Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Protein acetylation not rare in bacteria

Lowly bacteria are turning out to be much more complex than previously thought.

13 Jul 2010

Study identifies protein that turns non-malignant tumor into metastatic neuroendocrine tumor

Some types of prostate tumors are more aggressive and more likely to metastasize than others. Nearly one-third of these aggressive tumors contain a small nest of especially dangerous cells known as neuroendocrine-type cells. More rarely, some aggressive prostate tumors are made up entirely of neuroendocrine-type cells. The presence of neuroendocrine-type cancer cells is associated with a poor prognosis, but spotting these rare cells can be like finding a needle in a haystack.

13 Jul 2010

Gene mutation that causes auditory neuropathy identified

Researchers have identified a gene mutation that causes a rare form of hearing loss known as auditory neuropathy, according to U-M Medical School scientists.

13 Jul 2010

GWAS suggests genetic variant with increased oncogene expression for cancer study

The study, published July 13th in Genome Research, showcases a new protocol for studying the activity of cancer-risk variants suggested by GWAS studies. The results also underscore the dramatic consequences of small genetic changes even in the vast stretches of DNA, known as "gene deserts," that do not code for proteins.

13 Jul 2010

CSHL scientists reverse symptoms of Type III SMA using ASOs

The devastating, currently incurable motor-neuron disease spinal muscular atrophy might soon be treated with tiny, chemically modified pieces of RNA called antisense oligonucleotides.

13 Jul 2010

Asuragen, Life Technologies announce European launch of BCR/ABL1 Quant Test

Asuragen, Inc. and Life Technologies Corporation announced today that they have achieved CE-marking and commercial launch in Europe of the BCR/ABL1 Quant™ Test, Asuragen's clinically validated and cGMP manufactured test intended to aid clinicians in the monitoring and treatment of individuals afflicted with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Asuragen manufacturers the monitoring test, which is exclusively distributed by Life Technologies and runs on the company's Applied Biosystems CE-marked 7500 Fast Dx Real-Time PCR Instrument™.

13 Jul 2010

Researchers identify genetic variant associated with increased risk of AAA

Geisinger researchers are part of an international team that has identified a genetic variant more common in individuals with abdominal aortic aneurysms. This is one of the largest studies ever into the genetics of AAA. The results of the work will appear in this week's online edition of Nature Genetics.

13 Jul 2010

Researchers discover gene mutation that causes auditory neuropathy

Researchers have identified a gene mutation that causes a rare form of hearing loss known as auditory neuropathy, according to U-M Medical School scientists. In the study published online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, U-M's Marci Lesperance, M.D., and Margit Burmeister, Ph.D. led a team of researchers who examined the DNA of individuals from the same large family afflicted with the disorder.

13 Jul 2010

$Binge-drinking teenagers at risk for future osteoporosis, bone fractures$

Binge-drinking teenagers at risk for future osteoporosis, bone fractures

Binge-drinking teenagers may be putting themselves at risk for future osteoporosis and bone fractures, according to researchers at Loyola University Health System.

13 Jul 2010

Research findings could offer new approach to diabetes therapy, nutrition experts say

Nutrition experts at Oregon State University have essentially "cured" laboratory mice of mild, diet-induced diabetes by stimulating the production of a particular enzyme. The findings could offer a new approach to diabetes therapy, experts say, especially if a drug could be identified that would do the same thing, which in this case was accomplished with genetic manipulation.

13 Jul 2010

Study explores direct role of FTO gene on Alzheimer's and dementia risk in old age

A gene known as FTO, which appears to be correlated with obesity in humans, may also increase risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, according to new research presented today at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease 2010 in Honolulu, HI. And when a person has certain variants of both FTO and a recognized Alzheimer's risk gene known as APOE, the risk of Alzheimer's could be doubled.

13 Jul 2010

Common SNP in sequence of human genome conferring risk of vascular diseases discovered

Scientists at deCODE genetics and academic colleagues from the Netherlands and twelve other countries across Europe and North America today report the discovery of a common single-letter variation (SNP) in the sequence of the human genome conferring risk of a range of vascular diseases. The SNP confers risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), early-onset heart attack, peripheral artery disease (PAD), and pulmonary embolism, independent of other known risk factors.

