Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Previously unknown gene mutation linked to inherited eye disorder, achromatopsia

People with achromatopsia, an inherited eye disorder, see the world literally in black and white. Worse yet, their extreme sensitivity to light makes them nearly blind in bright sunlight. Now, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Shiley Eye Institute at UC San Diego Health System have identified a previously unknown gene mutation that underlies this disorder.

2 Jun 2015

Invitae introduces new patient pay program to make genetic testing more affordable, accessible

Invitae Corporation, a genetic information company, announced today the launch of its new patient pay price for its full menu of genetic tests at $475 per indication.

2 Jun 2015

Scientists one step closer to understanding how brain regulates memory and mood

Scientists are one step closer to understanding how the brain regulates memory and mood, thanks to the discovery of two distinct types of stem cells.

1 Jun 2015

ASCO 2015: UH Seidman Cancer Center researchers present data from several new studies

Researchers from University Hospitals Case Medical Center Seidman Cancer Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine will present data from several new studies, including a study evaluating a potential novel combination treatment for cancer patients with advanced solid tumors and a first-of-its-kind analysis of gene mutations in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), at the 51st American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago.

1 Jun 2015

Two grants to bolster research on why ovarian cancer is resistant to chemotherapy

Determining which strains of cancer will eventually become resistant to chemotherapy could be key in figuring out more effective and targeted forms of treatment. Finding the genes responsible for chemo-resistance is what Jeremy Chien, Ph.D., member of the Cancer Biology Program at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, is looking to do with an innovative system that draws inspiration from the early days of cancer gene research.

1 Jun 2015

Investigational anti-cancer agent ONT-380 shows activity against HER2+ breast cancer

Promising clinical trial results presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting 2015 show activity of the investigational anti-cancer agent ONT-380 against HER2+ breast cancer, in one case specifically against brain metastases and in another case in overall survival of heavily pretreated HER2+ breast cancer patients.

1 Jun 2015

Adding AKT inhibitors to radiotherapy could be effective for treating many cancers

Cancer Research UK scientists have discovered how giving a class of drugs called AKT inhibitors in combination with radiotherapy might boost its effectiveness across a wide range of cancers, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation today.

1 Jun 2015

Clinical utility of Caris Molecular Intelligence in five studies to be presented at ASCO 2015

Caris Life Sciences, a leading biotechnology company focused on fulfilling the promise of precision medicine, today announced the presentation of data from five studies that demonstrate the clinical utility of Caris Molecular Intelligence®, the company's panomic comprehensive tumor profiling service, in helping to identify targeted treatment options for patients with rare and/or aggressive tumors.

1 Jun 2015

Secret to the life-long activity of a stem cell niche

The roots of a plant are constantly growing, so that they can provide the plant with water and minerals while also giving it a firm anchor in the ground. Responsible for these functions are pluripotent stem cells. In order to avoid differentiation and to remain pluripotent, these stem cells are dependent on signals from their neighbouring cells.

1 Jun 2015

Mirati Therapeutics presents preliminary results of MGCD265 tyrosine kinase inhibitor at ASCO 2015

Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. today presented data that demonstrated preliminary evidence of clinical activity from its investigational targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor candidate, MGCD265, as part of the developmental therapeutics category at the 2015 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting being held in Chicago from May 29-June 2, 2015.

1 Jun 2015

Caris Molecular Intelligence allows comparisons between tumors sharing histological features

Caris Life Sciences, a leading biotechnology company focused on fulfilling the promise of precision medicine, today announced the presentation of data from three studies that demonstrate the utility of Caris Molecular Intelligence®, the company's panomic comprehensive tumor profiling service, in facilitating comparisons between tumors that share histological features.

1 Jun 2015

Researchers identify key driver mutations in glioma samples that confirm tumor heterogeneity

Caris Life Sciences today announced the presentation of data from a study in which researchers identified biomarker changes, including key driver mutations, in 89% of metachronous paired glioma tumors, indicating changes in response to therapy as the disease progresses.

1 Jun 2015

Space Aging study may help identify novel genes linked to longevity

The plot of many a science fiction TV series or movie revolves around the premise that people traveling long distances in space age more slowly than their counterparts on Earth. Now, tiny worms who spent time aboard the International Space Station could help humans understand more about the effects of aging in space for real.

