Telomere News and Research

Latest Telomere News and Research

CNIO researchers identify new strategy to combat cancer

Scientists from the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre have discovered a new strategy to fight cancer, which is very different from those described to date. Their work shows for the first time that telomeres -- the structures protecting the ends of the chromosomes -- may represent an effective anti-cancer target: by blocking the TRF1 gene, which is essential for the telomeres, they have shown dramatic improvements in mice with lung cancer.

14 May 2015

MD Anderson researchers discover link between telomere degeneration and MDS

A study revealing fresh insight about chromosome "tails" called telomeres may provide scientists with a new way to look at developing treatments or even preventing a group of blood cell disorders known as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

12 May 2015

Raising lupus awareness: an interview with Professor Ramsey-Goldman, MD

Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease, with many different symptoms so it is hard to diagnose. It affects each person differently and it has an unpredictable disease course with flare ups and quiet time. Some patients describe lupus as if they are riding a roller coaster with blinders on because they cannot always tell when they will feel well or sick...

11 May 2015

Study finds link between PTSD and accelerated aging

In recent years, public health concerns about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have risen significantly, driven in part by affected military veterans returning from conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere. PTSD is associated with number of psychological maladies, among them chronic depression, anger, insomnia, eating disorders and substance abuse.

10 May 2015

Mutations in PARN and RTEL1 associated with familial pulmonary fibrosis, telomere shortening

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified mutations in two genes that cause a fatal lung scarring disease known as familial pulmonary fibrosis.

5 May 2015

New discovery may change the principles for treating cancer

Danish researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Herlev Hospital have made a discovery that may change the principles for treating certain types of cancer.

30 Apr 2015

TERT gene alterations co-occur with frequently altered bladder cancer genes

In results presented today at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2015, a collaborative study by the University of Colorado Cancer Center and the National Cancer Institute reports that the TERT gene promoter was altered in 69 percent of 54 cases of bladder cancer due to variants that occur after birth (called "somatic") and in 56 percent of bladder cancers due to inherited variants (called "germline").

21 Apr 2015

Johns Hopkins researchers find link between premature aging of telomere and lung diseases

Lung diseases like emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis are common among people with malfunctioning telomeres, the “caps” or ends of chromosomes. Now, researchers from Johns Hopkins say they have discovered what goes wrong and why.

1 Apr 2015

Johns Hopkins researchers find link between premature aging of telomere and lung diseases

1 Apr 2015

Findings may help doctors recommend appropriate treatments, improve patient outcomes

Like a car's front and back bumpers, your cell's chromosomes are capped by "telomeres" that protect this genetic material against deterioration. Still, after enough replications, a chromosome's telomeres break down and once they reach a certain point of degradation, the cell dies. This is one reason that cells are mortal: telomeres only last so long. That is, unless the enzyme telomerase builds new material onto the worn telomeres to reinforce these chromosomal "bumpers". Telomere repair can be a good thing, but in some cases it's not: overactive telomerase can lengthen telomeres until a cell becomes immortal…leading to cancer.

18 Feb 2015

Longer donor leukocyte telomere length linked to improved survival following HCT

Among patients with severe aplastic anemia who received stem cell transplant from an unrelated donor, longer leukocyte (white blood cells) telomere length (a structure at the end of a chromosome) was associated with increased overall survival at 5 years, according to a study in the February 10 issue of JAMA.

12 Feb 2015

DNA strands predict life expectancy

BYU biologist Jonathan Alder has a startling secret he doesn't freely share: he knows when most of us are going to die.

9 Feb 2015

Researchers reveal new pathway for inhibiting growth of tumor cells tied to BRCA mutations

Inhibiting the action of a particular enzyme dramatically slows the growth of tumor cells tied to BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations which, in turn, are closely tied to breast and ovarian cancers, according to researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center.

3 Feb 2015

Researchers develop new treatment that extends telomeres

Will extending telomeres lead to longer, healthier lives? Researchers have taken an important step toward answering this question by developing a new treatment used in the laboratory that extends telomeres.

24 Jan 2015

Childhood stress, psychiatric disorders linked to cellular changes that cause aging

In a new study published online in Biological Psychiatry on January 16, 2015, researchers from Butler Hospital identify an association between biological changes on the cellular level and both childhood adversity and psychiatric disorders.

21 Jan 2015

TERT mutations may make smokers more susceptible to emphysema

Mutations in a gene that helps repair damaged chromosome ends may make smokers — especially female smokers — more susceptible to emphysema, according to results of a new study led by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers.

14 Jan 2015

UT Southwestern researchers target cells' biological clock to kill cancer cells, shrink tumor growth

Cell biologists at UT Southwestern Medical Center have targeted telomeres with a small molecule called 6-thiodG that takes advantage of the cell's 'biological clock' to kill cancer cells and shrink tumor growth.

2 Jan 2015

Researchers treat myocardial infarction with new telomerase-based gene therapy

The enzyme telomerase repairs cell damage produced by ageing, and has been used successfully in therapies to lengthen the life of mice. Now it has been observed that it could also be used to cure illnesses related to the ageing process.

18 Dec 2014

Higher human exposure to metal cadmium can lead to shorter telomeres

A new study led by a researcher at Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University looks at the metal cadmium and finds that higher human exposure can lead to significantly shorter telomeres, bits of DNA at the ends of chromosomes that are associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other diseases of old age.

11 Dec 2014

Study reveals impact of meditation, support groups at cellular level in breast cancer survivors

For the first time, researchers have shown that practising mindfulness meditation or being involved in a support group has a positive physical impact at the cellular level in breast cancer survivors.

4 Nov 2014

Telomere News and Research

Latest Telomere News and Research

CNIO researchers identify new strategy to combat cancer

MD Anderson researchers discover link between telomere degeneration and MDS

Raising lupus awareness: an interview with Professor Ramsey-Goldman, MD

Study finds link between PTSD and accelerated aging

Mutations in PARN and RTEL1 associated with familial pulmonary fibrosis, telomere shortening

New discovery may change the principles for treating cancer

TERT gene alterations co-occur with frequently altered bladder cancer genes

Johns Hopkins researchers find link between premature aging of telomere and lung diseases

Johns Hopkins researchers find link between premature aging of telomere and lung diseases

Findings may help doctors recommend appropriate treatments, improve patient outcomes

Longer donor leukocyte telomere length linked to improved survival following HCT

DNA strands predict life expectancy

Researchers reveal new pathway for inhibiting growth of tumor cells tied to BRCA mutations

Researchers develop new treatment that extends telomeres

Childhood stress, psychiatric disorders linked to cellular changes that cause aging

TERT mutations may make smokers more susceptible to emphysema

UT Southwestern researchers target cells' biological clock to kill cancer cells, shrink tumor growth

Researchers treat myocardial infarction with new telomerase-based gene therapy

Higher human exposure to metal cadmium can lead to shorter telomeres

Study reveals impact of meditation, support groups at cellular level in breast cancer survivors

Precision in every drop: Inside Hamilton’s syringe technology

Exploring the Future of Neuroscience Drug Discovery

Genomic conservation in Thailand's mangroves