Archive for the ‘Gene Therapy Research’ Category

Public release date: 6-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Cody Mooneyhan cmooneyhan@faseb.org 301-634-7104 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

Bethesda, MDA new research discovery by a team of Stanford and European scientists offers hope that people with atherosclerotic disease may one day be able to avoid limb amputation related to ischemia. A new research report appearing online in the FASEB Journal suggests that the delivery of genes for two molecules naturally produced by the body, called "PDGF-BB" and "VEGF" may successfully cause the body to grow new blood vessels that can save ischemic limbs.

"We hope that our findings will ultimately develop into a safe and effective therapy for the many patients, suffering from blocked arteries in the limbs, who are currently not adequately treated by surgery or drugs," said Helen M. Blau, Ph.D., a senior researcher involved in the work and Associate Editor of the FASEB Journal from the Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology at the Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology at Stanford. "This could help avoid the devastating consequences of limb amputations for both patients and their families."

To make this discovery, Blau and colleagues, including Andrea Banfi (now at Basel University), introduced the genes for PDGF-BB and VEGF into the muscles of mice, either independently or together. When high doses of VEGF alone were produced, they caused the growth of vascular tumors. When the two factors were produced in unbalanced amounts, tumor growth also occurred. When VEGF and PDGF were delivered in a fixed ratio relative to one another, however, no tumors occurred, and blood flow was restored to ischemic muscle tissue and damage repaired without any toxic effects. To achieve a "balanced" delivery of PDGF-BB and VEGF, scientists placed both genes in a single gene therapy delivery mechanism, called a "vector."

Although the report shows the feasibility of growing robust and safe new blood vessels that restore blood flow to diseased tissues, Blau points out that "there are multiple challenges to correcting peripheral vasculature disease by using proangiogenic gene therapy strategies. Two important challenges are what to deliver and how to get it to where it can have beneficial effects. Clinical success will require both delivering a gene therapy construct that encodes for effective angiogenic factors and ensuring that the sites of delivery are where the construct can have the greatest clinical benefit."

"This ingenious work, based on the latest techniques of molecular biology, tells us that it is possible to reinvigorate parts of our body that can't get enough blood to keep them going," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal. "The next question is whether this approach will work in humans and exactly how to deliver the new treatment to places that need it the most."

###

Receive monthly highlights from the FASEB Journal by e-mail. Sign up at http://www.faseb.org/fjupdate.aspx. The FASEB Journal is published by the Federation of the American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) and is the most cited biology journal worldwide according to the Institute for Scientific Information. In 2010, the journal was recognized by the Special Libraries Association as one of the top 100 most influential biomedical journals of the past century. FASEB is composed of 26 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Celebrating 100 Years of Advancing the Life Sciences in 2012, FASEB is rededicating its efforts to advance health and well-being by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy.

Details: Andrea Banfi, Georges von Degenfeld, Roberto Gianni-Barrera, Silvia Reginato, Milton J. Merchant, Donald M. McDonald, and Helen M. Blau. Therapeutic angiogenesis due to balanced single-vector delivery of VEGF and PDGF-BB. FASEB J. doi:10.1096/fj.11-197400 ; http://www.fasebj.org/content/early/2012/03/05/fj.11-197400.abstract

Original post:
Stanford scientists develop gene therapy approach to grow blood vessels in ischemic limbs

All that was missing was the singing cowboy himself.

Aerospace Technologies Group opened its new headquarters in Boca Raton on Monday with fanfare that included a fighter jet flyover and a color guard. But the star of the show was Jackie Autry, widow of Gene Autry, billed as "American's Favorite Singing Cowboy."

Employees dubbed their new building "Autry House," saluting the woman who has funded the company's decade-long climb to 130 employees and $22 million in sales. The company makes window shades for commercial airliners and business jets.

Autry, who was married to the Hollywood star of film, TV and radio for 17 years, owns 96 percent of the company, an investment that executives say is in the "tens of millions." She cited both her late husband's love of aviation and the company's product potential as reasons for her interest.

"My husband would be very proud," said Autry, 70. During an interview, she sang a bit of her late husband's cowpoke tunes and pointed to office wall photos of her husband's days as a fighter pilot.

She beamed as the building's "Autry House" sign was unveiled on the new $2 million headquarters.

The 65,000-square-foot building at the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University also houses manufacturing. Employees finish assembly of shade systems for airlines including Emirates, Lufthansa and Qantas. New orders are being readied for delivery to British Airways, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways.

Aerospace Technologies Group has grown from $11 million in sales in 2010 to nearly $22 million in 2011, said Simon Kay, chief executive.

Autry was brought into the business by Chairman Raymond Caldiero, a former Northwest Airlines executive who also attracted Emirates airline, now the company's top customer.

Her husband was a World War II fighter pilot and also got his commercial license, but Autry said she invested in the company primarily for its market potential. Eventually, she hopes the investment will help her generate more personal donations to charity.

Continue reading here:
Gene Autry's love of planes leads widow to Boca Raton firm

Public release date: 5-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kevin Punsky punsky.kevin@mayo.edu 904-953-2299 Mayo Clinic

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Researchers have identified a gene that causes adult-onset primary cervical dystonia, an often-painful condition in which patients' necks twist involuntarily. The discovery by a team from the Jacksonville, Fla., campus of Mayo Clinic and the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center sheds light on a movement disorder that physicians previously could seldom explain. Their research appears in the Annals of Neurology.

In 1990, a man with a crooked neck came to see Ryan Uitti, M.D., a neurologist then at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Dr. Uitti knew about adult-onset primary cervical dystonia, which results in involuntary twisting of the neck to the left or right, backward or forward. Most people who have it suffer from muscle pain and abnormalities in head position. Some don't think it is all that unusual and may not seek medical help, Dr. Uitti says.

"They think they slept wrong at some point, or, because the twisting might straighten out with another maneuver, such as walking backwards, they might actually be accused of being a little crazy," Dr. Uitti says.

Dr. Uitti had been taught that there is usually no explanation for the disorder, when it shows up in adulthood. But working with a team of neurologists who have found the genetic causes of other rare conditions, Dr. Uitti began to investigate.

