Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Metallic copper surfaces kill bacteria on contact

Metallic copper surfaces kill microbes on contact, decimating their populations, according to a paper in the February 2011 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. They do so literally in minutes, by causing massive membrane damage after about a minute's exposure, says the study's corresponding author, Gregor Grass of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. This is the first study to demonstrate this mechanism of bacteriocide.

17 Feb 2011

FAK enzyme plays a key role in preparing lung tissue for metastatic development

A Massachusetts General Hospital study has identified a new role for an important enzyme in preparing lung tissue for the development of metastases.

17 Feb 2011

Brain enzyme blocks accumulation of tau proteins, slows down progression of neural degeneration

Increasing puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase, the most abundant brain peptidase in mammals, slowed the damaging accumulation of tau proteins that are toxic to nerve cells and eventually lead to the neurofibrillary tangles, a major pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, according to a study published online in the journal, Human Molecular Genetics.

17 Feb 2011

Deactivation of CRTC1 protein increases lifespan

Substantial evidence suggests that lifespan is increased if an organism restricts its daily calorie intake, a spartan regime that some say works by just making life seem longer. A team of scientists from the Salk Institute of Biological Studies has discovered a molecular switch flipped by hunger that could not only make longevity more appetizing but identify drug targets for patients with aging-related diseases such as type II diabetes or cancer.

17 Feb 2011

Muscle, aptly enough, is born of cellular bullying, and not mutual consent

In fact, according to new research from Johns Hopkins, the fusion of muscle cells is a power struggle that involves a smaller mobile antagonist that points at, pokes and finally pushes into its larger, stationary partner using a newly identified finger-like projection.

17 Feb 2011

Mutations in gene linked to structure of the heart seen in Ebstein's anomaly patients

Ebstein's anomaly is a rare congenital valvular heart disease. Now, in patients with this disease, researchers of the Academic Medical Center Amsterdam in the Netherlands, the University of Newcastle, UK and the Max Delbr-ck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch have identified mutations in a gene which plays an important role in the structure of the heart.

16 Feb 2011

Break-induced Replication more likely to cause genetic mutation than normal cell repair

Researchers from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Umea- University report in a study published in the February 15, 2011, issue of PLoS Biology that a method by which cells repair breaks in their DNA, known as Break-induced Replication, is up to 2,800 times more likely to cause genetic mutation than normal cell repair.

16 Feb 2011

Researchers develop new DNA test for accurate detection of Turner syndrome in children

As a child grows, a short stature is not usually cause for concern, but it is often the only sign of a condition called Turner syndrome. Prevalent in girls, Turner syndrome is a genetic defect that short-circuits normal growth and leads to cardiac and renal problems. It is not commonly detected until age 10 or older when a youngster's unusually short height raises suspicions.

16 Feb 2011

WaferGen offers SNP Genotyping screening with new SmartChip PCR System

WaferGen Biosystems, Inc. a leading developer of state-of-the-art genomic analysis systems, today announced that it is offering an early access program for high-throughput Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Genotyping through its new SmartChip Real-Time PCR System.

16 Feb 2011

Research: Whole genome sequencing on tumors can treat pancreatic cancer

Whole genome sequencing - spelling out a person's entire DNA genetic code - has moved one step closer to being a medical option for direct patient care.

16 Feb 2011

Viral Genetics' lead researcher, Advisor to receive Lauren F. Brooks Hope Award

Viral Genetics, Inc. announced today that lead researcher Dr. M. Karen Newell Rogers and Advisor Mr. Richard Gerstner will receive the Lauren F. Brooks Hope Award, presented by Time for Lyme, Inc.

16 Feb 2011

Study: RAPI tool more effective at predicting future alcohol dependence of teen-age drinkers

A widely used index for assessing adolescent drinking-related problems has been found to be effective at predicting the future alcohol dependence of teen-age drinkers, according to an Indiana University study which also found that the association was stronger for adolescent female drinkers.

