Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers link loss of WAVE1 gene to lethal form of prostate cancer

Researchers at Upstate Medical University and Harvard University have linked the loss of key gene, WAVE1, to a lethal form of prostate cancer, according to a study published in the journal Oncotarget.

9 Apr 2015

Study may point to immediate cause of CF exacerbations

In the genetic disorder cystic fibrosis (CF), the most severe symptoms are recurring episodes of lung inflammation and bacterial infection (known as "exacerbations") that happen from one to three times a year and cause ever-increasing amounts of lung damage through the course of a CF patient's life.

9 Apr 2015

Biologists discover vulnerability of brain cancer cells

Biologists at MIT and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research have discovered a vulnerability of brain cancer cells that could be exploited to develop more-effective drugs against brain tumors.

9 Apr 2015

Plymouth researchers receive grant to develop effective therapy for Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease is an hereditary disorder of the nervous system caused by a faulty gene on chromosome four. The faulty gene leads to nerve damage in the area of the brain resulting in gradual physical, mental and emotional changes. Those born to a parent with Huntington's disease have a 50:50 chance of developing it, and there is currently no cure.

9 Apr 2015

Mobidiag announces CE-IVD marking and launching of Amplidiag C. difficile+027 test

Mobidiag Ltd, a Finnish molecular diagnostics company specialized in the development of innovative diagnostics solutions for infectious diseases, today announced the launch of Amplidiag C. difficile+027, a qualitative qPCR-based test performed from DNA extracted from stool in suspected cases of C. difficile infection (CDI).

9 Apr 2015

Changes in height can affect risk of coronary heart disease

The shorter you are- the more your risk of coronary heart disease. That's the key finding of a new study led by the University of Leicester which discovered that every 2.5 inches change in your height affected your risk of coronary heart disease by 13.5%. For example, compared to a 5ft 6inch tall person, a 5 foot tall person on average has a 32% higher risk of coronary heart disease because of their relatively shorter stature.

8 Apr 2015

TSRI scientists find molecular trigger of schizophrenia-like behaviors and brain changes

According to the World Health Organization, more than 21 million people worldwide suffer from schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder that can cause delusions and hallucinations and lead to increased risk of suicide...

8 Apr 2015

Scientists identify brain molecule that triggers schizophrenia-like behaviors, brain changes

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have identified a molecule in the brain that triggers schizophrenia-like behaviors, brain changes and global gene expression in an animal model. The research gives scientists new tools for someday preventing or treating psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and autism.

8 Apr 2015

National MS Society commits $28 million to support new MS research projects, training awards

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has committed $28 million to support an expected 84 new MS research projects and training awards. These are part of a comprehensive research strategy aimed at stopping MS, restoring function that has been lost, and ending the disease forever – for every single person with MS.

8 Apr 2015

CUMC researchers identify cellular defect that could lead to potential new treatment for diabetes

A cellular defect that can impair the body's ability to handle high glucose levels and could point the way to a potential new treatment for diabetes has been identified by Columbia University Medical Center researchers.

8 Apr 2015

New study could point to potential ways to address defects in learning, memory

Just as some people seem built to run marathons and have an easier time going for miles without tiring, others are born with a knack for memorizing things, from times tables to trivia facts. These two skills—running and memorizing—are not so different as it turns out.

8 Apr 2015

Experimental oligonucleotide-based drug stimulates human immune system to fight infections

An experimental single-stranded oligonucleotide-based drug, MGN1703, comprised only of natural DNA components, stimulates the human immune system to fight infections and attack cancer cells without causing the harmful side effects associated with similar compounds that also contain non-natural DNA components.

8 Apr 2015

Study: Gene variant, urban environment increase risk of severe disease in children infected with RSV

A particular genetic mutation combined with an urban environment increases the risk of severe disease in children infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), an international team of investigators has found.

8 Apr 2015

Study identifies genetic variants linked to Hirschsprung’s disease

Genetic studies in humans, zebrafish and mice have revealed how two different types of genetic variations team up to cause a rare condition called Hirschsprung’s disease. The findings add to an increasingly clear picture of how flaws in early nerve development lead to poor colon function, which must often be surgically corrected.

8 Apr 2015

New blood test may more accurately identify biomarkers for Parkinson's disease

A new blood test may more accurately identify blood signatures, or biomarkers, for Parkinson's disease (PD), according to a new study published in the journal Movement Disorders.

7 Apr 2015

RNA could be a potential target for new anticancer drugs, say UC Berkeley scientists

Most of today's anticancer drugs target the DNA or proteins in tumor cells, but a new discovery by University of California, Berkeley, scientists unveils a whole new set of potential targets: the RNA intermediaries between DNA and proteins.

7 Apr 2015

Study: Key signaling pathway in B-cell lymphoma can be blocked using compounds

Cancer researchers from the University of Zurich have identified a key signaling pathway in B-cell lymphoma, a malignant type of blood cancer.

7 Apr 2015

Common cancers deform mitochondria to create conducive environment for tumor growth

In a breakthrough in the understanding of how cancer does its deadly work, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have shown that many cancers - including nearly all pancreatic cancers - enslave and deform mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells, to create an environment more conducive to tumor growth.

7 Apr 2015

MGH investigators identify inflammatory molecule that plays key role in lupus

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have identified an inflammatory molecule that appears to play an essential role in the autoimmune disorder systemic lupus erythematosus, commonly known as lupus.

7 Apr 2015

Around 90% of all breast cancers can be diagnosed using MRI, shows study

Around 90 per cent of all breast cancers can be definitively diagnosed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This compares to the combined methods of mammography and ultrasound which yielded a detection rate of just 37.5 per cent.

7 Apr 2015

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers link loss of WAVE1 gene to lethal form of prostate cancer

Study may point to immediate cause of CF exacerbations

Biologists discover vulnerability of brain cancer cells

Plymouth researchers receive grant to develop effective therapy for Huntington's disease

Mobidiag announces CE-IVD marking and launching of Amplidiag C. difficile+027 test

Changes in height can affect risk of coronary heart disease

TSRI scientists find molecular trigger of schizophrenia-like behaviors and brain changes

Scientists identify brain molecule that triggers schizophrenia-like behaviors, brain changes

National MS Society commits $28 million to support new MS research projects, training awards

CUMC researchers identify cellular defect that could lead to potential new treatment for diabetes

New study could point to potential ways to address defects in learning, memory

Experimental oligonucleotide-based drug stimulates human immune system to fight infections

Study: Gene variant, urban environment increase risk of severe disease in children infected with RSV

Study identifies genetic variants linked to Hirschsprung’s disease

New blood test may more accurately identify biomarkers for Parkinson's disease

RNA could be a potential target for new anticancer drugs, say UC Berkeley scientists

Study: Key signaling pathway in B-cell lymphoma can be blocked using compounds

Common cancers deform mitochondria to create conducive environment for tumor growth

MGH investigators identify inflammatory molecule that plays key role in lupus

Around 90% of all breast cancers can be diagnosed using MRI, shows study

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