Meditation for Rewiring the Brain and Genetics
Meditation can rewire the brain and it can change our genetics Watch and Find Out More.

By: Paul Haider

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Meditation for Rewiring the Brain and Genetics - Video

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Update on og kush , dna genetics kush dream
On this one running og kush , dna genetics kush dream and chem dog from progressive options.

By: jm9300

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Update on og kush , dna genetics kush dream - Video

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MVRF-Macular Degeneration: Vitamin Supplements and Genetics
Dr. Emily Chew gives a lecture about vitamin supplements and genetics, and how they relate to Macular Degeneration at the Macula Vision Research Foundation #39;s...

By: MVRFoundation

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MVRF-Macular Degeneration: Vitamin Supplements and Genetics - Video

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Teaming Up: Imaging and Genetics
Dr. Paul Thompson discusses the possibilities of combining the latest brain imaging technology with the study of genetics. For more information visit: http:/...

By: NIBIBTV

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Teaming Up: Imaging and Genetics - Video

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A prominent technology columnist got science journalists into a tizzy last week when she proclaimed that she was a creationist. She probably didnt really mean it, but the next time someone expresses doubt over basic, empirically validated facts of how living things evolve, point them toward a portrait collection called "Genetics Are Awesome"-- it could help you show them the light.

Genetics Are Awesome isnt an educational visualization like the Punnett squares you used to learn about genetic inheritance in high school. Instead, photographer Ulric Collette simply took portraits of two people who are directly related--say, a father and a daughter or pair of twins--and placed them in a split-screen combination. This basic juxtaposition dramatically visualizes the power that genes--just tiny coiled bits of nucleic acids--exert over the design of an entire organism. Sure, its no great epiphany that a baby girl has mommys eyes and daddys chin. But something about these split-screen combinations breaks out of the humdrum abstraction of heritability and snaps your awareness toward the, yes, awesomeness (in the cosmic sense, not the Lolcat-GIF sense) of this basic fact of life.

Some of the resemblances between parents and offspring are so striking that the photos look like they have leaped into the future (or past) of one persons life. But the differences are even more intriguing: Its like seeing jump cuts in genetic code come to life. Its enough to make me hope that Collette might do a more longitudinal follow-up project, perhaps with an interactive element, that could let me slide one half of each portrait forward or backward in "generations" (say, from a teenager all the way to her great grandparent), and literally visualize the genetic variation over more than just one "cut." But even as it stands, Genetics Are Awesome is a great piece of science-communication design--not because it didactically teaches you anything but because it reaches into you and makes you want to learn more.

[See Ulrich Collettes photos here]

John Pavlus is a writer and filmmaker focusing on science, tech, and design topics. His writing has appeared in Wired, New York, Scientific American, ... Continued

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Uncanny Portraits Visualize The Power of Genetics

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BACKGROUND: Back pain affects 80 percent of Americans at some point in their lives. In fact, back pain problems are the most common physical complaints among American adults and are a leading cause of lost job time. It can include sore tendons and muscles, fractures, herniated discs, and other problems. The most common back pain causes include nerve and muscular problems, arthritis, and degenerative disc disease. It is important to understand that back pain is a symptom of a medical condition; it is not a diagnosis itself. (Source: http://www.webmd.com)

MEDICAL PROBLEMS: Medical problems that cause back pain can include:

TREATMENT: Most back pain gets better with home treatment and careful attention. A short period of bed rest is recommended, but too many days can actually do more harm than good. When it is more severe, physical therapy is the cornerstone of back pain treatment. A physical therapist can apply a variety of treatments, like ultrasound, heat, electrical stimulation, and muscle-release techniques. If that doesnt work, injections are another option. The doctor may inject cortisone into the space around the spinal cord. (Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com)

