ScienceDaily (Aug. 23, 2012) The discovery of a 'switch' that modifies a gene known to be essential for normal heart development could explain variations in the severity of birth defects in children with DiGeorge syndrome.

Researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute made the discovery while investigating fetal development in an animal model of DiGeorge syndrome. DiGeorge syndrome affects approximately one in 4000 babies.

Dr Anne Voss and Dr Tim Thomas led the study, with colleagues from the institute's Development and Cancer division, published August 23 in the journal Developmental Cell.

Dr Voss said babies with DiGeorge syndrome have a characteristic DNA mutation on chromosome 22 (22q11 -- chromosome 22, long arm, band 11), but exhibit a range of mild to severe birth defects, including heart and aorta defects.

"The variation in symptoms is so prominent that even identical twins, with the exact same DNA sequence, can have remarkably different conditions," she said. "We hypothesised that environmental factors were probably responsible for the variation, via changes to the way in which genetic material is packaged in the chromatin," Dr Voss said.

Chromatin is the genetic material that comprises DNA and associated proteins packaged together in the cell nucleus. Chemical marks that sit on the chromatin modify it to instruct when and where to switch genes on or off, making a profound difference to normal development and cellular processes.

The research team found a protein called MOZ, the 'switch' which is involved in chromatin modification, was a key to explaining the range of defects seen in an animal model of DiGeorge syndrome. "MOZ is what we call an chromatin modifier, which means it is responsible for making marks on the chromatin that tell genes to switch on or off," Dr Voss said.

"In this study, we showed that MOZ regulates the major gene, called Tbx1, in the 22q11 deletion. Tbx1 is responsible for heart and aortic arch development. In mouse models that have no Moz gene, Tbx1 does not work properly, and the embryos have similar heart and aorta defects to those seen in children with DiGeorge syndrome. We showed that MOZ is crucial for normal activity of Tbx1, and the level of MOZ activity may contribute to determining how severe the defects are in children with DiGeorge syndrome," Dr Voss said.

Dr Voss said the study also showed that the severity of birth defects in DiGeorge syndrome could be compounded by the mother's diet, particularly if the MOZ switch is not working properly. The research team showed that reduced MOZ activity could conspire with excess retinoic acid (a type of vitamin A) to markedly increase the frequency and severity of DiGeorge syndrome.

"In our mouse model, we saw that retinoic acid exacerbated the defects seen in mice with mutations in the Moz gene. In fact, in mice that had one normal copy of MOZ and one mutated copy, the offspring look completely normal, but if the mother's diet was high in vitamin A, the offspring developed a DiGeorge-like syndrome. This suggests that MOZ, when coupled with a diet high in vitamin A (retinoic acid), may play a role in the development of DiGeorge syndrome in some cases.

Link:
Gene 'switch' may explain DiGeorge syndrome severity

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Research and Education for the establishment of Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology at Ranchi (Jharkhand) at a cost of Rs. 287.50 crore during the 12th Five year plan.

The Indian Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology (IIAB) at Ranchi (Jharkhand) will be established as a deemed University with the following schools:

School-I School of Genomics

School-II School of Bioinformatics

School-III School of Genetic Engineering

School-IV Nano Biotechnology, Diagnostics and Prophylactics

School-V School of Basic and Social Sciences and Commercialization

The mandate of the Institute would be to undertake multi-disciplinary basic and strategic research with a view to future developing crops for traits such as increased yield, or increased tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress; to design and start academic programmes to develop the highly trained manpower required for fundamental research in agricultural biotechnology, and award post graduate doctoral and post-doctoral degrees; to provide its research output to breeders and developers in agricultural universities and other institutions, to develop the germplasm, vaccines etc. that would enhance productivity and reduce losses due to biotic and abiotic stress; act as a mother institute that would provide both curricula and course material to India`s agricultural universities and other institutions who are running or trying to establish successful agricultural biotechnology graduate and post graduate programmes.

Background:

There is growing demand for food, fodder and feed. A healthy growth in the GDP is likely to further boost domestic demand for food. About 53 per cent of the food demand escalation is expected to occur due to growth in population and the rest due to improve per capita consumption. The current production and the projected demand by the year 2020, are 245 and 284 million tonnes of food grain, 138 and 160 million tonnes of vegetables, 74 and 97 million tonnes of fruits, and 32 and 69 million tonnes of oilseeds respectively. As the net cultivable area of 142 million hectares is not likely to increase, the gain in food production will have to be met by increasing productivity. There is need, therefore, for a renewed and vigorous effort to increase productivity and production through the "Second Green Revolution".

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(RTTNews.com) - Seattle Genetics Inc. (SGEN) has initiated a phase Ib clinical trial evaluating SGN-75 in combination with everolimus for patients with advanced metastatic renal cell carcinoma or RCC. The study is designed to assess the safety and antitumor activity of SGN-75 in combination with everolimus. Seattle Genetics is a leader in the field of antibody-drug conjugates or ADCs and SGN-75 is an ADC targeted to CD70.

The study is a phase Ib, open-label, dose-escalation trial to evaluate the safety and antitumor activity of SGN-75 in combination with everolimus, an mTOR inhibitor, in patients with CD70-positive metastatic RCC. Everolimus is an oral prescription medication used to treat advanced RCC when certain other medicines, such as sunitinib or sorafenib,have not worked.

The trial is enrolling patients who have earlier been treated with one or two tyrosine kinase inhibitors or TKIs. The primary endpoint is safety, with key secondary endpoints of best clinical response, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The study is expected to enroll up to 40 patients at multiple centers in the U.S.

For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com

http://www.rttnews.com

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Seattle Genetics Begins Phase Ib Study Of SGN-75 Combined With Everolimus

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BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Seattle Genetics, Inc. (SGEN) today announced the initiation of a phase Ib clinical trial evaluating SGN-75 in combination with everolimus (Afinitor) for patients with advanced metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The trial is designed to assess the safety and antitumor activity of SGN-75 in combination with everolimus. Seattle Genetics is a leader in the field of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and SGN-75 is an ADC targeted to CD70.

