Archive for the ‘Gene Therapy Research’ Category

Rett #39;s Syndrome: Finding a Cure Through Gene Therapy
A lab research project for the student bio expo 2013 by Mimansa Dogra I explore Rett #39;s Syndrome and the causes of this disorder, as well as treatments than c...

By: StudentBioExpo

Read the original:
Rett's Syndrome: Finding a Cure Through Gene Therapy - Video

The Stem Cell Institute, located in Panama City, Panama, will present an informational umbilical cord stem cell therapy seminar on Saturday, May 11, 2013 in Miami, Florida at the Conrad Hotel from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Miami, Florida (PRWEB) April 24, 2013

Speakers and topics include:

"Umbilical cord stem cells: regeneration, repair, inflammation and autoimmunity" - Neil Riordan, PhD

Dr. Riordan is the Founder of the Stem Cell Institute and Medistem Panama Inc.

Dr. Paz is the Medical Director at the Stem Cell Institute. Dr. Paz practiced internal medicine in the United States for over a decade before joining the Stem Cell Institute in Panama.

Dr. Lowe is a psychiatrist at Amen Clinics in New York City.

Raymond Cralle is a physical therapist at Cralle Physical Therapy in Delray Beach, Florida.

After the talks, our speakers and stem cell therapy patients will be on hand to share their personal experiences and answer questions.

Admission is free but space is limited and registration is required. For venue information and to register and reserve your tickets today, please visit: http://scimiamiseminar.eventbrite.com/ or call Cindy Cunningham, Patient Events Coordinator, at 1 (800) 980-7836.

See the original post:
Stem Cell Institute Public Seminar on Adult Stem Cell Therapy in Miami, Florida May 11th, 2013

Public release date: 25-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sue McGreevey smcgreevey@partners.org 617-724-2764 Massachusetts General Hospital

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have determined that one of the recently identified genes contributing to the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease regulates the clearance of the toxic amyloid beta (A-beta) protein that accumulates in the brains of patients with the disease. In their report receiving advance online publication in Neuron, the researchers describe a protective variant of the CD33 gene that promotes clearance of A-beta from the brain. They also show that reducing expression of CD33 in immune cells called microglia enhances their ability to clear away A-beta protein, raising the possibility that blocking CD33 activity could help the brain's immune system remove A-beta.

"Our findings show, for the first time, a "switch" that controls how fast microglial cells can clear A-beta protein from the brain as we age CD33 is the key," says Rudolph Tanzi, PhD, director of the Genetics and Aging Unit in the MGH Department of Neurology and senior author of the Neuron paper. "If we can find a way of safely inactivating CD33 on microglia, we should be able to slow the accumulation of A-beta in aging brains and hopefully reduce risk for Alzheimer's disease."

In 2008, as part of the Alzheimer's Genome Project, Tanzi's team identified four novel genes containing variants that increased the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's, the most common form of the devastating neurological disorder. One of these was CD33. The protein was known to play a role in regulation of the innate immune system the body's first line of defense against infection but how it might function in the brain and possibly contribute to Alzheimer's risk was not known.

In the current study, the researchers first found that CD33 activity was significantly higher in microglia cells in brain samples from Alzheimer's patients than in cells from non-demented controls. Moreover, they showed that the presence of a version of the gene that protected against Alzheimer's disease reduced CD33 protein levels in the brain. Importantly, the same protective version of CD33 was found to reduce levels of A-beta 42 the primary constituent of the amyloid plaques that characterize the disease. Greater numbers of CD33-containing microglia also were associated with higher levels of A-beta 42 and more plaques overall.

In an Alzheimer's mouse model, knocking out the CD33 gene improved the ability of microglia in the brain to clear away A-beta 42 and reduced the presence of amyloid plaques. Experiments with cultured microglia showed that increasing CD33 expression on the cells' surface inhibited their ability to take up A-beta 42, while reducing CD33 activity led to greater clearance of A-beta 42.

"Collectively these experiments indicate that CD33 directly modulates the ability of microglial cells to clear A-beta 42 from the brain." says Tanzi. "Our findings raise the possibility that inhibiting CD33 activity in the brain could represent a potentially powerful new approach to treating and possibly preventing Alzheimer's disease."

###

Primary support for the study includes grants from the Cure Alzheimer's Fund and National Institutes of Health grants R37MH060009, P01AG15379, R01AG08487 and P50AG05134. In addition to Tanzi, the Kennedy Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, co-authors of the Neuron paper are lead author Ana Griciuc, PhD, of the MGH Genetics and Aging Research Unit; Antonio Parrado, Andrea Lesinski, Caroline Asselin, Kristina Mullin, Basavaraj Hooli, PhD, and Se Hoon Choi, PhD, MGH Genetics and Aging Unit; and Alberto Serrano-Pozo, MD, and Bradley Hyman, MD, PhD, MGH Alzheimer's Disease Research Laboratory.

Read more:
Alzheimer's risk gene presents potential treatment target

Gene Sperling, President Obamas top economic adviser, sketched out a hopeful scenario on Thursday for the next round of budget negotiations.

Not only is there the possibility of passing a budget to fund the government through the normal congressional process rather than lurching from crisis to crisis with stopgap measures, but Sperling also sees a building of trust over the dinners Obama has hosted with groups of lawmakers in recent weeks.

Trust at least that there can be conversations that can be kept quiet. Trust that the president is willing to compromise, that hes willing toas weve seeneven take some disagreement from his own supporters, Sperling, who is director of the White House National Economic Council, said at an event hosted by Allstate, The Atlantic and National Journal.

That's a positive outlook for a process that has been thoroughly twisted in recent years--and, as National Journalrecently reported, for which the path forward is anything but clear.

Sperling offered one place where there wont be any friendly, quiet talks hosted by the White House. Earlier this year, Congress voted to suspend the U.S. debt ceiling until May 18, at which point the Treasury Department is expected to take so-called extraordinary measures to push back the date for a few months when the country exceeds its borrowing limit and goes into default. Then, it will be up to lawmakers to raise the ceiling.

In the summer of 2011, the debate over raising the nations debt limit became a looming crisis as Republicans tried to use the talks to demand spending cuts the White House refused to make. The dragged-out negotiations ultimately hit confidence, caused markets to tank and ultimately cost the U.S. its top, triple-A credit rank from ratings agency Standard & Poors. It is not remembered by most as a shining example of Washington at work.

This time, Sperling said, We just have to be very clear: The era of threatening default as a budget [negotiating] tactic is over, Sperling said. The president is not going to negotiate on this.

