DNA News and Research

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DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Childhood leukaemia significantly lower in Asia than in Western countries

The incidence of childhood leukaemia in Britain increased dramatically during the twentieth century. The increase has mainly affected the under-five age group, in whom the risk increased by more than 50 per cent during the second half of the century alone.

9 Sep 2004

Study provides insight on how DNA code is turned into instructions for protein construction

A team of scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Weizmann Institute of Science has revealed the structure of a cellular editor that “cuts and pastes” the first draft of RNA straight after it is formed from its DNA template.

9 Sep 2004

Protein sources, such as beef and beans beneficial in lowering childhood leukemia risk

A new study suggests that eating more vegetables, fruit and protein before pregnancy may lower the risk of having a child who develops leukemia, the most common childhood cancer in the United States.

8 Sep 2004

Gene linked to both alcoholism and depression

A national team of investigators led by psychiatric geneticists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has identified a gene that appears to be linked to both alcoholism and depression.

8 Sep 2004

Autism may arise from a mixture of sources that include a few genes and epigenetics

Autism, a serious developmental disorder in children, may arise from a mixture of sources that include a few genes and alterations in the factors that regulate genes (epigenetics) that may be inherited or occur as a new event, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine.

8 Sep 2004

New IBM technology could bring the promise of personalized medicine one step closer

Using a basic computer language, the researchers created a "smart" DNA stream that contains a patient's entire medical record

8 Sep 2004

New genetic hypothesis for the cause of autism

Researchers have proposed a new hypothesis on the cause of autism, suggesting a mixed epigenetic and genetic and mixed de novo and inherited (MEGDI) model.

8 Sep 2004

Experts consider evidence of link between the rise in childhood leukaemia and increased light at night

International experts will today consider the evidence for a link between the rise in childhood leukaemia and increased light at night at an international scientific conference in London.

8 Sep 2004

First indication that Parkinson’s disease can be caused by a defect in a protein

The findings of Finnish scientists with their multinational collaborators shed light to the mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease and early menopause.

8 Sep 2004

Mitochondrial genes cause nuclear mischief

While the nucleus of a cell may be its command headquarters, mitochondria are equally vital—they are the power plants of the cell, and without them all cellular activity would quickly and irrevocably come to a halt.

7 Sep 2004

Phico Therapeutics secures funding to tackle superbug

Phico Therapeutics Ltd, a Cambridge-based company that has developed a unique anti-bacterial technology to treat the hospital superbug, MRSA, has raised £550,000 with the help of Oxfordshire Investment Opportunity Network, Europe’s leading technology business angel network.

6 Sep 2004

Risk of thyroid cancer rises with increasing radiation dose

The risk of thyroid cancer rises with increasing radiation dose, according to the most thorough risk analysis for thyroid cancer to date among people who grew up in the shadow of the 1986 Chernobyl power-plant disaster.

2 Sep 2004

Women perceive color better than men

Stereotypes about the superior color sense of women may well be rooted in genetics. Brian Verrelli, a researcher at the Biodesign Institute at ASU, is co-collaborator on a study suggesting that natural genetic selection has provided women with a frequent ability to better discriminate between colors than men.

2 Sep 2004

Researchers discover that DNA fragments destroy melanoma cells

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine have discovered that small DNA fragments or oligonucleotides that resemble the telomere (chromosome end), also called T-oligos, can cause human melanoma cells to undergo extensive apoptosis (cell death), while surviving melanoma cells become more differentiated and therefore less aggressive.

1 Sep 2004

Knowing more about a gene’s responsibility will stir up a swarm of controversy

Pinning down how genetics contributes to behavior is slippery business. For instance, identifying the genes linked to a likelihood of developing schizophrenia or autism could stigmatize those who possess the genes, and may even play a role in defining the conditions themselves.

1 Sep 2004

Researchers accurately pinpoint the types of lymphoma, Hodgkins or non-Hodgkins

“There are many types and subtypes of lymphoma, some of which are easy to detect, but many that are very difficult to identify,” says Antonio Giordano, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sbarro Institute at Temple and one of the study’s principal investigators.

1 Sep 2004

Scientists to tackle the most common cause of diarrhoea world-wide with DNA sequencing

Returning holidaymakers may be comforted to know that travellers' diarrhoea could be a thing of the past. Scientists at the University of Birmingham's Medical School are set to sequence the DNA of the bacterium: this will identify causes of illness and point to better cures.

31 Aug 2004

Epimmune presents SIV vaccine study data showing control of virus despite the presence of viral mutations

Epimmune today presented preliminary data from its ongoing SIV rhesus macaque vaccine study at the AIDS Vaccine 2004 conference in Lausanne, Switzerland.

31 Aug 2004

Major trends in AIDS research that the different research teams throughout the world are pursuing

The science will be presented during the conference which is taking place in Lausanne until September 1, 2004. The advances in fundamental research, notably through a better understanding of the complex processes of immune defence, HIV and the functioning of vaccines, promote the genesis and development of new vaccine candidates.

30 Aug 2004

Interim data from human clinical trials of two AIDS vaccine candidates, named DNA.HIVA and MVA.HIVA

The interim data, from 205 volunteers in clinical trials in Kenya, Uganda and the United Kingdom, show that DNA.HIVA and MVA.HIVA are generally safe and well tolerated. However, the candidates’ ability to elicit an anti-HIV cell-mediated immune response is poor, using currently accepted measures of immune response.

30 Aug 2004

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

Childhood leukaemia significantly lower in Asia than in Western countries

Study provides insight on how DNA code is turned into instructions for protein construction

Protein sources, such as beef and beans beneficial in lowering childhood leukemia risk

Gene linked to both alcoholism and depression

Autism may arise from a mixture of sources that include a few genes and epigenetics

New IBM technology could bring the promise of personalized medicine one step closer

New genetic hypothesis for the cause of autism

Experts consider evidence of link between the rise in childhood leukaemia and increased light at night

First indication that Parkinson’s disease can be caused by a defect in a protein

Mitochondrial genes cause nuclear mischief

Phico Therapeutics secures funding to tackle superbug

Risk of thyroid cancer rises with increasing radiation dose

Women perceive color better than men

Researchers discover that DNA fragments destroy melanoma cells

Knowing more about a gene’s responsibility will stir up a swarm of controversy

Researchers accurately pinpoint the types of lymphoma, Hodgkins or non-Hodgkins

Scientists to tackle the most common cause of diarrhoea world-wide with DNA sequencing

Epimmune presents SIV vaccine study data showing control of virus despite the presence of viral mutations

Major trends in AIDS research that the different research teams throughout the world are pursuing

Interim data from human clinical trials of two AIDS vaccine candidates, named DNA.HIVA and MVA.HIVA

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