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Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a biologically important type of molecule that consists of a long chain of nucleotide units. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate.

Treatment helps 26% of black Americans with chronic hepatitis C

Twenty-six percent (26%) of black Americans (BA) with chronic hepatitis C who received treatment with Pegasys plus Copegus (peginterferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin) achieved a sustained virological response (SVR), according to study results published in the June 2004 issue of Hepatology.

1 Jun 2004

Novel molecular targeting technologies to deliver gene-silencing therapy

Researchers have combined novel molecular targeting technologies to deliver gene-silencing therapy specifically to tumor cells shielded by a normally impermeable obstacle, the blood brain barrier.

1 Jun 2004

Four critical components of cells' protein-building machine don't do what scientists had long assumed

In the hunt for these details, scientists have focused on four RNA building blocks, or nucleotides, deep within the machine that are identical in every species, from bacteria to humans. Because they sit where the protein chain is actually built, these "universally conserved" nucleotides in the ribosome were thought to help that process.

28 May 2004

Finding overturns long held ideas about how cells build proteins

Writing in the May 28 issue of Cell, Johns Hopkins researchers report that four critical components of cells' protein-building machine don't do what scientists had long assumed.

27 May 2004

Human Genome Sciences has begun dosing patients with chronic hep C drug

Human Genome Sciences, Inc. announced today that it has begun dosing patients in a Phase 2 clinical trial of Albuferon™ (albumin-interferon alpha) in patients with chronic hepatitis C who are naïve to interferon-alpha treatments.

27 May 2004

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus re-emerges in Thailand

Thousands of chickens were culled last week after the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus was found at The North Regional Veterinary Research and Development Center by Thailand's Department of Livestock Development.

27 May 2004

Weekly cycles of once-daily anti-HIV drugs could reduce cost of HIV treatment

24 May 2004

Standardizing procedures to ensure the reliability and comparability of results from microarrays

Microarrays, sometimes called "gene chip" devices, enable researchers to monitor the activities of thousands of genes from a single tissue sample simultaneously, identifying patterns that may be novel indicators of disease status.

24 May 2004

Weekly cycles of once-daily anti-drugs could reduce cost of HIV treatment

In a small study conducted at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers have shown that it may be feasible to treat HIV-infected patients with a simple, once-daily regimen of anti-HIV drugs given in pre-planned, 7-day-on, 7-day-off cycles. This approach is known formally as “short-cycle structured intermittent antiretroviral therapy” (SIT) or colloquially as the “7-7” approach.

20 May 2004

Scientists have sped up a common jumping gene found in the human genome

Johns Hopkins scientists have transformed a common "jumping gene" found in the human genome into one that moves hundreds of times more often than normal in mouse and human cells.

20 May 2004

Causes of hepatitis and potential therapies that may improve care presented in study

Hepatitis, a potentially serious disease caused by a virus that attacks the liver, is a major problem worldwide. Hepatitis A is generally food-borne, while hepatitis B and C spread primarily through parenteral or sexual routes. Hepatitis B and C can be life-long, potentially deadly chronic infections.

19 May 2004

New study of tumor genetics may help to treat patients with head and neck cancer

Head and neck tumors account for more than 40,000 new cancers annually in the United States. The most common of these is squamous cell carcinoma. Prognosis is based largely on location and size of the tumor, and if the cancer has spread, or metastasized, to lymph nodes and distant sites in the body.

19 May 2004

Benitec acquires Avocel to focus on rapid development of hepatitis C therapeutics

Benitec Ltd. today announced the acquisition of Avocel, Inc. of Sunnyvale, CA, a leading RNAi therapeutics company, and the establishment of its wholly-owned US subsidiary, Benitec, Inc. Through the acquisition, Benitec gains its first in-house advanced therapeutic development program using DNA-directed RNAi (ddRNAi) to target the Hepatitis C virus.

18 May 2004

3 people with drug-resistant HIV become first to undergo a new form of gene therapy

The idea is to use a modified form of HIV to deliver an "antisense" gene to the immune cells that HIV infects. This is integrated into the cells' genome, and stays there until a cell is infected. Then it is switched on, and produces RNA complementary to the "sense" RNA encoding a viral protein. In theory, the RNAs should bind together, blocking viral replication.

14 May 2004

Father's sperm packs more than just a fertilizer

The major function of a man's sperm was fertilization, scientists once thought. True, sperm contains the father's chromosomes; but new studies from Wayne State University show that RNAs critically important to early growth of an embryo are also delivered.

13 May 2004

Research uncovers critical pieces of human genome

Researchers have found precisely the same sequences in the genomes of humans, rats, and mice; sequences that are 95 to 99 percent identical to these can be found in the chicken and dog genomes, as well.

6 May 2004

System Biosciences launches siRNA expression libraries to target 8,500 human genes

The siRNA libraries contain 7,500 and 43,800 siRNA template sequences that target 1,500 and 8,500 well-characterized human genes, respectively.

6 May 2004

New insight into the function of RNA helicases

If DNA can be compared to an architect who gets all the glory for designing the building, RNA can be compared to the engineer who often goes unrecognized, but is needed to turn the blueprints into a real three-dimensional, functional and safe structure.

5 May 2004

New hope for advances in treatment methods for AIDS, Alzheimer's and age-related blindness

Pharmaceutical science leaders from the FDA, research institutions and top pharmaceutical companies will gather at the 2004 AAPS National Biotechnology Conference, AAPS' spring annual meeting.

4 May 2004

QIAGEN launches human siRNA library sets

Prime Standard QIA a leading supplier of products and technologies for nucleic acid separation, purification and handling today announced that it has launched a series of off-the-shelf human library siRNA sets, covering a broad gene family selection including kinases, GPCRs, apoptosis related genes, and oncogenes, to name a few.

From QIAGEN Manchester Limited 3 May 2004

RNA News and Research

Further Reading

Treatment helps 26% of black Americans with chronic hepatitis C

Novel molecular targeting technologies to deliver gene-silencing therapy

Four critical components of cells' protein-building machine don't do what scientists had long assumed

Finding overturns long held ideas about how cells build proteins

Human Genome Sciences has begun dosing patients with chronic hep C drug

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus re-emerges in Thailand

Weekly cycles of once-daily anti-HIV drugs could reduce cost of HIV treatment

Standardizing procedures to ensure the reliability and comparability of results from microarrays

Weekly cycles of once-daily anti-drugs could reduce cost of HIV treatment

Scientists have sped up a common jumping gene found in the human genome

Causes of hepatitis and potential therapies that may improve care presented in study

New study of tumor genetics may help to treat patients with head and neck cancer

Benitec acquires Avocel to focus on rapid development of hepatitis C therapeutics

3 people with drug-resistant HIV become first to undergo a new form of gene therapy

Father's sperm packs more than just a fertilizer

Research uncovers critical pieces of human genome

System Biosciences launches siRNA expression libraries to target 8,500 human genes

New insight into the function of RNA helicases

New hope for advances in treatment methods for AIDS, Alzheimer's and age-related blindness

QIAGEN launches human siRNA library sets

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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