His patient first said no one in his family had the same problem. Dr. Uitti soon found out that his patient had an identical twin whose head was also twisted, but in the opposite direction. And when Dr. Uitti went to visit their sister, she had the same kind of dystonia. Eventually, seven people in the extended family were diagnosed with this mysterious condition. "I heard a lot of explanations by the family for it, such as that one member got hit by lightning," he says.

In 1994, when Dr. Uitti relocated to Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida, he continued his research into the genetic basis of this neurological disorder, which is also known as spasmodic torticollis. He used the research infrastructure provided by the Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence for Parkinson's Disease Research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, and collaborated with a Mayo team that included Parkinson's gene hunter Zbigniew Wszolek, M.D.

They and researchers from the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, with Mark LeDoux, M.D., Ph.D., as the lead neurogeneticist, are reporting the first gene that causes primary cervical dystonia. Their finding is based on genetic material donated by this family the first extended "cohort" identified and others with the condition.

The researchers found a mutation in the CIZ1 gene that makes a protein expressed in certain nerve cells in the brain and which seems to be involved in cell cycle activities. The actual mechanism has not yet been identified, Dr. Uitti says: "It is interesting because the brain tissue of folks with this disorder looks absolutely normal."

Follow this link:
Researchers ID gene behind primary cervical dystonia, a neck-twisting disorder

05-03-2012 18:04 Dead Doctors Don't Lie Program 02 March 2012 Monologue Dr. Wallach starts the show discussing genetic diseases. Contending that most diseases that have been deemed "genetic" such as Lou Gehrigs disease, Alzheirmer's, Type 2 diabetes and arthritis. Asserting these are due to nutritional deficiencies either in the child or in the mother during conception. Pearls of Wisdom Doug Winfrey and Dr. Wallach discuss two news articles concerning anti-depressant drugs. A study conducted by a Harvard psychologist an Irving Kirsch who has researched the "placebo effects" for over 30 years. Using data he obtained through the Freedom of Information Act has concluded that anti-depressant drug clinical trials showed no proof of efficacy. Finding that several trials showed no efficacy and a small amount showed some efficacy. Only these trials were submitted to the FDA and were ultimately approved for the market. Irving Kirsch has concluded those showing some efficacy were due to the placebo effect. Calls * Bruce has questions regarding joint pain. * JP asks questions concerning hypertension, high cholesterol and ED (erectile dysfunction). * Ray has frequent urination and sinusitis. * Greg has two questions the first concerns his father who has neuropathies in his legs and gout. Second he has questions regarding a friend's mother who has kidney cancer. Call Dr. Wallach's live radio program weekdays from noon until 1pm pacific time at 831-685-1080 or toll free at 831-685-2552. to add comment ...

See the article here:
2/5 Dead Doctors Don't Lie Program - Genetic Diseases - Video

05-03-2012 16:57 Dead Doctors Don't Lie Program 02 March 2012 Monologue Dr. Wallach starts the show discussing genetic diseases. Contending that most diseases that have been deemed "genetic" such as Lou Gehrigs disease, Alzheirmer's, Type 2 diabetes and arthritis. Asserting these are due to nutritional deficiencies either in the child or in the mother during conception. Pearls of Wisdom Doug Winfrey and Dr. Wallach discuss two news articles concerning anti-depressant drugs. A study conducted by a Harvard psychologist an Irving Kirsch who has researched the "placebo effects" for over 30 years. Using data he obtained through the Freedom of Information Act has concluded that anti-depressant drug clinical trials showed no proof of efficacy. Finding that several trials showed no efficacy and a small amount showed some efficacy. Only these trials were submitted to the FDA and were ultimately approved for the market. Irving Kirsch has concluded those showing some efficacy were due to the placebo effect. Calls * Bruce has questions regarding joint pain. * JP asks questions concerning hypertension, high cholesterol and ED (erectile dysfunction). * Ray has frequent urination and sinusitis. * Greg has two questions the first concerns his father who has neuropathies in his legs and gout. Second he has questions regarding a friend's mother who has kidney cancer. Call Dr. Wallach's live radio program weekdays from noon until 1pm pacific time at 831-685-1080 or toll free at 831-685-2552. to add comment ...

Read this article:
1/5 Dead Doctors Don't Lie Program Genetic Diseases - Video

News Directors: Broadcast access to VCU experts can be arranged through the universitys VideoLink ReadyCam studio. ReadyCam transmits video and audio via fiber optics through a system that is routed to your newsroom. To schedule a live or taped interview, contact the VCU Office of Communications and Public Relations, (804) 828-1231.

Newswise RICHMOND, Va. (March 5, 2012) The risk of abusing drugs is greater even for adopted children if the family environment in which they are raised is dysfunctional, according to a new study conducted by a collaborative team from Virginia Commonwealth University and Lund University in Sweden.

Previous research suggests that drug abuse is strongly influenced by a mix of genetic factors and the environment, including influences of family and peers. That research is primarily based on twin studies and typically involves families that are intact. Relatives that share genes and environment make it difficult to determine if the family dysfunction is linked to the drug abuse or if it is genetics at play. There have been no large-scale adoption studies performed to verify the findings, until now.

In the study, published online March 5 in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers examined how genetic and environmental factors contribute to the risk for drug abuse in adoptees. Using a large and representative adoption sample from Sweden, they demonstrate that genetic factors played a moderate role in the liability to drug abuse.

For an adoptee, having a biological parent with drug abuse who did not raise you doubles your risk for drug abuse, said first author Kenneth Kendler, M.D., director of the VCU Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics.

But we also found an important role for environmental factors. If you have an adoptive sibling - with whom you have no genetic relationship - develop drug abuse, that also doubles your risk for drug abuse,

More importantly, according to Kendler, the team showed that the impact of your genes on risk for drug abuse is much stronger if you are raised in a high-risk rather than a low-risk environment.

A bad environment can augment the effect of genetic risk on drug abuse, he said.

Kendler, professor of psychiatry, and human and molecular genetics in the VCU School of Medicine, and a team of researchers from Lund University led by Jan Sundquist, M.D., Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Primary Health Care Research, and Kristina Sundquist, M.D., Ph.D., professor of family medicine at the Center for Primary Health Care Research, analyzed nine public registry data sets compiled between 1961 and 2009 of adoptees and their biological and adoptive relatives from Sweden.

