Scott C. Baraban, PhD discusses the current trend in epilepsy research
Dr. Scott Baraban, PhD, a Professor and William K. Bowes Endowed Chair in Neuroscience Research at the University of California, San Francisco, discusses the current trends of epilepsy research and the future direction of epilepsy care, particularly noting the role of gene therapy in management. This video was taken on Friday, November 30th at the American Epilepsy Society #39;s 2012 Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA.From:AJMCtvViews:5 0ratingsTime:00:59More inEducation

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Scott C. Baraban, PhD discusses the current trend in epilepsy research - Video

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Personalized medicine to save lung cancer patients
This video focuses on Ventana Medical Systems collaboration with Pfizer to save lung cancer patients. This segment is part of a series featuring Ventana Medical Systems luminaries, created to raise awareness of Ventana #39;s innovative work in cancer over the past 25 years and expectations for the future.From:VentanaMarcomViews:7 0ratingsTime:02:00More inScience Technology

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Four Different Types of Biomarkers
Daniel Winkelman from BioTrends defines the different types of biomarkers at the HBAGP event, "An Overview of Personalized Medicine Future Opportunities" held at Merck on November 29, 2012From:HBAGPViews:0 0ratingsTime:00:55More inEducation

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Personalized Medicine Definition
Daniel Winkelman from BioTrends at the Healthcare Businesswomen #39;s Association Greater Philadelphia chapter event "Personalized Medicine Future Opportunities." Held at Merck, the seminar was presented by the HBAGP Women In Science affinity group.From:HBAGPViews:2 0ratingsTime:00:18More inEducation

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Voluntary Motor Function and Spasticity After A Spinal Cord Injury PodChat
Molly addresses the question about how long after injury she was able to move voluntarily. This conversation addresses her relationship to spasticity and the anti-spasmodic drug Baclofen.From:abilityproductionViews:25 1ratingsTime:07:38More inEducation

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RICKY HONABLUE - Spinal Cord Injury
When a car jumped the sidewalk and hit 2-year-old Ricky Honablue head on, his mother #39;s world was shattered in an instant. Ricky suffered a severe spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the chest down. A few years after the accident, the Honablue family moved to Michigan. Ricky receives weekly physical therapy at the Children #39;s Hospital of Michigan and is actually walking using a special brace called an RGO (Reciprocating Gait Orthosis.) While his wheelchair is still his most convenient mode of transportation, the ability to walk gives Ricky a sense of freedom and joy that can only come from standing on your own two feet.From:ChildrensDMCViews:1 0ratingsTime:07:22More inEducation

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"Spinal Cord Injury in Nepal and Challenges in Rehabilitation" - Damodar Thapa, PT
Mr. Thapa shares some of the unique challenges faced by survivors of SCI in his homeland of Nepal. His words and pictures illustrate the tools and techniques he uses to maximize recovery in his patients.From:unite2fightparalysisViews:0 0ratingsTime:11:35More inNonprofits Activism

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Quadriplegic opening easy-open cans
Watch how SPINALpedia member and C6-7 quadriplegic, Paul, demonstrates how he opens easy-open cans without the use of his fingers (but with the help of a spoon!) Even if you #39;re paralyzed from a spinal cord injury, you can find ways to adapt normal tasks. Learn more at SPINALpedia.com!From:Spinal PediaViews:3 0ratingsTime:02:06More inHowto Style

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Study moves scientists one step closer to creating youthful heart patches from old cells

TORONTO, ON A new method of growing cardiac tissue is teaching old stem cells new tricks. The discovery, which transforms aged stem cells into cells that function like much younger ones, may one day enable scientists to grow cardiac patches for damaged or diseased hearts from a patients own stem cellsno matter what age the patientwhile avoiding the threat of rejection.

Stem cell therapies involving donated bone marrow stem cells run the risk of patient rejection in a portion of the population, argues Milica Radisic, Canada Research Chair in Functional Cardiovascular Tissue Engineering at the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (IBBME) and Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto.

One method of avoiding the risk of rejection has been to use cells derived from a patients own body. But until now, clinical trials of this kind of therapy using elderly patients own cells have not been a viable option, since aged cells tend not to function as well as cells from young patients.

