genetic variation

ALSO NOTED: Miniature stem cell lab developed; Scripps opens new research center; Major advance in microRNA research;

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:59:58 -0400

Technology

A team at the Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine at Northwestern University has created a "miniature laboratory" from one polymer and one small molecule in which human stem cells can grow. The sac in turn safeguards the stem cell from the human immune system so it can arrive safely at its destination. Report

New gene-scanning technology has revealed genetic variations which significantly heightens the risk of schizophrenia. And the work demonstrates the technology's promise in revealing the biology involved in mental disorders. Article

Stem Cell Research

Scripps Research Institute in California is boosting its presence in the stem cell field. Scripps has launched the Center for Regenerative Medicine and wooed noted scientist Jeanne Loring away from the Burnham Institute to run it. It now has an organized stem cell effort, putting it in line with the three other big research institutes in its area--all of which are competing for state funds. Report

The heads of two new research institutes in Florida are steering clear of controversial stem cell research programs in the Sunshine state. Recent ballot initiatives favoring stem cell research in Florida have failed to attract enough signatures needed to put the measures up for a public vote. Story

A highly charged debate over the future of new legislation in the UK allowing the creation of human/animal hybrids for medical research has pitted scientists against the leaders of the Catholic Church. The head of Scotland's Roman Catholic Church calls the proposal "monstrous" but says he will sit down to discuss the issue with members of the scientific community. Report

Genetics

Over the past three years gene-scanning has linked almost 100 DNA variants to 40 diseases and traits, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. And scientists have heralded the work as one of the most significant stages in the history of medical research. Report

Scientists have identified six new genes which play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes, and among the group is the second gene known to also play a role in prostate cancer. Release

New research from Colorado State University suggests that genes previously thought to be non-functional are working at a low level. This phenomenon may help answer questions about chronic disease and aging. Report

UK scientists have found three more genes linked to increased risk of bowel cancer. And in some cases the risk is limited to certain races. Four other gene mutations have already been linked to the cancer. Story

An international team of legal, scientific and ethics experts have assembled ethics guidelines for human genome sequencing research work. Report

Researchers working in Vietnam have identified a genetic variant that predisposes people to developing a lethal form of tuberculosis, tuberculous meningitis, if they are infected with a strain of TB known as the Beijing strain. Release

Cancer Research

An Australian scientist, Dr. Alex Swarbrick, says that new research into the therapeutic effects of turning off the Id1 gene in aggressive breast cancer tumors in mice could offer a new approach to treating the disease. In an animal study, about 40 percent of the cancers were cured by putting the tumors to "sleep." Report

Lawmakers in the UK have raised concerns over funding for a new UK Centre for Research and Medical Innovation, billed as the largest medical research facility in the country. The new facility is expected to bring together experts from the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK and University College, London. Article

University of Florida chemists are the first to use a new tool to identify the molecular signatures of serious diseases--without any previous knowledge of what these microscopic signatures or "biomarkers" should look like. The advance could one day lead to earlier detection and improved treatment of some types of cancer as well as other diseases. Release

More Research

New Scientist examines the work at Santaris Pharma to muzzle microRNA. The new approach has been used to lower cholesterol but researchers say that controlling microRNA could be an effective approach to controlling a host of diseases, including cancer and heart disease. The first human trial will target hepatitis C. Article

Scientists at the Center for Translational Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia have shown that a specific signaling protein is crucial to protecting the heart and helping it to adapt during a heart attack. And receptors that turn on the protein could be effective new drug targets. Release

ALSO NOTED: Cord blood cells rejuvenate hippocampus; Genetic variations linked to longer lives;

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 07:59:58 -0400

Technology

Inspired by new material found in sea cucumbers, researchers at Case Western have developed a new polymer that can morph between flexible and rigid states, depending on the level of solvents it's exposed to. The lead scientist suggested that the new polymer could be particularly useful for use with neural implants. Report

Stem Cell Research

Blood stem cells that later become all types of blood cells originate in the placenta, according to new research. That work could be helpful in growing new blood stem cells in a lab for use in treating a variety of illnesses, including leukemia. Report

When human umbilical cord blood cells were injected into aged laboratory animals, researchers at the University of South Florida found improvements in the microenvironment of the hippocampus region of the animals' brains and a subsequent rejuvenation of neural stem/progenitor cells. Release

Brazil's Supreme Court has decided to delay on a ruling on whether stem cell research should be allowed in the country. Report

Cancer Research

A leading cancer researcher, Professor Daniel Tenen of the Harvard Medical School, will run the cancer facility at the National University of Singapore. Report

A novel drug that fully eliminated brain tumors from mice in a dramatic 2004 study has shown a darker side--causing permanent bone damage in younger mice. Release

