Genetic News and Research

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Blood vessel growth promoting microRNA predicts diabetes: Study

For the first time, scientists have found that blood levels of some ribonucleic acids (microRNAs) are different among people with type 2 diabetes and those who subsequently develop the disease compared to healthy controls, according to research reported in Circulation Research: Journal of the American Heart Association.

17 Sep 2010

Global regulator for DNA trade needed

Amid growing concern that synthetic life sciences pose biosecurity and biosafety risks, scrutiny is increasing into the burgeoning DNA sequence trade. Research published today in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, published by SAGE, looks at the necessity of a global regulator for DNA trade, and the significant barriers to creating one.

17 Sep 2010

Prometheus, Tarrot announce exclusive agreement for Crohn's Disease treatment

Prometheus Laboratories Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical and diagnostic company, and Tarrot Laboratories, a business unit of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, today announced the execution of an exclusive research collaboration and license agreement. The collaboration will focus on identifying genetic or serologic markers associated with clinical responses to anti-TNF therapies such as Cimzia, Humira and Remicade utilized in the treatment of Crohn's Disease, and the subsequent development of diagnostic tests.

17 Sep 2010

PCF applauds new prostate cancer legislation

As hundreds of prostate cancer researchers, advocates and supporters Advance on Washington this week and push for more progress in fighting the disease, the Prostate Cancer Foundation applauds the prostate cancer legislation introduced on Tuesday by Senator Jon Tester of Montana.

17 Sep 2010

New genetic analysis technique isolates culprit gene in families with inherited single-gene kidney diseases

A University of Michigan-led research team has identified a gene responsible in some families for a devastating inherited kidney disorder, thanks to a new, faster method of genetic analysis not available even two years ago. The success offers hope that scientists can speed the painstaking search for the genes responsible for many rare diseases and test drugs to treat them.

17 Sep 2010

Simian immunodeficiency virus is at least 32,000 to 75,000 years old

An ancestor of HIV that infects monkeys is thousands of years older than previously thought, suggesting that HIV, which causes AIDS, is not likely to stop killing humans anytime soon, finds a study by University of Arizona and Tulane University researchers.

17 Sep 2010

Research on signaling pathways may help to design therapy for neurodevelopmental disorders

Researchers at the Center for Neuroscience Research at Children's National Medical Center have discovered that the two major types of signaling pathways activated during brain cell development-the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway and the Notch pathway-operate together to determine how many and which types of brain cells are created during growth and repair in developing and adult brains.

17 Sep 2010

Researchers decode key DNA in evolution of aging, development and fertility

UC Irvine researchers have deciphered how lowly fruit flies bred to rapidly develop and reproduce actually evolve over time. The findings, reported in the Sept. 15 online issue of Nature, contradict the long-held belief that sexual beings evolve the same way simpler organisms do and could fundamentally alter the direction of genetic research for new pharmaceuticals and other products.

17 Sep 2010

Scientists discover simple molecular test to block GOAT enzyme

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have designed a new molecular test that will allow researchers to look for potential drugs targeting a human metabolic enzyme believed to stimulate the appetite and play a role in diabetes.

17 Sep 2010

Metabolism imbalance increases asthma risk in children: Research

Even children of a healthy weight who have an imbalanced metabolism due to poor diet or exercise may be at increased risk of asthma, according to new research, which challenges the widespread assumption that obesity itself is a risk factor for asthma.

17 Sep 2010

FDA grants AGTC $1M for Phase II human clinical trial in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation, a privately-held, clinical stage biotechnology company developing novel systems to deliver human therapeutics, announces that it has received a grant of $1 million from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA Orphan Drugs Program) to fund a Phase II Human Clinical Trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of a treatment for Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AAT), a genetic disease known to result in serious lung and/or liver disease.

17 Sep 2010

Researchers identify bacteria responsible for chronic intestinal inflammation

Certain bacteria that inhabit the intestine provide the environmental trigger that initiates and perpetuates chronic intestinal inflammation in individuals who are genetically susceptible to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a study led by Harvard School of Public Health researchers has found.

17 Sep 2010

Devil genome sequenced: Hope for endangered Tasmanian Devils

Tasmanian Devil Salem died at age seven but made a difference to her endangered species. Only 50 micrograms of her tissue was taken and processed by Australian genetic scientist Elizabeth Murchison, using new US technology, to produce the first devil genome sequence. As a result, the fight against devil facial tumor disease now has a draft DNA reference map. This was presented at a genetic conference in Hobart yesterday.

16 Sep 2010

IVF on the rise in Australia: Report

According to a Federal Government report there are now more births via In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment than ever before in Australia. There has been a 45% rise in the number of babies born through IVF and other treatments between 2004-08, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report released today. In 2008 there were 10,509 babies born through fertility treatments in Australia.

16 Sep 2010

Lofty altitudes increase prevalence of suicides

The Intermountain West is renowned for the beauty of its towering mountains and high deserts, but according to new research from an investigator with the University of Utah Brain Institute the region's lofty altitudes significantly influence a deadly problem: the high prevalence of suicides in this part of the country.

16 Sep 2010

NHLBI selects NuGEN to provide automated reagent solutions for expression profiling

NuGEN Technologies, the provider of innovative RNA and DNA amplification and sample preparation technologies for genomic analysis, today announced it has been selected by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to provide automated reagent solutions for expression profiling of approximately 6,000 blood samples from the Framingham Heart Study.

16 Sep 2010

Researchers to contribute to brain circuit mapping in Human Connectome Project

Thirty-three researchers at nine institutions will contribute to the Human Connectome Project (http://www.humanconnectome.org/consortia). Using powerful, custom-built brain scanners, a supercomputer, new brain analysis techniques and other state-of-the-art resources, they will trace the anatomical 'wires' that interconnect thousands of different regions of the human brain's gray matter.

16 Sep 2010

Recommendations for developing novel therapies for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

An abrupt, fatal heart attack in a young athlete on the playing field is a tragedy destined to repeat itself over and over until more is understood about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a genetic disorder that is the most common cause of sudden death in young people but which affects people of all ages.

16 Sep 2010

Anonymous Funding promotes drug development for Fragile X syndrome treatment

Funding from an anonymous wealthy family has been the secret to progress, at long last, in developing drugs that show promise for helping millions of people worldwide with Fragile X syndrome, the most common genetic cause of autism. That's the topic of a fascinating article in the current issue of Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), ACS' weekly newsmagazine.

16 Sep 2010

Researchers to conduct gene analysis for ankylosing spondylitis

A new study designed to test suspected links between genes and two immune disorders could open the door to better ways to diagnose and treat the conditions that affect a combined total of approximately 2.5 million people in the United States, report scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

16 Sep 2010