Archive for the ‘Gene Therapy Research’ Category

Genetics problems 11 sex linked inheritance
For more information, log on to- http://shomusbiology.weebly.com/ Download the study materials here- http://shomusbiology.weebly.com/bio-materials.html Genet...

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Genetics problems 11 sex linked inheritance - Video

This is a rare photo of a Bryde's whale breaching off of Bangladesh. Credit: WCS-Bangladesh

Published: Oct. 3, 2013 at 4:21 PM

NEW YORK, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- A genetic study of a species of whales sometimes targeted by Japan's scientific whaling program could aid management strategies for the animals, scientists say.

The study has helped define populations and subspecies of Bryde's whale, a medium-sized and poorly understood baleen whale, the Wildlife Conservation Society reported Thursday.

The research has confirmed the existence of two subspecies -- a larger variety that inhabits offshore waters and a smaller subspecies that frequents more coastal marine habitats.

"Very little is known about Bryde's whales in terms of where populations are distributed, the extent of their range, or even relationships among them at the population, subspecies and species levels," Columbia University researcher Francine Kershaw, lead author of the study, said. "Our genetic research will help define these groups and identify populations in need of additional protection."

Bryde's whales can grows to 50 feet in length and are found in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

In addition to the impact of scientific whaling carried out by Japan, Bryde's whale populations are at risk from ship strikes, fisheries bycatch, hydrocarbon exploration and development in coastal waters, the researchers said.

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Genetics helps identify hunted, and poorly known, whale species

Redline Genetics, Day 22 Flower 10 02 13
The plants I in this video are in compliance with the laws of my state. Special thanks to Redline Genetics. redlinegenetics.com.

By: Primo Kush

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Redline Genetics, Day 22 Flower 10 02 13 - Video

BMB Gene Therapy

By: Mark Kim

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BMB Gene Therapy - Video

A Vaccine for AIDS: Promising Research at OHSU
Date: September 27, 2013 Speakers: Dr. Louis Picker, Associate Director of OHSU #39;s Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Charles Wilhoite, Chair of the OHSU Board of Directors Thank you co-presen...

By: City Club of Portland

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A Vaccine for AIDS: Promising Research at OHSU - Video

Cecilia Lundberg, Professor of Neuroscience, Lund University / MultiPark
Cecilia Lundberg #39;s research group is focused on developing vectors for use in gene therapy to treat diseases in the brain. Furthermore, they also aim to expl...

By: MULTIPARK

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Cecilia Lundberg, Professor of Neuroscience, Lund University / MultiPark - Video

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/nxqb6r/rosacea) has announced the addition of the "Rosacea - Pipeline Review, H2 2013" report to their offering.

'Rosacea - Pipeline Review, H2 2013', provides an overview of the indication's therapeutic pipeline. This report provides information on the therapeutic development for Rosacea, complete with latest updates, and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects. It also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Rosacea.

Scope

- A snapshot of the global therapeutic scenario for Rosacea.

- A review of the Rosacea products under development by companies and universities/research institutes based on information derived from company and industry-specific sources.

- Coverage of products based on various stages of development ranging from discovery till registration stages.

- A feature on pipeline projects on the basis of monotherapy and combined therapeutics.

- Coverage of the Rosacea pipeline on the basis of route of administration and molecule type.

- Key discontinued pipeline projects.

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Research and Markets: Rosacea - Pipeline Review, H2 2013

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Gene scans solve mystery diseases in kids, adults

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2zlwxm/rnai) has announced the addition of Jain PharmaBiotech's new report "RNAi - Technologies, Markets and Companies" to their offering.

RNA interference (RNAi) or gene silencing involves the use of double stranded RNA (dsRNA). Once inside the cell, this material is processed into short 21-23 nucleotide RNAs termed siRNAs that are used in a sequence-specific manner to recognize and destroy complementary RNA. The report compares RNAi with other antisense approaches using oligonucleotides, aptamers, ribozymes, peptide nucleic acid and locked nucleic acid.

