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Drug delivery breakthrough for Alzheimer’s disease

Till date all attempts to get drugs into the brain were countered by the blood-brain barrier - the natural defense against potentially harmful chemicals floating around the body. However this new finding from a team from University of Oxford shows that now scientists have successfully switched off a gene implicated in Alzheimer’s disease in the brains of mice by exploiting tiny particles naturally released by cells, called exosomes.

21 Mar 2011

U-M professor shows how plasticity of brain restores critical functions related to learning, memory

When Geoffrey Murphy, Ph.D., talks about plastic structures, he's not talking about the same thing as Mr. McGuire in The Graduate. To Murphy, an associate professor of molecular and integrative physiology at the University of Michigan Medical School, plasticity refers to the brain's ability to change as we learn.

19 Mar 2011

ACRIN, ECOG, NCI intent to merge their clinical cancer research programs

The American College of Radiology's Imaging Network and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, National Cancer Institute Clinical Trials Cooperative Group members, today announced their intent to merge their clinical cancer research programs.

19 Mar 2011

New insight into Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Armed with a zebrafish model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and a library of 1,200 chemicals already approved for human use, researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have identified a compound that reverses the loss of muscle structure and function associated with DMD, seemingly by compensating for the loss of a critical protein.

19 Mar 2011

Researchers discover process that regulates DNA maintenance

DNA contains all of the genetic instructions that make us who we are, and maintaining the integrity of our DNA over the course of a lifetime is a critical, yet complex part of the aging process.

19 Mar 2011

RainDance Technologies launches ASDSeq and XSeq Research Screening Panels

RainDance Technologies, Inc., today announced the commercial availability of the ASDSeq™ and XSeq™ Research Screening Panels. Developed in collaboration with Emory University and Greenwood Genetic Center, the two comprehensive panels enable researchers to simultaneously interrogate key genes known to be linked to X-chromosome disorders and syndromic forms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) using next-generation sequencing.

18 Mar 2011

Sage Bionetworks, AstraZeneca enter cancer research collaboration

Sage Bionetworks and AstraZeneca have initiated a collaboration to make new insights into certain cancers using advanced computational models of disease genetics. This deeper understanding of cancer will potentially help better match patients with appropriate treatments and might one day lead to new cancer therapeutics.

18 Mar 2011

Quest Diagnostics enters definitive merger agreement to acquire Celera for $8 per share

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, and Celera Corporation, one of the world's pioneers in genetic diagnostics discovery and development, announced today that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Quest Diagnostics will acquire Celera for $8 per share, representing a transaction value of approximately $344 million, net of $327 million in acquired cash and short-term investments.

From Quest Diagnostics 18 Mar 2011

Celera reports net revenue of $34.9 million for fourth quarter of 2010

Celera Corporation today reported net revenues of $34.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2010 that ended December 25, 2010, compared to $39.2 million for the prior year quarter.

18 Mar 2011

Study reveals new mechanism underlying reproduction in plants

A team of researchers at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ci-ncia (IGC), Portugal, discovered that pollen, the organ that contains the plant male gametes, communicate with the pistil, their female counterpart, using a mechanism commonly observed in the nervous system of animals.

18 Mar 2011

New tool for studying microRNA expression in zebrafish

A new research tool for studying microRNA expression in zebrafish will help researchers study the effects of miRNA on the early development of this model organism and better understand developmental and disease mechanisms in humans, as described in Zebrafish, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

18 Mar 2011

Transcranial LED-based light therapy improves cognitive function in traumatic brain injury patients

At-home, daily application of light therapy via light-emitting diodes (LEDs) placed on the forehead and scalp led to improvements in cognitive function and post-traumatic stress disorder in patients with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to a groundbreaking study published in Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

18 Mar 2011

Study: Stem cells may open door to new tools for colorectal cancer detection, treatment

Colorectal cancer cells trigger a set of genes similar to those found in intestinal stem cells, scientists at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine have found.

18 Mar 2011

Conversation with virtual partner may benefit adults with autism

Simulated interactions in which adults with autism converse with a virtual partner may help them develop better social interaction skills, according to a novel study presented in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc..

18 Mar 2011

Skyline Diagnostics launches unique test to detect patients with AML

Each year over eight million people die of cancer worldwide. Patients' chances of survival vary widely: depending on the type of cancer involved, the stage at which it is diagnosed and the speed with which appropriate treatment is launched.

17 Mar 2011

Naltrexone may be effective in women with specific genetic variation

Results from a new study suggest that one of the most prescribed medications for alcohol dependence may be more effective in some people. Preliminary results show that naltrexone, one of the only medications approved for treating people with alcohol abuse problems, may only be effective in women and those with a specific genetic variation.

17 Mar 2011

Scientists to develop new universal vaccine against various flu viruses

A vaccine that helps against all types of influenza - for several years? If all goes right for Norwegian company Bionor Pharma ASA, such a vaccine could exist within a few years.

17 Mar 2011

Results from first successful phase 2 trial of gene therapy for Parkinson's or any neurologic disorder

A gene therapy called NLX-P101 dramatically reduces movement impairment in Parkinson's patients, according to results of a Phase 2 study published today in the journal Lancet Neurology. The approach introduces a gene into the brain to normalize chemical signaling.

16 Mar 2011

Researcher argues against use of Cop1-inhibitory drugs for cancer treatment

Jean-Christophe Marine strongly argues against the use of Cop1-inhibitory drugs. The protein Cop1 has -for a long time - been seen as an attractive drug target for cancer. But Jean-Christophe Marine found out that Cop1 acts as a tumor suppressor, and thus inhibits tumor formation. His new data will have direct implications for the development of cancer drug targets.

16 Mar 2011

Ambry, LABS partner to offer new donor and patient screening options

LABS, Inc., the recognized leader in microbiology, infectious disease screening, cell/molecular biology and immunological testing for the transplant and biomedical sciences communities, today announced an agreement with Ambry Genetics, a global leader in molecular diagnostics and genomic services to the healthcare and life sciences industries, that will allow the organizations to provide superior testing services to a broader base of clients in the reproductive health industry.

16 Mar 2011