Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Cornell researchers learn how helicase enzyme works to unzip two strands of DNA

With an eye toward understanding DNA replication, Cornell researchers have learned how a helicase enzyme works to actually unzip the two strands of DNA.

19 Sep 2011

CWRU receives NCI grant to advance treatment of gastrointestinal cancers

The National Cancer Institute has awarded $11.3 million to Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine to establish a center of excellence for research on gastrointestinal cancers.

19 Sep 2011

Landmark international study confirms common genetic contribution to mental illness

An international research consortium has confirmed that common genetic variants contribute to a person’s risk of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The largest study of its kind provides new molecular evidence that 11 regions have strong association with these diseases, including six regions not previously observed. The researchers also found that many of these DNA variations contribute to both diseases. The findings, reported by the Psychiatric Genome-Wide Association Study Consortium (PGC) and published online in two papers in the journal Nature Genetics, represent significant advances in the understanding the causes of these severe and often debilitating disorders.

18 Sep 2011

Risks of problem drinking on the rise among women

In a review of 31 peer-reviewed and published studies, researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health looked generational and gender differences in alcohol consumption, alcohol disorders, and mortality. Findings indicate that people born after World War II are more likely to binge drink and develop alcohol use disorders. Researchers also found that the gender gap in alcoholism and problem drinking is narrowing in many countries.

17 Sep 2011

Case Western Reserve awarded $11.3M to establish gastrointestinal cancer research center

The National Cancer Institute has awarded $11.3 million to Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine to establish a center of excellence for research on gastrointestinal cancers. The funding designates the university as a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers - recognition extended to just one institution this year.

17 Sep 2011

New insight into how nervous system regulates immunity

Scientists have identified a surprising new role for a new type of T cell in the immune system: some of them can be activated by nerves to make a neurotransmitter (acetylcholine) that blocks inflammation. The discovery of these T cells is novel and suggests that it may be possible to treat inflammation and autoimmune diseases by targeting the nerves and the T cells. The study was published this week in Science.

17 Sep 2011

Suicidal teens are not likely to get mental healthcare they need

15 Sep 2011

Differences in lifestyle, tumor genetics linked to head and neck cancer in African Americans

Why are African Americans more likely than Caucasians to be not only diagnosed with head and neck cancer, but also die from the disease? While the answer isn't a simple one, differences in lifestyle, access to care and tumor genetics may, in part, be to blame, according to a new study from Henry Ford Hospital.

15 Sep 2011

Research identifies 6 critical deafness-related mutations in Israeli Jewish, Palestinian Arab families

Precise diagnosis of disease and developmental syndromes often depends on understanding the genetics underlying them. Most cases of early onset hearing loss are genetic in origin but there are many different forms. Heretofore, it has been difficult to identify the gene responsible for the hearing loss of each affected child, because the critical mutations differ among countries and populations.

14 Sep 2011

Suicidal teens not getting needed mental healthcare

Suicidal teens are not likely to get the mental healthcare they need. This is according to a team of researchers at Seattle Children's Research Institute, the University of Washington (UW), and Group Health Research Institute. The study, "Adolescents With Suicidal Ideation: Health Care Use and Functioning," was recently published in Academic Pediatrics.

14 Sep 2011

Health Canada approves Afinitor for treatment of brain tumours caused by TSC in children

Families with children suffering from brain tumours caused by an uncommon genetic disorder known as Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) have new hope with Health Canada's recent conditional approval of a new therapeutic use for the drug Afinitor (everolimus). Afinitor is the first drug therapy approved in Canada for the treatment of brain tumours caused by TSC in patients three years of age and older.

14 Sep 2011

OBT, Seattle Genetics form strategic collaboration to discover novel ADCs for cancer

Seattle Genetics, Inc. and Oxford BioTherapeutics today announced that they have formed a strategic collaboration to jointly discover novel antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for cancer.

14 Sep 2011

Combining cell biology and molecular genetics for single-cell research

Fluidigm Corporation has announced a collaboration with BD Biosciences, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), to co-host a public seminar series on the isolation and analysis of single cells. Entitled 'A Powerful Technique for Single-Cell Analysis', the public seminar series will showcase cell isolation using the BD FACSAria™ III Cell Sorter and analysis using the Fluidigm BioMark™ HD System.

13 Sep 2011

African-Americans have higher risk of high blood pressure earlier

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13 Sep 2011

New drug combination may treat two aggressive cancers

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have identified a new combination of targeted therapies that, together, may treat two aggressive tumor types that until now have not had effective treatments. These findings are published in Cancer Cell on September 13, 2011.

13 Sep 2011

Clinical trial planned in Australia and the USA to help patients with ‘orphan’ disease

Prana Biotechnology Limited announced today that researchers are planning recruitment for a phase II clinical trial of the experimental drug PBT2 in Huntington’s patients. There are currently no treatments for the genetic, neurodegenerative disease; Australia is increasingly seen as a leader in the development of therapies for neurologic disorders. Huntington’s often affects young adults and progressively impacts the body, mind and emotions. The disease causes incapacitation and death about 15-25 years after onset.

12 Sep 2011

LabCorp extends previously announced cash tender offer for Orchid Cellmark shares

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings today announced that LabCorp is extending until 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 7, 2011 LabCorp's previously announced cash tender offer for all outstanding shares of the common stock of Orchid Cellmark Inc..

12 Sep 2011

Women with BRCA gene mutation develop breast cancer earlier than their ancestors

Women with a deleterious gene mutation are diagnosed with breast cancer almost eight years earlier than relatives of the previous generation who also had the disease and/or ovarian cancer, according to new research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

12 Sep 2011

Genetically modified ‘glow cat’ for HIV/AIDS research

U.S. researcher Eric Poeschla has produced three glowing genetically modified cats by using a virus to carry a gene, called green fluorescent protein (GFP), into the eggs from which the animals eventually grew. This method of genetic modification is simpler and more efficient than traditional cloning techniques, and results in fewer animals being needed in the process.

12 Sep 2011

Chronic pain gene discovered

Scientists have found the gene responsible for chronic pain. It said that this could lead to drugs for treating long-lasting back pain.

12 Sep 2011

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Cornell researchers learn how helicase enzyme works to unzip two strands of DNA

CWRU receives NCI grant to advance treatment of gastrointestinal cancers

Landmark international study confirms common genetic contribution to mental illness

Risks of problem drinking on the rise among women

Case Western Reserve awarded $11.3M to establish gastrointestinal cancer research center

New insight into how nervous system regulates immunity

Suicidal teens are not likely to get mental healthcare they need

Differences in lifestyle, tumor genetics linked to head and neck cancer in African Americans

Research identifies 6 critical deafness-related mutations in Israeli Jewish, Palestinian Arab families

Suicidal teens not getting needed mental healthcare

Health Canada approves Afinitor for treatment of brain tumours caused by TSC in children

OBT, Seattle Genetics form strategic collaboration to discover novel ADCs for cancer

Combining cell biology and molecular genetics for single-cell research

African-Americans have higher risk of high blood pressure earlier

New drug combination may treat two aggressive cancers

Clinical trial planned in Australia and the USA to help patients with ‘orphan’ disease

LabCorp extends previously announced cash tender offer for Orchid Cellmark shares

Women with BRCA gene mutation develop breast cancer earlier than their ancestors

Genetically modified ‘glow cat’ for HIV/AIDS research

Chronic pain gene discovered

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