Various RNAi technologies are described, along with design and methods of manufacture of siRNA reagents. These include chemical synthesis by in vitro transcription and use of plasmid or viral vectors. Other approaches to RNAi include DNA-directed RNAi (ddRNAi) that is used to produce dsRNA inside the cell, which is cleaved into siRNA by the action of Dicer, a specific type of RNAse III. MicroRNAs are derived by processing of short hairpins that can inhibit the mRNAs. Expressed interfering RNA (eiRNA) is used to express dsRNA intracellularly from DNA plasmids.

Delivery of therapeutics to the target tissues is an important consideration. siRNAs can be delivered to cells in culture by electroporation or by transfection using plasmid or viral vectors. In vivo delivery of siRNAs can be carried out by injection into tissues or blood vessels or use of synthetic and viral vectors.

Because of its ability to silence any gene once the sequence is known, RNAi has been adopted as the research tool to discriminate gene function. After the genome of an organism is sequenced, RNAi can be designed to target every gene in the genome and target for specific phenotypes. Several methods of gene expression analysis are available and there is still need for sensitive methods of detection of gene expression as a baseline and measurement after gene silencing. RNAi microarray has been devised and can be tailored to meet the needs for high throughput screens for identifying appropriate RNAi probes. RNAi is an important method for analyzing gene function and identifying new drug targets that uses double-stranded RNA to knock down or silence specific genes. With the advent of vector-mediated siRNA delivery methods it is now possible to make transgenic animals that can silence gene expression stably. These technologies point to the usefulness of RNAi for drug discovery.

The markets for RNAi are difficult to define as no RNAi-based product is approved yet but several are in clinical trials. The major use of RNAi reagents is in research but it partially overlaps that of drug discovery and therapeutic development. Various markets relevant to RNAi are analyzed from 2012 to 2022. Markets are also analyzed according to technologies and use of siRNAs, miRNAs, etc.

Profiles of 161 companies involved in developing RNAi technologies are presented along with 231 collaborations. They are a mix of companies that supply reagents and technologies (nearly half of all) and companies that use the technologies for drug discovery. Out of these, 33 are developing RNAi-based therapeutics and 35 are involved in microRNAs. The bibliography contains selected 600 publications that are cited in the report. The text is supplemented with 37 tables and 11 figures.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

1. Technologies for suppressing gene function

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Research and Markets: Global RNAi Market Report 2013-2022: Updated Technologies, Markets and Companies Analysis

Public release date: 2-Oct-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, October 1, 2013People suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) face a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and death. A new study involving a comprehensive review of the medical literature shows that PTSD also increases an individual's risk of metabolic syndrome. What links these two disorders is not clear, according to a study published in Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders website at http://www.liebertpub.com/met.

Francesco Bartoli and coauthors from University of Milano-Bicocca, Italy, University College London, UK, and San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy, conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and, based on their findings, propose that the increased risk of metabolic syndrome may result from neurological and hormonal responses to chronic stress. Their study is entitled "Metabolic Syndrome in People Suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis."

In an accompanying Editorial, "Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Metabolic Syndrome: More Questions than Answers," authors Dawn Schwenke, PhD, VA Health Care System and Arizona State University, Phoenix, and David Siegel, MD, Northern California Health Care System (Mather) and University of California, Davis, suggest that more research is needed to determine whether the relationship between PTSD and metabolic syndrome is independent of other factors such as socioeconomic status, diet, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and insomnia.

"While Bartoli and colleagues conclude from their meta-analysis that PTSD confers a greater risk for metabolic syndrome, Schwenke and Siegel in their editorial suggest caution, explaining that it is not a simple relationship and many confounding factors could explain this," says Ishwarlal (Kenny) Jialal, MD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal and Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Internal Medicine (Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism), Robert E. Stowell Endowed Chair in Experimental Pathology, Director of the Laboratory for Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Research, Director Special Chemistry and Toxicology, Davis Medical Center (Sacramento). "In agreement with the latter, I believe this is a fertile area for further investigation before any definite conclusions can be drawn."