The study population included more than 18,100 adoptees born between 1950 and 1993; 78,079 biological parents and siblings and more than 51,200 adoptive parents and siblings.

Read the original post:
Bad Environment Augments Genetic Risk for Drug Abuse

Public release date: 5-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sathya Achia Abraham sbachia@vcu.edu 804-827-0890 Virginia Commonwealth University

RICHMOND, Va. (March 5, 2012) The risk of abusing drugs is greater even for adopted children if the family environment in which they are raised is dysfunctional, according to a new study conducted by a collaborative team from Virginia Commonwealth University and Lund University in Sweden.

Previous research suggests that drug abuse is strongly influenced by a mix of genetic factors and the environment, including influences of family and peers. That research is primarily based on twin studies and typically involves families that are intact. Relatives that share genes and environment make it difficult to determine if the family dysfunction is linked to the drug abuse or if it is genetics at play. There have been no large-scale adoption studies performed to verify the findings, until now.

In the study, published online March 5 in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers examined how genetic and environmental factors contribute to the risk for drug abuse in adoptees. Using a large and representative adoption sample from Sweden, they demonstrate that genetic factors played a moderate role in the liability to drug abuse.

"For an adoptee, having a biological parent with drug abuse who did not raise you doubles your risk for drug abuse," said first author Kenneth Kendler, M.D., director of the VCU Virginia Institute for Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics.

"But we also found an important role for environmental factors. If you have an adoptive sibling - with whom you have no genetic relationship - develop drug abuse, that also doubles your risk for drug abuse,"

More importantly, according to Kendler, the team showed that the impact of your genes on risk for drug abuse is much stronger if you are raised in a high-risk rather than a low-risk environment.

"A bad environment can augment the effect of genetic risk on drug abuse," he said.

Kendler, professor of psychiatry, and human and molecular genetics in the VCU School of Medicine, and a team of researchers from Lund University led by Jan Sundquist, M.D., Ph.D., professor and director of the Center for Primary Health Care Research, and Kristina Sundquist, M.D., Ph.D., professor of family medicine at the Center for Primary Health Care Research, analyzed nine public registry data sets compiled between 1961 and 2009 of adoptees and their biological and adoptive relatives from Sweden.

See original here:
VCU study: Bad environment augments genetic risk for drug abuse

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire -03/05/12)- February was a challenging month for stem cell stocks. TickerSpy's Stem Cell Stocks Index (RXSTM) has slipped nearly 13 percent over the last month -- underperforming the S&P 500 by close to 17 percent over that time frame. Despite the drop in investor optimism, new and promising research continues to propel the industry forward. Five Star Equities examines the outlook for companies in the Biotechnology industry and provides equity research on BioTime, Inc. (AMEX: BTX - News) and Aastrom Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTM - News). Access to the full company reports can be found at:

http://www.fivestarequities.com/BTX

http://www.fivestarequities.com/ASTM

A new study at Johns Hopkins University has shown that stem cells from patients' own cardiac tissue can be used to heal scarred tissue after a heart attack. "This has never been accomplished before, despite a decade of cell therapy trials for patients with heart attacks. Now we have done it," Eduardo Marban, director of the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute and one of the study's co-authors, said in a statement. "The effects are substantial."

In another study, researchers led by Jonathan Tilly, director of the Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, argue they've discovered the ovaries of young women harbor very rare stem cells capable of producing new eggs.

Five Star Equities releases regular market updates on the biotechnology industry so investors can stay ahead of the crowd and make the best investment decisions to maximize their returns. Take a few minutes to register with us free at http://www.fivestarequities.com and get exclusive access to our numerous stock reports and industry newsletters.

Aastrom Biosciences, Inc., a regenerative medicine company, engages in developing autologous cell therapies for the treatment of severe and chronic cardiovascular diseases.

BioTime, Inc. primarily focuses on regenerative medicine, which refers to therapies based on human embryonic stem (hES) cell and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology designed to rebuild cell and tissue function lost due to degenerative disease or injury. The company recently elected to market progenitors of muscle stem cells bearing hereditary diseases. BioTime will produce the products from five human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines from Reproductive Genetics Institute (RGI) of Chicago, Illinois.

Five Star Equities provides Market Research focused on equities that offer growth opportunities, value, and strong potential return. We strive to provide the most up-to-date market activities. We constantly create research reports and newsletters for our members. Five Star Equities has not been compensated by any of the above-mentioned companies. We act as an independent research portal and are aware that all investment entails inherent risks. Please view the full disclaimer at: http://www.fivestarequities.com/disclaimer

Visit link:
BioTime and Aastrom Biosciences -- Stem Cell Research Making Breakthroughs

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT - News), the leading provider of research and analysis on the global information technology industry, today announced that Gene Hall, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, Chris Lafond, the Companys Chief Financial Officer, and Brian Shipman, the Companys Group Vice President of Investor Relations will participate in the 14th Annual Credit Suisse Global Services Conference. The Company's presentation is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. eastern time on Tuesday, March 13, 2012. A link to the live webcast of the presentation will be available via the Company's website at http://investor.gartner.com. A replay of the webcast will be available for approximately 30 days following the call.

About Gartner:

Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT - News) is the world's leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is the valuable partner to 60,000 clients in 11,000 distinct organizations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A., and has 4,400 associates, including 1,200 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 85 countries. For more information, visit http://www.gartner.com.

Read more:
Gartner to Present at the 14th Annual Credit Suisse Global Services Conference

Join Log In Submit Story Jobs Newsletter Library 29990019 story Posted by samzenpus on Sunday March 04, @01:15PM from the it's-alive-alive dept. qeorqe writes "The Center for PostNatural History is a museum and research library about organisms that have been created either by genetic engineering or selective breeding. Included in the collection are Sea Monkeys and GloFish. From the article: 'One of the cool things about natural history museums is that they show you how nature has changed over time, adapting to volatile conditions and extreme challenges. And nothing is more volatile, extreme, or challenging than the human race, so it makes sense that there would be a museum to chronicle just how much weve messed with plants, animals, the climate, and in general the world around us. The Center for PostNatural History, opening this week in Pittsburgh, is that museum.'" Related Links Post

Soap and education are not as sudden as a massacre, but they are more deadly in the long run. -- Mark Twain

Working...

