Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Genetic alterations may lead to thoracic aortic disease

Discovery of a fifth gene defect and the identification of 47 DNA regions linked to thoracic aortic disease are the subject of studies released this month involving researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

19 Nov 2010

Transplantation of gene-modified hematopoietic stem cells eliminates cancer: Research

A potent anti-tumor gene introduced into mice with metastatic melanoma has resulted in permanent immune reconfiguration and produced a complete remission of their cancer, according to an article to be published in the December 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

19 Nov 2010

Multinational team identifies novel retinal disease gene

A multinational team effort of Regensburg's Institute of Human Genetics, Washington University in St. Louis, other partners and Genomatix elucidated a transcriptional network in photoreceptors and thereby identified a novel retinal disease gene

19 Nov 2010

Glutaminase inhibitor: New potential target for brain tumors

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have identified a compound that could be used to starve cancers of their sugar-based building blocks. The compound, called a glutaminase inhibitor, has been tested on laboratory cultured, sugar-hungry brain cancer cells and, the scientists say, may have the potential to be used for many types of primary brain tumors.

19 Nov 2010

Scientists discover bone matrix plays a vital role in tissue hardening

Scientists are reporting the first direct evidence that a subtle change in the physical properties of a tissue can affect its function. The finding has immediate implications for understanding several rare hearing disorders, they said, and ultimately could offer insight into such conditions as osteoporosis, arthritis, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

19 Nov 2010

Alnylam presents data on RNAi technologies at MIT Center Summit

Alnylam Biotherapeutics, a division of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, presented new data at the MIT Center for Biomedical Innovation's Biomanufacturing Summit from its platform efforts aimed at developing RNAi technologies for applications in biologics manufacturing.

19 Nov 2010

GWCI join forces with Banca Civica to fight cancer in Washington, D.C.

The GW Cancer Institute at The George Washington University Medical Center has joined forces with Banca Civica, a financial institution from Spain pioneering the innovative concept of civic banking, to fight cancer in Washington, D.C.

19 Nov 2010

Uniting announces recipient of 'Caine Halter Hope Now Award for Lung Cancer Research'

Uniting Against Lung Cancer (Uniting) announces the "Caine Halter Hope Now Award for Lung Cancer Research."

18 Nov 2010

Gene transfer reduces and stabilizes plaque and decreases inflammation

A plaque-fighting gene - studied in various forms by researchers at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute for 18 years - has now been transferred intravenously to lab mice bred to model atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) in humans. Studies show the gene transfer reduced and stabilized plaque and decreased inflammation, key factors in cutting the risk of heart disease.

18 Nov 2010

New findings identify Sortilin as a potential therapeutic site to alter PGRN pathology in dementia

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) refers to a group of disorders associated with degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Symptoms include dementia, aphasia, and semantic disorders.

18 Nov 2010

Study finds Hispanic children are susceptible to develop fatty liver disease

Two studies from the Childhood Obesity Research Center at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) have found evidence that Hispanic children and adolescents are genetically predisposed to developing fatty liver disease a condition that can lead to cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

18 Nov 2010

Alnylam comments on Roche's corporate restructuring for RNAi therapeutics

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a leading RNAi therapeutics company, commented today on Roche's corporate restructuring and its implications on RNAi therapeutics.

18 Nov 2010

DiaGenic receives 92,738,974 shares in subsequent offering

Preliminary counts indicate that DiaGenic has received subscriptions for approximately 92,738,974 shares in the subsequent offering closed yesterday.

18 Nov 2010

New findings reveal complexities in close chemical combat waged among bacteria

Like all organisms, bacteria must compete for resources to survive, even if it means a fight to the death. New research led by scientists from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and the University of California, Santa Barbara, describes new complexities in the close chemical combat waged among bacteria.

18 Nov 2010

Researchers find clue behind dementia development

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida have found a clue as to how some people develop a form of dementia that affects the brain areas associated with personality, behavior, and language.

18 Nov 2010

MK-4827 drug candidate shows promising anti-tumour activity in first human trial

A new drug that targets proteins responsible for helping cancer cells to repair damage to their DNA has shown promising anti-tumour activity in its first trial in humans.

18 Nov 2010

Scientists solve structure of key protein from Lassa virus

Scientists at Emory University and the University of St. Andrews have solved the structure of a key protein from Lassa virus, which is endemic to West Africa and can cause a deadly hemorrhagic fever.

18 Nov 2010

Amsterdam 2010 third quarter total expense increases from EUR 4.4 million to EUR 4.7 million

Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics, a leader in the field of human gene therapy, today provides its non-audited business update in compliance with the EU transparency directive. This report summarizes material events and AMT's financial position for the third quarter of 2010.

18 Nov 2010

Inovio achieves positive results in Phase I PENNVAX-B study for HIV

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases, announced today that it has achieved high vaccine-induced response rates and strong magnitude of immune responses in its Phase I clinical study of PENNVAX-B, a DNA vaccine for the prevention of HIV infection.

18 Nov 2010

Researchers discover NG2+ cells may impact ALS disease progression

By tracking the fate of a group of immature cells that persist in the adult brain and spinal cord, Johns Hopkins researchers discovered in mice that these cells undergo dramatic changes in ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

18 Nov 2010