Public release date: 19-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Bonnie Davis bdavis@wakehealth.edu 336-399-8274 Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. Sept. 19, 2012 A genetic mutation that occurred thousands of years ago might be the answer to how early humans were able to move from central Africa and across the continent in what has been called "the great expansion," according to new research from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

By analyzing genetic sequence variation patterns in different populations around the world, three teams of scientists from Wake Forest Baptist, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, demonstrated that a critical genetic variant arose in a key gene cluster on chromosome 11, known as the fatty acid desaturase cluster or FADS, more than 85,000 years ago. This variation would have allowed early humans to convert plant-based polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to brain PUFAs necessary for increased brain size, complexity and function. The FADS cluster plays a critical role in determining how effectively medium-chain PUFAs found in plants are converted to the long-chain PUFAs found in the brain.

This research is published online today in PLOS One.

Archeological and genetic studies suggest that homo sapiens appeared approximately 180,000 years ago, but stayed in one location around bodies of water in central Africa for almost 100,000 years. Senior author Floyd H. "Ski" Chilton, Ph.D., professor of physiology and pharmacology and director of the Center for Botanical Lipids and Inflammatory Disease Prevention at Wake Forest Baptist, and others have hypothesized that this location was critical, in part, because early humans needed large amounts of the long-chain PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is found in shellfish and fish, to support complex brain function.

"This may have kept early humans tethered to the water in central Africa where there was a constant food source of DHA," Chilton said. "There has been considerable debate on how early humans were able to obtain sufficient DHA necessary to maintain brain size and complexity. It's amazing to think we may have uncovered the region of genetic variation that arose about the time that early humans moved out of this central region in what has been called the 'great expansion.'"

Once this trait arose, the study shows that it was under intense selective pressure and thus rapidly spread throughout the population of the entire African continent. "The power of genetics continually impresses me, and I find it remarkable that we can make inferences about things that happened tens of thousands of years ago by studying patterns of genetic variation that exist in contemporary populations," said Joshua M. Akey, Ph.D., lead scientist at the University of Washington.

This conversion meant that early humans didn't have to rely on just one food source, fish, for brain growth and development. This may have been particularly important because the genetic variant arose before organized hunting and fishing could have provided more reliable sources of long-chain PUFAs, Akey said.

To investigate the evolutionary forces shaping patterns of variation in the FADS gene cluster in geographically diverse populations, the researchers analyzed 1,092 individuals representing 15 different human populations that were sequenced as part of the 1000 Genome Project and 1,043 individuals from 52 populations from the Human Genome Diversity Panel database. They focused on the FADS cluster because they knew those genes code for the enzymatic steps in long-chain PUFA synthesis that are the least efficient.

More:
Genetic mutation may have allowed early humans to migrate throughout Africa, research says

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

If you are tired of Googling the possible consequences of genetic inheritance and the severity of hereditary cases related to cancer, then Slidell Memorial Hospitals Regional Cancer Center might just be the ticket to that information.

On Sept. 6, hospital officials announced that their business has unleashed a new frontier in the fight against cancer; something they say comes in the form of a Genetics Clinic, now open to the community.

For patients diagnosed with cancer, if their type of cancer has an inherited aspect, their family members must confront the possibility they may be at increased risk of also developing cancer, said SMH in a news release.

Such scenario is the direct reason the hospital has recently opened a genetics clinic.

Our program will provide genetic counseling and testing to people who are at increased risk for hereditary cancer, said Mathew McElveen, M.D., medical oncologist and SMHRCC medical director. This is about helping them make informed medical decisions based on their own personal risk assessment.

Genetics risk assessments can have a huge impact on a persons life by allowing them to better manage their health and reduce their risk of ever developing cancer, said Clinical Geneticist Duane W. Superneau, M.D., medical director of Our Lake of the Lake Genetics Services.

Superneau will see clients twice a month at the SMHRCC Genetics Clinic in Slidell.

All support work, such as scheduling appointments and lab work, will be done on-site at SMHRCC, McElveen said. This means patients in the city of Slidell and the surrounding community will not have to travel very far for such testing and counseling.

The National Cancer Institute states that a cancer genetics clinic, such as the one just setup at SMHRCC, is a core component of a comprehensive cancer program because these services allow affected families access to cancer prevention and early-detection methods. Several issues that indicate a person could benefit from an assessment include: family history of early-onset cancers, family member on same side with same or related cancer, family member has more than one type of cancer, or family is of Jewish ancestry with a family history of breast, ovarian or pancreatic cancers, or family history of a rare type of cancer or tumor.

Most cases Superneau will deal with will pertain to cancer, but any patient with a non-cancer genetic disorder, can also be seen in the clinic.

More here:
Slidell Memorial Hospital brings new age to local genetics

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Sharks are color blind, new research suggests, with the toothy predators likely forever seeing the world in black and white.

The study, published in the latest Royal Society Biology Letters, is the first to investigate the genetic basis and spectral tuning of the shark visual system.

The ramifications could be huge, helping to save both sharks and people.

"The work will have a major influence on human interactions with sharks," co-author Nathan Hart, a research associate professor at the University of Western Australia's School of Animal Biology and The Oceans Institute, told Discovery News.

NEWS: Sharks Get Worry-Free Tans

"Firstly, this knowledge may enable us to design fishing gear that is more specific for target fish species and thus reduces unnecessary bycatch of sharks," Hart continued. "Secondly, it may help us to design equipment that is less attractive to sharks (wetsuits and surfboards, for example) that may help to reduce attacks on humans."

Building on a study from last year, Hart and his colleagues isolated and sequenced genes encoding shark photopigments involved in vision. Photopigments are light-sensitive molecules. Through a biochemical process, they signal this detection of light to the rest of the visual system.

Photopigments are found in two places: rods and cones. The former type is more sensitive and is generally used under very dim light. The latter type is smaller and less sensitive, but is faster responding, applying more to brighter-light conditions.

The researchers determined that the studied sharks, in this case two wobbegong species, are cone monochromats. This means that the sharks only had one type of cone and one type of rod gene, supporting that they are color-blind. The findings strengthen earlier speculation about not only wobbegongs, but other shark species.

NEWS: Shark Paradise Found

Continued here:
Genetics confirms sharks are color blind

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Public release date: 18-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Andy Hoang ahoang@salk.edu 619-861-5811 Salk Institute

LA JOLLA, CA---- Salk scientists have identified a unique molecular signature in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), "reprogrammed" cells that show great promise in regenerative medicine thanks to their ability to generate a range of body tissues.

In this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Salk scientists and their collaborators at University of California, San Diego, report that there is a consistent, signature difference between embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. The findings could help overcome hurdles to using the induced stem cells in regenerative medicine.