ADCs have the potential to change the way many types of cancer are treated, and we are excited to evaluate our ADC product candidate, SGN-75, in this phase Ib trial for patients with CD70-expressing RCC, said Jonathan Drachman , M.D., Senior Vice President, Research and Translational Medicine at Seattle Genetics. We are encouraged by the preliminary single-agent activity and tolerability demonstrated by SGN-75 in RCC patients and by our preclinical data suggesting synergy between auristatin-containing ADCs and mTOR inhibitors, including everolimus. We look forward to investigating whether this combination can provide therapeutic benefit to patients who currently have limited treatment options.

The study is a phase Ib, open-label, dose-escalation clinical trial to evaluate the safety and antitumor activity of SGN-75 in combination with everolimus, an mTOR inhibitor, in patients with CD70-positive metastatic RCC. Everolimus is an oral prescription medication used to treat advanced RCC when certain other medicines, such as sunitinib or sorafenib, have not worked. The trial is enrolling patients who have previously been treated with one or two tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). The primary endpoint of the trial is safety, with key secondary endpoints of best clinical response, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The study is expected to enroll up to 40 patients at multiple centers in the United States.

Despite the use of immunotherapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors, many patients with kidney cancer ultimately experience progression of their disease, said Elisabeth Heath, M.D., Associate Professor of Oncology at Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and investigator for this phase Ib clinical trial. Kidney cancer tends to resist treatments after it stops responding to initial therapy, clearly demonstrating a need to identify new treatment approaches, such as targeted therapies directed to novel targets and combination therapy.

For more information about the trial, including enrolling centers, please visit http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

About SGN-75

SGN-75 is an ADC composed of an anti-CD70 antibody attached to a synthetic cytoxic cell-killing agent, monomethyl auristatin F (MMAF), using Seattle Genetics proprietary technology. The ADC is designed to be stable in the bloodstream, and to release its cytoxic agent upon internalization into CD70-expressing tumor cells. This approach is intended to spare non-targeted cells and thus reduce many of the toxic effects of traditional chemotherapy while enhancing the antitumor activity.

About Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) forms in the kidney, which filters and cleans the blood. Metastatic RCC occurs when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. RCC is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults, representing approximately 90 percent of cases. The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 65,000 new cases of kidney cancer will be diagnosed in the United States during 2012, and approximately 13,600 people will die from the disease.

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Seattle Genetics Announces Initiation of a Phase Ib Trial of SGN-75 in Combination with Everolimus for Patients with ...

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

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (ILIU) announced today that Lewis H. Bender has resigned as Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors, effective August 23, 2012, in order to pursue other business opportunities. The Board of Directors has appointed Kenneth S. Kornman, DDS, Ph.D., the Company's founder and current President and Chief Scientific Officer, as Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors. Dr. Kornman will also continue his duties as President and Chief Scientific Officer.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Interleukin, I would like to thank Lew Bender for his significant contributions to Interleukins development and growth and wish him success in his new endeavors, stated James Weaver, Chairman of the Board of Directors. We are very pleased that Ken Kornman has accepted the role of Chief Executive Officer, and we look forward to his leadership of the Company.

I welcome the opportunity to lead Interleukin during this exciting time and to work with our new strategic partner, Delta Dental of Michigan, toward our goal of potentially providing more personalized care for the prevention of periodontal disease, said Ken Kornman. I also look forward to working with senior management and all Interleukin employees to achieve our collective goal of advancing all of our programs, including our weight management and osteoarthritis programs.

About Interleukin Genetics, Inc. Interleukin Genetics, Inc. (ILIU) develops and markets a line of genetic tests under the Inherent Health and PST brands.The products empower individuals to prevent certain chronic conditions and manage their existing health and wellness through genetic-based insights with actionable guidance. Interleukin Genetics leverages its research, intellectual property and genetic panel development expertise in metabolism and inflammation to facilitate the emerging personalized healthcare market. The Company markets its tests through partnerships with health and wellness companies, healthcare professionals and other distribution channels. Interleukin Genetics flagship products include its proprietary PST genetic risk panel for periodontal disease and tooth loss susceptibility sold through dentists and the Inherent Health Weight Management Genetic Test that identifies the most effective diet and exercise program for an individual based on genetics. Interleukin Genetics is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. and operates an on-site, state-of-the-art DNA testing laboratory certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). For more information, please visit http://www.ilgenetics.com.

Certain statements contained herein are forward-looking statements, including statements relating to working with Delta Dental of Michigan to potentially provide more personalized care for the prevention of periodontal disease and advancing our other current programs, including our weight management and osteoarthritis programs.Because such statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those risks and uncertainties described in the Interleukin Genetics annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Interleukin Genetics disclaims any obligation or intention to update these forward-looking statements.

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Interleukin Genetics Announces Executive Management Changes

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Neuropathic pain associated with diabetes, shingles, and traumatic injury affects up to 18 percent of the population and can be difficult or impossible to effectively treat. Using gene therapy, Yale neurologists have managed to repair neurons associated with traumatic nerve injury pain in rats.

Since the therapy targets only cells in the pain-sensing neurons outside the brain and spinal cord, this method can avoid some of cognitive problems associated with other pain therapies that also work on the central nervous system, said Omar Samad, research scientist in neurology and lead author of the paper published online Aug. 21 in the journal Molecular Therapy.

The work was conducted in the laboratory of Stephen Waxman, the Bridget M. Flaherty Professor of Neurology and director of the center for neuroscience and regeneration research, and it was supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Nancy Taylor Foundation for Chronic Diseases.

Other authors are Andrew Tan, Xiaoyang Chen, Edmund Foster, and Sulayman Dib-Hajj.