Suspending rather than raising the debt ceiling this winter allowed Republicans to sidestep a politically thorny issue. But negotiations this summer could heat up again, although it's not clear to what degree. Earlier this month, analysts at political risk research and consulting firm Eurasia Group wrote that "early signals indicate that this summer's debt ceiling fight will present less risk and less opportunity for fiscal reform than that of 2011." Some House Republicans have proposed prioritizing the nations payments in the event lawmakers cant agree to raise the U.S. borrowing limit before it is reached. Sperling rejected that idea. It is default by any other name, he said Thursday.

And although Sperling sounded a hopeful note about negotiations occuring through regular processes and growing trust among lawmakers, he acknowledged that any negotiations over the budget could be derailed by intransigence. I think we have to recognize that if people, you know, particularly in the House, are completely unwilling to compromise, theres nothing any of us can do, he said.

Originally posted here:
Gene Sperling, Top Econ Adviser: “The Era of Threatening Default Is Over”

Study shows that blocking a gene known as CD33 could enhance the brains ability to clear plaque-forming proteins linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease.

BOSTON (PRWEB) April 25, 2013

Too much CD33 appears to promote late onset Alzheimers by preventing support cells from clearing out beta-amyloid containing plaques, said Tanzi in a release issued by NIMH. The same release quotes Thomas R. Insel, M.D., Director of NIMH, as saying, These results reveal, for the first time, a potentially powerful mechanism for protecting neurons from damaging toxicity and inflammation in brain disorders.

The CD33 gene that produces the protein was one of four new AD gene candidates identified by Tanzi and colleagues in the Cure Alzheimers Fund supported Alzheimers Genome Project in 2008. The study was cited by TIME/CNN as one of that years Top Ten Medical Breakthroughs.

In the new study, Tanzi and colleagues discovered that a variant of the CD33 gene that protects against AD, lowered levels of CD33 in the brain leading to more efficient clearance of beta-amyloid. Increased CD33 levels were observed specifically on the surface of microglial cells in autopsied brains of Alzheimers patients. Microglial cells are support cells in the brain that clear away debris, including deposits of the amyloid beta protein. The study showed that higher CD33 levels in the microglial cells impaired their ability to ingest beta-amyloid and break it down. In contrast, blocking CD33 activity enhanced the ability of microglial cells to clear away beta-amyloid. When Tanzi and colleagues inactivated the CD33 gene in a mouse model of Alzheimers disease, levels of beta-amyloid and senile plaques were dramatically decreased in the brain.

Collectively, these findings suggest that CD33 is a key mediator of beta-amyloid accumulation in the brain. The results imply that blocking CD33 would enhance the brains ability to clear beta-amyloid more efficiently, reducing downstream AD pathology. Tanzis team is now trying to identify drugs that can inactivate CD33 as novel means for treating and preventing AD.

About Cure Alzheimers Fund

In seven years, with $20 million invested in research, Cure Alzheimers Fund has a strong track record in funding novel approaches to understanding the causes of Alzheimers disease and the biological processes that drive the pathology. Cure Alzheimers Fund has supported 72 projects in 51 laboratories of leading Alzheimers researchers in the US and abroad. Cure Alzheimers Fund is a 501c3 public charity and seeks no financial gain for its founders, donors or researchers. The Founders and Board members pay all expenses of the Foundation so that all contributions from others go directly to research.

Andrea Garvue Cure Alzheimer's Fund 703-276-2772 13 Email Information

See the original post here:
New Research Co-Funded by Cure Alzheimer’s Fund Shows New Gene May Hold Key to Treatment

DUBLIN, April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Research and Markets announces the addition of "Global Transfection (Gene Delivery, DNA Delivery, Protein Delivery, SiRNA Delivery) Technologies Market (2012 - 2017)" to its catalogue.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130307/600769 )

Transfection is an enabler technology used for many cell based research activities with applications spanning production of recombinant proteins and recombinant cell lines, gene therapy, delivery of therapeutics and also drug discovery. This research report provides a brief description on transfection technologies, its evolution, comparative analysis, market landscape analysis, competitive scenario and emerging technology and application trends. Global research and development Network, Innovation and Spin offs have been discussed. The report tracks regional adoption and development trends, providing strategic recommendation to stay active and compete in the market space. An impact analysis of major drivers and restraints influencing the growth of the market is mapped for five year period.

Key Driver:

Advances in cell research and therapeutic delivery

Cell research is a major driving factor for transfection market, as more than 60% of the users are of academic institutions and researchers. Research in gene transfer is being performed in in vivo conditions for different therapeutic applications; there is a growing demand for new transfection technologies to address unmet needs for therapeutic delivery which is driving the transfection market.

Key Restraint:

Home brew Reagents restricts sale of commercial kits

Home brew reagents are still the preferred choice of reagents for transfection by researchers all over the world. Most of the researchers prepare their own reagents from their laboratory to conduct their research. This is true for most of the reagent based transfection reactions. This allows them to reduce cost involved in purchasing commercial kits.

Read the original:
Global Transfection (Gene Delivery, DNA Delivery, Protein Delivery, SiRNA Delivery) Technologies Market (2012 - 2017)

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "MediPoint: Predictive Breast Cancer Gene Testing - South America Analysis and Market Forecasts" report to their offering.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in both the developed and developing world. The incidence of breast cancer is increasing due to the increased life span and increasing adoption of Western lifestyle risk factors. Predictive breast cancer gene tests can be used to identify women who are at increased risk of developing hereditary breast cancer. The Predictive Breast Cancer Gene Testing market has seen exponential growth in the US, dominated by Myriad Genetics.

Gene testing in Europe is mostly carried out by the state funded health sector, but increasingly private companies are offering breast cancer gene tests to physicians. Myriad Genetics' position in the market is dependent on it being the leading provider of the most common breast cancer mutations.

By the end of our forecast period, the competitive landscape will experience significant change due to the erosion of Myriad Genetics' position, as a result of the expiry of key patents, and the emergence of alternative molecular technologies.

This report focuses on the predictive breast cancer gene testing markets in South America, principally Brazil, and identifies unmet needs in the market, physician attitudes towards current gene testing, and the future of gene testing in the face of rapid technological advancement.

Scope

- An overview of Breast Cancer, which includes epidemiology, etiology, symptoms, diagnosis, pathology and treatment guidelines.

- Annualized South America Breast Cancer Gene Testing market revenue and future forecasts from 2009 to 2011, forecast for 7 years to 2018.

- Investigation of current and future market competition for Breast Cancer Gene Testing

Follow this link:
Research and Markets: MediPoint: Predictive Breast Cancer Gene Testing - South America Analysis and Market Forecasts

Genetic Engineering Morals and Ethics Arguments
Hope you enjoyed! Tell me if you think genetic engineering should be a thing below!

