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NYSCF, PersonalGenomes.org partner to identify genetic contributions to disease development

Today, the New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute and PersonalGenomes.org announced a partnership to identify genetic and environmental contributions to trait and disease development. Cell lines generated by NYSCF will complement genomic data and medical histories contributed by participants in the Harvard Personal Genome Project, creating a unique and powerful resource to help researchers identify causes of disease.

9 Dec 2013

New form of gene therapy shows promising outcomes for "bubble boy" disease

Researchers reported promising outcomes data for the first group of boys with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome (SCID-X1), a fatal genetic immunodeficiency also known as "bubble boy" disease, who were treated as part of an international clinical study of a new form of gene therapy. The mechanism used to deliver the gene therapy is designed to prevent the serious complication of leukemia that arose a decade ago in a similar trial in Europe, when one-quarter of boys treated developed the blood cancer.

9 Dec 2013

UC Santa Barbara extends research contract with Army Research Laboratory

UC Santa Barbara's Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies has received an extension of its contract with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory-Army Research Office, providing an additional $48 million over three years to support research that is inspired by biological systems. The continuation in ICB funding speaks to the success of a decade of fundamental research in the areas of biotechnology, chemistry, engineering, physics, materials science, computer science, neuroscience and medicine.

9 Dec 2013

Penn researchers identify protein that could clear Alzheimer's plaques

The body is structured to ensure that any invading organisms have a tough time reaching the brain, an organ obviously critical to survival. Known as the blood-brain barrier, cells that line the brain and spinal cord are tightly packed, making it difficult for anything besides very small molecules to cross from the bloodstream into the central nervous system. While beneficial, this blockade also stands in the way of delivering drugs intended to treat neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's.

9 Dec 2013

Genetically engineered cell therapies demonstrate early efficacy, safety in patients with blood disorders

A series of advancements in genetically engineered cell therapies demonstrate early efficacy and safety in patients with blood disorders for whom standard treatments have been unsuccessful, according to data showcased today during the 55th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans.

9 Dec 2013

Study shows VEEG telemetry monitoring with early cessation of AED therapy is safe, effective

Patients with epilepsy often undergo evaluation by concurrent video and EEG monitoring (vEEG) for therapeutic planning, including possible epilepsy surgery. Seizures during monitoring increase the diagnostic yield and requires the withdrawal of anticonvulsant drugs (AEDs) to allow seizures to occur.

9 Dec 2013

Research findings suggest possible novel strategies to prevent SUDEP

Patients with epilepsy and, in particular, those with severe syndromic forms of the disorder, harbor a risk of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy, or SUDEP. Cardiac arrhythmias are a proposed cause. In a test of this theory, researchers have demonstrated that mice harboring a human SCN1A gene mutation that results in Dravet Syndrome, a severe and intractable genetic epilepsy, have electrical disturbances in the heart that culminate in ventricular fibrillation and sudden cardiac death.

9 Dec 2013

Scientists identify important new genes for epilepsy

Scientists screening the DNA of large cohorts for known and suspected epilepsy associated genes are finding that, while some genes are implicated in discrete phenotypes or forms of epilepsy, other genes are implicated in a wider range of phenotypes. Although ion channel genes are a common cause of epilepsy, the researchers also report a significant number of epilepsy patients with mutations in non-ion channel genes. The studies have important implications for treatment, prognosis and risk counseling.

9 Dec 2013

Researchers find how olfactory receptor variation impacts human odor perception

According to Gertrude Stein, "A rose is a rose is a rose," but new research indicates that might not be the case when it comes to the rose's scent. Researchers from the Monell Center and collaborating institutions have found that as much as 30 percent of the large array of human olfactory receptor differs between any two individuals. This substantial variation is in turn reflected by variability in how each person perceives odors.

9 Dec 2013

High frequency cell phone users have lower GPA, higher anxiety, and lower happiness in life

Today, smartphones are central to college students' lives, keeping them constantly connected with friends, family and the Internet. Students' cell phones are rarely out of reach whether the setting is a college classroom, library, recreational center, cafeteria or dorm room.

9 Dec 2013

Researchers find huge diversity in how different organisms age

In our youth we are strong and healthy and then we weaken and die - that's probably how most would describe what ageing is all about. But, in nature, the phenomenon of ageing shows an unexpected diversity of patterns and is altogether rather strange, conclude researchers from The University of Southern Denmark.

