Archive for the ‘Gene Therapy Research’ Category

ONE Musicfest 2013, Goodie Mob "Cell Therapy"
ONE Musicfest 2013 (www.onemusicfest.com), snippet of Goodie Mob performing "Cell Therapy."

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ONE Musicfest 2013, Goodie Mob "Cell Therapy" - Video

London, Sept 20 : A team of researchers led by King's College London has for the first time identified a new gene which may have the ability to prevent HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, from spreading after it enters the body.

The study is the first to identify a role for the human MX2 gene in inhibiting HIV.

Researchers say this gene could be a new target for effective, less toxic treatments where the body's own natural defence system is mobilised against the virus.

The work was funded by the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London. The study was also supported by the Wellcome Trust and European Commission.

Scientists carried out experiments on human cells in the lab, introducing the virus to two different cell lines and observing the effects. In one cell line the MX2 gene was expressed or 'switched on', and in the other it was not, or 'silenced'.

They saw that in the cells where MX2 was silenced, the virus replicated and spread. In the cells where the MX2 gene was expressed, the virus was not able to replicate and new viruses were not produced.

The work was led by Dr Caroline Goujon and Professor Mike Malim at theDepartment of Infectious Diseases, King's College London.

Professor Malim said: "This is an extremely exciting finding which advances our understanding of how HIV virus interacts with the immune system and opens up opportunities to develop new therapies to treat the disease. Until now we knew very little about the MX2 gene, but now we recognise both its potent anti-viral function and a key point of vulnerability in the life cycle of HIV.

"Developing drugs to stimulate the body's natural inhibitors is a very important approach because you are triggering a natural process and therefore won't have the problem of drug resistance. There are two possible routes - it may be possible to develop either a molecule that mimics the role of MX2 or a drug which activates the gene's natural capabilities."

"Although people with HIV are living longer, healthier lives with the virus thanks to current effective treatments, they can often be toxic for the body and drug resistance can become an issue with long-term use. It is important to continue to find new ways of mobilising the body's natural defence systems and this gene appears to be a key player in establishing viral control in people with HIV."

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Gene discovery may lead to new HIV treatments

Public release date: 19-Sep-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sarah Smith sas2072@med.cornell.edu 646-317-7401 Weill Cornell Medical College

NEW YORK (September 19, 2013) -- Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have discovered why a tiny alteration in a brain gene, found in 20 percent of the population, contributes to the risk for anxiety, depression and memory loss.

Their discovery, reported in Nature Communications, describes new functions for the alteration, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene. This gene is a powerful regulator of the growth and function of neurons, and the establishment of brain circuitry. The common alteration occurs when a single "letter" of BDNF's genetic code is "misspelled."

The team of investigators, led by Dr. Clay Bracken, associate research professor of biochemistry and director of the nuclear magnetic resonance facility, Dr. Barbara Hempstead, professor of medicine, and Dr. Francis Lee, professor of psychiatry, all at Weill Cornell Medical College, discovered that the alteration appears to induce shrinkage of neurons from the hippocampus (an important region for memory and emotion), reducing connectivity between brain cells.

The discovery upends the prevailing theory about how the BDNF SNP alters the function of the brain, says Dr. Agustin Anastasia, first author of the article and a postdoctoral fellow in the Hempstead lab. "Research on BDNF is very active worldwide, and the conventional wisdom of the field was that the SNP reduced the amount of BDNF that was secreted. Therefore, many investigators were trying to increase production of the protein -- but this effort was only moderately successful."

"While the SNP does decrease the amount of BDNF in neurons, it generates a protein, the Met66 prodomain, that is different from the Val66 prodomain that is generated by the 80 percent of the human population that does not carry the SNP," Dr. Hempstead says. "The Met66 prodomain binds to specific proteins on the surface of neurons, to induce the pruning or shrinkage of these neurons."

The findings offer mechanistic insight into why some depression and anxiety runs in families, Dr. Lee says. "There can be a heritable component to these diseases and it makes sense that a common variant in a gene could be involved," he says. "Just like hypertension contributes to the risk for heart disease, the BDNF alteration increases the risk of depression, anxiety and memory disorders -- but is not the sole reason why they occur."