By: tilchapterthree

Continue reading here:
Genetic Engineering Morals and Ethics Arguments - Video

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) today announced the launch of Vector NTI Express Designer, the latest advancement in its Vector NTI software platform, which offers researchers comprehensive and streamlined custom vector and genetic construct design and synthesis. The desktop software tool is designed for molecular biology, metabolic engineering, genetic engineering, and synthetic biology professionals who want to rationally design, assemble and order synthetic genetic "parts," optimizing genetic components for a broad range of applications.

An extension of the Vector NTI software offerings, Express Designer incorporates an integrated gene synthesis service for rapid sequence submission and order placement, effectively building a bridge from DNA sequence to gene synthesis. Customers can use the Express Designer software tools to design custom DNA parts and submit them directly to Life Technologies' GeneArt portal for synthesis.

"Molecular and synthetic biologists can now move from construct design to synthesis faster than ever before," said Nathan Wood, General Manager and Vice President of Synthetic Biology at Life Technologies. "This launch represents a true game changer in the ease, speed and accuracy with which investigators can design and order DNA customized to their needs, as well as the increased confidence they can have that constructs will perform successfully in their experiments."

Vector NTI Express Designer also provides sequence optimization to fine tune expression levels of cloned genes, enables construction of multiple vectors for compatible and simultaneous function, and generates variants from template DNA parts, devices, and circuits more effectively. In addition to designing and ordering custom components, the software also contains an electronic database or "mini electronic lab notebook" that allows researchers to maintain a searchable record of genetic parts, constructs and experimental results that can be referred to and utilized to optimize constructs and circuits.

"The Vector NTI Express Designer will allow us to tackle difficult design challenges in synthetic biology," said Christopher Voigt, Ph.D., associate professor of Biological Engineering at M.I.T. "The software automates and facilitates the design process with an intuitive graphical-user interface where well-characterized and annotated parts can be drag-and-dropped to create standard devices and advanced circuits." Voigt is a leader in the study of circuit design underlying the development of synthetic organisms, a process that requires constructing synthetic multi-gene pathways.

"The power of the Vector NTI Express Designer database is that it allows us to track and analyze our experimental results so that we avoid duplicating effort and focus on getting to the answer more quickly," said Steve Mayfield, Ph.D., professor in the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of California, San Diego. "We can focus more on what we want our constructs to do and less on how to make them do it." Mayfield is a pioneer in the genetic design of organisms such as algae for biofuel production.

Vector NTI Express Designer is built on a the Vector NTI Sequence Analysis and Bioinformatic Tools platform, and so inherits many of the applications associated with that platform, including: sequence analysis and design, annotation, and illustration; molecular biology data management; open reading frame and restriction enzyme analysis and mapping; primer design; recombinant molecule design, including Gateway and TOPO cloning, GeneArt seamless cloning & high-order assembly and gene synthesis.

Built on the trusted history of high-quality sequence analysis and design tools of Vector NTI Software, Vector NTI Express Designer enables rational bio-design on the most popular computing architectures, including native Mac OSX 10.6+, Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 8 operating systems. Its plug-in architecture allows users to have confidence that additional features and functionality can be added to the platform and deliver more value over time while its Automatic Updater ensures that users will be automatically notified of updates and given the option to download new or updated plug-ins to always be running the latest, most complete software package available.

For more information, please visit http://www.lifetechnologies.com/vectornti.

All products referenced are for Research Use Only. Not intended for diagnostic uses.

Here is the original post:
Bioinformatics Software aids bio-design and gene synthesis.

Public release date: 24-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Nick Miller nicholas.miller@cchmc.org 513-803-6035 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

CINCINNATI Researchers report in Nature Genetics they have increased the number of confirmed genes linked to juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) from three to 17 a finding that will clarify how JIA fits into the spectrum of autoimmune disorders and help identify potential treatment targets.

Published April 21, the study involves an international research team that analyzed 2,816 JIA cases recruited from more than 40 pediatric rheumatology clinics. It was the largest collaborative patient population of JIA to date, including patient DNA samples from across the United States, Germany and United Kingdom, according to Susan Thompson, PhD, a researcher in the Division of Rheumatology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center who was a leader for the study.

"These findings will help us understand how the long suspected genetic contributions to JIA are driving the disease process, with the ultimate goal being earlier and improved diagnosis and treatment," Thompson said.

JIA is the most common rheumatic disease of childhood that involves several different but related forms. Affecting some 50,000 children in the US, the actual cause of the disease remains unknown. JIA is considered an autoimmune disorder, in which the body's immune system mounts an attack against its own healthy tissues. JIA can be treated with medications and physical therapy, but the disease can persist for many patients into adulthood.

Prior to the current study only three genes were associated with known JIA risk, although scientists have suspected the likelihood that more genes are involved. The research team used what is known as the Immunochip array to measure variation in the genes (DNA) coding for components of the immune system for 2,816 JIA patients in the study. Those findings were compared to the DNA of 13,000 healthy controls to look for genetic differences.

The analyses re-confirmed JIA's connection to the original three genes, identified a link to the 14 new genes and pointed to the possibility that another 11 genetic regions may be implicated. The scientists stressed that their work continues in order to identify additional genetic links and also begin conducting functional studies to pinpoint disease processes.

Although the current study substantially increases the number of confirmed susceptibility genes for JIA, the researchers said their data indicate that additional genetic risk factors still remain to be discovered.

###

Read more from the original source:
International study finds new genetic links to juvenile arthritis

Apr. 24, 2013 A new study presented last week is coming one step closer to finding out whether or not an athlete's genetic makeup determines the severity of post-concussive brain function. Tom Terrell, MD, M.Phil., presented his concussion research entitled "Association between Genetic Polymorphisms and the Difference between Baseline and Post-Concussion Headminder/ImPACT Neuropsychological Test Scores in Reaction Time and Errors in College Athletes" on April 20, 2013, at the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine's Annual Meeting in San Diego, Cal.

This prospective cohort study is the first to link 2 particular genetic markers Tau gene exon 6 Hist47Tyr and APOE Promoter G-219T) to post-concussion neurocognitive function ("reaction time") and outcome in a group of college football and men's/ women's soccer athletes. Dr. Terrell believes this is one precursor to understanding the link between genetic factors and neurocognitive outcome for concussion in contact sport athletes. The prospective cohort study included 3,218 college athletes with the study group including 131 who completed a concussion/medical history questionnaire, genetic sampling, and baseline neuropsychological testing (Headminder and ImPACT).

Funded by the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine Foundation and the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE), Dr. Terrell's large prospective cohort study was developed by a team of sports medicine researchers including Robin Bostick, MD, Jeff Barth, PhD, Robert Cantu, MD, and David Erlanger, PhD.