Read the original:
Museum of Engineered Organisms Opens In Pittsburgh

Dozens of high school and middle school girls spent Saturday, Feb. 18 engineering brick walls, mixing chemical solutions, solving genetic and forensic quandaries, and conquering tricky logic problems at Foxcroft Schools K2M Expedition: The STEM Summit. Foxcroft School in Middleburg and Norwood School in Bethesda, MD, captured the competitions high school and middle school titles, respectively.

It was an outstanding day for all involved, Foxcroft Head of School Mary Louise Leipheimer stated. What these girls can do with math, science and technology is amazing. I dont know when Ive been so proud of our school.

The STEM Summit attracted a number of talented students from Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC, with girls from 19 high schools and 12 middle schools competing. Working in teams of 3 or 4, students solved problems that draw on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills. Challenges included engineering a brick wall with the longest possible overhang, mixing chemical solutions to identify each element, solving a genetics problem called Whos Your Daddy? and conquering tricky logic problems. The middle school competition also included a forensics exercise that involved analyzing fingerprints and fiber samples.

The event was sponsored by K2M, Inc., a Leesburg firm that develops technological innovations for surgeons to treat complex spinal disorders. Two of the companys young engineers conducted one of the STEM Summit events, and CEO Eric Major came to watch.

We were so impressed with the energy, enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity of the Foxcroft girls who visited our lab last spring, stated Major, referring to a field trip by the Schools Engineering and AP Biology classes to learn about K2Ms engineering. So we thought partnering with Foxcroft to sponsor this event made a lot of sense.

Go here to see the original:
31 Teams Grapple In STEM Competition

NEW YORK, March 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

Global Genetic Engineering Industry

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0152432/Global-Genetic-Engineering-Industry.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Genetical

The global outlook series on Genetic Engineering provides a collection of market briefs and concise summaries of research findings. The report offers an aerial view of the industry, highlights latest developments, and discusses demand drivers, issues and concerns, and regulatory environment. Discussion on the industry's most noteworthy regional market, the US, is amply detailed with unbiased research commentary to provide the reader a rudimentary understanding of the prevailing market climate. Market discussions in the report are punctuated with fact-rich market data tables. Regional markets elaborated upon include United States, Canada, India, China, and South Africa among others. Also included is an indexed, easy-to-refer, fact-finder directory listing the addresses, and contact details of 153 companies active in the market.

1. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 1Genetic Engineering: A Prelude 1Genetic Engineering: Not the Same As Biotechnology 1The Evolution and Progress of GM Crops 2M Crops Gain Global Acceptance 2GM Cultivation Gains Prominence in Developing Nations 2Rising Prices, Food Shortage Make Biotech Grains Attractive 2Socio-Economic Impacts of Biotech Crops 3Impact of GM Crops on Biodiversity 3Challenges to GM Crops Adoption 3Biotech Regulatory Measures Hinder Crop Domestication 4Genetic Modification of Forest Trees and Associated Issues 4Biosafety: a Key Criterion Associated 4Governments Not to Give Up on GM Hope 4US - The Largest Producer of GM Crops 5Leading Countries by Biotech Crop Area (2009) 5Table 1: Current and Future Analysis of the Global BiotechCrops Market By Geographic Region for the US, Canada,Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Rest of World IndependentlyAnalyzed with Annual Sales Figures in US$ Million for 2010through 2015 6Major Market Participants 7

2. MARKET DYNAMICS 8

Global Food Demand to Drive Need for GM Crops 8

Developing Countries: Major Share Holders for Biotech Crop

Production 8

Status of Biotech Rice in the World 8

Go here to see the original:
Global Genetic Engineering Industry

Ok, this isnt really about the genetics of Glee. What it is really about is the genetic similarities of a group of choral singers.

Why do people sing in groups? Why do some sing in choirs and others not? What makes some people more inclined to participate in group music? After all, singing in a choir is far more than singing by yourself. You have to be willing to work at the pace of the group, be willing to modulate your own music to the needs of the group, and of courseyou have to be able to sing.

Is it possible theres something genetic? Thats what this study set out to find out. And they took their results, and made MUSIC. Read on and see!

Morley et al. AVPR1A and SLC6A4 Polymorphisms in Choral Singers and Non-Musicians: A Gene Association Study PLoS ONE, 2012.

(Source)

So we know that participation in a choir, at least, a good choir that you have to audition for (and Scis been in a few of those), requires a certain amount of musical talent, including the ability to carry a tune, read music, sight read music (be able to sing it on sight without playing it out on a piano first), and modulate your own voice volume, pitch, and tone to blend in with a group or stand out as required. While many of these characteristics are associated with all musicians (violins may not use your voice, but they do need to match pitch and tone when necessary), there are other qualities here associated specifically with GROUP music. Working at the pace of the group, responding to the people around you and the conductor, choral music is a very group oriented activity.

So in this study, the authors wanted to take some of the genes that have been previously associated with musical ability, and see how many of them applied specifically to people who sing in groups. Two specific genes were involved. First is the AVPR1A gene, which codes for the vasopressin receptor. The vasopressin receptor is best known for its role in regulation of the water balance in your body, but it is also present in various areas of the brain, where it has roles in behavior (such as in the monogamous behavior of voles). Changes in the promoter region of this gene (which helps control how much of the gene is expressed) have been correlated with test scores for music ability.

The second is the SLC6A4 gene, which codes for the serotonin transporter. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter which has various functions in the body, but which is best known for its role in psychiatric disorders such as depression. Some polymorphisms in the serotonin transporter gene have been associated with scores in music tests, as well as participation in things like creative dance.

What is a polymorphism? This is a case where two or more genotypes for the same region of a gene exist. One person might be A/A, while another is G/G, and another is halfway in between at A/G. There can also be bigger changes in things like repeating sequences of a gene, where the number of repeats varies as a function of genotype. All of these changes can affect how the gene is expressed, in turn affecting various aspects of function and behavior.

