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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).

Genetic markers could help predict heart attack in patients with heart disease

Researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City have identified a biological process that may help physicians predict when someone with heart disease is likely to have a heart attack in the near future.

31 Mar 2014

Otsuka inks agreement with Eisai to acquire rights to hematological cancer treatment Dacogen

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. has announced an agreement with Eisai Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Eisai Co., Ltd. to acquire rights to the hematological cancer treatment Dacogen and to an enzyme inhibitor, E7727.

31 Mar 2014

Clinigen Group announces acquisition of SAVENE oncology support therapy from SpePharm

Clinigen Group plc ('Clinigen' or the 'Group') the specialty global pharmaceutical company today announces the acquisition of SAVENE® (dexrazoxane) from SpePharm AG, a majority owned affiliate of Norgine B.V. The Financial terms of the acquisition are not being disclosed.

From Clinigen Group 31 Mar 2014

New gene-editing system holds potential for treating many genetic disorders

Using a new gene-editing system based on bacterial proteins, MIT researchers have cured mice of a rare liver disorder caused by a single genetic mutation.

31 Mar 2014

Carb breakdown gene linked to obesity, researchers find

Researchers at King's College London and Imperial College London have discovered that people with fewer copies of a gene coding for a carb-digesting enzyme may be at higher risk of obesity. The findings, published in Nature Genetics, suggest that dietary advice may need to be more tailored to an individual's digestive system, based on whether they have the genetic predisposition and necessary enzymes to digest different foods.

31 Mar 2014

Johns Hopkins neuroscientists identify cause of brain degeneration in Huntington's disease

Working with genetically engineered mice, Johns Hopkins neuroscientists report they have identified what they believe is the cause of the vast disintegration of a part of the brain called the corpus striatum in rodents and people with Huntington's disease: loss of the ability to make the amino acid cysteine.

29 Mar 2014

Genetic variations influence risk for developing choline deficiency symptoms

What is now considered to be the "right" amount of the essential nutrient, choline, might actually be "wrong," depending on who you are. That's because scientists have found that the "right" amount of choline needed by an individual is influenced by a wide range of factors, including gender, life stage, race and ethnicity of the individual.

29 Mar 2014

Certain inherited DNA sequences may affect prognosis of bladder cancer patients

While patients diagnosed with bladder cancer usually face a favorable prognosis, many experience recurrence after treatment. Because frequent, painful screenings are needed to identify recurrences, the ablility to identify patients at high risk of recurrent cancer could help to improve quality of life for all bladder cancer patients.

29 Mar 2014

Biogen Idec's ALPROLIX receives FDA approval for hemophilia B treatment

Today Biogen Idec announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved ALPROLIX [Coagulation Factor IX (Recombinant), Fc Fusion Protein], the first recombinant, DNA derived hemophilia B therapy with prolonged circulation in the body.

29 Mar 2014

GenVec's revenues decrease 61% to $3.7M in fourth quarter 2013

GenVec, Inc. today reported financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2013. For the year ended December 31, 2013, the company reported a net loss of $10.0 million, or $0.77 per share, compared with a net loss of $14.1 million, or $1.09 per share, for the year ended December 31, 2012.

28 Mar 2014

Discovery could lead to major breakthrough in breast and ovarian cancer

Cancer researchers at Queen's University Belfast have made a breakthrough which could signal new treatments for women at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

28 Mar 2014

Research findings help explain rare genetic disorder that causes immunodeficiency syndrome

IRCM researchers led by Javier M. Di Noia, PhD, uncovered a new function of AID, a crucial enzyme for the immune response. The discovery, recently published by the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, helps explain a rare genetic disorder that causes an immunodeficiency syndrome.

28 Mar 2014

Jackson Lab professor wins nearly $2M grant for investigating role of noncoding RNAs in cancer

The National Cancer Institute has awarded a three-year grant totaling $2,168,535 to Professor Yijun Ruan, Ph.D., of The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, for his research into the role of noncoding RNAs in cancer and other diseases.

28 Mar 2014

Tgen professor to receive 2014 Hope Funds Award for developing numerous cancer treatments

Dr. Daniel D. Von Hoff, who has been instrumental in developing numerous new cancer treatments, is among this year's recipients of the Award of Excellence from the Hope Funds for Cancer Research.

28 Mar 2014

Research points strong reason to develop new class of antidepressant drug

Scientists have shown for the first time that a chemical in the brain called galanin is involved in the risk of developing depression.

From The University of Manchester 27 Mar 2014

Personalis and Inova team up to advance genomic medicine

Inova Translational Medicine Institute and Personalis, Inc. today announced a partnership to advance genomic medicine for Inova's patient population.

27 Mar 2014

Research pinpoints location of key genetic regulators in blood cells

Research published online today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology, presents an unprecedented look at five unique blood cells in the human body, pinpointing the location of key genetic regulators in these cells and providing a new tool that may help scientists to identify how blood cells form and shed light on the etiology of blood diseases.

27 Mar 2014

A fast, non-invasive method to genotype late-onset Alzheimer's disease

The apolipoprotein E gene ε4 allele is considered a negative factor for neural regeneration in late-onset Alzheimer's disease cases.

27 Mar 2014

Johns Hopkins researchers identify protein that regulates the body's immune response to CMV

Infectious disease specialists at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center have identified a protein that regulates the body's immune response to cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common pathogen that causes lifelong infections and can lead to devastating illness in newborns and those with weakened immune systems.

27 Mar 2014

Researchers release first comprehensive atlas of human gene expression

A large international consortium of researchers has produced the first comprehensive, detailed map of the way genes work across the major cells and tissues of the human body. The findings describe the complex networks that govern gene activity, and the new information could play a crucial role in identifying the genes involved with disease.

27 Mar 2014