Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Myriad and Clovis ink deal on FDA-approved BRACAnalysis CDx test to identify patients with germline BRCA mutations for rucaparib treatment

Myriad Genetics, Inc. and Clovis Oncology, Inc. have announced a companion diagnostic collaboration to support a post-marketing regulatory commitment related to Clovis’ PARP inhibitor, Rubraca. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

3 May 2017

Discovery of protein that causes liver disease brings hope for new treatments

In a world-first discovery, scientists at Sydney’s Westmead Institute for Medical Research have identified a protein that causes liver fibrosis (scarring), paving the way for new treatments for liver disease to be developed.

3 May 2017

Researchers develop fruit fly-based model to improve understanding of polycystic kidney disease

According to PKD International, 12.5 million people are affected by polycystic kidney disease. There is no known cure. But that may one day change, thanks in part to new research by a Concordia biology researcher.

2 May 2017

Study sets stage for potential stool-based test to detect advanced liver fibrosis

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) - a condition that can lead to liver cirrhosis and cancer - isn't typically detected until it's well advanced. Even then, diagnosis requires an invasive liver biopsy.

2 May 2017

EPFL researchers discover protein that kick-starts gene expression in nascent embryos

The formation of a human embryo starts with the fertilization of the oocyte by the sperm cell. This yields the zygote, the primordial cell that carries one copy each of the maternal and paternal genomes.

2 May 2017

Bacteria can mutate at different speeds to survive under difficult circumstances, study shows

Bacteria need mutations -- changes in their DNA code -- to survive under difficult circumstances. When necessary, they can even mutate at different speeds.

2 May 2017

Study shows thinning of gray matter in the brains of patients with bipolar disorder

A new study has found brain abnormalities in people with bipolar disorder. In the largest MRI study to date on patients with bipolar disorder, a global consortium published new research showing that people with the condition have differences in the brain regions that control inhibition and emotion.

2 May 2017

Penn study sheds new light on mysterious powers of spider silk genes

They can be stronger than steel at a mere fraction of weight, and also can be tougher and more flexible. Spider silks also tend not to provoke the human immune system. Some even inhibit bacteria and fungi, making them potentially ideal for surgery and medical device applications.

2 May 2017

Paternal age at conception may affect social skills of children, study suggests

The age of the father at the time his children are born may influence their social development, suggests a study published in the May 2017 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

1 May 2017

Study sheds new light on evolutionary origin of the vertebrate brain

A study recently published in PLOS Biology provides information that substantially changes the prevailing idea about the brain formation process in vertebrates and sheds some light on how it might have evolved.

28 Apr 2017

Penn State establishes new $2.4-million Biomedical Big Data to Knowledge Training Program

A new $2.4-million program for graduate students seeking to contribute to breakthrough discoveries in medicine and biology has been established at Penn State University with nearly $1.4 million in funding from the National Library of Medicine of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and more than $1 million from Penn State.

28 Apr 2017

Slender faces linked to overbite and left-handedness

Individuals with a slender lower face are about 25 percent more likely to be left-handed. This unexpected finding (abstract) was identified in 13,536 individuals who participated in three national surveys conducted in the United States.

28 Apr 2017

Researchers discover new mechanism of epigenetic inheritance in fruit flies

Giacomo Cavalli's team at the Institute of Human Genetics (University of Montpellier / CNRS), in collaboration with the French National Institute for Agricultural Research, has demonstrated the existence of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance among Drosophila fruit flies.

27 Apr 2017

Study provides preliminary evidence that Parkinson's disease may start in the gut

Parkinson's disease may start in the gut and spread to the brain via the vagus nerve, according to a study published in the April 26, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The vagus nerve extends from the brainstem to the abdomen and controls unconscious body processes like heart rate and food digestion.

27 Apr 2017

Study underscores need for genetic screening to improve safety of experimental stem cell treatments

Regenerative medicine using human pluripotent stem cells to grow transplantable tissue outside the body carries the promise to treat a range of intractable disorders, such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

26 Apr 2017

New study points to cannabis as trigger for schizophrenia

Scientists believe that schizophrenia, a disorder caused by an imbalance in the brain's chemical reactions, is triggered by a genetic interaction with environmental factors. A new Tel Aviv University study published in Human Molecular Genetics now points to cannabis as a trigger for schizophrenia.

26 Apr 2017

Obesity amplifies effects of three risk alleles linked to NAFLD

An international study based at UT Southwestern Medical Center revealed a striking genetic-environmental interaction: Obesity significantly amplifies the effects of three gene variants that increase risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by different metabolic pathways.

26 Apr 2017

Cold weather increases risk of mortality in Texas, study finds

Cold weather increases the risk of mortality in Texas residents, according to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health. The findings were recently published in the journal Environmental Pollution.

26 Apr 2017

Study provides new understanding of molecular mechanisms that impact intellectual disability

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have shown that a protein helps balance nerve cell communication.

25 Apr 2017

Brain’s ability to rewire after injury can lead to long-term strains

Like air-traffic controllers scrambling to reconnect flights when a major hub goes down, the brain has a remarkable ability to rewire itself after suffering an injury.

25 Apr 2017

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Myriad and Clovis ink deal on FDA-approved BRACAnalysis CDx test to identify patients with germline BRCA mutations for rucaparib treatment

Discovery of protein that causes liver disease brings hope for new treatments

Researchers develop fruit fly-based model to improve understanding of polycystic kidney disease

Study sets stage for potential stool-based test to detect advanced liver fibrosis

EPFL researchers discover protein that kick-starts gene expression in nascent embryos

Bacteria can mutate at different speeds to survive under difficult circumstances, study shows

Study shows thinning of gray matter in the brains of patients with bipolar disorder

Penn study sheds new light on mysterious powers of spider silk genes

Paternal age at conception may affect social skills of children, study suggests

Study sheds new light on evolutionary origin of the vertebrate brain

Penn State establishes new $2.4-million Biomedical Big Data to Knowledge Training Program

Slender faces linked to overbite and left-handedness

Researchers discover new mechanism of epigenetic inheritance in fruit flies

Study provides preliminary evidence that Parkinson's disease may start in the gut

Study underscores need for genetic screening to improve safety of experimental stem cell treatments

New study points to cannabis as trigger for schizophrenia

Obesity amplifies effects of three risk alleles linked to NAFLD

Cold weather increases risk of mortality in Texas, study finds

Study provides new understanding of molecular mechanisms that impact intellectual disability

Brain’s ability to rewire after injury can lead to long-term strains

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