NEW TECHNOLOGY: For some patients, traditional treatment just doesnt work. So, one of the newest breakthroughs in managing back pain is coming from stem cells. A company called Mesoblast released the latest news in a string of studies examining the ability of a specific type of stem cell to treat back pain. In the earliest tests, the company injected mesenchymal precursor cells (MPCs) into three adjacent lumbar discs in 24 adult male sheep. The sheep were injected with chrondroitinase in order to mimic disc degeneration and other discs were left alone. The degenerated discs had 45 to 50 percent less height before treatment with MPCs. After the discs were injected, they rehydrated and increased in height at statistically significant rates. Mesoblast has now released its second round of preliminary results from a phase 2 human study. For this phase, researchers injected allogeneic MPCs into damaged intervertebral discs. Researchers at IPM Medical Group in Walnut Creek, California; The Spine Institute in Santa Monica, California; Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine in Charlotte, North Carolina; Arizona Pain Specialists in Phoenix, Arizona; Virginia I-Spine Physicians in Richmond, Virginia, and Emory Orthropaedics & Spine Center in Atlanta, Georgia, report that a single low-dose injection of MPC significantly reduced low back pain in the treated patients and did so at a statistically significant way when compared to the control group. The study has enrolled 100 patients in 13 sited in the U.S. and Australia. At the six month follow-up, 71 percent of patients who received a low dose of MPCs met the pre-specified treatment success criteria. Twenty and thirty percent of the patients in the two control arms who received hyaluronic acid and saline met the pre-specified success criteria. (Source: http://ryortho.com/breaking/major-study-update-stem-cells-ease-back-pain/) "Stem cell research within the disc is very exciting. It focuses on addressing the source of the pain, rather than solely the treatment, Dr. Tory McJunckin was quoted as saying. As an interventional pain doctor I have seen incredible advances in the specialty during the past 10 years and this study shows we are still at the tip of the iceberg for major advances in pain medicine. (Source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/10/prweb8917784.htm

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Oh, my back!

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Stem Cell Therapy Docere Clinics

By: KeysToYoungerLiving

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Stem Cell Therapy Docere Clinics - Video

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

Contact: Tara Womersley tara.womersley@ed.ac.uk 44-131-650-9836 University of Edinburgh

Research into multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease is to be boosted with an international collaboration to further understanding of these illnesses.

Experts from the University of Edinburgh and the Massachusetts-based biotechnology company Biogen Idec will work together to seek greater insight into the cell processes behind these debilitating conditions.

This will include identifying drug compounds that could potentially be used as treatments.

The three-year collaboration will combine the University's expertise in translational medicine which develops laboratory discoveries into treatments for patients with Biogen Idec's strength in drug discovery and development.

Siddharthan Chandran, Professor of Neurology at the University of Edinburgh's College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, said: "This landmark partnership is a brilliant example of academic-industrial collaboration in the field of discovery science. Only by better understanding the biological processes behind these devastating diseases can we hope to discover new and effective therapies."

Clinicians and scientists, based at Edinburgh BioQuarter Scotland's flagship lifesciences project will be involved in the project, which will draw on the University's strength in neuroscience, stem cell research and regeneration.

The initiative is being funded by Biogen Idec, which is known for its strength in developing therapies for neurological disorders, particularly its portfolio of treatments for patients with multiple sclerosis.

"We have embraced academic collaborations as a part of our strategy to maintain a vibrant and innovative research organization and better understand the underlying biology of neurodegenerative disease. Our research partnership with the University of Edinburgh is an excellent example of this strategy," said Ken Rhodes, Vice President of Neurology Research at Biogen Idec. "We are committed to continuing to improve the treatment of people with MS and motor neuron diseases, and this collaboration is expected to provide an in-depth portrait of their pathophysiology, and identify important new targets for potential therapies."

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Transatlantic partnership to tackle neurodegenerative disease

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1 Year Spinal Cord Injury Update
EXPAND FOR AWESOME STUFF: ------------------------------------------------------------------ my links: #9825; my blog: http://sabrinadellinger.com/ #9825; my twitter: ...

By: sabrina dellinger

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1 Year Spinal Cord Injury Update - Video

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Avascular necrosis treatment with bone marrow stem cells.
Avascular necrosis treatment with stem cells from bone marrow. Visit http://www.blog.hipsurgery.in to get details of types of treatment. Visit http://www.hipsurgery...