"We believe that iPSCs hold a great potential for the treatment of human patients," says Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, a professor in Salk's Gene Expression Laboratory and the senior author on the paper. "Yet we must thoroughly understand the molecular mechanisms governing their safety profile in order to be confident of their function in the human body. With the discovery of these small, yet apparent, epigenetic differences, we believe that we are now one step closer to that goal."

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are known for their "pluripotency," the ability to differentiate into nearly any cell in the body. Because of this ability, it has long been thought that ESCs would be ideal to customize for therapeutic uses. However, when ESCs mature into specific cell types, and are then transplanted into a patient, they may elicit immune responses, potentially causing the patient to reject the cells.

In 2006, scientists discovered how to revert mature cells, which had already differentiated into particular cell types, such as skin cells or hair cells, back into a pluripotent state. These "induced pluripotent stem cells" (iPSCs), which could be developed from the patient's own cells, would theoretically carry no risk of immune rejection.

However, scientists found that iPSCs had molecular differences from embryonic stem cells. Specifically, there were epigenetic changes, chemical modifications in DNA that might alter genetic activity. At certain points in the iPSC's genome, scientists could see the presence of different patterns of methyl groups when compared to the genomes of ESCs. It seemed these changes occurred randomly.

Izpisua Belmonte and his colleagues wanted to understand more about these differences. Were they truly random, or was there a discernable pattern?

Unlike previous studies, which had primarily analyzed iPSCs derived from only one mature type of cells (mainly connective tissue cells called fibroblasts), the Salk and UCSD researchers examined iPSCs derived from six different mature cell types to see if there were any commonalities. They discovered that while there were hundreds of unpredictable changes, there were some that remained consistent across the cell types: the same nine genes were associated with these common changes in all iPSCs.

See the original post here:
Discovery of reprogramming signature may help further stem cell-based regenerative medicine research

Recommendation and review posted by sam

GAITHERSBURG, MD--(Marketwire - Sep 19, 2012) - Cytomedix, Inc. ( OTCQX : CMXI ), a fully integrated regenerative medicine company commercializing and developing innovative platelet and adult stem cell technologies, today announced that Martin P. Rosendale, Chief Executive Officer of Cytomedix, will present a corporate update at BIOX; Noble Financial Capital Markets' Life Sciences Exposition to be held at the University of Connecticut, Stamford Campus on September, 24-25, 2012.Mr. Rosendale's presentation will take place on Monday, September 24th at 8:00 a.m. Eastern time.

In addition to the corporate presentation, Mr. Rosendale will be a participant on the panel presentation titled "Advancements in Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine," on September 24th at 11:45 a.m.

Following the event, a high-definition video webcast of the Company's presentation and a copy of the presentation materials will be available on the Company's web site at http://www.cytomedix.com, or through the Noble Financial websites: http://www.noblefcm.com, or http://www.nobleresearch.com/BioExposition.htm. Microsoft SilverLight viewer (a free download from the presentation link) is required to participate. The webcast will be archived on Cytomedix's website for 90 days following the event.

About Noble Financial Noble Financial Capital Markets was established in 1984 and is an equity research driven, full-service, investment banking boutique focused on life sciences, technology and media, emerging growth, companies. The company has offices in New York, Boston, New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Boca Raton, FL. In addition to non-deal road shows and sector-specific conferences throughout the year, Noble Financial hosts its large format annual equity conference in January in South Florida featuring 150 presenting companies from across North America and total attendance of close to 600. For more information: http://www.noblefcm.com.

About Cytomedix, Inc. Cytomedix, Inc. is a fully integrated regenerative medicine company commercializing and developing innovative platelet and adult stem cell separation products that enhance the body's natural healing processes. The Company's advanced autologous technologies offer clinicians a new treatment paradigm for wound and tissue repair. The Company's patient-derived PRP systems are marketed by Cytomedix in the U.S. and distributed internationally.Our commercial products include the AutoloGel System, cleared by the FDA for wound care and the Angel Whole Blood Separation System. The Company is developing novel regenerative therapies using our proprietary ALDH Bright Cell ("ALDHbr") technology to isolate a unique, biologically active population of a patient's own stem cells.A Phase 2 trial evaluating the use of ALDHbr for the treatment of ischemic stroke is underway. For additional information please visit http://www.cytomedix.com.

Safe Harbor Statement Statements contained in this press release not relating to historical facts are forward-looking statements that are intended to fall within the safe harbor rule for such statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The information contained in the forward-looking statements is inherently uncertain, and Cytomedix' actual results may differ materially due to a number of factors, many of which are beyond Cytomedix' ability to predict or control, including among many others, risks and uncertainties related to the Company's reimbursement related efforts,the Company's ability to capitalize on the benefits of the above-referenced CMS determination, the Company's ability to successfully and favorably conclude the negotiations and related discussions with the above-referenced global pharmaceutical company, the Company's ability to successfully integrate the Aldagen acquisition, to successfully manage contemplated clinical trials, to manage and address the capital needs, human resource, management, compliance and other challenges of a larger, more complex and integrated business enterprise, viability and effectiveness of the Company's sales approach and overall marketing strategies, commercial success or acceptance by the medical community, competitive responses, the Company's ability to raise additional capital and to continue as a going concern, and Cytomedix's ability to execute on its strategy to market the AutoloGel System as contemplated. To the extent that any statements made here are not historical, these statements are essentially forward-looking. The Company uses words and phrases such as "believes," "forecasted," "projects," "is expected," "remain confident," "will" and/or similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements in this press release. Undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events to differ from the forward-looking statements. More information about some of these risks and uncertainties may be found in the reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Cytomedix, Inc. Cytomedix operates in a highly competitive and rapidly changing business and regulatory environment, thus new or unforeseen risks may arise. Accordingly, investors should not place any reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Except as is expressly required by the federal securities laws, Cytomedix undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, changed circumstances or future events or for any other reason. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and other subsequent filings. These filings are available at http://www.sec.gov.

Excerpt from:
Cytomedix to Present at BIOX; Noble Financial Capital Markets' Life Sciences Exposition

Recommendation and review posted by sam

ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BioTime, Inc. (NYSE MKT: BTX) announced that Chief Executive Officer Michael D. West, Ph.D. will present at the Stem Cells USA & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2012 in Cambridge, MA on Thursday, September 20, 2012. Dr. West will speak on Second Generation hES Cell-Based Therapies: Achieving Purity and Scalability in the Midst of Diversity in the session Developments in Novel Therapeutics. The presentation will be made available on BioTime's website at http://www.biotimeinc.com.

The Stem Cells USA & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2012, September 20-21, is North Americas leading commercial stem cell event. This years conference will focus on strategies and business models for navigating the stem cell and regenerative medicine marketplace for pharma, biotech, and investors.

About BioTime, Inc.

