Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Autism Speaks announces 47 new ASD research grants

Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism science and advocacy organization, today announced the awarding of 47 new research grants totaling $13,242,279 in funding over the next three years.

22 Dec 2011

CNVs appear to play a significant role in early onset bipolar disorder

An international team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, reports that abnormal sequences of DNA known as rare copy number variants, or CNVs, appear to play a significant role in the risk for early onset bipolar disorder.

22 Dec 2011

ORNL tool reveals previously undiscovered role of retinoblastoma

Armed with a new ability to find retinal anomalies at the cellular level, neurobiologists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have made a discovery they hope will ultimately lead to a treatment for cancer of the retina.

22 Dec 2011

Researchers discover how normal cells in tumors can drive cancer growth

•A new study published in the journal Nature Cell Biology has discovered how normal cells in tumors can fuel tumor growth.

22 Dec 2011

Scientists identify why African naked mole-rat feels no pain when exposed to acid

British researchers of the Max Delbr-ck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch have found out why the African naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber), one of the world's most unusual mammals, feels no pain when exposed to acid.

21 Dec 2011

Women with breast cancer more likely to develop heart disease

Women who are at risk for breast cancer may also be at greater risk for heart disease, new research has found.

21 Dec 2011

Scientists discover missing link between body's biological clock and sugar metabolism system

Scientists have discovered a missing link between the body's biological clock and sugar metabolism system, a finding that may help avoid the serious side effects of drugs used for treating asthma, allergies and arthritis.

20 Dec 2011

IRSF announces new grants for research into Rett syndrome

The International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF) announced today that it is awarding over $1.5M to support 18 new grants designed to study a variety of diverse topics from basic science and disease pathology to developing treatments and outcome measures for Rett syndrome.

20 Dec 2011

Gene therapy may promote growth of hair cells in inner ear

Normal hearing depends on the presence of healthy hair cells in the inner ear. Gene therapy has the potential to slow the loss of hair cells and promote the growth of hair cells that have already been damaged.

20 Dec 2011

ALS TDI, Biogen Idec and UCB enter agreement to study anti-CD40L antibody for ALS

The ALS Therapy Development Institute today announced a research agreement with Biogen Idec and UCB Pharma SA to investigate the use of an anti-CD40L antibody as a potential therapy for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's or Motor Neuron Disease.

19 Dec 2011

IGN joins BCCA Genome Science Center

Illumina, Inc. today announced that the British Columbia Cancer Agency's (BCCA) Genome Science Center has joined the Illumina Genome Network (IGN). IGN is designed to link researchers needing large-scale whole human genome sequencing with leading institutions that provide this application as a service using industry-leading Illumina sequencing platforms.

19 Dec 2011

Increased Sirt1 expression protects against neurodegeneration in HD mouse model

Treatment that increases brain levels of an important regulatory enzyme may slow the loss of brain cells that characterizes Huntington's disease (HD) and other neurodegenerative disorders.

19 Dec 2011

SIRT1 gene appears to delay onset of HD in mouse model

Working with genetically engineered mice, Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that a gene (SIRT1) linked to slowing the aging process in cells also appears to dramatically delay the onset of Huntington's disease (HD) and slow the progression of the relentless neurodegenerative disorder.

19 Dec 2011

Baxter receives FDA approval for ADVATE to prevent hemophilia A

Baxter International Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ADVATE [Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant) Plasma/Albumin Free Method] for routine prophylaxis to prevent or reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes in patients with hemophilia A.

From Baxter International Inc. 17 Dec 2011

Researchers identify gene that causes PKD/IC in infants

A large, international team of researchers led by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco has identified the gene that causes a rare childhood neurological disorder called PKD/IC, or "paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia with infantile convulsions," a cause of epilepsy in babies and movement disorders in older children.

17 Dec 2011

Scientists devise a way to reduce side effects of lung cancer therapy

Scientists may have a way to double the efficacy and reduce the side effects of radiation therapy.

17 Dec 2011

Short spiral-shaped proteins can efficiently deliver DNA segments to cells

Clinical gene therapy may be one step closer, thanks to a new twist on an old class of molecules. A group of University of Illinois researchers, led by professors Jianjun Cheng and Fei Wang, have demonstrated that short spiral-shaped proteins can efficiently deliver DNA segments to cells. The team published its work in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

16 Dec 2011