Dr. Terrell graduated from the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, and earned a Master of Philosophy (Biological Anthropology) from the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Dr. Terrell is an Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine in the Department of Family Medicine in Knoxville, Tenn. About the AMSSM Annual Meeting: The conference features lectures and research addressing the most challenging topics in sports medicine today including prevention of sudden cardiac death, concussion, biologic therapies and other controversies facing the field of sports medicine. More than 1,500 sports medicine physicians from across the United States and 10 countries around the world attended the meeting.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, via Newswise.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

See the original post here:
Study links genetic marker to post-concussion neurocognitive function in contact sports

Released: 4/25/2013 9:00 AM EDT Source Newsroom: Mayo Clinic

WHAT: The Meet the Innovators Forum at the annual Edison Awards unites leading innovators and influencers of the 21st century for a series of discussions about topics relevant to the Edison Awards finalists disciplines. Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., director, Center for Individualized Medicine at Mayo Clinic, will offer a multimedia presentation that features four patients whose lives have changed because of Mayos initiative to drive genomics and genetic medicine into patient care through the Individualized Medicine Clinic.

WHO: Bruce Japsen, columnist and blogger for Forbes will moderate the Future of Individualizing Medicine panel discussion. Each of the following innovators are scheduled to deliver 10 minute presentations. Questions and discussion will follow:

* Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., director, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic * Hakon Hakonarson, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. * Leroy E. Hood, M.D., Ph.D., founder and president, Institute for Systems Biology * Scott P. McBride, shareholder, McAndrews Held & Malloy

WHEN: Today, 1-2 p.m. CDT, Thursday, April 25, 2013.

WHERE: Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., Chicago, Ill., 60602

NOTE: Dr. Farrugia will be available for interviews and commentary throughout the day. For interviews, contact Bob Nellis at 507-284-5005.

###

About Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit http://www.mayoclinic.com and http://www.mayoclinic.org/news.

About the Center for Individualized Medicine The Center for Individualized Medicine discovers and integrates the latest in genomic, molecular and clinical sciences into personalized care for each Mayo Clinic patient. For more information, visit http://mayoresearch.mayo.edu/center-for-individualized-medicine

Read more from the original source:
Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine Director Gianrico Farrugia, M.D.: "The Future of Individualizing ...

Public release date: 25-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lauren Woods law2014@med.cornell.edu 646-317-7401 Weill Cornell Medical College

Cancer is typically thought to develop after genes gradually mutate over time, finally overwhelming the ability of a cell to control growth. But a new closer look at genomes in prostate cancer by an international team of researchers reveals that, in fact, genetic mutations occur in abrupt, periodic bursts, causing complex, large scale reshuffling of DNA driving the development of prostate cancer.

In the April 25 issue of Cell, the scientists, led by researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College, the Broad Institute, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of Trento in Italy, dub this process "punctuated cancer evolution," akin to the theory of human evolution that states changes in a species occur in abrupt intervals. After discovering how DNA abnormalities arise in a highly interdependent manner, the researchers named these periodic disruptions in cancer cells that lead to complex genome restructuring "chromoplexy."

"We believe chromoplexy occurs in the majority of prostate cancers, and these DNA shuffling events appear to simultaneously inactivate genes that could help protect against cancer," says the study's co-lead investigator Dr. Mark Rubin, who is director of the recently-established Institute for Precision Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

"Knowing what actually happens over time to the genome in cancer may lead to more accurate diagnosis of disease and, hopefully, more effective treatment in the future," says Dr. Rubin, also the Homer T. Hirst III Professor of Oncology, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and professor of pathology in urology at Weill Cornell and a pathologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. "Our findings represent a new way to think about cancer genomics as well as treatment in prostate and, potentially, other cancers."

The discovery of "chromoplexy" came after the research team worked collaboratively to sequence the entire genomes of 57 prostate tumors and compare those findings to sequences in matched normal tissue.

Co-lead investigator Dr. Levi Garraway, of the Broad Institute and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and his collaborators then tracked how genetic alterations accumulated during cancer development and progression. They used advanced computer techniques to identify periodic bursts of genetic derangements.

"We have, for the first time, mapped the genetic landscape of prostate cancer as it changes over time," says Dr. Garraway, a senior associate member of the Broad Institute and associate professor at the DanaFarber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. "The complex genomic restructuring we discovered, which occurs at discrete times during tumor development, is a unique and important model of carcinogenesis which likely has relevance for other tumor types."

Co-senior author Dr. Francesca Demichelis, assistant professor at the Centre for Integrative Biology at the University of Trento who also serves as adjunct assistant professor of computational biomedicine at Weill Cornell, worked with her collaborators to understand how widespread the DNA mutations and alterations seen in the tumors were across the cancer samples, and what that might mean in terms of cancer progression and, potentially, treatment. "Information about what alterations are common, and which aren't, will most likely help guide us in terms of cancer drug use and patient response," says Dr. Demichelis.

Go here to see the original:
Periodic bursts of genetic mutations drive prostate cancer

Genetics vs machinery
What we should use to enhance human beings.

By: tyrone williams

Follow this link:
Genetics vs machinery - Video

AMES, Iowa, April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --NewLink Genetics Corporation (NLNK), a biopharmaceutical company primarily focused on discovering, developing and commercializing immunotherapeutic products in oncology, announced today that Nicholas N. Vahanian, M.D., NewLink's Chief Medical Officer, is scheduled to present at the Needham and Company 12th Annual Healthcare Conference in New York on Tuesday, April 30, 2013 at 12:50 p.m. ET.

About NewLink Genetics Corporation

NewLink Genetics Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing novel immunotherapeutic products to improve treatment options for cancer patients. NewLink's portfolio includes biologic and small molecule immunotherapy product candidates intended to treat a wide range of oncology indications. NewLink's product candidates are designed to harness multiple components of the immune system to combat cancer without significant incremental toxicity, either as a monotherapy or in combination with other treatment regimens. NewLink's lead product candidate, algenpantucel-L (HyperAcute Pancreas) is being studied in a Phase 3 clinical trial in surgically resected pancreatic cancer patients (under a Special Protocol Assessment with the U.S. FDA) as well as in a separate study in locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients. NewLink has recently launched an adaptive design Phase 2B/3 clinical trial of tergenpumatucel-L (HyperAcute Lung) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. NewLink is developing indoximod, a small molecule, orally bioavailable product candidate from NewLink's proprietary indoleamine-(2,3)-dioxygenase, or IDO, pathway inhibitor technology. NewLink is studying indoximod in various chemotherapy and immunotherapy combination studies independently and in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute. For more information please visit http://www.linkp.com. Patient information is available at http://www.pancreaticcancer-clinicaltrials.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements of NewLink that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "plan", "target", "potential", "will", "could", "should", "seek", or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements about: the prospects of algenpantucel-L, indoximod and our other HyperAcute product candidates and related clinical trials. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements that NewLink makes due to a number of important factors, including risks relating to: the initiation of clinical trials and the completion of enrollment; adverse general economic and industry conditions; and those risks discussed in "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in NewLink's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2012, Form S-3 Registration Statement filed December 28, 2012 and in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release represent NewLink's views as of the date of this press release. NewLink anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change. However, while it may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing NewLink's views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

