

New noninvasive stool DNA test to predict colorectal cancer

Researchers depict new statistical algorithm to identify genetic variations for common diseases

Researchers find link between telomere length and colorectal cancer risk

Common psychiatric drugs could slow dementia

Researchers explore knowledge of palliative care oncologists with respect to genetic testing

Pancreatic cancer develops and spreads more slowly than thought before

AnaptysBio announces issuance of two new patents for SHM-XEL platform

Epigenomics presents data on Septin9 biomarker clinical study for colorectal cancer at UEGW

Essential Pharmaceuticals to commence sales of cell media products acquired from Lifeblood Medical

1000 Genomes Project publishes comprehensive map of genetic variations in Nature journal

New computational techniques to overcome obstacles in hard-to-study genes

deCODE genetics publishes high resolution recombination map of human genome in Nature journal

BioNanomatrix nanoAnalyzer 1000 System to be introduced at ASHG Annual Meeting

Exact Sciences 2010 third quarter total revenue increases to $1.4 million from $1.3 million

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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