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Liver transplants worth risk for people who have genetic liver conditions, study finds

Patients faced with the diagnosis of a life-threatening liver disease have to consider the seriousness of having a liver transplant, which can be a definitive cure for many acquired and genetic liver diseases.

6 Apr 2013

Nobel Prize recipient describes on innate immunity at Annual Drosophila Research Conference

A young scientist's astute observation - that grasshoppers don't get sick - eventually led to profound insights into our own immunity.

6 Apr 2013

Penn Medicine scientist, trial participant detail experiences on leading edge of gene therapy

Harnessing the patient's own immune system to fight cancer through genetic modification of their own cells is rapidly emerging as a promising treatment option.

6 Apr 2013

China begins slaughter of birds in Shanghai market after 6th death from H7N9 announced; U.S., global experts begin vaccine research

"China announced a sixth death from a new bird flu strain Friday, while authorities in Shanghai halted the sale of live fowl and slaughtered all poultry at a market where the virus was detected in pigeons being sold for meat," the Associated Press reports (Wong, 4/5).

6 Apr 2013

Fruit fly study offers clues to wound healing

A person's skin and a fruit fly's exoskeleton, called a "cuticle" may not look alike, but both coverings protect against injury, infection, and dehydration.

6 Apr 2013

Studies, search for genetic risk factors needed to predict individual's risk for traumatic brain injury

One of the most controversial topics in neurology today is the prevalence of serious permanent brain damage after traumatic brain injury. Long-term studies and a search for genetic risk factors are required in order to predict an individual's risk for serious permanent brain damage, according to a review article published by Sam Gandy, MD, PhD, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in a special issue of Nature Reviews Neurology dedicated to TBI.

6 Apr 2013

Individualized genomic analysis allows for tailored cancer treatment, new drug research

Just like a massive iceberg jutting out of the ocean, many of cancer's genetic underpinnings remain hidden under the surface, impossible to predict or map from above.

6 Apr 2013

Study: Robotic companions can reduce feelings of pain, emotional anxiety among pediatric patients

Pet therapy can help patients cope with the pain, stress, and emotional effects of a serious illness, but access to a companion animal is not always possible. Robotic animals may offer the same benefits, as explored in a fascinating study presented in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

5 Apr 2013

Researchers employ new techniques to identify neuron communication in rat brain

There are cells in your brain that recognize very specific places, and have that as one of their main jobs. These cells, called place cells, are found in an area behind your temple called the hippocampus. While these cells must be sent information from nearby cells to do their job, so far no one has been able to determine exactly what kind of nerve cells, or neurons, work with place cells to craft the code they create for each location.

5 Apr 2013

Anirban Maitra to lead pancreatic cancer research at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

Anirban Maitra, M.B.B.S., a pre-eminent expert in the genetics of pancreatic cancer and the development of targeted therapies for the disease, will lead research at a new center at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center devoted to this highly lethal cancer.

5 Apr 2013

Researchers say breast cancer screening requires a personalized approach

Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center predict that advancements in breast cancer screening will need a personalized touch because mammography is not a "one strategy fits all" technology.

5 Apr 2013

UEA research could offer long-lasting solution to eating disorders

Researchers at the University of East Anglia have made a discovery in neuroscience that could offer a long-lasting solution to eating disorders such as obesity.

5 Apr 2013

Not all mice that come into contact with Borrelia contract Lyme disease, study finds

Like humans, mice can become infected with Borrelia. However, not all mice that come into contact with these bacteria contract the dreaded Lyme disease: Animals with a particular gene variant are immune to the bacteria, as scientists from the universities of Zurich and Lund demonstrate.

5 Apr 2013

China reports 2 more cases of H7N9; Researchers continue to investigate transmission routes

"China has found two more cases of a new strain of bird flu and one of the victims has died, state media said on Wednesday, bringing to nine the number of confirmed human infections from the previously unknown flu type," Reuters reports (Blanchard/Kelland, 4/3).

5 Apr 2013

Metallothioneins play major role in virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans

Metallothioneins, proteins able to capture metal ions, play a major role in the virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungal pathogen which causes severe infections in immunodeficient and immunocompetent individuals (AIDS patients, transplant receivers, etc.)

5 Apr 2013

UNC study shows promise for uncovering true mechanisms of human stem cell biology

For the first time, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have isolated adult stem cells from human intestinal tissue.

5 Apr 2013

Researchers identify new set of genetic markers for Alzheimer's

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a new set of genetic markers for Alzheimer's that point to a second pathway through which the disease develops.

5 Apr 2013

UC San Francisco researchers outline cell-based therapeutics as a "third pillar” of medicine

Treating patients with cells may one day become as common as it is now to treat the sick with drugs made from engineered proteins, antibodies or smaller chemicals, according to UC San Francisco researchers.

4 Apr 2013

New genetic variants may increase susceptibility to breast, prostate and ovarian cancers

The European Collaborative Oncological Gen-‐Environmental Study (COGS) project, whose main goal is to decipher the complex genetic bases of breast, prostate and ovarian cancers, publishes a total of 12 research articles in several prestigious journals, including Nature Genetics, Nature Communications, The American Journal of Human Genetics and PLOS Genetics.

4 Apr 2013

Study: Altering brain activity with laser light eliminates addictive behavior in rats

By stimulating one part of the brain with laser light, researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at UC San Francisco (UCSF) have shown that they can wipe away addictive behavior in rats - or conversely turn non-addicted rats into compulsive cocaine seekers.

4 Apr 2013

Genetic News and Research

Liver transplants worth risk for people who have genetic liver conditions, study finds

Nobel Prize recipient describes on innate immunity at Annual Drosophila Research Conference

Penn Medicine scientist, trial participant detail experiences on leading edge of gene therapy

China begins slaughter of birds in Shanghai market after 6th death from H7N9 announced; U.S., global experts begin vaccine research

Fruit fly study offers clues to wound healing

Studies, search for genetic risk factors needed to predict individual's risk for traumatic brain injury

Individualized genomic analysis allows for tailored cancer treatment, new drug research

Study: Robotic companions can reduce feelings of pain, emotional anxiety among pediatric patients

Researchers employ new techniques to identify neuron communication in rat brain

Anirban Maitra to lead pancreatic cancer research at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

Researchers say breast cancer screening requires a personalized approach

UEA research could offer long-lasting solution to eating disorders

Not all mice that come into contact with Borrelia contract Lyme disease, study finds

China reports 2 more cases of H7N9; Researchers continue to investigate transmission routes

Metallothioneins play major role in virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans

UNC study shows promise for uncovering true mechanisms of human stem cell biology

Researchers identify new set of genetic markers for Alzheimer's

UC San Francisco researchers outline cell-based therapeutics as a "third pillar” of medicine

New genetic variants may increase susceptibility to breast, prostate and ovarian cancers

Study: Altering brain activity with laser light eliminates addictive behavior in rats

Sequencing & Genomics: Elevating Science and Healthcare eBook

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 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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