Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Cold Spring Harbor Protocols features innovative methods for embryology research

Two methods that permit scientists to examine critical stages in early embryogenesis are featured in this month's release of Cold Spring Harbor Protocols.

4 Dec 2007

Boosting an exercise-related gene in the brain works as a powerful anti-depressant in mice

This finding could lead to a new anti-depressant drug target, according to a Yale School of Medicine report in Nature Medicine.

3 Dec 2007

Genomic disorders occur more frequently than previously thought

Research published today in Nature Genetics shows that some rearrangements of the human genome occur more frequently than previously thought.

3 Dec 2007

Discovery of key lupus gene

Wellcome Trust researchers have identified a key gene involved in the disease Lupus, which affects around 50,000 people in the UK, mostly women.

3 Dec 2007

Genetic testing over the net a waste of money say experts

According to a panel of top British scientists people who buy genetic tests from private companies are usually wasting their money.

3 Dec 2007

First map of imprinted genes in human genome

Scientists at Duke University have created the first map of imprinted genes throughout the human genome, and they say a modern-day Rosetta stone – a form of artificial intelligence called machine learning – was the key to their success.

2 Dec 2007

DNA methylation shown to promote development of colon tumors

Damaged or defective genes have long been known to be the cause of some cancers.

2 Dec 2007

Direct-to-consumer advertising for commercial genetic testing is on the rise and may be problematic

Direct-to-consumer advertising for commercial genetic testing is on the rise and may be problematic, according to a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) physician. In the December issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Erin Tracy, MD, MPH, warns that such testing is poorly regulated and may present potential pitfalls for patients and physicians.

2 Dec 2007

Stem cell technology pioneer, Plasticell secures funding

Plasticell is a biotechnology company that has developed and holds exclusive intellectual property rights for two complementary systems in the fields of stem cell research and regenerative medicine.

29 Nov 2007

Sirtris Pharmaceuticals unveils promising, novel SIRT1 activators for treating diseases of aging

Sirtris Pharmaceuticals has announced that findings in the journal Nature demonstrate that Sirtris has developed novel drug candidates that offer a promising, new approach to treating diseases of aging, including Type 2 Diabetes, by targeting SIRT1, a gene that controls the aging process.

29 Nov 2007

New genetic findings on malaria parasite

The malaria parasite has been studied for decades, but surprisingly, little is known about how it behaves in humans to cause disease.

29 Nov 2007

MicroRNA switches off tumor protection

The microRNA miR-21 suppresses the production of tumor suppressor Pdcd4, which protects cells from cancer development.

29 Nov 2007

Scientists observe gene activity outside the body

Researchers at Jefferson Medical College and Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center in Philadelphia have used PET imaging to see hyperactive cancer genes inside breast tumors in laboratory animals, marking the first time such gene activity has been observed from outside the body.

29 Nov 2007

Genetic differences point to ethnic and racial disparities in colorectal cancer risk

Risk of developing colorectal cancer is known to differ across ethnic and racial groups, and now an analysis of 26 studies, involving over 25,000 participants shows that some of these disparities might be explained by distinct patterns of genetic inheritance.

29 Nov 2007

Aging in mice at the molecular level

Researchers at the National Institute of Aging and Stanford University have used gene arrays to identify genes whose activity changes with age in 16 different mouse tissues.

29 Nov 2007

Discovery of novel pathway to increased inflammation in diabetes patients

Researchers at UC Davis Health System have discovered a novel pathway that results in increased inflammation of blood vessels in patients with type 1 diabetes.

27 Nov 2007

Discovery of gene responsible for statin-induced muscle pain

Statins, the popular class of drugs used to lower cholesterol, are among the most commonly prescribed medications in developed countries.

27 Nov 2007

RNA polymerase III mutation disrupts organ growth

The cellular mechanism that turns DNA into all of the thousands of proteins that make up a human body is itself both intricate and interesting.

27 Nov 2007

Discovery of key acute myeloid leukemia gene

A gene called N-Myc leads a double life in certain white blood cells, helping to trigger a cancer called acute myeloid leukemia (AML) under some conditions while triggering apoptosis, or cell suicide, under other conditions, according to results of a mouse study done by investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

27 Nov 2007

Insulin regulates the secretion of the antiaging hormome Klotho

Dr. Carmela Abraham, a professor of biochemistry and medicine at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), reports this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences new findings on Klotho, an anti-aging gene that is associated with life span extension in rodents and humans.

27 Nov 2007