Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

ATA announces research grants to support projects proposed by young researchers

The American Thyroid Association is pleased to announce that grants have been awarded to support projects proposed by leading young researchers. Three of these projects involve the genetic analysis of thyroid tumors carrying the BRAFV600E mutation, which is associated with the development of some forms of thyroid cancer and increased risk for distant metastases, more advanced disease, and higher mortality.

13 Oct 2015

Study: RNA editing technique shows promise in treating rare, severe form of muscular dystrophy

An RNA editing technique called "exon skipping" has shown preliminary success in treating a rare and severe form of muscular dystrophy that currently has no treatment, based on a new study from Northwestern Medicine and the University of Chicago. Children with the disease lose significant muscle strength early in life.

13 Oct 2015

Penn researchers show that canine X-linked retinitis pigmentosa can be cured over the long term

Three years ago, a team from the University of Pennsylvania announced that they had cured X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, a blinding retinal disease, in dogs. Now they've shown that they can cure the canine disease over the long term, even when the treatment is given after half or more of the affected photoreceptor cells have been destroyed.

13 Oct 2015

Research: Epigenetic factor reduces sensitivity of breast cancer cells to common cancer drug

A surprising, paradoxical relationship between a tumor suppressor molecule and an oncogene may be the key to explaining and working around how breast cancer tumor cells become desensitized to a common cancer drug, found researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

13 Oct 2015

Penn researchers lay groundwork for developing lncRNA-based tools for new cancer treatment

Growing insights about a significant, yet poorly understood, part of the genome - the "dark matter of DNA" -- have fundamentally changed the way scientists approach the study of diseases.

13 Oct 2015

Study explains why anemia is a common side effect of anti-cancer drugs

Many types of leukemia are caused by loss of enzymes such as Pten, which normally keeps cell growth in check, or conversely, the over-activation of enzymes that normally enhance cell proliferation, such as Shp2.

13 Oct 2015

Cardiac monitoring predicts survival in patients with Friedreich ataxia

Researchers confirm the need for cardiac follow-up in patients with Friedreich ataxia, with particular focus on left ventricular ejection fraction as a predictor of worse prognosis.

12 Oct 2015

Prostate Cells Undergo 'Reprogramming' To Form Tumors, Study Finds

Scientists have gained a key insight into how prostate tumors get their start - not by rewriting the normal DNA code, but by reprogramming the master regulator of genes in prostate cells to drive malignant growth.

12 Oct 2015

Study identifies four distinct types of bowel cancer

Bowel cancer can be divided up into four distinct diseases, each with its own set of biological characteristics, a major new study reports.

12 Oct 2015

Human malaria parasite molecules share key gene segments with chimp, gorilla malaria parasites

The malaria parasite molecules associated with severe disease and death--those that allow the parasite to escape recognition by the immune system--have been shown to share key gene segments with chimp and gorilla malaria parasites, which are separated by several millions of years, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

12 Oct 2015

New website and online store released by Advanced Cell Diagnostics

Advanced Cell Diagnostics Inc. (ACD), a technology and market leader in the field of molecular pathology and developer of cell and tissue-based RNA analysis tools, has announced the launch of its new website, www.acdbio.com.

From Advanced Cell Diagnostics 12 Oct 2015

Glycan binding proteins modify parasite infection in cells of the heart muscle

Chagas disease is the main cause of infectious heart disease in Latin America. Researchers from the INGEBI and IBYME Institutes in Argentina explored the effect of glycan binding protein interactions between the human host and Typanosoma cruzi parasite. They found that a glycan binding protein expressed in humans modified the infection in cells of the heart muscle, showing the importance of galectins in the response to parasite infection.

12 Oct 2015

UConn researchers sequence RNA of most complicated gene

UConn researchers have sequenced the RNA of the most complicated gene known in nature, using a hand-held sequencer no bigger than a cell phone.

From Oxford Nanopore Technologies 12 Oct 2015

Role for endogenous retrovirus proposed in ALS pathogenesis

Expression of the human endogenous retrovirus-K is upregulated in some patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and causes degeneration of motor neurons when overexpressed in mice, research shows.

9 Oct 2015

Scientists can now use skin samples from older patients to grow brain cells

For the first time, scientists can use skin samples from older patients to create brain cells without rolling back the youthfulness clock in the cells first. The new technique, which yields cells resembling those found in older people's brains, will be a boon to scientists studying age-related diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

9 Oct 2015

Scientists calculate precise measurements of heritability in nine pediatric-onset autoimmune diseases

Scientists have calculated more precise measurements of heritability--the influence of underlying genes--in nine autoimmune diseases that begin in childhood. The research may strengthen researchers' abilities to better predict a child's risk for associated autoimmune diseases.

9 Oct 2015

Scientists engineer stem cells to better understand mechanisms behind leukemia

Scientists engineered stem cells to better understand the mechanisms behind a form of leukemia caused by changes in a key gene, according to a study led by Mount Sinai researchers and published online today in the journal Cell Reports.

9 Oct 2015

Scientists map EGFRvIII mutant that causes brain cancer

A team of Ludwig Cancer Research scientists has mapped out how a mutant version of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) known as EGFRvIII specifically drives critical processes that alter the reading of the genome to fuel the growth of the brain cancer glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and--most important--how each process is linked to the other.

9 Oct 2015

Gene therapy prevents neuronal death, disease effects in experimental model of PD

An estimated seven to ten million people worldwide are living with Parkinson's disease (PD), which is an incurable and progressive disease of the nervous system affecting movement and cognitive function. More than half of PD patients develop progressive disease showing signs of dementia similar to Alzheimer's disease.

9 Oct 2015

Xuriden (uridine triacetate) now approved for patients with hereditary orotic aciduria

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Xuriden (uridine triacetate), the first FDA-approved treatment for patients with hereditary orotic aciduria. Hereditary orotic aciduria is a rare metabolic disorder, which has been reported in approximately 20 patients worldwide.

9 Oct 2015

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

ATA announces research grants to support projects proposed by young researchers

Study: RNA editing technique shows promise in treating rare, severe form of muscular dystrophy

Penn researchers show that canine X-linked retinitis pigmentosa can be cured over the long term

Research: Epigenetic factor reduces sensitivity of breast cancer cells to common cancer drug

Penn researchers lay groundwork for developing lncRNA-based tools for new cancer treatment

Study explains why anemia is a common side effect of anti-cancer drugs

Cardiac monitoring predicts survival in patients with Friedreich ataxia

Prostate Cells Undergo 'Reprogramming' To Form Tumors, Study Finds

Study identifies four distinct types of bowel cancer

Human malaria parasite molecules share key gene segments with chimp, gorilla malaria parasites

New website and online store released by Advanced Cell Diagnostics

Glycan binding proteins modify parasite infection in cells of the heart muscle

UConn researchers sequence RNA of most complicated gene

Role for endogenous retrovirus proposed in ALS pathogenesis

Scientists can now use skin samples from older patients to grow brain cells

Scientists calculate precise measurements of heritability in nine pediatric-onset autoimmune diseases

Scientists engineer stem cells to better understand mechanisms behind leukemia

Scientists map EGFRvIII mutant that causes brain cancer

Gene therapy prevents neuronal death, disease effects in experimental model of PD

Xuriden (uridine triacetate) now approved for patients with hereditary orotic aciduria

Industry Focus: Cell & Gene Therapy eBook

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

How cohesin mechanics and nanotracker tech are redefining DNA research

Todd Bauman and Chris Povich