Its a problem that Radisic and her co-researcher, Dr. Ren-Ke Li, think they might have an answer for: by creating the conditions for a fountain of youth reaction within a tissue culture.

Li holds the Canada Research Chair in Cardiac Regeneration and is a Professor in the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, cross-appointed to IBBME. He is also a Senior Scientist at the Toronto General Research Institute.

Radisic and Li first create a micro-environment that allows heart tissue to grow, with stem cells donated from elderly patients at the Toronto General Hospital.

The cell cultures are then infused with a combination of growth factorscommon factors that cause blood vessel growth and cell proliferationpositioned in such a way within the porous scaffolding that the cells are able to be stimulated by these factors.

Dr. Li and his team then tracked the molecular changes in the tissue patch cells.

We saw certain aging factors turned off, states Li, citing the levels of two molecules in particular, p16 and RGN, which effectively turned back the clock in the cells, returning them to robust and healthy states.

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“Fountain of Youth” technique rejuvenates aging stem cells - Study moves scientists one step closer to creating ...

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Aida Wong - ZÉLL-V Sheep Placenta Anti Aging Satisfied Customer
Aida : #25317; #26377; #20581; #24247;= #25317; #26377; #20840; #19990; #30028; #12290; http://www.zell-v.com We specialise in cell therapy products for anti aging. we are supported by an international medical board of practitioners, biologist and wellness professionals.From:zellvsheepplacentaViews:1 0ratingsTime:01:34More inHowto Style

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Metastatic melanoma patient discusses how T-cell therapy saved her life
Nicho Bourque, a metastatic melanoma patient, was the first MD Anderson clinical trial patient to receive a new form of adoptive T-cell therapy, called T-cell therapy with dendritic cells. Learn about her experience with the treatment. Bourque was under the care of Nicholas Papadopoulos, MDFrom:mdandersonorgViews:0 0ratingsTime:04:22More inScience Technology

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Metastatic melanoma patient discusses how T-cell therapy saved her life - Video

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"Achilles Tendinitis is now being treated using Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy," according to Dr. Farshchian , the medical director for The Center for Regenerative Medicine.

(PRWEB) November 30, 2012

Achilles tendonitis refers to irritation and inflammation of the Achilles tendon which is located in the back of the ankle. Pain and swelling are typical symptoms, but over the long run the tendon can weaken and rupture this is a serious matter since it may cause chronic pain and disability. Typically patients experience most of the pain during running and jumping.

Changes in footwear and training schedules as reported by the above patient could be a contributory factor to development Achilles tendinitis.

The Center for Regenerative Medicine in Miami, Florida concentrates on helping arthritic and injured people to get back to a functional level of life and their activities using non-surgical techniques and Orthopedic medicine. The center's expertise is in treatment of conditions of spine, knees , shoulders , and other cartilage damages. They have developed non-surgical and rehabilitation techniques focused on treatment and management of joint pain. Their team includes health professionals organized around a central theme.

Their wbsite is http://www.arthritisusa.net

Marty Eugene http://www.arthritisusa.net 305 8668384 Email Information

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Dr.Farshchian: Achilles Tendinitis is Now Being Treated Using Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy

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Company's ability to do something nobody has done before confirms world-leader status.

Scottsdale, AZ (PRWEB) November 30, 2012

In the companys news yesterday,

International Stem Cell Corp. has achieved a critical milestone towards the clinical development of its non-embryonic stem cell therapy.

Through much dedication and hard work, the companys research and development team has created the worlds first human clinical-grade stem cell lines that can be immune-match to millions of individuals. ISCOs existing research-grade parthenogenetic stem cell lines, one of which may be an immune-match to approximately 70 million people, are being used in pre-clinical development. ISCO is now in a position to conduct clinical trials in the United States.

Weve been working diligently for three years to perfect this technology, which was first developed by our scientific founder, Dr. Elena Revazova in Moscow, and Im excited to report that we have been able to derive new stem cell lines in the United States under the US and California regulatory frameworks. Im optimistic that the new parthenogenetic stem cell lines, by providing a potentially unlimited supply of cells and tissue for transplantation, will be of great benefit to the medical community and patients world-wide, stated Dr. Semechkin, CEO and Co-Chairman of the Board.