Contact:

Gordon Link Chief Financial Officer 515-598-2925 glink@linkp.com

The rest is here:
NewLink Genetics to Present at the Needham and Company 12th Annual Healthcare Conference

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

A new survey commissioned by 23andMe the leading personal genetics company in celebration of DNA Day reveals that the majority of Americans have an interest in learning more about themselves by exploring their DNA, even though many do not fully understand how their DNA functions.

While only two percent of the nation has already had a genetic test done according to the survey, 73 percent of those who have not yet been tested would like to do so in the future. And for many (71 percent), the opportunity to discover the health conditions for which they are genetically most at-risk is what would draw them to genetic testing. In fact, 56 percent said they would consider making lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, based on the results.

Although there is significant interest in learning more about genetic testing, most Americans do not understand the fundamentals of genetics and how DNA functions. More than 80 percent of Americans know that DNA is inherited from both of their parents, and 70 percent are aware that their DNA tells the body which physical traits to express, such as eye and hair color. Yet, half of women surveyed incorrectly believe that the female combination of chromosomes is XY, while almost 25 percent of men surveyed incorrectly believe that the male combination of chromosomes is XX, illustrating confusion around the basic genetics that determine an individuals sex. In addition, 80 percent were unaware that all humans share 99.5 percent of their DNA. These findings underscore that while some people may generally understand how DNA influences their own identity, there tends to be far less understanding of how DNA functions and how all humans are connected by DNA.

"A majority of Americans is interested in the knowledge that their genetic information can provide, said Joanna Mountain, PhD, senior director of research, 23andMe. However, many are unfamiliar with the basics of genetic inheritance and unaware of what they might learn about themselves, in terms of health or ancestry, from their DNA. Our goal is to close the genetics literacy gap and help educate people aboutthe basics of genetic inheritance, the information about ancestry stored in our DNA, the connections between DNA and health, and the potential benefits of genetic testing.

Genetic testing can also help individuals uncover their ancestry composition and trace their family lineage. According to the survey, more than half of Americans know that people can discover living relatives they never knew existed through their DNA, and 53 percent understand that they can learn about the specific regions or countries where their ancestors originated from.

Regardless of why Americans are interested in digging deeply into their DNA, many would share the information in some way; in fact, 71 percent of Americans interested in having a genetic test said they would consider discussing the results with their doctor, while 57 percent said they would consider sharing results with their family members.

As individuals better understand their own DNA, they can also contribute directly to scientific discoveries. 23andMe not only provides individuals with access to their own genetic data, but also offers an opportunity to have their genetic data and responses to online surveys contribute to new scientific and medical discoveries. More than 65 percent of Americans who have not done a genetic test said that knowing that their genetic information could contribute to new discoveries that may lead to life-saving cures and treatments would make them more likely to get tested. Of 23andMes more than 250,000 genotyped customers, nearly 90 percent have opted to participate in the companys research by answering online surveys. As a result, 23andMe has already identified hundreds of new genetic associations.

DNA Day is a day dedicated to promoting genetics education and celebrating the latest advances in genomic research and the many ways genetics impacts our everyday lives. It commemorates the day in 1953 when James Watson, Francis Crick and colleagues published papers in Nature about the structure of DNA. 23andMe is dedicated to helping individuals understand their personal health and ancestry through DNA analysis and research. 23andMe provides individuals with information designed to help them better manage their health, as well as the opportunity to contribute to scientific discoveries. The companys goal is to transform healthcare and enable people everywhere to live longer, healthier lives through advancement of genetic research and the integration of genetics into personalized medicine.

23andMe provides a variety of free educational resources available to anyone on its website. You can view the companys popular Genetics 101 video series and other educational materials at: https://www.23andme.com/gen101/.

Go here to see the original:
23andMe Aims to Close Genetics Literacy Gap Among Americans in Celebration of DNA Day

Robert Gordon: The death of innovation, the end of growth
The US economy has been expanding wildly for two centuries. Are we witnessing the end of growth? Economist Robert Gordon lays out 4 reasons US growth may be ...

By: TEDtalksDirector

Visit link:
Robert Gordon: The death of innovation, the end of growth - Video

Public release date: 25-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary moleary@cell.com 617-397-2802 Cell Press

Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, affecting more than five million Americans, but currently there is no way to prevent, delay or stop its progression. A study published online April 25 by the Cell Press journal Neuron shows that a gene called CD33 contributes to Alzheimer's disease by inhibiting the ability of immune cells to remove toxic molecules in the brain. The findings provide new insights into the molecular causes of the disease and reveal a novel potential therapy that could prevent cognitive decline and brain damage at early stages.

"Before our study, nothing was known about the function of CD33 in the brain," says senior study author Rudolph Tanzi of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. "Moreover, our findings suggest that pharmaceutical inactivation of CD33 represents a potentially powerful new therapy for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease, and perhaps other neurodegenerative disorders."

One hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is the formation of beta-amyloid plaquesdeposits of toxic molecules between neurons in the brain. Past studies have suggested that these plaques cause neurons to die, leading to cognitive deficits such as impaired memory. Although several genesincluding CD33have recently been implicated in Alzheimer's disease, little is known about how they regulate the formation of beta-amyloid plaques and contribute to disease progression.

In the new study, Tanzi and his team found that CD33 is active in microgliaimmune cells that clean up debris and destroy pathogens in the brain. In brain tissue samples from deceased individuals who had Alzheimer's disease, higher levels of CD33 activity in microglia were associated with an increased number of beta-amyloid plaques. Inactivation of the CD33 gene in mice enhanced the ability of microglia to clear up toxic beta-amyloid molecules in the brain. Similarly, inactivation of the CD33 gene in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease reduced the number of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain.

"This is the first time that we have direct evidence of a gene, CD33, that directly controls beta-amyloid clearance by microglia," Tanzi says. "Our findings raise the exciting possibility that the inability of microglia to degrade beta-amyloid in Alzheimer's disease could be reversed therapeutically by inhibition of CD33 activity."