12 Jul 2010

Drosophila fly study may aid in staving off diseases in humans using defensive bacteria

It has been a basic principle of evolution for more than a century that plants and animals can adapt genetically in ways that help them better survive and reproduce.

12 Jul 2010

Experts use Mexican aquatic salamander to study evolution and genetics of stem cells

Dr Andrew Johnson is speaking today (12 July) at the UK National Stem Cell Network annual conference. He and his team from the University of Nottingham have been using a Mexican aquatic salamander called an axolotl to study the evolution and genetics of stem cells - research that supports the development of regenerative medicine to treat the consequences of disease and injury using stem cell therapies. This team has found that there are extraordinary similarities in the development of axolotls and mammals that provide unique opportunities to study the properties of embryonic stem cells and germ cells.

12 Jul 2010

Subtle mutation affecting epigenome may lead to inherited form of mental retardation: Researchers

A subtle mutation affecting the epigenome –- a set of dynamic factors that influence gene activity -- may lead to an inherited form of mental retardation that affects boys, find researchers at Children's Hospital Boston. The disorder, which also involves cleft lip or cleft palate, appears to hinge on an enzyme working in a biological pathway that may offer several potential drug targets.

12 Jul 2010

Sirtuin1 protein promotes memory, brain flexibility: MIT researchers

The same molecular mechanism that increases life span through calorie restriction may help boost memory and brainpower, researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory report in the July 11 issue of Nature.

12 Jul 2010

SurModics to present four scientific posters on drug delivery technologies at CRS Annual Meeting

SurModics, Inc., a leading provider of drug delivery and surface modification technologies to the healthcare industry, is participating at the 37th Annual Meeting and Exposition of the Controlled Release Society, July 10-14, 2010 in Portland, Oregon (booth #521).

9 Jul 2010

Community-based wellness program helps reduce obesity, chronic inflammatory diseases: Study

Tackling weight loss, risk of chronic disease and overall well-being as part of a like-minded social community can dramatically influence an individual's success rate, according to a new study published in the July 2010 issue of the Center for Disease Control's Preventing Chronic Disease journal.

9 Jul 2010

New method enhances delivery of DNA payloads into cells

Chang Lu and his chemical engineering research group at Virginia Tech have discovered how to "greatly enhance" the delivery of DNA payloads into cells. The description of their work will be featured on the cover of Lab on a Chip (issue 16), the premier journal for researchers in microfluidics.

9 Jul 2010

Promising study may lead to potential new therapeutics for women facing triple-negative breast cancer

Using a small molecule decoy, investigators funded by the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation have managed to block protein interactions and induce epigenetic reprogramming in human and mouse breast cancer cells, essentially changing the gene expression of breast cancer cells to behave in a more normal manner.

9 Jul 2010

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Protein acetylation not rare in bacteria

Study identifies protein that turns non-malignant tumor into metastatic neuroendocrine tumor

Gene mutation that causes auditory neuropathy identified

GWAS suggests genetic variant with increased oncogene expression for cancer study

CSHL scientists reverse symptoms of Type III SMA using ASOs

Asuragen, Life Technologies announce European launch of BCR/ABL1 Quant Test

Researchers identify genetic variant associated with increased risk of AAA

Researchers discover gene mutation that causes auditory neuropathy

Binge-drinking teenagers at risk for future osteoporosis, bone fractures

Research findings could offer new approach to diabetes therapy, nutrition experts say

Study explores direct role of FTO gene on Alzheimer's and dementia risk in old age

Common SNP in sequence of human genome conferring risk of vascular diseases discovered

Drosophila fly study may aid in staving off diseases in humans using defensive bacteria

Experts use Mexican aquatic salamander to study evolution and genetics of stem cells

Subtle mutation affecting epigenome may lead to inherited form of mental retardation: Researchers

Sirtuin1 protein promotes memory, brain flexibility: MIT researchers

SurModics to present four scientific posters on drug delivery technologies at CRS Annual Meeting

Community-based wellness program helps reduce obesity, chronic inflammatory diseases: Study

New method enhances delivery of DNA payloads into cells

Promising study may lead to potential new therapeutics for women facing triple-negative breast cancer

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

Advancing benzodiazepine detection

The Surgeon-Scientist Pioneering Regenerative Engineering

Leveraging the Radian ASAP in standard casework