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New study provides insight into mechanism behind breast cancer mutation

A new study sheds light on why individuals who inherit a particular family of mutations have a high risk of developing a very aggressive form of breast cancer. The research, published by Cell Press on February 4th in the journal Cell Stem Cell, shows that breast tissue cells from these individuals make abnormal cell-fate decisions even before cancer develops and provides exciting new insights into the mechanisms behind one of the most lethal types of breast cancer.

4 Feb 2011

Women's risk of getting breast cancer increases from one in nine to one in eight

The lifetime risk of getting breast cancer has risen from one woman in nine to one in eight - according to Cancer Research UK.

4 Feb 2011

Genetic component to Parkinson’s disease discovered

Parkinson’s disease, a severely degenerative disease of the brain leading to tremors, muscle rigidity and finally immobility was until the 1990’s believed to be due to environmental factors, lifestyle and a person’s age. However, now scientists have discovered five more genes that influence its development.

3 Feb 2011

Generation of iPSCs can be enhanced by modulating miRNA action

Stem cells are ideal tools to understand disease and develop new treatments; however, they can be difficult to obtain in necessary quantities. In particular, generating induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells can be an arduous task because reprogramming differentiated adult skin cells into iPS cells requires many steps and the efficiency is very low - researchers might end up with only a few iPS cells even if they started with a million skin cells.

3 Feb 2011

International scientist team identifies gene mutation strongly linked to schizophrenia

In a major advance for schizophrenia research, an international team of scientists, led by Jonathan Sebat, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and cellular and molecular medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has identified a gene mutation strongly linked to the brain disorder - and a signaling pathway that may be treatable with existing compounds.

3 Feb 2011

New study indicates predisposition to lumbar disc disease could be inherited

Symptomatic lumbar disc disease, a condition caused by degeneration or herniation of the discs of the lower spine, may be inherited, according to a new study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.

3 Feb 2011

DNAnexus announces new cloud-based tools for analyzing large-scale genomic variation datasets

DNAnexus, Inc., a leading provider of cloud-based solutions for analyzing, visualizing, and managing next-generation sequencing data, today announced the availability of a comprehensive set of new informatics tools that enable life science researchers to efficiently analyze and manage large-scale genomic variation datasets in a cloud-based workflow.

3 Feb 2011

Agilent introduces first commercial RNA target enrichment system

Agilent Technologies, Inc., today introduced SureSelect RNA Capture Kits, the first commercial RNA target enrichment system enabling geneticists to focus on specific genomic loci or transcripts of research interest. The RNA capture kits make it possible to precisely measure expression levels of genes of interest and detect allelic-specific expression, splicing events and gene fusions.

3 Feb 2011

Four-gene/protein signature more accurately predicts metastatic prostate cancer

Prostate tumors that carry a "signature" of four molecular markers have the potential to become dangerously metastatic if not treated aggressively, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute report in a study published online today by the journal Nature. The discovery lays the groundwork for the first gene-based test for determining whether a man's prostate cancer is likely to remain dormant within the prostate gland, or spread lethally to other parts of the body.

3 Feb 2011

Study uncovers genetic hierarchy in plant sperm formation

Biologists at the University of Leicester have published results of a new study into the intricacies of sex in flowering plants.

3 Feb 2011

Five young scientists receive Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award for cancer research

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation announced that five scientists with novel approaches to fighting cancer have been named 2011 recipients of the Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award. The grant of $450,000 over three years is awarded each year to early career scientists whose projects have the potential to significantly impact the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

2 Feb 2011

Multi-national group of researchers announce launch of International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project

The launch of the International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project (IGAP) - a collaboration formed to discover and map the genes that contribute to Alzheimer's disease - was announced today by a multi-national group of researchers including Drs. Lindsay Farrer and Sudha Seshadri at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM). The collaborative effort, spanning universities from both sides of the Atlantic, will combine the knowledge, staff and resources of four consortia that work on Alzheimer's disease genetics.

2 Feb 2011

Researchers find better way to create iPS cells from blood samples

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found a better way to create induced pluripotent stem cells-adult cells reprogrammed with the properties of embryonic stem cells-from a small blood sample. This new method, described last week in Cell Research, avoids creating DNA changes that could lead to tumor formation.

2 Feb 2011

EA sponsors research grant to investigate specific cancers and kinase mutations

Expression Analysis today announced a jointly sponsored research grant for up to eight American Cancer Society Grantees to investigate and draw parallels between specific cancers and recurring mutations in specific kinases, using targeted genome sequencing.

2 Feb 2011

Vanderbilt researchers announce multi-national collaboration on Alzheimer's disease genetics

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and across the globe, announced today a multi-national collaboration to discover and map all genes relating to Alzheimer's disease through the formation of the International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project.

1 Feb 2011

Gut bacteria may influence mammalian brain development and adult behavior

A team of scientists from across the globe have found that gut bacteria may influence mammalian brain development and adult behavior. The study is published in the scientific journal PNAS, and is the result of an ongoing collaboration between scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the Genome Institute of Singapore.

1 Feb 2011

Researchers grow arteries with elasticity of natural blood vessels outside the body

University of Pittsburgh researchers have grown arteries that exhibit the elasticity of natural blood vessels at the highest levels reported, a development that could overcome a major barrier to creating living-tissue replacements for damaged arteries, the team reports in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

1 Feb 2011

Researchers discover 'common set of dysregulated miRNAs in murine lupus models'

Potentially impacting future diagnosis and treatment of lupus, an immune illness affecting more than 5 million people worldwide, researchers at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech have likely uncovered where the breakdown in the body's lymphocyte molecular regulatory machinery is occurring.

1 Feb 2011

Global consortium aims to discover and map all Alzheimer's genes

The launch of the International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project (IGAP) – a collaboration formed to discover and map the genes that contribute to Alzheimer's disease – was announced today by a multi-national group of researchers. The collaborative effort, spanning universities from both Europe and the United States, will combine the knowledge, staff and resources of four consortia that conduct research on Alzheimer's disease genetics.

1 Feb 2011

Free radicals may damage eyes of patients with Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy

Scientists have found that free radicals (unstable molecules that cause the death of cells as the body ages) may also cause the damage in the eyes of patients with Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy (FECD), a hereditary disease that is one of the most common reasons for corneal transplants worldwide.

1 Feb 2011

Genes News and Research

New study provides insight into mechanism behind breast cancer mutation

Women's risk of getting breast cancer increases from one in nine to one in eight

Genetic component to Parkinson’s disease discovered

Generation of iPSCs can be enhanced by modulating miRNA action

International scientist team identifies gene mutation strongly linked to schizophrenia

New study indicates predisposition to lumbar disc disease could be inherited

DNAnexus announces new cloud-based tools for analyzing large-scale genomic variation datasets

Agilent introduces first commercial RNA target enrichment system

Four-gene/protein signature more accurately predicts metastatic prostate cancer

Study uncovers genetic hierarchy in plant sperm formation

Five young scientists receive Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award for cancer research

Multi-national group of researchers announce launch of International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project

Researchers find better way to create iPS cells from blood samples

EA sponsors research grant to investigate specific cancers and kinase mutations

Vanderbilt researchers announce multi-national collaboration on Alzheimer's disease genetics

Gut bacteria may influence mammalian brain development and adult behavior

Researchers grow arteries with elasticity of natural blood vessels outside the body

Researchers discover 'common set of dysregulated miRNAs in murine lupus models'

Global consortium aims to discover and map all Alzheimer's genes

Free radicals may damage eyes of patients with Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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