Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers uncover one way breast cancer tumors resist vital medication

A team of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine cancer researchers has uncovered one way certain tumors resist vital medication.

11 Aug 2016

First investigational treatment for infantile-onset SMA shows promising results in clinical trial

A major milestone was reached when nusinersen, an investigational treatment for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was shown to significantly improve achievement of motor milestones in babies with infantile-onset SMA, according to an interim analysis of the double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled Phase 3 clinical trial called ENDEAR.

11 Aug 2016

Researchers develop new strategy to convert fibroblasts directly into neuronal cells

Researchers have used CRISPR -- a revolutionary new genetic engineering technique -- to convert cells isolated from mouse connective tissue directly into neuronal cells.

11 Aug 2016

Analysis of biopsies during early treatment predicts patient’s response to melanoma immunotherapy

Immune response measured in tumor biopsies during the course of early treatment predicts which melanoma patients will benefit from specific immune checkpoint blockade drugs, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in the journal Cancer Discovery.

11 Aug 2016

Pancreatic cancer cells find alternative source of nutrition to avoid starvation

Pancreatic cancer cells avert starvation in dense tumors by ordering nearby support cells to supply them with an alternative source of nutrition.

11 Aug 2016

Novel computational analysis of prostate cancer suggests potential targets for therapy

Cancer researchers have applied a comprehensive set of analytical tools to lethal cases of metastatic prostate cancer, yielding a detailed map of the complex networks of interactions among genes and proteins that enable prostate cancer cells to proliferate and evade treatment.

11 Aug 2016

Novel PET radiotracer reveals epigenetic activity in the human brain for the first time

A novel PET radiotracer developed at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Massachusetts General Hospital is able for the first time to reveal epigenetic activity - the process that determines whether or not genes are expressed - within the human brain.

11 Aug 2016

RNA silencing technique developed by spinoff from UM-Madison effective in battling hepatitis B

A method for "silencing" RNA that emerged from a University of Wisconsin-Madison spinoff company is in clinical trials in Europe, Asia and the United States against hepatitis B, an infection that can destroy the liver.

11 Aug 2016

New disease gene linked to shortened telomeres appears to raise risk of pulmonary fibrosis-emphysema

Johns Hopkins researchers say they have identified a new disease gene that, when mutated, appears to increase the risk in a small number of people of developing emphysema and a lung-scarring condition known as pulmonary fibrosis.

10 Aug 2016

Geneticists identify enzyme that regulates chromosome segregation during meiosis

GENETICISTS have identified an enzyme which regulates the production of sperm and egg cells in human reproduction.

10 Aug 2016

Gene mutation linked to impulsive drunken behaviour shields bearers from obesity, insulin resistance

University of Helsinki researchers have previously demonstrated that a point mutation in a gene of serotonin 2B receptor can render the carrier prone to impulsive behaviour, particularly when drunk.

10 Aug 2016

Olympics officials find potential new trend in doping among athletes

Olympics officials already contending with the illegal use of steroids among athletes are now being proactive about a potential new trend in performance enhancement: gene doping.

10 Aug 2016

ISCT selects London as host city for 2017 landmark conference to celebrate silver jubilee year

The International Society for Cellular Therapy, the global society of clinicians, researchers, regulatory specialists, technologists, and industry partners dedicated to the translation of cellular therapy into safe and effective therapies to improve patients’ lives, today announces they have awarded London as the host city for the landmark ISCT 2017 Annual Meeting to be held on May 3-6, at ExCeL London Exhibition and Convention Centre, UK to celebrate the Society’s 25th silver jubilee year. More than 1,600 international delegates are expected to attend.

10 Aug 2016

Rare genetic variations linked to severe porphyria

An international research team has linked rare variations in a cell membrane protein to the wide variation in symptom severity that is a hallmark of porphyria, a rare disorder that often affects the skin, liver and nervous system.

10 Aug 2016

Researchers uncover how GWAS-implicated gene affects HDL-cholesterol levels

Researchers have uncovered how genes identified from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) affect high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), a biomarker of cardiovascular disease, after comparing several animal models with human patient data.

10 Aug 2016

Understanding brain circuit development: an interview with Dr Hollis Cline

There's a tremendous amount known about brain circuit development. Our work was inspired by experiments that were done over 50 years ago by scientists at Harvard University, Hubel and Wiesel. They received a Nobel Prize for their work and have inspired many additional experiments over the last 50 or 60 years.

10 Aug 2016

UH biologists developing strategies to help regenerate heart muscle cell formation

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the U.S. With one in every four deaths occurring each year, the five-year survival rate after a heart attack is worse than most cancers.

10 Aug 2016

Researchers develop computational algorithm to analyze big genomic data for different cancers

University of Hawai'i Cancer Center researchers developed a computational algorithm to analyze "Big Data" obtained from tumor samples to better understand and treat cancer.

10 Aug 2016

Researchers develop machine-learning program that helps identify hundreds of ASD-related genes

Investigators eager to uncover the genetic basis of autism could now have hundreds of promising new leads thanks to a study by Princeton University and Simons Foundation researchers.

9 Aug 2016

Scientists link malfunctioning molecular pathways to specific heart abnormalities in SCA

Patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) develop heart complications and nearly a quarter die a sudden death. Now, researchers have linked malfunctioning molecular pathways to specific heart anomalies in SCA that result from progressive fibrosis and result in sudden death.

9 Aug 2016

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers uncover one way breast cancer tumors resist vital medication

First investigational treatment for infantile-onset SMA shows promising results in clinical trial

Researchers develop new strategy to convert fibroblasts directly into neuronal cells

Analysis of biopsies during early treatment predicts patient’s response to melanoma immunotherapy

Pancreatic cancer cells find alternative source of nutrition to avoid starvation

Novel computational analysis of prostate cancer suggests potential targets for therapy

Novel PET radiotracer reveals epigenetic activity in the human brain for the first time

RNA silencing technique developed by spinoff from UM-Madison effective in battling hepatitis B

New disease gene linked to shortened telomeres appears to raise risk of pulmonary fibrosis-emphysema

Geneticists identify enzyme that regulates chromosome segregation during meiosis

Gene mutation linked to impulsive drunken behaviour shields bearers from obesity, insulin resistance

Olympics officials find potential new trend in doping among athletes

ISCT selects London as host city for 2017 landmark conference to celebrate silver jubilee year

Rare genetic variations linked to severe porphyria

Researchers uncover how GWAS-implicated gene affects HDL-cholesterol levels

Understanding brain circuit development: an interview with Dr Hollis Cline

UH biologists developing strategies to help regenerate heart muscle cell formation

Researchers develop computational algorithm to analyze big genomic data for different cancers

Researchers develop machine-learning program that helps identify hundreds of ASD-related genes

Scientists link malfunctioning molecular pathways to specific heart abnormalities in SCA

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