###

About the Journal

Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders is the only peer-reviewed journal to focus solely on the pathophysiology, recognition, and treatment of metabolic syndrome. The Journal covers a range of topics including insulin resistance, central obesity, glucose intolerance, dyslipidemia with elevated triglycerides, predominance of small dense LDL-cholesterol particles, hypertension, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress and inflammation. In 2014, the Journal will be published 10 times per year. Tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders website at http://www.liebertpub.com/met.

About the Publisher

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Does post-traumatic stress disorder increase the risk of metabolic syndrome?

Public release date: 2-Oct-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Raquel Maurier rmaurier@ualberta.ca 780-492-5986 University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry

A genetic condition that attacks multiple organs and usually results in fatal heart problems can be detected using a new MRI technique that was developed at the University of Alberta. The discovery of this new diagnostic tool has resulted in updated clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Fabry disease in Canada.

Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry researchers Gavin Oudit and Richard Thompson worked with Faculty colleagues Kelvin Chow and Alicia Chan on the discovery, as well as Aneal Khan from the University of Calgary. The findings were recently published in the peer-reviewed journal, Circulation Cardiovascular Imaging, and involved 31 Alberta patients who have the disease.

Thompson and trainee Chow developed the MRI technique known as T1 mapping which can detect heart damage and changes at early stages earlier than regular MRI scans or ultrasound. When this type of MRI is used on patients with Fabry disease, the scans can detect both the disease and the severity of damage to the heart. The T1 mapping method developed by Thompson's group can be easily programmed onto MRIs around the world.

"This test can uniquely identify Fabry disease by detecting microscopic changes in the heart muscle structure that are not visible on regular images," says Thompson, who works in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. "Fabry disease can look like other diseases if you only look at the whole heart structure or function, but this T1 mapping test, that can detect the tiniest changes in the heart, could identify all the patients with Fabry disease."

Oudit added: "It is very likely that this technique will become a key part in clinical examination of patients with Fabry disease. This finding will advance the clinical care of these patients around the world. The implications will be widespread.

"Heart disease is the number one cause of death for patients with Fabry disease. The earlier the disease can be pinpointed, the sooner treatment can start. The treatment for the disease halts the condition and prevents serious damage to the heart."

Fabry disease is a genetic metabolic condition that destroys the enzyme involved in fat metabolism. This enzyme breaks down fat so without it, those with the disease accumulate deadly fat deposits in their heart, kidneys and brain. The condition affects 1 in 1,500 to 3,000 people, but was originally thought to be a rare disease. Some countries now screen newborns for the condition that costs $200,000 a year to treat through monthly infusions called enzyme replacement therapy. Symptoms of the disease include: heart failure, thickened walls of the heart, exercise intolerance, fluid buildup in the legs, blackouts, inability to lie down, strokes, tingling in the hands and feet, and changes in skin pigmentation.

It is estimated that about 1,000 Albertans are living with the disease but not everyone who has the condition has been diagnosed. Sometimes people will see scores of kidney and heart specialists for years before anyone diagnoses the condition. Men can have a blood test to identify the condition, while women who may also carry the disease without showing symptoms need to undergo genetic testing. The T1 mapping test can both pinpoint the disease and assess damage to the heart.

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New MRI technique can detect genetic condition that attacks the heart, brain and nerves

Oct. 1, 2013 The discovery of genetic differences affecting up to a third of the population could take the guesswork out of prescribing the correct dose of 25 percent of drugs currently on the market, researchers say.

The scientists found two genetic variants that alter the activity level of an enzyme responsible for processing, or metabolizing, drugs ranging from the painkiller codeine to the breast cancer drug tamoxifen.