The authors wanted to see whether polymorphisms in either of these genes might associate with choral participation. They recruited a bunch of singers (They specified white, why only white?! Probably due to trying to reduce the complexity of the statistics, but I really wish they could have included more ethnicities in the study) from relatively good volunteer choirs, ones you have to really audition for. They recruited the rest of their volunteers from various people at the hospital where the study was being done, specifying only that they have NO participation in music of any kind other than listening to it. They got around 250 in each group with roughly equal gender representation (though a very wide age range), and genotyped them all for different polymorphisms in the vasopressin 1A receptor gene and the serotonin transporter gene.

Here is the original post:
The Genetics of Glee or, what makes us sing in groups?

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire -03/05/12)- Atossa Genetics, Inc., a private healthcare company focused on the prevention of breast cancer through the commercialization of diagnostic tests that can detect precursors to breast cancer, and through the research, development, and ultimate commercialization of treatments for pre-cancerous lesions, today announced certification from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) of 1988 for its breast health reference laboratory, the National Reference Laboratory for Breast Health. This certification follows a comprehensive inspection of its facilities, processes, and personnel, including review of the validation and clinical reports from its Laboratory Developed Tests (LDT) and the ForeCYTE Breast Health Test and ArgusCYTE Breast Health Test.

"Atossa Genetics has been dedicated to exceptional standards of operational performance from day one, and that commitment to quality was evident in our clinical laboratory certification process," said Shu-Chih Chen, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Atossa Genetics, and Supervisor, The National Reference Laboratory for Breast Health. "The objective of the CLIA program is to ensure quality laboratory testing and this certification is a critical step that follows the December 2011 launch of our two LDTs, the ForeCYTE and ArgusCYTE Breast Health Tests."

Atossa Genetics and The National Reference Laboratory for Breast Health, its wholly owned subsidiary, achieved CLIA-registration and California and Washington State licensing during 2011, enabling the Company to begin processing clinical samples from most states.

Mandated by the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR 42 Part 493.2), the CMS manage and conduct inspections of CLIA laboratories. The regulation was enacted to ensure consistent, accurate, and reliable clinical test results reporting from laboratories across the country used for the diagnosis, treatment, and/or prognosis of disease in human subjects. CLIA applies to all clinical laboratories operating in the U.S. and its territories and encompasses more than 200,000 clinical testing sites.

About Atossa Genetics, Inc.

Atossa Genetics, Inc. is a privately held health care company based in Seattle, Washington, that provides a comprehensive set of innovative breast health evaluation products and services that provide accurate and actionable results for personalized cancer prevention and breast health. Atossa has established the National Reference Laboratory for Breast Health, a specially equipped, CLIA-certified laboratory located in Seattle that provides comprehensive test results to guide personalized breast cancer prevention and treatment solutions.

Go here to read the rest:
Atossa Genetics' National Reference Laboratory for Breast Health Receives CLIA Certification

SEATTLE (TheStreet) --Let's examine the short thesis on Seattle Genetics(SGEN), which also perfectly illustrates an important point about short selling, generally. Last August, Seattle Genetics received FDA approval for Adcetris -- an anti-CD30 monoclonal antibody linked to the anti-cancer drug monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) -- for the treatment of relapsed or refractory Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (sALCL). Adcetris is a good treatment option for patients within the labeled indication and management deserves applause for getting the drug to market. Unfortunately, there's a problem: Adcetris sales estimates are too high. HL and sALCL are rare cancers with extremely effective initial therapeutic options, leaving few patients for the Seattle Genetics to treat. Usually, when a drug misses Wall Street estimates, the stock price of the company selling the drug falls. I believe Adcetris sales will fall short of Wall Street estimates, causing Seattle Genetics' stock price to tumble as well. Before I dig deeper into Seattle Genetics, I want to focus on that shadowy coalition with nefarious intentions which secretly controls global markets -- otherwise known as the shorts. [Insert sarcastic sneer here.] For the unfamiliar, short selling -- or "shorting" -- is a way to bet that a company (or nearly any other asset) is overvalued. An investor borrows and sells shares, promising to "return" those shares at a later date (the details are more complex, but that's the gist.) If the share price declines, the investor covers (buys and returns the borrowed shares) and pockets the difference for a profit. Missteps can be costly; a short has a maximum profit of 100% (an asset's value can only decline to zero), but unlimited downside. Unlike a long position, a short that moves in the wrong direction also becomes larger, thereby compounding the pain. As yet another perk, short sellers are often ostracized for daring to question management's vision. To be clear, those who illegally manipulate stock prices in either direction -- whether at a hedge fund, bank, mutual fund, or elsewhere -- should be caught and punished. Rather than focus on this tiny subgroup of criminals, doe-eyed optimists blame the shorts for nearly any unwanted outcome. Sadly, this practice isn't new. In the 17th century, the Netherlands banned short selling when an investor's bet against the Dutch East India Company went awry. Regulation would have been the better answer. Napoleon Bonaparte linked shorting with treason, banned the practice, and imprisoned offenders. A few years ago, prominent U.S. politicians lambasted short sellers for causing the financial crisis. (Global overleverage, mispriced assets, and governmental policies that encouraged bad decisions were legitimate targets apparently too nebulous.) This long-standing demonization of short selling ignores reality. Even quality assets like the cancer drug Adcetris can be undervalued, fairly valued, or overvalued at any given point in time. Admiring Seattle Genetics' regulatory accomplishment shouldn't require loving the stock too, however. Some executives obsessively assail short sellers publicly, which is often a red flag indicating shorts sellers are onto something. The best management teams don't worry about shorts. They focus on their business with the confidence and understanding that in today's extremely liquid markets, even massive short positions have little impact on a company's long-term prospects. Over time, fundamentals are what make or break a stock. In fact, CEOs should actively seek to meet with the shorts; convince a skeptic and you've created a new shareholder. I've had my say in defense of short selling. I also realize that most people's negative view of short selling isn't going to change. Shorts are, and likely always will be, vilified unfairly. I do feel a little better with that off my chest. Back to Seattle Genetics and Adcetris: Every year, 8,800 Americans develop and 1,300 die from Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL), according the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. HL is very sensitive to traditional chemotherapy, so front-line treatment produces objective responses (tumor shrinkage) in roughly 80-90% of patients; most patients do not require further therapy for years, if ever. Patients that relapse usually receive high-dose chemotherapy combined with autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT), a procedure that replaces unhealthy cells with healthy ones. This combination yields durable responses in many patients, with three-year progression free survival rates of 50-60%. Adcetris employs a neat drug-delivery technology to kill cancer. The antibody portion of Adcetris attaches to receptors found on the cancer cell. Once attached, Adcetris' toxic drug payload is cleaved off inside the tumor cell where it can maximize efficacy and limit toxicity. In relapsed HL, the Adcetris data are encouraging and clearly warranted FDA accelerated approval. Nearly a third of Adcetris-treated HL patients experienced a complete response (CR) and another 40% had partial tumor shrinkage (a partial response, or PR). Results in sALCL were even better: 59% of patients had a CR and 27% qualified as a PR. Seattle Genetics must still prove Adcetris' clinical benefit in a confirmatory Phase III trial, which the company will start later this year.

