MicroRNA News and Research

RSS

In genetics, microRNAs (miRNA) are single-stranded RNA molecules of 21-23 nucleotides in length, which regulate gene expression. miRNAs are encoded by genes from whose DNA they are transcribed but miRNAs are not translated into protein (i.e. they are non-coding RNAs); instead each primary transcript (a pri-miRNA) is processed into a short stem-loop structure called a pre-miRNA and finally into a functional miRNA. Mature miRNA molecules are partially complementary to one or more messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, and their main function is to down-regulate gene expression.

Blocking miR-375 microRNA in ERalha-positive breast cancer cells slows down cancer cell growth

Two thirds of breast cancers are ERalpha-positive, i.e., many estrogen receptors of the ERalpha- type are found in their cells. "These molecules can interact with the estrogen hormone and, thus, even lead to cancer," explains Dr. Joerg Hoheisel; molecular biologist at DKFZ. "The connection between the levels of the estrogen receptor alpha and the occurrence of breast cancer has been known for some time now.

24 Nov 2010

Largest genomic study of human medulloblastomas

Medulloblastomas are the most common malignant brain tumors of childhood, with 40 to 50 percent overall mortality. One of the greatest challenges in treating them is that they vary substantially from patient to patient. In the largest genomic study of human medulloblastomas to date, researchers from Children's Hospital Boston, together with collaborators, have identified six subtypes with distinct molecular "fingerprints" that will improve doctors' ability to direct and individualize treatment.

23 Nov 2010

Agilent's GeneSpring Bioinformatics Solution integrated with GeneGo's MetaCore

GeneGo, Inc., a leading provider of databases, software and services in systems biology and chemistry, and Agilent Technologies, Inc., the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, electronics and communications, announced today that they have integrated Agilent's GeneSpring Bioinformatics Solution with MetaCore.

22 Nov 2010

K.U.Leuven researchers receive ERC Advanced Grants

K.U.Leuven researchers Peter Carmeliet and Bart De Strooper have both been awarded Advanced Grants from the European Research Council. ERC Advanced Grants are the most prestigious European research grants, spanning a period of 5 years. Peter Carmeliet of the VIB Vesalius Research Centre, K.U.Leuven, will receive approximately 2.5 million euro for research focused on stopping the energy supply into blood vessels.

20 Nov 2010

Alnylam presents data on RNAi technologies at MIT Center Summit

Alnylam Biotherapeutics, a division of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, presented new data at the MIT Center for Biomedical Innovation's Biomanufacturing Summit from its platform efforts aimed at developing RNAi technologies for applications in biologics manufacturing.

19 Nov 2010

Alnylam comments on Roche's corporate restructuring for RNAi therapeutics

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a leading RNAi therapeutics company, commented today on Roche's corporate restructuring and its implications on RNAi therapeutics.

18 Nov 2010

Amsterdam 2010 third quarter total expense increases from EUR 4.4 million to EUR 4.7 million

Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics, a leader in the field of human gene therapy, today provides its non-audited business update in compliance with the EU transparency directive. This report summarizes material events and AMT's financial position for the third quarter of 2010.

18 Nov 2010

Sistemic launches early predictive and investigative drug toxicity screening service

Sistemic Ltd., the recent winners of the coveted Most Promising Life Science Company by Nexxus, today announced the launch of their SistemTOX™ early predictive and investigative drug toxicity screening service. Based on world-leading Scottish microRNA research and technology, SistemTOX™ filters out potentially harmful compounds early in the development process, helping to save millions of pounds in costs.

17 Nov 2010

Mirna to present data on miRNA Replacement Therapies for cancer at CPRIT Conference

Mirna Therapeutics, Inc., a leading developer of microRNA (miRNA)-based therapeutics, announced today that it will present new data at the inaugural CPRIT Innovations in Cancer Prevention and Research Conference, November 17-19, 2010 in Austin, TX.

17 Nov 2010

Isis, Xenon enter collaboration to discover and develop antisense drugs for AI

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced today a new collaboration to discover and develop antisense drugs as novel treatments for the common disease anemia of inflammation (AI).

16 Nov 2010

Dutch government awards Innovation Credit of EUR 1.3 million to InteRNA

InteRNA Technologies B.V., a biopharmaceutical company developing pathway targeted microRNA (miRNA)-based therapeutics for cancer, today announced that it was awarded an Innovation Credit of EUR 1.3 million from the Dutch government.

16 Nov 2010

New stem cell-infused patch improves heart function after myocardial infarction

University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers have found that applying a stem cell-infused patch together with overexpression of a specific cell instruction molecule promoted cell migration to damaged cardiac tissue following heart attack and resulted in improved function in animal models.

16 Nov 2010

RNA-based drugs may prevent premature birth: Research

Tiny molecules called microRNAs act together with hormones to control the onset of labor, raising the prospect that RNA-based drugs might be able to prevent premature labor, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered in a preclinical study.

15 Nov 2010

Exiqon publishes clinical study data on colon cancer

Exiqon A/S today published data from a clinical study that stratifies colon cancer patients into groups of high, medium and low chances of survival which may prove useful for optimizing the treatment of each individual cancer patient.

14 Nov 2010

USPTO issues Notice of Allowance to Asuragen’s mir-205 for lung cancer diagnosis

Asuragen, Inc., a leader in the development of molecular diagnostics, announced today that it had received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for claims related to the use of mir-205 as a diagnostic in lung cancer.

11 Nov 2010

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals presents ALN-VSP Phase I data for liver cancer at Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, today presented additional interim data from its ongoing Phase I trial with ALN-VSP, a systemically delivered RNAi therapeutic for the treatment of advanced solid tumors with liver involvement. The data were presented at the Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium being held in New York City.

11 Nov 2010

MicroRNAs linked to failure of duct development in mammary glands

Max Planck researchers discover novel mechanism for vertebrate organ development. Hormones, growth factors and several proteins ensure that development occurs in the right way, at the right time. The components that cause breast development in mammals, for example, were thought to be largely known. However, as a team of scientists from Göttingen, Frankfurt and Hanover have now discovered, in the case of breast development, hormones and proteins do not account for the full story.

10 Nov 2010

Regulus receives $488,989 grant under QTDP program

Regulus Therapeutics Inc. announced today that it has been awarded two grants totaling $488,989 under the Federal government's Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project Program.

4 Nov 2010

Alnylam third quarter revenue increases from $24.2 million to $27.7 million

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a leading RNAi therapeutics company, today reported its consolidated financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2010, and company highlights.

4 Nov 2010

NanoString’s nCounter CNV CodeSets help detect genetic copy number variations

NanoString Technologies, Inc., a privately held life sciences company marketing a complete solution for detecting and counting large sets of target molecules in biological samples, today announced the launch of a novel solution for detecting genetic copy number variations (CNVs) associated with disease susceptibility, drug response and cancer progression.

From NanoString Technologies 2 Nov 2010