By: ALAMPALLAM VENKATACHALAM

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Avascular necrosis treatment with bone marrow stem cells. - Video

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

Contact: Matthew Levine mlevine@rpbusa.org 212-752-4333 Research to Prevent Blindness

New York, NY, July 17, 2013 -- Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB), the world's leading voluntary health organization supporting eye research, has awarded 43 grants totaling $5,308,000 for research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of all blinding diseases. RPB will award additional grants in December.

The latest RPB awards were conveyed to 28 leading medical institutions. They include unrestricted grants to departments of ophthalmology at 24 medical schools and 17 awards to individual scientists, including Career Development Awards, Physician Scientist Awards, Special Scholar Awards, a Walt and Lilly Disney Award for Amblyopia Research, Medical Student Eye Research Fellowships, an International Research Scholar Award, and a special grant to the Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology. They also include a prestigious, one-time laboratory grant of $600,000 to the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Florida, College of Medicine, to be named the RPB Mildred Krahmer Sanders and William Clifford Sanders Laboratory for Vision Research Laboratory.

"RPB has an outstanding track record of funding excellence in vision research," said RPB's new President, Brian F. Hofland, PhD. "We expect the recipients of these grants to build on that tradition by making significant contributions to the body of knowledge on eye diseases and developing new treatments for vision disorders."

RPB grants are highly flexible, allowing researchers to pursue new discoveries mid- project. The organization places a premium on innovation in awarding these grants which, this year, include investigations into: the pharmacological manipulation of microorganisms that live in the digestive tract and affect ocular inflammation via the immune system; a single-dose gene therapy for age-related macular degeneration using a virus that expresses therapeutic molecules at levels sufficient for long-term treatment; and the action mechanism of DHA (a fatty acid with neuroprotective properties) in the retina along with possible recommendations for its safe use in specific eye diseases.

Across the nation, RPB-supported laboratories investigate the entire spectrum of eye disease from cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy to macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and eye movement disorders. Among the vision scientists fighting these diseases are five active Jules and Doris Stein RPB Professors who receive up to $1.025 million each over seven years (including a possible two-year extension and a matching grant for laboratory construction).

Since it was founded in 1960, RPB has channeled more than $310 million into eye research. As a result, RPB has been identified with nearly every major breakthrough in vision research in that time, including the development of laser surgery now used to treat diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, macular degeneration, myopia, retinal detachment and astigmatism.

RPB currently supports a comprehensive grants program at 56 medical institutions throughout the United States. RPB grants nurture vibrant vision-research environments, further the careers of vision scientists and advance the development of thought leaders in the vision research field.

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Research to Prevent Blindness awards $5.3 million in grants to support eye research

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Early-stage research could eventually lead to gene therapy

By Tina Hesman Saey

Web edition: July 17, 2013

Borrowing a trick from nature, researchers have switched off the extra chromosome that causes Down syndrome in cells taken from patients with the condition.

Though not a cure, the technique, reported July 17 in Nature, has already produced insights into the disorder. In the long run it might even make the flaw that causes Down syndrome correctible through gene therapy.

Gene therapy is now on the horizon, says Elizabeth Fisher, a molecular geneticist at University College London. But that horizon is very far away.

Down syndrome, also called trisomy 21, occurs when people inherit three copies of chromosome 21 instead of the usual two. It is the most common chromosomal condition, affecting around one in every 700 babies born in the United States. People with the disorder typically have both physical and cognitive complications of having an extra chromosome.

Down syndrome has been one of those disorders where people say, Oh, theres nothing you can do about it, says Jeanne Lawrence, a chromosome biologist and genetic counselor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, who led the study with colleague Lisa Hall.

The researchers decided to see whether they could shut down the extra chromosome by drawing on a biological process called X inactivation. Women have two X chromosomes and men have only one X and a Y. To halve the amount of X chromosome products, female cells shut down one copy. Cells do that using a chunk of RNA called XIST, which is made by one X chromosome but not the other. The RNA works by pulling in proteins that essentially board up the chromosome like an abandoned building. The other X stays on by making a different RNA.

