Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Study reveals molecular mechanism of pancreatic cancer

UCSF scientists have discovered how a mutated gene known as Kras is able to hijack mouse cells damaged by acute pancreatitis, putting them on the path to becoming pancreatic cancer cells.

15 Mar 2010

Sigma-Aldrich and Pfizer sign new agreement

Sigma-Aldrich® today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Pfizer under which Sigma-Aldrich will sell approximately 100 Pfizer-developed small molecule compounds to life science researchers for target characterization, assay development, screening and in vivo animal model applications.

15 Mar 2010

Latest treatment options for colorectal cancer highlighted at NCCN Annual Conference

Despite statistics stating that colorectal cancer is the fourth most frequently diagnosed cancer in men and women in the United States, mortality from colon cancer has decreased slightly over the past 30 years, possibly because of earlier diagnoses through screening and better treatment modalities.

15 Mar 2010

New laboratory technique may help prioritize cancer drugs for clinical trials

Improving on traditional screening tests for potential anti-cancer drugs, scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed a laboratory technique that more closely simulates the real-world conditions in which tumor cells mingle with the body's normal cells.

15 Mar 2010

Discovery may yield new strategies for blocking malaria transmission

Scientists studying the Anopheles gambiae mosquito - the main vector of malaria - have found that when the mosquito takes a blood meal, that act triggers two enzymes to form a network of crisscrossing proteins around the ingested blood.

15 Mar 2010

New findings shed light on how genetic damage to muscle cell proteins can lead to nemaline myopathy

New findings that shed light on how genetic damage to muscle cell proteins can lead to the development of the rare muscle-wasting disease, nemaline myopathy, are reported today (15 March) in the Biochemical Journal.

15 Mar 2010

Obese type 2 diabetics carry mitochondrial proteins that reduce response to physical exercise

Diet and aerobic exercise are highly effective for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but not for obese subjects that have developed the disease when very young. A study at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine and Trinity College in Dublin demonstrates that obese subjects between 18 and 25 years of age carry mitochondrial proteins and genes that work abnormally and that these anomalies contribute to generating insulin resistance and a reduced response to physical exercise.

15 Mar 2010

Two controlled environmental variables to preclinical mice tests can reduce costly false positives: Study

For decades, the traditional practice in animal testing has been standardization, but a study involving Purdue University has shown that adding as few as two controlled environmental variables to preclinical mice tests can greatly reduce costly false positives, the number of animals needed for testing and the cost of pharmaceutical trials.

15 Mar 2010

Childhood obesity: Genetic variation could be a factor

Increasing childhood obesity has worried governments and public health advisers in many countries. But a study of 300 children with severe obesity by the University of Cambridge and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, suggest the problem may be more complicated than simply bad diet, overeating, or lack of exercise.

12 Mar 2010

Antibiotics lower risk of developing gastric cancer

Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium found in about 50% of humans worldwide, can cause stomach ulcers and, in extreme cases, gastric cancer. In an article for F1000 Medicine Reports, Seiji Shiota and Yoshio Yamaoka discuss the possible eradication of H. pylori infections

12 Mar 2010

Genetix Pharmaceuticals announces completion of $35M Series B financing

Genetix Pharmaceuticals, a leading gene therapy company developing breakthrough treatments for severe genetic disorders, announced today that it has completed a $35 million Series B financing with new investors Third Rock Ventures and Genzyme Ventures joining TVM Capital, Forbion and Easton Capital. Proceeds from the financing will be used to advance current clinical programs, strengthen platform capabilities and further expand the team.

12 Mar 2010

Prevention of choking hazards in food: Safe, children oriented packaging and design needed

While choking hazards in toys have been widely publicized and addressed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), ironically choking hazards in food have lacked federal attention despite the fact that food is far more likely to go into a child’s mouth.

12 Mar 2010

Discovery of novel cellular mechanism may help develop new treatments for cancer

A research team led by the University of Colorado at Boulder has discovered a previously unknown cellular "switch" that may provide researchers with a new means of triggering programmed cell death, findings with implications for treating cancer.

12 Mar 2010

Novel mutation in gene encoding ankyrin-B increases risk of type 2 diabetes

Alterations in our response to the taste or smell of food may be another culprit responsible for Type 2 diabetes, according to scientists at Duke University Medical Center who have identified the specific mechanism in human specimens and in mice.

12 Mar 2010

TGen, Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center and Side-Out Foundation team up for breast cancer study

Many women live with breast cancer that does not respond to standard medical treatment, a condition that researchers at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare want to change by aggressively targeting specific genes.

12 Mar 2010

Tel Aviv University investigates cause and effects of SCA syndrome

Sudden Cardiac Arrest syndrome (SCA) is poorly understood, but it's a real danger for the otherwise young and healthy. For no apparent reason, the heart suddenly stops beating, and without treatment death may follow within minutes. It's why some athletes drop dead on the track and why a young man, without any warning, suddenly dies while sitting at his desk.

11 Mar 2010

NHS to improve response to violence against women and children

The role of the NHS in responding to violence against women and children is the subject of a new report by an independent taskforce of experts including Gene Feder, Professor of Primary Health Care at the University of Bristol.

11 Mar 2010

Whole genome sequencing of entire family beneficial

The Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) has analyzed the first whole genome sequences of a human family of four. The findings of a project funded through a partnership between ISB and the University of Luxembourg was published online today by Science on its Science Express website. It demonstrates the benefit of sequencing entire families, including lowering error rates, identifying rare genetic variants and identifying disease-linked genes.

11 Mar 2010

StemCells reports net loss of $5.23M for fourth-quarter fiscal 2009

StemCells, Inc. today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2009. The Company's results include the operations of Stem Cell Sciences Plc (SCS) since April 1, 2009.

11 Mar 2010

Investigators develop new mathematical approach to analyze molecular data

Investigators have developed a new mathematical approach to analyze molecular data derived from complex mixtures of immune cells. This approach, when combined with well-established techniques, readily identifies changes in small samples of human whole blood, and has the potential to distinguish between health and disease states.

11 Mar 2010

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Study reveals molecular mechanism of pancreatic cancer

Sigma-Aldrich and Pfizer sign new agreement

Latest treatment options for colorectal cancer highlighted at NCCN Annual Conference

New laboratory technique may help prioritize cancer drugs for clinical trials

Discovery may yield new strategies for blocking malaria transmission

New findings shed light on how genetic damage to muscle cell proteins can lead to nemaline myopathy

Obese type 2 diabetics carry mitochondrial proteins that reduce response to physical exercise

Two controlled environmental variables to preclinical mice tests can reduce costly false positives: Study

Childhood obesity: Genetic variation could be a factor

Antibiotics lower risk of developing gastric cancer

Genetix Pharmaceuticals announces completion of $35M Series B financing

Prevention of choking hazards in food: Safe, children oriented packaging and design needed

Discovery of novel cellular mechanism may help develop new treatments for cancer

Novel mutation in gene encoding ankyrin-B increases risk of type 2 diabetes

TGen, Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center and Side-Out Foundation team up for breast cancer study

Tel Aviv University investigates cause and effects of SCA syndrome

NHS to improve response to violence against women and children

Whole genome sequencing of entire family beneficial

StemCells reports net loss of $5.23M for fourth-quarter fiscal 2009

Investigators develop new mathematical approach to analyze molecular data

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

How microRNA is transforming science: From discovery to diagnostics

Advancing benzodiazepine detection

The Surgeon-Scientist Pioneering Regenerative Engineering