Read more from the original source:
Seattle Genetics: A Cancer Niche Too Small

SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), an emerging biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions, released information today about the companys cell encapsulation technology and the breakthrough in stem cell research which overcomes specific fundamental challenges faced in stem cell therapyhost rejection and migration of implanted cells away from the target site.

Stem cell therapy is believed by many medical researchers as holding a key to treating cancer, Type 1 diabetes mellitus, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Celiac Disease, cardiac failure, muscle damage, neurological disorders, and other chronic, debilitating diseases. There are presently >1,400 registered trials using stem cells that are recruiting patients (ClinicalTrials.gov). The encapsulation technology being advanced allows live stem cells to be implanted into robust, flexible and permeable capsules where they can replicate inside the capsules at the target site free from attack by the bodys immune system and free to undergo natural changes to become the appropriate cell type needed.

The Goldman Small Cap Research report, issued February 29, 2012, noted some inherent difficulties encountered in stem cell treatments, such as keeping stem cells alive for significant periods of time, potential rejection of the cells and subsequent destruction by the recipients immune system, and the migration of the stem cells away from the critical treatment site, while making a distinction that the Companys cell encapsulation technology overcomes these concerns.

The report also accurately recognized, Cells encapsulated in SG Austrias porous beads remain alive for long periods of time in humans, surviving intact for at least two years. Once encapsulated, cells are protected from the bodys immune system. Furthermore, encapsulated cells remain within the beads and do not migrate out of the beads to other sites in the body.

In assessing the overall importance of this technology to Nuvilexs overall business model, Goldman pointed out, The Companys acquisition of the Cell-in-a-Box approach along with the expertise of SG Austria could significantly advance the implementation and utilization of stem cells for a host of debilitating diseases and conditions, in addition to being used to target cancer cells, thus making it a uniquely valuable commodity. We believe that by partnering with leading players in the field, Nuvilex could find that companies with deep pockets would be happy to collaborate or license the delivery system and engage in further research which could result in meaningful development and licensing revenue.

Dr. Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Nuvilex, added, There is a broad range of expanding research supporting the use of stem cells to treat a variety of human diseases and conditions. Our technology allows for precise maintenance and localization of stem cells, preventing their loss from the critical area of need, that will enable us to potentially create miniature organs at specific sites and as a result we believe greater utilization of those stem cells at the site for their intended purpose, once implanted. As stem cell treatments advance, we expect Nuvilex to be at the forefront of developing new, significant, life changing therapies.

For a detailed review of the research report and valuation methodology, investors are directed to the Goldman Research Report.

About Nuvilex

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX) is an emerging international biotechnology provider of clinically useful therapeutic live encapsulated cells and services for encapsulating live cells for the research and medical communities. Through our effort, all aspects of our corporate activities alone, and especially in concert with SG Austria, are rapidly moving toward completion, including closing our agreement. One of our planned offerings will include cancer treatments using the companys industry-leading live-cell encapsulation technology.

See the original post:
Nuvilex Announces Major Breakthrough in Stem Cell Research

To read Hard Cell by Mayrav Saar (PostScript, Feb. 26), one would think the only form of stem-cell therapy is the embryo-destroying kind. There wasnt a single mention of non-embryonic adult stem cells.

One attraction of embryonic versus non-embryonic research for some is political the chance to stick it to pro-lifers. But it grieves me to see ailing people used as pawns in this culture war and being denied the possible benefits of adult stem-cell research.

Flushing such an idea down the memory hole, as you help do with this article, is against the spirit of scientific inquiry.

Bob Hunt, Hillsborough, NJ

Wrong on the right

If social conservatives had won out in history, women would not be able to vote and we would still have slavery (Why Social Issues Matter, Jeffrey Bell, PostScript, Feb. 26).

Their thinking denigrates the role of science and promotes antiquated religious beliefs. Many of the causes taken up by social conservatives have been seen to be wrong in light of later progressive thought.

While social conservatives say some good things, history has shown that their views work against American freedoms an obscurantism that continues today.

Jeffrey Bell should balance his thought with facts and not be led blindly by evangelicals.

Eduardo Rodriguez, Corona

Read more:
Stem-cell pawns

HOUSTON (KPRC/CNN) Doctors are teaming up to cure cancer in dogs with the hope that it will one day do the same for humans.

Veterinarians have teamed up with researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center for a T cell therapy trial in companion dogs.

"In many ways, dog and human cancers are the same," said Dr. Laurence Cooper of the Anderson Cancer Center.

T cells are the naturally occurring immune cells that circulate around the body, fighting infections and viruses.

The process requires that doctors draw blood from the cancer-stricken dogs and send it to M.D. Anderson. There, they isolate the T cells, grow even more and then return them to the Texas A&M Small Animal Clinic. The cells are then infused back into the sickened dogs, which are already undergoing regular chemotherapy.

In using T cell therapy, veterinarians found that dogs in the study were living longer and tumor-free for about nine months. There were also less side effects than with standard chemotherapy.

Dayna Willems remembers the exact moment last May when she realized something was wrong with her pound pup, Mokey.

"I just reached down to pet her and noticed that she had two large lumps under her jaw," Willems said.