Lawrence and Hall thought that if they put XIST on another chromosome, it might shut that one down too. So the researchers put the gene for XIST onto one of the three copies of chromosome 21 carried by stem cells grown from a man with Down syndrome. That copy of the chromosome got switched off.

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Technique inactivates Down-causing chromosome

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Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (PRNewsFoto/Sangamo BioSciences, Inc.)

RICHMOND, Calif., July 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO) announced today the publication of groundbreaking research using zinc finger DNA-binding protein (ZFP) technology to insert a gene that permanently "silences" the extra copy of chromosome 21, which is the root cause of Down syndrome (DS). This advance, accomplished in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from DS patients, provides a model to study the basic biology of DS which may enable the development of drugs that can potentially rebalance the cellular processes and pathologies that are impacted by this disorder.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130102/SF35903LOGO)

The work was led by the laboratory of Jeanne Lawrence, Ph.D., interim chair and professor of cell & developmental biology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, in collaboration with Sangamo scientists and was published as an Advance Online Publication in Nature http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature12394.

"Until now our ability to correct cells carrying a chromosomal abnormality, by specifically silencing, or shutting down, expression of essentially all genes across a chromosome of our choosing was outside the realm of possibility," said Dr. Lawrence."However, this goal has been realized by using ZFNs to introduce, into a defined site in chromosome 21, a copy of a gene that normally functions to shut down the extra copy of the X chromosome in females.This provides a means to understand the cellular pathologies of DS, important for development of therapeutics, and also provides a needed model to study human chromosome inactivation."

Down syndrome, or Trisomy 21, is a genetic condition in which a person has a third copy of chromosome 21 giving them a total of forty-seven chromosomes instead of the usual forty-six. DS is the leading genetic cause of intellectual disabilities. Individuals with DS also have a higher risk for many conditions, including congenital heart defects, hematopoietic disorders, and early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

"The data further demonstrate the potential of ZFN-mediated genome editing to achieve unique biological outcomes which may have significant medical and therapeutic value," stated Philip Gregory, D. Phil., Sangamo's vice president, research and chief scientific officer. "In these studies, Sangamo's ZFN technology was used to insert a 17Kb DNA sequence containing a copy of the XIST gene into a pre-defined location in a particular chromosome. This is a substantially larger DNA sequence than is commonly used for genome editing and demonstrates the precision and efficiency of the ZFN-mediated process."

The paper entitled "Translating Dosage Compensation to Trisomy 21" described the highly specific and efficient ZFN-mediated insertion of copy of a large gene called XIST, into chromosome 21 in cultured iPSCs derived from DS patients. XIST encodes an RNA which normally functions in early development to shut down one of the two X chromosomes present in females, a process called dosage compensation. The XIST gene product functions by coating the chromosome from which it is expressed resulting in the silencing of the majority of the genes on that chromosome. In the study described by Jiang et al. in Nature, the silencing was observed on the extra, or third, copy of chromosome 21 in cells modified using the ZFNs. By comparing unmodified cells with cells in which the extra chromosome had been silenced by ZFN-mediate XIST addition, the authors showed that XIST helps correct defects in cell growth and neural differentiation found in DS-derived cells. The strategy can be used to help define the cellular and molecular changes underpinning DS and other trisomy disorders, as well as provide a model to study human chromosome inactivation.

About Sangamo

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. is focused on research and development of novel DNA-binding proteins for therapeutic gene regulation and genome editing. The Company has ongoing Phase 2 and Phase 1 /2 clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel ZFP Therapeutic for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Sangamo's other therapeutic programs are focused on monogenic diseases, including hemophilia, Huntington's disease and hemoglobinopathies such as beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. Sangamo's core competencies enable the engineering of a class of DNA-binding proteins known as zinc finger DNA-binding proteins (ZFPs). Engineering of ZFPs that recognize a specific DNA sequence enables the creation of sequence-specific ZFP Nucleases (ZFNs) for gene modification and ZFP transcription factors (ZFP TFs) that can control gene expression and, consequently, cell function. Sangamo has entered into a strategic collaboration with Shire AG to develop therapeutics for hemophilia, Huntington's disease and other monogenic diseases and has established strategic partnerships with companies in non-therapeutic applications of its technology including Dow AgroSciences and Sigma-Aldrich Corporation. For more information about Sangamo, visit the company's website at http://www.sangamo.com.

