Archive by category | Genetics

Voting commences on research prize determined by public poll

It’s an off year in the US election cycle, which means that neither the President nor most members of Congress will face the voters come November. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still cast a ballot this fall. Today, the Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) in Boston announced the finalists for the second annual BRIght Futures Prize, a $100,000 research contest in which the winner is decided by a public poll. Voting is now open through 21 November.  Read more

74 new susceptibility genes found for breast, ovarian and prostate cancer

74 new susceptibility genes found for breast, ovarian and prostate cancer

In the largest cancer genotyping study to date, an international team of scientists spanning more than 160 research groups has identified 74 new genetic regions associated with breast, ovarian or prostate cancer—a near doubling of the number of susceptibility loci linked to these three hormone-related cancers.  Read more

Patients should learn about secondary genetic risk factors, say recommendations

Imagine getting a chest X-ray to identify the cause of a serious cough. The radiologist finds a shadow that wasn’t causing the cough but could be a tumor. In many cases, it is obvious what to do upon uncovering these sorts of secondary or incidental findings — most doctors would follow up on the search for a possible lung tumor, for example.  Read more

From tumors to tapeworms: parasite’s genome points to new uses for cancer drugs

From tumors to tapeworms: parasite’s genome points to new uses for cancer drugs

Commonly used cancer drugs could be repurposed to help eliminate tapeworm infections, according to the first full genome analysis of the human gut pathogen.  Read more

Competition intensifies over market for DNA-based prenatal tests

Noninvasive Prenatal Genetic Test Compared

Prenatal DNA testing has been a fiercely contested market of late. Yet another competitor entered the fray last week when Natera, a startup based in San Carlos, California, announced the 1 March launch date of a commercial test that can detect chromosomal abnormalities in the developing fetus from just a drop of an expectant mother’s blood—and with a sensitivity on par of that of more invasive techniques such as amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling, both of which carry an elevated risk of miscarriage.  Read more

Mutations that drive early-onset prostate cancer identified, pointing way to specific treatments

Mutations that drive early-onset prostate cancer identified, pointing way to specific treatments

Prostate cancer affects an estimated one in every six males who live past the age of 70, making it the most common type of cancer among men worldwide. The majority of prostate cancer cases occur in men 65 years of age or older, but about 2% of cases occur in those under the age of 50—and these early tumors are particularly aggressive. Until now, scientists didn’t know whether the mechanisms that give rise to prostate cancer in the younger men were different from those in seniors.  Read more