Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers discover potential drug targets that might reduce ventilator-induced lung inflammation

When hospital patients need assistance breathing and are placed on a mechanical ventilator for days at a time, their lungs react to the pressure generated by the ventilator with an out-of-control immune response that can lead to excessive inflammation, new research suggests.

19 Jul 2012

Statistical method uses evolutionary information to enhance identification of disease-associated alleles

A book containing misprints may cause annoyance for the reader, but typos in an individual's genetic blueprint (DNA) can mean serious disease or even death. The search for genetic correlates for the wide range of diseases plaguing humankind has inspired a wealth of research falling under the heading of genome-wide association studies (GWAS).

19 Jul 2012

Jade, BioTime sign exclusive sublicense and supply agreement for HyStem

BioTime, Inc., a biotechnology company that develops and markets products in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced the signing of an exclusive sublicense agreement and a supply agreement with Jade Therapeutics, LLC, a developer of an ophthalmological therapeutic sustained-release drug delivery platform.

18 Jul 2012

Mu-opioid receptors put brakes on appetite

Activation of mu-opioid receptors in the nerves of the portal vein walls triggers a gut–brain neural circuit that leads to feelings of satiety, researchers report in Cell.

17 Jul 2012

Premier research institutions, Biogen Idec partner to sequence genomes of patients with ALS

Biogen Idec today announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with premier academic and research institutions to sequence the genomes of up to 1,000 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in an effort to gain a deeper understanding about the fundamental genetic causes of ALS.

17 Jul 2012

Promising path to Parkinson’s disease treatment

Using adult stem cells, Johns Hopkins researchers and a consortium of colleagues nationwide say they have generated the type of human neuron specifically damaged by Parkinson’s disease (PD) and used various drugs to stop the damage.

17 Jul 2012

WCMC receives NHLBI grant to study smoking-induced COPD

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College were awarded a $6.5 million grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for a five-year investigation into metabolic changes occurring within airway epithelial cells in the lungs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients caused by cigarette smoking. In addition, researchers aim to identify which cigarette smokers are at highest risk of developing COPD as well as novel biomarkers to assist in the development of new therapeutic treatments for the disease.

17 Jul 2012

Illumina launches new kits for targeted resequencing studies

Illumina, Inc. today introduced Nextera Exome and Custom Enrichment kits, the Company's latest targeted resequencing solutions offering sample preparation and enrichment in a single, integrated workflow.

From Illumina, Inc. 17 Jul 2012

New Alzheimer's model derived from skin cells of patients may prove to be more accurate

Researchers at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2012 (AAIC 2012) today reported the creation of a new model of Alzheimer's derived from the skin cells of people with the disease that were reprogramed into Alzheimer's brain cells.

17 Jul 2012

Relationship between two biological risk factors for schizophrenia

Johns Hopkins researchers say they have discovered a cause-and-effect relationship between two well-established biological risk factors for schizophrenia previously believed to be independent of one another.

17 Jul 2012

Activating NOTCH and AKT gene may trigger cholangiocarcinoma

A rare type of cancer thought to derive from cells in the bile ducts of the liver may actually develop when one type of liver cell morphs into a totally different type, a process scientists used to consider all but impossible. UCSF researchers triggered this kind of cellular transformation-and caused tumors to form in mice-by activating just two genes.

17 Jul 2012

Scientists discover new way to convert cord blood cells into iNC

For more than 20 years, doctors have been using cells from blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord after childbirth to treat a variety of illnesses, from cancer and immune disorders to blood and metabolic diseases.

17 Jul 2012

BRAF L597 mutation in melanoma patients responds to MEK inhibitor drugs

An uncommon mutation of the BRAF gene in melanoma patients has been found to respond to MEK inhibitor drugs, providing a rationale for routine screening and therapy in melanoma patients who harbor the BRAF L597 mutation.

17 Jul 2012

Genetic tests for Alzheimer’s disease a comfort for the majority

Several genetic tests are available for Alzheimer’s disease, both for the general public and for those with a family history of the disease. As direct-to-consumer testing over the internet rises, so have concerns over how people will handle information related to their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

17 Jul 2012

People with amnestic MCI more likely to die

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Montefiore Medical Center have found that people with a form of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease, have twice the risk of dying compared with cognitively normal people. Those with dementia have three times the risk.

17 Jul 2012

Studies provide evidence of connections between MCI and negative health outcomes

Two studies presented today at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2012 (AAIC 2012) in Vancouver provide evidence of connections between mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and negative health outcomes – increased isolation and death.

17 Jul 2012

New CD141hi DC subset plays a critical role in activating immune response against pathogens

Scientists at A*STAR's Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), in collaboration with Newcastle University, UK, the Singapore Institute of Clinical Sciences and clinicians from multiple hospitals in Singapore, have identified a new subset of dendritic cells (DCs) in human peripheral tissue which have a critical role in activating our immune response against harmful pathogens.

17 Jul 2012

Introducing missing gene could help extend lives of patients with SMA

A team of University of Missouri researchers has found that introducing a missing gene into the central nervous system could help extend the lives of patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) - the leading genetic cause of infantile death in the world.

17 Jul 2012

Targeting CDK1 pathway may be efficacious for acute myeloid leukemias with FLT3 mutation

Acute myeloid leukemia, a common leukemia in adults, is characterized by aberrant proliferation of cancerous bone marrow cells. Activating mutations in a protein receptor known as FLT3 receptor are among the most prevalent mutations observed in acute myeloid leukemias. FLT3 mutants are thought to activate several signaling pathways that contribute to cancer development.

17 Jul 2012

Mitochondrial gene regulators involved in Huntington’s disease pathology

Researchers have identified two molecules involved in mitochondrial function that appear to be important in the pathogenesis of Huntington’s disease.

16 Jul 2012

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers discover potential drug targets that might reduce ventilator-induced lung inflammation

Statistical method uses evolutionary information to enhance identification of disease-associated alleles

Jade, BioTime sign exclusive sublicense and supply agreement for HyStem

Mu-opioid receptors put brakes on appetite

Premier research institutions, Biogen Idec partner to sequence genomes of patients with ALS

Promising path to Parkinson’s disease treatment

WCMC receives NHLBI grant to study smoking-induced COPD

Illumina launches new kits for targeted resequencing studies

New Alzheimer's model derived from skin cells of patients may prove to be more accurate

Relationship between two biological risk factors for schizophrenia

Activating NOTCH and AKT gene may trigger cholangiocarcinoma

Scientists discover new way to convert cord blood cells into iNC

BRAF L597 mutation in melanoma patients responds to MEK inhibitor drugs

Genetic tests for Alzheimer’s disease a comfort for the majority

People with amnestic MCI more likely to die

Studies provide evidence of connections between MCI and negative health outcomes

New CD141hi DC subset plays a critical role in activating immune response against pathogens

Introducing missing gene could help extend lives of patients with SMA

Targeting CDK1 pathway may be efficacious for acute myeloid leukemias with FLT3 mutation

Mitochondrial gene regulators involved in Huntington’s disease pathology

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