Still, targeted treatment for the genetic alteration could provide the first true benefit for affected patients, who often don't respond to traditional treatments, Dr. Lee says. "We can easily test patients for the mutation by using a simple blood test," he says. "We just need novel targeted treatments that alter the effects of the BDNF SNP-- and now we have a good lead on what that therapy should do."

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Researchers tease apart workings of a common gene

The Ultimate Anti-Aging Tool - Wave Genetics by Dr. Peter Garyaev
http://wavegenetics.org/en - Wave Genetics by Dr. Peter Garyaev. Theory of wave genetics is the first scientific tool in the whole history of mankind that ca...

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The Ultimate Anti-Aging Tool - Wave Genetics by Dr. Peter Garyaev - Video

Boring Genetics class.

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Boring Genetics class. - Video

Diagnostic US Harms DNA. Dr. Peter Garyaev
http://wavegenetics.org/en Professor of Biology Peter Garyaev is the founding father of wave genetics — a truly revolutionary theory in modern science that c...

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Diagnostic US Harms DNA. Dr. Peter Garyaev - Video

Charleroi-Durable.be : Delphi Genetics
Activités High Tech dans un bâtiment passif ! Le développement durable selon Delphi Genetics , c #39;est ... - Un bâtiment passif, compatible avec une activité industrielle - Une valeur ajoutée,...

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Charleroi-Durable.be : Delphi Genetics - Video

Barbara Franke - How to make sense of genetics for psychiatric disorders? (2013)
Keynote lecture at Neuroinformatics 2013 in Stockholm, Sweden Barbara Franke, Radboud University Medical Centre in Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

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Barbara Franke - How to make sense of genetics for psychiatric disorders? (2013) - Video

Association for Molecular Pathology vs. Myriad Genetics - Arti Rai
September 9, 2013 - National Advisory Council for Human Genome More: http://www.genome.gov/27554864.

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Association for Molecular Pathology vs. Myriad Genetics - Arti Rai - Video

New Alex Collier: Alien Hybrid Genetics
Alex Collier Contactee abductee Alien reptilian agenda disclosed genetic influence hybrid racial interracial andromedan andromeda nibiru planet x anunnaki gr...

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RUTHERFORD, N.J., Sept. 19, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Panna Sharma, president and CEO of Cancer Genetics, Inc. (CGIX), an emerging leader in DNA-based cancer diagnostics that personalizes the clinical management of difficult-to-diagnose cancers, provides insight and commentary on its expanding relationship with Roche Servicios, S.A., an affiliate of Swiss drug maker Roche, in this pre-recorded video interview. Click here to view:

Some key highlights covered in the interview with Mr. Sharma include:

About Cancer Genetics:

Cancer Genetics, Inc. is an emerging leader in DNA-based cancer diagnostics that personalizes the clinical management of difficult-to-diagnose cancers. These cancers include hematological, urogenital and HPV-associated cancers. The Company's comprehensive range of oncology-focused tests and laboratory services provide critical genomic information to healthcare professionals, cancer centers, and biopharma companies. Through its CLIA certified and CAP accredited state-of-the-art reference lab, Cancer Genetics services some of the most prestigious medical institutions in the world and has strong research collaborations with major cancer centers such as Memorial Sloan-Kettering, The Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and the National Cancer Institute. For further information, please see http://www.cancergenetics.com.

Forward Looking Statements:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements pertaining to future financial and/or operating results, future growth in research, technology, clinical development and potential opportunities for Cancer Genetics, Inc. products and services, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to, statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates") should be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, and maintenance of intellectual property rights and other risks discussed in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2013 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Cancer Genetics disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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CEO of Cancer Genetics, Inc. Provides Commentary on the Company's Expanded Relationship With Roche Servicios S.A.

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwired - Sep 19, 2013) - Atossa Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATOS), The Breast Health Company, will display its ForeCYTE Breast Health Test at the Pri-Med East 2013 Conference & Exhibition from September 19 through September 22, 2013, in Boston, MA. Atossa's exhibit will be located in Booth 903 at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

Chris Destro, Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Atossa, stated, "The Pri-Med East show is a strategic venue and opportunity as we continue to market the ForeCYTE Breast Health Test.We look forward to having representatives demonstrate our collection device and to expand on the clinical value of our test to the primary care providers attending the show."