9 Dec 2013

Bonn researchers use reprogrammed neurons for drug testing in Alzheimer patients

Why do certain Alzheimer medications work in animal models but not in clinical trials in humans? A research team from the University of Bonn and the biomedical enterprise LIFE & BRAIN GmbH has been able to show that results of established test methods with animal models and cell lines used up until now can hardly be translated to the processes in the human brain.

9 Dec 2013

Skin is capable of communicating with liver, say researchers

Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark have discovered that the skin is capable of communicating with the liver. The discovery has surprised the scientists, and they say that it may help our understanding of how skin diseases can affect the rest of the body.

9 Dec 2013

Downregulation of caveolin-1 contributes to synaptic plasticity deficit in hippocampus of aged rats

Caveolin-1 may be a new target for interfering with age-dependent decline in synaptic plasticity. To explore the relationship between synaptic plasticity in the aging process and changes in learning and memory, Dr. Yang Liu and coworkers from the First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University, China examined synaptophysin expression in the hippocampus, cortex and cerebellum of rats at different ages, and analyzed the association between synaptophysin expression and cognition and behaviors.

9 Dec 2013

NIH scientists film early concussion damage and describe brain's response to injury

There is more than meets the eye following even a mild traumatic brain injury. While the brain may appear to be intact, new findings reported in Nature suggest that the brain's protective coverings may feel the brunt of the impact.

9 Dec 2013

Decreased bacterial diversity in gut linked with CRC risk

Decreased diversity in the microbial community found in the human gut is associated with colorectal cancer, according to a new study published December 6 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

9 Dec 2013

Scientists identify gene encoding hormone to treat heart diseases

Scientists at A*STAR's Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) and Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology (IMCB) have identified a gene encoding a hormone that could potentially be used as a therapeutic molecule to treat heart diseases.

9 Dec 2013

Saudi Human Genome Program to study genetic basis of all disease in the Kingdom

The King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia's national funding agency, and Life Technologies Corporation today announce The Saudi Human Genome Program – a national research project to study the genetic basis of all disease in the Kingdom and throughout the Middle East and use the findings to offer the ultimate personal care in Saudi Arabia.

8 Dec 2013

Scientists recommend testing for Pearson syndrome in patients with congenital anemia

Some babies diagnosed with and treated for a bone marrow failure disorder, called Diamond Blackfan Anemia, may actually be affected by a very rare anemia syndrome that has a different disease course and treatment, say scientists from Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center.

8 Dec 2013

Study provides possible therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease via progesterone

Steroid hormones and their metabolites within the central nervous system are commonly defined as neuroactive steroids or neurosteroids. Although neuroactive steroids have been shown to improve learning and memory ability and protect against amyloid beta peptide-induced neurotoxicity, changes in their level during Alzheimer's disease and their role in Aβ-mediated cognitive impairment remain elusive given the limitation in sample sizes and analysis methods.

8 Dec 2013

Medical Science News

NYSCF, PersonalGenomes.org partner to identify genetic contributions to disease development

New form of gene therapy shows promising outcomes for "bubble boy" disease

UC Santa Barbara extends research contract with Army Research Laboratory

Penn researchers identify protein that could clear Alzheimer's plaques

Genetically engineered cell therapies demonstrate early efficacy, safety in patients with blood disorders

Study shows VEEG telemetry monitoring with early cessation of AED therapy is safe, effective

Research findings suggest possible novel strategies to prevent SUDEP

Scientists identify important new genes for epilepsy

Researchers find how olfactory receptor variation impacts human odor perception

High frequency cell phone users have lower GPA, higher anxiety, and lower happiness in life

Researchers find huge diversity in how different organisms age

Bonn researchers use reprogrammed neurons for drug testing in Alzheimer patients

Skin is capable of communicating with liver, say researchers

Downregulation of caveolin-1 contributes to synaptic plasticity deficit in hippocampus of aged rats

NIH scientists film early concussion damage and describe brain's response to injury

Decreased bacterial diversity in gut linked with CRC risk

Scientists identify gene encoding hormone to treat heart diseases

Saudi Human Genome Program to study genetic basis of all disease in the Kingdom

Scientists recommend testing for Pearson syndrome in patients with congenital anemia

Study provides possible therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's disease via progesterone

Microphysiological systems in drug discovery

Considerations for taking ASO discovery programs into animal models

Neurofilament light as a translational biomarker

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