###

Neuron, Griciuc et al.: "Alzheimer's Disease Risk Gene CD33 Inhibits Microglial Uptake of Amyloid Beta."

Continued here:
New insights into Alzheimer's gene paves the way for prevention

Public release date: 25-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary moleary@cell.com 617-397-2802 Cell Press

Most information about the cause of Alzheimer's disease is based on studies from animal models. Now, a study published by Cell Press on April 25th in the journal Cell examines the brain tissue of deceased human patients and sheds light on dysfunctions in molecular networks in the brain that are at the root of Alzheimer's disease. By showing that the TYROBP gene plays a key role in disrupting immune system pathways in the brains of Alzheimer's patients, the study reveals a potential therapeutic target for preventing brain damage caused by this debilitating disease.

"Our goal was to find genes that lead the charge and direct many other genes towards Alzheimer's disease," says senior study author Valur Emilsson of the Icelandic Heart Association. "This findings presents a comprehensive network-based framework to test models of disease mechanism and also offer novel insights for drug discovery programs that can affect neurodegenerative diseases."

Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. Symptoms usually appear after age 60, and as the population grows older, the incidence of Alzheimer's is expected to increase dramatically. Yet very little is known about the molecular causes of this complex disease, in part because scientists have relied on animal models that do not replicate cognitive deficits and brain damage in humans.

To gain new insights into the molecular underpinnings of Alzheimer's, Emilsson and his team analyzed 1,647 brain tissue samples from deceased individuals who either had Alzheimer's or were healthy. By measuring the activity levels of thousands of genes in these tissues, they determined which molecular networks are disrupted in diseased brains. Their computational analysis revealed the important role of a gene expressed in microgliaimmune cells that clean up debris and destroy pathogens in the brain. They found that this geneTYROBPis overactive in the diseased brain, and it plays a key causal role in disrupting the activity of many other genes that control microglia activation.

"Our study shows that it makes sense to study disease as it actually occurs in the brains of human patients," Emilsson says. "We anticipate that our approach will enhance the transferability of basic biological discovery into meaningful medical progress."

###

Cell, Zhang et al.: "Tracing Multi-System Failure in Alzheimer Disease to Causal Genes."

Here is the original post:
Gene networks in brains of deceased patients reveal potential therapy for Alzheimer's disease

Scottsdale Regenerative Cell Therapy treatment center, Premier Pain Institute, has opened up a new clinic that facilitates state of the art procedures for pain treatment.

Scottsdale, Arizona (PRWEB) April 22, 2013

The philosophy of the new Scottsdale regenerative cell therapy center, the Premier Pain Institute is to treat each and every patient based on his or her specific diagnosis. With a one-on-one, doctor-to-patient, approach, the Premier Pain Institute ensures that every patient is carefully evaluated and diagnosed. Each patient then receives a specific treatment formulated to target the direct condition that is causing the pain. The Premier Pain Institute simply does not believe in a one-solution-cures-all methodology.

Also, the Scottsdale regenerative cell therapy center, the Premier Pain Institute is not just for people with chronic back pain, but people suffering from carpal tunnel, post-surgical pain, hands/wrists/feet pain, headaches and neck pains, and more. Some of the treatment procedures include injections and transformational selective root sleeve injections. With many doctors, these injections usually involve the insertion of a singular large bore needle into the spine. Dr. Vengurlekar prefers to perform a more precise injection which uses a minimal amount of steroid and thus reduces the number of side effect risks that are typically associated with an epidural injection. Also there is the discography procedure where a particular pain-causing disc is identified and directly targeted for treatment.

The Scottsdale regenerative cell therapy center, overseen by Dr. Vengurlekar, uses regenerative cell therapy to assist patient recovery. Regenerative medicine is a burgeoning scientific field that is focused on the repair and regeneration of damaged tissues, using regenerative cells. Regenerative cells are used to treat patients with damaged tissues due to age or deterioration. During a procedure, regenerative cells are isolated, gathered, and dispersed back to the patient to the site of injury, to assist in the healing process.

Doctor Vengurlekar is a Board Certified Interventional Pain Specialist who specializes in the interventional treatment of pain disorders. With extensive experience in performing minimally invasive procedures in the Phoenix area for years, Dr. Vengurlekar's practice has been dedicated exclusively to the treatment of a broad spectrum of pain disorders.

If an individual feels that they would have to spend a fortune to cure their chronic pain, or are afraid that they may become dependent on narcotics through treatment, they should visit the new Scottsdale regenerative cell therapy center, and talk to Dr. Vengurlekar, today.

****

Premier Pain Institute Contact Information:

Premier Pain Institute

Go here to read the rest:
Scottsdale Regenerative Cell Therapy Treatment Center Premier Pain Institute Opens New Clinic

HOUSTON, April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Gene By Gene, Ltd., the Houston-based genomics and genetics testing company, announced that it has signed an agreement with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to become one of its affiliated clinical laboratories.

Under the agreement, scientists at Gene By Gene's Genomic Research Center will provide the clinical phase instruction, training and supervision required for students in the Molecular Genetic Technology Program, one of eight undergraduate programs offered through MD Anderson's School of Health Professions.

"We're delighted to partner with Gene By Gene, with its long and pioneering history in the field of genomics," said Program Director, Peter Hu, Ph.D., with the School of Health Professions. "Gene By Gene's sequencing, next-generation sequencing and microarray laboratory will provide the top level of experience and training that we want all our molecular students to attain."

Gene By Gene's Genomic Research Center is a CLIA registered lab which has processed more than 5 million discrete DNA tests from more than 700,000 individuals and organizations globally. It is now one of only 36 laboratories in the United States, including the Yale University School of Medicine and the Baylor College of Medicine, to achieve this prestigious affiliation.

"We're very proud to be able to share our laboratory and expertise with MD Anderson's School of Health Professions," said Gene By Gene President Bennett Greenspan. "It's an honor to be among the select few companies and institutions that are invited to affiliate with this prestigious institution. In addition, this is a wonderful opportunity for Gene By Gene to continue investing in the next generation of leaders in genomic and genetic science, and we're thrilled to welcome the first students to our Genomics Research Center this May."

About Gene By Gene, Ltd. Founded in 2000, Gene By Gene, Ltd. provides reliable DNA testing to a wide range of consumer and institutional customers through its four divisions focusing on ancestry, health, research and paternity. Gene By Gene provides DNA tests through its Family Tree DNA division, which pioneered the concept of direct-to-consumer testing in the field of genetic genealogy more than a decade ago. Gene by Gene is CLIA registered and through its clinical-health division DNA Traits offers regulated diagnostic tests. DNA DTC is the Research Use Only (RUO) division serving both direct-to-consumer and institutional clients worldwide. Gene By Gene offers AABB certified relationship tests through its paternity testing division, DNA Findings. The privately held company is headquartered in Houston, which is also home to its state-of-the-art Genomics Research Center.

