Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Cystic fibrosis drug gets FDA approval

A drug – the first of its kind - that treats the root cause of cystic fibrosis won approval Tuesday. This could be a ray of hope for patients with the deadly illness and broader hope for thousands more patients with the inherited disease.

1 Feb 2012

Oxidative stress in sperm linked to male infertility

Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) patented an innovative system to specify in a simple, cost-effective and reliable manner the infertility of a person through the study of oxidative stress on sperm, a parameter rarely studied until now.

1 Feb 2012

Crizotinib can treat ROS1-driven tumors

A report from investigators at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center has defined the role of a recently identified gene abnormality in a deadly form of lung cancer. Tumors driven by rearrangements in the ROS1 gene represent 1 to 2 percent of non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLC), the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.

1 Feb 2012

New UNC clinic to address individuals with Angelman Syndrome

February 3, 2012 marks the grand opening of the UNC Comprehensive Angelman Syndrome Clinic at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (CIDD).

1 Feb 2012

Caffeine intake may change a woman’s estrogen levels: Study

The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at more than 250 women ages 18 to 44, and found that for white women, caffeine appeared to lower estrogen levels, while in Asian women it seemed to raise them.

31 Jan 2012

MT2 gene mutations may increase risk of diabetes

Researchers in Lille and Paris demonstrated that mutations in the melatonin receptor gene (melatonin or the "hormone of darkness" induces sleep) lead to an almost sevenfold increase in the risk of developing diabetes.

31 Jan 2012

Newly discovered molecular pathway may explain how AML develops

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have discovered a molecular pathway that may explain how a particularly deadly form of cancer develops. The discovery may lead to new cancer therapies that reprogram cells instead of killing them. The findings are published in a recent paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

30 Jan 2012

Leprosy pathogen exploits micro-RNAs to weaken immune response

A team of UCLA scientists has found that the pathogen that causes leprosy has a remarkable ability to avoid the human immune system by inhibiting the antimicrobial responses important to our defenses.

30 Jan 2012

Study investigates how bacteria change their disguise to evade vaccines

Genetics has provided surprising insights into why vaccines used in both the UK and US to combat serious childhood infections can eventually fail. The study, published today in Nature Genetics, which investigates how bacteria change their disguise to evade the vaccines, has implications for how future vaccines can be made more effective.

30 Jan 2012

Book launch marks anniversary of GABBA Program

On Monday 30th January at 6 p.m. in the Rectory of the University of Porto (Praça Gomes Teixeira), the Secretary of State for Science, Leonor Parreira and the ex-Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education, Mariano Gago, will attend the commemoration ceremony for the 15th anniversary of the Graduate Program in Basic and Applied Biology (GABBA) at the University of Porto.

30 Jan 2012

First evidence links cancer to mutations in genes involved in DNA organization

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project provides first evidence linking cancer to mutations in genes involved in DNA organization

30 Jan 2012

BMBF to support second Berlin Aging Study

After the success of the first Berlin Aging Study, the German Ministry for Education and Research has decided to support the continuation of this research project. In BASE-II, scientists will aim for a better understanding of core mechanisms of successful, normal, and pathological aging. Prof. Steinhagen-Thiessen from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin will chair the multidisciplinary Steering Committee.

30 Jan 2012

Study finds link between body clock hormone melatonin, type 2 diabetes

A study published in Nature Genetics today has found new evidence for a link between the body clock hormone melatonin and type 2 diabetes. The study found that people who carry rare genetic mutations in the receptor for melatonin have a much higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

30 Jan 2012

DNA sequencing for difficult diagnoses of mitochondrial diseases may hit clinics soon

Identifying complete DNA sequences could identify difficult-to-diagnose diseases in humans. This concept is being used for the first time in a clinic. MitoExome sequencing uses new technologies known as next-generation sequencing (NGS) to decode all of the genes associated with mitochondria. Mitochondria are a capsule shaped organelle present within the cell. It is the powerhouse of the cell and its genes are inherited completely from the mother.

29 Jan 2012

Researchers discover new gene linked to MLCRD

Researchers have found a new gene that, when mutated, can lead to lymphoedema (swollen limbs) as part of a rare disorder that can also cause problems with eye and brain development. This is the fourth lymphoedema-related gene found by the same researchers in three years, and the first linked to the eyes and brain. They say it could lead to better diagnosis and treatment for lymphoedema, an area that has been poorly understood previously.

27 Jan 2012

Link between genetic abnormalities and cerebral palsy

For years it was thought that a difficult birth and other perinatal factors were the leading causes of cerebral palsy (CP), a group of disorders that can involve brain and nervous system functions such as movement, learning, hearing, seeing and thinking. Now, researchers at Geisinger Health System find that the majority of cerebral palsy causes may in fact be caused by genetic abnormalities.

27 Jan 2012

New links between leukemia cells and osteoblasts

University of Rochester Medical Center researchers have discovered new links between leukemia cells and cells involved in bone formation, offering a fresh perspective on how the blood cancer progresses and raising the possibility that therapies for bone disorders could help in the treatment of leukemia.

27 Jan 2012

Psychiatric disorders definitions to be revised

The definition of depression is proposed to be changed and now the diagnosis would characterize grieving as a disorder and greatly increase the number of people treated for it.

26 Jan 2012

Society of Toxicology 51st Annual Meeting and ToxExpo to be held March 11-15

More than 7,000 toxicologists from every corner of the globe are expected to attend the Society of Toxicology (SOT) 51st Annual Meeting and ToxExpo-, which will highlight toxicology's crucial role in creating a safer and healthier world. The five-day meeting will take place at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco from March 11-15, 2012.

25 Jan 2012

UH Case Medical Center initiates enrollment in Moxy Drug Coated Balloon trial for PAD

Physicians at University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center enrolled their first patient in LEVANT 2, a global, multicenter, randomized clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of the Moxy™ Drug Coated Balloon for the treatment of peripheral arterial disease.

25 Jan 2012