Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Study demonstrates how DISC1 variants affect brain development

Significant progress has been made in understanding the genetic risk factors underlying psychiatric disease. Recent studies have identified common genetic mutations conferring modest risk and rare variants comprising significant risk. One example of a rare cause of psychiatric disorders is the Disrupted in Schizophrenia-1 (DISC1) gene, first identified in a large Scottish pedigree displaying schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.

18 Nov 2011

Researchers use baker's yeast to gain insight into chromosome separation process

Researchers at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research used, ironically enough, the single-celled organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae -- commonly known as baker's yeast -- to gain new insight into the process by which chromosomes are physically segregated during cell division.

18 Nov 2011

Scientists discover family of chemical compounds that could prevent malaria

A international team led by scientists from the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (GNF) and The Scripps Research Institute has discovered a family of chemical compounds that could lead to a new generation of antimalarial drugs capable of not only alleviating symptoms but also preventing the deadly disease.

17 Nov 2011

EC approves Pfizer's Vyndaqel to treat Transthyretin Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy

Pfizer announced today that the European Commission has approved Vyndaqel (tafamidis) for the treatment of Transthyretin Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy (TTR-FAP) in adult patients with stage 1 symptomatic polyneuropathy.

17 Nov 2011

Are genes and hormones determinants of empathy and sensitivity in human nature?

According to latest research a first look or observation for just about 20 seconds maybe all that is needed to know if a person is nurturing and socially sensitive. These people may be genetically wired to be so say researchers.

17 Nov 2011

Tripling clopidogrel dosage improves platelet reactivity in cardiac patients

Among patients with stable cardiovascular disease who have a genetic variation that diminishes the response to the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel, tripling the standard daily dosage of this medication resulted in improved platelet reactivity, according to a study appearing in JAMA.

17 Nov 2011

Modified spider silk proteins for cancer gene therapy

A new episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS) award-winning "Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions" podcast series spins a real-life tale in which spider silk shows promise for overcoming a major barrier to the use of gene therapy in everyday medicine.

17 Nov 2011

Aurora kinase inhibitor may treat neuroendocrine prostate cancer

An international team of researchers led by clinicians at Weill Cornell Medical College have discovered a genetic Achilles' heel in an aggressive type of prostate cancer -- a vulnerability they say can be attacked by a targeted drug that is already in clinical trials to treat other types of cancers.

17 Nov 2011

MDxHealth total revenues decrease 7% for third quarter 2011

MDxHealth SA, a leading molecular diagnostics company in the field of personalized medicine, today issued its business update for the third quarter and for the nine months ended September 30, 2011.

17 Nov 2011

CF Foundation, Genzyme announce new drug research agreement

Genzyme, a Sanofi company, and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Inc., the nonprofit affiliate of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, today announced a research agreement to support the discovery of new drugs to treat people with the most common mutation found in patients with CF, Delta F508.

17 Nov 2011

Link between NRXN3 gene and impulsivity

Being impulsive can lead us to say things we regret, buy things we really don't need, engage in behaviors that are risky and even develop troublesome addictions. But are different kinds of hastiness and rashness embedded in our DNA? A new study suggests the answer is yes -- especially if you're a man.

17 Nov 2011

Budding yeast helps make useful predictions about the biology of individuals

It now only costs a few thousand Euros to sequence the genome of an individual human. However, for most of us, knowing our genome sequence would not be useful. Each human has more than 20 000 genes, and in each of us several thousand of these genes carry mutations.

16 Nov 2011

Mirna reports new preclinical data of miRNA-based therapeutic candidate for hepatocellular carcinoma

Mirna Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering microRNA replacement therapy for cancer, announced the presentation today of new preclinical data on the development of a miRNA-based therapeutic candidate for primary liver cancer at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics in San Francisco, CA.

16 Nov 2011

Just 20 seconds to know whether a stranger is trustworthy, kind or compassionate

There's definitely something to be said for first impressions. New research from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests it can take just 20 seconds to detect whether a stranger is genetically inclined to being trustworthy, kind or compassionate.

16 Nov 2011

Sex during adolescence can have negative effects on body and mood well into adulthood

A new study suggests that sex during adolescence can have lasting negative effects on the body and mood well into adulthood, most likely because the activity occurs when the nervous system is still developing.

16 Nov 2011

Molecular level insights into connection between cancer and diabetes

Developing type 2 diabetes is a lengthy process. An early sign that it has begun is high levels of insulin in the blood. As long as the insulin-producing beta cells are able to compensate for the increased demand, for example when the individual is overweight, the blood sugar levels remain normal. It is not until the capacity for insulin secretion falls below the level needed that type 2 diabetes becomes a fact. The latter stage generally goes quickly, as the stressed beta cells work themselves to death.

16 Nov 2011

Researchers discover human genes that might contribute to ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a universally fatal neurodegenerative disease. Mutations in two related proteins, TDP-43 and FUS, cause some forms of ALS. Specifically, these two proteins are RNA-binding proteins that connect to RNA to regulate the translation of proteins and other cellular functions such as RNA splicing and editing. In a new study, researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania discovered additional human genes with properties similar to TDP-43 and FUS that might also contribute to ALS.

16 Nov 2011

Blood-based gene expression test more effective in ruling out obstructive CAD

A blood-based gene expression test was found to be more effective for ruling out obstructive coronary artery disease in stable symptomatic patients than myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), a common test that uses a radioactive agent to evaluate the blood flow and function of the heart.

16 Nov 2011

Amgen receives EC approval to extend therapeutic indications for Vectibix

Amgen today announced that the European Commission (EC) has approved a variation to the marketing authorization for Vectibix (panitumumab) to include indications for the treatment of patients with wild-type KRAS metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in first-line in combination with FOLFOX and in second-line in combination with FOLFIRI in patients who have received first-line fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy.

16 Nov 2011

Researchers to begin drug development projects for rare and neglected diseases

Researchers will begin drug development projects for rare and neglected diseases that include potential treatments for a musculoskeletal disorder, a cognitive dysfunction disorder, a virus that affects the central nervous system of newborns, a parasitic worm infection, a form of muscular dystrophy and a rare lung disease.

16 Nov 2011