The ForeCYTE Breast Health Test, developed and marketed by Atossa's subsidiary, The National Reference Laboratory for Breast Health, detects reversible precancerous conditions in the breast up to eight years before they become cancer. The test uses Atossa's hand-held, FDA Class II medical device that is quick, painless, and non-invasive and can be administered during an OB/GYN office visit. Unlike mammograms, which are commonly recommended for women starting at age 40 to 50, the ForeCYTE Breast Health Test is more age agnostic, uses no radiation and does not require invasive biopsy needles or surgical incisions. To view a video about the ForeCYTE Test, click here: https://vimeo.com/62365818.

About the Pri-Med 2013 Conference & Exhibition

The Pri-Med Conference & Exhibition offers low-cost continuing medical education in a flexible format. The CME conference schedule is designed to maximize participants' time out of the office, providing clinical updates on the disease states and patients treated daily.

Topics of interest for this conference include:

About the ForeCYTE Breast Health Test

The ForeCYTE Breast Health Test, intended for the 110 million women in the U.S. ages 18 to 73, is a painless, quick and non-invasive procedure that can be done in a physician's office.The test specimens are then analyzed at Atossa's laboratory, The National Reference Laboratory for Breast Health, Inc. (NRLBH), which can provide vital early detection of cancer or pre-cancerous conditions that may progress to cancer over an approximately eight year period and before cancer can be detected by mammography or other means and without the risks of radiation, especially in women younger than age 50. No invasive biopsy needles or open surgical incisions are used in the Atossa test.

Just as the Pap smear has reduced cervical cancer rates by over 70 percent, becoming the most successful screening test in medicine, the goal of Atossa Genetics is to reduce the stubbornly high rate of breast cancer through the early detection of the precursor changes that can lead to breast cancer and the treatment of those early changes. For more information, please visit getforecyte.com.

Atossa's ForeCYTE Breast Health Test is available through physicians nationwide.

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Atossa Genetics to Exhibit Its ForeCYTE Breast Health Test at the Pri-Med East 2013 Conference & Exhibition

Public release date: 19-Sep-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kathy Ridgely Beal kbeal@acmg.net 301-238-4582 American College of Medical Genetics

September 19, 2013 Bethesda, MD Genetic tests can now tell us whether we are at increased risk of various cancers, heart or kidney disease, asthma and a number of other conditions.

Other genetic tests can tell whether you will respond to certain medicines or be harmed by side effects linked to your genetic code. But harnessing that information to benefit individual patients and prevent illnesses in others will require that doctors have access to genomic information for each patient. As health records are converted to digital form, the most likely place to store and retrieve genomic information will be Electronic Health Records (EHR). But when and how that happens will depend on having good models to build upon.

Now, in the first collection of its kind, the October 2013 issue of Genetics in Medicine, the official peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, provides a series of research articles detailing challenges and solutions for integrating genomic data into EHR. The issue features the insights of research teams actively engaged in integrating genomic medicine into clinical care. Most of the contributions derive from the experiences of individual sites that comprise the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) Network, a national consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health, but additional perspective is provided by a commercial EHR vendor and by the Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research (CSER) consortium, a cooperative group exploring applications of genomic sequencing.

"Our hope is that this issue of Genetics in Medicine will serve as a 'how to' and 'what to think about' for any group tasked with launching a genomics program and integrating this data into the EHR at the point of care," said Joseph Kannry, MD, a board-certified internist and Lead Technical Informaticist of the Epic Clinical Transformation Group, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY. "This issue should serve as a reference point for many years to come."

Dr. Kannry and co-editor Marc Williams, MD FACMG, director of the Genomic Medicine Institute, Geisinger Health System, Danville, Pa., steered the effort to organize contributions and together wrote the lead editorial. In it they state that, "Successfully integrating genomics into clinical care requires a vision, a strategy that will achieve the vision, and an actionable implementation plan." The case studies provided in this special issue outline the following challenges and potential solutions:

How can genomics be meaningfully incorporated into routine healthcare? [Hartzler et al. doi: GIM.2013.127] describe how a broad range of parties, including institutional leadership, physicians, information technology staff, and patients must be included in the conversation if genomic medicine is to be successful. The article describes different ways to ensure support systems are in place when launching a genomic medicine project.