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Research in the News: Gene therapy shows promise in neuron repair and pain relief

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ALBANY, New York, Aug. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Twease.org - New Report Added in Pharmaceuticals Reports Database Companion Diagnostics and Personalized Medicine Market Report 2012 [http://www.twease.org/report/companion-diagnostics-and-personalized-medicine-market-report-2012.htm]

This is the latest and most up-to-date Market Report from Select Biosciences addressing the companion diagnostics (CDx) and personalized medicine marketplace. Personalized medicine is a broad field with several stakeholders all of which must be aligned in order to capture the immense potential value in targeting therapeutics to the correct patient populationthe field of stratified medicine.

To Browse Full Toc Visit: http://www.twease.org/report/companion-diagnostics-and-personalized-medicine-market-report-2012.htm [http://www.twease.org/report/companion-diagnostics-and-personalized-medicine-market-report-2012.htm]

Companion Diagnostics has been rapidly expanding over the past 3 years and in this market report we describe the current state of the marketplace from the following perspectives:

Related Reports:

Personalized Medicine Market [http://www.twease.org/report/companion-diagnostics-and-personalized-medicine-market-report-2012.htm]

MicroRNAs and Exosomes Market [http://www.twease.org/report/micrornas-and-exosomes-market-report-2012.htm]

MicroRNA Market [http://www.twease.org/report/microrna-market-trends-2011.htm]

MicroRNA Research and Disease Associations [http://www.twease.org/report/microrna-research-and-disease-associations-2010-market-report.htm]

Circulating Tumor Cells [http://www.twease.org/report/circulating-tumor-cells-ctcs-and-cancer-stem-cells-cscs-market-global-industry-size-market-share-trends-analysis-and-forecasts-2012-2018.htm]

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Companion Diagnostics and Personalized Medicine Market Report 2012: Twease.org

Recommendation and review posted by sam

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2czp9f/companion_diagnost) has announced the addition of the "Companion Diagnostics and Personalized Medicine Market Report 2012" report to their offering.

This is the latest and most up-to-date Market Report from Select Biosciences addressing the companion diagnostics (CDx) and personalized medicine marketplace. Personalized medicine is a broad field with several stakeholders all of which must be aligned in order to capture the immense potential value in targeting therapeutics to the correct patient populationthe field of stratified medicine.

Companion Diagnostics has been rapidly expanding over the past 3 years and in this market report we describe the current state of the marketplace from the following perspectives:

- All the Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers with Potential Clinical Utility are describeda few have already been developed into CDx and we expect growth in this space

- Targeted Therapeutics, Associated Biomarkers, Therapeutic Indications, and Testing Mandates are Described

- Companion Diagnostics Partnerships and Collaborations from 2009 to 2012 are PresentedProvides an Up-to-Date State of the Industry Describing the Disease Areas being Addressed and Types of Biomarkers Being Deployed

- Quantitative Market Metrics

Quantitative Market Forecast: Market Sizing and Growth Rate

Revenue Breakout: Rx versus Dx

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Research and Markets: Companion Diagnostics and Personalized Medicine Market Report 2012

Recommendation and review posted by sam

LEUVEN, BELGIUM--(Marketwire -08/23/12)- TiGenix NV (EURONEXT:TIG), the European leader in cell therapy, gives an update of its business activities and provides the financial highlights for the half year ending June 30, 2012.

Business highlights

Financial highlights

"The significant progress in all our clinical programs and the commercial ramp up of ChondroCelect in the first half year of 2012 reinforce our position as the European leader in cell therapy," says Eduardo Bravo, CEO of TiGenix. "We continue to consistently deliver on the objectives we set more than a year ago, keeping all key programs on plan, meeting our aggressive targets, and keeping costs under control. In addition, we are in discussions with a number of companies in connection with the US rights to Cx601."

Business update

Commercial roll-out of ChondroCelect continues to gain momentum

ChondroCelect sales for the first half of 2012 amounted to EUR 2.1 million, comprising EUR 1.5 million from 2012 sales, up 115% compared to the same period of last year, and EUR 0.7 million of deferred sales from 2011 as a result of the retroactive reimbursement in the Netherland per January 1, 2011.

Discussions to obtain full national reimbursement keep advancing in Spain, France, and Germany. In addition to the recent important reimbursement success, the Company has obtained a positive decision in the Netherlands by one of the leading private healthcare insurance companies to make treatment with ChondroCelect compulsory for its insured, no longer reimbursing non-ATMP cartilage products. Similarly, two of the large private insurers in the UK expressed their intention to routinely reimburse ChondroCelect going forward.

Positive outcome of ChondroCelect compassionate use program published in leading journal

Positive outcome data from the ChondroCelect compassionate use program (CUP), involving 43 orthopedic centers in 7 European countries, treating 370 patients with ChondroCelect over the span of four years, were published in the June, 2012 issue of Cartilage, the official journal of the International Cartilage Repair Society. The data show that the implantation of ChondroCelect results in a positive benefit/risk ratio when used in an unselected, heterogeneous population, irrespective of the follow-up period, lesion size and type of lesion treated. The study provides TiGenix with a large and unique data set to support the long-term safety and efficacy of ChondroCelect.

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TiGenix Business Update & Financial Highlights for the First Half of 2012

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The London Olympics may turn out to be one of the cleanest in history in terms of banned substances but behind the scenes, scientists fear the next big challenge to fair play in sport: gene doping.

Over the past decade, scientific advances in the understanding of how genes control muscle activity have alarmed experts within the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) who believe that using genes, rather than drugs, will be the next way illicitly to boost athletic performance without fear of detection.

Although scientists are unanimous in believing that genetically enhanced athletes did not participate in London 2012, they are almost equally unanimous in saying that there will be an attempt to misuse the technology in a future Olympics.

"Is gene doping currently being practised? We don't have any evidence that it is," says Professor Steve Harridge, an expert on muscle physiology at King's College London.

"But in the future, as gene-therapy techniques become more refined, it becomes more likely, although I think we are many years away from that," he adds.

