Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Common genetic variation in HLA region associated with late-onset sporadic Parkinson's disease: Research

A team of researchers has discovered new evidence that Parkinson's disease may have an infectious or autoimmune origin. "Common genetic variation in the HLA region is associated with late-onset sporadic Parkinson's disease" appears online in Nature Genetics.

16 Aug 2010

Legal scholar calls for FDA to regulate all health-related genetic tests

An opinion piece by a legal scholar from the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics in this week's issue of Nature calls for the Food and Drug Administration to regulate all health-related genetic tests — whether available directly to consumers or through a health care provider — using an approach that imposes requirements proportionate to a test's level of risk.

13 Aug 2010

LabCorp announces collaboration between Esoterix Clinical Trials Services, Clearstone Central Laboratories

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings announced today a collaboration between Esoterix Clinical Trials Services, a division of LabCorp, and Clearstone Central Laboratories, a global central laboratory specializing in drug development and pharmaceutical services.

13 Aug 2010

Interleukin Genetics second-quarter net loss from continuing operations decreases to $1.9 million

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. today announced financial and operational results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

13 Aug 2010

U-M dentistry agrees to use Interleukin's PST test for gum disease clinical study

University of Michigan School of Dentistry has signed an agreement with Interleukin Genetics Inc. to conduct what may be the largest clinical study to date using genetic testing to assess the risk for gum disease.

13 Aug 2010

Study finds Olaparib can reduce tumor size in ovarian cancer women

Understanding the underlying genetic weakness of certain types of cancer may lead to targeted therapy and provide the key to effective treatment, a new study suggests. An international consortium of researchers has shown that an investigational drug, Olaparib, can reduce the size of tumors in women with advanced hereditary ovarian cancer with BRCA gene mutations.

13 Aug 2010

Merlin protein controls adult cell activity to cause liver cancer

A protein known to be involved in a rare hereditary cancer syndrome may have a role in the regulation of liver stem cells and the development of liver cancer. In the August 15 issue of Genes & Development, a Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) research team describes finding that the protein called merlin, encoded by the NF2 (neurofibromatosis type 2) gene, controls the activity of adult stem cells that give rise to the two major types of liver cells.

13 Aug 2010

Research finds genetic roots of alcoholism in humans

A novel mutation found in a mouse gene might provide new insights into the genetic roots of alcoholism in humans, according to a study led by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center and the University of California, San Francisco. The study is published August 12th in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics.

13 Aug 2010

Superbug purportedly from Asia on the rise in UK & Australia

British scientists have claimed that a new gene called New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase, or NDM-1 has emerged that makes the bacteria resistant to almost all antibiotics. India has rejected the claim that it is the source of this superbug. Cases have been detected in the UK and Australia and are on the rise in the UK.

12 Aug 2010

Interleukin Genetics, University of Michigan to conduct landmark clinical study on periodontal disease

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. announced today that the Company has signed an agreement with the University of Michigan to conduct a landmark clinical study on risk factors predictive of periodontal disease progression to tooth loss using a new version of Interleukin Genetics' PST genetic test.

12 Aug 2010

Seattle Genetics, Genentech expand antibody-drug conjugate collaboration

Seattle Genetics, Inc. announced today that it has expanded its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) collaboration agreement with Genentech, Inc., a member of the Roche Group. Under the expanded agreement, Genentech will pay an upfront fee of $12 million for rights to utilize Seattle Genetics' ADC technology with additional antigens to be named by Genentech.

12 Aug 2010

Human Immune Phenotyping Centers to receive NIAID grants for research

A new nationwide research initiative has been launched to define changes in the human immune system, using human and not animal studies, in response to infection or to vaccination. Six U. S.-based Human Immune Phenotyping Centers will receive a total of $100 million over five years to conduct this research.Funding for the centers is provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Support for the first year of this initiative will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

12 Aug 2010

TLV, Emergent BioSolutions form joint venture to develop broad spectrum pandemic flu vaccine

Temasek Life Science Ventures Pte Ltd and Emergent BioSolutions Inc. today announced their agreement to form EPIC BIO Pte Ltd, a joint venture to develop, manufacture, and commercialize a multivalent, cross-protective human vaccine to protect against influenza caused by a broad range of circulating H5 influenza strains.