Created using ISCOs proprietary technology, the new stem cell lines represent the first of a new generation of clinical-grade human parthenogenetic stem cell (hpSC) lines created in the United States under US regulatory oversight and designed to meet FDA regulations. The US Food and Drug Administration developed Good Tissue Practice (GTP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards to ensure the safety of products developed for clinical use. Conforming to GMP is necessary to conduct clinical development programs.

Independent third-party testing has confirmed the new lines to be homozygous in the HLA coding regions. This means that they have a simple genetic profile in the critical areas of the DNA that code for immune rejection; a distinct clinical advantage over embryonic stem cells. The company anticipates the new lines to immune-match millions of individuals. They will be added to ISCOs existing bank and provide a platform from which to develop cells and tissue for clinical use.

The importance of this breakthrough cannot be overstated, emphasized Dr. Craw, Executive Vice President of ISCO. Expanding our collection is not only important for our therapeutic programs, but also further establishes our leadership position in human stem cell technology. Achieving this critical milestone moves us along the path to make the transition into a clinical stage company.

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QualityStocks News - International Stem Cell Corp. Advances Groundbreaking Stem Cell Therapy with Distinct Advantages ...

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CARLSBAD, CA--(Marketwire - Nov 29, 2012) - International Stem Cell Corporation ( OTCQB : ISCO ) (www.internationalstemcell.com) ("ISCO" or "the Company"), a California-based biotechnology company focused on the development of therapeutic products, today announced the achievement of a critical milestone towards the clinical development of its stem cell therapy.

The Company's research and development team has created the world's first human clinical-grade stem cell lines with the ability to immune-match millions of individuals. ISCO's existing research-grade parthenogenetic stem cell lines, one of which contains the most common immune type in the Caucasian population and may be an immune-match to approximately 70 million people, are used in pre-clinical development. These new clinical-grade stem cell lines position ISCO to be able to conduct clinical trials in the United States.

Dr. Semechkin, CEO and Co-Chairman of the Board, comments, "We've been working diligently for three years to perfect this technology, which was first developed by our scientific founder, Dr. Elena Revazova in Moscow, and I'm excited to report that we have been able to derive new stem cell lines in the United States under the US and California regulatory frameworks. I'm optimistic that the new parthenogenetic stem cell lines, by providing a potentially unlimited supply of cells and tissue for transplantation, will be of great benefit to the medical community and patients world-wide."

The new stem cell lines, created using ISCO's proprietary technology, are the first of a new generation of clinical-grade human parthenogenetic stem cell (hpSC) lines created in the United States under US regulatory oversight and designed to meet FDA regulations. The US Food and Drug Administration developed Good Tissue Practice (GTP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards to ensure the safety of products developed for clinical use. Conforming to GMP is extremely important as it means that the cells can be used in clinical development programs.

The new lines have been confirmed by independent third-party testing to be "homozygous" in the HLA coding regions meaning that they have a simple genetic profile in the critical areas of the DNA that code for immune rejection. This feature is one of the most important differences of hpSC when compared with embryonic stem cells and a distinct clinical advantage because of their ability to be immune-matched to the patient. We expect the new lines to immune-match millions of individuals, and will be added to ISCO's existing bank providing a platform from which to develop cells and tissue for clinical use.

"The importance of this breakthrough cannot be overstated," commented Dr. Craw, Executive Vice President of ISCO. "Expanding our collection is not only important for our therapeutic programs, but also further establishes our leadership position in human stem cell technology. Achieving this critical milestone moves us along the path to make the transition into a clinical stage company."

About International Stem Cell Corporation

International Stem Cell Corporation is focused on the therapeutic applications of human parthenogenetic stem cells (hpSCs) and the development and commercialization of cell-based research and cosmetic products. ISCO's core technology, parthenogenesis, results in the creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs) hence avoiding ethical issues associated with the use or destruction of viable human embryos. ISCO scientists have created the first parthenogenetic, homozygous stem cell line that can be a source of therapeutic cells for hundreds of millions of individuals of differing genders, ages and racial background with minimal immune rejection after transplantation. hpSCs offer the potential to create the first true stem cell bank, UniStemCell. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary Lifeline Cell Technology (www.lifelinecelltech.com), and stem cell-based skin care products through its subsidiary Lifeline Skin Care (www.lifelineskincare.com). More information is available at http://www.internationalstemcell.com.

