Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Major new research facility opens at Imperial College London

A major new research facility at Imperial College London designed to expand and accelerate the translation of scientific discoveries into new ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating diseases was officially opened by George Osborne MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, today.

28 May 2012

CDKN1C gene mutation contributes to IMAGe syndrome

A gene previously linked to too much growth in patients has now also been linked to growth restriction. Different forms of the gene can lead to very different conditions, according to research published today in the journal Nature Genetics.

28 May 2012

UCLA geneticists identify mutation responsible for IMAGe syndrome

UCLA geneticists have identified the mutation responsible for IMAGe syndrome, a rare disorder that stunts infants' growth. The twist? The mutation occurs on the same gene that causes Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, which makes cells grow too fast, leading to very large children.

28 May 2012

Scientists show how hemizygous deletion can contribute to cancer

Chromosomal deletions in DNA often involve just one of two gene copies inherited from either parent. But scientists haven't known how a deletion in one gene from one parent, called a "hemizygous" deletion, can contribute to cancer.

28 May 2012

City of Hope receives CIRM grant to develop T cell-based immunotherapy against glioma

City of Hope was granted a $5,217,004 early translational research award by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) to support the development of a T cell-based immunotherapy that re-directs a patient's own immune response against glioma stem cells.

28 May 2012

X-chromosome involved in development of bowel cancer

Scientists have shown for the first time that one of the sex chromosomes is involved in the development of a cancer that can afflict both genders, according to a Cancer Research UK-funded study in Nature Genetics.

28 May 2012

Overactive BAALC gene found in people with acute leukemia

A small inherited change in DNA is largely responsible for overactivating a gene linked to poor treatment response in people with acute leukemia.

25 May 2012

Research roundup: Do mandatory screening laws affect disparities?; Mass. health law, 6 years later

Since Massachusetts passed its own expansive health law, the state's uninsured rate has dropped and access to care has dramatically improved. But as this brief notes, two major issues remain. Massachusetts will have to find ways to contain health care costs -- now under discussion in the state legislature -- as well as align itself with the federal health law. In the process, other states "can draw on some of the state's early successes and challenges"

25 May 2012

DiagnoCure’s PCA3 prostate cancer diagnostic test showcased at AUA meeting

DiagnoCure Inc., a Quebec life sciences company that develops and commercializes high-value cancer diagnostic tests, reported that the PROGENSA PCA3 prostate cancer diagnostic test has been featured in a number of presentations and discussions at the American Urological Association (AUA) meeting in Atlanta, GA.

25 May 2012

BBSRC allocates £250M for strategic investment programmes

Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, will today announce substantial funding that will ensure the UK's bioscience research base remains globally competitive and at the forefront of meeting the grand challenges faced by society in the coming decades. The announcement will be made by the Minister during a visit to the Babraham Research Campus, near Cambridge, and highlighted again during a major speech at the University of East Anglia in Norwich.

25 May 2012

Fever during pregnancy associated with autism or developmental delay

A team of UC Davis researchers has found that mothers who had fevers during their pregnancies were more than twice as likely to have a child with autism or developmental delay than were mothers of typically developing children, and that taking medication to treat fever countered its effect.

25 May 2012

Researchers uncover series of biological events that implicate stem cells' surroundings

Stem cells are essential building blocks for all organisms, from plants to humans. They can divide and renew themselves throughout life, differentiating into the specialized tissues needed during development, as well as cells necessary to repair adult tissue.

25 May 2012

UCSF receives $20M Sandler Foundation gift for neuroscience research and care

UCSF has received a challenge gift of $20 million from the Sandler Foundation that will provide major support for the university's groundbreaking research and clinical care efforts regarding neurological diseases.

25 May 2012

Scientists discover key gene essential for sperm development

A new type of male contraceptive could be created thanks to the discovery of a key gene essential for sperm development.

25 May 2012

Researchers identify two gene mutations that cause neuromuscular disorder

Research into how carbohydrates are converted into energy has led to a surprising discovery with implications for the treatment of a perplexing and potentially fatal neuromuscular disorder and possibly even cancer and heart disease.

25 May 2012

Personality traits may also be part of the longevity genes mix

"It's in their genes" is a common refrain from scientists when asked about factors that allow centenarians to reach age 100 and beyond. Up until now, research has focused on genetic variations that offer a physiological advantage such as high levels of HDL cholesterol. But researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University have found that personality traits like being outgoing, optimistic, easygoing, and enjoying laughter as well as staying engaged in activities may also be part of the longevity genes mix.

25 May 2012

Breakthrough in understanding the causes of unexplained male infertility

The diagnosis of male fertility is usually performed through the observation of the sperm in the microscope. However, a normal quality semen does not guarantee an adequate fertility. In fact, there is a considerable proportion of cases of unexplained infertility and data suggest that abnormal sperm function may have a genetic or molecular origin.

24 May 2012

Preliminary results from Celldex’s CDX-011 Phase 2b breast cancer study

Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. today announced preliminary results from the Company's randomized Phase 2b EMERGE study of CDX-011 (glembatumumab vedotin) antibody drug conjugate in patients with glycoprotein NMB (GPNMB) expressing, advanced, heavily pretreated breast cancer. Preliminary results suggest that CDX-011 induces impressive response rates compared to current, available therapies in patients with advanced, refractory breast cancers with high GPNMB expression.

24 May 2012

Study uncovers new obesity genetic markers that may predict dietary intake

Blame it on your genes? Researchers from The Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center say individuals with variations in certain "obesity genes" tend to eat more meals and snacks, consume more calories per day and often choose the same types of high fat, sugary foods.

24 May 2012

Health Canada accepts Seattle Genetics’ ADCETRIS NDS for review

Seattle Genetics, Inc. announced today that the validation period is complete and Health Canada has accepted for review its New Drug Submission (NDS) for the use of ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin) in relapsed Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma.

24 May 2012