The diagnosis was non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Less than 20 percent of dogs live longer than two years after they receive the diagnosis.

However, researchers are making progress.

Here is the original post:
Researchers working to cure canine cancer

Washington, March 1 (IANS) An enzyme overproduced in the brains of Alzheimer's patients creates a blockade that shuts off genes necessary to form new memories, says a new research.

Furthermore, by inhibiting that enzyme in mice, the researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were able to reverse Alzheimer's symptoms.

The finding suggests that drugs targeting the enzyme, known as HDAC2, could be a promising new approach to treating the disease, which affects 5.4 million Americans alone, the journal Nature reports.

The number of Alzheimer's victims worldwide is expected to double every 20 years, and President Barack Obama recently set a target date of 2025 to find an effective treatment, according to an MIT statement.

Li-Huei Tsai, who led the MIT research team, says that HDAC2 inhibitors could help achieve that goal, though it would likely take at least 10 years to develop and test such drugs.

"I would strongly advocate for an active program to develop agents that can contain HDAC2 activity," said Tsai, director of the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT.

"The disease is so devastating and affects so many people, so I would encourage more people to think about this," added Tsai.

More:
Reversing Alzheimer's gene 'blockade' restores memory

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/ad83a7/artificial_cells) has announced the addition of Woodhead Publishing Ltd's new book "Artificial cells, cell engineering and therapy" to their offering.

Artificial cells, cell engineering and therapy are emerging technologies which will make a significant impact on the future of medicine and healthcare. However, research within the field is vast. This unique book provides a comprehensive study of the most recent advances in the field and its practical applications.

The first part of the book offers the reader an introduction to the basics of artificial cell technology with chapters on its origins, design and current status within medicine and future prospects. Part 2 covers apoptosis, the use of bone marrow stromal cells in myocardial regeneration together with signalling and tissue engineering. Part 3 discusses artificial cells for therapy, procedures for various clinical conditions and the current status of the discipline within the field. The book concludes with a final section on the role of artificial cells in medicine with particular focus on the use of artificial cells as blood substitutes and their potential use in myocardial regeneration, drug delivery and in treating kidney and bowel diseases, diabetes and cancer.

Key Topics Covered:

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/ad83a7/artificial_cells

Follow this link:
Research and Markets: Artificial cells, Cell Engineering and Therapy

Chimpanzee populations that live as neighbours have more genetic variation than humans from different continents, a study has found.

The findings, published in the online journal Public Library of Science Genetics, are believed to have important implications for chimp conservation.

Scientists studied DNA from 54 African chimpanzees looking for variations between different populations. Even though the chimps lived in relatively close proximity, with two groups separated only by a river, their populations were substantially more different genetically than humans from around the world.

Professor Peter Donnelly, director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at Oxford University, who co-led the study, said: "Relatively small numbers of humans left Africa 50,000-100,000 years ago. All non-African populations descended from them, and are reasonably similar genetically.

"That chimpanzees from habitats in the same country, separated only by a river, are more distinct than humans from different continents is really interesting.

"It speaks to the great genetic similarities between human populations, and to much more stability, and less interbreeding, over hundreds of thousands of years, in the chimpanzee groups."

Three distinct chimpanzee populations, or sub-species, have long been recognised. The western, central and eastern chimpanzees all live in equatorial Africa. A fourth group, the Cameroonian chimpanzee, has been proposed to live in southern Nigeria and western Cameroon.

However, there has been controversy over whether it really constitutes a separate population. The new research confirmed that Cameroonian chimpanzees are distinct from the other sub-species, said study leader Dr Rory Bowden, from Oxford University.

He said: "These findings have important consequences for conservation. All great ape populations face unparalleled challenges from habitat loss, hunting and emerging infections, and conservation strategies need to be based on sound understanding of the underlying population structure.

"The fact that all four recognised populations of chimpanzees are genetically distinct emphasises the value of conserving them independently."

Read the original:
Chimps 'have more gene variations'

Newswise Rare genetic diseases, long overlooked because they affect relatively few people, are getting new attention. Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are reaching out to patient advocacy groups and offering to decode the DNA of 99 patients with rare diseases to help find the genetic alterations responsible for their illnesses.

The patients DNA will be sequenced at the universitys Genomics and Pathology Services (GPS) at no cost to patients or the advocacy groups. The new effort is known as the Rare99X Clinical Exome Challenge.

The genomics revolution provides many of the tools that may unlock the secrets of rare diseases, says Jimmy Lin, PhD, research instructor in pathology and immunology. We are excited to form partnerships with patient advocacy groups to apply these technologies to advance clinical understanding of these diseases.

Collectively, an estimated 7,000 rare diseases affect some 25 million Americans. They range from Huntingtons disease, a neurodegenerative disorder diagnosed in adulthood, to Neimann-Pick, a metabolic disorder which can occur in infancy.

In recent years, advances in technology have made DNA sequencing cheaper, faster and more accurate. For patients with rare diseases, scientists now can use that technology to find the genetic error or errors that most likely caused their illness.

Many rare diseases are thought to be caused by genetic variations in the small portion of the DNA that codes for proteins, collectively known as the exome. This is the part of the DNA that will be sequenced.

By early last year, exome sequencing had already helped researchers identify the genetic causes for 39 rare diseases. Scientists think this is only the beginning.

Identifying and validating gene alterations linked to disease is now enabled by the advent of new sequencing methods that allow for highly sensitive analysis of the patients genetic makeup, says Karen Seibert, PhD, director of GPS and research professor of pathology and immunology.

GPS began accepting proposals for exome sequencing from patient advocacy groups on Feb. 29, which was designated as Rare Disease Day. Final selection of the projects will occur this summer. A panel of genetics experts will review the proposals to help GPS leaders choose the projects most likely to improve care of patients with rare diseases.

Lin is the founder of the Rare Genomics Institute, a nonprofit that designs personalized research studies for rare disease patients, connects them with the latest technology and top researchers and helps secure funding with an online platform. The institutes mission is to make gene sequencing and other advanced techniques accessible to patients with rare diseases. The institute is preparing online training sessions and other activities to help advocacy organizations create their proposals for the Rare99X Clinical Exome Challenge.

Continue reading here:
DNA to Be Sequenced for Patients with Rare Diseases

SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), an emerging biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions, today provided additional details based on the Goldman Small Cap Research report issued February 29, 2012, that highlighted the companys cell encapsulation technology and its benefits for treating chronic diseases such as diabetes. The Companys technology involves encapsulating insulin-producing cells that respond to changes in glucose levels into the Cell-in-a-Box platform. As a result, the treatment would potentially eliminate the need for diabetes patients to continually test their glucose levels and inject insulin.

The Goldman report cited the completed animal study wherein SG Austria successfully treateddiabetesin an established, recognized animal model utilizing liveencapsulatedcells. In the study, the introduced cells responded to elevated blood sugar levels by producing insulin, thereby alleviating thesymptoms of diabetes. Moreover, encapsulated cells remained viable and responsive for many months.

The report stated, This data, as well as previously published results, demonstrate it is feasible to overcome the basis for diabetes by implanting encapsulated, insulin-producing cells. This should pave the way for future clinical trials of encapsulated cells as a means to continuously regulate blood glucose for months, eliminating the need for daily glucose assessment and insulin injections. Such treatment would present a more natural means of providing insulin to patients, mimicking the body's own insulin production and thereby maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.

The long term effects of diabetes include kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, amputations, and stroke. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports346 million people in the world have diabetes and 4 million deaths occur globally each year. In fact, more than $378 billion is spent annually on diabetes treatment with the number expected to rise to $490 billion by 2030.

The report concluded that, Although it is early in the development process, the prospects on the diabetes front could be huge for the Company. Goldman set a current value of Nuvilex at $0.30 per share with a six month price target of $0.50 per share based on the cell encapsulation technology and the favorable clinical and pre-clinical trial results across multiple biotechnology fields.

Dr. Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Nuvilex, added, We are hopeful that through use of our cell encapsulation platform patients will no longer have to rely on daily insulin injections. The ultimate objective, if future trials prove effective, will be for patients to receive encapsulated live cell treatments intermittently, possibly as infrequently as every 3 to 6 months or longer, dramatically changing their lives.

Investors are recommended to study the Goldman Research Report for a detailed review and valuation methodology regarding Nuvilex.

About Nuvilex

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX) is an emerging international biotechnology provider of biotechnology and clinically useful, therapeutic live-cell encapsulation products and services for the research and medical communities. Through substantial effort, Nuvilex and SG Austria are rapidly moving toward our initial phase of funding acquisition and initial agreement completion. One of our first planned offerings is to include cancer treatments using the companys industry-leading live-cell encapsulation technology.

See the original post here:
Nuvilex’s Diabetes Treatment Utilizing Implanted Encapsulated, Insulin-Producing Cells Potentially Eliminates Need for ...

Public release date: 1-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Erin Pope Erin.Pope@NationwideChildrens.org 614-355-0495 Nationwide Children's Hospital

In 2010, the Center for Gene Therapy at Nationwide Children's Hospital launched a monthly podcast entitled, "This Month in Muscular Dystrophy," featuring internationally known scientists discussing the latest research in muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders. Now, these podcasts will be available for users on iTunes and at http://www.NationwideChildrens.org/muscular-dystrophy-podcast.

The podcasts are geared toward patients, their families and primary care physicians who take care of patients with neuromuscular diseases. Hosted by Kevin Flanigan, MD, an attending physician in Neurology at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and a principal investigator in the Center for Gene Therapy in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's, the programs include interviews with authors of recent scientific publications discussing how their work improves understanding of inherited neuromuscular diseases and what their findings might mean for treatment.

New programs available for download on iTunes include:

Podcasts from previous months have also been uploaded to iTunes and are available for download.

"There is a lot of exciting work going on in the field of neuromuscular disease, and for patients and their families, it may be hard to get access to information about new results," said Dr. Flanigan, also a professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "Our goal in offering this monthly podcast is to provide a way for people affected by the muscular dystrophies and related disorders to hear directly from top researchers about their latest results. It's my job to converse in understandable terms with these researchers about what is useful or exciting in their work."

Patients and their families are eager to find reliable information, especially about what new therapies are entering trials. With these podcasts available on iTunes, patients and their families have access to this information at their fingertips. These monthly podcasts provide reliable information directly from leading scientists and physicians in the field to empower patients to take the information they learn into their own clinics to discuss with their doctors. The podcasts also serve to provide reliable information to primary care physicians who often have the most contact with patients who have neuromuscular disorders.

"Through these podcasts, I think we can reinforce the hope shared by all families, and let them know that many pathways that may lead to meaningful treatments are being explored," Dr. Flanigan added.

Dr. Flanigan's primary research interest is in the genetic and molecular characterization of inherited neuromuscular diseases particularly muscular dystrophies and in the development of therapies directed toward these diseases.

Continue reading here:
Nationwide Children's Hospital neuromuscular disorder podcasts now available on iTunes

London, Mar 1 (ANI): Breaking a 'gene blockade' could pave the way for restoring memory loss and other cognitive functions in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, a new study has suggested.

Researchers have shown that an enzyme overproduced in the brains of Alzheimer's patients creates a barrier that shuts off genes essential to form new memories.

Furthermore, by inhibiting that enzyme in mice, the MIT neuroscientists were able to reverse Alzheimer's symptoms.

The finding suggests that drugs targeting the enzyme, known as HDAC2, could be a promising new approach to treating the disease, which affects 5.4 million Americans.

Li-Huei Tsai, leader of the research team, says that HDAC2 inhibitors could help achieve that goal, though it would likely take at least 10 years to develop and test such drugs.

"I would really strongly advocate for an active program to develop agents that can contain HDAC2 activity," said Tsai, director of the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT.

"The disease is so devastating and affects so many people, so I would encourage more people to think about this."

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are a family of 11 enzymes that control gene regulation by modifying histones - proteins around which DNA is spooled, forming a structure called chromatin.

When HDACs alter a histone through a process called deacetylation, chromatin becomes more tightly packaged, making genes in that region less likely to be expressed.

HDAC inhibitors can reverse this effect, opening up the DNA and allowing it to be transcribed.

Read more from the original source:
Reversing Alzheimer's gene 'blockade' 'can bring back memory'