"The attraction of gene doping is that it is much harder to detect. But there are dangers because you don't know what it is going to keep on doing. The overall control of muscles can be brutally changed by the sudden introduction of a gene," he says.

Other experts believe that gene doping will not be so easily dismissed as too difficult or risky by those who are prepared to go to physical and ethical extremes in order to win medals.

"We don't know that gene doping would work, but it's technically feasible," says Andy Miah, a sports ethicist and director of the Creative Futures Research Centre at the University of the West of Scotland.

"If you look at the investment of the Wada over the past 10 years, this is their key issue, and it has been for a decade. It's hard to argue with the view that is real in a lot of sports," Dr Miah says.

Gene doping is defined by Wada as the non-therapeutic use of genes in order to enhance athletic performance, and the Montreal-based agency, which was set up in 1999, has spearheaded a campaign to develop scientific methods of detecting its illicit use in sport.

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The cheat gene: Could the next step in sporting fraud come from manipulating DNA?

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TAINAN, Taiwan--(BUSINESSWIRE)-- A National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) research team has discovered Near-Infrared Light-Responsive oligonucleotide-gated Au nanoensembles (Au nanorod complex), a potent new anti-cancer complex that is seen as a promising targeted therapy for curing cancer.

This medical discovery was selected as an important and urgent paper, becoming the image of back cover in the July 2012 issue of Advanced Materials, and has drawn big attention in the academic world and the biotechnology industry as well.

The team, led by Chen-Sheng Yeh, NCKU distinguished professor of Department of Chemistry, focused on the development of NIR light-responsive oligonucleotide-gated Au nanoensembles (Au nanorod complex) for cancer therapy and the result proved that Au nanorod complex could provide better efficiency of cancer therapy by reducing the cancer survival rates by 30%.

Au nanorod complex provides a new platform for cancer therapy, a platform which, depending on different diseases, encapsulates different drugs and small interfering RNA (siRNA) which has special functions to achieve chemotherapy and gene therapy, according to Professor Yeh.

Professor Yeh pointed out that the surface of Au nanorod complex coated with silica can encapsulate anti-cancer drugs.

To avoid the loss of anti-cancer drugs from Au nanorod complex during the delivery process and reduce side effects of anti-cancer drugs, the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as a net in covering the surface pores was used to conjugate on the surface pores of silica.

Experimental results show that cancer survival rate can be reduced from 80% to about 50%, confirming the gold nanorods pharmaceutical compound has achieved good therapeutic effect.

The advantage of using NIR light to trigger drug release was that NIR was the biological window, where both blood and soft tissues transmission is optimal due to low energy absorption, providing maximum penetration. Therefore, the developed Au nanorod complex has triggered drug release, maximizing the therapeutic properties of both chemotherapy and gene therapy.

Moreover, the design of the treatment which can be tailored by the medical needs to load the appropriate drug treatment is believed to be a very curative treatment platform, according to Yeh.

Yehs team has applied for patent in Taiwan and the United States, and will continue to conduct animal testing and human trials.

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NCKU Team Discovers New Complex in Treating Cancer

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

SCIENTISTS say they have developed a strain of rice that grows well in soils lacking the nutrient phosphorus.

It's a feat that could boost crop yields for some farmers by as much as a fifth.

The announcement ends a quest to pinpoint a mystery gene that helps the roots of baby rice plants tease phosphorus from the soil, enabling them to notch up strong, early growth.

The gene has now been transferred to modern varieties of rice using classic methods of cross-breeding, not genetic engineering, said Sigrid Heuer at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines.

Next week, national rice breeders from Bangladesh, India, Thailand and India will be briefed on the exciting find, which should benefit small farmers most of all, Heuer said in a phone interview from Manila.

"I would expect to see (an improvement in yield of) around 20 per cent, but it depends so much on the type of the soil and how severe the stress is," Heuer said.

"But realistically, we are talking conservatively of an average of 10-20 per cent, and locally a little more if the (phosphorus) stress is severe," she said.

The breakthrough seeks to address one of the biggest problems facing rice growers from the southeastern United States to South America, Southeast Asia and China.

Many soil types bond tightly to phosphorus, surrendering only a tiny amount of the precious mineral to plant roots.

To get around this, farmers look to phosphorus fertilisers which are spread on the field.

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Gene boost for rice yields

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

22 August 2012 Last updated at 18:46 ET By Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News

A gene from wild Indian rice plants can significantly raise the yield of common varieties in nutrient-poor soils.

Scientists from the International Rice Research Institute (Irri) identified a gene that helps uptake of phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium, and transferred it into commercial strains.

Their yield was about 60% above normal in phosphorus-poor soils, the team reports in the journal Nature.

Large swathes of Asia have soil that is phosporus-deficient.

The gene came from a variety called Kasalath, native to nutrient-poor soils of eastern India.

About 10 years ago, scientists deduced that Kalasath contained one or more genes that allowed it to grow successfully in low-phosphorus conditions.

It took the Irri team three years to identify the gene responsible, which they have named PSTOL1.

"We got the [DNA] sequence of this region, but the region is very complex and it was very difficult to identify what is an actual gene and what is not," lead researcher Sigrid Heuer told BBC News.

"There's so much work being done on phosphorus pathways and we could never find the genes and the mechanisms, and actually it's very simple - the gene promotes larger root growth, so the plant takes up nutrients more easily."

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Wild rice gene gives yield boost

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

WASHINGTON Over six frightening months, a deadly germ untreatable by most antibiotics spread in the nations leading research hospital. Pretty soon, a patient a week was catching the bug. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health locked down patients, cleaned with bleach, even ripped out plumbing and still the germ persisted.

By the end, 18 people harbored the dangerous germ, and six died of bloodstream infections from it. Another five made it through the outbreak only to die from the diseases that brought them to NIHs world-famous campus in the first place.