How will genomic data be stored, processed, updated and retrieved? [citation: Kho et al. doi: GIM.2013.131] examine data currently captured in EHR systems and compare that to genomic data. They look forward to the need for long-term storage and retrieval and how data can be accessed and compared across time and in changing clinical circumstances.

Likewise, [Chute et al. doi: gim.2013.121] discuss the opportunities for large data sets of genomic information to help detect new genomic risk factors and clinically important information not possible until recently. They identify gaps in standards for coding and transmission of data and propose solutions.

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Genetics in Medicine publishes special issue dedicated to genomics in electronic health records

Hitguj Stem Cell Therapy
For more info log on to http://www.24taas.com Like us on https://www.facebook.com/Zee24Taas Follow us on https://twitter.com/zee24taasnews.

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Basser Research CenterPoster shown in synagogues

Many Jewish women attending their synagogues high holiday services this month may have seen posters plastered on bulletin boards or near the entrance doors warning them that they may be at increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

Individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry have a 1 in 40 chance of carrying a BRCA gene mutation, reads the poster. This is at least a ten times greater probability than that of the general population. The advice: Talk to experts at Basser Research Center for BRCA at Penn Medicines Abramson Cancer Center to understand your risk. The implied message: You may have a BRCA mutation and could be a good candidate for genetic testing.

Temple Beth Am in Framingham and Temple Ohabei Shalom in Brookline have these posters up on their walls, as do 1,500 other synagogues across the country.

Dr. Susan Domchek, an oncologist, genetic researcher and executive director of the Basser Research Center, told me that the poster campaigns mission is to simply increase awareness and get women to seek more information on whether they would qualify for genetic testing.

Many are already well aware of the gene mutation, especially after actress Angelina Jolie revealed that she was a BRCA-mutation carrier and had a prophylactic mastectomy to reduce her elevated risk of breast cancer.

The trouble I have with this campaign is that it leads Jewish women to believe that they likely need BRCA testing. Most dont, and insurance will cover the $3,000 cost of the screening only if they have at least one first-degree relativemother, sister, daughterdiagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer.

Domchek said the poster couldnt include all these nuances but directs women to a website where more information can be found. Women need to click on yet another link to find out that they should only seek advice from a genetic counselor if they are of Eastern European Jewish descent and have a close family history of breast or ovarian cancer.

I think a single extra sentence on this poster may have gone a long way towards providing women with the full information so they dont need to be scared unnecessarily into thinking that they need an expensive genetic test simply because of their ancestry.

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Poster campaign urges Jewish women to get cancer gene screening

Public release date: 18-Sep-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Katya Nasim katya.nasim@kcl.ac.uk 44-020-784-83840 King's College London

A team of researchers led by King's College London has for the first time identified a new gene which may have the ability to prevent HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, from spreading after it enters the body.

Published in Nature today, the study is the first to identify a role for the human MX2 gene in inhibiting HIV. Researchers say this gene could be a new target for effective, less toxic treatments where the body's own natural defence system is mobilised against the virus.

The work was funded by the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London. The study was also supported by the Wellcome Trust and European Commission.

Scientists carried out experiments on human cells in the lab, introducing the virus to two different cell lines and observing the effects. In one cell line the MX2 gene was expressed or 'switched on', and in the other it was not, or 'silenced'. They saw that in the cells where MX2 was silenced, the virus replicated and spread. In the cells where the MX2 gene was expressed, the virus was not able to replicate and new viruses were not produced.

The work was led by Dr Caroline Goujon and Professor Mike Malim at the Department of Infectious Diseases, King's College London. Professor Malim said: "This is an extremely exciting finding which advances our understanding of how HIV virus interacts with the immune system and opens up opportunities to develop new therapies to treat the disease. Until now we knew very little about the MX2 gene, but now we recognise both its potent anti-viral function and a key point of vulnerability in the life cycle of HIV.

"Developing drugs to stimulate the body's natural inhibitors is a very important approach because you are triggering a natural process and therefore won't have the problem of drug resistance. There are two possible routes it may be possible to develop either a molecule that mimics the role of MX2 or a drug which activates the gene's natural capabilities.