1 Jun 2015

Mistakes in mismatch repair genes may accurately predict response to certain immunotherapy drugs

In a report of a proof-of-principle study of patients with colon and other cancers for whom standard therapies failed, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center say that mistakes in so-called mismatch repair genes, first identified by Johns Hopkins and other scientists two decades ago, may accurately predict who will respond to certain immunotherapy drugs known as PD-1 inhibitors. Such drugs aim to disarm systems developed by cancer cells to evade detection and destruction by immune system cells.

30 May 2015

UT Southwestern Medical Center Performs its 500th Lung Transplant on Cystic Fibrosis Patient

A lung transplant to relieve Christopher Bryant Vera from devastating effects of cystic fibrosis marked the 500th lung transplant performed at UT Southwestern Medical Center, positioning the Center among an elite group of fewer than 25 in the country to achieve that benchmark.

30 May 2015

KeyGenes platform could be useful for testing quality of stem cell transplants

A snapshot of gene activity is now all that's necessary to determine what organ or tissue type that a cluster of fetal stem cells will ultimately become. An algorithm developed by a team of Dutch scientists makes it possible to match what's happening inside of an immature stem cell to known human fetal cell gene expression, thus identifying what the stem cell has the potential to be.

30 May 2015

Presence of collagen in tumor microenvironment can be either good or bad

The presence of collagen in the tumor microenvironment, essentially where the tumor lives, can be either good or bad according to Constance Brinckerhoff, PhD who led the Dartmouth team's reporting of "The BRAFV600E inhibitor, PLX4032, increases type 1 collagen synthesis in melanoma cells," in Matrix Biology Journal.

30 May 2015

Researchers uncover critical role for two proteins in chromatin structure

A team of researchers at the IRCM led by François Robert, PhD, uncovered a critical role for two proteins in chromatin structure. Their breakthrough, recently published in the scientific journal Molecular Cell, helps explain how DNA is organized in our cells. This discovery could lead to a better understanding of what causes certain types of cancer, such as lymphoma.

30 May 2015

Multiplatform biomarker analysis reveals new therapeutic options for squamous cell anal carcinomas

While squamous cell anal carcinomas are rare, representing only about 2% of digestive-system cancer diagnoses, these cancers, which are associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV), sometimes prove very difficult to treat, recurring or developing metastases following standard treatment.

30 May 2015

Researchers awarded $3.86 million NIH grant to tackle the issue of 'mosaicism' in schizophrenia

Why does schizophrenia happen, and how can we improve treatment for it? These basic questions persist despite years of research on one of the most puzzling, and debilitating, mental illnesses. Now, a University of Michigan Medical School team and their colleagues will take a new approach to addressing these questions by searching for genetic clues in postmortem brain tissues of people with and without schizophrenia.

30 May 2015

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Previously unknown gene mutation linked to inherited eye disorder, achromatopsia

Invitae introduces new patient pay program to make genetic testing more affordable, accessible

Scientists one step closer to understanding how brain regulates memory and mood

ASCO 2015: UH Seidman Cancer Center researchers present data from several new studies

Two grants to bolster research on why ovarian cancer is resistant to chemotherapy

Investigational anti-cancer agent ONT-380 shows activity against HER2+ breast cancer

Adding AKT inhibitors to radiotherapy could be effective for treating many cancers

Clinical utility of Caris Molecular Intelligence in five studies to be presented at ASCO 2015

Secret to the life-long activity of a stem cell niche

Mirati Therapeutics presents preliminary results of MGCD265 tyrosine kinase inhibitor at ASCO 2015

Caris Molecular Intelligence allows comparisons between tumors sharing histological features

Researchers identify key driver mutations in glioma samples that confirm tumor heterogeneity

Space Aging study may help identify novel genes linked to longevity

Mistakes in mismatch repair genes may accurately predict response to certain immunotherapy drugs

UT Southwestern Medical Center Performs its 500th Lung Transplant on Cystic Fibrosis Patient

KeyGenes platform could be useful for testing quality of stem cell transplants

Presence of collagen in tumor microenvironment can be either good or bad

Researchers uncover critical role for two proteins in chromatin structure

Multiplatform biomarker analysis reveals new therapeutic options for squamous cell anal carcinomas

Researchers awarded $3.86 million NIH grant to tackle the issue of 'mosaicism' in schizophrenia

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