It took gene detectives teasing apart the bacterias DNA to solve the germs wily spread, a CSI-like saga with lessons for hospitals everywhere as they struggle to contain the growing threat of superbugs.

It all stemmed from a single patient carrying a fairly new superbug known as KPC Klebsiella pneumoniae that resists treatment by one of the last lines of defense, antibiotics called carbapenems.

We never want this to happen again, said Dr. Tara Palmore, deputy hospital epidemiologist at the NIH Clinical Center.

Infections at health care facilities are one of the nations leading causes of preventable death, claiming an estimated 99,000 lives a year. Theyre something of a silent killer, as hospitals fearful of lawsuits dont like to publicly reveal when they outfox infection control yet no hospital is immune.

Wednesday, government researchers published an unusually candid account of last years outbreak, with some advice: Fast sequencing of a germs genome, its full DNA, may be essential. It can reveal how drug-resistant bacteria are spreading so that doctors can protect other patients.

This is not an easy story to tell, said Dr. Julie Segre, a senior investigator at NIHs National Human Genome Research Institute. She led the genetic sleuthing that found the bug hiding in sink drains and, most chilling, even in a ventilator that had been cleaned with bleach.

Infection-control specialists at other hospitals called this detailed anatomy of an outbreak, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, important to share.

They were able to demonstrate that this sneaky little bug was able to stay alive and get transmitted in ways they hadnt quite predicted before they had the detailed genetic information, said Dr. Sara Cosgrove, associate hospital epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University. Its very revealing.

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Genetic sleuths track down deadly superbug

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

ScienceDaily (Aug. 22, 2012) Laboratory mice bred without the gene lacked a pro-inflammatory protein called TREM-1 and protected them from developing liver cancer after exposure to carcinogens.

The study, published in Cancer Research, a journal for the American Association for Cancer Research, could lead to drug therapies to target TREM-1, said Dr. Anatolij Horuzsko, an immunologist at the GHSU Cancer Center and principal investigator on the study.

"We have long suspected that chronic inflammation is a very powerful tool in the initiation of cancer, and also in the progression or metastasis of cancer," said Horuzsko. "We [looked] at the molecules that control inflammatory responses to gain a better understanding of how this process works. One important triggering receptor for inflammation is TREM-1."

TREM-1's role in promoting inflammation is useful in cases such as battling viral or bacterial infections and in maintaining normal tissue function. But as Horuzsko's team discovered, in abnormal conditions -- such as liver damage due to alcohol abuse or other irritants -- production of TREM-1 goes haywire. A chronic, low-level state of inflammation is produced as TREM-1 leads to the development of other inflammatory agents, which causes more damage, increases cell production and creates mutated cells. These mutated cells then reproduce -- planting the seeds that can lead to cancer.

During the 14-month study, Horuzsko and his team used mouse studies to gather data on the effect of TREM-1 in the liver cells and identify potential sources for therapies. Because a mouse's life span is about three years, the length of the study mimicked a similar 20- to 30-year cancer progression of liver cancer in humans.

Two sets of mice -- one with the TREM-1 gene removed -- were exposed to the cancer-causing agent diethylnitrosamine, or DEN, which is present in tobacco smoke, chemicals and other products. Within just 48 hours of DEN injection, the control mice were already showing signs of liver cell injury and death and high levels of TREM-1 expression in the liver's Kupffer cells. These specialized liver cells normally destroy bacteria and worn-out red blood cells. Eight months later, these mice also showed massive liver tumors.

But the mice with the gene removed remained healthy, showing very few changes -- and very small, if any, tumors after eight months. The only difference between the two groups was the appearance of TREM-1 in the Kupffer cells.

Horuzko's team hopes the findings -- and their potential in TREM-1-related cancer treatment -- will be applicable to other cancers as well. "TREM-1 could be a target for any inflammation-associated cancer," said Horuzsko. "In the future, we could use a drug to target TREM-1 in the body. We are already working in this direction."

Horuzsko's team also identified another potential target for drug therapy during the study -- a product of liver cell injury and death called HMGB1. HMGB1 is a previously unknown activating ligand, or agent, that stimulates Kupffer cells to produce the TREM-1 protein and start the inflammatory process.

"Advanced drug therapies for cancer are a growing field of research, and immune therapies are an important part of our mission," said Dr. Samir N. Khleif, Director of the GHSU Cancer Center. "Studies like Dr. Horuzsko's are leading the way to identify targeted therapies that will become our future standards of care. As we open the door to new scientific discoveries, this enables us to provide better care to patients and families with cancer. "

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Targeting inflammation to prevent, treat cancers

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Published on Aug 23, 2012

Workers clean grass from a rice field at Ragas Masigit village in Serang, Indonesia's Banten province, Aug 14, 2012. Scientists on Wednesday said they had developed a strain of rice that grows well in soils lacking the nutrient phosphorus, a feat that could boost crop yields for some farmers by as much as a fifth. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

PARIS (AFP) - Scientists on Wednesday said they had developed a strain of rice that grows well in soils lacking the nutrient phosphorus, a feat that could boost crop yields for some farmers by as much as a fifth.

The announcement ends a quest to pinpoint a mystery gene that helps the roots of baby rice plants tease phosphorus from the soil, enabling them to notch up strong, early growth.

The gene has now been transferred to modern varieties of rice using classic methods of cross-breeding, not genetic engineering, said Dr Sigrid Heuer at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines.

Next week, national rice breeders from Bangladesh, India, Thailand and India will be briefed on the exciting find, which should benefit small farmers most of all, Dr Heuer said in a phone interview from Manila.

The rest is here:
Gene breakthrough could boost rice yields by 20%

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Public release date: 22-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

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

New Rochelle, NY, August 22, 2012Mosquito-borne West Nile virus (WNV) caused 26 deaths already this year, and nearly 700 cases had been reported by mid-August according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). WNV had become "old news" among the public and the media. Furthermore, funding to support research, training and education, and surveillance and vector control had waned. Now there is an urgent imperative to redouble our efforts to understand and control this dangerous virus. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, a major peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, has published numerous timely and informative studies on WNV, and articles on the topic published since 2007 are available free on the Journal website at http://www.liebertpub.com/vbz through September 10 to help disseminate vital information about this deadly virus that continues to infect and kill people across the U.S. and abroad.