"Although people with HIV are living longer, healthier lives with the virus thanks to current effective treatments, they can often be toxic for the body and drug resistance can become an issue with long-term use.

It is important to continue to find new ways of mobilising the body's natural defence systems and this gene appears to be a key player in establishing viral control in people with HIV."

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Novel gene discovery could lead to new HIV treatments

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Gene discovery could lead to new types of HIV treatments

Public release date: 18-Sep-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

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

New Rochelle, NY, September 18, 2013 Journal of Men's Health, a peer-reviewed journal now published online with Open Access options and in print by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, reflects the urgent priority to improve the health of men around the globe. Volume 10, Issue 1 will be published on the new Journal of Men's Health website at http://www.liebertpub.com/jmh in late September 2013. Journal of Men's Health was formerly published by Elsevier.

"With our new publisher, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., Journal of Men's Health will include an expanded focus on evidence-based and translational research that will advance knowledge in the field of men's health and ensure optimal patient care," says Ridwan Shabsigh, MD, President of the International Society of Men's Health (ISMH); Chairman, Department of Surgery, St. Barnabas Hospital (Bronx, NY); and Professor of Clinical Urology, Cornell University (New York). Journal of Men's Health is the official journal of the International Society of Men's Health, American Society for Men's Health, and Men's Health Society of India. The vision and mission of the Journal is broadly outlined in a far-reaching editorial by Dr. Shabsigh.

Journal of Men's Health provides in-depth coverage of gender-specific diseases and conditions, such as prostate disease and male sexual dysfunction, along with non-gender-specific diseases and conditions with higher prevalence or special impact in men, including cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancers of the lung, colon, bladder and liver, and schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder.

"Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. brings a wealth of knowledge, energy, passion, and enthusiasm for gender-specific medicine," says Editor-in-Chief Ajay Nehra, MD, Chair, Department of Urology and Director, Men's Health, Rush University Medical Center (Chicago, IL). "This partnership will help to develop the field of men's health and the Journal will provide an important forum for provocative and cutting-edge articles that address men's health issues across the lifespan."

The Journal publishes original research and review articles on population studies, clinical research, guidelines and best practices, professional training and education, and cultural competence in the delivery of health care from adolescence through the older adult years. Peer-reviewed articles will be augmented by provocative editorials and perspectives on new approaches to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease that are relevant to all those involved in men's healthclinicians, researchers, educators, and policymakers.

###

About the Journal

Journal of Men's Health is the premier peer-reviewed journal published quarterly in print and online that covers all aspects of men's health across the lifespan. The Journal publishes cutting-edge advances in a wide range of diseases and conditions, including diagnostic procedures, therapeutic management strategies, and innovative clinical research in gender-based biology to ensure optimal patient care. The Journal addresses disparities in health and life expectancy between men and women; increased risk factors such as smoking, alcohol abuse, and obesity; higher prevalence of diseases such as heart disease and cancer; and health care in underserved and minority populations. Journal of Men's Health meets the critical imperative for improving the health of men around the globe and ensuring better patient outcomes. Complete information may be viewed on the Journal of Men's Health website at http://www.liebertpub.com/jmh.

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Journal of Men's Health now published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Sep. 18, 2013 A blood test developed by researchers at Duke Medicine showed more than 90-percent accuracy in distinguishing between viral and bacterial infections when tested in people with respiratory illnesses.

The test, which detects a specific genetic signature that the sick persons immune system expresses as a response to the virus, demonstrates a potential new method for diagnosing the source of illnesses that have long been tough to pinpoint.

Reported in the Sept. 18, 2013, issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine, the finding moves the technology closer to clinical use, where it could help patients get quicker diagnoses and treatments, while curbing the unnecessary use of antibiotics that dont work on viral infections.

In instances such as pandemic flu or the corona-virus that has erupted in the Middle East, its extremely important to diagnose a viral illness far more accurately and speedier than can be done using traditional diagnostics, said co-senior author Geoffrey S. Ginsburg, M.D., Ph.D., director of Genomic Medicine and professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine. Current tests require knowledge of the pathogen to confirm infection, because they are strain-specific. But our test could be used right away when a new, unknown pathogen emerges.