BioTime, headquartered in Alameda, California, is a biotechnology company focused on regenerative medicine and blood plasma volume expanders. Its broad platform of stem cell technologies is enhanced through subsidiaries focused on specific fields of application. BioTime develops and markets research products in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, including a wide array of proprietary ACTCellerate cell lines, HyStem hydrogels, culture media, and differentiation kits. BioTime is developing Renevia (formerly known as HyStem-Rx), a biocompatible, implantable hyaluronan and collagen-based matrix for cell delivery in human clinical applications. BioTime's therapeutic product development strategy is pursued through subsidiaries that focus on specific organ systems and related diseases for which there is a high unmet medical need. BioTime's majority owned subsidiary Cell Cure Neurosciences Ltd. is developing therapeutic products derived from stem cells for the treatment of retinal and neural degenerative diseases. BioTime's subsidiary OrthoCyte Corporation is developing therapeutic applications of stem cells to treat orthopedic diseases and injuries. Another subsidiary, OncoCyte Corporation, focuses on the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of stem cell technology in cancer, including the diagnostic product PanC-Dx currently being developed for the detection of cancer in blood samples. ReCyte Therapeutics, Inc. is developing applications of BioTime's proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell technology to reverse the developmental aging of human cells to treat cardiovascular and blood cell diseases. BioTime's subsidiary, LifeMap Sciences, Inc., markets GeneCards, the leading human gene database, and is developing an integrated database suite to complement GeneCards that will also include the LifeMap database of embryonic development, stem cell research and regenerative medicine, and MalaCards, the human disease database. LifeMap will also market BioTime research products. BioTime's lead product, Hextend, is a blood plasma volume expander manufactured and distributed in the U.S. by Hospira, Inc. and in South Korea by CJ CheilJedang Corporation under exclusive licensing agreements. Additional information about BioTime can be found on the web at http://www.biotimeinc.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements pertaining to future financial and/or operating results, future growth in research, technology, clinical development, and potential opportunities for BioTime and its subsidiaries, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as "will," "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates") should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the business of BioTime and its subsidiaries, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in BioTime's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. BioTime disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

To receive ongoing BioTime corporate communications, please click on the following link to join our email alert list:

http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=83805&p=irol-alerts

Original post:
BioTime CEO Michael D. West to Present at Stem Cells USA & Regenerative Medicine Congress 2012

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Queenstown Regenerative Medicine - http://www.queenstownRM.co.nz

Professor Richard Boyd and Dr Dan Bates Latest developments of Stem Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine

Queenstown Regenerative Medicine, in association with Monash University Immunology and Stem Cell Centre (MISCL), has the pleasure of requesting your attendance at an evening lecture by Prof Richard Boyd, Head of MISCL and Dr Dan Bates, Sports Medicine Physician from Melbourne AFL Club.

Professor Richard Boyd is a world leader in the research and development of potential uses of stem cells to treat disease in both human and animal. He is the Director of Australia's largest and most prestigious Stem Cell Laboratory and a recipient of numerous International Awards for unique research into how stem cells and the immune system develop and how they have their effects in the body.

Professor Boyd's talk will give an overall background to stem cells and the work going on around the world to put these cellular therapies and regenerative medicine into the clinic.

Doctor Dan Bates is a Sports Medicine Physician working with Professor Boyd in the development and use of cellular medicine applications in the field of Sports Medicine and musculoskeletal injuries. Dan is the current team doctor of the Melbourne AFL club and will speak on his experiences using Platelet Rich Plasma to treat musculoskeletal injuries and the opening of stem cell treatment centres in conjunction with MISCL in Australia.

This is a unique opportunity to get first- hand knowledge from some of the best people in the field. These talks will be aimed at the practical applications of how you can use these therapies currently, as well as giving an idea of what the near future holds.

Date: Friday 21 September 2012 Time: from 6 pm 7.30 pm Location: Heritage Hotel, 91 Fernhill Road, Queenstown (Icon Conference Room) Cost: Free of charge

Scoop Media

Originally posted here:
Developments of Stem Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine

Recommendation and review posted by sam

NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE MKT:NBS) ("NeoStem" or the "Company"), a rapidly emerging market leader in the fast growing cell therapy market, today announced that Company management has been invited to participate at BIOX, the Noble Financial Capital Markets' Life Sciences Exposition on Monday, September 24. Company management will make a webcasted company presentation and participate in a cell therapy panel.

Noble Financial Capital Markets Investor Conference - BIOX Life Sciences Exposition

For more information about the conference, please visit http://www.nobleresearch.com/BIOX.htm.

About NeoStem, Inc.

NeoStem, Inc. continues to develop and build on its core capabilities in cell therapy, capitalizing on the paradigm shift that we see occurring in medicine. In particular, we anticipate that cell therapy will have a significant role in the fight against chronic disease and in lessening the economic burden that these diseases pose to modern society. We are emerging as a technology and market leading company in this fast developing cell therapy market. Our multi-faceted business strategy combines a state-of-the-art contract development and manufacturing subsidiary, Progenitor Cell Therapy, LLC ("PCT"), with a medically important cell therapy product development program, enabling near and long-term revenue growth opportunities. We believe this expertise and existing research capabilities and collaborations will enable us to achieve our mission of becoming a premier cell therapy company.

Our contract development and manufacturing service business supports the development of proprietary cell therapy products. NeoStem's most clinically advanced therapeutic, AMR-001, is being developed at Amorcyte, LLC ("Amorcyte"), which we acquired in October 2011. Amorcyte is developing a cell therapy for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and is enrolling patients in a Phase 2 trial to investigate AMR-001's efficacy in preserving heart function after a heart attack. Athelos Corporation ("Athelos"), which is approximately 80%-owned by our subsidiary, PCT, is collaborating with Becton-Dickinson in the early clinical exploration of a T-cell therapy for autoimmune conditions. In addition, pre-clinical assets include our VSELTM Technology platform as well as our mesenchymal stem cell product candidate for regenerative medicine. Our service business and pipeline of proprietary cell therapy products work in concert, giving us a competitive advantage that we believe is unique to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Supported by an experienced scientific and business management team and a substantial intellectual property estate, we believe we are well positioned to succeed.

For more information on NeoStem, please visit http://www.neostem.com.

