Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers overcome obstacle to using viruses to deliver therapeutic genes

Scientists in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital have found a way to overcome one of the biggest obstacles to using viruses to deliver therapeutic genes: how to keep the immune system from neutralizing the virus before it can deliver its genetic payload. In a study published recently in Molecular Therapy, researchers found that giving subjects a treatment to temporarily rid the body of antibodies provides the virus safe passage to targeted cells, allowing it to release a corrective or replacement gene to treat disease.

30 Oct 2013

Meta-analysis shows that XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism may be a biomarker of glioma susceptibility

DNA damage is an important mechanism of glioma. X-ray cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) is a DNA repair gene that participates in the base excision repair pathway. To date, many studies have been performed to investigate the association between the XRCC1 polymorphisms and risk of cancers such as breast cancer, and gastroesophageal cancer, but the number of studies that focused on glioma is relatively small.

30 Oct 2013

New research reveals genetic link that connects family members with autism

Lorenzo Miodus-Santini an 11-year-old sixth-grader from Princeton, who was classified as autistic at only 13 months old, was never a big talker. As an infant he didn't babble or coo. When he was a toddler beginning to speak, he would learn one word but forget another.

30 Oct 2013

Queen's University is lead partner in £6M global research program to develop new ways to treat CF

Queen's University Belfast is a lead partner in a new -6 million (euro) global research programme to develop new ways to treat Cystic Fibrosis.

30 Oct 2013

Blood levels of microRNAs may serve as diagnostic tool for thyroid cancer, but more research needed

A new analysis has found that the presence of short segments of genetic material (known as microRNA) within papillary thyroid cancer tumors suggests a likelihood of recurrence after patients undergo surgery.

29 Oct 2013

Current drugs may harbor small-cell lung cancer promise

Scientists have identified several existing non-oncology drug classes that may have potential as a treatment for small-cell lung cancer, especially for patients with chemoresistant and metastatic disease.

28 Oct 2013

Study confirms the "seed and soil" theory of metastasis

Oncologists have long puzzled over the fact that after cancer treatment, single cancer cells that are dispersed throughout the body - so-called disseminated tumor cells - are quick to grow and form secondary tumors called metastases in certain organs, while in other organs they metastasize more slowly, sometimes decades later. Such is the case with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells, which remain dormant when lodged in bone marrow but rapidly form tumors when they make their way into the lungs.

28 Oct 2013

International researchers identify 11 new genes linked to Alzheimer's disease

An international group of researchers has identified 11 new genes that offer important new insights into the disease pathways involved in Alzheimer's disease. The highly collaborative effort involved scanning the DNA of over 74,000 volunteers-the largest genetic analysis yet conducted in Alzheimer's research-to discover new genetic risk factors linked to late-onset Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of the disorder.

28 Oct 2013

Two related genes underlie development of two rare bone tumours in nearly 100% of patients

Scientists have made a rare discovery that allows them to attribute two types of tumour almost entirely to specific mutations that lie in two related genes.

28 Oct 2013

Rutgers scientists provide new information about rare genetic childhood disorder

Scientists at Rutgers University studying the cause of a rare childhood disease that leaves children unable to walk by adolescence say new findings may provide clues to understanding more common neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and developing better tools to treat them.

28 Oct 2013

‘Distinct’ bipolar pathways revealed

A genetic analysis reported in Nature suggests two mechanisms that could lead to bipolar disorder.

25 Oct 2013

Hopes Raised For Early Pancreatic Cancer Detection

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25 Oct 2013

State highlights: 'Habilitation' an essential benefit, but what is it?; Va. gov. candidates differ on mental health system; Calif. pays $2.7M for late hearings

A selection of health policy stories from Virginia, California, Colorado, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Kansas and Texas.

25 Oct 2013

Researchers study genetic factors associated to metabolic syndrome

Researchers from the Institute of Genomic Medicine carried out a study on genetic factors that can be associated to metabolic syndrome, main trigger of cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes and obesity, with the goal of identifying high risk populations and influence its treatment in the most effective way.

25 Oct 2013

Obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome are highly heritable

An international research consortium led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the University of Chicago has answered several questions about the genetic background of obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome, providing the first direct confirmation that both are highly heritable and also revealing major differences between the underlying genetic makeup of the disorders.

25 Oct 2013

Study: Gene Expression Classifier test reduces unnecessary surgeries in thyroid nodule assessment

The latest study co-led by a CU School of Medicine researcher has confirmed that a Gene Expression Classifier (GEC) test can drastically reduce the problem of unnecessary surgeries in thyroid nodule assessment.

25 Oct 2013

Rice University research reveals 3-way genetic switch for cancer metastasis

Cancer researchers from Rice University have deciphered the operating principles of a genetic switch that cancer cells use to decide when to metastasize and invade other parts of the body. The study found that the on-off switch's dynamics also allows a third choice that lies somewhere between "on" and "off." The extra setting both explains previously confusing experimental results and opens the door to new avenues of cancer treatment.

25 Oct 2013

Research unlocks secrets of mouse behavior to help identify promising psychiatric drugs

Developing psychiatric medications is a long and complex process. Candidate drugs are evaluated and assessed based on their effects on the behavior of animals, usually rats or mice. Each class of drugs, from antidepressants to antipsychotics, is tested differently - often in a labor-intensive process that leaves plenty of room for human error. And there is a growing consensus that current procedures fail to effectively produce new medications.

25 Oct 2013

Just 13 days in space may cause changes in eye structure, gene expression

Just 13 days in space may be enough to cause profound changes in eye structure and gene expression, report researchers from Houston Methodist, NASA Johnson Space Center, and two other institutions in the October 2013 issue of Gravitational and Space Research.

25 Oct 2013

"One-two punch" disables tumors' defenses

An aggressive form of breast cancer known as "triple negative" is very difficult to treat: Chemotherapy can shrink such tumors for a while, but in many patients they grow back and gain resistance to the original drugs.

25 Oct 2013

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers overcome obstacle to using viruses to deliver therapeutic genes

Meta-analysis shows that XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism may be a biomarker of glioma susceptibility

New research reveals genetic link that connects family members with autism

Queen's University is lead partner in £6M global research program to develop new ways to treat CF

Blood levels of microRNAs may serve as diagnostic tool for thyroid cancer, but more research needed

Current drugs may harbor small-cell lung cancer promise

Study confirms the "seed and soil" theory of metastasis

International researchers identify 11 new genes linked to Alzheimer's disease

Two related genes underlie development of two rare bone tumours in nearly 100% of patients

Rutgers scientists provide new information about rare genetic childhood disorder

‘Distinct’ bipolar pathways revealed

Hopes Raised For Early Pancreatic Cancer Detection

State highlights: 'Habilitation' an essential benefit, but what is it?; Va. gov. candidates differ on mental health system; Calif. pays $2.7M for late hearings

Researchers study genetic factors associated to metabolic syndrome

Obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome are highly heritable

Study: Gene Expression Classifier test reduces unnecessary surgeries in thyroid nodule assessment

Rice University research reveals 3-way genetic switch for cancer metastasis

Research unlocks secrets of mouse behavior to help identify promising psychiatric drugs

Just 13 days in space may cause changes in eye structure, gene expression

"One-two punch" disables tumors' defenses

eBook: Using iPSCs models for human disease research and drug discovery eBook

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

PhD researcher at LifeArc

Unveiling Hidden Potential: Organoids for Disease Modeling in Neuroscience Research