When infected by a virus, a persons immune system responds differently than when fighting a bacterial infection. These differences are evident at the genetic level, where certain genes are switched on during a viral attack, creating a fingerprint that broadly identifies the culpable pathogen.

In previous work, the Duke team described the development of a blood test, using a special assay, to identify some 30 genes involved in the immune response to viral infection among volunteers who had agreed to be infected with a series of common upper respiratory viruses.

Unlike current tests that rely on evidence of the pathogen in the blood stream requiring knowledge of that particular bug to detect it the new approach could be used to detect unknown emerging diseases, including potential bioterrorism threats.

This is important not only in viral pandemics where infection may be caused by unknown viruses but also in routine care where the decision to treat or not with antibiotics is paramount, said lead author Aimee K. Zaas, M.D., MHS, associate professor of infectious diseases and international health at Duke.

The current study was a trial run of the blood test in a real-world setting. Among 102 people arriving at a hospitals emergency department with fever, 28 had a viral infection, 39 had a bacterial infection and 35 were healthy controls. Using the test, the Duke researchers were able to accurately classify more than 90 percent of the patients as having viral infection or not.

The assay provided true positive identifications of viral infection in 89 percent of the cases, and correctly ruled out the negative cases 94 percent of the time.

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Genomic test accurately sorts viral vs bacterial infections

Wave Genetics Can Cure Any Disease - Dr. Peter Garyaev
http://wavegenetics.org/en - Wave Genetics by Dr. Peter Garyaev. This video contains some mind-boggling information, it will change the way you perceive the ...

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Professor Sir Stephen O #39;Rahilly - Human Metabolic Disease: Leassons from Genetics
Full story: UCD Ulysses Medal for Professor Sir Stephen O #39;Rahilly - http://www.ucd.ie/news/2013/09SEP13/160913-UCD-Ulysses-Medal-for-Professor-Sir-Stephen-OR...

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Professor Sir Stephen O'Rahilly - Human Metabolic Disease: Leassons from Genetics - Video

By Lora Hines

Houston Chronicle

Published: September 18, 2013

More than 10,000 veterans have enrolled in Houston in a nationwide program designed to understand the role genes play in health and eventually improve ways of preventing and treating illnesses.

Houston's Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center is among 50 facilities participating in a nationwide program to enroll 1 million veterans in the data collection system.

The Department of Veterans Affairs launched the voluntary Million Veteran Program three years ago to better understand how genes affect veterans' health and their ability to fight illnesses. The program requires participants to provide DNA so researchers can use it for future studies, said Dr. Rayan Al Jurdi, the Houston site's principal investigator.

In addition to DNA, researchers also will collect health, lifestyle and military-exposure information from questionnaires and medical records for a database. So far, the database has information from more than 250,000 veterans, including nearly 10,200 from the Houston VA, making it the largest study site, the VA said.

"Anyone in the VA, regardless of what diseases they do and don't have can participate," Al Jurdi said, adding that program could create the largest genetic sample worldwide. "That's what's exciting about it. The research possibilities are endless."

Participants include veterans who served as long ago as World War II and those who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan, Al Jurdi said. The database will give researchers access to large samples to study conditions such as diabetes, post-traumatic stress and depression, he said.

So far, no research has begun, Al Jurdi said.

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VA seeking 1 million volunteers for gene research

Public release date: 16-Sep-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Karl Leif Bates karl.bates@duke.edu 919-681-8054 Duke University

DURHAM, N.C. -- Explorers need good maps, which they often end up drawing themselves.

Pursuing their interests in using the brains of birds as a model for the human brain, an international team of researchers led by Duke neuroscientist Erich Jarvis and his collaborators Chun-Chun Chen and Kazuhiro Wada have just completed a mapping of the bird brain based on a 10-year exploration of the tiny cerebrums of eight species of birds.

In a special issue appearing online in the Journal of Comparative Neurology, two papers from the Jarvis group propose a dramatic redrawing of some boundaries and functional areas based on a computational analysis of the activity of 52 genes across 23 areas of the bird brain.

Jarvis, who is a professor of neurobiology at Duke, member of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, said the most important takeaway from the new map is that the brains of all vertebrates, a group that includes birds as well as humans, have some important similarities that can be useful to research.