Forward-Looking Statements for NeoStem, Inc.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations, as of the date of this press release, and involve certain risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include statements herein with respect to the successful execution of the Company's business strategy, including with respect to the Company's or its partners' successful development of AMR-001 and other cell therapeutics, the size of the market for such products, its competitive position in such markets, the Company's ability to successfully penetrate such markets and the market for its CDMO business, and the efficacy of protection from its patent portfolio, as well as the future of the cell therapeutics industry in general, including the rate at which such industry may grow. Forward looking statements also include statements with respect to satisfying all conditions to closing the disposition of Erye, including receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals in the PRC. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward- looking statements as a result of various factors, including but not limited to (i) the Company's ability to manage its business despite operating losses and cash outflows, (ii) its ability to obtain sufficient capital or strategic business arrangement to fund its operations, including the clinical trials for AMR-001, (iii) successful results of the Company's clinical trials of AMR-001 and other cellular therapeutic products that may be pursued, (iv) demand for and market acceptance of AMR-001 or other cell therapies if clinical trials are successful and the Company is permitted to market such products, (v) establishment of a large global market for cellular-based products, (vi) the impact of competitive products and pricing, (vii) the impact of future scientific and medical developments, (viii) the Company's ability to obtain appropriate governmental licenses and approvals and, in general, future actions of regulatory bodies, including the FDA and foreign counterparts, (ix) reimbursement and rebate policies of government agencies and private payers, (x) the Company's ability to protect its intellectual property, (xi) the company's ability to successfully divest its interest in Erye, and (xii) matters described under the "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 20, 2012 and in the Company's other periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available on its website. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements. The Company's further development is highly dependent on future medical and research developments and market acceptance, which is outside its control.

Go here to read the rest:
NeoStem to Present at Noble Capital Markets' Life Sciences Exposition on September 24

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

19 September 2012 Last updated at 01:39 ET

Dundee University researchers believe they have found a way to predict the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs in fighting ovarian cancer.

Scientists have discovered a gene called FGF1 was highly active in aggressive, advanced ovarian cancers.

They observed it was present at higher levels in cancer cells that were resistant to a common treatment for the disease.

The team hope the findings help to develop new cancer treatments.

Researchers measured amounts of a variety of genes in 187 ovarian cancer patients and found each cancer had a unique range of active genes.

However, FGF1 appeared to playing the greatest role in determining how cancers behave.

The team, based at the University's School of Medicine, found the gene called FGF1 was found at higher levels in cancer cells that are resistant to platinum chemotherapy treatments, such as carboplatin and cisplatin.

As a result, women with high levels of FGF1 are less likely to respond to these drugs and have a poorer prognosis.

The scientist believe measuring how active the gene is could predict which women with ovarian cancer will benefit from the drugs.

Originally posted here:
Gene key to chemotherapy efficacy

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

SHARSHERET, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Morflora (www.morflora.com), focused on innovative non-transgenic trait delivery technology for plant protection reports today that its TraitUP platform has been successfully used to deliver complex genetic material into seeds, providing protection against diseases and biotic stress for plants grown from treated seeds.

This achievement demonstrates the maturity and power of the TraitUP technology to effectively deliver traits via seed treatment in a fast non-transgenic manner, positioning TraitUP as the technology of choice for companies which engage in functional genomics. Many of the industry players invest substantial resources seeking effective solutions to discover desirable traits in plants and crops, such as protecting crops against diseases and biotic stress, increasing yield and quality, and more. These extensive research operations rely on genetic transformation for the delivery of the desired genes into the target plants, and the testing of their expression and function in the plant of interest.

TraitUP is a key enabling technology for this market, as it can shorten the research process by years, offering a significantly faster alternative to genetic engineering. This is done without changing the plant genome, while expanding the scope of experiments. Utilizing TraitUP increases the immediate availability of seeds of the target crop for experiments in both quantity and variety, providing a proof of concept and allowing researchers to start experimenting on the desired target seed faster than ever.

"We are not transforming plants. We are transforming the industry," said Dotan Peleg, CEO of Morflora. "Our technology follows our vision of increasing and securing the global agricultural production, in a sustainable manner. Morfloras technology will accelerate and broaden the trait research industry as the first step, and upon up-scaling of the seed treatment protocols for commercial use in mass-production of seeds, the next step will be to significantly reduce time and cost to market of numerous genetically optimized crops. The technology has not yet fully matured to meet all the challenges of our vision, yet it is making consistent progress towards fulfilling it. The recent achievement of delivering such a complex genetic construct into seeds without transforming the plants, while enabling them to express disease-tolerance, is a significant milestone."

The research of the delivery of disease control genes using TraitUP seed treatment is held under collaborations with several institutes and researchers, including Prof. Ilan Sela and Prof. Haim Rabinowitch who serve as Professional Board Members on Morflora's advisory board, Prof. Yaacov Katan - an expert in soil borne diseases from the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture atthe Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and experts from Volcani Center, the Israeli Agriculture Research Organization of the Ministry of Agriculture the Rural Development. These researches indicated that TraitUP treated vegetable seeds express specific antifungal trait, based on the delivery of the PRN genetic operon. Results demonstrate control of Fusaruim, Botrytis and other pathogens.

TraitUP has been recently short-listed in the crop protection focused AGROW awards competition in the 'Best Novel Agricultural Biotechnology' category. The company researchers together with hundreds of industry leaders will attend the award ceremony to be held on 7th November 2012 at London. Earlier this year Morflora was selected as a winner for Red Herring's Top 100 Europe award, a prestigious list honoring the years most promising private technology ventures from the European business region.

About Morflora Morflora develops generic and non transgenic trait delivery solutions into plants, to protect them from a wide variety of diseases, as well as introduce new desired traits for plant enhancement. The company targets the seed and plant treatment markets, offering technology and solutions to increase global crop yield and reduce dependency on chemical treatments and lengthy breeding processes.

Established in 2008, Morfloras mission is to become a leading supplier of plant protection and enhancement solutions for a variety of agricultural markets. For additional information please log on to http://www.morflora.com.

Continued here:
A Breakthrough In Agricultural Biotechnology –Trait Delivery Innovator Morflora Accelerates Gene Delivery Process in ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

FierceBiotech today named Foundation Medicine, Inc. as one of 2012's Fierce 15, designating it as one of the most promising private biotechnology companies in the industry. This is FierceBiotech's tenth annual Fierce 15 selection.

This company is fast. In just two years Foundation Medicine has developed a diagnostic test that helps investigators manage the fast-changing genetic information needed in clinical research and gives physicians a better tool to make some rational decisions on the drugs they choose to treat cancer victims, says FierceBiotech Editor John Carroll. Its drawn the backing of some high-profile tech investors like Google Ventures. And, a lineup of cancer drug developers has signed on to work with the company on key cancer drug programs.

We are honored to be named to the 2012Fierce15and believe this award is a testament to the progressFoundationMedicine continues to make toward our vision of transforming cancer care through the development of our fully informative genomic profile, said Michael J. Pellini, M.D., president and chief executive officer ofFoundationMedicine.

The Fierce 15 celebrates the spirit of being fierce championing innovation and creativity, even in the face of intense competition.

An internationally recognized daily newsletter reaching more than 100,000 biotech and pharma industry professionals, FierceBiotech provides subscribers with an authoritative analysis of the day's top stories. Every year FierceBiotech evaluates hundreds of private companies for its annual Fierce 15 list, which is based on a variety of factors such as the strength of its technology, partnerships, venture backers and a competitive market position.

