Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Rarely studied faulty USF3 gene may predispose individuals to thyroid cancer

Charis Eng, M.D., Ph.D., of Cleveland Clinic and her team have discovered that a faulty, rarely studied gene called USF3 may predispose individuals to thyroid cancer. They recently published this discovery in Human Molecular Genetics.

29 Mar 2017

TSRI researchers reveal how viruses incapacitate bacterial defense system

Picture bacteria and viruses locked in an arms race. For many bacteria, one line of defense against viral infection is a sophisticated RNA-guided "immune system" called CRISPR-Cas.

28 Mar 2017

JAX professor receives HFSP grant for 3D genome studies of memory, learning and epilepsy

Jackson Laboratory Professor Yijun Ruan, Ph.D., a leader in the study of the three-dimensional organization of the human genome, has received a three-year grant totaling $1,050,000 from the international Human Frontier Science Program to explore the fundamental mechanics involved in memory and learning as well as epilepsy.

28 Mar 2017

Study identifies protein as potential therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer

A protein known as arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) may be a potential therapeutic target for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the most common type of pancreatic cancer, and one of the most deadliest with a less than 10 percent, five-year survival rate.

28 Mar 2017

Astaxanthin compound shows ability to activate 'longevity gene' in mice

The University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine and Cardax, Inc., a Honolulu based life sciences company, have jointly announced the results of an animal study evaluating the effectiveness of a compound that holds promise in anti-aging therapy.

28 Mar 2017

Researchers identify new gene mutation that leads to infertility in women

It has been estimated that more than 80 million people in the world have an unfulfilled desire to have children. But for every 10th couple, the reasons therefor remain unclear.

28 Mar 2017

Scientists reveal novel drug delivery approach to fight swine flu at gene level

Scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University together with their colleagues from St. Petersburg and London have elaborated a new approach to deliver anti-viral RNAi to target cells against H1N1 influenza virus infection.

28 Mar 2017

Proteomics unravels molecular mechanisms influenced by genetic variations

How does type 2 diabetes develop? A team of researchers headed by the Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Technical University of Munich has come closer to finding an answer to this problem. The team examined the functional effects of exemplary genetic variations relevant for type 2 diabetes. Their approach can be applied to many clinical pictures.

28 Mar 2017

Aircuity helps build energy efficient facilities at Texas Children’s Hospital

Texas Children’s Hospital is an internationally recognized full-care pediatric hospital located in the Texas Medical Center in Houston.

28 Mar 2017

Shutting down key protein could slow or prevent Alzheimer’s disease, study shows

In experiments with a protein called Ephexin5 that appears to be elevated in the brain cells of Alzheimer's disease patients and mouse models of the disease, Johns Hopkins researchers say removing it prevents animals from developing Alzheimer's characteristic memory losses.

28 Mar 2017

New probiotic may help combat negative health effects of adrenaline surges

U.S. sailors and Marines face continuous periods of excessive stress in "fight-or-flight" situations, triggering surges of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, often known as an adrenaline rush.

28 Mar 2017

Scientists grow transgenic plants to double production of artemisinin for fighting against malaria

Since the ancient times, mankind has used plants to treat diseases. An example is the plant Artemisia annua, used for over 2,000 years in traditional Chinese medicine to treat intermittent fevers.

28 Mar 2017

Research highlights threat of Zika virus to donated blood supplies in the U.S

Investigators have shown that certain screening methods that detect the genetic material of Zika virus can be used to ensure that donated blood supplies remain free of the virus.

28 Mar 2017

Study shows decreasing telomere length may contribute to onset of age-related diseases

Mouse models of human disease have made it possible to gain important insights into many conditions. However, many diseases remain for which no mouse model exists, and large proportion of human diseases without mouse models are associated with aging.

28 Mar 2017

Scientists show p300 protein may stop MDS from developing into leukemia

Scientists at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have shown that p300, a protein that increases gene expression by attaching acetyl molecules to DNA, may stop myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) from developing into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The study was published in the journal Leukemia.

27 Mar 2017

Treatment with microRNA re-insulates ravaged nerves, restores limb mobility in mouse models of MS

Scientists partially re-insulated ravaged nerves in mouse models of multiple sclerosis (MS) and restored limb mobility by treating the animals with a small non-coding RNA called a microRNA.

27 Mar 2017

FDA approves new maintenance therapy for recurrent cancers

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Zejula (niraparib) for the maintenance treatment (intended to delay cancer growth) of adult patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer, whose tumors have completely or partially shrunk (complete or partial response, respectively) in response to platinum-based chemotherapy.

27 Mar 2017