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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).

State roundup: Genetic testing on campus, Texas docs in Mass., and more

"A plan by the University of California, Berkeley to voluntarily test the DNA of incoming freshman has come under fire from critics who said the school was pushing an unproven technology on impressionable students. The university has said it will send test kits to 5,500 new students to analyze genes that help control the body's responses to alcohol, dairy products and folic acid" (Wohlsen, 5/21).

24 May 2010

Research on new types of anti-HIV drugs presented at International Microbicides Conference

Researchers testing a vaginal microbicide based on a new type of anti-HIV drug found it provided monkeys significant protection against infection with a virus similar to HIV, according to a study reported at the International Microbicides Conference in Pittsburgh today.

24 May 2010

Data on serum DNA blood tests for early detection of cancer to be presented at ASCO 2010

Chronix Biomedical today reported a summary of data supporting the utility of its serum DNA blood tests for the early and accurate detection of breast cancer and prostate cancer. The unique testing algorithms developed by Chronix detected and correctly identified DNA fragments in the blood from dying (apoptotic) cancer cells with 92% sensitivity and 100% specificity in both prostate cancer and breast cancer.

21 May 2010

European researchers define research priorities in biogerontology

The quality of the medical care for geriatric patients is a major investment for society and must imperatively be a research priority in Europe. This is why 50 European researchers, met on May 17 - 19 in Brussels, to define the research priorities in the field of biogerontology for the next 10 to 15 years.

21 May 2010

ZIOPHARM Oncology to present phase II data from PICASSO trial for soft tissue sarcoma at ASCO meeting

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. announced today that Dr. Claire Verschraegen of the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, lead author of the abstract on the palifosfamide study entitled, "A phase II randomized controlled trial of palifosfamide plus doxorubicin vs. doxorubicin in patients with soft tissue sarcoma (PICASSO)", will present in an oral session at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting on Monday, June 7th at 2:15 pm in the Vista Room (location S 406).

21 May 2010

JCVI researchers construct first self-replicating, synthetic bacterial cell

Researchers at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a not-for-profit genomic research organization, published results today describing the successful construction of the first self-replicating, synthetic bacterial cell. The team synthesized the 1.08 million base pair chromosome of a modified Mycoplasma mycoides genome.

21 May 2010

Biocept granted US patent for cell separation technology using microfluidic device

Biocept, Inc., an emerging leader in rare cell capture, announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent for Biocept's cell separation technology using a microfluidic device. U.S. patent #7,695,956 entitled "Device for Cell Separation and Analysis and Method of Using" protects Biocept's microflow device to isolate cells from a bodily fluid using a flow path where straight-line flow is interrupted by transverse posts arranged in a random pattern.

21 May 2010

New study reveals PTPN2 gene loss causes bone cancer

In patients with leukemia, the formation of white blood cells in the bone marrow is disrupted. This makes leukemia patients particularly susceptible to infections, because properly functioning white blood cells ensure protection against intruders such as viruses and bacteria.

21 May 2010

GeoVax Labs spotlighted on interactive map posted on the website of Inc. magazine

GeoVax Labs, Inc., a biotechnology company that creates, develops and tests innovative HIV/AIDS vaccines, is spotlighted on an interactive map posted on the website of Inc. magazine.

20 May 2010

GSK, EMBL-EBI, NLM and CDD collaborate to apply principles of open source to drug discovery for malaria

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) had teamed up with leading public-domain data providers European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the U.S.-based informatics service provider Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD) to make freely available key scientific information on more than 13,500 compounds that could ultimately lead to new treatments for malaria.

20 May 2010

Boston University biomedical engineers develop new nanopore method for DNA sequencing

Sequencing DNA could get a lot faster and cheaper - and thus closer to routine use in clinical diagnostics - thanks to a new method developed by a research team based at Boston University. The team has demonstrated the first use of solid state nanopores - tiny holes in silicon chips that detect DNA molecules as they pass through the pore - to read the identity of the four nucleotides that encode each DNA molecule.