Genetics

Researchers at the Institute for Ageing Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York say that rare genetic variations found in centenarians explain why they were able to live far longer than the norm. Report

A new gene therapy shows promise against muscular dystrophy. Release

A new study from Johns Hopkins highlights how different diseases can have the same genetic origin. "We're finally beginning to blur the boundaries encompassing some of these diseases by showing that they share the same molecular underpinnings," says Nicholas Katsanis, Ph.D., an associate professor of ophthalmology at the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine at Hopkins. Story

A colorectal cancer gene has been identified, offering a new biomarker that could be used to identify people who need early screening tests. Report

Gene analysis at the MRC Human Genetics Unit in Edinburgh has pinpointed a gene linked to a higher risk of gout, offering a new target for drug developers. Story

The Vatican has added genetic manipulation to its list of sins. Report

More Research

Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, in La Jolla, CA say that by inhibiting the enzymatic pathway engaged in disabling the body's sugar-off switch, they could lower glucose levels and reduce symptoms of diabetes. Article

Scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden have found a protein called tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) responsible for forming fat cells. The work points to new ways to treat obesity. Story

Research group mapping 1,000 genomes

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:59:59 -0500

An international research consortium is launching the 1,000 Genomes Project, mapping the genomes of a thousand different people in an effort to shine a bright research light on the influence of genetic variations on disease. Only a few individuals have had their genomes mapped to date. By having 1,000 human genomes mapped out, researchers say that they should be able to greatly advance the ongoing work of geneticists. Sanger Institute in Cambridge, Beijing Genomics Institute in Shenzhen and the National Human Genome Research Institute are all taking part.

"The dream of people working in the field would be to have a picture of all the places in our DNA sequence where there are differences between people, and how these fit together when they are inherited," Dr. Richard Durbin of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, co-chair of the consortium, told the BBC.

- read the article from the BBC

Related Articles:
Gene-mapping unlocks new generation of vaccines. Report
X Prize offers $10M for fast mapping. Report
New mapping tool for nucleosomes. Report

Ventner team gets clearer picture of full genome

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 06:59:59 -0400

The full human genome containing both sets of chromosomes is considerably more complex than the half-measure of DNA decoded by a consortium of academic groups in 2003. That's the conclusion of a team of scientists that decoded the full, diploid genome belonging to one J. Craig Ventner, the scientist who had competed in the race to decode the human genome. According to geneticists quoted in The New York Times, this newly decoded genome has become the new "gold standard" in genetics.

This newly sequenced genome of Ventner's is considered a significant new step toward the era of personalized medicine, when a detailed knowledge of a patient's DNA can be used to direct them to the right therapies. Ventner used the latest technology from 454 Life Sciences to decode the genome. By understanding the full complexity of the genome, researchers are better able to understand the genetic variations that trigger disease--and better equipped to find new therapies to fight illness.

- see the Institute's announcement for more
- here's the article from The New York Times

ALSO: New technology is making genetic sequencing easier and significantly less expensive, raising hopes of better medicine as well as fears that a person's genetic secrets will become public. Article

Related Articles:
It's alive! Team advances work on artificial life. Report
Venter's latest revelation could save the world. Report
X Prize offers $10M for fast mapping. Report
454 Life Sciences makes big advance in sequencing technology. Report

New approaches pursued on Parkinson's

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:01:39 -0400

A team of scientists say they have developed a drug that blocks the SIRT2 enzyme, which protects the neurons damaged by Parkinson's disease. In an article to come out this week in the journal Science, researchers at Harvard show how inhibition of SIRT2--a member of the sirtuin family, which is linked to aging--prevents the toxicity of the protein aggregates that are believed to be behind the neuronal death characteristic of PD. Contrary to "classic" approaches that try to eliminate these aggregates, SIRT2 inhibition appears to work by "fusing" many small protein aggregates into larger (apparently less neuro-toxic) ones.

In addition, researchers at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center have also used an AAV virus to deliver a gene to the brains of 11 volunteers with Parkinson's disease. The gene is a regulator of GABA, a neurotransmitter. There were no side effects from the therapy and the treatment helped reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's for up to four years.

- see the release on SIRT2
- check out the report from the Daily Herald
- here's the report on AAV work

Related Articles:
Stem cell transplant a success against Parkinson's. Report
NIH researchers study genetic variations in Parkinson's disease. Report

Researchers explore uses of a genetic report card

Mon, 07 May 2007 20:01:39 -0400

Researchers are recruiting 1,000 healthy members of the Health Alliance Plan in Michigan to examine them for 15 common genetic variations that raise their risk for disease. The scientists want to know if a genetic report card can prompt healthy people to take action to avoid a disease if they are at a higher risk. Participants will get counseling and receive the report in the mail, though it will not become part of their medical record.