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Sangamo BioSciences Announces Publication of First Demonstration of Inactivation of Extra Chromosome Responsible for ...

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"Genetic Engineering" - X-ReSpects (from The X-Ray Spex Tribute Show)
Shot at The Studio at Webster Hall, NYC June 30, 2013 This was a tribute show in honor of Poly Styrene, singer, poet, and founder of the classic punk band, X...

By: Audrey Culver

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"Genetic Engineering" - X-ReSpects (from The X-Ray Spex Tribute Show) - Video

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Inside Story: Medicine and Drugs in China
Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/cnforbiddennews Like us on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/chinaforbiddennews A leading global pharmaceutical comp...

By: ChinaForbiddenNews

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Inside Story: Medicine and Drugs in China - Video

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

Contact: Karin Eskenazi cumcnews@columbia.edu 212-305-3900 Columbia University Medical Center

NEW YORK, NY (July 17, 2013) Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and collaborators have identified a genetic mutation that causes congenital malformations of the kidney and urinary tract, a common form of birth defect and the most common cause of kidney failure in children. It is the first time that a specific genetic mutation has been linked to a non-syndromic form of urinary tract malformation. The findings were published in the July 17 online issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The research team, led by Ali Gharavi, MD, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Nephrology and a nephrologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, studied a Sardinian family with congenital malformations of the kidney and urinary tract. Several family members had experienced kidney failure at a young age. Using the recently developed tool of exome gene sequencing (sequencing of only the coding parts of the genome), the researchers identified a mutation in a gene called dual serine/threonine and tyrosine protein kinase (DSTYK) in all of the affected family members.

The researchers then screened 311 unrelated individuals with urinary tract defects from centers throughout Europe and found seven other patients with DSTYK mutations. "These findings indicate that DSTYK mutations account for 2.2 percent of urinary tract defects in humans, which is very significant as a single-gene cause of this disease," says Dr. Simone Sanna-Cherchi, the first author of the study.

Some cases of congenital urinary tract defects present with kidney failure at birth, while others are not evident until complications arise, sometimes not until years later. By defining a new form of disease, these findings will allow clinicians to make a precise molecular diagnosis and identify mutation carriers who may be at risk for complications.

"Exome gene sequencing is now the method of choice for diagnosis of congenital disorders of unknown cause," says Dr. Gharavi. "It is what enabled us to detect the mutation that was shared by all affected individuals in the Sardinian family."

Drs. Sanna-Cherchi, Gharavi, and colleagues now plan to use the exome genome sequencing approach to study other patients and define additional forms of congenital urinary tract defects. "By defining new disease categories, we can study each genetic subtype in detail and determine why there is so much variability in the clinical course and complications of these disorders. We will be better able to advise patients on the risk of complications in family members and future offspring," says Dr. Sanna-Cherchi.

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The paper, titled "Mutations in DSTYK and Dominant Urinary Tract Malformations," is the result of an international collaboration of Columbia University Medical Center and 32 other institutions, including the Giannina Gaslini Institute, Genoa, Italy; the Hospital of Montichiari, Montichiari, Italy; the University of Parma, Parma, Italy; the University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy; the University of Split, Split, Croatia; Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.; and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

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Mutation linked to congenital urinary tract defects

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Experts found that even smokers who underwent rigorous medical tests that came back normal had dangerous changes in their DNA The genes found are usually limited to developing embyros and can predispose a person to the most aggressive types of lung cancer

By Rachel Reilly

PUBLISHED: 05:33 EST, 17 July 2013 | UPDATED: 03:22 EST, 18 July 2013

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Experts found that even smokers who look healthy are undergoing dangerous changes at a genetic level

Even healthy-looking smokers have early cell damage which could lead to cancer, say experts.

