Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Mechanism behind nicotine dependency revealed

The research is being published the week of October 1, 2007, in an advance, online issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

2 Oct 2007

Notch gene may lead to new methods of beating breast cancer

University of Manchester researchers will reveal new ways of controlling and treating breast cancer at the National Cancer Research Institute conference in Birmingham today (Monday 1 October 2007).

From The University of Manchester 2 Oct 2007

Low maternal cholesterol levels may lead to adverse birth outcomes

Pregnant women who have very low cholesterol may face a greater risk of delivering their babies prematurely than women with more moderate cholesterol levels, a team led by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), reported today.

2 Oct 2007

Molecular basis of the cyanide polymorphism

That clover necklace you make for your child could well be a ring of poison.

2 Oct 2007

Genetics and learning

New research is giving scientists fresh insights into how genetics are a prime factor in how we learn.

2 Oct 2007

Gene discovery that affects breast cancer treatment

Medical scientists at the University of Leicester will be reporting on a potentially unique advance in breast cancer research at the National Cancer Research Institute Conference in Birmingham on Monday 1st October.

2 Oct 2007

Gene that lowers cell stress could protect against Parkinson's disease

The discovery of a relationship between two cell enzymes and their role in keeping the cell's energy generating machinery working smoothly could provide a new target for development of therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD).

2 Oct 2007

Scientists study folding of the brain's cortex

Engineers at Washington University in St. Louis are finding common ground between the shaping of the brain and the heart during embryonic development.

2 Oct 2007

Depression, aging, and proteins made by a virus may all play role in heart disease

Researchers here have linked an increase in two immune system proteins essential for inflammation to a latent viral infection and proposed a chain of events that might accelerate cardiovascular disease.

2 Oct 2007

Worm study sheds light on how the human body ages

Microscopic worms used for scientific research are living longer despite cellular defects, a discovery that is shedding light on how the human body ages and how doctors could one day limit or reverse genetic mutations that cause inherited diseases, according to a new University of Colorado at Boulder study.

2 Oct 2007

Tree bark compound gambogic amide stimulates growth, survival of brain cells

Researchers have identified a compound in tree bark that mimics the chemical reactions of a naturally occurring molecule in the brain responsible for stimulating neuronal cell signaling.

2 Oct 2007

Botched production of insulin molecule may lead to diabetes

Picture a pretzel factory production line, with conveyer belts carrying the dough, formed into unbaked pretzels, down to the oven to be cooked.

2 Oct 2007

Androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer may encourage spread of disease

A popular prostate cancer treatment called androgen deprivation therapy may encourage prostate cancer cells to produce a protein that makes them more likely to spread throughout the body, a new study by Johns Hopkins researchers suggests.

1 Oct 2007

Schizophrenia candidate genes affect even healthy individuals

Do gene variants that convey risk for schizophrenia affect apparently healthy individuals? Although these genes are present in every human, individuals may have different versions of these genes, called alleles.

1 Oct 2007

Researchers discover one of the mechanisms that prevents the spread of colon cancer

The first step in the development of colon cancer is the formation of benign tumours, called adenomas, in the intestine. Over time, these tumours may progress to produce colon cancer if they undergo a series of mutations and genetic alterations.

1 Oct 2007

Gene that lowers cell stress could protect against Parkinson’s disease

1 Oct 2007

Feeding the world without genetic engineering

The work of a Kansas State University professor is challenging the assumption that genetically engineered plants are the great scientific and technological revolution in agriculture and the only efficient and cheap way to feed a growing population.

1 Oct 2007

Oncolytics Biotech reports positive interim results of UK phase Ia/Ib trials

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. has announced that an oral presentation covering interim results from a U.K. Phase Ia/Ib combination REOLYSIN and radiation clinical trial for patients with advanced or metastatic cancers is scheduled to be presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) conference on October 2, 2007 in Birmingham, U.K.

29 Sep 2007

Genomic profiling of lung tumors helps doctors choose most effective treatment

Determining the genetic profile of a particular lung tumor can help clinicians make the crucial decision about which chemotherapy treatment to try first.

29 Sep 2007

BioNanomatrix and Complete Genomics form joint venture after NIST grant awarded

BioNanomatrix, Inc. and Complete Genomics Inc. (CGI) have announced that they have formed a joint venture that has received an $8.8 million grant award from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology Advanced Technology Program (NIST-ATP) to develop a system capable of sequencing the entire human genome in eight hours at a cost of less than $100

29 Sep 2007