Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Diabetes medication could potentially help treat symptoms of Fragile X syndrome

Metformin, the most widely used drug to treat type 2 diabetes, could potentially be used to treat symptoms of Fragile X syndrome, an inherited form of intellectual disability and a cause of some forms of autism.

15 May 2017

New gene variant linked to Lou Gehrig's disease

For the first time, a variant in UBQLN4 gene has been associated with Lou Gehrig's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - a progressive disease resulting in the loss of nerve cells that control muscle movement, which eventually leads to paralysis and death.

15 May 2017

Discovery of steroid hormone in fruit flies may shed new light on maternal hypothyroidism

University of Oregon researchers using Drosophila have identified a steroid hormone that triggers a vital transition in early brain development in which neural stem cells properly change gears to produce different kinds of neurons.

15 May 2017

Research networks focus on investigating spread of antimicrobial resistance in humans, animals

"Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria pose a complex challenge. This is why Germany, with its German Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy DART2020, is making sustained efforts to protect the health of humans and animals", says BfR President Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel.

12 May 2017

Phase 1 clinical studies reveal safety, tolerability of therapeutic vaccine in celiac disease patients

ImmusanT, Inc., a clinical-stage company developing Nexvax2, a therapeutic vaccine intended to protect against the effects of gluten exposure while maintaining a gluten-free diet in HLA-DQ2.5+ patients with celiac disease, today announced the publication of positive data from two Phase 1 clinical trials of Nexvax2 in celiac disease.

12 May 2017

New spherical nucleic acid drug crosses blood-brain barrier to target brain tumors in animals

The first drug using spherical nucleic acids to be systemically given to humans has been developed by Northwestern University scientists and approved by the Food and Drug Administration as an investigational new drug for an early-stage clinical trial in the deadly brain cancer glioblastoma multiforme.

12 May 2017

Analyzing single-cell RNA data in pre-malignant tumors

RNA sequencing is basically the isolation of RNA from cells and the use of reverse transcriptase to turn the RNA into DNA. You can then use your standard DNA sequencing technologies to quantify the cDNA that you obtained from the reverse transcription reaction.

12 May 2017

Researchers uncover structural details that make eye-targeting virus a better tool for future therapies

In their quest to replicate themselves, viruses have gotten awfully good at tricking human cells into pumping out viral proteins. That's why scientists have been working to use viruses as forces for good: to deliver useful genes to human cells and help patients who lack important proteins or enzymes.

12 May 2017

Research findings identify protein as potential new drug target for HCMV infections

Scientists have demonstrated that a human protein known as valosin containing protein (VCP) is essential for replication of human cytomegalovirus. The findings, published in PLOS Pathogens, identify VCP as a potential new treatment target.

11 May 2017

Preclinical data reinforces potential efficacy, durability of investigational gene therapy for DMD

Solid Biosciences announced today that new data from two preclinical studies reinforce the potential of its investigational microdystrophin gene therapy, SGT-001, to be an effective treatment approach for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

11 May 2017

LMU scientists uncover molecular mechanism that links tumor hypoxia and metastasis

The low oxygen concentrations that prevail in many tumors enhance their propensity to metastasize to other tissues. Researchers at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet in Munich led by Professor Heiko Hermeking have now uncovered the molecular mechanism that links the two phenomena.

11 May 2017

CUMC researchers create new organoids that mimic features of full-sized lung

New lung "organoids"-tiny 3-D structures that mimic features of a full-sized lung- have been created from human pluripotent stem cells by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center. The team used the organoids to generate models of human lung diseases in a lab dish, which could be used to advance our understanding of a variety of respiratory diseases.

11 May 2017

Improper methylation of cilia protein linked to increased risk of neural tube defects

Research published online in The FASEB Journal shows that the improper methylation of a protein called "Septin2," which regulates the structure of cilia, was associated with an increased risk of having a neural tube defect (NTD) and confirms that cilia are important factors in determining susceptibility of NTDs.

11 May 2017

Researchers identify microRNA biomarker linked to incidence of atrial fibrillation

Researchers have identified a microRNA biomarker that demonstrates a strong association with the incidence of atrial fibrillation, the most common abnormal heart rhythm that affects more than 2.7 million Americans.

11 May 2017

Research lays groundwork to develop realistic ‘biomimetic neuroprosthetics’

By applying a novel computer algorithm to mimic how the brain learns, a team of researchers – with the aid of the Comet supercomputer based at the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego and the Center's Neuroscience Gateway – has identified and replicated neural circuitry that resembles the way an unimpaired brain controls limb movement.

11 May 2017

Chemical stimuli by small molecule can improve production of cartilage cells

Cell-based therapies could offer a way to treat cartilage injuries before the ultimate damage of osteoarthritis on articular cartilage.

11 May 2017

Breast cancer drug offers protection against obesity-related metabolic disorders

Tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, is the gold standard for endocrine treatment of estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer.

11 May 2017

Scientists identify unusual mutations in endometriosis using gene sequencing tools

Using gene sequencing tools, scientists from Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of British Columbia have found a set of genetic mutations in samples from 24 women with benign endometriosis, a painful disorder marked by the growth of uterine tissue outside of the womb.

11 May 2017

Sangamo Therapeutics and Pfizer team up for development of Hemophilia A gene therapy

Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. and Pfizer Inc. today announced an exclusive, global collaboration and license agreement for the development and commercialization of gene therapy programs for Hemophilia A, including SB-525, one of Sangamo's four lead product candidates, which Sangamo expects will enter the clinic this quarter.

11 May 2017

Study generates comprehensive catalog of diseases linked to variations in HLA genes

A study led by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy has generated the first comprehensive catalog of diseases associated with variations in human leukocyte antigen genes that regulate the body's immune system.

11 May 2017

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Diabetes medication could potentially help treat symptoms of Fragile X syndrome

New gene variant linked to Lou Gehrig's disease

Discovery of steroid hormone in fruit flies may shed new light on maternal hypothyroidism

Research networks focus on investigating spread of antimicrobial resistance in humans, animals

Phase 1 clinical studies reveal safety, tolerability of therapeutic vaccine in celiac disease patients

New spherical nucleic acid drug crosses blood-brain barrier to target brain tumors in animals

Analyzing single-cell RNA data in pre-malignant tumors

Researchers uncover structural details that make eye-targeting virus a better tool for future therapies

Research findings identify protein as potential new drug target for HCMV infections

Preclinical data reinforces potential efficacy, durability of investigational gene therapy for DMD

LMU scientists uncover molecular mechanism that links tumor hypoxia and metastasis

CUMC researchers create new organoids that mimic features of full-sized lung

Improper methylation of cilia protein linked to increased risk of neural tube defects

Researchers identify microRNA biomarker linked to incidence of atrial fibrillation

Research lays groundwork to develop realistic ‘biomimetic neuroprosthetics’

Chemical stimuli by small molecule can improve production of cartilage cells

Breast cancer drug offers protection against obesity-related metabolic disorders

Scientists identify unusual mutations in endometriosis using gene sequencing tools

Sangamo Therapeutics and Pfizer team up for development of Hemophilia A gene therapy

Study generates comprehensive catalog of diseases linked to variations in HLA genes

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

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

How cohesin mechanics and nanotracker tech are redefining DNA research