A study has shown that even if X-rays and other health test results are normal, airway cells in smokers show early damage by having activated genes seen in aggressive lung cancer.

Experts found that in the cells lining the airways of the smokers' lungs, human embryonic stem cell genes associated with cancer had been turned on.

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Even healthy-looking smokers have 'cell damage at a genetic level which could lead to lung cancer'

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"Spina Bifida and Genetics" by Dr Margo WHITEFORD

By: IFglobalorg

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"Spina Bifida and Genetics" by Dr Margo WHITEFORD - Video

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A small biotech firm in Orange County is going up against a major company over the rights to a popular genetic test that can detect breast cancer.

Myriad Genetics of Salt Lake City last week filed a lawsuit against Ambry Genetics of Aliso Viejo and a Houston company after both rushed to offer the test immediately following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last month that human genes cannot be patented.

The high court declared in a case involving Myriad that genes are a product of nature and cannot be claimed as a type of private property. The landmark decision was being watched closely by medical researchers, patient advocates and biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

Ambry had been anticipating the ruling and quickly seized on it, starting to offer its test within days of the decision and proclaiming "your genes are still free" with a photo of the Supreme Court Building underneath it on the company's website. It even has plans to put the image on T-shirts.

There were no problems for a few weeks. But, now the future appears less clear amid the looming legal fight. Ambry, which launched in 1999 and has 200 employees, said it would "vigorously defend" itself against the suit.

"The Supreme Court ruled on exactly this," said Charles Dunlop, Ambry chief executive. "I don't know what they're doing other than just bullying people."

But Myriad said the lawsuit has nothing to do with the high court's decision on gene patenting. Instead, the company said it focused on 10 patent violations in Ambry's testing methods. It made the same accusations against the Houston company, Gene by Gene.

There is increasing interest from consumers in breast cancer tests, especially since actress Angelina Jolie announced she underwent a double mastectomy based on the findings of such a test.

In cases in which a family member has a positive test result, the analysis will look for the mutation. If there is no family history, it will look at the entire sequence of two genes, known as BRCA1 and BRCA2. Until last month Myriad held a monopoly on the test because it owned the patenting rights to the two genes.

At stake are billions of dollars in sales.

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O.C. biotech firm is sued by major rival over breast cancer test

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LOS ANGELES, July 17, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Response Genetics, Inc. (RGDX), a company focused on the development and sale of molecular diagnostic tests that help determine a patient's response to cancer therapy, today announced that it has extended its agreement with Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to provide testing and analyses services for specified molecular markers used in research, diagnosis and the therapeutic treatment of cancer.

Under the terms of the agreement, Response Genetics will receive a minimum of $950,000 for services provided during the extended term of January 1 through December 31, 2013.

"Response Genetics has and continues to provide Taiho with a comprehensive portfolio of gene expression assays and we are pleased to extend this relationship," said Thomas Bologna, Chairman and CEO of Response Genetics. "Response Genetics and Taiho share a commitment to provide services that foster the development of patient-centered medical treatment and we believe that the testing services resulting from this collaboration will yield actionable results important to patient care."

About Response Genetics, Inc.

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

About Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Taiho Pharmaceutical, a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. is an R&D-driven specialty pharma focusing on the three fields of oncology, allergies and immunology, and urology. In the field of oncology in particular, Taiho Pharmaceutical is known as a leading company in Japan and around the world for developing innovative medicines for the treatment of cancer. In areas other than oncology, as well, the company creates quality products that effectively treat medical conditions and can help improve people's quality of life. The company was established in 1963 and its headquarters is located in Tokyo, Japan.

Forward-Looking Statement Notice

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

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

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Response Genetics Renews Agreement With Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to Provide Molecular Analyses for Cancer

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Child with Rare #39;Bubble Baby #39; Syndrome Trials World #39;s First Cure
Child with Rare #39;Bubble Baby #39; Syndrome Trials World #39;s First Cure SUBSCRIBE: http://bit.ly/Oc61Hj A BABY born without an immune system is trialling a world-fi...

