The genes are composed of DNA and are carried on the chromosomes. Genes direct the production of all the molecules that form the structures that of a cell. Genes determine the inherited characteristics that distinguish one individual from another. Each human has an estimated 90,000 genes.
Evolutionary biologist will study HIV with grant from AIDS research foundation – Dr. Sara Sawyer will use a $120,000 grant from the Foundation for AIDS Research (amFAR) to study how the HIV virus and the cells it attacks have evolved together over time. The goal of her research is to discover new targets for drugs.
Forget the antioxidants? McGill researchers cast doubt on role of free radicals in aging. Some organisms live longer when their ability to rid themselves of free radicals is partially disabled. – For more than 40 years, the prevailing explanation of why we get old has been tied to what is called oxidative stress. This theory postulates that when molecules like free radicals, oxygen ions and peroxides build up in cells, they overwhelm the cells’ ability to repair the damage they cause, and the cells age.
Newly discovered gene could be a prime target in the most lethal brain cancer – Scientists at Duke University Medical Center and Johns Hopkins University have discovered mutations in two genes that could become therapeutic targets in malignant glioma, a dangerous class of brain tumors.
Research suggests pollution-related asthma may start in the womb – Children born in areas with increased traffic-related pollution may be at greater risk of developing asthma due to genetic changes acquired in the womb, according to new research from the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
Common gene variants increase risk of hypertension, may lead to new therapies – A new study has identified the first common gene variants associated with an increased incidence of hypertension ? a significant risk factor for heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.
The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and 454 Life Sciences Corp. have completed a draft sequence of the Neandertal genome – The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, in Leipzig, Germany, and the 454 Life Sciences Corporation, in Branford, Connecticut, will announce on 12 February during the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and at a simultaneous European press briefing that they have completed a first draft version of the Neandertal genome.
One in eight women in the United States will receive a diagnosis of breast cancer in their lifetime, and it is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Now a new test will help physicians determine the best possible treatment for each patient. – A set of 50 genes can be used to reliably identify the four known types of breast cancer, according to research conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and collaborating institutions.
India partners with EU to prevent India’s traditional medicinal knowledge from Biopiracy – India through an Access Agreement with European Patent Office, has established a mechanism to protect India’s traditional medicinal knowledge from bio-piracy.
Marijuana use linked to increased risk of testicular cancer. Risk appears to be elevated particularly among frequent and/or long-term users of marijuana. – Frequent and/or long-term marijuana use may significantly increase a man’s risk of developing the most aggressive type of testicular cancer, according to a study by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration FDA Approves Orphan Drug ATryn to Treat Rare Clotting Disorder – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued its first approval for a biological product produced by genetically engineered (GE) animals.
Genetic study shows direct link between vitamin D and MS susceptibility ‘gene’ – Researchers have found evidence that a direct interaction between vitamin D and a common genetic variant alters the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS).
Stroma genomic signature predicts resistance to anthracyclin-based chemotherapy in breast cancer – Researchers at the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics and the Swiss National Center of Competence in Research in Molecular Oncology in Lausanne have developed a new test to predict how breast cancer patients respond to chemotherapy, which could help change how treatment is delivered in the future.
