Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

UK researchers discover new tactic used by cancer cells to cheat death

Cancer Research UK scientists have uncovered a new strategy that could be used by cancer cells to side step the body's normal safety checks and become immortal a key step for a cancer cell according to a study published in Nature today (Thursday).

10 Sep 2010

New melanoma drug in the pipeline from Plexxikon and Roche

Researchers from biotech company Plexxikon have found that their candidate drug for skin cancer melanomas can be administered more effectively in early stages of the disease.

9 Sep 2010

Researchers discover first compound to activate enzyme telomerase in human body

Sierra Sciences, in collaboration with TA Sciences, Geron Corporation, PhysioAge, and the Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), has announced the first compound ever discovered that activates the enzyme telomerase in the human body - a critical prerequisite for technology that could arrest or reverse the aging process in humans.

9 Sep 2010

Study suggests PTSD symptoms common in Second Generation population

In groups with high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as the survivors of the Nazi Death Camps, the adjustment problems of their children, the so called "Second Generation", have received attention by researchers. Studies suggested that some symptoms or personality traits associated with PTSD may be more common in the Second Generation than the general population.

9 Sep 2010

IMF and CHPF join to promote awareness of myeloma in China

The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), the oldest and largest foundation dedicated to improving the life and care of myeloma patients, today announced plans to sign a cooperative agreement with the Chinese Health Promotion Foundation (CHPF), an agency that operates under the Chinese Ministry of Health, to promote awareness of myeloma in China and to encourage measures to prevent and combat the disease.

9 Sep 2010

Johns Hopkins Children's Center urges new screening program to improve sickle cell trait

The Johns Hopkins Children's Center top pediatrician is urging a "rethink" of a new sickle cell screening program, calling it an enlightened but somewhat rushed step toward improving the health of young people who carry the sickle cell mutation.

9 Sep 2010

Two genes linked to ovarian clear cell carcinoma

Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have identified two genes whose mutations appear to be linked to ovarian clear cell carcinoma, one of the most aggressive forms of ovarian cancer. Clear cell carcinoma is generally resistant to standard therapy.

9 Sep 2010

SMA researchers receive grant for Spinal Muscular Atrophy research

Brian Kaspar, PhD, principal investigator in the Center for Gene Therapy at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, along with a team of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) researchers and clinicians, recently received a $250,000 grant for SMA research and clinic development from Sophia's Cure Foundation via the Pepsi Refresh Project.

9 Sep 2010

New gene required for memory formation identified

A team led by a Scripps Research Institute scientist has for the first time identified a new gene that is required for memory formation in Drosophila, the common fruit fly. The gene may have similar functions in humans, shedding light on neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease or human learning disabilities.

9 Sep 2010

BC gynecologists initiate campaign to reduce ovarian cancer mortality

Gynecologic oncologists with the Ovarian Cancer Research Program at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) and the BC Cancer Agency have begun an important campaign that will reduce deaths from ovarian cancer.

9 Sep 2010

Cachexia reduces function and changes muscle structure of heart in mice with colon cancer

The wasting disease associated with some cancers that is typically seen affecting skeletal muscles can also cause significant damage to the heart, new research in mice suggests.

9 Sep 2010

Scientists discover over-expression of C35 gene in HER2 positive tumours

UK scientists have discovered that a gene called C35 can work together with other cancer-promoting genes to drive the growth and invasion of breast cancer cells in the lab.

9 Sep 2010

Advaxis receives USPTO patent for Listeria vaccine

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has approved Advaxis, Inc.,the live, attenuated Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria) immunotherapy company, intellectual property protection to patent application 11/223,945 - a live, attenuated Listeria vaccine that secretes novel fragments of the tumor antigen HER2/neu (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2), when using the company's proprietary listeriolysin O (LLO) fusion platform technology.

9 Sep 2010

Researchers unveil protection mechanism of telomeres from DNA repair

In the latest issue of the journal Nature, Miguel Godinho Ferreira, Principal Investigator at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC) in Portugal, lead a team of researchers to shed light on a paradox that has puzzled biologists since the discovery of telomeres, the protective tips of chromosomes: while broken chromosome ends generated by DNA damage (such as radiation or cigarette smoke) are quickly joined together, telomeres are never tied to each other, thus allowing for the correct segregation of the genetic material into all cells in our body.

9 Sep 2010

Researchers reveal surface protein alteration mechanism of mycoplasma bacteria

Pathogenic bacteria have evolved a variety of mechanisms to avoid being killed by the immune systems of the humans and animals they invade. Among the most sophisticated is that practised by mycoplasmas, which regularly change their surface proteins to confuse the immune system. Recent work in the group of Renate Rosengarten and Rohini Chopra-Dewasthaly at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna has revealed surprising new details of the way they do so and at the same time raised important evolutionary questions.

9 Sep 2010

NIH awards second $8 million grant for research into health effects of botanical estrogens

An ongoing research initiative into the health effects of botanical estrogens will get an $8 million boost from the National Institutes of Health.

9 Sep 2010

'Cloud computing improves' speed of analyzing RNA sequencing data

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have developed new software that greatly improves the speed at which scientists can analyze RNA sequencing data. RNA sequencing is used to compare differences in gene expression to identify those genes that switched on or off when, for instance, a particular disease is present.

9 Sep 2010

Ohio State University receives five-year grant to improve drug therapy using gene profiles

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences has awarded a $9.1 million, five-year grant to The Ohio State University for a study titled "Expression Genetics in Drug Therapy." The goal of the research is to enhance drug response rates and reduce the number of adverse drug reactions among patients taking medication.

9 Sep 2010

ARID1A gene links ovarian cancer to endometriosis

Researchers with the Ovarian Cancer Research Program of BC (OvCaRe) reveal a major new cancer gene-ARID1A. Mutations are frequent in this gene and link two types of ovarian cancer to endometriosis.

9 Sep 2010

Trius Therapeutics announces presentations from drug development programs at 50th ICAAC

Trius Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that the results of multiple studies from its drug development programs, including its lead antibiotic drug candidate torezolid phosphate (TR-701), will be presented in poster presentations at the 50th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) meeting in Boston September 12-15.

8 Sep 2010