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Child with Rare 'Bubble Baby' Syndrome Trials World's First Cure - Video

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Gene scientists on Wednesday said that in lab-dish cells, they had found a way to switch off the rogue chromosome that causes Down's syndrome.

The breakthrough opens up the tantalising goal of therapy for Down's, they said, cautioning that years of work lie ahead before this aim is reached -- if, in fact, it is attainable.

Down's syndrome is the world's leading genetically caused mental disease, accounting for around one in 600 live births in the United States.

It also carries with it a heightened risk of heart defects, leukaemia, immune-system malfunction and premature Alzheimer's disease.

The disease, formally called trisomy 21, is caused by an additional chromosome 21, which has a cascade of unexplained impacts on brain development and body function.

Acting on a hunch, scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School reported that they had inserted a gene into this unwanted third chromosome and, in effect, used it like an off switch.

It is the first time that correction has been achieved for an entire chromosome, a coil of DNA that is studded with hundreds of genes, the protein-making codes to build and sustain life.

"Our hope is that for individuals living with Down's syndrome this proof-of-principle opens up multiple exciting new avenues for studying the disorder now, and brings into the realm of consideration research on the concept of 'chromosome therapy' in the future," said Jeanne Lawrence, a professor of cell and developmental biology.

People without Down's are born with 23 pairs of chromosomes, including two sex chromosomes, which pair up as two X chromosomes for females and an X and Y chromosome for males.

The team noted that, in early female embryos, a special gene called XIST comes into play, silencing one of the two X chromosomes so that they do not over-function.

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Lab success: Chromosome for Down's is switched off

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July 17, 2013 Gene therapy researchers have produced a bioengineered decoy that fools the immune system and prevents it from mistakenly defeating the benefits delivered by a corrective gene. The decoy was effective in animal studies, and if the approach succeeds in humans, it offers a potential new treatment for genetic diseases such as hemophilia, while advancing the broader field of gene therapy.

"This decoy strategy could be individualized to patients and could greatly expand the population of patients who may benefit from gene therapy," said study leader Katherine A. High, M.D., director of the Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics (CCMT) at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "Right now, 30 to 60 percent of adult patients develop antibodies that block the ability of an intravenously infused vector to reach the target cells in the liver. This approach holds the promise of overcoming this roadblock -- pre-existing antibodies -- and allowing successful intravenous gene therapy in virtually all adult patients."

High and co-corresponding author Federico Mingozzi, Ph.D., formerly of Children's Hospital, published the team's study today in Science Translational Medicine.

High, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, has led pioneering investigations of gene therapy at Children's Hospital for the inherited bleeding disorder hemophilia and other diseases.

Previously, in clinical trials, High used adeno-associated virus (AAV) as a vector -- a delivery vehicle -- to ferry a corrective DNA sequence to patients with a mutation causing hemophilia B, the second most common form of the disease. The delivered gene enables the patient to produce a needed blood-clotting factor.

AAV does not cause human disease, but because we are routinely exposed to this virus, 30 to 60 percent of people develop antibodies that neutralize AAV if it enters the circulation. To extend the potential benefits of gene therapy to a broader population, researchers have long sought ways to better manage this immune response. The decoy strategy could solve this challenge for any disease in which vectors must be delivered through the circulation.

The current study by High and colleagues relies on a capsid, the protein shell surrounding a virus. Following in vitro studies in human serum, the researchers injected empty AAV capsids along with gene therapy vectors into a mouse model. The anti-AAV neutralizing antibodies bound to the capsid decoys, allowing the DNA-carrying vectors to evade the antibodies and enter the targeted cells in the liver.

The study team next engineered the capsids to disable their ability to enter target cells. This prevented the capsids from triggering a second immune response, from T cells, that also could eliminate the corrective genes. The gene therapy was safe and effective in rhesus macaque monkeys, which produced higher levels of clotting factor, with no adverse effects.

