Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers receive 2.6 million euros to study evolution of sexual reproduction in plants

A European and US consortium coordinated by Jorg Becker, group leader at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (IGC; Portugal), has now received funding of 2.6 million euros for 3 years to study the evolution of sexual reproduction in plants. The project is funded under the scope of ERA-CAPS, a European network dedicated to support research activities in Plant Sciences.

3 Jul 2015

Researchers compare effectiveness of two stem cell types in treating retinal degeneration

By growing two types of stem cells in a "3-D culture" and measuring their ability to produce retinal cells, a team lead by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital researchers has found one cell type to be better at producing retinal cells.

3 Jul 2015

Gene therapy improves lung function in patients with cystic fibrosis

Gene therapy was shown to provide significant benefits for patients with cystic fibrosis in a recent clinical study published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal.

3 Jul 2015

Phase IIIb CONSIGN study confirms benefit of regorafenib in patients with pre-treated mCRC

The phase IIIb CONSIGN study has confirmed the benefit of regorafenib in patients with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), researchers announced at the ESMO 17th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer 2015 in Barcelona.

3 Jul 2015

Gene therapy for cystic fibrosis shows significant benefit in lung function

For the first time gene therapy for cystic fibrosis has shown a significant benefit in lung function compared with placebo, in a phase 2 randomised trial published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal. The technique replaces the defective gene response for cystic fibrosis by using inhaled molecules of DNA to deliver a normal working copy of the gene to lung cells.

3 Jul 2015

Study: Genes may not trigger heart disease in people suffering from migraine with aura

A new study suggests that genes may not be to blame for the increased risk of heart disease some studies have shown in people with migraine, especially those with migraine with aura. The research is published during Headache/Migraine Awareness Month in the inaugural issue of the journal Neurology Genetics, an open access, or free to the public, online-only, peer-reviewed journal from the American Academy of Neurology.

3 Jul 2015

SkylineDx’s MMprofiler test helps predict prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma

SkylineDx, an innovative biotechnology company specialising in the development and commercialization of genetic tests, is today launching its MMprofiler assay. This test enables clinicians to more accurately predict the prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer) than traditional methods.

3 Jul 2015

Penn study suggests future precision medicine approach to treating diabetes, other metabolic disorders

In the first study of its kind, Penn researchers have shown how an anti-diabetic drug can have variable effects depending on small natural differences in DNA sequence between individuals. Mitchell Lazar, MD, PhD, Raymond Soccio, MD, PhD, and colleagues at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, aim to apply this knowledge to develop personalized approaches to treating diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

3 Jul 2015

Research shows how prion-like proteins critical for maintaining long-term memories

Research from Eric Kandel's lab at Columbia University Medical Center has uncovered further evidence of a system in the brain that persistently maintains memories for long periods of time. And paradoxically, it works in the same way as mechanisms that cause mad cow disease, kuru, and other degenerative brain diseases.

3 Jul 2015

Review article provides in depth survey of studies focusing on retinoblastoma protein's role in apoptosis

Retinoblastoma protein RB1, which is named after a form of pediatric tumor of the eye, is among the most common genetically regulated cellular proteins to malfunction in human cancer. RB1 was also the first tumor suppressor gene to be identified and its modes of inactivation in retinoblastoma tumors provided the basis for the ground-breaking two-hit hypothesis by the geneticist Alfred G. Knudson in the 70s, according to which cancer is due to the accumulation of multiple 'hits' or mutations in certain genes.

3 Jul 2015

HKUST scientists find way to stimulate growth of corticospinal tract axons

Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have found a way to stimulate the growth of axons, which may spell the dawn of a new beginning on chronic SCI treatments.

3 Jul 2015

Researchers discover link between acute liver failure and specific gene mutations in young children

Acute liver failure is a rare yet life-threatening disease for young children. It often occurs extremely rapidly, for example, when a child has a fever. Yet in around 50 percent of cases it is unclear as to why this happens. Now, a team of researchers working on an international research project headed by Technische Universität München, the Helmholtz Zentrum Munich and Heidelberg University Hospital have discovered a link between the disease and mutations in a specific gene.

3 Jul 2015

Researchers establish link between NBAS gene and acute liver failure

Acute liver failure is a rare yet life-threatening disease for young children. It often occurs extremely rapidly, for example, when a child has a fever. Yet in around 50 percent of cases it is unclear as to why this happens. Now, a team of researchers working on an international research project headed by Technische Universität München (TUM), the Helmholtz Zentrum Munich and Heidelberg University Hospital have discovered a link between the disease and mutations in a specific gene.

2 Jul 2015

Latent CMV infection induces telomere shortening

The telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences at each end of our chromosomes. Studies show that in every cell division, the telomere is shortened. As a result, the telomere limits the cell to a fixed number of divisions and a limited life span. An essential part of human cells they affect how our cells age - as people with longer telomeres live longer lives. Surprisingly, people who are infected with a latent virus, that is, an asymptomatic virus, have shorter telomeres.

2 Jul 2015

New NEI study shows that microglia can accelerate damage wrought by blinding eye disorders

Spider-like cells inside the brain, spinal cord and eye hunt for invaders, capturing and then devouring them. These cells, called microglia, often play a beneficial role by helping to clear trash and protect the central nervous system against infection. But a new study by researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI) shows that they also accelerate damage wrought by blinding eye disorders, such as retinitis pigmentosa.

2 Jul 2015

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers receive 2.6 million euros to study evolution of sexual reproduction in plants

Researchers compare effectiveness of two stem cell types in treating retinal degeneration

Gene therapy improves lung function in patients with cystic fibrosis

Phase IIIb CONSIGN study confirms benefit of regorafenib in patients with pre-treated mCRC

Gene therapy for cystic fibrosis shows significant benefit in lung function

Study: Genes may not trigger heart disease in people suffering from migraine with aura

SkylineDx’s MMprofiler test helps predict prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma

Penn study suggests future precision medicine approach to treating diabetes, other metabolic disorders

Research shows how prion-like proteins critical for maintaining long-term memories

Review article provides in depth survey of studies focusing on retinoblastoma protein's role in apoptosis

HKUST scientists find way to stimulate growth of corticospinal tract axons

Researchers discover link between acute liver failure and specific gene mutations in young children

Researchers establish link between NBAS gene and acute liver failure

Latent CMV infection induces telomere shortening

New NEI study shows that microglia can accelerate damage wrought by blinding eye disorders

Scientists identify mechanism that reveals why stem cells undergo self-renewing divisions

NDSU researcher awarded $1.35 million research grant to develop targeted treatment for colorectal cancer

New research links mutations in TEX11 gene to some cases of male infertility

Domainex’s new integrated bioassay service platform accelerates progression of drug discovery projects

Histones steadily replaced in brain cells throughout life, find Mount Sinai researchers

Industry Focus: Cell & Gene Therapy eBook

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

How cohesin mechanics and nanotracker tech are redefining DNA research

Todd Bauman and Chris Povich