Texas is currently a hotspot for WNV, reporting more than 336 cases and 14 deaths to date, resulting in a state of emergency and aerial spraying for mosquito control in Dallas County, but several other states are also reporting fatal West Nile cases.

"No conclusive explanation has been offered for the increased number of WNV cases, but over the years, many experts have learned that predictions related to West Nile virus should be made with caution," says Stephen Higgs, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases and Associate Vice President for Research, Research Director, Biosecurity Research Institute, Peine Professor of Biosecurity, and Professor of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.

"Our journal, Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, will continue to inform researchers and public health experts and policymakers on all aspects of WNV around the world," adds Dr. Higgs.

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About the Journal

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases is an authoritative, monthly peer-reviewed journal published in print and online dedicated to diseases transmitted to humans by insects or animals. The Journal covers a widespread group of vector and zoonotic-borne diseases including bacterial, chlamydial, rickettsial, viral, and parasitic zoonoses and provides a unique platform for basic and applied disease research. The Journal also examines geographic, seasonal, and other risk factors that influence the transmission, diagnosis, management, and prevention of zoonotic diseases that pose a threat to public health worldwide. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases is the Official Journal of SocZEE, the Society for Zoonotic Ecology and Epidemiology. Tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases website at http://www.liebertpub.com/vbz.

About the Publisher

Link:
Deadly outbreak of West Nile virus highlights urgent need for more research, funding

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

This means that while a 20-year-old man passes on about 25 mutations through his sperm, in an average 40-year-old this will rise to about 65.

Kari Stefansson, senior author of the study by DECODE Genetics, an Icelandic company, said: "All areas of the human genome were a mutation once upon a time, so all human variety is down to a mutation.

"But one interesting aspect of this work is it shows us that the classic focus on the age of the mother and the health of the child is not sufficient.

"The increasing age of the father has a much bigger impact on a child's health in a general way. Women are off the hook and we men are on it."

Dr Allan Pacey, Chairman of the British Fertility Society, said: "It is a surprise to find that men transmit a higher number of mutations to their children than do women.

"Whilst not wanting to scare the children of older fathers, information like this is important to understand and should remind us that nature designed us to have our children at a young age and if at all possible men and women should not delay parenthood if they are in a position not to.

But Prof Darren Griffin, a geneticist at Kent University, said: "There are three billion of letters in the DNA code of humans and the numbers of mutations detected in this study are in the dozens.

"The observed approximate doubling of mutation rate between the ages of 20 and 40 (when most fathers are actively reproducing) is certainly clinically noteworthy but not realistically likely to deter more mature fathers from having children."

In an accompanying opinion piece in Nature, Prof Alexey Kondrashov of Michigan University suggested that younger men ought to bank their sperm to protect their future children from disease.

But Prof Christopher Barrett, an expert in reproductive medicine at Dundee University, said: "Whilst sperm banking is technically feasible, more data would be required to recommend this policy as routine."

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Older fathers pass on more genetic faults

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NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) Genetic testing firm VitaPath Genetics has raised about $5 million toward a financing round targeting $7.3 million, it said in a regulatory document recently.

In a Form D filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the Foster City, Calif.-based company did not disclose how the proceeds would be used or the investors. Among the names listed as related persons are Dennis Gilbert, VitaPath's CEO, who formerly was a chief scientific officer and VP of research at Applied Biosystems; Richard Taylor, its CFO; and Rowan Chapman, a partner in venture capital firm Mohr Davidow and a VitaPath board member.

The types of securities being offered, VitaPath said, are in the form of equity as well as preferred stock which will be converted into common stock.

The company is developing genetic tests to reduce the risk of life-threatening diseases, according to its website. Its first product is a test for identifying risk factors associated with Spina bifida. Last year it inked a licensing deal providing Alere marketing rights for the test.

VitaPath raised $6 million in a round of private financing in September 2009.

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Genetic Test Firm VitaPath Raises $5M

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FIVE POINTS, Calif., Aug 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- S&W Seed Company (SANW) today announcedit has purchased the rights to a portfolio of alfalfa varieties suited for colder climate conditions, thereby expanding its alfalfa genetics to include dormant varieties. Since 1980, S&W has focused on breeding and producing non dormant alfalfa seed, known as 8, 9 and 10 dormancies that are suited to warm climates. This purchase is the first time the company has ventured into seed genetics for colder climates, where dormancies of two,three and four dormancies are appropriate.

Today'sacquisition of proprietary alfalfa germ-plasm, will help enable S&W to participate in the marketplaces for dormant alfalfa varieties, particularly in countries which do not currently allow GM (genetically modified) seed. The acquisition also has the potential to help the company produce classically bred,low dormancy, alfalfa seedvarietieswhich might includesalt tolerance or other traits tied to S&W's proprietary alfalfa germ-plasm.As part of the acquisition, the company will also be acquiring select multi leaf alfalfa and orchard grass varieties which the company expects will supplement alfalfa seed sales going forward.S&W expects to commence production on itsfirstdormant seed varietiesthis fall, with seed available for sale in the fall of 2013.

Mark Grewal,chief executive officer of S&W Seed Company, commented, "Today's announcement is a first step into production oflow dormancy, alfalfa seed. We believe that thevarietieswe acquired haveexcellent traits and can be sold internationally and domestically. This acquisitionalso gives us access to additional contract seed growers in the United States and Canada that have been growing these and other dormant varieties for a number of years."

