Genetic News and Research

RSS

Biophysicists discover how to turn body's own resistance to radiation treatment on and off

Radiation can make cancer cells resistant to radio- and chemotherapy. University of Oslo researchers have now figured out how resistance can be switched on and off.

30 Aug 2011

Study may help explain plague's rapid evolution and aid in development of therapeutics

In the evolutionary blink of an eye, a bacterium that causes mild stomach irritation evolved into a deadly assassin responsible for the most devastating pandemics in human history. How did the mild-mannered Yersinia pseudotuberculosis become Yersinia pestis, more commonly known as the Plague?

30 Aug 2011

DNA sequencing pioneer, two pharmaceutical researchers recognized as ACS 'Heroes of Chemistry'

Two scientists developed a new drug that helped pioneer the era of "personalized medicine" for cancer patients, an approach in which one-size-fits-all drugs yield to medicines customized to the genetic endowment of individual patients. Another scientist invented today's predominant technology for genetic sequencing, deciphering the genetic blueprint in the DNA that makes up the genes of living things.

30 Aug 2011

Genetic analysis of medieval plague skeletons proves the presence of y. pestis bacteria

Genetic analysis of medieval plague skeletons proves the presence of yersinia pestis bacteria. Collaboration between the University of Tübingen and Canadian scientists proves today's plague pathogen has been around at least 600 years.

30 Aug 2011

New book on Health Informatics

University of Illinois professor Bruce Schatz, a faculty member at the Institute for Genomic Biology, has co-authored a groundbreaking book on Health Informatics, based on his popular computer science course.

30 Aug 2011

Black Death bacteria may be extinct - Study

The bacteria that caused the Black Death or plague, which wiped out millions in mid-14th century Europe, may be extinct, according to a new study. The Black Death claimed the lives of one-third of Europeans in just five years from 1348 to 1353. Until recently, it was not certain whether the bacterium Yersinia pestis - known to cause the plague today - was responsible for that most deadly outbreak of disease ever. Now, the University of Tübingen's Institute of Scientific Archaeology and McMaster University in Canada have been able to confirm that Yersinia pestis was behind the great plague.

30 Aug 2011

U-M's minimally invasive revascularization procedure can treat peripheral arterial disease

Henry Gibbs, 58, is a ballroom dance instructor, but he was forced to hang up his dancing shoes when a circulation condition, common among older adults, caused severe leg pain and cramping.

29 Aug 2011

Cederquist Medical Wellness Center now offers state-of-the-art genetic testing

Cederquist Medical Wellness Center is now offering genetic testing which demonstrates how genetics influence a wide variety of behaviors relating to diet and weight control.

29 Aug 2011

Lundbeck Canada makes landmark donation of $2.7M to support depression research

Lundbeck Canada has made a landmark donation of $2.7 million to support ground-breaking research at the University Health Network to identify biomarkers that will enhance the diagnosis and treatment of patients suffering from major depression and bipolar disorder.

29 Aug 2011

EAS/ESC develops new dyslipidaemias guidelines

Clinicians should aim for comprehensive lipid control using lifestyle as a first step and tailoring treatment to patients. Lifestyle interventions, including stopping smoking, improving diet, exercising sufficiently and moderate alcohol consumption, should be the crucial first step for managing lipids in all patients.

29 Aug 2011

Pfizer's Xalkori receives FDA approval to treat late-stage NSCLC patients with abnormal ALK gene

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Xalkori (crizotinib) to treat certain patients with late-stage (locally advanced or metastatic), non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) who express the abnormal anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene.

29 Aug 2011

Individuals with BAP1 gene mutation more likely to develop mesothelioma

Scientists have found that individuals who carry a mutation in a gene called BAP1 are susceptible to developing two forms of cancer - mesothelioma, and melanoma of the eye.

29 Aug 2011

Low-cost device to help physicians detect and diagnose cancer

An engineering researcher and a global health expert from Michigan State University are working on bringing a low-cost, hand-held device to nations with limited resources to help physicians detect and diagnose cancer.

29 Aug 2011

Scientists identify six new genetic variants associated with type 2 diabetes in South Asians

An international team of researchers led by Imperial College London has identified six new genetic variants associated with type-2 diabetes in South Asians. The findings, published in Nature Genetics, give scientists new leads in the search for diagnostic markers and drug targets to prevent and treat this major disease.

29 Aug 2011

LUNGevity Foundation applauds FDA's recent approval of XALKORI lung cancer drug

LUNGevity Foundation applauds the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) recent approval of XALKORI (crizotinib) to treat lung cancer. The drug, introduced by Pfizer, Inc. showed such promise in early trials that it was given "fast track" status by the FDA.

29 Aug 2011

CIRM approves stem cell research planning grants for five UC Davis teams

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the state stem cell agency, today approved research planning grants for five UC Davis Health System teams that are working to develop human clinical trials to treat illnesses such as Huntington's disease, vascular disease, osteoporosis, HIV/AIDS and airway disease in children.

29 Aug 2011

FDA approves Abbott's Vysis ALK FISH test for NSCLC therapy selection

Abbott today announced it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new molecular diagnostic test designed to detect rearrangements of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene in non-small-cell lung cancer.

29 Aug 2011

Pfizer receives FDA approval for XALKORI capsules to treat ALK-positive NSCLC

Pfizer Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved XALKORI (crizotinib) capsules, the first-ever therapy targeting anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that is ALK-positive as detected by an FDA-approved test.

29 Aug 2011

Severe combined immunodeficiency treated successfully with gene therapy

Gene therapy can offer a cure for a rare condition that causes children’s immune systems to fail. In this rare condition, known as Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), inherited genetic mutations mean that babies are unable to fight off infection, severely limiting their chances of surviving more than a few years. Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is a rare genetic disorder estimated to affect between 1 in 200,000 and 1 in 1,000,000 live births

26 Aug 2011

Protein that allows Ebola virus to attack cells discovered

A U.S. research team has discovered a protein called Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1), which they found was responsible for allowing Ebola virus to enter and replicate within cells.

26 Aug 2011