To receive ongoing corporate communications via email, visit: http://www.b2i.us/irpass.asp?BzID=1468&to=ea&s=0

To like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter for company updates and industry related news, visit: http://www.facebook.com/InternationalStemCellCorporation and http://www.twitter.com/intlstemcell

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Autologous Cell Therapy Market reserach report gives a detailed analysis about state of the art of both autologous stem cell and non-stem cell treatments. It includes the current advances and applications of the technology and trends in terms of market size and growth of autologous cellular therapies in medical treatments globally.

(PRWEB) November 30, 2012

Browse ACT market research data tables/figures spread through 111 slides and in-depth TOC on Autologous Cell Therapy (ACT) Market (2012 - 2017).

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/autologous-cell-therapy-market-837.html

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on reports.

There is a wide market potential and favorable landscape for adoption across many geographical locations of the world. During the forecast period, these technologies are expected to revolutionize the area of bio-pharma and personalized medicine. High incidence and lack of effective treatment for several diseases will drive the ACT technology in developed and developing nations.

Investment activities, for past five years are actively held in research and developments, attracting interests of cell therapy industry firms, medical centers and academic institutions. ACT potential can be demonstrated by mergers, collaborations, acquisitions and partnerships that happened actively between the ACT technology developing companies in past three years. Development of sophisticated automation devices for cell expansion and culture process for use in the treatment is one of the emerging trends of ACT market.

The global market for ACT is valued around $650 million by 2011 with a CAGR of 21%. Several products and technologies of ACT are in pipeline which is expected to hit the market during the forecast period, which will result in increased growth rate.

About MarketsandMarkets

MarketsandMarkets is a global market research and consulting company based in the U.S. We publish strategically analyzed market research reports and serve as a business intelligence partner to Fortune 500 companies across the world. MarketsandMarkets also provides multi-client reports, company profiles, databases, and custom research services.

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Autologous Cell Therapy Market expected to reach $2.2 billion by 2017, growing at a CAGR of 21% : MarketsandMarkets

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Gene predicts time of death
Researchers led by Dr. Andrew Lim, a neurologist at Sunnybrook and professor at University of Toronto, have discovered a gene that is associated with the timing of one #39;s sleep-wake rhythm or cycle, as well as one #39;s circadian rhythm of death. Read more: sunnybrook.caFrom:SunnybrookMediaViews:10 0ratingsTime:01:12More inScience Technology

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ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2012) A team of researchers at the University of California, San Diego and the Institut Pasteur, Paris has come up with a novel way to describe a time-dependent brain development based on coherent-gene-groups (CGGs) and transcription-factors (TFs) hierarchy. The findings could lead to new drug designs for mental disorders such as autism-spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia.

In the paper, published November 22 as an online-first publication in the journal Genes, Brain and Behavior, the researchers identified the hierarchical tree of CGG-TF networks that determine the patterns of genes expressed during brain development and found that some "master transcription factors" at the top level of the hierarchy regulated the expression of a significant number of gene groups.

Instead of a taking the approach that a single gene creates a single response, researchers used contemporary methods of data analysis, along with the Gordon supercomputer at the university's San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), to identify CGGs responsible for brain development which can be affected for treatment of mental disorders. The team found that these groups of genes act in concert to send signals at various levels of the hierarchy to other groups of genes, which control the general and more specific (depending of the level) events in brain structure development.

"We have proposed a novel, though still hypothetical, strategy of drug design based on this hierarchical network of TFs that could pave the way for a new category of pharmacological agents that could be used to block a pathway at a critical time during brain development as an effective way to treat and even prevent mental disorders such as ASD and schizophrenia," said lead author Igor Tsigelny, a research scientist with SDSC, as well as the university's Moores Cancer Center and Department of Neurosciences. "On a broader scale, these findings have the potential to change the paradigm of drug design."

Using samples taken from three different regions of the brains of rats, the researchers used Gordon and SDSC's BiologicalNetworks server to conduct numerous levels of analysis, starting with processing of microarray data and SOM (self-organizing maps) clustering, before determining which gene zones were associated with significant developmental changes and brain disorders.