The Ohio State University researchers who found these differences say that pending additional research, the variants are good candidates for inclusion in an existing biomarker test that guides drug dosing.

The current test is designed to determine the enzyme's activity level, or expression, to predict whether a patient will fall into one of four categories: poor, intermediate, extensive or ultra-rapid metabolizer. Metabolism speed affects how much medicine a patient needs.

But there are limits to the existing test: The current biomarker panel is based on variants that have been associated with how patients respond to different doses of drugs.

The researchers who found these previously unidentified variants, however, have determined the specific effects that the variants have on drug metabolism. One reduces the enzyme's activity twofold by turning off a function of its gene, and the other is located in an enhancer region of the gene, meaning it increases the enzyme's expression between two- and fourfold.

"If you don't consider these two variants, the current biomarker panel can cause incorrect dosing," said senior author Wolfgang Sadee, professor and chair of pharmacology and director of the Center for Pharmacogenomics at Ohio State. "The better the test, the more value it has. Adding these variants to the panel would make the test more predictive and robust with respect to application in the clinic."

Ohio State has applied for a patent on the addition of these variants to a clinical biomarker test.

The research is published online in the journal Human Molecular Genetics.

The study included a clinical trial of 164 children, about one-third of whom were African American. The results show that these two variants are common in both Caucasians and African Americans, and confirmed that the variants influence how patients metabolize the cough suppressant dextromethorphan.

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New genetic discovery could reduce the guess work in drug dosing

Marton Genetics Kukoricabemutató 2013. szeptember
Mint minden évben, az idén is több száz látogató el?tt rendezték meg szeptember 5-én Martonvásáron a kukorica-fajtabemutatót. Azonban az idei rendezvény külö...

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Marton Genetics Kukoricabemutató 2013. szeptember - Video

World-leading expert on pain genetics joins McGill
Dr. Luda Diatchenko, a world leader in pain genetics, joins McGill University as Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Human Pain Genetics. She is joini...

By: McGill University

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World-leading expert on pain genetics joins McGill - Video

Let #39;s Play The Sims 3 - Perfect Genetics Challenge - Episode 29
My Sims 3 Page: http://mypage.thesims3.com/mypage/Llandros2012 My Blog: http://Llandros09.blogspot.com My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Llandros09?ref=t...

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Let's Play The Sims 3 - Perfect Genetics Challenge - Episode 29 - Video

Genetics in Primary Care
MGMC Physician Grand Rounds Nathan Noble, DO Blank Children #39;s Developmental Center.

By: Mary Greeley

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Genetics in Primary Care - Video

Genetics part 7 epistasis (dominant, recessive, double dominant etc.)
For more information, log on to- http://shomusbiology.weebly.com/ Download the study materials here- http://shomusbiology.weebly.com/bio-materials.html In ge...

By: Suman Bhattacharjee

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Genetics part 7 epistasis (dominant, recessive, double dominant etc.) - Video

Genetics part 5 multiple alleles (dominant and recessive)
For more information, log on to- http://shomusbiology.weebly.com/ Download the study materials here- http://shomusbiology.weebly.com/bio-materials.html.

By: Suman Bhattacharjee

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Genetics part 5 multiple alleles (dominant and recessive) - Video

OLIVER MUNDAY

Growing up in the college town of Ames, Iowa, during the 1970s, Stephen Hsu was surrounded by the precocious sons and daughters of professors. Around 2010, after years of work as a theoretical physicist at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Hsu thought that DNA-sequencing technology might finally have advanced enough to help to explain what made those kids so smart. He was hardly the first to consider the genetics of intelligence, but with the help of the Chinese sequencing powerhouse BGI in Shenzhen, he planned one of the largest studies of its kind, aiming to sequence DNA from 2,000 people, most of whom had IQs of more than 150.