Media Contact:Kate Croft for Gene By Gene, Ltd. Casteel Schoenborn 888-609-8351 croft@csirfirm.com

The rest is here:
Gene By Gene Signs Agreement with MD Anderson Cancer Center

- Innovation Centre's ambitious approach to treatment of disease to dramatically improve patient outcomes whilst reducing overall healthcare costs.

GLASGOW, Scotland, April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Life Technologies( http://www.lifetechnologies.com/us/en/home.html ) Corporation (LIFE) today announces that it is a lead commercial partner along with Aridhia,( http://www.aridhia.com ) a bio-medical informatics company, in the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre (SMS-IC). The Ion Proton( http://www.invitrogen.com/site/us/en/home/Products-and-Services/Applications/Sequencing/Semiconductor-Sequencing/proton.html )(TM) sequencing platform will be the primary tool to drive discovery and genetic analysis as SMS-IC aspires to be a world-class centre of research, innovation and commercialisation in stratified medicine. The SMC-IC is a unique collaboration bringing together excellence in the academic, industrial and NHS( http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/introduction.aspx ) communities to create an infrastructure that will act as a springboard to allow Scotland to be at the forefront of the field.

The First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond said: "Scotland has always been a world leader in innovation and this new funding for the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre reinforces the Scottish Government's commitment to the Life Sciences securing Scotland's place as a world leader in innovative health technology. The pioneering research carried out by the innovation centres will not only improve the healthcare of patients but also, by way of the unique advanced process of diagnosis, could potentially save lives."

"The Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre is a ground breaking project that represents a real opportunity to change the way healthcare will be practiced," said Peter Silvester, President Europe, Middle East & Africa of Life Technologies( http://www.lifetechnologies.com/us/en/home.html ). "Life Technologies will provide facilities and the genetic analysis platform with its semiconductor based, Ion Proton( http://www.invitrogen.com/site/us/en/home/Products-and-Services/Applications/Sequencing/Semiconductor-Sequencing/proton.html )(TM) DNA sequencing technology, at a speed, accuracy and cost that would have been impossible just a few months ago. The vision for this project is to combine an individual's detailed genomic data with more traditional patient information to enable faster, more accurate and effective clinical decisions. This is an inflection point in the history of medical research, and there is much more to come."

Stratified medicine is recognised as a key strategic approach to the future diagnosis and treatment of disease and depends critically upon information; the integration of existing data sets to form a comprehensive 'personal' healthcare record and the generation of new data describing patient characteristics - genotype and phenotype - to permit 'stratification.'

Scotland's past investment in electronic health records (EHRs) and translational medicine research, coupled with a vibrant healthcare technology industry, positions Scotland as the location to drive forward the stratified medicine agenda globally. The aim of SMS-IC is to prove the principle of stratified clinical trials and in 2013 it will begin a series of exemplar projects which link patient phenotype, genotypic and other data types enabling precision targeting of populations for clinical trials. Although the Ion Proton( http://www.invitrogen.com/site/us/en/home/Products-and-Services/Applications/Sequencing/Semiconductor-Sequencing/proton.html )(TM)platform is currently for Research Use Only, the ultimate aim is to take stratified clinical trial models from concept to clinical practice. SMS-IC will run a competition to identify suitable projects and applications are invited from interested parties.

A semiconductor chip is at the heart of the Ion Proton's technology. Instead of relying on light-based technology and cameras to capture images of DNA sequences, the Ion Proton( http://www.invitrogen.com/site/us/en/home/Products-and-Services/Applications/Sequencing/Semiconductor-Sequencing/proton.html )(TM) System translates chemical information into digital data. The chip enables sequencing to be performed on a massively parallel format, drastically accelerating the sequencing process.

The Ion Proton( http://www.invitrogen.com/site/us/en/home/Products-and-Services/Applications/Sequencing/Semiconductor-Sequencing/proton.html )(TM)is For Research Use Only, not intended for diagnostic purposes.

About Life Technologies

Link:
Life Technologies' Ion Proton(TM) to Power Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre

PARIS, April 22 (UPI) -- French biologist Francois Jacob, who won a Nobel Prize for work on the genetic mechanisms in bacteria, had died, his family said. He was 92.

Jacob died Friday, his family said in a Radio France Internationale report.

Jacob shared the 1956 Nobel Prize for medicine with researchers Andre Lwoff and Jacques Monod for their work on the genetic mechanisms in bacteria and "discoveries concerning genetic control of enzyme and virus synthesis."

Born in 1920 in Nancy in eastern France, in 1940 Jacob joined the French 2nd Armored Division in London, working to free France from Nazi occupation.

For his wartime service, during which he was injured in a German air attack in 1944, he was awarded France's highest World War II decoration for valor, the Cross of Liberation.

After World War II Jacob completed his medical degree but was unable to practice as a surgeon because his war injuries meant he couldn't stand for long periods to perform operations.

Instead he turned to biological research, joining the Pasteur Institute in Paris in 1950 and spending the rest of his career there.

Read the rest here:
Francois Jacob, Nobel winner for genetic work, dies at 92

Innovation Centre's ambitious approach to treatment of disease to dramatically improve patient outcomes whilst reducing overall healthcare costs.

GLASGOW , Scotland, April 23, 2013 /CNW/ - Life Technologies Corporation (LIFE) today announces that it is a lead commercial partner along with Aridhia, a bio-medical informatics company, in the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre (SMS-IC). The Ion Proton sequencing platform will be the primary tool to drive discovery and genetic analysis as SMS-IC aspires to be a world-class centre of research, innovation and commercialisation in stratified medicine. The SMC-IC is a unique collaboration bringing together excellence in the academic, industrial and NHS communities to create an infrastructure that will act as a springboard to allow Scotland to be at the forefront of the field.

The First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond said: "Scotland has always been a world leader in innovation and this new funding for the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre reinforces the Scottish Government's commitment to the Life Sciences securing Scotland's place as a world leader in innovative health technology. The pioneering research carried out by the innovation centres will not only improve the healthcare of patients but also, by way of the unique advanced process of diagnosis, could potentially save lives."

"The Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre is a ground breaking project that represents a real opportunity to change the way healthcare will be practiced," said Peter Silvester , President Europe , Middle East & Africa of Life Technologies. "Life Technologies will provide facilities and the genetic analysis platform with its semiconductor based, Ion Proton DNA sequencing technology, at a speed, accuracy and cost that would have been impossible just a few months ago. The vision for this project is to combine an individual's detailed genomic data with more traditional patient information to enable faster, more accurate and effective clinical decisions. This is an inflection point in the history of medical research, and there is much more to come."