About S&W Seed CompanyFounded in 1980 and headquartered in the Central Valley of California, S&W Seed Company is a leading producer of warm climate, high yield alfalfa seed varieties, including varieties that can thrive in poor, saline soils, as verified over decades of university-sponsored trials. S&W also offers seed cleaning and processing at its 40-acre facility in Five Points, California and has recently launched a business expansion initiative centered on its plan to mass produce stevia leaf in the U.S. in response to growing global demand for the all-natural, zero calorie sweetener from the food and beverage industry. For more information, please visit http://www.swseedco.com.

Safe Harbor StatementThis release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies, including statements regarding the potential success of the Company's stevia program, and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and other risks identified in the Company's 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, and other filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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S&W Seed Company Acquires Rights to Dormant Alfalfa Genetics

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

REYKJAVIK, Iceland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

deCODE Genetics, a global leader in analyzing and understanding the human genome, in collaboration with Illumina, a global leader in the making of instruments to analyze the genome, reported today in the journal Nature that a fathers age, not a mothers, at the time a child is conceived is the single largest contributor to the passing of new hereditary mutations to offspring. The findings come from the largest whole genome sequencing project to examine associations of diseases with rare variants in the genome.

Strikingly, this study found that a fathers age at the time a child is conceived explains nearly all of the population diversity in new hereditary mutations found in the offspring, said study lead author Kari Stefansson, M.D., Dr. Med., CEO of deCODE Genetics. With the results here, it is now clear that demographic transitions that affect the age at which males reproduce can have a considerable impact on the rate of certain diseases linked to new mutation.

To better understand the cause of new hereditary mutations, the deCODE team sequenced the genomes of 78 Icelandic families with offspring who had a diagnosis of autism or schizophrenia. The team also sequenced the genomes of an additional 1,859 Icelanders, providing a larger comparative population.

On average, the investigators found a two mutation per-year increase in offspring with each one-year increase in age of the father. The average age of the father in the study was 29.7 years old. Also, when specifically examining the genomes of families with autism and schizophrenia, the authors identified in offspring mutations in genes previously implicated in the diseases. They also identified two genes, CUL3 and EPHB2, with mutations in an autism patient subgroup.

Our results all point to the possibility that as a man ages, the number of hereditary mutations in his sperm increases, and the chance that a child would carry a deleterious mutation that could lead to diseases such as autism and schizophrenia increases proportionally, said Dr. Stefansson. It is of interest here that conventional wisdom has been to blame developmental disorders of children on the age of mothers, whereas the only problems that come with advancing age of mothers is a risk of Down syndrome and other rare chromosomal abnormalities. It is the age of fathers that appears to be the real culprit.

Epidemiological studies in Iceland show the risk of both schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders increases significantly with fathers age at conception, and that the average age of fathers in Iceland (now 33 years-old) at the time a child is conceived is on the rise. The authors noted that demographic change of this kind and magnitude is not unique to Iceland, and it raises the question of whether the reported increase in autism spectrum disorder diagnosis is at least partially due to an increase in the average age of fathers at conception.

About deCODE

Headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland, deCODE genetics is a global leader in analyzing and understanding the human genome. Using its unique expertise and population resources, deCODE has discovered genetic risk factors for dozens of common diseases ranging from cardiovascular disease to cancer.

In order to most rapidly realize the value of genetics for human health, deCODE partners with life sciences companies to accelerate their target discovery, validation, and prioritization efforts, yielding improved patient stratification for clinical trials and essential companion diagnostics. In addition, through its CLIA- and CAP-certified laboratory, deCODE offers DNA-based tests for gauging risk and empowering prevention of common diseases. deCODE also licenses its tests, intellectual property, and analytical tools to partner organizations. deCODEs corporate information can be found atwww.decode.comwith information about our genetic testing services atwww.decodehealth.comandwww.decodeme.com.

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deCODE Genetics Study Finds Father’s Age—Not Mother’s—Critical to New Mutations Passed to Offspring

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

SAN MARINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Viral Genetics (VRAL) published its August 2012 Letter to Shareholders which is available on the company website at: http://www.viralgenetics.com/shareholder-letters/Letter-to-Shareholders-Aug-12.PDF.

In the letter, the companys president, Mr. Haig Keledjian, offers insight into the companys ongoing progress in several key areas:

Additional details on these programs is available by clicking this link.

About Viral Genetics, Inc.

San Marino, California-based Viral Genetics discovers drug therapies from two platform technologies based on over 60 patents: Metabolic Disruption (MDT) and Targeted Peptides (TPT). Founded in 1994, the biotech company is researching treatments for HIV/AIDS, Lyme Disease, Strep, Staph and drug resistant cancer. A majority-owned subsidiary, VG Energy (www.vgenergy.net), is dedicated to exploring biofuel and agricultural applications for the MDT platform. For more information, visit http://www.viralgenetics.com.

About VG Energy

VG Energy Inc. is an alternative energy and agricultural biotech company that is a majority-owned subsidiary of Viral Genetics Inc., a biotechnology company researching new treatments and methods of detection for diseases including cancer, HIV/AIDS and others. Using its Metabolic Disruption Technology (MDT), Viral Genetics cancer research led to discoveries with major consequences in a wide variety of other industries, including biofuel, vegetable oils and other high value oils and chemicals. VG Energy holds the exclusive worldwide license to the MDT patent rights for use in the increase of production of various plant-derived oils from algae and seeds. These pivotal discoveries promise to allow the biofuel industry to overcome its major obstacle in the area of production efficiency: namely, an increase in production yields leading to feasible economic returns on investment, allowing renewable biodiesel to be competitive with fossil fuels. For more information, please visit http://www.vgenergy.net.

