Genomic News and Research

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Faulty DNA repair could be a risk factor for lung cancer in nonsmokers

People who have never smoked but whose cells cannot efficiently repair environmental insults to DNA are at higher risk of developing lung cancer than those with effective genomic repair capability, according to researchers from the Department of Epidemiology at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

26 Jun 2008

Three sequencing companies join 1000 Genomes Project

Leaders of the 1000 Genomes Project announced today that three firms that have pioneered development of new sequencing technologies have joined the international effort to build the most detailed map to date of human genetic variation as a tool for medical research. The new participants are: 454 Life Sciences, a Roche company, Branford, Conn.; Applied Biosystems, an Applera Corp. business, Foster City, Calif.; and Illumina Inc., San Diego.

11 Jun 2008

MicroRNA play a significant role in some human cancers

A new study demonstrates that microRNAs can modulate the expression of well known tumor-specific oncogenic translocation proteins and may play a significant role in some human cancers. The research, published by Cell Press in the June issue of the journal Cancer Cell, is likely to lead to new strategies for treating some specific lymphomas and leukemias.

9 Jun 2008

Personal genomes may lead to personalized vitamin supplements

As the cost of sequencing a single human genome drops rapidly, with one company predicting a price of $100 per person in five years, soon the only reason not to look at your "personal genome" will be fear of what bad news lies in your genes.

2 Jun 2008

Expert cautions against rushing into genetic testing

Just because scientific advances now allow individuals to learn their genetic make-up doesn't mean they should rush into genetic testing in hopes of making revolutionary improvements to their health, cautions a geneticist and practicing physician at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

1 Jun 2008

febit receives U.S. patent for microfluidic extraction method

febit today announced the receipt of US patent #7320862 on its microfluidic microarray-based method for extraction of DNA and RNA.

27 May 2008

Discovery on how an Helicobacter pylori toxin gets into cells

Helicobacter pylori is one tough bug. It can survive in the human stomach, a zone with a pH somewhere between that of lemon juice and battery acid. Now researchers have discovered how an H. pylori toxin gets into cells, a feat that helps the bacterium live in one of the most inhospitable environments in the body

26 May 2008

Researchers find multiple cancer genes cooperate to cause malignant cell transformation

Pinpointing new targets for cancer treatments is as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack, yet a University of Rochester team has discovered an entire novel class of genes they believe will lead to a greater understanding of cancer cell function and the next generation of effective and less harmful therapies for patients.

26 May 2008

DNA modification seen in colorectal tumors helps predict outcomes, John Wayne Cancer Institute researchers find

An international study led by researchers at the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center has found that modifications to DNA found on multiple chromosomes in tumors can help to predict outcomes in patients with early-stage rectal cancer.

21 May 2008

NIH launches undiagnosed diseases program

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) today announced a new clinical research program that will aim to provide answers to patients with mysterious conditions that have long eluded diagnosis. Called the Undiagnosed Diseases Program, the trans-NIH initiative will focus on the most puzzling medical cases referred to the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Md., by physicians across the nation.

19 May 2008

deCODE discovers novel genetic links between pigmentation traits and risk of skin cancer

In two papers published today, deCODE scientists and academic colleagues from Europe and the U.S. expand upon the company's recent findings in the genetics of pigmentation traits in people of European descent, and demonstrate that certain of these common variants also confer risk of two types of skin cancer.

19 May 2008

Scientists publish guidelines for the improved description of genomes and metagenomes

The Genomic Standards Consortium (GSC), an international initiative including representatives from a range of major sequencing and bioinformatics centres, has created a new guideline for describing genomes and metagenomes. The guideline, 'Minimum Information about a Genome Sequence' (MIGS), is published in the May issue of the journal Nature Biotechnology.

12 May 2008

How embryonic stem cells develop into tissue-specific cells demonstrated by researchers

While it has long been known that embryonic stem cells have the ability to develop into any kind of tissue-specific cells, the exact mechanism as to how this occurs has heretofore not been demonstrated.

12 May 2008

Radioactive carbon-14 determines the number of fat cells remains constant in all body types

The radioactive carbon-14 produced by above-ground nuclear testing in the 1950s and '60s has helped researchers determine that the number of fat cells in a human's body, whether lean or obese, is established during the teenage years. Changes in fat mass in adulthood can be attributed mainly to changes in fat cell volume, not an increase in the actual number of fat cells.

9 May 2008

Researchers highlight distinct subtypes of myalgic encephalomyelitis

Researchers have identified distinct subtypes of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS - also referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome) and there is renewed hope that treatments are available for this debilitating neurological illness.

7 May 2008

Whole-organ genomic survey depicts journey from normal to malignant cell

Whole-organ maps that superimpose genetic information over the terrain of cancerous bladders chart the molecular journey from normal cell to invasive cancer, an international research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reports online at the journal Laboratory Investigation.

5 May 2008

Harmful blood glucose levels linked to genetic mutation

A genetic mutation that can raise the amount of glucose in a person's blood to harmful levels is identified today in a study in the journal Science.

1 May 2008

New cancer drug opportunities

An international study released this week in the prestigious journal Nature could revolutionise the way in which cancers are treated and potentially put an end to aggressive DNA damaging chemotherapies and radiotherapy treatments.

30 Apr 2008

Human protein may offer novel target for blocking HIV infection

A research group supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has uncovered a new route for attacking the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that may offer a way to circumvent problems with drug resistance. In findings published today in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers report that they have blocked HIV infection in the test tube by inactivating a human protein expressed in key immune cells.

29 Apr 2008

Biopharmaceutical spin-out company Domainex, secures funding

Headquartered in London, Domainex is a contract research company specialising in the provision of structural biology and chemistry services to major pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms. The Company is also developing a pipeline of pre-clinical drugs and targets.

From Domainex 23 Apr 2008