He hadn't really considered how negative the public reaction might be until one of the study's participants, New York University psychologist Geoffrey Miller, made some inflammatory remarks to the press. Miller predicted that once the project turned up intelligence genes, the Chinese might begin testing embryos to find the most desirable ones. One article painted the venture as a state-endorsed experiment, selecting for genius kids, and Hsu and his colleagues soon found that their project, which had barely begun, was the target of fierce criticism.

There were scientific qualms over the value of Hsu's work (see Nature 497, 297299; 2013). As with other controversial fields of behavioural genetics, the influence of heredity on intelligence probably acts through myriad genes that each exert only a tiny effect, and these are difficult to find in small studies. But that was only part of the reason for the outrage. For decades, scientists have trodden carefully in certain areas of genetic study for social or political reasons.

At the root of this caution is the widespread but antiquated idea that genetics is destiny that someone's genes can accurately predict complex behaviours and traits regardless of their environment. The public and many scientists have continued to misinterpret modern findings on the basis of this fearing that the work will lead to a new age of eugenics, preemptive imprisonment and discrimination against already marginalized groups.

People can take science and assume it is far more determinative than it is and, by making that assumption, make choices that we will come to regret as a society, says Nita Farahany, a philosopher and lawyer at Duke University School of Law in Durham, North Carolina.

But trying to forestall such poor choices by drawing red lines around certain areas subverts science, says Christopher Chabris of Union College in Schenectady, New York. Funding for research in some areas dries up and researchers are dissuaded from entering promising fields. Any time there's a taboo or norm against studying something for anything other than good scientific reasons, it distorts researchers' priorities and can harm the understanding of related topics, he says. It's not just that we've ripped this page out of the book of science; it causes mistakes and distortions to appear in other areas as well.

Here, Nature looks at four controversial areas of behavioural genetics to find out why each field has been a flashpoint, and whether there are sound scientific reasons for pursuing such studies.

Taboo level: HIGH

The comments that Miller made about Chinese families and the government wanting to select for intelligent babies touched a nerve still raw after many years. In the nineteenth century, British anthropologist Francis Galton founded the eugenics movement on the premise that extraordinary abilities, as well as deficits, were inherited. The movement led to abuses, such as forced sterilization of people deemed mentally inferior generally minorities, poor people and especially people with mental illnesses in countries around the world, including Germany, the United States, Belgium, Canada and Sweden.

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Ethics: Taboo genetics

23andMe says it has no plans to pursue concepts discussed in its patent for a method to predict a baby's traits based on its parents' DNA

By Ewen Callaway and Nature News Blog

Image: 23andMe

Showcasing more than fifty of the most provocative, original, and significant online essays from 2011, The Best Science Writing Online 2012 will change the way...

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Originally posted on the Nature news blog

The consumer genetics firm 23andMe was last week awarded a US patent for a method to predict a babys traits based on its parents DNA, the company announced.

23andMe, which is based inMountain View, California, says that the patent relates to its Family Traits Inheritance Calculator, which offers an engaging way for you and your partner to see what kind of traits your child might inherit from you and has been available to customers since 2009. Yet the patent (PDF here), which was filed more than 5 years ago, includes language that mentions other applications of the method, including for the screening of sperm and ova to be used for in vitro fertilization. The patent mentions the potential to screen would-be babies for traits such as eye color, disease risk, height and gender.

The company says that it included such language when it filed the patent because it saw the potential for the tool to be used in fertility clinics. But much has evolved in that time, including 23andMes strategic focus. The company never pursued the concepts discussed in the patent beyond our Family Traits Inheritance Calculator, nor do we have any plans to do so, it says.

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Personal-Genetics Firm Denies Pursuit of 'Designer Babies'

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 2, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Response Genetics, Inc. (RGDX), a company focused on the development and sale of molecular diagnostic tests that help determine a patient's response to cancer therapy, today announced that it has executed an agreement with Fortified Provider Network, Inc. and will join its network of preferred providers. This latest agreement marks Response's seventh health care payor agreement this year and brings its access to over 97 million people nationally.