Researchers then conducted analyses of stages of development and quick comparisons between rat and human brain development, in addition to pathway analyses and functional and hierarchical network analyses. The team then analyzed specific gene-TF interactions, with a focus on neurological disorders, before investigating further directions for drug design based on analysis of the hierarchical networks.

Tsigelny's collaborators included Valentina L. Kouzentsova (SDSC and Moores), Michael Baitaluk (SDSC); and Jean-Pierre Changeux, with the Institut Pasteur, in Paris, France. Changeux also is a Skaggs distinguished visiting professor in pharmacology at UC San Diego (2008) and a member of the foreign faculty at UC San Diego's Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind. In addition to SDSC and its computational resources, support for the research paper, called A Hierarchical Coherent-Gene-Group Model for Brain Development, was provided by National Institutes of Health grant # GM084881 for Baitaluk.

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Novel studies of gene regulation in brain development may mean new treatment of mental disorders

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The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to consider whether human genes can be patented, taking up an issue that has split the medical community and will shape the future of personalized health care and the biotechnology industry.

The justices yesterday said they will hear a challenge to Myriad Genetics Inc. (MYGN)s patents on genetic material used in tests for breast and ovarian cancer. Doctors, researchers and patients are opposing the patents, arguing that Myriads monopoly over the genes is blocking clinical testing and research.

Myriad and other gene patent holders have gained the right to exclude the rest of the scientific community from examining the naturally occurring genes of every person in the United States, the group argued in its appeal, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Biotechnology companies say they have been getting patents on genes for 30 years -- and cant attract investment dollars unless they can protect their research from competitors. A study published in 2005 by Science magazine found that 20 percent of human genes had some level of patent protection.

Any move to change that system, particularly with the deeply settled reliance interests of the technology and investing communities at stake, should be addressed to Congress, not the courts, Salt Lake City-based Myriad argued in court papers that urged rejection of the appeal.

The nations highest court will hear arguments, probably in March, and rule by the end of June.

The central legal question is whether isolated DNA -- genetic coding that has been removed from the body and separated from other material -- is a product of nature and thus ineligible for patent protection. In largely backing Myriads patents, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said isolated DNA could be patented.

The isolated DNA molecules before us are not found in nature, Circuit Judge Alan Lourie wrote. They are obtained in the laboratory and are man-made, the product of human ingenuity. While they are prepared from products of nature, so is every other composition of matter.

Genes are encoded strands of nucleotides in different sequences that are responsible for inherited traits. In isolating genes, Myriad strips out unneeded information to home in on aspects that determine whether a person has a higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

The challengers say isolated DNA is identical to the coding that exists naturally in the body.

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Gene Patents Draw High Court Review in Biotechnology Test

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ScienceDaily (Nov. 29, 2012) Lung cancer researchers at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz., in collaboration with researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute and other institutions, have identified a gene that plays a role in the growth and spread of non-small cell lung cancer tumors, opening the door for potential new treatment options.

The study, titled "Elevated Expression of Fn14 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Correlates with Activated EGFR and Promotes Tumor Cell Migration and Invasion," was published in the May 2012 issue of The American Journal of Pathology. Landon J. Inge, PhD, is the lead scientist in the thoracic oncology laboratory at St. Joseph's Center for Thoracic Disease and Transplantation and was a member of the study's research team.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and approximately 85 percent of these cancers are non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Patients with NSCLC frequently have tumors with mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene. When activated, this mutated gene leads to tumor development and growth. By studying lung cancer samples from patients who had undergone tumor resection, the researchers discovered that many patients with EGFR mutations also exhibited higher than normal levels of the gene fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14). The researchers believe that activation of EGFR can lead to increased expression and activity of the Fn14 gene.

The research team also discovered that while over-expression of Fn14 enhances lung tumor formation and metastasis, suppression of Fn14 reduces metastasis in NSCLC.

"Our data suggest that Fn14 levels can contribute to NSCLC cell migration and invasion," says Dr. Inge. "Thus, tumor suppression through the targeting of Fn14 may prove to be a therapeutic intervention in NSCLC and other tumor types."

