Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers uncover THOR gene involved in cancer development

It turns out Thor, the Norse god of thunder and the Marvel superhero, has special powers when it comes to cancer too.

15 Dec 2017

Researchers examine human mutations' impact on therapeutic effect of medicine

Every person has a unique DNA sequence in their genome. Now researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge have tried to quantify what these differences in the genome mean in the context of the genes targeted by drugs.

15 Dec 2017

Cancer immunotherapy’s effectiveness may depend on patient’s genetic makeup

Cancer cells arise when DNA is mutated, and these cells should be recognized as "foreign" by the immune system. However, cancer cells have found ways to evade detection by the immune system.

15 Dec 2017

Rare gene mutation gives rise to low sensitivity to pain

Researchers at University College London have identified a rare gene mutation in an Italian family who have little sensitivity to some forms of pain. Chronic pain caused by conditions such as lower back pain and osteoarthritis is one of the most prominent causes of disability worldwide, as assessed by the Global Burden of Disease reviews.

15 Dec 2017

Researchers examine link between tumor mutational burden and response to immune checkpoint therapy

Predicting how patients will respond to anti-cancer therapies can be vital in informing clinical decisions and improving treatment outcome.

15 Dec 2017

Study provides insights into molecular mechanisms regulating cellular fate of SCCs

Researchers at Kanazawa University report in EMBO Reports, 7 December 2017, new molecular mechanisms regulating cellular fate of squamous cell carcinomas.

15 Dec 2017

Scientists create atomic scale map that tracks how brain signals connect to neurons

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have used supercomputers to create an atomic scale map that tracks how the signaling chemical glutamate binds to a neuron in the brain. The findings, say the scientists, shed light on the dynamic physics of the chemical's pathway, as well as the speed of nerve cell communications.

15 Dec 2017

Inherited gene variation may be to blame for poor survival of patients with early-onset breast cancer

A new study led by scientists at the University of Southampton has found that inherited variation in a particular gene may be to blame for the lower survival rate of patients diagnosed with early-onset breast cancer.

14 Dec 2017

Fusion gene may be found in cSCC lesions on skin exposed frequently to the sun

A fusion gene is a single composite gene that is the result of the combination of two formerly independent genes. Researchers from Kumamoto University, Japan have determined that a particular fusion gene has a tendency to be found in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) lesions on skin exposed frequently to the sun.

14 Dec 2017

Scientists unravel mystery of how immune cells remember infections decades later

A perplexing question in immunology has been, how do immune cells remember an infection or a vaccination so that they can spring into action decades later? Research led by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, in collaboration with investigators at Emory University, has found an answer: A small pool of the same immune cells that responded to the original invasion remain alive for years, developing unique features that keep them primed and waiting for the same microbe to re-invade the body.

14 Dec 2017

Researchers win NIH grants for Alzheimer's research on Amish resilience and rapid onset

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have received two grant awards, in partnership with investigators from other institutions, from the National Institutes of Health to conduct major studies on Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of memory loss and other forms of dementia in older persons.

14 Dec 2017

Genetic variations may help identify people at high-risk for chronic pain after surgery

Genetics may play a role in determining whether patients experience chronic pain after surgery, suggests a study published today in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists

14 Dec 2017

Studies reveal possibility for memory T cells to serve a dual purpose

Scientists of two new complementary studies researching mice and humans claim that they have the strongest evidence yet that memory T cells responsible for long-term immune protection also serve an additional role.

14 Dec 2017

New blood test accurately forecasts advanced heart failure patients’ survival after surgery

An experimental blood test developed at UCLA that uses gene activity data from immune cells was 93 percent accurate in predicting survival rates for people with advanced heart failure who had surgery to implant mechanical circulatory support devices.

14 Dec 2017

Groundbreaking gene therapy trial brings cure for hemophilia closer

A 'cure' for hemophilia is one step closer, following results of a groundbreaking gene therapy trial led by the NHS in London.

14 Dec 2017

NIH-funded study to explore hearing loss risk in Detroit firefighters

Firefighters face potential exposure to various hazardous chemicals that increase their risk for numerous health issues. During responses to fires or other hazardous events, they may be exposed to, inhale or ingest toxic gases, vapors or particles.

13 Dec 2017

Targeted lung cancer treatments may benefit smokers and non-smokers alike

Smokers are less likely than non-smokers to have lung cancers caused by targetable genetic changes. But a study published this week in the journal Clinical Cancer Research shows that when they do, smokers benefit just as much as non-smokers from targeted treatments.

13 Dec 2017

Researchers use RNA nanotechnology to program exosomes for delivering effective cancer therapies

A new study shows that attaching antibody-like RNA nanoparticles to microvesicles can deliver effective RNA therapeutics such as small interfering RNA specifically to cancer cells.

13 Dec 2017

Researchers suggest role for MKL1 protein in development of inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including the two conditions ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, results in long-term inflammation of the gut and is associated with dysregulation of the immune system.

13 Dec 2017

Scientists develop new, high resolution method for identifying microbial species and strains

Scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Sema4, and collaborating institutions New York University and the University of Florida today published a report detailing their new, more accurate method for identifying individual microbial species and strains in a community.

13 Dec 2017

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers uncover THOR gene involved in cancer development

Researchers examine human mutations' impact on therapeutic effect of medicine

Cancer immunotherapy’s effectiveness may depend on patient’s genetic makeup

Rare gene mutation gives rise to low sensitivity to pain

Researchers examine link between tumor mutational burden and response to immune checkpoint therapy

Study provides insights into molecular mechanisms regulating cellular fate of SCCs

Scientists create atomic scale map that tracks how brain signals connect to neurons

Inherited gene variation may be to blame for poor survival of patients with early-onset breast cancer

Fusion gene may be found in cSCC lesions on skin exposed frequently to the sun

Scientists unravel mystery of how immune cells remember infections decades later

Researchers win NIH grants for Alzheimer's research on Amish resilience and rapid onset

Genetic variations may help identify people at high-risk for chronic pain after surgery

Studies reveal possibility for memory T cells to serve a dual purpose

New blood test accurately forecasts advanced heart failure patients’ survival after surgery

Groundbreaking gene therapy trial brings cure for hemophilia closer

NIH-funded study to explore hearing loss risk in Detroit firefighters

Targeted lung cancer treatments may benefit smokers and non-smokers alike

Researchers use RNA nanotechnology to program exosomes for delivering effective cancer therapies

Researchers suggest role for MKL1 protein in development of inflammatory bowel disease

Scientists develop new, high resolution method for identifying microbial species and strains

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