Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

African-American women with mitochondrial DNA variant are at increased risk of breast cancer

African-American women who carry the 10398A mitochondrial DNA allele are 60 percent more likely to develop invasive breast cancer than African-American females without that genetic marker, according to research published in the September 1 issue of "Cancer Research."

1 Sep 2005

James Bond affects the development of breasts!

Breakthrough Breast Cancer has announced that UK scientists have discovered that a gene - named after the James Bond villain Scaramanga - can trigger the development of breasts. This has important implications for breast cancer, as reported in the journal Genes and Development.

1 Sep 2005

Study provides first steps toward individualized treatment of serious injuries

A multi-institutional research collaborative has begun to decipher the complex interplay of genes that underlies the body's response to major injuries.

1 Sep 2005

Men with breast cancer gene at risk of pancreatic and prostate cancers

The very same genetic mutation which has been previously linked to the development of breast cancer in women may also be responsible for some cancers in men.

1 Sep 2005

Human Y chromosome stays intact while chimp Y loses genes

The human and the chimpanzee Y chromosomes went their separate ways approximately 6 million years ago. But ever since this evolutionary parting, these two chromosomes have experienced different fates, new research indicates.

1 Sep 2005

Mutation in the BRAC2 breast cancer gene may also increase the risk of bone and throat cancers

A genetic mutation implicated in an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers also significantly increases the risk of pancreatic and prostate cancers in men, finds research in the Journal of Medical Genetics.

1 Sep 2005

Compound called GRN163L blocks lung cancer

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found a compound that shows promise as a way to block the spread, or metastasis, of lung cancer.

1 Sep 2005

More than 15 percent of our genes are mobilized to defend against microbial attacks

The body's overwhelming genetic defense, which has implications for the survival of patients who are severely burned or injured, was revealed in a sweeping analysis of gene activity in volunteers who were injected with a bacterial product that temporarily created flu-like symptoms.

1 Sep 2005

Low doses of the active form of vitamin D and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs form one-two punch against prostate cancer cells

Low doses of the active form of vitamin D and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, taken in combination, have been shown to act as a powerful one-two punch that knocks down the growth of prostate cancer cells.

1 Sep 2005

When it comes to inflammation, too much of a good thing can be deadly

In some severely injured patients, this normal healing process can develop into a lethal, whole-body response, including bloodstream infection (sepsis) and multiple organ failure. How and why inflammation turns from healing to harming is still mysterious, so doctors can't accurately predict how each injured patient will fare.

31 Aug 2005

Discovery of gene that may play a role in centronuclear myopathy

By studying the molecules that regulate the formation of muscle, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered a gene that may play a role in a rare muscular disease in humans.

31 Aug 2005

Charles Darwin was right and chimp gene map proves it

According to scientists who have mapped the complete chimp genome and compared it to the human gene map, there is little genetic difference between humans and chimps, but those differences count for a lot.

31 Aug 2005

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome in children may be helped by cancer drugs

Children who suffer from a rare disease called progeria, which accelerates aging and often kills patients when they are in their teens, may possibly be helped by drugs being developed to treat cancer.

31 Aug 2005

Step towards understanding cell mutations that cause a variety of human diseases

A step towards understanding cell mutations that cause a variety of human diseases, particularly in children - including that which brings about premature aging and early death - has been taken by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Silberman Institute of Life Sciences and the John Hopkins University School of Medicine.

30 Aug 2005

Scientists help narrow the search for BRCA1 carriers

Cancer Research UK scientists have identified a new test which may help narrow the search for breast cancer patients likely to carry the faulty BRCA1 gene.

30 Aug 2005

Australian National University facility to help reveal secrets of life

High technology that will enhance the ability of biologists to conduct cutting-edge research has been opened at the Research School of Biological Sciences (RSBS) at the Australian National University.

30 Aug 2005

Genetic makeup may detemine likely success of quit smoking therapies

A study by researchers at the Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center (TTURC) of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine indicates that a smoker's genetic make-up may affect whether they quit or not while using either bupropion (Zyban) or nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) such as the nicotine patch or nasal spray.

30 Aug 2005

Blocking Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) with anticancer drugs

A class of anticancer drugs currently being evaluated in phase 3 clinical trials may also be an effective treatment for Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), a fatal genetic disorder that causes premature aging.

29 Aug 2005

Drugs known as farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) may hold promise for premature aging disorder

In a surprising development, a research team led by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), has found that a class of experimental anti-cancer drugs also shows promise in laboratory studies for treating a fatal genetic disorder that causes premature aging.

29 Aug 2005

New tool to help unravel the function of an elusive DNA structure

A Rensselaer researcher has developed a new tool to help unravel the function of an elusive DNA structure. The findings, which were presented today at the 230th national meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Washington, D.C., could lead to a better understanding of diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

29 Aug 2005