Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

MD Anderson scientists reveal role of metabolic enzyme fumarase in DNA repair

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are the worst possible form of genetic malfunction that can cause cancer and resistance to therapy. New information published this week reveals more about why this occurs and how these breaks can be repaired.

4 Aug 2015

New Tel Aviv University study sheds light on precise trigger of deadly melanoma

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, and melanoma, which accounts for 2% of skin cancer cases, is responsible for nearly all skin cancer deaths. Melanoma rates in the US have been rising rapidly over the last 30 years, and although scientists have managed to identify key risk factors, melanoma's modus operandi has eluded the world of medical research.

4 Aug 2015

First biodegradable gene delivery system efficiently penetrates human airway mucus barrier of lung tissue

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil have designed a DNA-loaded nanoparticle that can pass through the mucus barrier covering conducting airways of lung tissue — proving the concept, they say, that therapeutic genes may one day be delivered directly to the lungs to the levels sufficient to treat cystic fibrosis (CF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and other life-threatening lung diseases.

4 Aug 2015

FAU pre-medical student and surgeon work together on revolutionary procedure alternative to radical mastectomy

Elizabeth Hopkins, an aspiring physician and pre-medical student in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Florida Atlantic University, has spent more than 640 hours shadowing Hilton Becker, M.D., a local plastic and reconstructive surgeon, and an affiliate professor in FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. Together, with Jeffrey Lind II, M.D., they authored a publication in the current issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal, which describes a revolutionary procedure developed by Becker that is an alternative to radical mastectomy.

4 Aug 2015

Engineered protein shown effective in patients with severe von Willebrand disease

The first protein engineered to help control bleeding episodes in patients with severe von Willebrand disease (vW disease) has been shown to be safe and effective, according to results of a Phase III trial.

4 Aug 2015

RNA-binding protein ROQUIN regulates response to DNA damage

Messenger (mRNA) molecules are a key component of protein biosynthesis. They are first transcribed as a "working copy" of the DNA and then translated into protein molecules.

3 Aug 2015

Isis Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca to develop antisense therapies for cardiovascular, metabolic, renal diseases

AstraZeneca and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced a strategic collaboration to discover and develop antisense therapies for cardiovascular, metabolic and renal diseases.

3 Aug 2015

BUSM researchers find new way to detect and treat basal-like breast cancer

A new way to detect - and perhaps treat - one of the deadliest types of breast cancer has been found. Led by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), the study appears online in Breast Cancer Research.

3 Aug 2015

Researchers uncover strong evidence for genetic causes of cerebral palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of physical disability in children. It has historically been considered to be caused by factors such as birth asphyxia, stroke and infections in the developing brain of babies.

3 Aug 2015

Animal study shows children exposed to famine grow smaller, become susceptible to metabolic diseases

Starvation early in life can alter an organism for generations to come, according to a new study in roundworms. The effects are what Duke University biologist Ryan Baugh terms a "bet-hedging strategy."

3 Aug 2015

BRCA gene mutations and ovarian cancer: an interview with Dr Matulonis, Harvard Medical School

The BRCA gene encodes for the BRCA proteins, BRCA1 and BRCA2. These proteins are very important in repairing DNA, which they do by correcting double-stranded breaks.

2 Aug 2015

FDA accepts Mundipharma EDO's Investigational New Drug Application for EDO-S101

Mundipharma EDO GmbH (Early Development in Oncology) is pleased to announce that the United States Food and Drug Administration has accepted the company's Investigational New Drug Application ("IND") for EDO-S101, a fusion molecule to treat relapsed/refractory haematologic malignancies and solid tumours.

31 Jul 2015

Reducing incorrect gene expression can extend lifespan of cells

Working with yeast and worms, researchers found that incorrect gene expression is a hallmark of aged cells and that reducing such "noise" extends lifespan in these organisms. The team published their findings this month in Genes & Development.