- read the USA Today report

ALSO: Researchers have identified a genetic trait common in half of all Caucasians that raises their risk of heart disease. One copy of a gene mutation of Chromosome 9 raised the risk of heart disease by 15 percent to 20 percent while two copies raised the risk by 60 percent. Report

Related Articles:
HHS to merge genetic, clinical info. Report
IBM to put worker genetic data off limits. Report
VA to link genetic info to medical records. Report

New online resource for genomics

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 19:01:38 -0500

Interested in promoting the advancement of personalized medicine, biomedical researchers are being offered access to a new online resource that identifies small changes in the human genome that are linked to disease. "Having this computational tool available to researchers will help prioritize which genetic variations are most likely to alter the structure and function of a protein, and provides us with critical information related to disease susceptibility, progression, and targets for therapeutic interventions," states David A. Schwartz, M.D. director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Release

Stem cell transplant a success against Parkinson's

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 19:01:39 -0500

New research published in The Journal of Neuroscience asserts that transplanted neural stem cells can reduce the destruction of dopaminergic cells and replace cells lost to Parkinson's. A neural stem cell transplant in an animal study demonstrated that the animals continued to function normally, without the progressive loss of physical control that characterizes Parkinson's. The transplant occurred after a toxin was used to destroy neurons that are needed to make dopamine, a key neurotransmitter. The researchers said the therapy occurred at what would be the equivalent of an early stage of the disease.

"We are very cautious but to us, it's an indication that stem cells have promise for Parkinson's disease," says Dr. Cesario V. Borlongan, neuroscientist at the Medical College of Georgia and corresponding author of the study.

- read the report on the study

Related Articles:
NIH researchers study genetic variations in Parkinson's disease. Report
FDA rejects Impax Labs' Parkinson's therapy. Report

ALSO NOTED: Australia lifts cloning ban; New nanotech sensor developed; Research into tissue regeneration;

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 19:01:38 -0500

More Research

Lawmakers in Australia have lifted a four-year ban on cloning embryonic stem cells for research purposes. Report

Roche and the National Center of Competence in Research at the new Swiss Nanoscience Institute have unveiled new research into a nanotech sensor that can be used to monitor a person's biomedical processes, improving diagnosis for personalized therapies. Report

Scientists have identified master cardiac stem cells that go into the creation of heart cells that construct the heart. Their work helps point the way to new methods to regenerate heart muscle and coronary artery tissue. Report

The UK's ReNeuron has asked for FDA permission to begin a small human trial to use stem cells to regenerate brain cells damaged by a stroke. Report

A team of researchers say they've identified genetic variations that can affect how a person responds to antidepressants. Report

Researchers have been studying how the HIV virus can be used as a carrier--or vector--for new gene therapies. The virus is first made benign before it is used in gene therapy, which has concentrated an enormous amount of work on identifying safe vectors to use. Report

Scientists at UC San Diego say that they can turn off proteins that cause loops in DNA by stretching the DNA slightly. Release

Dr. P. Trey Sunderland III, a scientist at the NIH, has been charged with a conflict of interest related to taking fees from drug companies involved in his work. He is the first official in 14 years to be charged at the NIH and is expected to plead guilty to the one charge tomorrow. Report

Scientists in the UK have found that certain breast cancer victims have a high concentration of T cells which prevent their immune system from mounting an assault on cancer cells. The discovery can help identify patients unlikely to respond to therapies and in need of additional monitoring. Report

UPI reviewed a lineup of experimental epilepsy drugs now in the pipeline. Report

A new study of 146 polycystic ovary syndrome patients has found that the "diabetes gene" (calpain-10 (CAPN10)) is an interesting candidate for explaining the syndrome. Release

A study in the UK has identified the chemistry by which small cell lung cancer blocks the effects of chemotherapy. Understanding that process can lead to new therapies that overcome the chemical response. Report

A German research team has used siRNAs to halt the production of proteins associated with mad cow disease. Report

Low doses of the drug mifepristone shrink uterine fibroid tumors and greatly improve the quality of life in women who suffer from pain and heavy bleeding, according to a University of Rochester study published in the December Obstetrics and Gynecology Journal. Release

Deals & Dollars

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has received a $9.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to study influenza epidemics. Report

The Epilepsy Research Foundation announced recipients of translational research funds totaling over $400,000 to advance three promising new epilepsy therapies. Release

Tools & Technology

BioIdent Technologies has unveiled the industry's first lab-on-chip prototype with fully integrated opto-electronic readout system. Release