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).

MIT researchers develop innovative paper-based test to diagnose Zika virus

A new paper-based test developed at MIT and other institutions can diagnose Zika virus infection within a few hours. The test, which distinguishes Zika from the very similar dengue virus, can be stored at room temperature and read with a simple electronic reader, making it potentially practical for widespread use.

9 May 2016

Novel animal model helps understand mechanisms that lead to multiple myeloma

Researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine have developed an animal model that allows them to better understand the mechanisms that lead to the development of multiple myeloma, a hematologic cancer of plasma cells, and the amyloidosis that sometimes accompanies it. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.

6 May 2016

T cell gives precise mechanical tugs to detect friends and foes

T cells, the security guards of the immune system, use a kind of mechanical "handshake" to test whether a cell they encounter is a friend or foe, a new study finds.

6 May 2016

Study sheds light on development of ILCs that play vital role in body's immune defense

Through the use of powerful genomic techniques, researchers at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases have found that the development of immune cells, called innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), gradually prepares these cells for rapid response to infection. This work, which appeared online today in Cell, sheds light on the development and function of a cell type that is increasingly recognized as having an important role in the body's immune defense. NIAMS is part of the National Institutes of Health.

6 May 2016

Study shows short-term statin treatment does not benefit heart surgery patients

Giving daily doses of statins for a few days before and after heart surgery does not prevent heart muscle damage or the development of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to an international clinical trial led by the University of Oxford and funded by the British Heart Foundation.

5 May 2016

Researchers detect five new genes that increase endometrial cancer risk in women

An international collaboration of researchers has identified five new gene regions that increase a woman's risk of developing endometrial cancer, one of the most common cancers to affect women, taking the number of known gene regions associated with the disease to nine.

4 May 2016

Long-term use of herbal remedies may not guarantee safety

Millions of people around the world use herbal health remedies, following a tradition that began millennia ago. Many believe that herbs are safe because they have been used for many years, but researchers from Baylor College of Medicine and Stony Brook University are raising awareness that long-term use of herbal remedies is no guarantee of their safety. The invited commentary appears in EMBO reports.

4 May 2016

Combination of two diagnostic tests can decrease chance of missing tumors by sevenfold

Cytopathology researchers at Houston Methodist Hospital recently found that combining two diagnostic tests, Pap and high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV), dramatically decreased the chance of missing tumors and high-grade lesions by sevenfold.

4 May 2016

Total cessation of GnRH production by hypothalamic neurons can lead to infertility

Individual small RNAs are responsible for controlling the expression of gonadoliberin or GnRH (Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone), a neurohormone that controls sexual maturation, the appearance of puberty, and fertility in adults.

3 May 2016

Combination of existing chemotherapy drugs can reduce breast cancer stem cells, improve survival

Two existing chemotherapy drugs appear to be a powerful pair in targeting errant stem cells that are making breast cancer and enabling its spread and recurrence, scientists report.

3 May 2016

Researchers discover new function of genes in Fanconi anemia pathway

Researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified an important new function of genes in the Fanconi anemia pathway - a finding that could have implications for development of new therapies to treat this disorder and some cancers.

3 May 2016

Scientists discover genetic switches linked to increased lifespan in mammals

Newly discovered genetic switches that increase lifespan and boost fitness in worms are also linked to increased lifespan in mammals, offering hope that drugs to flip these switches could improve human metabolic function and increase longevity.

3 May 2016

BioAFM Advancements

In this interview, News Medical talks to Dr. Thomas Mueller of Bruker Nano surface, about the advances in BioAFM.

From Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology 3 May 2016

Hsp90 inhibitors could be effective in treating drug-resistant prostate cancers

Men with aggressive prostate cancer that has stopped responding to conventional treatment could potentially benefit from a new class of cancer drug designed to overcome drug resistance, a new study suggests.

2 May 2016

Researchers one step closer to understanding disease origin

Researchers are one step closer to understanding the genetic and biological basis of diseases like cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and rheumatoid arthritis - and identifying new drug targets and therapies - thanks to work by three computational biology research teams from the University of Arizona Health Sciences, University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt University.

30 Apr 2016

Study provides new avenues for improving quality, stability of embryonic stem cells

Research led by the Babraham Institute with collaborators in the UK, Canada and Japan has revealed a new understanding of how an open genome structure supports the long-term and unrestricted developmental potential in embryonic stem cells. This insight provides new avenues for improving the quality and stability of embryonic stem cells - an essential requirement to fulfil their promise in regenerative medicine.

30 Apr 2016

Exposure to fine particulate matter in air can increase risk of cancer-specific mortality

In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published a series of monographs on the evaluation of various carcinogenic risks. In a monograph on air pollution, the organization pointed out the difficulty of assessing the effects of pollution on multiple types of cancers, given their different etiologies, risk factors and variability in the composition of air pollutants in space and time. However, the IARC identified certain key components of air pollution, including particulates.

30 Apr 2016

Pioneering gene therapy may lead to potential cure for common causes of vision loss

Pioneering gene therapy has restored some vision to patients with a rare form of genetic blindness for as long as four years, raising hopes it could be used to cure common causes of vision loss, new University of Oxford research published today shows.

29 Apr 2016

Discovery of shared biological properties among DNA variants may help identify new therapeutic targets

The discovery of shared biological properties among independent variants of DNA sequences offers the opportunity to broaden understanding of the biological basis of disease and identify new therapeutic targets, according to a collaboration between the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Arizona Health Sciences, and Vanderbilt University. The group published their findings this month in npj Genomic Medicine.

29 Apr 2016

Gut bacteria linked to risk of bloodstream infections after chemotherapy

A new study led by researchers at the University of Minnesota and Nantes University Hospital in France shows that the bacteria in people's gut may predict their risk of life-threatening blood infections following high-dose chemotherapy.

29 Apr 2016

DNA News and Research

Further Reading

MIT researchers develop innovative paper-based test to diagnose Zika virus

Novel animal model helps understand mechanisms that lead to multiple myeloma

T cell gives precise mechanical tugs to detect friends and foes

Study sheds light on development of ILCs that play vital role in body's immune defense

Study shows short-term statin treatment does not benefit heart surgery patients

Researchers detect five new genes that increase endometrial cancer risk in women

Long-term use of herbal remedies may not guarantee safety

Combination of two diagnostic tests can decrease chance of missing tumors by sevenfold

Total cessation of GnRH production by hypothalamic neurons can lead to infertility

Combination of existing chemotherapy drugs can reduce breast cancer stem cells, improve survival

Researchers discover new function of genes in Fanconi anemia pathway

Scientists discover genetic switches linked to increased lifespan in mammals

BioAFM Advancements

Hsp90 inhibitors could be effective in treating drug-resistant prostate cancers

Researchers one step closer to understanding disease origin

Study provides new avenues for improving quality, stability of embryonic stem cells

Exposure to fine particulate matter in air can increase risk of cancer-specific mortality

Pioneering gene therapy may lead to potential cure for common causes of vision loss

Discovery of shared biological properties among DNA variants may help identify new therapeutic targets

Gut bacteria linked to risk of bloodstream infections after chemotherapy

eBook: A guide to RNA sequencing eBook

Leveraging the power of automation to boost research

Automating research - solutions and best practices

How can microdialysis benefit drug development

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