Stratified medicine is recognised as a key strategic approach to the future diagnosis and treatment of disease and depends critically upon information; the integration of existing data sets to form a comprehensive 'personal' healthcare record and the generation of new data describing patient characteristics - genotype and phenotype - to permit 'stratification.'

Scotland's past investment in electronic health records (EHRs) and translational medicine research, coupled with a vibrant healthcare technology industry, positions Scotland as the location to drive forward the stratified medicine agenda globally. The aim of SMS-IC is to prove the principle of stratified clinical trials and in 2013 it will begin a series of exemplar projects which link patient phenotype, genotypic and other data types enabling precision targeting of populations for clinical trials. Although the Ion Protonplatform is currently for Research Use Only, the ultimate aim is to take stratified clinical trial models from concept to clinical practice. SMS-IC will run a competition to identify suitable projects and applications are invited from interested parties.

A semiconductor chip is at the heart of the Ion Proton's technology. Instead of relying on light-based technology and cameras to capture images of DNA sequences, the Ion Proton System translates chemical information into digital data. The chip enables sequencing to be performed on a massively parallel format, drastically accelerating the sequencing process.

The Ion Protonis For Research Use Only, not intended for diagnostic purposes.

About Life Technologies Life Technologies Corporation (LIFE) is a global biotechnology company that is committed to providing the most innovative products and services to leading customers in the fields of scientific research, genetic analysis and applied sciences. With a presence in more than 180 countries, the company's portfolio of 50,000 end-to-end solutions are secured by more than 5,000 patents and licenses that span the entire biological spectrum -- scientific exploration, molecular diagnostics, 21st century forensics, regenerative medicine and agricultural research. Life Technologies has approximately 10,000 employees and had sales of $3.8 billion in 2012.

Life Technologies' Safe Harbor Statement This press release includes forward-looking statements about our anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties. Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies' plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. When used, the words "believe," "plan," "intend," "anticipate," "target," "estimate," "expect" and the like, and/or future tense or conditional constructions ("will," "may," "could," "should," etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Life Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Excerpt from:
Life Technologies' Ion Proton™ to Power Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre

SOPHIA ANTIPOLIS, FRANCE--(Marketwired - Apr 23, 2013) - Nicox S.A. (EURONEXT PARIS: COX) today announced promising pre-clinical results on naproxcinod, a CINOD (Cyclooxygenase-Inhibiting Nitric Oxide-Donating) anti-inflammatory candidate, in models of muscular dystrophies. The data were presented by Nicox and the Center for Genetic Medicine Research(1), a center within the Children's Research Institute, Children's National Medical Center, in a poster session on April 22(nd) at the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Scientific Conference in Washington, DC.

The research study data were presented in a poster entitled "Long-term treatment with naproxcinod significantly improves skeletal and cardiac disease phenotype in mdx mouse model of dystrophy" (poster #175). In this study, the effects of naproxcinod were investigated on skeletal and cardiac muscle function in mdx mice. Three doses of naproxcinod (10, 21 and 41 mg/kg) were given orally to 4-week-old mdx mice (a reference model for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, DMD) for 9 months and compared to 0.9 mg/kg of prednisolone. The results of the study suggest that naproxcinod may have potential as a safe therapeutic option for the treatment of muscular dystrophies. Naproxcinod treatment at 10 and 21mg/kg resulted in significant improvements in hind limb grip strength as well as an approximately 25-30% decrease in inflammation in fore and hind limbs measured by in vivo optical imaging. Furthermore, there were significant improvements in heart function as evidenced by improved fraction shortening and ejection fraction, measured using echocardiography, along with improvements in systolic blood pressure. In addition, the long term detrimental effects of prednisolone typically seen in skeletal and heart function were not observed at the effective doses of naproxcinod.

Naproxcinod is a CINOD (Cyclooxygenase-Inhibiting Nitric Oxide-Donating) anti-inflammatory candidate originally developed by Nicox for the relief of the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis. The results presented on April 22(nd) 2013 were from an exploratory research study sponsored by Nicox and conducted at the Center for Genetic Medicine Research(1). The objective was to investigate the potential for the use of naproxcinod in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) as there is evidence that nitric oxide can play a critical role in the functioning of skeletal muscle.

The Nicox's current strategy is to evaluate the opportunity to out-licence naproxcinod for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee. Separately, the Company is also seeking specialized partners in the field of rare diseases who would be able to undertake and fund the potential development of naproxcinod in muscular dystrophy. This approach is aimed at maximising the opportunities to progress the development of naproxcinod in one of these indications.

About muscular dystrophies:

Muscular dystrophies are a group of inherited diseases that cause muscle weakness and muscle loss. These diseases are due to defects in muscle proteins, leading to structure alteration and continuous damage of fibers during contraction. DMD is the most common and serious form of muscular dystrophy, with the onset of symptoms occurring in early childhood (usually between three and five years of age) and primarily affects boys. This progressive condition worsens throughout childhood, with patients becoming wheelchair-bound between the ages of seven and thirteen. Most DMD patients die by the age of 20, most frequently as a direct result of respiratory/cardiac failure.

(1)The Center for Genetic Medicine Research (GenMed) is a center within the Children's Research Institute, at Children's National Medical Center, in Washington DC. The Center is dedicated to translational research in muscular dystrophy. Founded in 1999, GenMed serves as the Department of Integrative Systems Biology (ISB) at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The muscle disease research group is among the largest worldwide, and includes drug development, pre-clinical, and clinical research groups. GenMed has 50 faculty members and about 170 staff.

About Nicox

Nicox (Bloomberg: COX:FP, Reuters: NCOX.PA) is creating a new mid-sized international player in the ophthalmic market by building a diversified portfolio of innovative therapies and diagnostic tools. With a heritage of scientific, business development and commercial expertise, the Nicox team is focused on developing and marketing novel pharmaceuticals and diagnostic devices that can help people to enhance their sight. In the United States, Nicox markets AdenoPlus, a test for the differential diagnosis of acute conjunctivitis in-licensed from RPS.

The Company's pipeline includes latanoprostene bunod, a novel drug-candidate based on Nicox's proprietary nitric oxide (NO)-donating R&D platform, developed in collaboration with Bausch + Lomb for the potential treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Further NO-donating compounds are under development in non-ophthalmic indications, notably through partners, including Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada).

See more here:
Pre-clinical results on naproxcinod in models of muscular dystrophy presented at MDA Scientific Conference