Most significantly, the new map argues for and supports the existence of columnar organization in the bird brain. "Columnar organization is a rule, rather than an exception found only in mammals," Jarvis said. "One way I visualize this view is that the avian brain is one big, giant gyrus folding around a ventricle space, functioning like what you'd find in the mammalian brain," he said.

To create different patterns of gene expression for the analysis, the birds were exposed to various environmental factors such as darkness or light, silence or bird song, hopping on a treadmill, and in the case of migratory warblers, a magnetic field that stimulated their navigational circuits.

The new map follows up on a 2004 model, proposed by an Avian Brain Nomenclature Consortium, also lead by Jarvis and colleagues, which officially changed a century-old view on the prevailing model that the avian brain contained mostly primitive regions. They argued instead that the avian brain has a cortical-like area and other forebrain regions similar to mammals, but organized differently.

"The change in terminology is small this time, but the change in concept is big," Jarvis said. For this special issue, the of Journal of Comparative Neurology commissioned a commentary by Juan Montiel and Zoltan Molnar, experts in brain evolution, to summarize the large amount of data presented in the studies by the Jarvis group.

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10-year project redraws the map of bird brains

Public release date: 17-Sep-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jessica Koh jessica.koh.l.c@nhcs.com.sg 65-643-67924 SingHealth

The National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) research team has successfully and completely reversed the effects of the hERG (human ether-a-go-go-related gene) mutation in long QT syndrome 2 (LQTS 2) in patient-specific heart cells, scoring a world's first. Long QT syndrome 2 is a dangerous heart rhythm disorder that can lead to sudden cardiac death, even in young patients. It is caused by a mutation in a specific gene known as hERG, which helps to control the electrical activity in the heart cells and coordinate its beating rhythm. Using the patient's own skin stem cells transformed to beating heart cells, the team tested various drug compounds and discovered that the drug, not normally tested in this condition could reverse the effects of long QT syndrome 2. This novel experiment paves the way for the better understanding on how drugs affect cell and intra-cell disordered function and allows safe testing of new compounds on patients' own cells, without the risk of side effects to the patients themselves. The findings have earned the team a best poster prize at the prestigious ESC (European Society of Cardiology) Congress on 1 September 2013, the largest international cardiology meeting attended by close to 30,000 participants.

"For the first time, we have mimicked a patient's disease condition in a petri dish, understood the mechanism of long QT syndrome 2 on this platform, and successfully tailored a drug that reverses the entire condition," said Associate Professor Philip Wong, Director, Research and Development Unit (RDU), NHCS.

Potential cure for long QT syndrome 2

To better study the disease, skin cells were obtained from a patient clinically diagnosed with long QT syndrome 2 caused by the hERG mutation. Using the skin cells, the NHCS research team generated human-induced pluripotent stem cells and reprogrammed these into heart cells. Pluripotent stem cells are among the most powerful stem cells and can be eprogrammed into any type of cells. The team found that the heart cells in a petri dish mirrored the patient's heart condition outside the body, allowing them to study the disease and test treatments accurately and repeatedly on the cells without any risk to the patient. By applying their understanding of the condition's fundamental disorder at the genetic level, the eam then tested various drug compounds and discovered a drug that could reverse the ffects of long QT syndrome 2, after a rigorous testing period of a year.

"With the efficacy aspect proven, we will be testing the therapy's safety profile as we move towards clinical applications," said Dr Ashish Mehta, Senior Research Scientist, RDU, NHCS, and lead investigator of the study.

Accelerated research discoveries

Conventional drug discovery and development involves understanding the basic causes of a disease at the level of genes, proteins and cells, and using the knowledge to derive specific targets to develop new drugs. The NHCS research team was able to accelerate the drug development path with their understanding of how long QT syndrome 2 develops in the patient-derived heart cells, and this helped them to efficiently shortlist drug compounds designed to correct the effects of the underlying hERG mutation. This novel method of assessing the efficacy of new drug compounds could revolutionise how researchers look at specific treatments for certain conditions and allow a more focused and accelerated path to drug discovery for life-threatening conditions.

