Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Scientists discover gene that helps protect body from squamous cell cancer

An extraordinary breakthrough in understanding what stops a common form of skin cancer from developing could make new cancer treatments and prevention available to the public in five years.

16 Nov 2011

Research offers clues that may explain behavior, mood changes in stress-related disorders

Research released today uses the latest genetic tools to explore how stress alters brain function, leading to anxiety, depression, and other stress-related mood disorders.

16 Nov 2011

EMA grants orphan designation to AMT for hemophilia B gene therapy

Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics, a leader in the field of human gene therapy, announced today that the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has granted orphan designation for its gene therapy program for the treatment of hemophilia B. Orphan designation in the European Union provides several benefits including 10 years of market exclusivity from product launch and access to the central authorization procedure.

16 Nov 2011

Researchers identify key processes by which estrogen activates genes in breast-cancer cells

Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) have discovered key processes by which estrogen, the female sex hormone, activates genes in breast-cancer cells.

16 Nov 2011

Public health officials should address needs of people with blood disorders

Public health should focus not only on reducing the burden of common diseases but also address the needs of people with blood disorders , experts say in a supplement to December's American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

16 Nov 2011

Specific gene variant may increase risk of premature death in people with alcohol dependency

People who are alcohol-dependent and who also carry a particular variant of a gene run an increased risk of premature death. This is a recent finding from the interdisciplinary research at the Department of Psychology and the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

15 Nov 2011

EPO-secreting engineered vessels could reverse anemia

Patients who rely on recombinant, protein-based drugs must often endure frequent injections, often several times a week, or intravenous therapy. Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston demonstrate the possibility that blood vessels, made from genetically engineered cells, could secrete the drug on demand directly into the bloodstream.

15 Nov 2011

Alnylam announces new data from ALN-TTR01 Phase I trial on TTR-mediated amyloidosis

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today that it will present new data from its ALN-TTR program at the VIIIth International Symposium on Familial Amyloidotic Polyneuropathy being held in Kumamoto, Japan from November 20-22, 2011.

15 Nov 2011

Positive data from MDxHealth's prostate cancer test study

MDxHealth SA, a leading molecular diagnostics company in the field of personalized cancer treatment, today announced data showing that a prototype of its Prostate ConfirmMDx test can help urologists distinguish patients who have a true negative biopsy from those who may have occult cancer undetected by prostate biopsy and histopathological review.

15 Nov 2011

Prox1 gene plays a critical role in formation and maintenance of lymphatic system

A century after the valves that link the lymphatic and blood systems were first described, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have detailed how those valves form and identified a gene that is critical to the process.

15 Nov 2011

Scientists find new tools to help understand neurodevelopmental disorders

Research released today shows that scientists are finding new tools to help understand neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and fragile X syndrome. These studies show in new detail how the brain's connections, chemicals, and genes interact to affect behavior.

15 Nov 2011

New human research shows benefits and challenges for aging brain

New human research released today shows the benefits and challenges for the aging brain. The studies probe common characteristics of normal aging - including memory loss, reduced sleep quality, and decision-making problems - and suggest the benefits of exercise, hormone treatment, and social interaction.

15 Nov 2011

Lentigen, UH Case Medical Center initiate LG631 Phase I trial in glioblastoma

University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Lentigen Corporation announced today the initiation of a novel Phase I clinical trial of LG631 gene therapy for the protection of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from the dose limiting toxicity of chemotherapy with Temodar.

15 Nov 2011

Scientists discover promising approaches for treatment of pain

Scientists are discovering promising approaches to treating pain, one of the most common and debilitating neurological complaints, according to research released today at Neuroscience 2011, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

15 Nov 2011

New Allen Mouse Brain Connectivity Atlas

The Allen Institute for Brain Science announced today the launch of a new brain atlas resource and updates to four existing resources, all publicly available online to accelerate brain research around the globe.

14 Nov 2011

Occupational chemical exposure raises for Parkinson's

A new research report contributes to the increasing evidence that repeated occupational exposure to certain chemical solvents raises the risk for Parkinson's disease. Researchers analyzed the occupational histories of twins in which one of the pair developed the neurodegenerative disorder, and assessed that twin's likelihood of exposure to six chemicals previously linked to Parkinson's.

14 Nov 2011

Scientists discover molecular basis for tamoxifen resistance and potential way to defeat it

In the last three decades, thousands of women with breast cancer have taken the drug tamoxifen, only to discover that the therapy doesn't work, either because their tumors do not respond to the treatment at all, or because they develop resistance to it over time. Now researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have discovered the molecular basis for tamoxifen resistance and found a potential way to defeat it.

14 Nov 2011