SAFE HARBOR FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties associated with financial projections, budgets, milestone timelines, clinical development, regulatory approvals, and other risks described by Viral Genetics, Inc. from time to time in its periodic reports, including statements about its VG Energy, Inc. subsidiary. None of Viral Genetics' drug compounds are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration or by any comparable regulatory agencies elsewhere in the world, nor are any non-pharmaceutical products of VG Energy, Inc. commercialized. While Viral Genetics believes that the forward-looking statements and underlying assumptions reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, including, but not limited to, the ability of Viral Genetics to establish the efficacy of any of its drug therapies in the treatment of any disease or health condition, the development of studies and strategies leading to commercialization of those drug compounds in the United States, the obtaining of funding required to carry out the development plan, the completion of studies and tests on time or at all, the successful outcome of such studies or tests, or the successful commercialization of VG Energy, Inc.s non-pharmaceutical products. Therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Viral Genetics or any other person that the objectives and plans of Viral Genetics will be achieved.

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Viral Genetics Issues August 2012 Shareholder Update

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

OWINGS MILLS, Md. and COLUMBIA, Md., Aug. 21, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Foundation Fighting Blindness announces an investment of $2.4 million in eight promising research projects aimed at providing treatments and identifying causes of retinal degenerative diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), retinitis pigmentosa (RP), Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), and Usher syndrome, among other conditions. The spectrum of funded work spans from innovating gene therapies, to advancing cell transplantation, to understanding AMD risk, to developing new therapies for an inherited condition that causes blindness at birth. Each of the eight investigative teams will receive $300,000 for its three-year research efforts.

"These eight grants are going to a truly outstanding cadre of scientists," says Dr. Stephen Rose, chief research officer, Foundation Fighting Blindness. "The funding will help investigate several approaches to saving sight and provides strong momentum for moving treatments forward, out of the lab and into the clinic."

The projects receiving funding were selected through a rigorous review process conducted by the Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board, a group comprised of the field's leading retinal researchers. A total of 35 proposals were reviewed during the grant allocation process.

Eight New Foundation Fighting Blindness-Funded Projects

Allie Gebhardt

Foundation Fighting Blindness

410-423-0643

AGebhardt@FightBlindness.org

About Foundation Fighting Blindness

The Foundation Fighting Blindness is a national nonprofit driving research that will lead to preventions, treatments and cures for retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases that affect more than 10 million Americans. Since 1971, the Foundation has raised over $450 million as the leading non-governmental funder of retinal research. Breakthrough Foundation-funded studies using gene therapy have restored significant vision in children and young adults who were previously blind, paving the way for using this method to treat a variety of retinal degenerative diseases, and proving a cure is in sight. With a network of nearly 50 chapters, the Foundation also provides support and resources to affected individuals and their families in communities across the country.

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Foundation Fighting Blindness Announces $2.4 Million in Funding for Eight New Sight-Saving Research Projects

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Destroying genetic diversity

Brad Plumers article on drought-resistant corn follows a pattern suggested in a quotation at the end of the article which states that only 2 percent of the U.S. agricultural-research budget is spent on sustainable farming; in that vein, Plumers article devotes 75 percent of its words to genetic-engineering solutions and just 25 percent to sustainable farming practices that have the same objective [Corn varieties engineered to withstand drought, Business, Aug. 19].

The U.S. Department of Agricultures review of Monsantos own data shows that years of investment into so-called drought-tolerant biotech crops have been nothing more than a risky and very expensive failure. Monsantos new drought-tolerant genetically modified corn variety MON 87460 does not perform any better than non-GMO varieties.

In addition, in the United States and abroad, there are several types of new, drought-tolerant corn grown through natural breeding techniques that are likely to do as well or better than Monsantos corn. Data from U.S. researchers suggest that conventional breeding is producing drought tolerance two to three times faster than genetic engineering.

The danger is that now that MON 87460 has been deregulated, it will inevitably contaminate truly resilient varieties of organic and conventional corn, destroying the rich genetic diversity that the worlds farmers have cultivated in the planets infinitely varied microclimates.

Jeremy Smithson, Seattle

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U.S. drought causes $18 billion in key-crop damages

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Doug Heath, a tomato breeder for Monsanto Co., offers visitors juicy slices of 'Cherokee Purple,' a delicate variety with a sweetness and acidity he is trying to replicate in hardier commercial fruit.

"We want to see these in the stores more than one month a year," Heath told visitors this month at his research plot in Woodland (Yolo County). He gave out the tomato slices at Field Days, an annual gathering for farmers and distributors to see new crops from Monsanto's Seminis vegetable seed unit.

Monsanto is accelerating its push to identify thousands of genetic markers in fruits and vegetables as it brings the tools of biotechnology to conventional breeding, giving Heath the ability to select for everything from taste to disease resistance. It's also allowing the world's biggest vegetable-seed producer to develop new varieties in two to four years, down from as many as 10 years. Using the markers is like having "X-ray glasses" that let breeders peer inside a leaf clipping or seed to find what will grow, Heath said.

His efforts are gathering momentum at the St. Louis company, which bought Seminis for $1.4 billion in 2005 and is looking to expand its market share. Monsanto said it has identified about 5,000 genetic markers in peppers, more than 4,000 in tomatoes and thousands more in melons, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumbers and beans. The company plans to identify more vegetable markers this year than in the past 20 years combined.

Food and Water Watch, a consumer advocacy group in Washington that opposes genetic engineering, has raised alarms about the products. It sponsored petitions urging retailers including Walmart not to stock genetically engineered vegetables. Monsanto's sweet corn "hasn't been tested for human safety," according to one online petition.

The company says engineered seeds have been used since 1996 and "there has not been one documented case of biotech crops being unsafe for humans or the environment," according to its website. Monsanto said it invests 95 percent of its vegetable research in conventional breeding and 5 percent on genetic engineering.

A lab on Monsanto's Woodland site annually analyzes the genetic makeup of 7 million vegetable samples. The lab can identify genes associated with flavor, appearance, texture and nutrition, as well as traits for disease-resistance and susceptibility.

As recently as five years ago, Monsanto had genetic markers for only a few tomato traits. When Heath started working in 1993 for a predecessor company, there wasn't even a computer.

"We're breeding in a different way now," Heath said. "It's so powerful."

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Genetic markers give Monsanto an edge

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