Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Method to comprehensively characterize human embryonic stem cell lines and iPS cell lines

Ever since researchers devised a recipe for turning adult cells into cells that look and act like embryonic stem cells, there has been lingering doubt in the field about just how close to embryonic stem cells each of those cell lines really is at a molecular and functional level. Now, researchers reporting in the February 4th issue of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, have developed a systematic way to lay those doubts about quality to rest.

4 Feb 2011

Research unmasks long sought stem cell origin of carcinoma

A constellation of different stem cell populations within our skin help it to cope with normal wear and tear. By constantly proliferating, the stem cells allow skin to replenish itself, allowing each cell to be replaced by a new one about once a month. But the normal cycle of division and death within one or more of these stem cell types can sometimes be derailed by genetic mishaps. Such events are believed to spawn carcinomas and other deadly skin cancers, which are the mostly frequently diagnosed cancers in the United States.

4 Feb 2011

More needs to be done globally to fight cancer

WHILE cancer statistics for the last 10 years make encouraging reading, more needs to be done globally to fight the killer disease.

4 Feb 2011

Digna Biotech, CIMA receive EU grant for development of gene therapy product for Acute Intermittent Porphyria

Digna Biotech and the Centro de Investigacion Medica Aplicada (CIMA) de la Universidad de Navarra announced today that the European Union (EU) has finalized a EUR 3.3 million grant to AIPGENE consortium. Digna Biotech and CIMA will receive, as members of the consortium, EUR 0.5 and EUR 0.8 million respectively for the clinical development of a gene therapy product for Acute Intermittent Porphyria (AIP).

4 Feb 2011

UM researchers find genetic cause of retinitis pigmentosa

Researchers led by geneticists at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have identified a new gene that causes retinitis pigmentosa, a form of blindness, ending one South Florida family's nearly 20-year search for what caused three of their four children to lose their sight.

4 Feb 2011

Cell signaling hormone boosts immune response to clear HIV-like infection

Australian scientists have successfully cleared a HIV-like infection from mice by boosting the function of cells vital to the immune response.

4 Feb 2011

New study provides insight into mechanism behind breast cancer mutation

A new study sheds light on why individuals who inherit a particular family of mutations have a high risk of developing a very aggressive form of breast cancer. The research, published by Cell Press on February 4th in the journal Cell Stem Cell, shows that breast tissue cells from these individuals make abnormal cell-fate decisions even before cancer develops and provides exciting new insights into the mechanisms behind one of the most lethal types of breast cancer.

4 Feb 2011

More careful regulation of FDA's Humanitarian Device Exemption in psychiatric patients needed

Warning that patients could be at risk, an interdisciplinary group of multinational investigators is calling on the U.S. Congress and federal regulators to tighten a law that permits use of brain devices to treat rare neuropsychiatric disorders without supporting clinical trials or stringent patient oversight.

4 Feb 2011

Study: Pistachios may help reduce risk of heart disease

It's no coincidence that National Pistachio Day – February 26, 2011 – occurs during American Heart Month. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in America, and promising nutrition research shows that pistachios are a heart healthy snack choice. In honor of American Heart Month, TheGreenNut.org is offering simple tips encouraging all Americans to go green for a healthy heart this February.

4 Feb 2011

Ceregene initiates enrollment and dosing in CERE-120 Phase 2b trial for Parkinson's disease

Ceregene, a biopharmaceutical company, announced today that it is progressing with enrollment and dosing in its CERE-120 Phase 2b multi-center, sham-surgery, double-blinded controlled trial in Parkinson's disease.

3 Feb 2011

Nitto Denko announces acquisition of Avecia Biotechnology

Japan's leading diversified materials manufacturer, Nitto Denko Corporation, today announced that it has acquired Avecia Biotechnology, Inc. through Nitto Americas, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary in Teaneck, New Jersey.

3 Feb 2011

Genetic component to Parkinson’s disease discovered

Parkinson’s disease, a severely degenerative disease of the brain leading to tremors, muscle rigidity and finally immobility was until the 1990’s believed to be due to environmental factors, lifestyle and a person’s age. However, now scientists have discovered five more genes that influence its development.