31 Jul 2015

Study focuses on regulation of neuronal plasticity

A team of scientists has linked changes in the structure of a handful of central brain neurons to understanding how animals adjust to changing seasons. Its findings enhance our understanding of the mechanisms vital to the regulation of our circadian system, or internal clock.

31 Jul 2015

New synthetic gene drives could one day improve human health and the environment

Gene drives are genetic elements - found naturally in the genomes of most of the world's organisms - that increase the chance of the gene they carry being passed on to all offspring, and thus, they can quickly spread through populations. Looking to these natural systems, researchers around the world, including some Wyss Institute scientists, are developing synthetic gene drives that could one day be leveraged by humans to purposefully alter the traits of wild populations of organisms to prevent disease transmission and eradicate invasive species.

31 Jul 2015

Researchers reconstruct ancient virus to improve gene therapy

Researchers at Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Schepens Eye Research Institute have reconstructed an ancient virus that is highly effective at delivering gene therapies to the liver, muscle, and retina. This discovery, published July 30 in Cell Reports, could potentially be used to design gene therapies that are not only safer and more potent than therapies currently available, but may also help a greater number of patients.

31 Jul 2015

DNA study reveals potential treatments to delay or prevent onset of Huntington's disease

Scientists from Cardiff University believe that a treatment to prevent or delay the symptoms of Huntington’s disease could now be much closer, following a major breakthrough.

31 Jul 2015

Researchers uncover master regulators that govern the fate of TFH cells

Follicular helper Tcells (TFH cells), a rare type of immune cell that is essential for inducing a strong and lasting antibody response to viruses and other microbes, have garnered intense interest in recent years but the molecular signals that drive their differentiation had remained unclear.

31 Jul 2015

Study shows link between liver-produced molecules, pneumonia susceptibility during sepsis

New evidence highlights the importance of the liver in immunity against bacterial pneumonia. The study is the first of its kind to directly show such a link between liver-produced molecules and pneumonia susceptibility during sepsis.

31 Jul 2015

DFG Senate Commission approves recommendations for developing clinical research at German universities

At the annual meeting of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) on 30 June 2015, the Senate of the largest research funding organisation approved recommendations for "Developing Clinical Research at German Universities Between 2015 and 2025" (available in German).

30 Jul 2015

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

MD Anderson scientists reveal role of metabolic enzyme fumarase in DNA repair

New Tel Aviv University study sheds light on precise trigger of deadly melanoma

First biodegradable gene delivery system efficiently penetrates human airway mucus barrier of lung tissue

FAU pre-medical student and surgeon work together on revolutionary procedure alternative to radical mastectomy

Engineered protein shown effective in patients with severe von Willebrand disease

RNA-binding protein ROQUIN regulates response to DNA damage

Isis Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca to develop antisense therapies for cardiovascular, metabolic, renal diseases

BUSM researchers find new way to detect and treat basal-like breast cancer

Researchers uncover strong evidence for genetic causes of cerebral palsy

Animal study shows children exposed to famine grow smaller, become susceptible to metabolic diseases

BRCA gene mutations and ovarian cancer: an interview with Dr Matulonis, Harvard Medical School

FDA accepts Mundipharma EDO's Investigational New Drug Application for EDO-S101

Reducing incorrect gene expression can extend lifespan of cells

Study focuses on regulation of neuronal plasticity

New synthetic gene drives could one day improve human health and the environment

Researchers reconstruct ancient virus to improve gene therapy

DNA study reveals potential treatments to delay or prevent onset of Huntington's disease

Researchers uncover master regulators that govern the fate of TFH cells

Study shows link between liver-produced molecules, pneumonia susceptibility during sepsis

DFG Senate Commission approves recommendations for developing clinical research at German universities

eBook: Using iPSCs models for human disease research and drug discovery eBook

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

How cohesin mechanics and nanotracker tech are redefining DNA research

Todd Bauman and Chris Povich