The 2012 Fierce 15 companies will be recognized today at the BioPharm America conference in Boston. A complete list of "Fierce 15" companies the online newsletter's tenth annual selection is available online at http://www.fiercebiotech.com.

About Foundation Medicine

Foundation Medicine is a molecular information company dedicated to a transformation in cancer care in which treatment is informed by a deep understanding of the genomic changes that contribute to each patients unique cancer. The companys initial clinical product, FoundationOneTM, is a fully informative genomic profile to identify a patients individual molecular alterations and match them with relevant targeted therapies and clinical trials. Foundation Medicines molecular information platform aims to improve day-to-day care for patients by serving the needs of clinicians, academic researchers and drug developers to help advance the science of molecular medicine in cancer. For more information, please visit http://www.foundationmedicine.com.

Foundation Medicine is a registered trademark, and FoundationOneTM is a trademark of Foundation Medicine, Inc.

Read the rest here:
FierceBiotech Names Foundation Medicine as One of 2012’s Fierce 15

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Queenstown Regenerative Medicine - http://www.queenstownRM.co.nz

Professor Richard Boyd and Dr Dan Bates Latest developments of Stem Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine

Queenstown Regenerative Medicine, in association with Monash University Immunology and Stem Cell Centre (MISCL), has the pleasure of requesting your attendance at an evening lecture by Prof Richard Boyd, Head of MISCL and Dr Dan Bates, Sports Medicine Physician from Melbourne AFL Club.

Professor Richard Boyd is a world leader in the research and development of potential uses of stem cells to treat disease in both human and animal. He is the Director of Australia's largest and most prestigious Stem Cell Laboratory and a recipient of numerous International Awards for unique research into how stem cells and the immune system develop and how they have their effects in the body.

Professor Boyd's talk will give an overall background to stem cells and the work going on around the world to put these cellular therapies and regenerative medicine into the clinic.

Doctor Dan Bates is a Sports Medicine Physician working with Professor Boyd in the development and use of cellular medicine applications in the field of Sports Medicine and musculoskeletal injuries. Dan is the current team doctor of the Melbourne AFL club and will speak on his experiences using Platelet Rich Plasma to treat musculoskeletal injuries and the opening of stem cell treatment centres in conjunction with MISCL in Australia.

This is a unique opportunity to get first- hand knowledge from some of the best people in the field. These talks will be aimed at the practical applications of how you can use these therapies currently, as well as giving an idea of what the near future holds.

Date: Friday 21 September 2012 Time: from 6 pm 7.30 pm Location: Heritage Hotel, 91 Fernhill Road, Queenstown (Icon Conference Room) Cost: Free of charge

Scoop Media

Read the original post:
Developments of Stem Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

ScienceDaily (Sep. 18, 2012) Salk scientists have identified a unique molecular signature in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), "reprogrammed" cells that show great promise in regenerative medicine thanks to their ability to generate a range of body tissues.

In this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Salk scientists and their collaborators at University of California, San Diego, report that there is a consistent, signature difference between embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells. The findings could help overcome hurdles to using the induced stem cells in regenerative medicine.

"We believe that iPSCs hold a great potential for the treatment of human patients," says Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, a professor in Salk's Gene Expression Laboratory and the senior author on the paper. "Yet we must thoroughly understand the molecular mechanisms governing their safety profile in order to be confident of their function in the human body. With the discovery of these small, yet apparent, epigenetic differences, we believe that we are now one step closer to that goal."

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are known for their "pluripotency," the ability to differentiate into nearly any cell in the body. Because of this ability, it has long been thought that ESCs would be ideal to customize for therapeutic uses. However, when ESCs mature into specific cell types, and are then transplanted into a patient, they may elicit immune responses, potentially causing the patient to reject the cells.

In 2006, scientists discovered how to revert mature cells, which had already differentiated into particular cell types, such as skin cells or hair cells, back into a pluripotent state. These "induced pluripotent stem cells" (iPSCs), which could be developed from the patient's own cells, would theoretically carry no risk of immune rejection.

However, scientists found that iPSCs had molecular differences from embryonic stem cells. Specifically, there were epigenetic changes, chemical modifications in DNA that might alter genetic activity. At certain points in the iPSC's genome, scientists could see the presence of different patterns of methyl groups when compared to the genomes of ESCs. It seemed these changes occurred randomly.

Izpisua Belmonte and his colleagues wanted to understand more about these differences. Were they truly random, or was there a discernable pattern?

Unlike previous studies, which had primarily analyzed iPSCs derived from only one mature type of cells (mainly connective tissue cells called fibroblasts), the Salk and UCSD researchers examined iPSCs derived from six different mature cell types to see if there were any commonalities. They discovered that while there were hundreds of unpredictable changes, there were some that remained consistent across the cell types: the same nine genes were associated with these common changes in all iPSCs.

"We knew there were differences between iPSCs and ESCs," says Sergio Ruiz, first author of the paper, "We now have an identifying mark for what they are."

The therapeutic significance of these nine genes awaits further research. The importance of the current study is that it gives stem cells researchers a new and more precise understanding of iPSCs.

Link:
Discovery of reprogramming signature may help overcome barriers to stem cell-based regenerative medicine

Recommendation and review posted by sam

MENLO PARK, Calif. & GRAMBACH/GRAZ, Austria--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

DNA2.0, the leading bioengineering solutions provider and VTU Technology, the leader in Pichia pastoris protein expression services, today announced a partnership to develop and refine a gene design algorithm to enable maximized protein production in the yeast P. pastoris. The collaboration will combine VTUs deep P. pastoris expertise and AOX1 promoter technology with DNA2.0s gene design technology for robust translation.

Pichia is ideally suited for high-level expression of recombinant proteins for therapeutic and industrial applications, said Dr. Thomas Purkarthofer, Head of Business Development of VTU Technology. We are excited to merge the unparalleled strength of our P. pastoris expression system with DNA2.0s industry-leading gene design and expression optimization technology.

VTUs P. pastoris protein expression platform is based on engineered versions of the AOX1 promoter, one of the strongest eukaryotic promoters known. VTUs approach delivers up to 20 g/L of secreted protein within a few weeks development time, and the company has a proven track record for expressing commercial levels of a wide range of proteins including serum proteins, cytokines, fusion proteins, Fabs, antibody derived fragments, scaffold proteins and enzymes.

The protein target for this collaboration is DNA2.0s IP-free CometGFP, which is part of a novel family of fluorescent and colorimetric proteins developed by DNA2.0. The corresponding IP-free genes are brought to market without expensive, constrained licensing.