The Fn14 gene has been found to be elevated in other types of tumors, as well, including glioblastoma and certain types of breast cancer, suggesting that Fn14 may be a therapeutic target for multiple cancer therapies.

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Gene involved in lung tumor growth identified

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Public release date: 29-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sara Baird sara.baird@dignityhealth.org 602-406-3312 St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center

(Phoenix, AZ Nov. 27, 2012) Lung cancer researchers at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Ariz., in collaboration with researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute and other institutions, have identified a gene that plays a role in the growth and spread of non-small cell lung cancer tumors, opening the door for potential new treatment options.

The study, titled "Elevated Expression of Fn14 in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Correlates with Activated EGFR and Promotes Tumor Cell Migration and Invasion," was published in the May 2012 issue of The American Journal of Pathology. Landon J. Inge, PhD, is the lead scientist in the thoracic oncology laboratory at St. Joseph's Center for Thoracic Disease and Transplantation and was a member of the study's research team.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, and approximately 85 percent of these cancers are non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Patients with NSCLC frequently have tumors with mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene. When activated, this mutated gene leads to tumor development and growth. By studying lung cancer samples from patients who had undergone tumor resection, the researchers discovered that many patients with EGFR mutations also exhibited higher than normal levels of the gene fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 (Fn14). The researchers believe that activation of EGFR can lead to increased expression and activity of the Fn14 gene.

The research team also discovered that while over-expression of Fn14 enhances lung tumor formation and metastasis, suppression of Fn14 reduces metastasis in NSCLC.

"Our data suggest that Fn14 levels can contribute to NSCLC cell migration and invasion," says Dr. Inge. "Thus, tumor suppression through the targeting of Fn14 may prove to be a therapeutic intervention in NSCLC and other tumor types."

The Fn14 gene has been found to be elevated in other types of tumors, as well, including glioblastoma and certain types of breast cancer, suggesting that Fn14 may be a therapeutic target for multiple cancer therapies.

###

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St. Joseph's researchers identify gene involved in lung tumor growth

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HOUSTON, Nov. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The world's largest processor of full mitochondria sequences, Gene By Gene, Ltd., today announced the launch of DNA DTC to offer highly reliable and competitively priced genomic testing solutions to institutional customers as well as to the Direct-to-Consumer market.

Genomic investigators at life science companies, contract research organizations, academic institutions and public-sector research facilities now have access to the company's Genomics Research Center, a CLIA registered lab, which has processed more than 5 million discrete DNA tests for more than 700,000 individuals and organizations since it was established 12 years ago.

"Given the explosive demand for accurate, timely, and large-scale next generation sequencing, we're pleased to make our Genomics Research Center available to investigators exploring the cutting edge of research to pioneer and enhance treatment of disease, enhance quality of life, break new ground in genealogical inquiry and otherwise advance the science of genomics," Gene By Gene President Bennett Greenspan said. "The launch of DNA DTC is the perfect complement to our other divisions, through which we make genetic testing advances every day in the fields of ancestry, health and relationship testing."

DNA DTC's Houston research center offers a wide range of Research Use Only (RUO) tests, utilizing next generation sequencing including the entire exome (at 80x coverage) and the whole genome. The company offers several products at various levels of analysis and price-points, from cost effective and powerful tools like the Illumina Human OmniExpress BeadChip for genome-wide association studies (GWAS), to human mitochondrial tests, to the comprehensive results delivered by DNA DTC's Exome and Whole Genome Sequencing products.

"Gene By Gene is a truly unique organization in their ability to drive advancements and discoveries in research, clinical applications, and consumer products. We are very excited to be involved in building such a well rounded offering," said Matt Posard, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Illumina's Translational and Consumer Genomics business.

DNA DTC's automated laboratory and processes allow highly reliable testing with remarkable processing times and the most competitive prices in the industry. For example, DNA DTC offers introductory pricing of $695 for Exome Sequencing 80x, using the Illumina HiSeq platform recognized for its high degree of accuracy in identifying variations in any individual's DNA sequence.