3 Feb 2011

Rare new disease identified – calcium accumulates in blood vessels

A new rare disease has been identified. Louise Benge’s started having difficulty in walking when she was 25. She developed hardening and pain over her calves and hands. She worsened over the next 20 years. Her family physician in Mount Vernon, Ky., was at a loss, as were a vascular specialist, a hand specialist and a kidney specialist. Her two sisters and two brothers had the problem too, but no doctor could understand why.

3 Feb 2011

New England Biolabs expands line of reagents for sample preparation

New England Biolabs has expanded its line of reagents for sample preparation upstream of next generation sequencing to include NEBNext® Small RNA Sample Prep Set 1 for sequencing on the Illumina® platforms, and NEBNext Small RNA Sample Prep Set 3 for sequencing on LIFE's SOLiD™ platform. These new products offer a new and unique protocol, which results in higher yields and lower adaptor-dimer formation, as compared to other protocols.

From New England Biolabs 3 Feb 2011

Shionogi-ViiV Healthcare initiates 572-Trii fixed-dose combination therapy study for HIV

Shionogi-ViiV Healthcare, LLC announced today that the first patient has entered the clinical study, SINGLE (ING114467), designed to support a new fixed-dose combination (FDC) therapy for the treatment of HIV.

3 Feb 2011

Study reveals how MMSET gene enables disease-causing mutations to occur

For several decades, researchers have been linking genetic mutations to diseases ranging from cancer to developmental abnormalities. What hasn't been clear, however, is how the body's genome sustains such destructive glitches in the first place.

3 Feb 2011

International scientist team identifies gene mutation strongly linked to schizophrenia

In a major advance for schizophrenia research, an international team of scientists, led by Jonathan Sebat, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and cellular and molecular medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has identified a gene mutation strongly linked to the brain disorder - and a signaling pathway that may be treatable with existing compounds.

3 Feb 2011

DNAnexus announces new cloud-based tools for analyzing large-scale genomic variation datasets

DNAnexus, Inc., a leading provider of cloud-based solutions for analyzing, visualizing, and managing next-generation sequencing data, today announced the availability of a comprehensive set of new informatics tools that enable life science researchers to efficiently analyze and manage large-scale genomic variation datasets in a cloud-based workflow.

3 Feb 2011

Cedars-Sinai receives California Institute grant to develop new technique for specific diseases

A team of scientists from the Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute has been awarded a $1.9 million grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine to fund development of a new technique to aid pharmaceutical discoveries for specific diseases.

3 Feb 2011

SAGE Labs, Cofactor Genomics partner to sequence genomes for six widely used rat strains

Sigma Life Science, the innovative biological products and services business of Sigma-Aldrich®, today announced that its SAGE Labs initiative has partnered with Cofactor Genomics in an effort to sequence genomes for six of the most widely used strains of rat.

3 Feb 2011

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Method to comprehensively characterize human embryonic stem cell lines and iPS cell lines

Research unmasks long sought stem cell origin of carcinoma

More needs to be done globally to fight cancer

Digna Biotech, CIMA receive EU grant for development of gene therapy product for Acute Intermittent Porphyria

UM researchers find genetic cause of retinitis pigmentosa

Cell signaling hormone boosts immune response to clear HIV-like infection

New study provides insight into mechanism behind breast cancer mutation

More careful regulation of FDA's Humanitarian Device Exemption in psychiatric patients needed

Study: Pistachios may help reduce risk of heart disease

Ceregene initiates enrollment and dosing in CERE-120 Phase 2b trial for Parkinson's disease

Nitto Denko announces acquisition of Avecia Biotechnology

Genetic component to Parkinson’s disease discovered

Rare new disease identified – calcium accumulates in blood vessels

New England Biolabs expands line of reagents for sample preparation

Shionogi-ViiV Healthcare initiates 572-Trii fixed-dose combination therapy study for HIV

Study reveals how MMSET gene enables disease-causing mutations to occur

International scientist team identifies gene mutation strongly linked to schizophrenia

DNAnexus announces new cloud-based tools for analyzing large-scale genomic variation datasets

Cedars-Sinai receives California Institute grant to develop new technique for specific diseases

SAGE Labs, Cofactor Genomics partner to sequence genomes for six widely used rat strains

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

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CellVoyant's AI-Powered Vision for the Future of Cell Therapy