We developed our initial Pichia gene design algorithm with the world-leading P. pastoris laboratory of Anton Glieder, and we are thrilled to expand the breadth and scope of our P. pastoris technology for industrial scale applications with the proven commercial leader in the field, VTU Technology, said Jeremy Minshull, Ph.D., cofounder and CEO of DNA2.0. Controllable, consistent and strong protein expression is the goal regardless of the type of research in which you are engaged, and our patented GeneGPS technology has been proven to produce orders of magnitude increases in protein expression.

About VTU Technology:

VTU Technology is a leading provider of comprehensive services based on exclusive and innovative Pichia pastoris protein production technologies. With exclusive know-how and extensive experience, VTUs skilled team delivers fast-track development of high-performance industrial protein production strains enabling high expression yields and economically attractive production processes.

Headquartered in Grambach/Graz, Austria, VTU Technology is a private company and a subsidiary ofVTU Holding, an Austrian enterprise that combines several technology and engineering companies in chemistry, pharma & life science as well as power and fuel industries. For more information, please visit http://www.vtu-technology.com

About DNA2.0:

Go here to read the rest:
DNA2.0 Taps VTU Technology as Research Partner for Industrial Scale Protein Expression

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Public release date: 18-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jeremy Moore Jeremy.Moore@aacr.org 215-446-7109 American Association for Cancer Research

PHILADELPHIA Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA positivity alone, particularly when assessed using polymerase chain reaction methods, is a poor biomarker for HPV-driven head and neck cancers, according to two studies published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. These studies identified alternative potential markers including viral load, viral gene expression and the evaluation of HPV DNA in combination with certain HPV assays.

Prior research has established that HPV is a cause of some head and neck cancers, including oropharyngeal cancer, and that patients with HPV-associated disease tend to have a better clinical outcome. Consequently, the proper assessment of the clinical status of individual tumors has become a goal of clinicians treating this disease because HPV at the tumor site does not indicate causal involvement in the cancer.

In the first study, Dana Holzinger, Ph.D., of the division of genome modifications and carcinogenesis at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, Germany, and colleagues analyzed the potential of direct and indirect HPV markers to identify patients with HPV-driven tumors.

They analyzed 199 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma specimens for HPV DNA, viral load, RNA expression patterns seen in cervical carcinomas and the p16 protein, which is associated with tumor suppression.

Results indicated that the cervical cancer RNA expression pattern and viral load were associated with the lowest risk for death from oropharyngeal cancer. In contrast, a weaker association was found for samples that were HPV DNA-positive or that expressed the p16 protein.

"We showed that high viral load and a cancer-specific pattern of viral gene expression are most suited to identify patients with HPV-driven tumors among patients with oropharyngeal cancer," Holzinger said. "Viral expression pattern is a completely new marker in this field and viral load has hardly been analyzed before."

In a second study, researchers evaluated several biomarkers individually and in combination for overall survival among head and neck cancers including polymerase chain reaction-based and serological HPV DNA testing, and p16 immunohistochemistry.

They found that the expression of two oncoproteins, E6 and E7, was associated with improved survival in oropharyngeal disease. In addition, HPV DNA positivity or p16 expression combined with E6 and E7 expression were also associated with enhanced survival. However, neither HPV DNA positivity nor expression of p16 alone yielded a similar result.

See the article here:
Assessment of HPV DNA alone insufficient to identify HPV-driven head and neck cancers

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

London, Sep 18:

Scientists have identified a gene, which could be responsible for a womans maternal feelings towards her children.

Researchers at the Rockefeller University in New York found that mice engineered to suppress the gene spent less time licking, nursing and retrieving their pups compared with a control group.

The findings suggest the single gene could be responsible for motivating mothers to protect, feed and raise their young, The Telegraph reported.

Previous studies have found that a brain region called the medial preoptic area controls aggression, sexual receptivity and maternal care in mice.

However, the chemical mechanisms which influence these behaviours have remained largely unclear.

Research has established that nerve cells react to oestrogen, the female sex hormone, and contain high levels of oestrogen receptor alpha, a chemical linked to maternal care and sexual behaviour.

Scientists artificially lowered the levels of the chemical in the medial preoptic area of female mice, to examine how they functioned without it.

They found that the mice spent less time caring for their pups but that their levels of aggression remained unchanged.

The main finding of this paper is manipulation of a specific gene in a specific group of neurons (nerve cells) can drastically alter the expression of a complete, biologically crucial behaviour, said Dr Ana Ribiero, who led the study.

Excerpt from:
Gene responsible for ‘maternal feelings’ in women decoded

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Public release date: 18-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mattias Lorentzon, University of Gothenburg mattias.lorentzon@medic.gu.se 46-031-342-4929 University of Gothenburg

A big international study has identified a special gene that regulates bone density and bone strength. The gene can be used as a risk marker for fractures and opens up opportunities for preventive medicine against fractures. The study, led by the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, was published in the journal PLoS Genetics.

The international study, which involved more than 50 researchers from Europe, North America and Australia and was led by Associate Professor Mattias Lorentzon and Professor Claes Ohlsson at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, is based on extensive genetic analyses of the genetic material of 10,000 patients and experimental studies in mice.

Through the combined studies, researchers have succeeded in identifying a special gene, Wnt16, with a strong link to bone density and so-called cortical bone thickness, which is decisive to bone strength.

The genetic variation studied by the international research network could predict, for example, the risk of a forearm fracture in a large patient group of older women.

"In the experimental study, we could then establish that the gene had a crucial effect on the thickness and density of the femur. In mice without the Wnt16 gene, the strength of the femur was up to 61 per cent lower," according to Mattias Lorentzon at the Institute of Medicine, the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg.

The discovery opens up opportunities to develop new medicines to prevent the most common fractures.

"Low cortical bone mass is a decisive factor in, for example, hip and forearm fractures. Unfortunately, the treatments currently used for brittleness of the bones have very little effect on the cortical bone mass," says Mattias Lorentzon.

"If we can learn to stimulate the signaling routes of the Wnt16 gene, we could strengthen the skeleton in these parts too, thereby preventing the most common and serious fractures. The discovery of Wnt16 and its regulation of cortical bone mass is therefore very important," according to Mattias Lorentzon.

See original here:
New gene offers hope for preventive medicine against fractures

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

ScienceDaily (Sep. 17, 2012) The discovery of a new gene could lead to better bug-resistant plants.

Research led by Michigan State University and appearing on the cover of this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, demonstrates that domestic tomatoes could re-learn a thing or two from their wild cousins.

Long-term cultivation has led to tomato crops losing beneficial traits common to wild tomatoes. Anthony Schilmiller, MSU research assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, was able to identify a gene that is involved in one of these beneficial traits.

Many tomato secrets are found in its hair. Trichomes, or hair-like protrusions, produce a mixture of specialized chemicals that shape the interactions between the plant and its environment. The location of the chemicals allows some of them to act as the first line of defense against pests.

One class of compounds, acyl sugars, is a frontline defender. Trichomes secrete acyl sugars to fend off pests. Schilmiller teamed with Robert Last, MSU professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, and Amanda Charbonneau, MSU doctoral researcher, to try to understand how these chemicals are made. Little was known about how acyl sugars were produced until now, and this research identifies and describes the first gene that participates in the production of the protective sugars in cultivated tomatoes, Schilmiller said.

"Acyl sugars play a critical role in allowing wild tomatoes to fend off bugs," he said. "Because cultivated tomatoes were not bred for their acyl sugar amounts and quality, they have reduced levels compared to wild ones we do not eat. Understanding how they are made is the first step toward breeding cultivated tomatoes, and other plants in this family, to make them more resistant to herbivores."

Other Solanaceous crops that could benefit from this research include potatoes, peppers, eggplants and petunias.

In addition, this work shows that the newly discovered gene is active only in one specific cell of one trichome type.

"Not only will we be able to potentially engineer heartier tomatoes, but understanding how to specifically target trichome gene expression without affecting the fruit, we'll also be able to add other important chemicals for insect resistance and possibly other beneficial traits to the surface of the plants," Schilmiller said.

The research was funded by the National Science Foundation.

Originally posted here:
New gene could lead to better bug-resistant plants

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Public release date: 18-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kathryn Ruehle kruehle@liebertpub.com Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, September 18, 2012A child who suffers a moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) may still have substantial functional disabilities and reduced quality of life 2 years after the injury. After those first 2 years, further improvement may be minimal. Better interventions are needed to prevent long-lasting consequences of TBI in children conclude the authors of a study published in Journal of Neurotrauma, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Journal of Neurotrauma website at http://www.liebertpub.com/neu.

Frederick Rivara and colleagues from University of Washington, Seattle, and Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, Tacoma, WA, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, describe the functional and quality of life outcomes of children who experienced a moderate or severe TBI when they were 0-17 years of age. In the article "Persistence of Disability 24 to 36 Months after Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: A Cohort Study" they follow up on a previous report that found improvement in some areas of functioning for up to 24 months. In this expanded study, the authors showed no significant improvement in the children's ability to function, participate in activities, or in their quality of life between 24 and 36 months post-injury, and they suggest that a plateau is reached in the recovery.

"This important communication by Rivara and colleagues reinforces the concept that pediatric traumatic brain injury is associated with significant enduring morbidity, with recovery plateauing over time," says John T. Povlishock, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Neurotrauma and Professor, VCU Neuroscience Center, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond. "This finding also reinforces emerging thought that pediatric traumatic brain injury must be viewed in another context, rather than the current perception that the course of such injury parallels that found in the adult population."

###

About the Journal Journal of Neurotrauma is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published in print and online that focuses on the latest advances in the clinical and laboratory investigation of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury. Emphasis is on the basic pathobiology of injury to the nervous system, and the papers and reviews evaluate preclinical and clinical trials targeted at improving the early management and long-term care and recovery of patients with traumatic brain injury. Journal of Neurotrauma is the Official Journal of the National Neurotrauma Society and the International Neurotrauma Society. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Journal of Neurotrauma website at http://www.liebertpub.com/neu.

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 Therapeutic Hypothermia and Temperature Management, Tissue Engineering, and Brain Connectivity. 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 at http://www.liebertpub.com.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 140 Huguenot St., New Rochelle, NY 10801-5215 Phone: (914) 740-2100 (800) M-LIEBERT Fax: (914) 740-2101 http://www.liebertpub.com

More here:
Disability caused by traumatic brain injury in children may persist and stop improving after 2 years

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

ScienceDaily (Sep. 17, 2012) Cleveland Clinic researchers have discovered that vitamin E may prevent cancer in patients with an under-recognized genetic disorder.

Several genetic mutations are known to be present in Cowden Syndrome (CS) -- a disease that predisposes individuals to several types of cancers, including breast and thyroid cancers. One type of mutation in the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) genes may be responsible for cancer development, according to research by Charis Eng, M.D., Ph.D., Hardis Chair and Director of the Genomic Medicine Institute and Director of its Center for Personalized Genetic Healthcare at Lerner Research Institute, published September 17 in Clinical Cancer Research.

Dr. Eng discovered that mutations in SDH genes, responsible for energy production, result in an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These changes damage the cells and make them resistant to apoptosis -- our bodies' natural method of weeding out cancerous cells.

However, when vitamin E was applied to the mutant cells, ROS accumulation decreased, as well as the accompanying cellular damage.

"These findings support the notion that vitamin E may be useful as an anti-cancer therapeutic adjunct or preventive agent, especially for CS patients harboring SDH mutations, and its protective properties should be further explored," said Dr. Eng.

CS predisposes individuals to several types of cancers -- an 85 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer, a 35 percent risk for epithelial thyroid cancer, and increased risk of other cancers as well. Approximately one in 200,000 people are affected by CS.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Cleveland Clinic, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

See the rest here:
Vitamin E may decrease cancer risk in Cowden syndrome patients

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Smoking / Quit Smoking Also Included In: Lung Cancer;Genetics Article Date: 17 Sep 2012 - 12:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Smokers With Lung Cancer Have Tenfold Genetic Damage

3 (1 votes)

Senior author Richard K. Wilson is director of The Genome Institute at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in the US. He says in a media statement that none of his team was surprised that the genomes of smokers with lung cancer had more mutations than the genomes of never-smokers with the disease:

"But it was surprising to see 10-fold more mutations. It does reinforce the old message - don't smoke," he adds.

Within non-small cell there are also three further classifications: adenocarcinomas (usually found in an outer area of the lung); squamous cell carcinomas (usually found in the center of the lung next to a bronchus or air tube); and large cell carcinomas (these can occur in any part of the lung and tend to grow and spread faster than the other two classes).

In their paper, the researchers describe how they carried out "whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing of tumor and adjacent normal tissue samples" from all 17 patients.

Across all 17 patients they identified just over 3,700 mutations, with an average mutation frequency more than 10-fold higher in the smokers compared to the never-smokers.

However, the researchers can't say whether these will work on these mutations in lung cancer patients, as first author Ramaswamy Govindan, an oncologist who treats patients at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University, explains:

"Whether these drugs will actually work in patients with these DNA alterations still needs to be studied."

Go here to see the original:
Smokers With Lung Cancer Have Tenfold Genetic Damage

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Enlarge David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Slides containing DNA sit in a bay waiting to be analyzed by a genome sequencing machine.

Slides containing DNA sit in a bay waiting to be analyzed by a genome sequencing machine.

Ever since James Watson and Francis Crick cracked the genetic code, scientists have been fascinated by the possibilities of what we might learn from reading our genes.

