Separate species that live in radically different environments don't necessarily also have different ecological niches. This is the finding of a study investigating the accuracy of current statistical tests that use models of geographic distributions to infer changes in environmental requirements.
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A tumor-causing maize fungus with the unsavory-sounding name "corn smut" wields different weapons from its genetic arsenal depending on which part of the plant it infects. The discovery by Stanford researchers marks the first time tissue-specific targeting has been found in a pathogen.
The finding upends conventional notions of how pathogens attack and could point the way to new approaches to fighting disease not only in plants but also in people, according to Stanford researchers. Corn smut is a plant cancer.
Using a method they developed to watch moment to moment as they move a molecule to precise sites inside live human cells, Johns Hopkins scientists are closer to understanding why and how a protein at one location may signal division and growth, and the same protein at another location, death.
Their research, published Feb. 14 in Nature Methods, expands on a more limited method using a chemical tool to move proteins inside of cells to the periphery, a locale known as the plasma membrane.
Princeton University scientists have developed a new way to identify the hidden genetic material responsible for complex traits, a breakthrough they believe ultimately could lead to a deeper understanding of how multiple genes interact to produce everything from blue eyes to blood pressure problems.
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that epigenetic marks on human placentas change from the first trimester of pregnancy to the third, a discovery that may allow clinicians to prevent complications in pregnancy.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Exclusive licensing deals are a two-way safety net that fosters cooperation as new product ideas weave their way toward the marketplace, according to new research led by a University of Illinois business strategy expert.
Deepak Somaya says the findings reveal that granting rights to a sole partner is a tool to curb risk and leverage cooperation, not to corner the market when breakthrough innovations are ultimately launched.
Atlanta, April 13th, 2010 – New data presented at the 62nd American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in Toronto, Canada, showed that patients with moderate to severe Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) using rotigotine achieved sustained improvements in symptoms over 5 years of treatment.
DURHAM, N.C. –Exclusive licenses to gene patents, most of which are held by academic institutions and based on taxpayer-funded research, do more to block competition in the gene testing market than to spur the development of new technologies for gauging disease risk, say researchers at the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP).
As single-gene tests give way to multi-gene or even whole-genome scans, exclusive patent rights could slow promising new technologies and business models for genetic testing even further, the Duke researchers say.
STANFORD, Calif. — Women with breast cancer whose tumors express high levels of a particular genetic marker are significantly more likely to die from their disease than are those with more normal levels, according to researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine. The finding implies that blocking the action of the marker — a newly recognized type of RNA — could one day be an effective way to prevent metastasis and improve survival for these women, who make up about one-third of all breast cancer patients.
Using powerful DNA sequencing technology to decode the genomes of cancer patients, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are getting an unprecedented look at the genetic basis of a highly lethal breast cancer that disproportionately affects younger women and those who are African-American.
DURHAM, N.C. -- Exclusive licenses to gene patents, most of which are held by academic institutions and based on taxpayer-funded research, do more to block competition in the gene testing market than to spur the development of new technologies for gauging disease risk, say researchers at the Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy (IGSP).
As single-gene tests give way to multi-gene or even whole-genome scans, exclusive patent rights could slow promising new technologies and business models for genetic testing even further, the Duke researchers say.
Published online today in Nature, a paper authored by over 200 members of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) describes the beginnings of a Brave New World, a new era of personalised medicine for cancer patients.
Formed in 2008, the consortium brings together leading cancer researchers from around the world, working together to catalogue the genetic changes of the 50 most common cancers - 500 genomes from each cancer type – and make the results freely available on the internet.
A team of scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified a network of genes that initiate and manage cilia formation. Although scientists have known about cilia for decades, only recently have they discovered their role in disease. This new discovery, which may lead to new therapies for ciliopathies, will appear in the April 15 edition of Nature.
Scientists from Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) recently presented preliminary research findings that identify a specific gene as a potential new target for treating obesity-related diseases.
AUSTIN, Texas — When Conservation International began working with one of Indonesia's largest energy companies on an environmentally conscious development plan two years ago, the groups looked to a philosopher for guidance.
Sahotra Sarkar, a professor at The University of Texas at Austin and leader in the study of environmental ethics, worked with the conservationists and energy producers to develop strategies that balance economic development and biodiversity protection while respecting the needs of indigenous people.