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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).

FDA grants "Fast Track" designation for Genta’s advanced gastric cancer drug tesetaxel

Genta Incorporated today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the Company's request for "Fast Track" designation of tesetaxel for treatment of patients with advanced gastric cancer. Tesetaxel -- a late Phase 2 oncology product -- is the leading oral taxane currently in clinical development.

7 Apr 2010

New study shows utility of Chronix Biomedical's serum DNA tests in MS

Chronix Biomedical today announced publication of a study that supports the utility of its serum DNA blood tests to predict clinical status and monitor disease activity and response to treatment in multiple sclerosis. Chronix Biomedical uses proprietary technology to identify disease-specific genetic fingerprints based on the circulating DNA that is released into the bloodstream by damaged and dying cells.

6 Apr 2010

NIH Chief Francis Collins: Medical research 'ought to tell us what works'

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jennifer Evans talked to physician-geneticist Francis Collins, a person "who isn't afraid to think big about science. For over a decade, Collins led the Human Genome Project, overseeing the federal government's race to map people's DNA.

6 Apr 2010

Research may help scientists understand the mechanism behind cellular differentiation

Multipotent stem cells have the capacity to develop into different types of cells by reprogramming their DNA to turn on different combinations of genes, a process called "differentiation."

6 Apr 2010

First Edition: April 5, 2010

Both the politics and policies of health reform continue to grab headlines, with reports highlighting how lawmakers are faring in their districts during this congressional recess. News outlets also are exploring how specific provisions of the new law will work.

5 Apr 2010

Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center reviews top cancer stories

Surgeon Jeremy Richmon, M.D., at Johns Hopkins is using robotic assistance to cut away tumors of the tongue and tonsils. Conventional surgery leaves disfiguring neck and jaw scars, but the robotic procedure leaves no scar except for inside the mouth, and he says, patients retain good function of speech and swallowing.

5 Apr 2010

Gene duplications can lead to functional diversity in organisms

New information about early Native Americans' horticultural practices comes not from hieroglyphs or other artifacts, but from a suite of four gene duplicates found in wild and domesticated sunflowers.

5 Apr 2010

Research may help develop new ways to diagnose and treat communication disorders

An international research consortium has identified more than 800 genes that appear to play a role in the male zebra finch's ability to learn elaborate songs from his father. The researchers also found evidence that song behavior engages complex gene regulatory networks within the brain of the songbird- networks that rely on parts of the genome once considered junk.

5 Apr 2010

Why is the genome project not yielding results faster?

As the genome projects reaches the 10 year landmark scientists are defending it. While the sequencing of the 3 billion letters in the human DNA took a long time the first draft of the human genome was presented ten years ago. Today it is possible to have your individual DNA mapped in a day and at the low cost of $5,000.

5 Apr 2010

Researchers identify three new genetic variants that increase risk of intracranial aneurysms

In the largest genome-wide study of brain aneurysms ever conducted, an international team led by researchers at the Yale School of Medicine have identified three new genetic variants that increase a person's risk for developing this deadly disease.

5 Apr 2010

Kyto Biopharma enters agreement with Targeted Payload Therapeutics

Kyto Biopharma Inc., is a Florida biotechnology company focused on developing monoclonal antibody and oligonucleotide targeting therapeutics based on a proprietary vitamin B12 platform for the treatment of various forms of cancer.

3 Apr 2010

Invalidation of gene patents will benefit patients

Dr. Jim Evans, an expert in gene patenting and genetics policy who has led a program to educate federal judges about the intricacies of genetics and genetic policy, says the ruling by United States District Court Judge Robert Sweet that invalidated seven patents related to the BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes "came as a surprise to everybody. It's really quite unusual for plaintiffs to get a summary judgment."

3 Apr 2010

Study could aid in developing new, effective treatments for prostate cancer

Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) scientists have determined how two proteins required for the initiation and development of prostate cancer interact at the molecular level, which could lead to improved treatments for the disease.

3 Apr 2010

New production method yields hundredsfold more ubiquitylated proteins critical for cancer research

Scientists at the University of Delaware have developed a new method for producing proteins critical to research on cancer, Alzheimer's, and other diseases.

3 Apr 2010

"Mouse model" study finds LRRK2 gene mutation may cause inherited Parkinson's disease

Using new one-of-a-kind "mouse models" that promise to have a significant impact on future Parkinson's disease research, Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers are among the first to discover how mutations in a gene called LRRK2 may cause inherited (or "familial") Parkinson's disease, the most common form of the disease.

2 Apr 2010

DNA patent case: US District Judge rules in favor of AMP

The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) is an international medical and professional association representing approximately 1,800 physicians, doctoral scientists, and medical laboratory scientists who perform laboratory testing based on knowledge derived from molecular biology, genetics, and genomics. AMP applauds US District Judge Robert Sweet's ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Association for Molecular Pathology, et al. v. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, et al.

2 Apr 2010

Genome of Australian zebra finch decoded

Nearly all animals make sounds instinctively, but baby songbirds learn to sing in virtually the same way human infants learn to speak: by imitating a parent.

2 Apr 2010

DNA resources coupled to EMR systems hold potential as valuable tools for clinical research

A new study reveals an exciting potential benefit of the rapidly accumulating databases of health care information, the ability to make unprecedented links between genomic data and clinical medicine. The research, published by Cell Press in the April issue of the American Journal of Human Genetics, supports the idea that large scale DNA databanks linked to electronic medical record (EMR) systems provide a valuable platform for discovering, assessing and validating associations between genes and diseases.

2 Apr 2010

Microbes in polluted groundwater have simple genetic structures that help them overcome environmental stress

Microorganisms can indeed live in extreme environments, but the ones that do are highly adapted to survive and little else, according to a collaboration that includes Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Joint Genome Institute (JGI) and the University of Oklahoma.

2 Apr 2010

Study promises new combination cancer therapy for drug resistance

Results reported in the April 2nd issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, reveal a new source for the drug resistance that crops up all too often and quickly in the tumors of cancer patients undergoing therapy.

2 Apr 2010

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

FDA grants "Fast Track" designation for Genta’s advanced gastric cancer drug tesetaxel

New study shows utility of Chronix Biomedical's serum DNA tests in MS

NIH Chief Francis Collins: Medical research 'ought to tell us what works'

Research may help scientists understand the mechanism behind cellular differentiation

First Edition: April 5, 2010

Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center reviews top cancer stories

Gene duplications can lead to functional diversity in organisms

Research may help develop new ways to diagnose and treat communication disorders

Why is the genome project not yielding results faster?

Researchers identify three new genetic variants that increase risk of intracranial aneurysms

Kyto Biopharma enters agreement with Targeted Payload Therapeutics

Invalidation of gene patents will benefit patients

Study could aid in developing new, effective treatments for prostate cancer

New production method yields hundredsfold more ubiquitylated proteins critical for cancer research

"Mouse model" study finds LRRK2 gene mutation may cause inherited Parkinson's disease

DNA patent case: US District Judge rules in favor of AMP

Genome of Australian zebra finch decoded

DNA resources coupled to EMR systems hold potential as valuable tools for clinical research

Microbes in polluted groundwater have simple genetic structures that help them overcome environmental stress

Study promises new combination cancer therapy for drug resistance

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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