Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Stem cells intentionally cut and then repair their own DNA to develop new tissues

A new study from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and the University of Ottawa suggests that stem cells intentionally break their own DNA as a way of regulating tissue development. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), could dramatically change how researchers think about tissue development, stem cells and cancer.

15 Feb 2010

Allele-specific DNA methylation a widespread phenomenon, reveals IoP study

Researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP), King's College London, have identified numerous novel regions of the genome where the chemical modifications involved in controlling gene expression are influenced by either genetic variation or the parental origin of that particular stretch of DNA. This contradicts previous assumptions that epigenetic signals are generally equal across both copies of a given region of the genome, except at a small number of known imprinted genes.

15 Feb 2010

Researchers identify defective signaling pathway that contributes to the severity of cystic fibrosis

In a study that could lead to new therapeutic targets for patients with the cystic fibrosis, a research team from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has identified a defective signaling pathway that contributes to disease severity.

15 Feb 2010

SRC-3 gene sends signal to cell membrane to promote cell motility

The master gene called SRC-3 (steroid receptor coactivator 3) not only enhances estrogen-dependent growth of cancer cells by activating and encouraging the transcription of a genetic message into a protein, it also sends a signal to the cell membrane to promote cell motility or movement - a key element of cancer spread or metastasis, said Baylor College of Medicine (www.bcm.edu) researchers and collaborators in a report that appears in the current issue of the journal Molecular Cell.

15 Feb 2010

Researchers describe the structure of ToxT that controls virulent nature of Vibrio cholerae

In a new study, Dartmouth researchers describe the structure of a protein called ToxT that controls the virulent nature of Vibrio cholerae, the bacteria that causes cholera. Buried within ToxT, the researchers were surprised to find a fatty acid that appears to inhibit ToxT, which prevents the bacteria from causing cholera.

14 Feb 2010

New research finds sensory cortex develops late in fragile X syndrome defect

Why do people with fragile X syndrome, a genetic defect that is the best-known cause of autism and inherited mental retardation, recoil from hugs and physical touch - even from their parents?

12 Feb 2010

New project to unravel secret lives of cancer cells may help produce new cancer therapies

A team of scientists from Princeton University and The Cancer Institute of New Jersey has embarked on a major new project to unravel the secret lives of cancer cells that go dormant and self-cannibalize to survive periods of stress. The work may help produce new cancer therapies to stem changes that render cancer cells dangerous and resistant to treatment.

12 Feb 2010

IBM, VLSCI scientists to use Blue Gene supercomputer to study human disease

IBM today announced a Research collaboratory in Melbourne, Australia, where scientists from the Victorian Life Sciences Computational Initiative at the University of Melbourne and the IBM Research Computational Biology Center will use high performance computing – including IBM's Blue Gene supercomputer – to study human disease.

12 Feb 2010

CapitalBio officially joins Roche NimbleGen CSP Program

Roche NimbleGen announced today that Beijing-based genomic services provider CapitalBio has officially joined the Roche NimbleGen Certified Service Provider (CSP) Program.

12 Feb 2010

Researchers discover cancer gene in ancestral metazoan

To find the causes for cancer, biochemists and developmental biologists at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, retraced the function of an important human cancer gene 600 million years back in time. For the first time, they have identified the oncogene myc in a fresh water polyp and they have shown that this oncogene has similar biochemical functions in ancestral metazoan and in humans.

12 Feb 2010

New screening system developed to discover molecules that block HCV life cycle

A newly designed system of identifying molecules for treating hepatitis C should enable scientists to discover novel and effective therapies for the dangerous and difficult-to-cure disease of the liver, says Zhilei Chen, a Texas A&M University assistant professor of chemical engineering who helped develop the screening system.

12 Feb 2010

Scientists uncover new gene that could help save sight of patients with inherited blindness

The international research team led by the University of Leeds found that the TSPAN12 gene is faulty in patients with a disease known as FEVR (Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy), which affects the development of the eye.

12 Feb 2010

DuPont Agriculture & Nutrition segment expected to grow by 10% in 2010, says James C. Borel

DuPont Executive Vice President James C. Borel said he expects the DuPont Agriculture & Nutrition segment to grow sales by 10 percent in 2010 and increase pre-tax operating income margin across the seed, crop protection, and nutrition and health businesses.

11 Feb 2010

Neurotoxin study may help find new therapies to block hyperactive ion channels

There are approximately 500 species of cone snails, each producing 50 - 200 different conotoxins. A similar number of peptide toxins are produced by snakes, spiders, sea anemones, scorpions and other venomous animals. The animals use the neurotoxins to paralyze their prey.

11 Feb 2010

New genetic 'hotspots' may help doctors devise therapies for bowel cancer patients

Cancer Research UK scientists have identified the frequency of new genetic 'hotspots' which could help doctors to tailor therapies to as many as 3,000 additional bowel cancer patients each year, according to research published in the British Journal of Cancer today.

11 Feb 2010

Oncogene has similar biochemical functions in ancestral metazoan and in humans

11 Feb 2010

Ingrid Grummt to receive 2010 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award

The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) announced Ingrid Grummt from the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, Germany, as the winner of the 2010 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award. Ingrid Grummt has made important contributions to the field of transcriptional regulation in cells throughout her career.

11 Feb 2010

fMRI study shows neural network may be brain's back burner for social decision making

When we put an idea on the back burner, it goes into a processing area of the brain called the default-mode network. This network enables us to hold the low-priority idea in abeyance until a time when we aren't busy with something else.

11 Feb 2010

Study may pave for effective treatments for blood clotting disorders

A key protein that causes the blood to clot is produced by blood vessels in the lungs and not just the liver, according to new research published today in the journal PLoS One, led by scientists at Imperial College London.

11 Feb 2010

Researchers find differences in the biology of lung cancer between men and women

An analysis of genetic and clinical data for nearly 800 patients with non-small cell lung cancer has identified differences in genetic characteristics that are associated with age and sex specific patterns of increased or decreased recurrence-free survival, according to a study in the February 10 issue of JAMA.

10 Feb 2010

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Stem cells intentionally cut and then repair their own DNA to develop new tissues

Allele-specific DNA methylation a widespread phenomenon, reveals IoP study

Researchers identify defective signaling pathway that contributes to the severity of cystic fibrosis

SRC-3 gene sends signal to cell membrane to promote cell motility

Researchers describe the structure of ToxT that controls virulent nature of Vibrio cholerae

New research finds sensory cortex develops late in fragile X syndrome defect

New project to unravel secret lives of cancer cells may help produce new cancer therapies

IBM, VLSCI scientists to use Blue Gene supercomputer to study human disease

CapitalBio officially joins Roche NimbleGen CSP Program

Researchers discover cancer gene in ancestral metazoan

New screening system developed to discover molecules that block HCV life cycle

Scientists uncover new gene that could help save sight of patients with inherited blindness

DuPont Agriculture & Nutrition segment expected to grow by 10% in 2010, says James C. Borel

Neurotoxin study may help find new therapies to block hyperactive ion channels

New genetic 'hotspots' may help doctors devise therapies for bowel cancer patients

Oncogene has similar biochemical functions in ancestral metazoan and in humans

Ingrid Grummt to receive 2010 FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award

fMRI study shows neural network may be brain's back burner for social decision making

Study may pave for effective treatments for blood clotting disorders

Researchers find differences in the biology of lung cancer between men and women

eBook: Using iPSCs models for human disease research and drug discovery eBook

Exploring the role of confocal-based high-content imaging in advancing core facilities

Transforming Cardiovascular Care: Insights from Mina Makar at AstraZeneca

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS