Genetic People

For decades, researchers have ransacked the genetic pedigrees of people with mental illness, looking for common variations that combine to cause devastating conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The search has stalled badly; while these disorders may involve genetic disruptions, no underlying patterns have surfaced — no single gene or genes that account for more than a tiny fraction of cases.

So scientists are turning their focus to an emerging field: epigenetics, the study of how people’s experience and environment affect the function of their genes. Read the rest of this entry »

Researchers using a new technique for editing the genome of living cells have shown that they can cure hemophilia in mice, at least in principle, with a couple of injections that carry out the “cut” and “paste” operations needed to insert a corrective gene.

This is the first time this genome-editing technique has succeeded in a live animal. Along with other applications, like two AIDS treatments in preliminary stages, the new technique could be the decisive improvement that gives credibility to the long-struggling field of gene therapy. Read the rest of this entry »

Medical researchers are again in pursuit of a goal they had all but abandoned: curing AIDS.

Until recently, the possibility seemed little more than wishful thinking. But the experiences of two patients now suggest to many scientists that it may be achievable.

One man, the so-called Berlin patient, apparently has cleared his H.I.V. infection, albeit by arduous bone marrow transplants.

More recently, a 50-year-old man in Trenton underwent a far less difficult gene therapy procedure. While he was not cured, his body was able to briefly control the virus after he stopped taking the usual antiviral drugs, something that is highly unusual. Read the rest of this entry »

December 1st, World AIDS Day, and we find ourselves reflecting on how nearly 30 years after it first reared its ugly head, HIV is still newly infecting some two million adults a year, and despite millions of dollars and hours of research, the virus has proved elusive and slippery to vaccine developers. But an alternative path is starting to open up: gene therapy. Read the rest of this entry »

Roche’s  cobas EGFR Mutation Test received a CE mark. The regulatory stamp means the test will be commercially available as a companion diagnostic to identify non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR mutations who may benefit from anti-EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Roche itself has a tyrosine kinase inhibitor for NSCLC, Tarceva. The drug was approved by the EC in September as first-line monotherapy in patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR-activating mutations. Read the rest of this entry »

The U.S. Senate expects to approve, by week’s end, an eight-year reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. It would end a three-year stalemate over its funding. But it is not known if the House of Representatives will follow suit and pass it or continue to press for its own version. Read the rest of this entry »

Scientists say human blood stem cells can be engineered to develop in vivo into fully functional melanoma-killing lymphocytes. A multidisciplinary University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)-led team engineered human hematopoietic stem cells (hHSCs) to express a melanoma antigen, and then reimplanted these cells back into a humanized mouse model carrying human thymus and other organs. The animals subsequently generated melanoma-specific naive CD8+ T cells, which were able to clear melanoma tumors without any additional manipulation. Encouragingly, the transduced hHSCs established long-term bone marrow engraftment. Read the rest of this entry »

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

IBS is a functional gastrointestinal disorder marked by abdominal pain or discomfort, bloating, and irregular bowel habits, such as diarrhea or constipation. Functional gastrointestinal disorders are defined by their symptoms. IBS can cause a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it is not life threatening, does not damage the bowel, and does not progress to other diseases. IBS should not be confused with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a group of diseases including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Read the rest of this entry »

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome^* (IBS) is a “syndrome,” meaning a group of symptoms. The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort often reported as cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and/or constipation. IBS affects the colon, or large bowel, which is the part of the digestive tract that stores stool. Read the rest of this entry »

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder characterized most commonly by cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. IBS causes a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently harm the intestines and does not lead to a serious disease, such as cancer. Most people can control their symptoms with diet, stress management, and prescribed medications. For some people, however, IBS can be disabling. They may be unable to work, attend social events, or even travel short distances. Read the rest of this entry »