Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Mystery of arsenite solved

Scientists have solved an important mystery about why an arsenic compound, called arsenite, can kill us, and yet function as an effective therapeutic agent against disease and infections. According to new research published in the October 2010 issue of Genetics scientists from Johns Hopkins, Baylor and Stanford discovered that arsenite, a common water contaminant in many parts of the world, affects a special protein folding machine in yeast, called TCP, also present in humans.

14 Oct 2010

Ligand launches Viviant in Japan and Spain for postmenopausal osteoporosis

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated today announced that its partner Pfizer, Inc. launched Viviant® (Bazedoxifene) in Japan for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Under the brand name Conbriza®, the drug is also marketed in Spain through a co-promotion with Almirall, an international pharmaceutical company based in Spain.

14 Oct 2010

Research shows honey bees change their circadian rhythms

Unlike humans, honey bees, when thrown into highly time-altered new societal roles, are able to alter their biological rhythms with alacrity, enabling them to make a successful "quick switch" in their daily routines, according to research carried out at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

13 Oct 2010

Detect-Ready MRSA assay receives first independent validation

Molecular Detection Inc. a company developing Detect-Ready assays designed to increase the speed and accuracy of infectious disease diagnosis, today announced that its Detect-Ready MRSA assay has received its first independent validation in a study conducted at St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust, a leading teaching hospital in the UK.

13 Oct 2010

New York Stem Cell Foundation names first six NYSCF Investigators

In an expansion of its ongoing effort to promote the next generation of stem cell scientists, The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) today named the first six NYSCF Investigators. Each of the NYSCF-Robertson and NYSCF-Helmsley Investigators will receive up to $1.5 million over the next five years to expand their own laboratories, train other scientists and foster innovative high-risk/high reward research to explore the therapeutic potential of stem cells derived from humans and model organisms.

13 Oct 2010

Cancer Research UK launches programme to turn genetic revolution into better treatment for cancer patients

Cancer Research UK has launched a multimillion pound programme, alongside the Technology Strategy Board's Innovation Platform, to help turn the genetic revolution into better treatment for cancer patients.

13 Oct 2010

Scientists identify gene that could predict breast cancer patients' response to tamoxifen

Scientists have identified a gene which could help predict whether a breast cancer patient will respond to taking tamoxifen. The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer today (Wednesday), showed a potential link between the activity of a gene called BCAR4 and the likelihood that a breast cancer tumour will not respond to tamoxifen - widely used to treat women with breast cancer.

13 Oct 2010

Gene Biodesign joins Roche NimbleGen Certified Service Provider Program

Roche NimbleGen announced today that Taipei-based genomic services provider Gene Biodesign Enterprises Co. has officially joined the Roche NimbleGen Certified Service Provider (CSP) Program.

13 Oct 2010

Prosensa receives £7.5M milestone payment in GSK2402968 Phase IIa trial for DMD

Prosensa, the Dutch biopharmaceutical company focusing on RNA modulating therapeutics, has announced that it received a £7.5m milestone payment from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) as a result of achieving a data milestone in its Phase IIa open label extension trial of GSK2402968 (PRO051), being developed to treat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) under its agreement with GSK. The milestone payment was based upon achievement of a successful safety review, with no serious safety signals observed.

13 Oct 2010

Cellectis bioresearch establishes US subsidiary

Cellectis bioresearch, a specialist in genome customization and subsidiary of Cellectis, today announced that it has established a US subsidiary, Cellectis bioresearch Inc. Located at the Cambridge Innovation Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cellectis bioresearch Inc. will be responsible for the US-wide promotion of Cellectis bioresearch products and services.

13 Oct 2010

Kennedy Krieger Institute launches phase II clinical trial to investigate Revatio for DMD treatment

Kennedy Krieger Institute announced today the launch of a first‐of‐its‐kind, phase II clinical trial to investigate a treatment for heart disease in individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

13 Oct 2010

New cancer initiative may promote rapid drug development

Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center (GHS) unveiled details of its new Institute for Translational Oncology Research, a visionary cancer initiative that will help pave the way for new breakthroughs in rapid drug development, diagnostic discovery and advanced cancer care. ITOR is part of the GHS Cancer Center, a recognized regional multi-disciplinary center.

13 Oct 2010

NCI rates Abramson Cancer Center as 'exceptional'

The University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center has been rated as "exceptional" by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) during a competitive research funding review by the government agency.

13 Oct 2010

Scientists design synthetic molecule to protect liver cancer cells from toxic effects of chemotherapy

Scientists have found that a synthetic molecule they designed can block activation of a gene in liver cancer cells, halting a process that allows some of those cancer cells to survive chemotherapy.

13 Oct 2010

Defect in 21st amino acid leads to progressive brain atrophy: Study

A research team at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Soroka University Medical Center in Beer-Sheva, Israel has detected a genetic mutation resulting in a progressive disease of severe mental retardation and epilepsy beginning at infancy. The research was just published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

13 Oct 2010

Researchers find gene association between Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease progression

Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers have found that a gene associated with the onset of Type 2 diabetes also is found at lower-than-normal levels in people with Alzheimer's disease. The research, led by Giulio Maria Pasinetti, MD, PhD, The Saunder Family Professor in Neurology, and Professor of Psychiatry and Geriatrics and Adult Development at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, was published this month in Aging Cell.

13 Oct 2010

BIOBASE introduces Genome Trax Next Generation Sequencing solution

BIOBASE announced today that it is entering the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) market with the launch of a new solution. Genome Trax™ enables researchers to identify genome variations of functional significance by mapping them to known elements such as gene regulatory sites and disease-linked mutations.

13 Oct 2010

Scientists identify mutant protein in type 2 diabetes

University of Michigan scientists have identified events inside insulin-producing pancreatic cells that set the stage for a neonatal form of non-autoimmune type 1 diabetes, and may play a role in type 2 diabetes as well. The results point to a potential target for drugs to protect normally functioning proteins essential for producing insulin.

13 Oct 2010

QIAGEN, Abbott enter agreement to strengthen testing menus for automated in-vitro diagnostic applications

QIAGEN and Abbott today announced that they have entered into an agreement that significantly strengthens both companies' testing menus for automated in-vitro diagnostic applications in the United States and Canada. Financial terms were not disclosed.

From QIAGEN Manchester Limited 13 Oct 2010

Exiqon introduces on-line microRNA qPCR assay design software

Exiqon A/S, a leading supplier of high-value gene expression analysis products, today announced the extension of the miRCURY LNA microRNA PCR product line with the launch of a novel bioinformatics software for the design of custom qPCR assays for microRNA quantification.

12 Oct 2010