"Our breakthrough in hERG-related long QT syndrome 2 could potentially help to accelerate the development of new cures very much faster, perhaps within 5 to 8 years. It is a shortcut compared to the conventional drug development route which could take 10 to 15 years," said Dr Winston Shim, Scientific Director, RDU, NHCS, "Another interesting point is that as the drug therapy is specific to the patient, there is a high chance that it will work on the individual whose skin cells were sampled for the study."

Read the original:
National Heart Centre Singapore discovers patient-specific cure for dangerous heart rhythm disorder

Sep. 17, 2013 The National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) research team has successfully and completely reversed the effects of the hERG (human ether-a-go-go-related gene) mutation in long QT syndrome 2 (LQTS 2) in patient-specific heart cells, scoring a world's first. Long QT syndrome 2 is a dangerous heart rhythm disorder that can lead to sudden cardiac death, even in young patients. It is caused by a mutation in a specific gene known as hERG, which helps to control the electrical activity in the heart cells and coordinate its beating rhythm. Using the patient's own skin stem cells transformed to beating heart cells, the team tested various drug compounds and discovered that the drug, not normally tested in this condition could reverse the effects of long QT syndrome 2. This novel experiment paves the way for the better understanding on how drugs affect cell and intra-cell disordered function and allows safe testing of new compounds on patients' own cells, without the risk of side effects to the patients themselves. The findings have earned the team a best poster prize at the ESC (European Society of Cardiology) Congress on 1 September 2013, the largest international cardiology meeting attended by close to 30,000 participants.

"For the first time, we have mimicked a patient's disease condition in a petri dish, understood the mechanism of long QT syndrome 2 on this platform, and successfully tailored a drug that reverses the entire condition," said Associate Professor Philip Wong, Director, Research and Development Unit (RDU), NHCS.

Potential cure for long QT syndrome 2

To better study the disease, skin cells were obtained from a patient clinically diagnosed with long QT syndrome 2 caused by the hERG mutation. Using the skin cells, the NHCS research team generated human-induced pluripotent stem cells and reprogrammed these into heart cells. Pluripotent stem cells are among the most powerful stem cells and can be eprogrammed into any type of cells. The team found that the heart cells in a petri dish mirrored the patient's heart condition outside the body, allowing them to study the disease and test treatments accurately and repeatedly on the cells without any risk to the patient. By applying their understanding of the condition's fundamental disorder at the genetic level, the eam then tested various drug compounds and discovered a drug that could reverse the ffects of long QT syndrome 2, after a rigorous testing period of a year.

"With the efficacy aspect proven, we will be testing the therapy's safety profile as we move towards clinical applications," said Dr Ashish Mehta, Senior Research Scientist, RDU, NHCS, and lead investigator of the study.

Accelerated research discoveries

Conventional drug discovery and development involves understanding the basic causes of a disease at the level of genes, proteins and cells, and using the knowledge to derive specific targets to develop new drugs. The NHCS research team was able to accelerate the drug development path with their understanding of how long QT syndrome 2 develops in the patient-derived heart cells, and this helped them to efficiently shortlist drug compounds designed to correct the effects of the underlying hERG mutation. This novel method of assessing the efficacy of new drug compounds could revolutionise how researchers look at specific treatments for certain conditions and allow a more focused and accelerated path to drug discovery for life-threatening conditions.

"Our breakthrough in hERG-related long QT syndrome 2 could potentially help to accelerate the development of new cures very much faster, perhaps within 5 to 8 years. It is a shortcut compared to the conventional drug development route which could take 10 to 15 years," said Dr Winston Shim, Scientific Director, RDU, NHCS, "Another interesting point is that as the drug therapy is specific to the patient, there is a high chance that it will work on the individual whose skin cells were sampled for the study."

What is long QT syndrome?

Long QT syndrome is a disorder of the heart's electrical activity which may cause one to develop a sudden, uncontrollable, and dangerous heart rhythm. It is mainly an inherited condition, with a prevalence of about 1 in 5,000 people in Singapore. Non-inherited long QT syndrome may be brought on by certain medicines or other medical conditions. Left untreated, more than half of those with inherited long QT syndrome die within 10 years. There are about 13 gene mutations causing variations of long QT syndrome, with long QT syndrome 2 being one of the most common.

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Patient-specific cure discovered for dangerous heart rhythm disorder