With the launch of DNA DTC, institutional customers may take full advantage of Gene By Gene's proven Genomics Research Center, which has already served the needs of researchers from France's Institut Pasteur, Israel's Rabin Medical Center, University of Utah and the National Geographic Society's Genographic Project. The facility processes more than 200 types of DNA tests for customers, is a leading discoverer of Y-chromosome Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), and is the largest processor of human mitochondria sequences submitted to the National Institute of Health's (NIH) National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) GenBank.

The company employs experienced scientists, including Chief Scientist Doron Behar MD, PhD., whose academic background, combined with his dual degrees in Internal Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, gives him unique expertise in evolutionary genomics, ancestry, phylogenetics and translational genomics. Behar leads a multi-disciplinary team of experts working together to develop robust, competitively-priced genetic testing for consumers and institutional customers worldwide.

Customer Inquiries

Prospective institutional customers interested in more information on DNA DTC's RUO offering may visit http://www.dnadtc.com or contact the DNA DTC customer service team at info@dnadtc.com or 713-868-1438.

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Gene By Gene Launches DNA DTC

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The case the court added to its docket concerns patents held by Myriad Genetics, a Utah company, on genes that correlate with increased risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

The patents were challenged by scientists and doctors who said that their research and ability to help patients had been frustrated. Myriad and other gene patent holders have gained the right to exclude the rest of the scientific community from examining the naturally occurring genes of every person in the United States, the plaintiffs told the Supreme Court in their petition seeking review. They added that the patents prevent patients from examining their own genetic information and made it impossible to obtain second opinions.

The legal question for the justices is whether isolated genes are products of nature that may not be patented or human-made inventions eligible for patent protection.

A divided three-judge panel of a federal appeals court in Washington ruled for the company. Each judge issued an opinion, and a central dispute was whether isolated genes are sufficiently different from ones in the body to allow them to be patented.

The isolated DNA molecules before us are not found in nature, wrote Judge Alan D. Lourie, who was in the majority. They are obtained in the laboratory and are man-made, the product of human ingenuity.

The company urged the justices not to hear the case, saying that the isolated molecules at issue were created by humans, do not occur in nature and have new and significant utilities not found in nature. It has long been settled, the companys brief went on, that the human ingenuity required to create isolated DNA molecules is worthy of encouragement and that its fruits are worthy of protection.

The plaintiffs in the case, Association of Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, No. 12-398, were supported by friend-of-the-court briefs filed by the American Medical Association, AARP and womens health groups.

The justices were also scheduled to consider on Friday 10 closely watched appeals in cases concerning same-sex marriage, but they gave no indications about which ones, if any, they will hear. It is not unusual for the justices to discuss petitions seeking their attention more than once, particularly when the cases present complex and overlapping issues.

The court is widely expected to agree to hear one or more cases on the constitutionality of the part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 that forbids the federal government from providing benefits to same-sex couples married in states that allow such unions.

The court has also been asked to hear cases about Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that banned same-sex marriage in California, and an Arizona measure that withdrew state benefits from both gay and straight domestic partners.

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Supreme Court Takes Up Question of Patents in Gene Research

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(Phys.org)Transposable elementsor transposonsare DNA sequences that move in the genome from one location to another. Discovered in the 1940s, for years they were thought to be unimportant and were called "junk DNA." But now scientists recognize that these bits of DNA play vital roles in gene and genome evolution, and are important genetic tools for genome engineering.

A group of scientists recently identified two transposable elementsTcBuster and Space Invaderthat are highly active in human cells, offering powerful genetic tools for mammalian genome engineering.

TcBuster, found in a beetle (Tribolium castaneum), was discovered at the University of California, Riversidespecifically, in the lab of Peter Atkinson, a professor of entomology and the director of the Center for Disease Vector Research. It has an activity comparable with other transposons already used in human gene therapy clinical trials.

"TcBuster is an active transposon, which means it can excise from and integrate into DNA," Atkinson said. "This is important because it has the ability to move genes into genomes and so can be developed as a genetic tool outside of Tribolium. It has been very difficult to identify active transposons but our ability to do so has increased with the use of bioinformatics tools with which to interrogate the ever expanding genomes that are being sequenced. Insects turn out to be particularly rich sources of active transposable elements. The bioinformatics approach we took enabled us to identify several such transposons."

