Tag: Personalized Medicine

Pioneering biologists create a new crop through genome editing: From wild plant to crop: CRISPR-Cas9 revolutionizes breeding, New tomato contains more valuable antioxidants

Crops such as wheat and maize have undergone a breeding process lasting thousands of years, in the course of which  humankind has gradually modified the properties of the wild plants in order to adapt them to his needs. One motive was, and still is, higher yields. One “side effect” of this breeding has been a

Communication among organs, tissues regulating body’s energy revealed: First-ever ‘atlas’ of circadian metabolism shows how disruptions may lead to disease

An international research team led by the University of California, Irvine has identified a system of communication networks that exists among organs and tissues that regulate metabolism. Findings from their study provide, for the first time, a detailed “atlas” illustrating how the body creates and uses energy, and how imbalances in the networks may impact

Experts advise against routine testing for prostate cancer: But for those men who seek counsel from their physicians, shared decision making is essential

Routine testing for prostate cancer is not recommended for most men because the benefit is small and uncertain and there are clear harms, say a panel of international experts in The BMJ today. But they acknowledge that some men, such as those with a family history of prostate cancer, may be more likely to consider

Combination approach shows promise for beating advanced melanoma: New treatment is more effective in people receiving immunotherapy for the first time, study finds

A UCLA-led study has found that a treatment that uses a bacteria-like agent in combination with an immunotherapy drug could help some people with advanced melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, live longer. The research showed that using the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab and the experimental agent SD-101, a sequence of nucleic acids that mimics

Potential target for developing obesity and diabetes treatment identified

A newly published study by researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine has identified a potential therapeutic target for treating obesity and diabetes. The scientists studied the biological function of an epigenetic modifier known as histone deacetylase 11 (HDAC11), and determined that deleting it in mice stimulates the formation of brown adipose tissue.

Genetic basis of heart rhythms explored in large population study: Better treatments for atrial fibrillation and heart block could emerge from greater understanding of the heart’s electrical activity

New knowledge about biological processes related to the heart’s electrical activity has been gained through a major genome science study. The research had the largest sample size ever of a project of this type. The molecular mechanisms explored in this study offer insights into cardiac electrical diseases and could suggest avenues of drug research for

Next generation ALS drug silences inherited form of the disease in animal models: Preclinical study suggests drug may be ready for early stage clinical trials

NIH-funded researchers delayed signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in rodents by injecting them with a second-generation drug designed to silence the gene, superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1). The results, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggest the newer version of the drug may be effective at treating an inherited form of the disease caused

New hope for rare disorder

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by recurrent painful swellings of the skin and mucous membranes. Without treatment, patients’ quality of life is noticeably compromised: Angioedema may not only be disfiguring; in the gastrointestinal tract it may lead to severe abdominal colic ad in the upper airways it can even be fatal

New platform poised to be next generation of genetic medicines: The novel tool has the potential to treat a variety of genetic diseases

A City of Hope scientist has discovered a gene-editing technology that could efficiently and accurately correct the genetic defects that underlie certain diseases, positioning the new tool as the basis for the next generation of genetic therapies. This editing platform, discovered by City of Hope’s Saswati Chatterjee, Ph.D., eventually may be used to cure inherited

Researchers discover a way to peer inside proteins to see how they are wired: The technique could help scientists develop methods for switching on or off specific proteins associated with diabetes and other diseases

The proteins in our bodies are sophisticated structures that perform specific jobs to keep us functioning and healthy. In many cases, these tiny machines are switched on or off through a two-step process where one part of the protein sends messages to another part called the “active site,” triggering the protein to start or stop

Mapping the genetic controllers in heart disease: A 3D map of the gene interactions that play a significant role in cardiovascular disease could lead to new treatment and prevention strategies

Researchers have developed a 3D map of the gene interactions that play a key role in cardiovascular disease, a study in eLife reports. The map will help researchers identify the most important genes to focus on for the development of new treatments for heart attacks, heart failure and heart rhythm disorders. More than 500 genetic