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New genetic approach may hold promise for sickle cell disease

A new genetic approach to treating sickle cell disease is showing promising results in mice, report researchers from Children's Hospital Boston. By inactivating a gene they previously discovered to be important in the laboratory, they were able to boost production of a healthy fetal form of hemoglobin in the mice, potentially compensating for the defective adult hemoglobin that causes red blood cells to "sickle" and obstruct blood flow.

8 Dec 2009

Amino acids can improve cognitive function in patients with severe brain injuries

Neurology researchers have shown that feeding amino acids to brain-injured animals restores their cognitive abilities and may set the stage for the first effective treatment for cognitive impairments suffered by people with traumatic brain injuries.

8 Dec 2009

Study: Genetic variations in miRNA pathway may be used to predict secondary tumor in head and neck cancer patients

Eighteen single-point genetic variations indicate risk of recurrence for early-stage head and neck cancer patients and their likelihood of developing a second type of cancer, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reported at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference.

8 Dec 2009

Study results comparing REVLIMID regimen to stem cell transplant in multiple myeloma patients

Celgene International Sàrl announced clinical data from an investigational study of patients with multiple myeloma who were younger than 65 years old and received either REVLIMID (lenalidomide), melphalan and prednisone (MPR) or melphalan plus autologous stem cell transplant (MEL200) following an induction treatment of REVLIMID plus low-dose dexamethasone (Rd) were presented during the 51st American Society of Hematology’s annual meeting in New Orleans, LA.

8 Dec 2009

Turmeric and pepper may play a role in preventing breast cancer

A new study finds that compounds derived from the spices turmeric and pepper could help prevent breast cancer by limiting the growth of stem cells, the small number of cells that fuel a tumor's growth.

8 Dec 2009

Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids can prevent colorectal cancer

Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, primarily found in fish and seafood, may have a role in colorectal cancer prevention, according to results presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Conference, held Dec. 6-9, 2009, in Houston.

8 Dec 2009

Human blood stem cells can be engineered to kill HIV-infected cells, find researchers

Researchers from the UCLA AIDS Institute and colleagues have for the first time demonstrated that human blood stem cells can be engineered into cells that can target and kill HIV-infected cells — a process that potentially could be used against a range of chronic viral diseases.

8 Dec 2009

Abstracts on very small embryonic-like stem cells presented at ASH annual meeting

NeoStem, Inc., which is pioneering the pre-disease collection, processing and long-term storage of adult stem cells for future medical need and holds the exclusive, worldwide license to VSEL(TM) technology that uses very small embryonic-like stem cells isolated from peripheral blood, announced today that an abstract authored by NeoStem-affiliated scientists was presented in a poster presentation at the prestigious American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in New Orleans on December 5, 2009.

8 Dec 2009

Animal study demonstrates how whole chromosome changes cause cancer

Mayo Clinic researchers have proven the longstanding theory that changes in the number of whole chromosomes -- called aneuploidy -- can cause cancer by eliminating tumor suppressor genes.

8 Dec 2009

Findings shed light on the genetic origins of diabetes

Pediatric researchers have found that a gene already implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes in adults also raises the risk of being overweight during childhood. The finding sheds light on the genetic origins of diabetes and may present an avenue for developing drugs to counteract the disease, which has been on the upswing in childhood and adolescence.

8 Dec 2009

Young adults with higher blood lead levels more likely to have panic disorders, reveals research

Young adults with higher blood lead levels appear more likely to have major depression and panic disorders, even if they have exposure to lead levels generally considered safe, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

8 Dec 2009

Combination of chemotherapy and midostaurin drug may benefit AML patients with FLT3 mutations

A targeted drug that is active against acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is particularly effective when teamed with chemotherapy in patients whose cancer cells harbor a key genetic mutation, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and their colleagues will report at the American Society of Hematology's (ASH) annual meeting on Monday, Dec. 7 (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Room 343-345, 5:15 pm CT).

