Public release date: 17-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Matt Fearer fearer@wi.mit.edu 617-452-4630 Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (January 17, 2013) Using only a computer, an Internet connection, and publicly accessible online resources, a team of Whitehead Institute researchers has been able to identify nearly 50 individuals who had submitted personal genetic material as participants in genomic studies.

Intent on conducting an exercise in vulnerability researcha common practice in the field of information securitythe team took a multi-step approach to prove that under certain circumstances, the full names and identities of genomic research participants can be determined, even when their genetic information is held in databases in de-identified form.

This is an important result that points out the potential for breaches of privacy in genomics studies, says Whitehead Fellow Yaniv Erlich, who led the research team. A description of the groups work is published in this weeks Science magazine.

Erlich and colleagues began by analyzing unique genetic markers known as short tandem repeats on the Y chromosomes (Y-STRs) of men whose genetic material was collected by the Center for the Study of Human Polymorphisms (CEPH) and whose genomes were sequenced and made publicly available as part of the 1000 Genomes Project. Because the Y chromosome is transmitted from father to son, as are family surnames, there is a strong correlation between surnames and the DNA on the Y chromosome.

Recognizing this correlation, genealogists and genetic genealogy companies have established publicly accessible databases that house Y-STR data by surname. In a process known as surname inference, the Erlich team was able to discover the family names of the men by submitting their Y-STRs to these databases. With surnames in hand, the team queried other information sources, including Internet record search engines, obituaries, genealogical websites, and public demographic data from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Human Genetic Cell Repository at New Jerseys Coriell Institute, to identify nearly 50 men and women in the United States who were CEPH participants.

Previous studies have contemplated the possibility of genetic identification by matching the DNA of a single person, assuming the persons DNA were cataloged in two separate databases. This work, however, exploits data between distant paternally-related individuals. As a result, the team notes that the posting of genetic data from a single individual can reveal deep genealogical ties and lead to the identification of a distantly-related person who may have no acquaintance with the person who released that genetic data.

We show that if, for example, your Uncle Dave submitted his DNA to a genetic genealogy database, you could be identified, says Melissa Gymrek, a member of the Erlich lab and first author of the Science paper. In fact, even your fourth cousin Patrick, whom youve never met, could identify you if his DNA is in the database, as long as he is paternally related to you.

Aware of the sensitivity of his work, Erlich emphasizes that he has no intention of revealing the names of those identified, nor does he wish to see public sharing of genetic information curtailed.

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Scientists expose new vulnerabilities in the security of personal genetic information

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CHICAGO, Jan. 17, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Medical Association (AMA) announced an agreement with the National Library of Medicine that will enhance the National Institutes of Health's Genetic Testing Registry, a centralized public source for information on genetic tests.

Under the agreement, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT(R)) codes for molecular pathology tests will be integrated into the publicly available Genetic Testing Registry (GTR), which is managed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, a division of the National Library of Medicine at NIH. The AMA-created CPT codes describe the latest advances in genetic testing and molecular diagnostic services for reporting and tracking purposes.

"Incorporating these CPT codes into GTR will help clinicians pinpoint practical information about genetics in a centralized resource," said GTR Director Wendy Rubinstein, M.D., Ph.D.

"CPT codes are a critical element to building an infrastructure that supports moving new genetic discoveries to the front lines of clinical care as we move into an era of personalized medicine," said AMA President Jeremy A. Lazarus, M.D. "Adding a CPT coding reference to the Genetic Testing Registry gives physicians an invaluable information source that will enhance the reporting of genetic tests and services."

The AMA has been involved with coding solutions for molecular pathology services since 1998. New, more detailed CPT codes for molecular pathology became effective in 2012 to capture and describe the latest scientific advances in this rapidly expanding field of medicine. The ongoing process has so far created more than 100 codes for reporting innovative diagnostic services, and advances the AMA's overarching goal of reducing disease burdens, improving health outcomes and reducing long-term care costs.

Media Contact: Robert J. Mills AMA Media Relations (312) 464-5970 robert.mills@ama-assn.org

About the American Medical Association (AMA)

The American Medical Association helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional, public health and health policy issues. The nation's largest physician organization plays a leading role in shaping the future of medicine. For more information on the AMA, please visit http://www.ama-assn.org.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://www.cisionwire.com http://www.cisionwire.com/american-medical-association/r/ama-enhances-genetic-testing-registry,c9358492

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AMA Enhances Genetic Testing Registry

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The Week at Duke {in 60 Seconds}: Gun Debate; MLK Address; Bryan Center
Duke University juniors Danny Nolan and Emily Sobel deliver a week #39;s worth of campus news in a minute. Duke faculty and students have been weighing in on the national debate about gun policy. One prominent voice in the debate is public policy professor Phil Cook. "I think we are at a point now that is much like we were in the 1980s with drunk driving," Cook said. "MADD and other organizations worked hard to get judges to treat that as a serious crime and I think now we have to make sure that the judges take illegal carrying of guns as a serious crime." A new study led by Duke doctor Barton Haynes helps scientists better understand how an experimental HIV vaccine works -- and where it fails. The keynote address at Duke #39;s Martin Luther King Junior celebration January 20 will be given by Duke Divinity School professor, the reverend William Turner. Biology professor Mohamed Noor is teaching a free online course on evolution and genetics on the Coursera platform. The Bryan Center is getting a makeover. It will eventually look like this. For more Duke news everyday, visit Duke Today at today.duke.edu.

By: Duke

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The Week at Duke {in 60 Seconds}: Gun Debate; MLK Address; Bryan Center - Video

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I feel for u
Just hear her out an think on your time to know an see what your brain DNA genetics produce? Brain gene activity changes through life Body Brain.

By: Woweetime Morecolor

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I feel for u - Video

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J Love Natural Hair Care
J Love maker of Genetics, Progenics, Variations, professional hair care systems I created this video with the YouTube Video Editor (www.youtube.com

By: Joseph Love

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J Love Natural Hair Care - Video

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The Hidden Source Episode 36 -RQ RQ RQ THEY ALL SUCK-
Myself ThatOneRebel playing some The Hidden Source! Nobody can see The Hidden only trained eyes can see him well! WATCH AS I MURDER EVERYONE AS THE HIDDEN MAHAAAHAHAHA The objective of The Hidden Source is that the humans aka IRIS must eliminate The Hidden to win vice versa for the Hidden but as the title says he is invisible and only is equipped with a knife capable of a one hit kill depending on server and only three grenades. The hidden has many abilities like taunting, super strength to ram objects into IRIS soldiers or be able to leap super high and hang on buildings. Lastly The Hidden can heal himself by eating bodies but only if they are stabbed to death not PIGSTICKED! (which is the one hit kill move) The IRIS are equipped with four weapons ranging from shotgun to rifle to SMG and a few options of equipment like senors to laser optics on your gun. Game is The Hidden Source which requires Half life 2 engine meaning you have to have Half Life 2 purchased already or another source game to run with STORYLINE In the early 1950s human genetics experimentation was taking its first, tentative steps. Amongst many other black projects, a team of British scientists working at an Infinitum Research experimental station stumbled across some remarkable phenomena involving DNA manipulation. This led to deeper research with dangerously unpredictable results, often leading to human patients losing their lives in irresponsible and immoral experiments. Time passed on, and by the mid ...

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Genetics Intro - Who is Gregor Mendel?
This video is an introduction to Genetics and Gregor Mendel. The video concludes with a discussion on Genotypes and Phenotypes

By: Charles Filipek

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Genetics Intro - Who is Gregor Mendel? - Video

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#1 How to Train and Build Biceps. Hints and Tips. Bulking Up
How to Train and Build Biceps. Hints and Tips. Bulking Up Yurii Spasokukotskyi, a personal trainer and bodybuilding champion came into the sport in 1994. Initialy he used to have narrow shoulders, weak muscles and a big fat belly. But even after 7 years of regular gym training 3-4 times a week didn #39;t bring hime good results. The reason was that regular and hard workout vs bad genetics was not cool enough without a competent training system. Then Yurii has developed his own system which works 100% and may ba suitable for everybody. And he himself got much greater results in bodybuilding during that one year than during those 7 years of training before. Now all people, who want to get a significant progress in bodybuilding and fitness are getting success with Yurii. He gives personal trainings in Skype and has thousands of happy clients around the world. Build muscle really fast: biceps.com.ua In today #39;s episode, it #39;s time to build some MONSTER BICEPS! I #39;ve gotten a lot of questions lately in the comments about what I do for my arms, and how to develop a big biceps . In this video I #39;m going to show you two of the exact exercises I use to get big arms myself. Building a biceps "peak" will make a HUGE difference in how big your biceps appear. If they #39;re shaped right, your biceps will appear much bigger than someone whose are the same size, but whose biceps do not have a dramatic peak. Developing your bracs (muscles outside your biceps) with the other exercise I show in this ...

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#1 How to Train and Build Biceps. Hints and Tips. Bulking Up - Video

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#2 Pretty girls don #39;t like strong men. Joke
Pretty girls don #39;t like strong men. Joke Yurii Spasokukotskyi, a personal trainer and bodybuilding champion came into the sport in 1994. Initialy he used to have narrow shoulders, weak muscles and a big fat belly. But even after 7 years of regular gym training 3-4 times a week didn #39;t bring hime good results. The reason was that regular and hard workout vs bad genetics was not cool enough without a competent training system. Then Yurii has developed his own system which works 100% and may ba suitable for everybody. And he himself got much greater results in bodybuilding during that one year than during those 7 years of training before. Now all people, who want to get a significant progress in bodybuilding and fitness are getting success with Yurii. He gives personal trainings in Skype and has thousands of happy clients around the world. Build muscle really fast: biceps.com.ua In today #39;s episode, it #39;s time to build some MONSTER BICEPS! I #39;ve gotten a lot of questions lately in the comments about what I do for my arms, and how to develop a big biceps . In this video I #39;m going to show you two of the exact exercises I use to get big arms myself. Building a biceps "peak" will make a HUGE difference in how big your biceps appear. If they #39;re shaped right, your biceps will appear much bigger than someone whose are the same size, but whose biceps do not have a dramatic peak. Developing your bracs (muscles outside your biceps) with the other exercise I show in this video will also ...

By: WorkoutTV24

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#2 Pretty girls don't like strong men. Joke - Video

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Thalassaemia - Introduction, Classification, Clinical Features, Diagnosis, Treatment Complications
A brief video to refresh the memories of my busy students with a dose of pathology ! Recording took only half an hour, editing 5 minutes - But uploading was taking for ever ... Hope some one finds this helpful ... peace Tags : Thalassemia, Definition, Classification, Role of Genetics in Thalassemia, Pathophysiology of Alpha and Beta Thalassemia, Clinical Features, Main Findings in Blood Picture, Target Cells, How and why Target Cells Formed in Thalassemia, Role of Parvo virus B19 in thalassemia, Treatment and complications.

By: Rabiul Haque

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Thalassaemia - Introduction, Classification, Clinical Features, Diagnosis, Treatment

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#4 Shoulder Dumbell Fly, one arm style. My own Shoulder Workout
Shoulder Dumbell Fly, one arm style. My own Shoulder Workout Yurii Spasokukotskyi, a personal trainer and bodybuilding champion came into the sport in 1994. Initialy he used to have narrow shoulders, weak muscles and a big fat belly. But even after 7 years of regular gym training 3-4 times a week didn #39;t bring hime good results. The reason was that regular and hard workout vs bad genetics was not cool enough without a competent training system. Then Yurii has developed his own system which works 100% and may ba suitable for everybody. And he himself got much greater results in bodybuilding during that one year than during those 7 years of training before. Now all people, who want to get a significant progress in bodybuilding and fitness are getting success with Yurii. He gives personal trainings in Skype and has thousands of happy clients around the world. Build muscle really fast: biceps.com.ua In today #39;s episode, it #39;s time to build some MONSTER BICEPS! I #39;ve gotten a lot of questions lately in the comments about what I do for my arms, and how to develop a big biceps . In this video I #39;m going to show you two of the exact exercises I use to get big arms myself. Building a biceps "peak" will make a HUGE difference in how big your biceps appear. If they #39;re shaped right, your biceps will appear much bigger than someone whose are the same size, but whose biceps do not have a dramatic peak. Developing your bracs (muscles outside your biceps) with the other exercise I show in ...

By: WorkoutTV24

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#4 Shoulder Dumbell Fly, one arm style. My own Shoulder Workout - Video

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Synastry - Cryolife
A song from an awesome band from new album Our Memetic Imprints, download or buy it from here synastry.bandcamp.com Song will be removed at the request of the author as I do not own it and this video is for promotional purposes of an awesome band. Jimmy Anastasopoulos - Vocals Pavel Ikonomov - Guitars Garen Vartivarian - Bass Kegham Kesserian - Drums All Music by Synastry All Lyrics by Jimmy Anastasopoulos Drums, Guitars and Bass Recorded by JF Dagenais Vocals Recorded by Chris Donaldson Mixed by JF Dagenais Samples production by Kevin Jardine Mastering by Jef Fortin GUITAR SOLO on Negative Genetics by Chris Donaldson. LEAD GUITAR OUTRO on Negative Genetics by JF Dagenais. Artwork by Mikio Murakami @ SILENT Q Design.

By: Necromael21

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Synastry - Cryolife - Video

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J-Don - Bad Odour
J-Don with his reply to Emre Lyrics: [Chorus] Oh Oh sometimes I smell a bad odour, yeah I smell an odour that i #39;ve never never never never smelt before no no i smell a bad odour, yeah Oh Oh sometimes I smell a bad odour, yeah I smell an odour that i #39;ve never never never never smelt before no no i smell a bad odour, yeah Why you sending back and foreskin me to do this I #39;m going to crucify your ass so you can call me Judas I #39;m gonna sharpen up my act cause before my bars were useless standing harmless with an axe pretending to be ruthless stealing my chromosome bar was kind of pathetic lets forget the racism and skip to genetics your mom gives head for bus fare and gets the camel home at least I know no why you #39;ve got down syndrome you follow me around school constantly lurking your skin complexion reminds me of a greasy gherkin your dads a sikh he wears a turban you write crap bars and you think your urban [Chorus] Oh Oh sometimes I smell a bad odour, yeah I smell an odour that i #39;ve never never never never smelt before no no i smell a bad odour, yeah Oh Oh sometimes I smell a bad odour, yeah I smell an odour that i #39;ve never never never never smelt before no no i smell a bad odour, I don #39;t know why I knocked on your door anymore considering I have a key I bet if I opened the door you mom would be waiting for me flicking her bean so vigorously in perfect syncronicity to the theme tune of sesame street flicking it so hard an vigorous, told her not to be so brave and shiverous ...

By: Rap Battles

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J-Don - Bad Odour - Video

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#10 Results before and after. A 50 years old man loses 31 kilo! Diet plus fitness
Results before and after. A 50 years old man loses 31 kilo! Diet plus fitness Yurii Spasokukotskyi, a personal trainer and bodybuilding champion came into the sport in 1994. Initialy he used to have narrow shoulders, weak muscles and a big fat belly. But even after 7 years of regular gym training 3-4 times a week didn #39;t bring hime good results. The reason was that regular and hard workout vs bad genetics was not cool enough without a competent training system. Then Yurii has developed his own system which works 100% and may ba suitable for everybody. And he himself got much greater results in bodybuilding during that one year than during those 7 years of training before. Now all people, who want to get a significant progress in bodybuilding and fitness are getting success with Yurii. He gives personal trainings in Skype and has thousands of happy clients around the world. Build muscle really fast: biceps.com.ua In today #39;s episode, it #39;s time to build some MONSTER BICEPS! I #39;ve gotten a lot of questions lately in the comments about what I do for my arms, and how to develop a big biceps . In this video I #39;m going to show you two of the exact exercises I use to get big arms myself. Building a biceps "peak" will make a HUGE difference in how big your biceps appear. If they #39;re shaped right, your biceps will appear much bigger than someone whose are the same size, but whose biceps do not have a dramatic peak. Developing your bracs (muscles outside your biceps) with the other ...

By: WorkoutTV24

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#10 Results before and after. A 50 years old man loses 31 kilo! Diet plus fitness - Video

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SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - Jan 17, 2013) - Atossa Genetics, Inc. ( NASDAQ : ATOS ) announced today that Steven C. Quay, M.D., Ph.D., FCAP, Chairman, CEO and President of Atossa, will make two presentations at the Personalized Medicine World Conference (PWMC) being held at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, on January 28th and 29th, 2013. Dr. Quay will discuss a strategy for providing care to patients at every stage of a disease or condition, and how it may be possible to actually prevent breast cancer.

Here are summaries of his two presentations:

The "CarePath" Business Model in Personalized Medicine - 9:45 am Pacific Time, Jan. 28, 2013

Abstract: Medical practice is moving toward treatments that are based on simple protocols. For example, if a woman has a lump in her breast, she typically gets a standard biopsy. These so-called protocol-driven treatment paradigms thus make it hard for genomics-based diagnostic companies to launch innovative tests that may offer better care but which don't fit the established protocol. There is another possible approach, however -- designing a suite of tests and procedures that work together to help patients at every stage of a disease or condition. Atossa Genetics calls this the 'CarePath' business model, and believes it offers an insightful way to distinguish a truly innovative company from the crowd, to better treat a medical condition by establishing synergies across all parts of the business, and to build stakeholder value for the organization. Atossa Genetics has created such a CarePath for breast health with eleven FDA-cleared medical devices, four CLIA-validated Laboratory Developed Tests, and a planned pharmaceutical/biotech treatment program.

Breast Cancer Prevention through Diagnosis and Treatment - 4:15 pm Pacific Time, Jan. 28, 2013

Abstract: Dr. Quay will discuss how to obtain routine, repeated, painless breast biopsy samples non-invasively for cytopathology, next-generation sequencing, proteome, and transcriptome analysis of precursors to breast cancer. This approach makes it possible to identify the earliest "-omic" changes in reversible precursor lesions of the breast, such as atypical ductal hyperplasia. The test not only provides more accurate assessments of patients' risks of future breast cancer, it also offers a source of breast specimens for potential use in biomarker discovery, clinical trial support and patient selection. And most importantly, it opens the door to ultimately preventing breast cancer through the treatment of reversible hyperplastic lesions within the breast ducts.

"Our personalized medicine approach to breast health represents a new paradigm in the way we think about and approach breast cancer and breast cancer prevention," stated Dr. Quay. "I appreciate the opportunity to make two presentations at this important conference, which brings together thought leaders from many prestigious institutions, including Stanford University, Harvard University and other world-renowned institutions."

About Atossa Genetics, Inc.

Atossa Genetics, Inc. ( NASDAQ : ATOS ), The Breast Health Company, is based in Seattle, Washington, and is focused on preventing breast cancer through the commercialization of patented, FDA-cleared diagnostic medical devices and patented, laboratory developed tests (LDT) that can detect precursors to breast cancer up to eight years before mammography, and through research and development that will permit it to commercialize treatments for pre-cancerous lesions.

The National Reference Laboratory for Breast Health (NRLBH), a wholly owned subsidiary of Atossa Genetics, Inc., is a CLIA-certified high-complexity molecular diagnostic laboratory located in Seattle, Washington, that provides the patented ForeCYTE Breast Health Test, a risk assessment test for women 18 to 73 years of age akin to the Pap smear, and the ArgusCYTE Breast Health Test, a blood test for recurrence in breast cancer survivors that provides a "liquid biopsy" for circulating cancer cells and a tailored treatment plan for patients and their caregivers.

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Atossa Genetics, Inc. to Present at the Personalized Medicine World Conference in Mountain View, California

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An Australian researcher has developed a gene therapy for HIV - which has the potential to stop the virus from turning deadly.

David Harrich, an associate professor at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), will begin animal trials this year, but experiments in humans are still five years away.

Harrich has manipulated an HIV protein involved in gene expression, known as Tat, and turned it into a weapon against the virus.Using human immune system cells, known as T-cells, in the laboratory, he's shown the mutant protein prevents HIV replication.

At the same time, Harrich said the modified protein, dubbed Nullbasic, did not appear to adversely affect the human cells.

"So far we haven't found that Nullbasic causes toxicity in the cells we've tested," he said.

"I'm excited. Every test I've done with this agent has succeeded. It makes me optimistic it will work in humans. At the same time, I'm a skeptical scientist, and I'm going to require proof it can jump every hurdle."

QIMR researchers will soon begin testing the protein in mice.

"Before you can trial it on humans, it's going to have to go through rigorous testing in animals for safety," Harrich said.

In order for human cells to make the HIV-inhibitory protein in the laboratory, Harrich had to insert a new gene - a process known as gene therapy.

He said the idea of gene therapy being used as a treatment for HIV had gained momentum since the case of a man known as the Berlin Patient, considered by doctors to have been cured of the virus.

