Studies identify bulk of genetic variation that influences blood cell traits Two large-scale genetic studies have identified the bulk of genetic variation that influences medically-important characteristics of our blood cells. Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and colleagues from 101 research institutions world-wide, have studied hundreds of thousands...
Tag: <span>DNA</span>
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CRISPR Illustrated
BY ALISA ZAPP MACHALEK You’ve probably heard news stories and other talk about CRISPR. If you’re not a scientist—well, even if you are—it can seem a bit complex. Here’s a brief recap of what it’s all about. In 1987, scientists noticed weird, repeating sequences of DNA in bacteria. In 2002, the abbreviation CRISPR was coined...
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New method of detecting illnesses including coronavirus and cystic fibrosis
Examining individual molecules to detect the presence of disease in blood UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS ILLUSTRATION SHOWS THE MARRIAGE OF DNA NANOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOELECTRONICS.view more CREDIT: EATFISHDESIGN A new and quicker method of diagnosing diseases in patients has been created by researchers at the University of Leeds. The team has developed a system of examining individual...
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Weak electric currents could help combat superbugs
Scientists have shown that currents measured in millionths of an amp kill bacteria by disrupting their outer membranes. The finding may inspire new antimicrobial technologies that use electricity to slow the spread of antibiotic resistant infections. New research suggesting that electricity can kill bacteria may have long-term implications for combating ‘superbugs.’ Scientists have known since...
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Novel insights of how prostate cancer causes secondary tumors
UMEA UNIVERSITY ILLUSTRATION OF HOW THE PROTEIN SMAD7 ENHANCES THE DEVELOPMENT OF TUMORS BY REGULATING THE GENE EXPRESSION OF HDAC6 AND C-JUN. view more CREDIT: KEMAL AVICAN An increased awareness on a molecular level of what mechanisms prostate cancer cells use to become mobile and start spreading may in the long run provide new opportunities...
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Cancer cells stock up in lymph vessels to survive
A cellular condition called oxidative stress can kill cancer cells. The finding that skin cancer cells evade such destruction using lipids acquired while passing through lymphatic vessels reveals a mechanism that boosts cancer spread. Barbara M. Grüner & Sarah-Maria Fendt PDF version The spread of cancer to distant parts of the body, such as to...
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Seasonal flu vaccinations don’t ‘stick’ long-term in bone marrow
A study from Emory Vaccine Center provides insights into why the boost in immunity from seasonal flu vaccination lasts for months but not years, unlike some childhood vaccinations. The home base for immune cells that produce antibodies is the bone marrow. Seasonal flu vaccination does increase the number of antibody-producing cells specific for flu in...
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568 genes identified with the potential to trigger cancer
INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH IN BIOMEDICINE (IRB BARCELONA) ANALYSIS OF THE GENOMES OF 28,000 TUMORS FROM 66 TYPES OF CANCER. view more CREDIT: IRB BARCELONA Cancer is a group of diseases characterised by uncontrolled cell growth caused by mutations, and other alterations in the genome of cells. A tumour can present from hundreds to thousands of...
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Researchers discover protective factor against psychological trauma
by University of Basel The endogenous regulation of a specific gene is associated with a reduced risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder following a terrifying experience. In particular, traumatic memories of the experience are less severe. Researchers from the University of Basel have reported these findings in the scientific journal PNAS. Traumatic experiences, such as...
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PARP inhibitor becomes new treatment option for some men with advanced prostate cancer
by University of Chicago Medical Center Results from an international clinical trial found that men with advanced prostate cancer who have mutated BRCA1/BRCA2 genes can be treated successfully with a targeted therapy known as rucaparib, resulting in recent FDA approval. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death...