8 Dec 2009

New bone marrow transplantation technique shows prompt immune recovery

Although bone marrow transplants have long been standard for acute leukemia, current treatments still rely on exact matches between donor and patient. Now, scientists at the University of Perugia, Italy, and the Weizmann Institute of Science have improved on a method of transplanting bone marrow-based stem cells from a mismatched donor, making it safer for use when no exact match exists.

8 Dec 2009

New research discovers link between HIV-related cognitive deficits and Alzheimer's-related dementia

More than half of HIV patients experience memory problems and other cognitive impairments as they age, and doctors know little about the underlying causes. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests HIV-related cognitive deficits share a common link with Alzheimer's-related dementia: low levels of the protein amyloid beta in the spinal fluid.

8 Dec 2009

Prenatal exposure to microbes may help protect child from developing allergies later in life

A pregnant woman's exposure to microbes may protect her child from developing allergies later in life. Researchers in Marburg, Germany find that exposure to environmental bacteria triggers a mild inflammatory response in pregnant mice that renders their offspring resistant to allergies.

8 Dec 2009

Aston University researchers receive stimulus funds to study fundamental processes of human vision

A team of researchers led by Professor Mark Georgeson and Dr Timothy Meese at Aston University in Birmingham, UK have been awarded over £1 million pounds worth of funding from the BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council) and the EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) to investigate some of the fundamental processes involved in human vision.

8 Dec 2009

Researchers identify gene expression and biological pathways for healing gingivitis

Gingivitis, which may affect more than one-half of the U.S. adult population, is a condition commonly attributed to lapses in simple oral hygiene habits. However, a new study shows that development and reversal of gingivitis at the molecular level is apparently much more complicated than its causes might indicate.

8 Dec 2009

Social isolation and stress can raise breast cancer risk

Social isolation and related stress could contribute to human breast cancer susceptibility, research from a rat model designed at the University of Chicago to identify environmental mechanisms contributing to cancer risk shows.

8 Dec 2009

iRGD peptide found to enhance both cancer detection and treatment

Researchers at Burnham Institute for Medical Research at University of California, Santa Barbara have identified a peptide (a chain of amino acids) that specifically recognizes and penetrates cancerous tumors but not normal tissues.

8 Dec 2009

Cyntellect and Boston University sign research collaboration agreement

Cyntellect, Inc., a privately-held life sciences company commercializing products to advance life science and stem cell research, biopharmaceutical production, and drug discovery, today announced it has entered into a research collaboration agreement with the Boston University School of Medicine.

8 Dec 2009

Medical Science News

New genetic approach may hold promise for sickle cell disease

Amino acids can improve cognitive function in patients with severe brain injuries

Study: Genetic variations in miRNA pathway may be used to predict secondary tumor in head and neck cancer patients

Study results comparing REVLIMID regimen to stem cell transplant in multiple myeloma patients

Turmeric and pepper may play a role in preventing breast cancer

Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids can prevent colorectal cancer

Human blood stem cells can be engineered to kill HIV-infected cells, find researchers

Abstracts on very small embryonic-like stem cells presented at ASH annual meeting

Animal study demonstrates how whole chromosome changes cause cancer

Findings shed light on the genetic origins of diabetes

Young adults with higher blood lead levels more likely to have panic disorders, reveals research

Combination of chemotherapy and midostaurin drug may benefit AML patients with FLT3 mutations

New bone marrow transplantation technique shows prompt immune recovery

New research discovers link between HIV-related cognitive deficits and Alzheimer's-related dementia

Prenatal exposure to microbes may help protect child from developing allergies later in life

Aston University researchers receive stimulus funds to study fundamental processes of human vision

Researchers identify gene expression and biological pathways for healing gingivitis

Social isolation and stress can raise breast cancer risk

iRGD peptide found to enhance both cancer detection and treatment

Cyntellect and Boston University sign research collaboration agreement

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production

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