Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Decrease in prevalence of VRSA infections in southeastern Michigan

A new study finds a decrease in an emergent strain of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) that is resistant to last line defense antibiotics. Researchers examined the prevalence of vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) infections in southeastern Michigan, where the majority of these infections have occurred in the U.S.

26 Nov 2014

Philips' IQon Spectral CT receives FDA clearance

Reinforcing its commitment to enabling confident diagnosis through innovation, Royal Philips today announced 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its IQon Spectral CT, presenting an entirely new approach to spectral imaging.

From Philips Healthcare 25 Nov 2014

Research sheds light on gene mutation linked to autistic traits

Researchers at the University of Leeds have shed light on a gene mutation linked to autistic traits.

25 Nov 2014

Researchers discover two common genetic variants associated with memory performance

In the largest study of the genetics of memory ever undertaken, an international researcher team including scientists from Boston University School of Medicine, have discovered two common genetic variants that are believed to be associated with memory performance.

25 Nov 2014

PPMD, Santhera Pharmaceuticals collaborate to study Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, the leading advocacy organization working to end Duchenne muscular dystrophy (Duchenne) and Santhera Pharmaceuticals, a Swiss specialty pharmaceutical company focusing on the development and marketing of innovative pharmaceutical products for the treatment of mitochondrial and neuromuscular diseases, will collaborate on a benefit/risk study in Duchenne.

25 Nov 2014

Isis Pharmaceuticals announces initiation of ISIS-SMN Rx Phase 3 study in children with SMA

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the initiation of a pivotal Phase 3 study evaluating ISIS-SMNRx in approximately 120 non-ambulatory children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

25 Nov 2014

MACROD2 gene may explain why some breast cancers are resistant to tamoxifen

After mining the genetic records of thousands of breast cancer patients, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have identified a gene whose presence may explain why some breast cancers are resistant to tamoxifen, a widely used hormone treatment generally used after surgery, radiation and other chemotherapy.

25 Nov 2014

Two researchers receive Naomi Berrie Award for Outstanding Research in Diabetes

Columbia University Medical Center has presented Andrew Hattersley, DM, and Mark McCarthy, MD, with the 16th Naomi Berrie Award for Outstanding Research in Diabetes, for their work on the genetics of the disease. Their research has contributed to the discovery of new forms of the disease, improvements in diagnostic methodology, and the development of more effective treatments.

25 Nov 2014

Protein that awakens brain from sleep may fight against Alzheimer's disease

A protein that stimulates the brain to awaken from sleep may be a target for preventing Alzheimer's disease, a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests.

25 Nov 2014

Johns Hopkins researchers develop online tool to speed up creation of new drugs to prevent Ebola virus

Johns Hopkins biomedical engineers have developed a free, browser-based online tool that could speed up the creation of new drugs to treat or prevent Ebola virus infections.

24 Nov 2014

UC San Diego Health System opens nation's first angioedema treatment center

UC San Diego Health System in partnership with the U.S. Hereditary Angioedema Association, a non-profit patient advocacy organization, has opened the nation's first dedicated center for diagnosing and treating diverse forms of swelling, known collectively as angioedema.

24 Nov 2014

Raising awareness of sickle cell disease risks

Members of the public in sub-Saharan Africa who are carriers of the hereditary disease sickle cell disease must be educated aggressively through public health campaigns to raise awareness of the risks of parenting offspring with the disease if their partner is also a carrier, according to research published in the International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics.

24 Nov 2014

Authors review current progress in developing transgenic pig models for human diseases

Genetically engineered pigs, minipigs, and microminipigs are valuable tools for biomedical research, as their lifespan, anatomy, physiology, genetic make-up, and disease mechanisms are more similar to humans than the rodent models typically used in drug discovery research.

24 Nov 2014

Researchers say that promoting healthy gut microbiota can help treat metabolic syndrome

Promoting healthy gut microbiota, the bacteria that live in the intestine, can help treat or prevent metabolic syndrome, a combination of risk factors that increases a person's risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke, according to researchers at Georgia State University and Cornell University.

24 Nov 2014

NOS1AP gene may help explain biological process of schizophrenia

A gene associated with schizophrenia plays a role in brain development and may help to explain the biological process of the disease, according to new Rutgers research.

24 Nov 2014

Researchers discover why only some patients respond to ipilimumab drug

A collaborative team of leaders in the field of cancer immunology from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has made a key discovery that advances the understanding of why some patients respond to ipilimumab, an immunotherapy drug, while others do not. MSK was at the forefront of the clinical research that brought this CTLA-4 blocking antibody to melanoma patients.

23 Nov 2014

Researchers identify way to improve memory by manipulating molecule linked to Alzheimer's

In a new study conducted by the Sagol Department of Neurobiology at the University of Haifa and published recently in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers report that they've found a way to improve memory by manipulating a specific molecule that is known to function poorly in old age and is closely linked to Alzheimer's disease.

23 Nov 2014

Researchers examine genomic landscapes of humans and mice

Looking across evolutionary time and the genomic landscapes of humans and mice, an international group of researchers has found powerful clues to why certain processes and systems in the mouse - such as the immune system, metabolism and stress response - are so different from those in people. Building on years of mouse and gene regulation studies, they have developed a resource that can help scientists better understand how similarities and differences between mice and humans are written in their genomes.

23 Nov 2014

Scientists identify four new genes associated with severe food allergy

Scientists have identified four new genes associated with the severe food allergy eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). Because the genes appear to have roles in other allergic diseases and in inflammation, the findings may point toward potential new treatments for EoE.

21 Nov 2014

Promising molecular diagnostic approach to endometriosis

Researchers at UC San Francisco have identified patterns of genetic activity that can be used to diagnose endometriosis and its severity, a finding that may offer millions of women an alternative to surgery through a simple noninvasive procedure.

21 Nov 2014