Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Leptin could combat type 2 diabetes

University of Florida researchers have discovered the appetite-controlling hormone leptin could also combat type 2 diabetes, a disease that has become a growing problem in the United States as more Americans pack on extra pounds.

21 Sep 2006

Women feel thin models are more elegant, interesting and pleasant

Thin fashion models help sell products because many women feel that putting on weight shows a lack of willpower, a new study says.

20 Sep 2006

Researchers discover clues to the cause of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Researchers' discovery of clues to the cause of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) - a form of pediatric cancer that has a very poor prognosis - could lead to the development of new targeted therapies for this extremely difficult disease.

20 Sep 2006

Nanocantilever biosensors detect multiple genes

Using nanoscale cantilevers in a microfluidics device, a team of European researchers has developed a portable biosensor capable of detecting specific genetic sequences.

19 Sep 2006

Racial discrimination can affect adolescents' development - lead to depression and behavior problems

Racial discrimination in the lives of African-American children can lead to depression and behavior problems in adolescence, but teens who have had close relationships with their parents, friendships focused on positive pursuits and good schooling experiences are less likely to experience these negative effects.

14 Sep 2006

California Bill seeks to restrict payments to egg donors

A California bill seeks to extend to privately funded laboratories a provision under Proposition 71 that says scientists receiving state embryonic stem cell research funds can reimburse egg donors only for their expenses and cannot pay egg donors, the Los Angeles Times reports (Romney, Los Angeles Times, 9/13).

14 Sep 2006

Study extends the number of antigenic peptides that can be produced from a single protein

Understanding medical research problems often relies on the direct, linear relationship between the sequence of a protein and the DNA encoding that protein. In fact, colinearity of DNA and protein sequences is thought to be a fundamental feature of the universal genetic code.

13 Sep 2006

Green tea slows down plaque formation in Huntington's disease

Green tea can apparently inhibit the formation of the lethal protein aggregates that are a characteristic feature of Huntington's disease (HD).

13 Sep 2006

Molecular chaperones protect cells

Falsely folded proteins and their aggregations in neurons are considered to be the cause of neurodegenerative diseases, among them Chorea Huntington.

13 Sep 2006

Industry using third parties to manage public concerns about genetic screening

The use of genetic tests to screen for inherited diseases is one of the most controversial applications of gene technologies.

13 Sep 2006

High copayments for 'specialty pharmacy' medications has little effect on use

Higher copayments have a small effect on usage of "specialty pharmacy" medications, which can cost as much as $10,000 monthly, according to a study published Tuesday in the journal Health Affairs, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

13 Sep 2006

Breast and ovarian cancers linked by heredity - women need to know their risks

During September, Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation (GCF) urges women to learn more about familial breast-ovarian cancer syndrome.

12 Sep 2006

New class of super NSAIDs

Building on previous work, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found that deleting an inflammation enzyme in a mouse model of heart disease slowed the development of atherosclerosis.

12 Sep 2006

Father's pheromonal cues may influence daughter's first occurrence of menstruation

Chemical cues from fathers may be delaying the onset of sexual maturity in daughters, as part of an evolutionary strategy to prevent inbreeding, according to researchers at Penn State.

12 Sep 2006

SemBioSys Genetics granted immunoglobulin related patent

SemBioSys Genetics has announced it has been granted U.S. patent 7,098,383 entitled "Methods for the production of multimeric immunoglobulins, and related compositions".

11 Sep 2006

Claims that the discovery of a gene could help prevent diabetes may raise unrealistic expectations

Earlier this year, scientists discovered that a variant of the TCF7L2 gene was associated with type 2 diabetes. In subsequent media coverage, they claimed this could lead to a diagnostic test to identify people who carry the variant gene and that people who knew of their extra risk would then be motivated to avoid the lifestyle habits that lead to diabetes.

7 Sep 2006