With the execution of this agreement, approximately 4.1 million members associated with over 200 health insurers, self-funded employers and other payors of health care services will be able to access Response Genetics' suite of molecular predictive testing at a discounted rate. Response Genetics' predictive genomic testing is targeted to patients battling lung, colon, gastric, and melanoma cancers. The results from Response Genetics' testing services give treating physicians actionable information that enable the best therapy to be employed on that specific patient's tumor. The precise nature of Response Genetics' services brings with them a value proposition that is expected to improve patient outcomes and enhance efficiencies in health care delivery.

About Response Genetics, Inc.

Response Genetics, Inc. (the "Company") is a CLIA-certified clinical laboratory focused on the development and sale of molecular diagnostic testing services for cancer. The Company's technologies enable extraction and analysis of genetic information derived from tumor cells stored as formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded specimens. The Company's principal customers include oncologists and pathologists. In addition to diagnostic testing services, the Company generates revenue from the sale of its proprietary analytical pharmacogenomic testing services of clinical trial specimens to the pharmaceutical industry. The Company's headquarters is located in Los Angeles, California. For more information, please visit http://www.responsegenetics.com.

About Fortified Provider Network

Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Fortified Provider Network (FPN) was founded in 1997 for the purpose of creating an all-direct-contracted network of preferred providers for its group health clients. Given FPN's superior results in the group health arena, FPN expanded over the years to offer workers' compensation and auto liability networks. FPN offers the utilization of its network to its payor clients and members who, in turn, are able to capitalize on the discounted fee schedules FPN has negotiated with its healthcare providers.

Forward-Looking Statement Notice

Except for the historical information contained herein, this press release and the statements of representatives of the Company related thereto contain or may contain, among other things, certain forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Such forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties. Such statements may include, without limitation, statements with respect to the Company's plans, objectives, projections, expectations and intentions, such as the ability of the Company, to provide clinical testing services to the medical community, to continue to strengthen and expand its sales force, to continue to build its digital pathology initiative, to attract and retain qualified management, to continue to strengthen marketing capabilities, to expand the suite of ResponseDX(R) products, to continue to provide clinical trial support to pharmaceutical clients, to enter into new collaborations with pharmaceutical clients, to enter into areas of companion diagnostics, to continue to execute on its business strategy and operations, to continue to analyze cancer samples and the potential for using the results of this research to develop diagnostic tests for cancer, the usefulness of genetic information to tailor treatment to patients, and other statements identified by words such as "project," "may," "could," "would," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "plan" or similar expressions.

These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the Company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results, including, without limitation, actual sales results, if any, or the application of funds, may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various factors (many of which are beyond the Company's control). The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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Response Genetics, Inc. Announces Payor Contract With Fortified Provider Network

BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Seattle Genetics, Inc. (SGEN) today announced that Jonathan Drachman, M.D., has been promoted to Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President, Research and Development. Dr. Drachman joined Seattle Genetics in November 2004, serving most recently as Senior Vice President, Research and Translational Medicine. In this new role, he will lead the companys clinical development and regulatory affairs teams, in addition to his continued oversight of research and translational medicine. The company also announced that it has promoted Eric Sievers, M.D., to Senior Vice President, Clinical Development. Dr. Sievers will be responsible for clinical development and life cycle management activities for ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin), and many of the companys clinical development programs.

Jonathan has been a vital member of the management team for several years, demonstrating his passion for patients and a creative, science-based approach to research and drug development, said Clay B. Siegall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Seattle Genetics. This promotion allows him to bring his vision and leadership to a broader scope of activities, including our ADCETRIS clinical development program as well as our robust clinical and preclinical antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) pipeline.