16 Feb 2011

New research finds differences in cell fate commitment during embryonic development in mammals

New research shows that all not mammals are created equal. In fact, this work shows that the animals most commonly used by scientists to study mammalian genetics -- mice -- develop unusually quickly and may not always be representative of embryonic development in other mammals.

15 Feb 2011

Researchers use computers to capture chemical signal structure that triggers metastatic cancer

In cancer and other pathological diseases, researchers are discovering that packaging is important: specifically, how DNA - about two meters long when unwound and stretched - coils up and compacts neatly inside the nucleus of a cell.

15 Feb 2011

NHGRI's new strategic plan to identify genetic bases of most single-gene disorders

A new strategic plan from an arm of the National Institutes of Health envisions scientists being able to identify genetic bases of most single-gene disorders and gaining new insights into multi-gene disorders in the next decade. This should lead to more accurate diagnoses, new drug targets and the development of practical treatments for many who today lack therapeutic options, according to the plan from the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

14 Feb 2011

Registration open for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis healthcare summit

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) announced today that registration is now open for the IPF Summit 2011: From Bench to Bedside. The conference will feature an innovative two-day continuing medical education (CME) program for physicians, researchers, and other health care professionals. Additionally there will be a separate one-day patient, family member, and caregiver program to address the growing educational needs of the idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) community.

14 Feb 2011

UH Case Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center increases tPA use for ischemic stroke by 13.5 times

University Hospitals Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center recently reported that it has increased the use of tPA or "clot busting therapy" for ischemic stroke by 13.5 times throughout UH system hospitals since implementing the System Stroke Program. Launched in 2008, SSP sought to increase access to the lifesaving treatment for acute ischemic stroke patients in the 15 counties surrounding Cleveland.

14 Feb 2011

New study on mosquito genome sequences to identify 'transposable elements'

A team of scientists at the University of California, Riverside has begun working on a mosquito research project that, if successful, will provide valuable genetic resources capable of transforming the way mosquito research is conducted around the world.

14 Feb 2011

Gene-transfer system may control mosquito-borne diseases without pesticides

Scientists have modeled a system that may be used to control mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit, without the use of pesticides. In the proposed system, mosquitoes are engineered to carry two genes. The first gene causes males to transmit a toxin to females through their semen. The second gene, when expressed in females, makes them immune to this toxin.

14 Feb 2011

Genetic tests find skeletons like incest in the family: Study

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston have developed sophisticated DNA analyses that can detect disabilities as birth defects, epilepsy or developmental delays. They note that about 25 percent of genetic material inherited from their mother was the same as material inherited from their father. This denoted incest. This has triggered ethical debates over how these inadvertent findings should be handled.

13 Feb 2011

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Metallic copper surfaces kill bacteria on contact

FAK enzyme plays a key role in preparing lung tissue for metastatic development

Brain enzyme blocks accumulation of tau proteins, slows down progression of neural degeneration

Deactivation of CRTC1 protein increases lifespan

Muscle, aptly enough, is born of cellular bullying, and not mutual consent

Mutations in gene linked to structure of the heart seen in Ebstein's anomaly patients

Break-induced Replication more likely to cause genetic mutation than normal cell repair

Researchers develop new DNA test for accurate detection of Turner syndrome in children

WaferGen offers SNP Genotyping screening with new SmartChip PCR System

Research: Whole genome sequencing on tumors can treat pancreatic cancer

Viral Genetics' lead researcher, Advisor to receive Lauren F. Brooks Hope Award

Study: RAPI tool more effective at predicting future alcohol dependence of teen-age drinkers

New research finds differences in cell fate commitment during embryonic development in mammals

Researchers use computers to capture chemical signal structure that triggers metastatic cancer

NHGRI's new strategic plan to identify genetic bases of most single-gene disorders

Registration open for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis healthcare summit

UH Case Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center increases tPA use for ischemic stroke by 13.5 times

New study on mosquito genome sequences to identify 'transposable elements'

Gene-transfer system may control mosquito-borne diseases without pesticides

Genetic tests find skeletons like incest in the family: Study

Sequencing & Genomics: Elevating Science and Healthcare eBook

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging