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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).

Study finds new marker to detect fatal breast cancer

A new study conducted at the University College London, UK, found a new marker that has the capacity to help diagnose fatal breast cancer up to one year earlier than existing methods.

22 Dec 2017

Salk scientists find simpler way to derive functioning cardiac cells from stem cells

The process by which embryonic stem cells develop into heart cells is a complex process involving the precisely timed activation of several molecular pathways and at least 200 genes.

22 Dec 2017

Higher ‘mutational burden’ of tumors predicts success rate with cancer immunotherapies

The "mutational burden," or the number of mutations present in a tumor's DNA, is a good predictor of whether that cancer type will respond to a class of cancer immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors, a new study led by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers shows.

21 Dec 2017

Loss of specific protein makes breast cancers more aggressive, resistant to chemotherapy

Researchers in Italy have discovered how specific versions of a protein called Numb protect the key tumor suppressor p53 from destruction.

21 Dec 2017

Researchers design new polymer particles using DNA strands

McGill University researchers have chemically imprinted polymer particles with DNA strands - a technique that could lead to new materials for applications ranging from biomedicine to the promising field of "soft robotics."

20 Dec 2017

Genome editing approach prevents progressive hearing loss in animals

Using molecular scissors wrapped in a greasy delivery package, researchers have disrupted a gene variant that leads to deafness in mice.

20 Dec 2017

Gene editing shows promise to help people at risk of hearing loss

Gene editing could someday help people at risk of hearing loss from genetic mutations, according to research by a new Rice University faculty member.

20 Dec 2017

Stem cells remain healthy following low-dose X-ray exposure, say biophysicists

Biophysicists have shown that following low-dose exposure to X-rays (at 80 milligrays), stem cells remain healthy, proliferate, and do not accumulate DNA damage to be passed on to their progeny. The paper was published in the journal Aging.

20 Dec 2017

New system makes it easier to detect rare molecules linked to early disease

By attaching specialized molecules to the backbone of DNA, researchers have made it easier to detect rare molecules associated with early disease.

20 Dec 2017

Epigenetics: A New Tool for Forensic Detectives

Developing analytical methods can help the triers of fact, judges and juries, better understand the events surrounding the circumstances of a crime. In forensic analysis, we are talking about determining the identity of unknown individuals through DNA and using DNA and other chemical signatures to determine and clarify the circumstances of the crime.

From Pittcon 20 Dec 2017

Scientists develop test to predict treatment outcomes in patients with childhood leukemia

UC San Francisco physician-scientists have developed a test that can predict how patients with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) will respond to treatment, and may also be able to identify patients who are likely to recover spontaneously with little to no treatment.

19 Dec 2017

Study identifies potential markers for early diagnosis, treatment of oral tongue cancer

Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue, also known as oral tongue cancer, is an aggressive form of cancer that generally affects older people. Patients with the disease often find it difficult to eat, swallow food, or speak.

19 Dec 2017

FDA approves new gene therapy targeting rare form of inherited vision loss

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Luxturna (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl), a new gene therapy, to treat children and adult patients with an inherited form of vision loss that may result in blindness.

19 Dec 2017

Study finds combination therapy as effective strategy to treat ovarian cancers

Researchers at The Wistar Institute have found that combining PARP inhibitors, recently approved for the treatment of BRCA-mutant ovarian cancer, with another small molecule inhibitor was effective to treat ovarian cancers without BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.

19 Dec 2017

Researchers link stress-related genetic changes to suicide risk and psychiatric illness

Researchers have linked genetic changes in the so-called CRH gene, which affects the regulation of the body's stress system, to suicide risk and psychiatric illness.

19 Dec 2017

Ottawa researchers use viruses to target and destroy HIV

While Ottawa researchers are known for their work on cancer-fighting viruses, one team is applying these viruses to a new target: HIV.

19 Dec 2017

Advances in BioAFM

AFM is quite a versatile technique and we see a great potential of this technology for life science applications. It is still fairly new in Bio community, however very well accepted not only as imaging tools but as a versatile instrument for nanomechanical measurements.

From Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology 19 Dec 2017