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Australian researcher may have developed the cure for AIDS

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Pressure Ulcers Can Wreck Your Life! Preventing and Managing Skin Problems After Spinal Cord Injury
Pressure ulcers are a serious and scary matter. This presentation illustrates why you should care about pressure ulcers and the potential consequences of developing one. Learn about the risk factors and common causes of skin breakdown after spinal cord injury, how to recognize the early signs of skin trouble, what to do if you think you are developing a pressure ulcer, appropriate treatments for ulcers of different stages, and the specific things that you and your support system can do to help prevent a pressure ulcer from happening to you.

By: UWSpinalCordInjury

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Pressure Ulcers Can Wreck Your Life! Preventing and Managing Skin Problems After Spinal Cord Injury - Video

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MFIII Swiss Cell Therapy for Regeneration, Rejuvenation and Revitalisation
MFIII Swiss Cell Therapy for Regeneration, Rejuvenation and Revitalisation

By: Vina Higgs

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ALLENDALE, N.J. and OXFORD, United Kingdom, Jan. 16, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NeoStem, Inc. (NYSE MKT:NBS) and its subsidiary, Progenitor Cell Therapy LLC ("PCT"), together with Adaptimmune Limited and Adaptimmune LLC (collectively, "Adaptimmune"), announced today a Services Agreement under which PCT will provide services to support Adaptimmune's NYESO-1c259-T cell therapy product being developed for multiple oncology indications (for more information with respect to Adaptimmune's clinical trials, see clinicaltrials.gov, identifiers NCT01350401, NCT01343043 and NCT01352286).

PCT's services will include the transfer and qualification of Adaptimmune's manufacturing process for its NYESO-1c259-T cell therapy product candidate at PCT's facility in Allendale, New Jersey and subsequent manufacturing of the product for Adaptimmune's clinical trials.

Adaptimmune develops products containing unique engineered T cell receptors for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. The company has a research base in Oxford, UK and a clinical base in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In December, at the American Society of Hematology conference, Adaptimmune announced encouraging preliminary results from its expanded multiple myeloma trial. Related trials in melanoma and sarcoma are also recruiting patients.

PCT is an internationally recognized contract development and manufacturing organization with facilities in Allendale, New Jersey and Mountain View, California. The company has expertise in GMP manufacture for cell therapies, including dendritic cells, stem cells and T cells. Notably, PCT provided manufacturing for the pivotal studies for Dendreon's Provenge(R), the first cell therapy approved for cancer treatment.

"With our sights set on future pivotal trials for our T cell therapy products, we have invested significant effort towards establishing capabilities within Adaptimmune that support expansion of our clinical platform in terms of both scale and compliance with FDA requirements beyond phase I/II. Our relationship with PCT is an important component," said James Noble, Chief Executive Officer of Adaptimmune. "PCT's impressive level of experience in the burgeoning field of cell therapy, combined with their flexible capacity and professionalism, are among the reasons we selected them for this critical role for our T cell product."

"We are excited to enter into this agreement with Adaptimmune, an innovator for T cell therapy to treat cancers," said Robert A. Preti, PhD, President and Chief Scientific Officer of PCT. "Given our extensive experience with technology transfer, process qualification and GMP manufacturing, we feel PCT will be an asset to Adaptimmune as it develops its product for the U.S. commercial market."

Dr. Robin L. Smith, NeoStem's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated that, "PCT's expertise is recognized globally as demonstrated by the services agreement executed with Adaptimmune. As PCT continues to expand its GMP manufacturing capabilities and focus to support the development of an increasingly wide range of cell therapies under development, it remains focused on providing outstanding client services."

About Adaptimmune

Adaptimmune focuses on the use of T cell therapy to treat cancer and infectious disease. It aims to use the body's own machinery -- the T cell -- to target and destroy cancerous or infected cells.

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NeoStem's Subsidiary, Progenitor Cell Therapy, Enters Into a Cell Therapy Manufacturing Services Agreement With ...

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A GENE has been uncovered that may help to create born leaders.

The leadership gene, known as rs4950, is an inherited DNA sequence associated with people taking charge.

Scientists accept that leadership skills are also learned. But the gene may provide the vital push needed to make someone into a manager rather than a minion.

Researchers found the gene after analysing DNA samples from around 4000 individuals and matching them to information about jobs and relationships. Workplace supervisory roles were used as a measurement of leadership behaviour.

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The study showed that a quarter of the observed variation in leadership traits between individuals could be explained by genetics.

Lead scientist Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, from University College London, said: We have identified a genotype, called rs4950, which appears to be associated with the passing of leadership ability down through generations.

