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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).

Discovery could lead to treatments for alcohol-related liver diseases

Researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine have identified epigenetic protein changes caused by binge drinking, a discovery that could lead to treatments for alcohol-related liver diseases.

9 Oct 2014

New study reveals mechanism that compromises chromosome stability

During cell division, chromosomes acquire a characteristic X-shape with the two DNA molecules (sister chromatids) linked at a central "connection region" that contains highly compacted DNA.

9 Oct 2014

Research finding could potentially lead to new strategies to improve cancer therapies

Cells are generally able to repair spontaneous damage that arises in their genetic material. Unfortunately, the DNA repair process is not perfect and sometimes, damaged DNA gets passed on to newly made cells. A team of researchers at the Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University has recently discovered that in yeast cells, the amount of nutrients that cells are exposed to can affect DNA surveillance and repair mechanisms and therefore the quality of their DNA.

8 Oct 2014

Case Western Reserve researcher lands Director's New Innovator Awards from NIH

For the second consecutive year, a Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine researcher has landed one of the year's much-coveted Director's New Innovator Awards from the National Institutes of Health. Principal investigator Rong Xu, PhD, assistant professor of medical informatics, will receive $2,377,000 for five years, starting immediately, to initiate computational analysis of thousands of drugs and their effects.

8 Oct 2014

'Achilles heel' in metabolic pathway could stop growth of lung cancer cells

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found an "Achilles heel" in a metabolic pathway crucial to stopping the growth of lung cancer cells.

8 Oct 2014

Tobacco use linked to oral HPV-16

Study participants who reported tobacco use or had higher levels of biomarkers of tobacco exposure had a higher prevalence of the sexually transmitted infection, oral human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16), according to a study in the October 8 JAMA, a theme issue on infectious disease.

8 Oct 2014

NF-kB molecule may help malignant cells hide from the immune system

A molecule that helps cancer cells evade programmed self-destruction, an internal source of death, might also help malignant cells hide from the immune system, an external source of death.

8 Oct 2014

GeneSolve to license its health optimization system to highly qualified doctors

GeneSolve announced today that it will begin licensing its proprietary health optimization system to a network of highly qualified doctors nationwide.

7 Oct 2014

TRU-D SmartUVC’s Ebola-killing UVC automated disinfection robot to be showcased at IDWeek 2014

TRU-D SmartUVC LLC will feature its Ebola-killing UVC automated disinfection robot at IDWeek 2014 in Philadelphia this week from October 8 to 12 at booth 826.

7 Oct 2014

USC scientists find new way to suppress obesity

Imagine being able to take a pill that lets you eat all of the ice cream, cookies, and cakes that you wanted – without gaining any weight.

7 Oct 2014

Lund University researchers identify mechanisms that play vital role in development of type 2 diabetes

By studying identical twins, researchers from Lund University in Sweden have identified mechanisms that could be behind the development of type 2 diabetes. This may explain cases where one identical twin develops type 2 diabetes while the other remains healthy.

7 Oct 2014

Scientists show how BRCA2 protein works to repair damaged DNA

Scientists have taken pictures of the BRCA2 protein for the first time, showing how it works to repair damaged DNA.

6 Oct 2014

Scientists identify genetic factors that influence height in individuals

An international collaboration of scientists has identified a fifth of the genetic factors that cause height to vary between individuals.

6 Oct 2014

Researchers reveal 'programmable' antibiotic technique to target drug-resistant microbes

The multitude of microbes scientists have found populating the human body have good, bad and mostly mysterious implications for our health. But when something goes wrong, we defend ourselves with the undiscriminating brute force of traditional antibiotics, which wipe out everything at once, regardless of the consequences.

6 Oct 2014

New research on barcoding tool that tracks origin of blood cells challenges scientific dogma

A 7-year-project to develop a barcoding and tracking system for tissue stem cells has revealed previously unrecognized features of normal blood production: New data from Harvard Stem Cell Institute scientists at Boston Children's Hospital suggests, surprisingly, that the billions of blood cells that we produce each day are made not by blood stem cells, but rather their less pluripotent descendants, called progenitor cells.

6 Oct 2014

Researchers discover rare disease that affects heart rate, intestinal movements

Physicians and researchers at CHU Sainte-Justine, Universit- de Montr-al, CHU de Qu-bec, Universit- Laval, and Hubrecht Institute have discovered a rare disease affecting both heart rate and intestinal movements.

6 Oct 2014

TyrRS enzyme protects DNA during cellular stress

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found that an enzyme best known for its fundamental role in building proteins has a second major function: to protect DNA during times of cellular stress.

3 Oct 2014

IRCM researchers discover mechanism that promotes progression of medulloblastoma

Scientists at the IRCM discovered a mechanism that promotes the progression of medulloblastoma, the most common brain tumour found in children. The team, led by Fr-d-ric Charron, PhD, found that a protein known as Sonic Hedgehog induces DNA damage, which causes the cancer to develop.

3 Oct 2014

Blood test can help identify people at increased risk of atrial fibrillation, stroke

Many of those who are genetically predisposed to develop atrial fibrillation, which dramatically raises the risk of stroke, can be identified with a blood test. This is shown by new research from Lund University in Sweden.

3 Oct 2014

COMPAC-50 enables simultaneous electrophoresis of up to 50 COMET Assay slides

Developed in collaboration with the Oxidative Stress Group at the University of Leicester (Leicester, UK), the unique design of the COMPAC-50 enables simultaneous electrophoresis of up to 50 COMET Assay slides saving considerable lab space and reducing slide handling time by up to two-thirds when compared to previous standard methods. This would equate to a significant time-saving of up to 90% when handling 50 COMET Assay slides.

From Cleaver Scientific Ltd 3 Oct 2014