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.

Study of 16INK4A gene's role in progression of retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is a pediatric eye cancer initiated by the loss or mutation of both copies of the retinoblastoma gene. Current evidence suggests that additional genetic alterations are required for retinoblastoma to become fully malignant.

23 Jan 2010

Postdoctoral scientists receive prestigious award; grants totaling $1.54 million will help in funding innovative projects

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on supporting exceptional early career researchers and innovative cancer research, named 11 new Damon Runyon Fellows at its November 2009 Fellowship Award Committee review.

22 Jan 2010

Conference to discuss developments in the evolving area of DSD

Following the recent international controversy regarding the gender of South African runner Caster Semenya, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will closely monitor the results of "The 2nd World Conference: Hormonal and Genetic Basis of Sexual Differentiation Disorders," which will bring together many of the world's top experts in endocrinology and genetics to discuss developments in the evolving area of Disorders of Sexual Differentiation (DSD).

19 Jan 2010

Research reveals gene activation is linked to most aggressive type of brain cancer

Glioblastoma (GBM), the brain cancer better known for having killed Senator Ted Kennedy a few months ago, is the most aggressive and lethal of all brain tumours.

18 Jan 2010

Abraxis Bioscience awards John Wayne Cancer Institute $1M grant for identifying new cancer biomarkers

A $1 million grant from Abraxis Bioscience, Inc. to a world-famous research laboratory at John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John’s Health Center could help save lives of cancer patients by helping doctors more rapidly assess whether a treatment is working or not.

12 Jan 2010

A holistic approach to weight loss

When your New Year's resolution to lose weight crumbles as fast as the cookie touching your lips, it's time to admit that diets don't work. More successful is a holistic approach to losing weight that lets you feel good about feeding your body the nourishment it craves.

8 Jan 2010

Researchers identify key epigenetic mechanism that helps explain cocaine's addictiveness

Researchers have identified a key epigenetic mechanism in the brain that helps explain cocaine's addictiveness, according to research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

8 Jan 2010

Epigenetic diagnosis and therapies, a new strategy for treating cancer

A tumor's genetic profile is often useful when diagnosing and deciding on treatment for certain cancers, but inexplicably, genetically similar leukemias in different patients do not always respond well to the same therapy.

7 Jan 2010

Protein complex proves valuable for changing cell fate

The DNA contained within each of our cells is exactly the same, yet different types of cells - skin cells, heart cells, brain cells - perform very different functions. The ultimate fate of these cells is encoded not just in the DNA, but in a specific pattern of chemical modifications that overlay the DNA structure.

7 Jan 2010

CSHL scientist discovers how bookmarking protein triggers leukemia

Each cell inherits genes from its parent as well as epigenetic information - what amounts to an instruction manual that specifies which genes should be activated or "expressed," when and to what level.

6 Jan 2010

EnVivo Pharmaceuticals announces initiation and dosing of patients in Phase 2b study of EVP-6124

EnVivo Pharmaceuticals today announced the initiation and dosing of patients in a Phase 2b study of its EVP-6124 compound, a selective alpha-7 nicotinic agonist in patients with schizophrenia. EnVivo is conducting the multi-center, dose ranging, placebo controlled, three-month study in the U.S. and Europe.

6 Jan 2010

New study reveals choline plays a critical role in fetal brain development

If you're pregnant and looking for an excuse to eat bacon and eggs, now you've got one: a new research study published in the January 2010 print issue of the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) by a team of University of North Carolina researchers shows that choline plays a critical role in helping fetal brains develop regions associated with memory. Choline is found in meats, including pork, as well as chicken eggs.

5 Jan 2010

Reduced calories increase human cell lifespan

Going back for a second dessert after your holiday meal might not be the best strategy for living a long, cancer-free life say researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. That's because they've shown exactly how restricted calorie diets-specifically in the form of restricted glucose-help human cells live longer. This discovery, published online in The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) could help lead to drugs and treatments that slow human aging and prevent cancer.

23 Dec 2009

NHLBI grant for identifying genetic and epigenetic causes of human congenital heart disease

Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and Brigham and Women's Hospital have received funding from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to support their search for undiscovered gene defects that cause congenital heart disease. The $4.19 million, 6-year grant is part of the Pediatric Cardiac Genomics Consortium (PCGC), which seeks to identify genetic and epigenetic causes of human congenital heart disease, and relate genetic variants present in the congenital heart disease patient population to clinical outcomes.

23 Dec 2009

Scientists identify role of epigenetic changes in SLE

Identical twins look the same and are nearly genetically identical, but environmental factors and the resulting cellular changes could cause disease in one sibling and not the other.

22 Dec 2009

Effectiveness of VSEL stem cells in regenerative medicine demonstrated at the ASH meeting

NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE Amex: NBS), which is a leading provider of pre-disease adult stem cell collection, processing and long-term storage services, and holds the exclusive, worldwide license to VSEL(TM) technology that uses very small embryonic-like stem cells isolated from peripheral blood, announced today that five posters and two oral presentations at the prestigious American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in New Orleans in early December demonstrated the basic cellular mechanisms of very small embryonic-like stem cells.

21 Dec 2009

German researchers study target-oriented methods for children with brain tumor

Brain tumors are the primary cause of cancer mortality in children. Even if a cure is possible, young patients often suffer tremendously from the stressful treatment which can be harmful to the developing brain.

10 Dec 2009

Successful reduction in the levels of aggregated Abeta with GSMs

EnVivo Pharmaceuticals today reported the successful reduction in the levels of aggregated Abeta or Beta-Amyloid in an aged transgenic model (Tg2576) of Alzheimer's disease with its lead gamma-secretase modulator (GSM) EVP-0962. The aggregated Abeta, containing predominately oligomeric and larger Abeta fibrillar species, is considered to be the toxic entity in Alzheimer's disease.

9 Dec 2009

Epizyme closes Series B financing to a total of $40 million

Epizyme, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company translating key discoveries in the field of epigenetics into novel pharmaceutical agents, announced today the participation of New Enterprise Associates (NEA) in its Series B, bringing the total financing to $40M.