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MT2 gene mutations may increase risk of diabetes

Researchers in Lille and Paris demonstrated that mutations in the melatonin receptor gene (melatonin or the "hormone of darkness" induces sleep) lead to an almost sevenfold increase in the risk of developing diabetes.

31 Jan 2012

Newly discovered molecular pathway may explain how AML develops

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have discovered a molecular pathway that may explain how a particularly deadly form of cancer develops. The discovery may lead to new cancer therapies that reprogram cells instead of killing them. The findings are published in a recent paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

30 Jan 2012

Researchers identify two genetic mutations responsible for brain cancer in children

An international research team led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI MUHC) has made a major genetic breakthrough that could change the way pediatric cancers are treated in the future.

30 Jan 2012

USPTO allows Precision's claims relating to methods of cleaving DNA

Precision BioSciences, Inc., a leader in the field of genome engineering, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for U.S. Patent Application 13/245,607 ("the '607 Application").

30 Jan 2012

Study investigates how bacteria change their disguise to evade vaccines

Genetics has provided surprising insights into why vaccines used in both the UK and US to combat serious childhood infections can eventually fail. The study, published today in Nature Genetics, which investigates how bacteria change their disguise to evade the vaccines, has implications for how future vaccines can be made more effective.

30 Jan 2012

Researcher have identified thirty one regions of genome associated with circulating metabolites

In a study to the genetic variance of human metabolism, researchers have identified thirty one regions of the genome that were associated with levels of circulating metabolites, i.e., small molecules that take part in various chemical reactions of human body.

30 Jan 2012

First evidence links cancer to mutations in genes involved in DNA organization

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project provides first evidence linking cancer to mutations in genes involved in DNA organization

30 Jan 2012

DNA sequencing for difficult diagnoses of mitochondrial diseases may hit clinics soon

Identifying complete DNA sequences could identify difficult-to-diagnose diseases in humans. This concept is being used for the first time in a clinic. MitoExome sequencing uses new technologies known as next-generation sequencing (NGS) to decode all of the genes associated with mitochondria. Mitochondria are a capsule shaped organelle present within the cell. It is the powerhouse of the cell and its genes are inherited completely from the mother.

29 Jan 2012

New discovery paves way for genetic screening test

Researchers at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine have identified a genetic variation that raises the risk of developing serious necrotic jaw bone lesions in patients who take bisphosphonates, a common class of osteoclastic inhibitors.

27 Jan 2012

Researchers discover new gene linked to MLCRD

Researchers have found a new gene that, when mutated, can lead to lymphoedema (swollen limbs) as part of a rare disorder that can also cause problems with eye and brain development. This is the fourth lymphoedema-related gene found by the same researchers in three years, and the first linked to the eyes and brain. They say it could lead to better diagnosis and treatment for lymphoedema, an area that has been poorly understood previously.

27 Jan 2012

Rotational motion plays a critical role in ability of breast cells to form acini

In a study that holds major implications for breast cancer research as well as basic cell biology, scientists with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have discovered a rotational motion that plays a critical role in the ability of breast cells to form the spherical structures in the mammary gland known as acini.

27 Jan 2012

New technique to overcome genetic oddity of P. falciparum

The parasite that causes malaria is a genetic outlier, which has prevented scientists from discovering the functions of most of its genes. Researchers at National Jewish Health and Yale University School of Medicine have devised a technique to overcome the genetic oddity of Plasmodium falciparum, the major cause of human malaria.

27 Jan 2012

BGSU chemist uses supercomputer to help unlock benefits of toxic bacteria

Blue-green algae is causing havoc in Midwestern lakes saturated with agricultural run-off, but researchers in a northwest Ohio lab are using supercomputers to study a closely related strain of the toxic cyanobacteria to harness its beneficial properties.

26 Jan 2012

Novel detection of ovarian cancer in early stages

Ovarian cancer is often detected at a late stage and it is the leading cause of death due to gynecological cancers, and the sixth leading cause of cancer death in women. According to latest discovery by researchers at Sydney’s Garvan Institute there may be a way this killer cancer is detected earlier.

24 Jan 2012

Five scientists named recipients of Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award for cancer research

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation announced that five scientists with novel approaches to fighting cancer have been named 2012 recipients of the Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award.

24 Jan 2012

Chromosome aberrations happen in pairs when it comes to cancer

A healthy genome is characterized by 23 pairs of chromosomes, and even a small change in this structure - such as an extra copy of a single chromosome - can lead to severe physical impairment. So it's no surprise that when it comes to cancer, chromosomal structure is frequently a contributing factor, says Prof. Ron Shamir of the Blavatnik School of Computer Science at Tel Aviv University.

24 Jan 2012

UCSF-led study to sequence DNA from 4,000 people with epilepsy

To probe the genetic secrets of one of the most common neurological diseases, more than 4,000 people with various forms of epilepsy will have their DNA decoded over the next five years in a study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and several collaborating institutions.

23 Jan 2012

Researchers discover 13 new regions of genome associated with timing of menopause

An international team of researchers has discovered 13 new regions of the genome associated with the timing of menopause. These genes shed light on the biological pathways involved in reproductive lifespan and will provide insights into conditions connected to menopause, such as breast cancer and heart disease.

23 Jan 2012

Genes may predict maintenance of intelligence over lifetime: Study

A Scottish study that began 80 years ago has shown that genes may play a role in maintaining intelligence till old age. The study participants joined when they were 11 years old. Researchers have long been interested in understanding how cognition changes with age, and why these changes are more rapid in some people than in others. But, in the past, studies of age-related intelligence changes were often performed when the subjects were already elderly.

22 Jan 2012

First genome-wide study of high-altitude adaptations in Ethiopians

Over many generations, people living in the high-altitude regions of the Andes or on the Tibetan Plateau have adapted to life in low-oxygen conditions. Living with such a distinct and powerful selective pressure has made these populations a textbook example of evolution in action, but exactly how their genes convey a survival advantage remains an open question. Now, a University of Pennsylvania team has made new inroads to answering this question with the first genome-wide study of high-altitude adaptations within the third major population to possess them: the Amhara people of the Ethiopian Highlands.

21 Jan 2012