"Our results, which held up over a range of doses, suggest that in clinical studies, it will be feasible to adjust the ratio of empty capsids to gene vector doses, depending on an individual's pre-existing level of neutralizing antibodies," said High. "That means we could personalize gene therapy to make it more efficient for each patient."

"This work should make it possible to bring effective gene therapy to most adults with severe hemophilia B," High continued. "Each patient would receive a personalized final formulation that contains just the right amount of empty capsid to neutralize any pre-existing antibody, and allow the gene-expressing vector to reach the liver."

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Empty decoys divert antibodies from neutralizing gene therapy in cell, animal studies

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Vatican Stem Cell Conference Centeno Lecture
Dr. Christopher Centeno presents his research into the use of stem cells to treat knee osteoarthritis at the Vatican Stem Cell Conference in Rome on 4/12/13.

By: Chris Centeno

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Vatican Stem Cell Conference Centeno Lecture - Video

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Freeport, Bahamas (PRWEB) July 17, 2013

Okyanos Heart Institute, whose mission it is to bring a new standard of care and better quality of life to patients with coronary artery disease using cardiac stem cell therapy, has named Leslie Miller, M.D., F.A.C.C. as its chief science officer. Dr. Miller is a leading heart failure specialist and experienced thought leader in cardiac stem cell therapy. He is director of the University of South Florida (USF) Heart Institute, professor of cardiovascular sciences at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, and was formerly the director of cardiology at Georgetown University. Dr. Miller has been an investigator in over 80 clinical trials.

The use of adult stem cells derived from adipose (fat) tissue to treat congestive heart failure has the potential to change the game for the millions of patients suffering from this disease, said Miller. These stem and regenerative cells have been shown to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels, are anti-inflammatory and prevent at-risk cells from dying. These combined mechanisms can provide important therapeutic benefit to heart failure patients.

As a current member of Okyanos medical advisory council, Dr. Miller has actively advised us on patients criteria for cardiac stem cell therapy, says Okyanos Chief Medical Officer Howard Walpole. In this additional role as Chief Science Officer, he will be evaluating new research protocols and reporting on findings from the patient registry that will help advance the field of cardiac stem cell therapy. His experience and track record in leading academic research is outstanding. This integrated approach in research and clinical application in The Bahamas makes Okyanos Heart Institute one of the first places patients can receive new treatments.

Dr. Leslie Miller is a well-respected visionary in the field of cardiovascular disease says Okyanos CEO Matt Feshbach. This role will further advance our quality measures and the structure of our patient registry. We look forward to his contribution to improving the lives of patients using adult stem cells derived from their own fat tissue who, up until now, have exhausted their options with conventional treatments.

ABOUT OKYANOS HEART INSTITUTE: (Oh key AH nos) Based in Freeport, The Bahamas, Okyanos Heart Institutes mission is to bring a new standard of care and a better quality of life to patients with coronary artery disease using cardiac stem cell therapy. Okyanos adheres to U.S. surgical center standards and is led by Chief Medical Officer Howard T. Walpole Jr., M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.C., F.A.C.A.I. Okyanos Treatment utilizes a unique blend of stem and regenerative cells derived from ones own adipose (fat) tissue. The cells, when placed into the heart via a minimally-invasive catheterization, stimulates the growth of new blood vessels, a process known as angiogenesis. The treatment facilitates blood flow in the heart and supports intake and use of oxygen (as demonstrated in rigorous clinical trials such as the PRECISE trial). The literary name Okyanos (Oceanos) symbolizes flow. For more information, go to http://www.okyanos.com/.

NEW MEDIA CONTENT: Okyanos LinkedIn page: http://www.linkedin.com/company/okyanos-heart-institute

Okyanos Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OKYANOS

Okyanos Twitter page: https://twitter.com/#!/OkyanosHeart

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Dr. Leslie Miller Named Chief Science Officer of Okyanos Heart Institute's Cardiac Stem Cell Therapy Treatment for ...

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