Prior to joining Seattle Genetics, Dr. Drachman was Associate Professor in the Hematology Division, Department of Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he remains a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine. He also served as Senior Investigator in the Division of Research and Education and Medical Director of the Umbilical Cord Blood Program at the Puget Sound Blood Center. Dr. Drachman received a B.A. in Biochemistry from Harvard University and an M.D. from Harvard Medical School. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Medical Oncology at the University of Washington.

Eric Sievers joined Seattle Genetics in July 2006, and has focused primarily on directing, planning and executing clinical development activities for ADCETRIS. Previously, Dr. Sievers served as Medical Director at Zymogenetics (acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb in 2010). His academic research focused on improving treatment outcomes for patients with acute myeloid leukemia, including clinical development of an anti-CD33 ADC. Dr. Sievers performed his training in pediatric hematology and oncology at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and served on the faculty of both institutions for more than a decade. Dr. Sievers received both a B.A. in Biology and an M.D. from Brown University.

For the past seven years at Seattle Genetics, Eric has shown his tremendous commitment to bringing innovative new drugs to patients in need, particularly through his leadership of the ADCETRIS clinical development program, added Dr. Siegall. As SVP, Clinical Development, Erics medical expertise will continue to be instrumental in the development of ADCETRIS and our other pipeline programs.

About Seattle Genetics

Seattle Genetics is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of monoclonal antibody-based therapies for the treatment of cancer. The companys lead program, ADCETRIS (brentuximab vedotin), received accelerated approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in August 2011 and approval with conditions from Health Canada in February 2013 for two indications. In addition, under a collaboration with Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company, ADCETRIS received conditional approval from the European Commission in October 2012. Seattle Genetics is also advancing a robust pipeline of clinical-stage ADC programs: SGN-75, ASG-22ME, SGN-CD19A, SGN-CD33A, ASG-15ME and SGN-LIV1A. Seattle Genetics has collaborations for its ADC technology with a number of leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, including AbbVie, Agensys (an affiliate of Astellas), Bayer, Celldex, Daiichi Sankyo, Genentech, GlaxoSmithKline, Millennium, Pfizer and Progenics, as well as ADC co-development agreements with Agensys and Genmab. More information can be found at http://www.seattlegenetics.com.

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Seattle Genetics Announces Clinical Leadership Appointments

They were mystery diseases that had stumped doctors for years adults with strange symptoms and children with neurological problems, mental slowness or muscles too weak to let them stand. Now scientists say they were able to crack a quarter of these cases by decoding the patients genes.

Their study is the first large-scale effort to move gene sequencing out of the lab and into ordinary medical care, and it shows that high hopes for this technology are finally paying off.

This is a direct benefit of the Human Genome Project, the big effort to decode our DNA, said Dr. Christine M. Eng of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Were now able to directly benefit patients through more accurate diagnosis.

She led the study, which was published online Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine. It gives results on the first 250 patients referred to Baylor for a newer type of sequencing just the DNA segments that hold the recipes for all the proteins the body needs. Thats only about 1 percent of the whole genome.

Baylor has sequenced more patients beyond those in the study 1,700 so far and found gene flaws in 1 out of 4, Eng said.

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine prepare reagents for the DNA sequencing of patient samples.

That rate will improve as more genes are linked to diseases, but its already much higher than the less comprehensive gene tests done now, said Rebecca Nagy, a scientist at Ohio State University and president of the National Society of Genetic Counselors.

For some of these conditions there could be treatments that are lifesaving, she said.

Already, three people tested at Baylor were found to have a muscle disorder that can cause respiratory problems and even death. The condition is aggravated by infections and stress, and there are drugs to treat those and prevent serious episodes, Eng said.

In other cases, having a diagnosis helped parents like Lindsey and Brandon Collier decide whether to have more children. The Colliers, who live in Georgetown, Texas, about 30 miles north of Austin, searched for years for an answer to what was plaguing their son, Cannon, now 4.

