Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Clinical trial shows promising results for treatment of patients with recurrent high-grade glioma

New data from a Phase I clinical trial led by Clark Chen, M.D., Ph.D., Lyle French Chair in Neurosurgery and Head of the University of Minnesota Medical School Department of Neurosurgery shows more than a quarter of patients with recurrent high-grade glioma, a form of brain cancer, were alive more than three years after treatment.

28 Oct 2017

Novel laboratory model may shine light on development of pediatric high-grade glioma

Pediatric high-grade glioma is the primary cause of cancer death in children. Genesis of these tumors is believed to be driven by mutations in proteins that disrupt fundamental mechanisms governing the development of the human brain.

27 Oct 2017

Newly identified microRNA impedes malignancy of tumor cells and metastasis

Cancer cells can reactivate a cellular process that is an essential part of embryonic development. This allows them to leave the primary tumor, penetrate the surrounding tissue and form metastases in peripheral organs.

27 Oct 2017

Drexel researchers pinpoint new targets for treating chronic lung disease in premature infants

Researchers at Drexel University have revealed that inhibiting the micro-RNA miR-34a significantly reduces bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in mice.

27 Oct 2017

Research advance may lead to preservation of hearing in people with Usher syndrome type III

A research advance co-led by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine's Kumar Alagramam, PhD, may stop the progression of hearing loss and lead to significant preservation of hearing in people with Usher syndrome type III, a form of hereditary hearing loss linked to defects in the sensory "hair" cells in the inner ear. USH3 is caused by a mutation in the clarin-1 gene.

26 Oct 2017

Penn study sheds light on genetic cause of early hearing loss

From the moment a baby is born, they are put through a battery of screenings to test for all sorts of characteristics, which includes the sense of hearing.

26 Oct 2017

Dartmouth study uncovers three novel genetic biomarkers for lung cancer

Both environmental and genetic risk factors contribute to development of lung cancer. Tobacco smoking is the most well-known environmental risk factor associated with lung cancer. A Dartmouth research team led by Yafang Li, PhD, has conducted a study to display that gene-smoking interactions play important roles in the etiology of lung cancer.

26 Oct 2017

Penn study shows how blood flow shapes developing heart valves into mature valve leaflets

Congenital heart valve defects appear in 2 percent of all live births, making them the most common type of birth defect. While some of these defects have been linked to specific genetic mutations, the majority have no clearly definable genetic cause, suggesting that epigenetic factors - changes in gene expression versus an alteration in the genetic code -- play an important role.

26 Oct 2017

New study sheds light on normal function of Parkinson's gene

A new study published in the journal Neuron sheds light on the normal function of LRRK2, the most common genetic cause for late-onset Parkinson's disease. The study was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health.

26 Oct 2017

New enzyme may one day enable genome surgery that erases harmful mutations

DNA editing just got a sharp, new pencil. Researchers have built an enzyme that can perform a previously impossible DNA swap, directly changing the DNA base pair from an A•T to a G•C.

26 Oct 2017

Study: New histone modifications link cellular metabolism to chromatin architecture

Scientists of Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich (LMU) have discovered that two new classes of histone modifications couple cellular metabolism to gene activity. The study was published in 'Nature Structural and Molecular Biology'.

26 Oct 2017

CRISPR - a genetic editor - used to edit DNA and RNA in two parallel studies

Two different studies have shown that CRISPR - a gene editing tool, could be the next big thing in manipulating and modifying the DNA to suit the needs.

26 Oct 2017

Single infusion of wildtype HSPCs halts cellular damage caused by neuromuscular disorder in mice

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that a single infusion of wildtype hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) into a mouse model of Friedreich's ataxia (FA) measurably halted cellular damage caused by the degenerative disease.

25 Oct 2017

VICC selected to administer FDA-approved CAR T therapy for treatment of lymphoma patients

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center has been selected as one of the few authorized treatment centers in the United States approved to administer the first FDA- approved chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy for treatment of adult patients with a specific type of lymphoma.

25 Oct 2017

Researchers find rare genetic variants that may help explain longevity in some CF patients

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder caused by genetic mutations that disrupt the normal movement of chloride in and out of cells. Among other health problems, cystic fibrosis compromises the lungs' ability to fight infection and breathe efficiently, making it the most lethal genetic disease in the Caucasian population. Patients have an average lifespan of just 30 to 40 years.

25 Oct 2017

New analysis method allows to efficiently search for gene transfers onto Y chromosome

Y chromosomes, which are only inherited paternally, evolved from "normal" chromosomes known as autosomes. As males only possess one Y chromosome, there is no counterpart for recombination, the direct exchange of genetic material.

25 Oct 2017

Adopting healthy diet can help reverse risk of high triglycerides, despite genetic predisposition

Triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood, are important for good health. But having high triglycerides might increase a person's risk of heart disease, and may be a sign of metabolic syndrome--a combination of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and too much fat accumulation at the waist.

25 Oct 2017

Researchers discover mechanism that corrects protein misfolding in plants

Various human nervous system diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases, are associated with the same basic disorder: the loss of nerve cells capacity to fold their proteins correctly, which causes protein aggregations that form "clumps" that end up generating the cell death.

25 Oct 2017

Scientists get one step closer to reversing retinal degenerative diseases

Degenerative disorders affecting the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), such as age-related macular degeneration and autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy, can ultimately lead to blindness. Some of these life-changing disorders are the result of mutations in a single gene, called BEST1.

25 Oct 2017

Researchers mine blood-based epigenetic data to gain insights into autism biology

Using data from blood and brain tissue, a team led by researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that they could gain insights into mechanisms that might help explain autism by analyzing the interplay between genes and chemical tags that control whether genes are used to make a protein, called epigenetic marks.

25 Oct 2017

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Clinical trial shows promising results for treatment of patients with recurrent high-grade glioma

Novel laboratory model may shine light on development of pediatric high-grade glioma

Newly identified microRNA impedes malignancy of tumor cells and metastasis

Drexel researchers pinpoint new targets for treating chronic lung disease in premature infants

Research advance may lead to preservation of hearing in people with Usher syndrome type III

Penn study sheds light on genetic cause of early hearing loss

Dartmouth study uncovers three novel genetic biomarkers for lung cancer

Penn study shows how blood flow shapes developing heart valves into mature valve leaflets

New study sheds light on normal function of Parkinson's gene

New enzyme may one day enable genome surgery that erases harmful mutations

Study: New histone modifications link cellular metabolism to chromatin architecture

CRISPR - a genetic editor - used to edit DNA and RNA in two parallel studies

Single infusion of wildtype HSPCs halts cellular damage caused by neuromuscular disorder in mice

VICC selected to administer FDA-approved CAR T therapy for treatment of lymphoma patients

Researchers find rare genetic variants that may help explain longevity in some CF patients

New analysis method allows to efficiently search for gene transfers onto Y chromosome

Adopting healthy diet can help reverse risk of high triglycerides, despite genetic predisposition

Researchers discover mechanism that corrects protein misfolding in plants

Scientists get one step closer to reversing retinal degenerative diseases

Researchers mine blood-based epigenetic data to gain insights into autism biology

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

Exploring the nanoscale: How AFM is transforming cosmetic science

Innovating Texture and Culture in Plant-Based Foods

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)