Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Lots of 'good' cholesterol may be bad

Recent research has identified a genetic mutation that prevents high-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol from being taken up by cells.

11 Mar 2016

Multi-gene test can help identify early breast cancer patients who can safely be spared chemotherapy

Researchers have shown for the first time that it is possible to use a multi-gene test to identify patients with early breast cancer who can be spared chemotherapy and who will still be alive and well five years after diagnosis.

11 Mar 2016

Delivering microRNAs in cancer treatment: an interview with Dr Conde and Prof Artzi

microRNAs (miRs) are small endogenous noncoding RNA molecules (20–23 nucleotides) derived from imperfectly paired hairpin RNA structures naturally encoded in the genome that act specifically as triggering molecules to control translational repression or mRNA degradation.

11 Mar 2016

Research uncovers biological differences between male, female breast cancers

Male breast cancer (Male BC) has important biological differences that distinguish it from female breast cancer, but to date these have been little studied and Male BC patients have been excluded from many clinical trials in breast cancer.

11 Mar 2016

Enhanced diet helps slow progression of hereditary deafness

An enhanced diet helped reduce hearing loss in mice with the genetic mutation most commonly responsible for childhood deafness, new research suggests.

11 Mar 2016

Conserved gene can act to inhibit lung cancer development, study finds

Scientists believe that "conserved" genes — those found in life forms that range from bacteria to plants, insects and humans — perform vital biological functions across species. And limited research on one of those genes, Nitrilase 1 (Nit1), suggested it acts to inhibit cancer development.

11 Mar 2016

Researchers uncover antitumoral nature of maslinic acid in colon cancer cells

Researchers from the University of Granada, in collaboration with the universities of Barcelona and Jaen, have brought to light the antitumoral nature of maslinic acid (a compound derived from olives) in Caco-2 p53-deficient colon adenocarcinoma cells in the short term.

11 Mar 2016

Scientists map biological networks of genes to gain new insights on disease mechanisms

Innovative software tools allowed the scientists to construct accurate "maps" of gene networks for about 400 different human cell and tissue types, ranging from immune cells to brain tissues, whereas previous studies were limited to just one or few tissues.

11 Mar 2016

Southampton researchers explore ADAM33 gene's association with asthma, airway 'twitchiness'

Researchers at the University of Southampton are to study why some people are more likely to develop asthma.

11 Mar 2016

Mucus may hold key to better cancer treatment

What do cancer cells and a runny nose have in common? The answer is mucus; and researchers at the Stephenson Cancer Center at the University of Oklahoma have shown it may hold the key to making cancer treatment better.

11 Mar 2016

NLRX1 protein could be new biomarker for colorectal cancer, find UNC Lineberger researchers

UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers have discovered that a deficiency in a key protein that regulates immune system warning signals could be a new biomarker for colorectal cancer, the second largest cancer killer in the United States. They believe the marker could be used to gauge response to a potential new treatment for the disease.

11 Mar 2016

Patients with early-stage NSCLC and low SMARCA4 expression may benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy

The activity level of a particular gene in lung tumors might identify lung-cancer patients who will likely be helped by a particular chemotherapy regimen given to prevent recurrence after surgery.

11 Mar 2016

Researchers reveal how butterfly disease patients develop cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas

Fragile skin that blisters easily: 90 percent of the patients that suffer from the skin condition recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) develop rapidly progressing cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, a type of skin cancer, by the age of 55. 80 percent of these patients will die due to metastasis within five years after the cancer has been first detected.

11 Mar 2016

Scientists identify novel gene variants associated with childhood BMI

An international team of scientists has identified novel gene locations associated with childhood body mass index (BMI)--an important measurement related to childhood obesity. The meta-analysis, covering over 47,000 children, is the largest genetic study to date of childhood BMI.

11 Mar 2016

Maternal bacterial infections affect fetal brain anatomy and cognitive functioning after birth

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have discovered how pieces of bacterial cell wall cross the placenta and enter developing neurons, altering fetal brain anatomy and cognitive functioning after birth. The study appears today in the scientific journal Cell Host & Microbe.

10 Mar 2016

CYP3A7 gene may over-activate metabolism, reduce effectiveness of cancer treatments

Some patients with breast cancer, lung cancer and leukaemia seem to fare poorly after treatment because of the effects of a particular gene, a new study finds.

10 Mar 2016

Specific gene mutation may significantly reduce risk of heart attack

People with a specific gene mutation have a 50 percent lower risk of suffering a heart attack. This is what an international team of researchers headed by the cardiologist Prof. Heribert Schunkert, Medical Director of the German Heart Center at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), discovered in a broad comparative study. If this gene were switched off with medications it could reduce the risk of coronary disease significantly.

10 Mar 2016

Gar genome helps identify genetic sequences shared by human disease genes and zebrafish

Led by Drs John Postlethwait and Ingo Braasch from the Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, US, in collaboration with the Broad Institute, the study of the Spotted Gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) genome reveals that it is small and manageable. Furthermore, it lacks much shuffling and duplication that occurred in the 'main' fish ancestral line; it conserved its genome.

10 Mar 2016

CWRU researcher to customize tobacco mosaic virus to treat human cancers

A Case Western Reserve University researcher has been awarded more than $3 million in federal and foundation grants to turn common plant viruses into cancer sleuths and search-and-destroy emissaries.

10 Mar 2016

Discovery may provide potential target for new therapies to treat bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder, which affects nearly eight million Americans, takes a toll not only on patients, but also on their families and communities.

10 Mar 2016

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Lots of 'good' cholesterol may be bad

Multi-gene test can help identify early breast cancer patients who can safely be spared chemotherapy

Delivering microRNAs in cancer treatment: an interview with Dr Conde and Prof Artzi

Research uncovers biological differences between male, female breast cancers

Enhanced diet helps slow progression of hereditary deafness

Conserved gene can act to inhibit lung cancer development, study finds

Researchers uncover antitumoral nature of maslinic acid in colon cancer cells

Scientists map biological networks of genes to gain new insights on disease mechanisms

Southampton researchers explore ADAM33 gene's association with asthma, airway 'twitchiness'

Mucus may hold key to better cancer treatment

NLRX1 protein could be new biomarker for colorectal cancer, find UNC Lineberger researchers

Patients with early-stage NSCLC and low SMARCA4 expression may benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy

Researchers reveal how butterfly disease patients develop cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas

Scientists identify novel gene variants associated with childhood BMI

Maternal bacterial infections affect fetal brain anatomy and cognitive functioning after birth

CYP3A7 gene may over-activate metabolism, reduce effectiveness of cancer treatments

Specific gene mutation may significantly reduce risk of heart attack

Gar genome helps identify genetic sequences shared by human disease genes and zebrafish

CWRU researcher to customize tobacco mosaic virus to treat human cancers

Discovery may provide potential target for new therapies to treat bipolar disorder

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

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

How cohesin mechanics and nanotracker tech are redefining DNA research

Todd Bauman and Chris Povich