But the power of DNA has also long raised fears such as those dramatized in the 1997 sci-fi film Gattaca, which depicted a world where "a minute drop of blood determines where you can work, who you should marry, what you're capable of achieving."

That was science fiction. Just three years later, President Bill Clinton announced that the once-futuristic dream of reading someone's entire genetic code their genome had become a reality. It took hundreds of scientists nearly a decade to painstakingly piece together the first real look at the entire human genetic blueprint. It cost $3 billion just to make that rough draft.

Twelve years later, the cost of deciphering a person's genetic instructions has dropped faster than the price of flat-screen TVs. And the sequencing can be done much quicker.

Over the past decade, the cost of sequencing a human-sized genome has dropped dramatically. Since 2008, those cost reductions have outpaced Moore's Law, a famous forecast predicting the doubling of computing power every two years. Technology that keeps pace with Moore's Law is thought to be in good shape.

Instead of years, it can take just weeks. Instead of an army of scientists, all it takes is a new high-speed sequencing machine and a few lab techs. Instead of billions, it can cost as little as $4,000. And many are predicting the $1,000 genome is coming soon.

"It's incredible to me today to see how far we've advanced," said Robert Blakesley, who directs the National Institutes of Health's Intramural Sequencing Center.

Read the original post:
As Genetic Sequencing Spreads, Excitement, Worries Grow

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Alan McStravick for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

A recent study, conducted by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and their partners at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston and the Novartis Institutes for Bio Medical Research, has managed to identify a specific genetic mechanism connected to mutations in the WFS1 gene that affects insulin-secreting beta cells.

It is believed that this discovery will be paramount in increasing the understanding of the rare genetic disorder Wolfram Syndrome (WS) and may also be an important development in the treatment of milder forms of diabetes and related disorders. The full study has been published online in the journal Nature Cell Biology.

Wolfram Syndrome is a rare genetic condition that is caused by mutations in a single gene. This minute mutation, however, has far reaching effects on the body leading to conditions such as diabetes, hearing and vision loss and nerve cell damage that can cause motor difficulties and, ultimately, early death.

WS was first observed in 1938 as a combination of familial juvenile-onset diabetes and optic atrophy. It was understood even then that for most of the patients with this progressive disorder, premature death and widespread atrophic changes throughout the brain were the most probable outcomes. This insulin-requiring type of diabetes typically develops at around age 6.

Examination showed that pancreatic islets were atrophic and the insulin-producing beta cells were selectively absent. WS is believed to account for 1 out of every 150 patients suffering from juvenile or adolescent onset insulin-requiring diabetes mellitus.

The mechanism by which WS works is still unknown, although in 1994 researchers discovered a link between the WFS1 gene and genetic markers on the 4p chromosome.

The reported frequency of those who carry the recessive genetic trait in the U.S. population is approximately 1%. While those that carry the recessive trait do not necessarily show the full range of WS symptoms, they are at a higher risk of developing various forms of mental illness.

Full-fledged WS only occurs in the offspring of two parents who both carry the recessive form of the gene WFS1, and multiple incidences within a genetically predisposed family are not uncommon. There doesnt appear to be any increase or decrease in frequency based on the sex of the offspring.

As we currently understand WS, it is the result of either nuclear or mitochondrial genetic dysfunction. In addition to diabetes mellitus, other typical symptoms include diabetes insipidus, impaired vision and hearing loss. Additional WS complications can include urinary tract and seizure disorders.

Read this article:
Researchers Link Genetic Mutation To Rare Form Of Diabetes

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) recently announced it has hiked its stake in Response Genetics Inc. (RGDX), a company focused on the development and sale of molecular diagnostic testing services for cancer, to 15.2%. Glaxo made an investment of $5.5 million and purchased 5 million newly issued shares of Response Genetics at $1.10 per share.

Response Genetics and Glaxo have a long standing relationship focused on Glaxos immunotherapy and oncology candidates, wherein Response Genetics conducts companion diagnostic tests and other related activities for Glaxos candidates.

We currently have an Underperform recommendation on Glaxo. The stock carries a Zacks #3 Rank (Hold rating) in the short run.

Several products in Glaxos portfolio including Valtrex, Arixtra, Evoclin, Lamictal, Imitrex, Requip, Combivir and Epivir are facing declining sales due to intense generic competition. We expect the company's top line and gross margins to remain under pressure in the coming quarters. The EU pricing pressure will continue to affect sales.

Glaxos second quarter 2012 earnings of 79 cents per American Depository Share (ADS) was well below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 84 cents. Earnings fell 2.5% year over year. Revenues also decreased 7.3% year over year to $10.2 billion and came in below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.4 billion. The company lowered its revenue guidance and expects revenues to remain flat year over year (at CER). We note that earlier Glaxo was expecting revenues to grow from 2011 levels.

Glaxo is looking towards deals and acquisitions to drive growth. The company is focusing on increasing the rights on its partnered products and promising pipeline candidates, so that it stands to benefit more from their success.

Glaxos acquisition of Cellzome and Human Genome Sciences and increasing investment in Theravance Inc. (THRX) and Amicus Therapeutics (FOLD) indicate its efforts to expand the pipeline.

Apart from this, Glaxo continues to make progress with its cost-cutting initiative, which should help reduce the impact of increasing generic competition over the next few years and help earnings grow.

Read the Full Research Report on GSK

Read the Full Research Report on FOLD

Follow this link:
Glaxo Increases Stake in RGDX

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Public release date: 17-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Nicole White nicole.white@cshs.org 310-423-5215 Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

LOS ANGELES Sept. 17, 2012 Leading scientists and clinicians from across the nation will discuss the latest findings on potential stem cell treatments for diabetes and eye diseases at the second Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Scientific Symposium.

WHO: Stem cell scientists, clinicians and industry leaders.

The symposium is being hosted by the Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute, led by Clive Svendsen, PhD. The institute brings together basic scientists with specialist clinicians, physician scientists and translational scientists across multiple medical specialties to convert fundamental stem cell studies to therapeutic regenerative medicine.

FEATURED RESEARCH: The symposium's morning session will feature an overview of the current state of stem cells and diabetes, including efforts to start the first clinical trials with stem cells for the treatment of diabetes. Other research to be presented includes an update on regenerative medicine approaches to treating macular degeneration, a progressive deterioration of the eye that causes gradual loss of vision. This will include an update from Gad Heilweil , MD, on a key, stem-cell clinical trial on macular degeneration at the University of California Los Angeles.

WHEN: Sept. 21, 2012 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thomson's lecture begins at 8:40 a.m.

WHERE: Harvey Morse Auditorium Cedars-Sinai Medical Center 8700 Beverly Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90048

How to register: http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/RMI

###

See the original post:
Leading stem cell scientists to focus on diabetes, eye diseases at Cedars-Sinai symposium

Recommendation and review posted by sam