Epigenetics News and Research

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Epigenetics is the study of chemical reactions that influence gene expression, through activation or deactivation of genes at specific times and locations.

Women & Infants Hospital receives $2.1M NIH grant to continue work under COBRE for Perinatal Biology

Women & Infants Hospital has recently received a $2.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue work under the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence for Perinatal Biology. Of the 108 COBREs across the country, Women & Infants is the only one specifically focused on developmental research.

28 Sep 2010

Genomics obtains worldwide rights to The Garvan Institute of Medical Research's methylation DNA biomarkers

Clinical Genomics Pty. Ltd (Sydney, Australia) and The Garvan Institute of Medical Research (Sydney, Australia) today announced that they have entered into a license agreement in relation to novel biomarkers discovered by scientists at the Garvan Institute. Under the terms of the agreement, Clinical Genomics obtains worldwide exclusive rights to the Garvan's proprietary cancer associated methylation DNA biomarkers for the diagnosis and or treatment of colorectal cancer.

28 Sep 2010

Researchers synthesize molecule to block abnormal protein in cancer cells

In the quest to arrest the growth and spread of tumors, there have been many attempts to get cancer genes to ignore their internal instruction manual. In a new study, a team led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists has created the first molecule able to prevent cancer genes from "hearing" those instructions, stifling the cancer process at its root.

27 Sep 2010

BioSeek signs two-year agreement with Cellzome

Asterand plc, a leading provider of human tissue and human tissue-based research services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies engaged in drug discovery research, today announced that its subsidiary BioSeek, LLC, a pioneer in the application of predictive human biology to drug discovery, has signed a two-year agreement with Cellzome.

24 Sep 2010

Diagenode releases two monoclonal antibodies to enrich 5-hmC epigenetics research

Diagenode announced today that it has released two additional 5-hmC antibodies to complement its original 5-hmC (rat) monoclonal antibody. The two new 5-hmC monoclonal antibody (mouse) and polyclonal antibody (rabbit) antibodies give researchers additional choices for enriching and analyzing 5-hmC in their methylation studies.

23 Sep 2010

Penn study reveals structure of cell division's key molecule

On average, one hundred billion cells in the human body divide over the course of a day. Most of the time the body gets it right but sometimes, problems in cell replication can lead to abnormalities in chromosomes resulting in many types of disorders, from cancer to Down Syndrome.

18 Sep 2010

Researchers awarded funds to assess effects of omega-3 fatty acids on breast cancer development

Two researchers at Marshall University have been awarded federal funds totaling more than $1 million to assess the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on breast cancer development.

18 Sep 2010

Scientists discover 13 genes linked to human body mass

Johns Hopkins scientists who specialize in unconventional hunts for genetic information outside nuclear DNA sequences have bagged a weighty quarry 13 genes linked to human body mass. The experiments screened the so called epigenome for key information that cells remember other than the DNA code itself and may have serious implications for preventing and treating obesity, the investigators say.

16 Sep 2010

NEB receives SBIR funding to develop novel enzymatic reagents for epigenetic studies

New England Biolabs (NEB) has announced that it has received fast track SBIR funding of $1.22 million to fund the research and development of novel enzymatic reagents for epigenetic studies.

From New England Biolabs 16 Sep 2010

Professor Nygren reviews current state of IVF safety

Now a review by the Chair of the international body which collects data on IVF concludes that IVF is generally safe, although he stresses that patients need to be made aware of the slight risks, and that we need to continue to monitor the results of the technique.

14 Sep 2010

Study suggests PTSD symptoms common in Second Generation population

In groups with high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as the survivors of the Nazi Death Camps, the adjustment problems of their children, the so called "Second Generation", have received attention by researchers. Studies suggested that some symptoms or personality traits associated with PTSD may be more common in the Second Generation than the general population.

9 Sep 2010

Two genes linked to ovarian clear cell carcinoma

Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have identified two genes whose mutations appear to be linked to ovarian clear cell carcinoma, one of the most aggressive forms of ovarian cancer. Clear cell carcinoma is generally resistant to standard therapy.

9 Sep 2010

Scientists gather to present research findings at ASHG 2010 Meeting

The world's top scientists and clinicians in the human genetics field will gather in Washington, D.C., to present their latest research findings at the 60th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, from Tuesday, November 2, through Saturday, November 6, 2010, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C.

8 Sep 2010

Sigma-Aldrich Corporation announces global release of engineered mammalian cell lines

Sigma Life Science, the innovative biological products and research services business of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, today announced the global release of a pioneering range of engineered mammalian cell lines.

2 Sep 2010

Researchers identify molecular signals that impact male fertility: Research

Male infertility is a common medical problem, affecting millions of men in the United States annually. Its causes include an inability to make productive sperm. Now, using yeast as a model organism, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine are beginning to identify the molecular signals that could in part underlie that problem.

25 Aug 2010

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researcher receives L'Oreal Fellowship for breast cancer research

A desire to understand how breast cancer starts has seen Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researcher Dr Marie-Liesse Asselin-Labat today win one of three 2010 L'Oreal Australia For Women in Science Fellowships.

24 Aug 2010

Scientists discover genetic flaw that causes facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy

Nearly two decades after they identified the specific genetic flaw that causes a common type of muscular dystrophy, scientists believe they have figured out how that flaw brings about the disease. The finding by an international team of researchers settles a longstanding question about the roots of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy or FSHD.

20 Aug 2010

Maternal stress contribute to an elevated risk for depression in offspring: Research

For more than a century, clinical investigators have focused on early life as a source of adult psychopathology. Although the hypothesized mechanisms have evolved, a central notion remains: early life is a period of unique sensitivity during which experience confers enduring effects.

19 Aug 2010

Maternal stress associated with increased risk of schizophrenia in male offspring

18 Aug 2010

NSF awards Georgia Institute of Technology $3 million for stem cell bio-manufacturing research program

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded $3 million to the Georgia Institute of Technology to fund a unique research program on stem cell bio-manufacturing. The program is specifically focused on developing engineering methods for stem cell production, in order to meet the anticipated demand for stem cells. The award comes through the NSF's Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program, which supports innovation in graduate education in fields that cross academic disciplines and have broad societal impact.

17 Aug 2010