Atkinson explained that TcBuster transposes at a high frequency, approaching that of the piggyBac and Sleeping Beauty transposons, considered to be the gold standard of transposons used in human gene therapy for delivering beneficial genes to the human gene in order to treat genetic disease.

"There are several clinical trials underway in labs using piggyBac in human gene therapy," he said. "TcBuster's high activity provides a new transposable element tool for this approach to treating some diseases."

Research results were published online, ahead of print, in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Oct. 22 and in PLOS ONE earlier this month. Atkinson is a coauthor on both research papers.

More information: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23091042 and http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0042666

Journal reference: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences PLoS ONE

Provided by University of California - Riverside

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Scientists identify two transposons that are active in human cells

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Public release date: 29-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Vicki Cohn vcohn@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 x2156 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, November 29, 2012Osteoporosis, or reduced bone mineral density that can increase the risk of fractures, may affect as many as 30% of women and 12% of men worldwide. One risk factor for osteoporosis is vitamin D deficiency. A modified form of the vitamin D receptor present in some individuals may lower their risk for developing osteoporosis, according to an article in Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available on the Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers website.

To act on cells in the body, vitamin D binds to a specific receptor on the surface of cells. A variation in the gene for the vitamin D receptor (called the Bsm I polymorphism) may change this interaction. In the article, "Vitamin D Receptor BSM I Polymorphism and Osteoporosis Risk: A Meta-Analysis from 26 Studies," authors Fu Jia and colleagues, Kunming Medical University and Yunnan University of Chinese Traditional Medicine, Yunnan, People's Republic of China, report that people with this genetic variation appear to have a significantly decreased risk of developing osteoporosis.

"This meta-analysis provides a pathway to help determine the likelihood that a person may develop osteoporosis and is a good example for the potential application of genetics to clinical medicine," says Kenneth I. Berns, MD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers, and Director of the University of Florida's Genetics Institute, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL.

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About the Journal

Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published 12 times per year in print and online that reports on all aspects of genetic testing, including molecular and biochemical based tests and varied clinical situations; ethical, legal, social, and economic aspects of genetic testing; and issues concerning effective genetic counseling. Tables of content and a free sample issue may be viewed on the Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers website.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Human Gene Therapy and OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 70 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.

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Can a genetic variation in the vitamin D receptor protect against osteoporosis?

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Scientists from the United States, United Kingdom and Germany recently completed the first analysis of the bread wheat genome, one of the "big three" global crops upon which mankind depends for nutrition.

"The gene sequences generated provide new and very powerful resources not only for basic research but also for breeding future generations of wheat more quickly and more attuned to local environmental conditions," said John C. Wingfield, assistant director of the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Biological Sciences.

"Wheat is a seminally important crop along with rice and corn. This international effort that includes NSF-supported scientists leveraged funding and resources from across the globe to support the broader wheat research community," said Wingfield.

NSF's Division of Integrative Organismal Systems through its Plant Genome Research Program funded research in the United States conducted at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York and at University of California, Davis. Details of the genomic analysis are in this week's Nature magazine.

Previously, the size and complexity of the wheat genome had been significant barriers to performing a complete analysis. But, the researchers were able to make rapid progress by developing a new strategy that compared wheat sequences to known grass genes--from rice and barley, for example.

Then they compared these known grass genes to direct ancestors of wheat, whose genomes are much simpler than modern wheat cereal grasses. This revealed a highly dynamic genome.

"The raw data of the wheat genome is like having tens of billions of scrabble letters," said Neil Hall, a lead researcher at the University of Liverpool's Centre for Genome Research in the United Kingdom. "You know which letters are present and their quantities, but they need to be assembled on the board in the right sequence before you can spell out their order into genes."

The gene comparison also revealed a wheat genome that has undergone genetic loss as a consequence of domestication.

Archeological and genetic evidence points to the South Caspian Basin near Iran and Azerbaijan as the origin of bread wheat cultivation about 8,000 years ago. Its cultivation is directly associated with the rapid spread of settled societies.

Today, wheat is one of the most widely cultivated crops due to its adaptability, high yields and nutritional and processing qualities. But new diseases and sub-optimal growing conditions have steadily reduced yields, increased prices and reduced reserves.

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Bread Wheat's Genetic Code Breakthrough

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