Genetics
> Cambridge scientists have found a gene that raises your risk for an early form of dementia. They found the gene in chromosome 7. Report
> A number of genetic variations have been linked to stuttering, and the lead scientist in the work says he was "shocked" to discover that two of the genes are also linked to a rare and often fatal metabolic disorder. Story
> A team led by scientists at the University of Leeds found that the TSPAN12 gene is faulty in patients with a disease known as FEVR (Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy), which affects the development of the eye. Article
> The recent discovery of the MTM gene in a Labrador Retriever born in Canada has paved the way to a preclinical study of a gene therapy for myotubular myopathy--a neuromuscular disorder--using a group of puppies born to the dog. Story
Stem Cell Research
> A researcher at the UW-Milwaukee has developed software that can predict the evolution of stem cells. The algorithmic approach should short circuit what has been a tedious exercise for researchers in the field. Report
> Athersys says that it has received U.S. and European patents protecting its MultiStem stem cell therapy. Story
> Medical College of Georgia researchers are conducting the first FDA-approved clinical trial to determine whether an infusion of stem cells from umbilical cord blood can improve the quality of life for children with cerebral palsy. Story
> In a first, ReNeuron was given the green light to start a human clinical trial of its stem cell treatment for stroke victims. Report
Cancer Research
> Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine say they have found a master gene involved in the regulation of breast cancer. They say SRC-3 (steroid receptor co-activator 3) plays a key role in metastasis. Story
> Researchers at the Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), have discovered a drug that binds to a molecular 'switch' found in cancer cells and cancer-associated blood vessels to keep it 'off'. Report
And Finally... To find the causes for cancer, biochemists and developmental biologists at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, retraced the function of an important human cancer gene 600 million years back in time. Release