12 Aug 2010

Researchers find transposons determine differences in physical traits, disease risks

Building on a tool that they developed in yeast four years ago, researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine scanned the human genome and discovered what they believe is the reason people have such a variety of physical traits and disease risks.

12 Aug 2010

University of Maryland receives grant from NCRR to acquire superconducting NMR spectrometer

The University of Maryland, in partnership with the University of Maryland, Baltimore and University of Maryland Baltimore County, has received a $7.9 million federal grant to acquire a superconducting 950 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) magnet that will help researchers unravel the mysteries of molecules and develop new agents to treat cancer, AIDS and other diseases.

12 Aug 2010

Protagen granted Notice of Allowance in Japan for key method patent for identifying and selecting clones

Protagen AG, a specialist for in-vitro diagnostics and GMP-compliant protein analysis, announced today that it received a Notice of Allowance by the Japanese Patent Office stating a favourable decision for the patent application 2000-547262 developed at the Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, Germany. This patent claims broadly a method for identifying and selecting clones relating to the basic UNIclone® technology and is already granted in Europe with the publication number EP1073770 B1.

11 Aug 2010

Spinal muscular atrophy may lead to cardiac dysfunction: Study

Along with skeletal muscles, it may be important to monitor heart function in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). These are the findings from a study conducted by Nationwide Children's Hospital and published online ahead of print in Human Molecular Genetics. This is the first study to report cardiac dysfunction in mouse models of SMA.

11 Aug 2010

Myriad Genetics fourth-quarter revenues increase 9% to $93.9 million

Myriad Genetics, Inc. today reported financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.

11 Aug 2010

Brain-wave pattern study may lead to techniques for enhancing sleep spindles

People who have trouble sleeping in noisy environments often resort to strategies like earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones that muffle the sound, but a new study from investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) may lead to ways to block disturbing sounds within the brain. In their report in the August 10 issue of Current Biology, the team reports finding a brain-wave pattern, reflecting activity of a key structure, that predicts the ease at which sleep can be disrupted by noise.

10 Aug 2010

NIH begins human clinical testing for dengue virus vaccine

After more than a decade of development at the National Institutes of Health, a vaccine to prevent infection by the mosquito-borne dengue virus has begun human clinical testing. The vaccine was developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and is undergoing clinical study at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

10 Aug 2010

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Common genetic variation in HLA region associated with late-onset sporadic Parkinson's disease: Research

Legal scholar calls for FDA to regulate all health-related genetic tests

LabCorp announces collaboration between Esoterix Clinical Trials Services, Clearstone Central Laboratories

Interleukin Genetics second-quarter net loss from continuing operations decreases to $1.9 million

U-M dentistry agrees to use Interleukin's PST test for gum disease clinical study

Study finds Olaparib can reduce tumor size in ovarian cancer women

Merlin protein controls adult cell activity to cause liver cancer

Research finds genetic roots of alcoholism in humans

Superbug purportedly from Asia on the rise in UK & Australia

Interleukin Genetics, University of Michigan to conduct landmark clinical study on periodontal disease

Seattle Genetics, Genentech expand antibody-drug conjugate collaboration

Human Immune Phenotyping Centers to receive NIAID grants for research

TLV, Emergent BioSolutions form joint venture to develop broad spectrum pandemic flu vaccine

Researchers find transposons determine differences in physical traits, disease risks

University of Maryland receives grant from NCRR to acquire superconducting NMR spectrometer

Protagen granted Notice of Allowance in Japan for key method patent for identifying and selecting clones

Spinal muscular atrophy may lead to cardiac dysfunction: Study

Myriad Genetics fourth-quarter revenues increase 9% to $93.9 million

Brain-wave pattern study may lead to techniques for enhancing sleep spindles

NIH begins human clinical testing for dengue virus vaccine

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