20 May 2010

Mutation in BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene helps develop breast, ovarian cancer: Study

Studies have well established that women who harbor a mutation in the BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene are at greater risk for developing breast and ovarian cancers. Less known is information on other molecular events that may impact cancer formation in cells having a BRCA1 mutation. Investigators from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey and a number of major cancer centers in Europe have identified the role a key protein plays in helping cells with mutant BRCA1 genes to survive.

20 May 2010

Kansas State University researcher awarded NIH grant to study antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are becoming a growing problem around the world, and are a particular worry in hospital-acquired infections.

20 May 2010

UAMS and partners receive $14.7M NIH grant for extension of biomedical research

Biomedical research in Arkansas has received a $14.7 million boost over five years from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue expanding and improving biomedical research in the state.

20 May 2010

FDA grants 510(k) market clearance for EraGen's MultiCode-RTx HSV 1&2 Kit

EraGen Biosciences Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 510(k) market clearance for EraGen's MultiCode®-RTx HSV 1&2 Kit.

20 May 2010

BBSRC, EPSRC fund £1.5M for synthetic biology projects under EuroSYNBIO Programme

Four new projects, announced today, will develop biological methods that offer a new approach to antibiotic production, power generation for extremely small mechanical components, new classes of medicines and innovative techniques to study cell biology.

19 May 2010

Research team converts astroglia into two main classes of cortical neurons

The research team led by Professor Magdalena Götz of Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Munich reports a major step forward in discovering a therapy for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or stroke. The researchers were able to convert glial cells of the brain into two different functional classes of neurons. The findings are published on May 18th in the renowned journal PLoS Biology.

19 May 2010

Cell Therapeutics reports cardiac safety results from phase II trial of pixantrone in CHOP-R regimen

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. reported today preliminary cardiac safety results from a North American randomized phase II trial which substituted pixantrone for doxorubicin in the standard CHOP-R regimen. Called PIX203, the randomized trial compared CPOP-R directly to CHOP-R in the 1st line treatment of high risk patients with diffuse large B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (DLBCL, NHL).

19 May 2010

PET scanning provides great insight into immune response

A commonly used probe for Positron Emission Tomography scanning and a new probe developed by researchers at UCLA reveal different functions in diverse cells of the immune system, providing a non-invasive and much clearer picture of an immune response in action.

19 May 2010

Researchers identify cancer gene that could help fight paediatric glioma

Researchers have identified an important cancer gene that could lead to more effective drugs being developed to fight paediatric high grade glioma, a disease which currently has a poor prognosis.

19 May 2010

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

State roundup: Genetic testing on campus, Texas docs in Mass., and more

Research on new types of anti-HIV drugs presented at International Microbicides Conference

Data on serum DNA blood tests for early detection of cancer to be presented at ASCO 2010

European researchers define research priorities in biogerontology

ZIOPHARM Oncology to present phase II data from PICASSO trial for soft tissue sarcoma at ASCO meeting

JCVI researchers construct first self-replicating, synthetic bacterial cell

Biocept granted US patent for cell separation technology using microfluidic device

New study reveals PTPN2 gene loss causes bone cancer

GeoVax Labs spotlighted on interactive map posted on the website of Inc. magazine

GSK, EMBL-EBI, NLM and CDD collaborate to apply principles of open source to drug discovery for malaria

Boston University biomedical engineers develop new nanopore method for DNA sequencing

Mutation in BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene helps develop breast, ovarian cancer: Study

Kansas State University researcher awarded NIH grant to study antibiotic-resistant bacteria

UAMS and partners receive $14.7M NIH grant for extension of biomedical research

FDA grants 510(k) market clearance for EraGen's MultiCode-RTx HSV 1&2 Kit

BBSRC, EPSRC fund £1.5M for synthetic biology projects under EuroSYNBIO Programme

Research team converts astroglia into two main classes of cortical neurons

Cell Therapeutics reports cardiac safety results from phase II trial of pixantrone in CHOP-R regimen

PET scanning provides great insight into immune response

Researchers identify cancer gene that could help fight paediatric glioma

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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