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Gene scans solving mystery diseases

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/qbr6kf/global_cell) has announced the addition of the "Global Cell Therapy Pipeline Analysis" report to their offering.

"Global Cell Therapy Pipeline Analysis" gives a comprehensive insight on the various drugs being developed for the treatment of multiple disease based upon Cell Therapy. Research report covers all the ongoing drug development in various development phases. Each drug profiles include detailed information like: Originator, Owner, Collaborator, Technology Provider, Licensee, Development Phase, Development Indications, Mechanism of Action, Country of Development and detailed analysis on the development process.

Insight for each drug profile in development phase enables the reader to identify and understand the Cell Therapy associated with the various diseases.

This report enables pharmaceutical companies, collaborators and other associated stake holders to identify and analyze the available investment opportunity in the Cell Therapy based drug development process.

Following parameters for each drug profile in development phase are covered in Global Cell Therapy Pipeline Analysis research report:

- Drug Profile Overview

- Alternate Names for Drug

- Active Indication

- Phase of Development

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Research and Markets: Global Cell Therapy Pipeline Analysis Report 2013

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A new computational tool developed by U.S. and Israeli scientists will help scientists exploit the massive databases of gene expression experimental results that have been created over the past decade. Researchers say it could uncover new links between diseases and treatments and provide new insights into biological processes.

The team, headed by Ziv Bar-Joseph of Carnegie Mellon University, reports in the October issue of the journal Nature Methods that the tool, called ExpressionBlast, enables searches based directly on experimental values, rather than keywords.

The researchers already have used ExpressionBlast to uncover intriguing clues about SIRT6, the first gene shown to extend lifespan in mice and thus a potentially important drug target. By mining experimental data stored in a public repository called the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, they found that SIRT6 may be involved with functions that include immune response, metabolism and the regulation of gender-specific genes.

"Because so little is known about SIRT6, it would be difficult to search the hundreds of thousands of GEO datasets using keywords and, without other guidance, it would be practically impossible to find other experiments with gene expression patterns similar to SIRT6," said Bar-Joseph, an associate professor of computational biology and machine learning. "ExpressionBlast enabled us to take SIRT6 gene expression data from just two mouse experiments and find other experimental data in GEO with similar expression patterns."

The tool is available online, http://www.expression.cs.cmu.edu/. The search engine enables researchers to search for expression patterns that are similar or opposite to their own results and can search within and across species. Guy Zinman, Shoshana Naiman, Yariv Kanfi and Haim Cohen of Bar-Ilan University worked with Bar-Joseph to develop ExpressionBlast and are co-authors of the journal report. Their intention was to develop a tool for gene expression queries that would be the equivalent of Blast, a two-decade-old tool for searching gene sequence databases that remains one of the most widely used tools in bioinformatics.

Genes encode the information necessary for life, while gene expression is the process by which that genetic information is transformed into proteins and by which genes are regulated. Understanding gene expression thus is critical for understanding biological and disease processes. This information is so important that, for the past decade or so, most leading journals have required researchers who publish papers on gene expression to submit their experimental data to public repositories such as GEO.

GEO alone holds data from more than 1 million microarrays. Each of these microarrays might contain up to 40,000 numerical values which indicate which genes are over- or underexpressed, and by how much. GEO and the European Bioinformatics Institute's ArrayExpress thus represent a treasure trove of potential discoveries. But existing searches are often dependent on keyword summaries submitted by each researcher, or require manual comparisons of microarrays.

ExpressionBlast uses novel, automated and scalable text analysis algorithms to transform the unstructured data in GEO so that it can be systematically searched. The researchers have thus far processed tens of thousands of expression series representing hundreds of thousands of individual arrays across several species. Once processed in this way, the data can be accessed easily via a graphical interface. This work was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health and a National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps) award.

Explore further: Novel approach to gene regulation can activate multiple genes simultaneously

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Search tool for gene expression databases could uncover therapeutic targets, biological processes