The conventional wisdom - that leadership is a skill - remains largely true, but we show it is also, in part, a genetic trait.

The findings appear online today in the journal Leadership Quarterly.

Some of the greatest leaders in recent history include Martin Luther King, Mohandas Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Sir Winston Churchill.

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Leadership is in the gene, say scientists

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STUD Merino breeders wanting to cash in on the swing to polled sheep can now fast-track the process.

DNA technology can allow breeders to lessen the chances of getting a horned ram by 80 per cent in just one year.

And it is possible to remove the horned gene from the flock within seven years, according to work done by the Co-operative Research Centre for Sheep.

Sales of Poll Merino rams have skyrocketed in the past few years as the quality of polled animals increases and demand spikes.

Studs such as Woodpark Merinos at Jerilderie sell out of their polled sires, in a dramatic change of heart by their clients.

The process of switching from horned to Poll Merinos can be achieved in the shortest time frame by testing all sheep.

But even if only rams are tested, it will take just 20 years to remove the horn gene.

The speed with which horns can be removed from the flock is thanks to its genetic control. "The development of horns in sheep appears to be controlled by a single gene for which there is a good DNA marker," Sheep CRC chief executive James Rowe said.

"The new genomic test for the horn gene means that, in poll flocks, we can avoid breeding from rams that are carriers of the horn gene."

The test for the poll/horn gene is $17 per animal, which Professor Rowe said represented "a clear return on investment for breeders and ram buyers wanting polled Merinos".

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CRC in poll gene find

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irishtimes.com - Last Updated: Tuesday, January 15, 2013, 13:48

A gene has been uncovered that may help to create born leaders.

The leadership gene, known as rs4950, is an inherited DNA sequence associated with people taking charge.

Scientists accept that leadership skills are also learned. But the gene may provide the vital push needed to make someone into a manager rather than a minion. Researchers found the gene after analysing DNA samples from around 4,000 individuals and matching them to information about jobs and relationships.

Workplace supervisory roles were used as a measurement of leadership behaviour.

The study showed that a quarter of the observed variation in leadership traits between individuals could be explained by genetics.

Lead scientist Dr Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, from University College London, said: We have identified a genotype, called rs4950, which appears to be associated with the passing of leadership ability down through generations.

The conventional wisdom that leadership is a skill remains largely true, but we show it is also, in part, a genetic trait.

The findings appear online today in the journal Leadership Quarterly. Some of the greatest leaders in recent history include Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Sir Winston Churchill.

But leaders do not necessarily have to be heroic or good. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and Genghis Khan were also great leaders in their own way. The new research suggests at least the possibility that some of these historic figures were blessed with the leadership gene.

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Scientists discover 'leadership' gene

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Charly Franklin / Getty Images

In one of the largest-ever studies of genetics and autism, researchers have identified 24 new gene variants associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The work also confirms that 31 variants previously linked to the developmental disorder may serve as useful genetic markers for identifying those with the condition.

Understanding autisms genetic roots is a priority, researchers say, since it may lead to earlier diagnosis and behavioral intervention, which can improve patient outcomes.

(MORE: Behavior Therapy Normalizes Brains of Autistic Children)

Oftentimes findings like this get published in academic journals, but they dont get translated into clinical use, says Chuck Hensel, an author on the new research study, published in PLoS ONE, who is the senior manager of research at the genetic diagnostics company Lineagen. Our goal, Hensel says, is to try to get these markers into the clinic.

Hensel teamed with researchers at the University of Utah and the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and devised a two-pronged approach for hunting down genetic markers of autism.

First, the researchers chose 55 people living with autism, all from families with many members diagnosed with ASDs. The scientists then sequenced the genomes of these subjects, and compared the genetic profiles to those from a reference population, using the Utah Genetics Reference Project. That allowed them to find regions where the autistic individuals differed from people without the disorder, and led to 153 gene variants, or genetic red flags for the condition.

(MORE: Researchers Discover Genetic Patterns of Autism)

But because ASDs occur in a spectrum of mild to severe symptoms, and the genetic contribution of each of these variants likely varied, they needed to find out which of the 153 aberrations were most strongly linked to autism; some were likely indirectly connected to the disorder, and the scientists wanted to weed out those potential red herrings. So Hensel and his collaborators built a new molecular test, or probe, that would identify the 153 variants from a patient sample of blood, as well as for 185 other gene variants that previous studies had linked to autism. Running this probe on genetic samples collected from 2,175 children with clinically diagnosed autism spectrum disorders and also from 5,801 children with normal development, they could compare how well each of the variants matched up with an ASD.

Of the 153 initial candidate gene variants, 15 were confirmed as autism-related. The test also picked up another nine autism-related variants that had never been linked to autism spectrum disorders before. Participants with any of the 24 variants had a two-fold greater risk of developing an ASD than those without the genetic changes.

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Gene Variants Linked to Autism

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/ssc94x/chinese_markets) has announced the addition of the "Chinese Markets for Biotechnology" report to their offering.

China's demand for biotechnology has grown at a fast pace in the past decade. In the next five years, both production and demand will continue to grow. This new study examines China's economic trends, investment environment, industry development, supply and demand, industry capacity, industry structure, marketing channels and major industry participants. Historical data (2001, 2006 and 2011) and long-term forecasts through 2016 and 2021 are presented. Major producers in China are profiled.

Companies Mentioned

Changchun Institute of Biological Products (CCIBP)

Chengdu Institute of Biological Products (CDIBP)

Guangxi Yuefeng Bioengineering Corporation Ltd.

GeneScience Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. (GenSci)

Hainan Xindazhou Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.

Hangzhou Jiuyuan Gene Engineering Co., Ltd.

Follow this link:
Research and Markets: Chinese Markets for Biotechnology - 2012 Report Features Players such as Hangzhou Jiuyuan Gene ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Paul jackman/Nature

Even as home experiments go, Hopi Hoekstras one was peculiar: she built a giant plywood box in her garage in San Diego, California, filled it with more than a tonne of soil and then let a pet mouse dig away.

This thing was bursting at its seams and held together with duct tape, says the evolutionary biologist, now at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. But it worked. It allowed her to study the genetics of burrowing behaviour in a controlled setting. Armed with plastic casts of the burrows and state-of-the-art sequencing, Hoekstras team discovered clusters of genes that partly explain why the oldfield mouse (Peromyscus polionotus) builds elaborate two-tunnel burrows, whereas its close relative, the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), goes for a simple hole in the ground1.

The findings highlight an underappreciated benefit of a genomics revolution that is moving at breakneck speed. Thanks to cheap and quick DNA sequencing, scientists interested in the genetics of behaviour need not limit themselves to a handful of favourite lab organisms. Instead, they can probe the genetic underpinnings of behaviours observed in the wild, and glean insights into how they evolved. In my mind, the link between genes and behaviour in natural populations and organisms is the next great frontier in biology, says Hoekstra.

Hopi Hoekstra talks about what mouse burrows can reveal about the genetics of complex behaviours.

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Oldfield mice are native to the southeastern United States, where they burrow in soils ranging from sandy beaches to silt-rich clays. Wherever they dig, their holes look much the same, with a long entrance tunnel and a second tunnel that stops short of the surface and allows them to escape predators. Such invariability hints that the trait is encoded in DNA, says Hoekstra.

To find out where, she and her Harvard colleagues Jesse Weber and Brant Peterson cross-bred oldfield mice with deer mice, whose burrows are shallow and lack escape routes. The offspring continued to build complex tunnels, suggesting that the oldfield burrowing genes were dominant (see The genetics of burrowing).

A second round of breeding between the first-generation crosses and deer mice revealed that genes linked to burrow length were distinct from those influencing the escape tunnel. Some offspring produced short tunnels with escape routes, whereas others produced long tunnels without them. DNA analysis revealed that three genetic regions are responsible for much of the variation in tunnel length, and a fourth affects escape-tunnel digging.

This paper is awesome, says Cornelia Bargmann, a neurogeneticist at Rockefeller University in New York, noting that it combines cutting-edge molecular-genetics tools with established cross-breeding techniques to study behaviours that have been observed for more than a century in the wild. In the past, geneticists interested in unravelling behaviour had to focus on lab animals for which mutant and transgenic strains and genetic data were available, she says. But there were always questions we knew would be more interesting in wild animals. Bargmann and her team studied various wild strains of Caenorhabditis elegans flatworms to identify genes and brain circuits involved in seeking out new sources of food2.

See the article here:
Behaviour genes unearthed

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith