Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Mini-beacon design a major development for smart drug delivery

A nanoscopic beacon used by Melbourne researchers will help to enhance the design of smart gene and drug delivery systems.

1 Aug 2005

Controlling the expression of genes by turning them on or off could produce a drug for the treatment or cure of almost any disease

A new technique aimed at directly controlling the expression of genes by turning them on or off at the DNA level could lead to drugs for the treatment or cure of many diseases, say researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

1 Aug 2005

Pseudomonas aeruginosa has broken the immune system's code

The human opportunistic pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, has broken the immune system's code, report researchers from the University of Chicago, enabling the bacteria to recognize when its host is most vulnerable and to launch an attack before the weakened host can muster its defenses.

1 Aug 2005

New findings could help scientists design more effective treatments to slow or halt the progression of HIV infection

Random fluctuations in gene expression can influence the fates of cells infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) far more than previously thought, according to new research from Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.

28 Jul 2005

Stress delays wound healing

Wound healing is slow when an animal is stressed, but extra oxygen almost completely reverses the effect, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

28 Jul 2005

Discovery sheds light on how a low-calorie diet extends lifespan

Mice, rats, worms, flies, and yeast all live longer on a low-calorie diet, which also seems to protect mammals against cancer and other aging-related diseases.

28 Jul 2005

Anti-inflammatory function of Alzheimer's disease drugs revealed

The mechanism in anti-Alzheimer's disease drugs that inhibits the production of a destructive, inflammation-causing protein in the brain has been revealed by researchers at the Hebrew university of Jerusalem.

28 Jul 2005

Scientists discover genes linked to spread of breast cancer

In new research scientists have identified genes which enable breast cancer cells to spread to the lungs, and the discovery could very well improve diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

28 Jul 2005

Cats have no sweet tooth

According to British and U.S. scientists cats may like ice cream, but it is not the sugary taste that appeals to them, because they are genetically unable to taste sweet flavors.

28 Jul 2005

Carbon monoxide could turn out to be a life-saver for patients recovering from organ transplants

Carbon monoxide, a poisonous gas that kills thousands of Americans every year, could turn out to be a life-saver for patients recovering from organ transplants, strokes or heart attacks, according to new research from the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center.

28 Jul 2005

Participants in the gene therapy market discover new ways to improve clinical efficiency and generate revenue

The gene therapy market has had limited success with products during the clinical development process. Due to toxicological complications and poor therapy efficacy, healthcare authorities have suspended several gene therapy trials worldwide.

28 Jul 2005

$4.7million grant for research on neuroblastoma

Significant funding from Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council will enable researchers at Children’s Cancer Institute Australia (CCIA) for Medical Research to make progress on the treatment of one the most aggressive, drug-resistant childhood cancers - neuroblastoma - over the next five years.

28 Jul 2005

Bone marrow may be source of new egg-cell generation

Last year a group of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers announced surprising findings that female mice - contrary to longstanding theories of mammalian reproductive physiology - retained the ability to make new egg cells or oocytes into adulthood.

27 Jul 2005

Researchers make headway in mystery of migraines

The research, published in the new issue of the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), reveals how gene mutations known to cause a form of inherited migraine target a cellular process involved in brain cell communication.

27 Jul 2005

If you're a worm, and stressed as well - its not good!

According to U.S. scientists how well you respond to stress predicts how long you will live, at least if you are a worm.

27 Jul 2005

Spotting that nasty taste could well have saved our lives

Being able to distinguish the sweetness of oranges from the bitter taste of lemons may have evolved as a protection against eating poisonous plants, according to new genetic research.

27 Jul 2005

Mate Choice and Friendship in Twins: Evidence for Genetic Similarity

How alike are you and your husband or wife - or, you and your best friend? Probably more alike than you realize. A study of twins shows that people's spouses and best friends are much more similar to them than was previously recognized - about as close as brothers and sisters. The research also suggested that the preference for partners who are similar to us is partly due to our genes.

26 Jul 2005

Methamphetamine users show symptoms similar to brain injury patients

Because today's methamphetamine is stronger, more potent and wreaks greater havoc on the brain, chronic users exhibit symptoms similar to patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to the Brain Injury Association of Arizona (BIAAZ).

26 Jul 2005

Nerve-insulating substance called myelin can lead to functional improvements in animals with spinal cord injury

Combining partially differentiated stem cells with gene therapy can promote the growth of new "insulation" around nerve fibers in the damaged spinal cords of rats, a new study shows.

26 Jul 2005

Exposure to second-hand smoke during pregnancy can be just as detrimental to a developing fetus as primary exposure through maternal smoking

In a study published in the online journal BMC Pediatrics, Stephen G. Grant, Ph.D., associate professor of environmental and occupational health, reports that both active maternal smoking and secondary maternal exposure result in similarly increased rates of genetic mutation that are basically indistinguishable.

26 Jul 2005