Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Cellular signal may determine life or death for damaged brain cells

Scientists at the Universities of Heidelberg and Ulm and a unit of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Monterotondo, Italy, have discovered that a specific signal within brain cells may determine whether they live or die after a stroke.

13 Nov 2005

Pretreating a vein graft with edifoligide prior to coronary bypass graft surgery does not lower the rate of graft failure

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the United States, according to background information in the article. In appropriately selected patients, CABG surgery results in improved survival, relief of angina, and improved quality of life. Despite frequent use of artery grafts, vein grafts remain the most frequently used conduit.

13 Nov 2005

Newly discovered hormone obestatin could help fight obesity

They hope that the hormone, obestatin, which belongs to the same family ghrelin, which stimulates the appetite, may be a key to the fight against obesity.

13 Nov 2005

Fc gamma receptor gene variants associated with rheumatoid arthritis

People with a specific combination of variants of two genes, encoding two different receptors for the antibody Fc gamma, are three times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than individuals with different variant combinations.

10 Nov 2005

Lancet warns Herceptin breast cancer drug 'over hyped'

The Lancet medical journal which is both influential and well respected, has cast some doubt on the claims that Herceptin was "a cure" for breast cancer and has attacked the hype surrounding the treatment by the Government and the media.

10 Nov 2005

Introgen's INGN 241 combined with Celebrex kills breast cancer cells

Introgen Therapeutics, Inc. today reported the publication of preclinical data demonstrating that INGN 241 works synergistically with celecoxib (Celebrex) marketed by Pfizer to inhibit the growth and increase apoptosis (cell death) of breast cancer cells.

8 Nov 2005

Those most at risk of Alzheimer's would allow loved ones enroll them in research

According to a new survey most people at high risk of Alzheimer's disease would be willing to have their loved ones enroll them in research studies when they could no longer give consent themselves.

8 Nov 2005

Statin drug reverses learning and attention deficits in a mouse model of the genetic disorder Neurofibromatosis type I

This week, researchers report evidence that a statin drug already shown to be safe for use in humans has proven effective at correcting cell-cell communication and curing learning disfunction in a mouse model of Neurofibromatosis type I, a human genetic disorder that causes learning disabilities in millions of people worldwide.

7 Nov 2005

Antisocial behavior in children associated with gene variant and environmental risk factors

For children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), possessing a variant of a gene involved in brain signaling may predict antisocial behavior and increase susceptibility to the effects of lower birth weight, according to a study in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

7 Nov 2005

Chlamydia pneumoniae may cause vision problems

Researchers at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) have found that Chlamydia pneumoniae, a bacterium linked to heart disease and capable of causing chronic inflammation, was present in the diseased eye tissue of five out of nine people with neovascular, or "wet," age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

7 Nov 2005

Cell fusion triggered by viruses is a possible contributing factor in the development of human cancer

In some cases, the fusion of human cells is a normal process that leads, for instance, to the formation of muscle and bone. Viral infections can also cause cell fusion, but cells fused by viruses are widely considered to be harmless because they are generally believed to die without consequences for the host.

7 Nov 2005

Should Alzheimer's sufferers take part in research?

Grandma has Alzheimer's disease - should you sign her up for a new research study, even if she doesn't really understand what it entails?

7 Nov 2005

New Flu Chip can determine the genetic make-up of types of flu virus in 11 hours

A novel "Flu Chip" developed at the University of Colorado at Boulder that can determine the genetic signatures of specific influenza strains from patient samples within hours may help world health officials combat coming epidemics and pandemics.

7 Nov 2005

Lupus discovery may improve treatment

Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the University of Virginia hope to reset part of the "epigenetic code" in lupus patients and thus improve treatment.

7 Nov 2005

Research project to advance understanding of how cancer cells evade the immune system

A pre-clinical research project coordinated by The University of Manchester, which will advance understanding of how cancer cells evade the immune system, has been awarded nearly 12m Euro by the EU.

From The University of Manchester 7 Nov 2005

Gene doping is a real danger - but anti-doping science is making progress

Gene therapy research has reached a critical phase. Already practised on humans as part of strictly controlled experiments, gene therapy promises to become a widely available form of treatment for injury and disease.

7 Nov 2005

Anti-aging hormone called Klotho actions explained

Scientists recently discovered an anti-aging hormone called Klotho. Now, a new study shows that this protein acts by increasing the cell's ability to detoxify harmful reactive oxygen species.

7 Nov 2005

Genetic link to dyslexia

About five million Germans have serious learning difficulties when it comes to reading and writing. It is frequently the case that several members of the same family are affected. So hereditary disposition seems to play an important role in the occurrence of dyslexia.

7 Nov 2005

Genetic profile of ovarian cancer

A newly identified gene expression profile could help predict how patients with advanced ovarian cancer will respond to chemotherapy treatment.

7 Nov 2005

Herceptin results beg questions on equal access to expensive drugs

The recent press coverage on the use of Herceptin (brand name for the drug trastuzumab) for treating breast cancer in its early stages shows that issues of equal access to costly but effective drugs must be confronted, says an editorial in the British Medical Journal.

7 Nov 2005

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Cellular signal may determine life or death for damaged brain cells

Pretreating a vein graft with edifoligide prior to coronary bypass graft surgery does not lower the rate of graft failure

Newly discovered hormone obestatin could help fight obesity

Fc gamma receptor gene variants associated with rheumatoid arthritis

Lancet warns Herceptin breast cancer drug 'over hyped'

Introgen's INGN 241 combined with Celebrex kills breast cancer cells

Those most at risk of Alzheimer's would allow loved ones enroll them in research

Statin drug reverses learning and attention deficits in a mouse model of the genetic disorder Neurofibromatosis type I

Antisocial behavior in children associated with gene variant and environmental risk factors

Chlamydia pneumoniae may cause vision problems

Cell fusion triggered by viruses is a possible contributing factor in the development of human cancer

Should Alzheimer's sufferers take part in research?

New Flu Chip can determine the genetic make-up of types of flu virus in 11 hours

Lupus discovery may improve treatment

Research project to advance understanding of how cancer cells evade the immune system

Gene doping is a real danger - but anti-doping science is making progress

Anti-aging hormone called Klotho actions explained

Genetic link to dyslexia

Genetic profile of ovarian cancer

Herceptin results beg questions on equal access to expensive drugs

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