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.

Chemical changes in genetic material regulate activity of many genes

Chemical changes in the genetic material, known as epigenetic modifications, regulate the activity of many genes. Thus, attachment of methyl groups to DNA often inactivates important cellular growth brakes. Therefore, this process called methylation is believed to be a major cause of uncontrolled division of cancer cells. Specific enzymes, the DNA methyltransferases, are responsible for methylation.

7 May 2010

Fragile X syndrome iPS cells and embryonic stem cells behave differently: Study

In the last three years, a new technique for reprogramming adult cells has given scientists an easier and less controversial way to harness the power of embryonic-like stem cells to study human disease from its earliest beginnings in hopes of gleaning new insights into the root causes of disease and developing new therapies.

7 May 2010

The emerging science of epigenetics

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) possess remarkable properties of self-renewal and pluripotency, the ability to become almost any kind of cell within the body. And yet they share the same genome or set of genes with lineage-committed cells, cells fated to be or do one thing.

7 May 2010

New study searches for trauma-induced changes in genes of people with PTSD

A study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health suggests that traumatic experiences "biologically embed" themselves in select genes, altering their functions and leading to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder.

5 May 2010

UCB, IBDWG announce recipients of 2010 Research Awards in IBD for GI Fellows

UCB and the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Working Group today announced the five recipients of the 2010 Research Awards in Inflammatory Bowel Disease for Gastroenterology Fellows, each of whom will receive a one-year $40,000 research grant for their original clinical or basic research.

4 May 2010

Research shows microRNA can silence genes that protect genome from cancer-causing mutations

New research shows for the first time that molecules called microRNA can silence genes that protect the genome from cancer-causing mutations.

30 Apr 2010

New PCA-Rx therapy provides natural toxin removal treatment to Alzheimer's patients

According to the Alzheimer's Association, over 5 million Americans are afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. While its cause is controversial, many people believe a correlation exists with toxin accumulation. Until recently, chelation, an invasive, drug-based toxin removal therapy, has been patients' primary option.

30 Apr 2010

A new approach for treating neurological and degenerative disorders

In studies on cancer, heart disease, neurological disorders and other degenerative conditions, some scientists are moving away from the "nature versus nurture" debate, and are finding you're not a creature of either genetics or environment, but both - with enormous implications for a new approach to health.

29 Apr 2010

SuperGen's total revenues for 2010 first-quarter increased to $14.4M

SuperGen, Inc. today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

27 Apr 2010

Life Technologies debuts Invitrogen MAGic Sample Processor for addressing reproducibility challenges

Life Technologies Corporation today debuted the life science industry's first benchtop sample preparation system designed to increase productivity while eliminating manual and contamination-related challenges traditionally associated with protein and epigenetic protocols. The Invitrogen MAGic™ Sample Processor enables researchers to cut protocol time in half, dramatically reduce experimental errors, and perform technically challenging experiments in protein purification and epigenetics.

26 Apr 2010

New reprogramming strategies needed for production of iPSCs: Study

Scientists may be one step closer to being able to generate any type of cells and tissues from a patient's own cells. In a study that will appear in the journal Nature and is receiving early online release, investigators from the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Regenerative Medicine (MGH-CRM) and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI), describe finding that an important cluster of genes is inactivated in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) that do not have the full development potential of embryonic stem cells.

26 Apr 2010

New on-off switches: SUMO protein silences developmental genes, SNP2 snips SUMO to allow gene expression

Deleting a gene in mouse embryos caused cardiac defects and early death, leading researchers to identify a mechanism that turns developmental genes off and on as an embryo matures, a team led by a scientist at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reported today in Molecular Cell.

23 Apr 2010

Waxman Foundation honors molecular biologist Alan Ashworth with the David T. Workman Memorial Award

Molecular biologist Alan Ashworth, Ph.D., FRS, the director of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre at the Institute of Cancer Research in London will receive the David T. Workman Memorial Award on May 17. The two-year grant of $50,000 from the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation will support Dr. Ashworth's work with PARP inhibitors in BRCA-mutated cancers.

23 Apr 2010

Removable methyl groups on specific genes of autistic individuals that led to gene silencing identified

A new study by researchers at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences' Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology raises hope that autism may be more easily diagnosed and that its effects may be more reversible than previously thought.

22 Apr 2010

Curis presents data on CU-906 compound designed to inhibit HDAC and PI3K/mTOR targets simultaneously

Curis, Inc., a drug development company seeking to develop next generation targeted small molecule drug candidates for cancer treatment, today announced that data provided in a presentation entitled, "Antitumor activity of single small molecule agent targeting PI3K/mTor and HDAC," were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) 101st Annual Meeting 2010, which is being held in Washington, DC April 17-21.

21 Apr 2010

NextBio announces new Sequence-Centric module for mining high throughput array and sequencing data

NextBio today announced the latest evolution of its innovative life science research platform, adding new capabilities for the integration and mining of high-throughput array and next-generation sequencing data. The new NextBio Sequence-Centric module enables researchers to effectively explore and utilize massive amounts of public and internally generated sequencing data, while allowing organizations to create corporate-wide genomic data platforms to serve the needs of their global research teams.

20 Apr 2010

Sigma Life Science announces global release of CompoZr Targeted Integration Kit

Sigma® Life Science, the innovative biological products and services brand of Sigma-Aldrich®, today announced an extension to its award-winning CompoZr® product offering with the global release of the CompoZr Targeted Integration Kit, AAVS1. This kit provides a powerful method for the controlled transgene integration and expression of any gene in any human cell line using Sigma-Aldrich's proprietary CompoZr Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN) technology.

20 Apr 2010

New p53 knockout rat model improves timelines for carcinogenicity screening

Sigma Life Science, the innovative biological products and services brand of Sigma-Aldrich, today introduced the world's first p53 'knockout' rat model, an important development that is expected to, due to the rat's closer physiological and metabolic similarity to humans, significantly improve timelines for carcinogenicity screening and reduce time to market for therapeutics.

19 Apr 2010

EAU honours urological experts at 25th Anniversary Congress

On 16 April 2010 the European Association of Urology opened its 25th Anniversary Congress. During the ceremony, several urological experts were honoured with awards for the outstanding work they did for the urological community. EAU Secretary General Per-Anders Abrahamsson handed them out.

17 Apr 2010

Researchers receive honorary Doctor of Medicine degrees

Two genetics researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have been awarded prestigious honorary Doctor of Medicine degrees by European scientific institutions.

17 Apr 2010

Epigenetics News and Research

Further Reading

Chemical changes in genetic material regulate activity of many genes

Fragile X syndrome iPS cells and embryonic stem cells behave differently: Study

The emerging science of epigenetics

New study searches for trauma-induced changes in genes of people with PTSD

UCB, IBDWG announce recipients of 2010 Research Awards in IBD for GI Fellows

Research shows microRNA can silence genes that protect genome from cancer-causing mutations

New PCA-Rx therapy provides natural toxin removal treatment to Alzheimer's patients

A new approach for treating neurological and degenerative disorders

SuperGen's total revenues for 2010 first-quarter increased to $14.4M

Life Technologies debuts Invitrogen MAGic Sample Processor for addressing reproducibility challenges

New reprogramming strategies needed for production of iPSCs: Study

New on-off switches: SUMO protein silences developmental genes, SNP2 snips SUMO to allow gene expression

Waxman Foundation honors molecular biologist Alan Ashworth with the David T. Workman Memorial Award

Removable methyl groups on specific genes of autistic individuals that led to gene silencing identified

Curis presents data on CU-906 compound designed to inhibit HDAC and PI3K/mTOR targets simultaneously

NextBio announces new Sequence-Centric module for mining high throughput array and sequencing data

Sigma Life Science announces global release of CompoZr Targeted Integration Kit

New p53 knockout rat model improves timelines for carcinogenicity screening

EAU honours urological experts at 25th Anniversary Congress

Researchers receive honorary Doctor of Medicine degrees

Genetics & Genomics - Second Edition eBook

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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