FDA says Human Genome anthrax drug works in animals, questions remain about human use

October 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Pairing a new approach to prepare ancient DNA with a new scientific technique developed specifically to genotype a cow, an international team of scientists has created a very accurate and widespread "family tree" for cows and other ruminants, going back as far as 29 million years. This genetic information could allow scientists to understand the evolution of cattle, ruminants and other animals.

October 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a novel study, researchers claim to have identified a gene linked to human kidney aging. Kidneys age at different rates, such that some people show little or no effects of kidney aging whereas others show rapid functional decline.

October 15th, 2009 LONDON - Scientists at the Salk Institute have released the first study that maps a human epigenome, showing how the genome is regulated in developed cells. The study is the first high-resolution map of an epigenome on a human genome and the first paper published by the Roadmap Epigenetic Program, a five-year study launched by the National Institute of Health in 2008.

October 12th, 2009 LONDON - Researchers claim to have uncovered the basis of genetic variations vital to the formation of blood cells, which can have a significant impact on common human diseases. Blood measurements, including the number and volume of cells in the blood, are routinely used to diagnose a wide range of disorders, including anaemia, infection and blood cell cancers.

October 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The three-dimensional structure of the human genome has been deciphered by scientists. The breakthrough will pave the way for new insights into genomic function and expanding our understanding of how cellular DNA folds at scales that dwarf the double helix.

October 6th, 2009 Lung stolen from Peru exhibition of human cadaversLIMA, Peru — A traveling exhibition of human cadavers wants a stolen lung back. The left lung was taken in Peru from "Bodies: The Exhibition," which has traveled the globe displaying cadavers preserved through a process that replaces water in biological tissues with polymers.

September 30th, 2009 WASHINGTON - The US will provide $5 billion in new grants for medical research, which will also create thousands of new jobs, President Barack Obama announced Wednesday. The funds will come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, as the $787-billion economic stimulus package passed in February is known, to "conduct cutting-edge research all across America, to unlock treatments to diseases that have long plagued humanity, to save and enrich the lives of people all over the world," Obama said at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) outside Washington.

September 29th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Having a pet in your life can help you stay hale and hearty, say researchers. Owning a four-legged, furry pet would help lower blood pressure, encourage exercise and also improve psychological health.

September 25th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have decoded the genome of the potato, with the first draft expected to help breeders improve yield, quality, disease resistance and nutritional value of the crop. Potatoes are members of the Solanaceae family, as are tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, petunias and tobacco.

September 22nd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have discovered that a protein enables sections of so-called junk DNA to be cut and pasted within genetic code- a finding which could speed up the development of gene therapies. The study sheds light on the process, known as DNA transposition, in which shifted genes have a significant effect on the behaviour of neighbouring genes.

September 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Inspired by New World owl monkeys' ability to make a fusion protein that potently blocks HIV-1 infection, scientists at the University of Geneva in Switzerland have engineered a human HIV-1 inhibitor. Lead researcher Jeremy Luban points out that owl monkeys make AoT5Cyp, and that the human genome encodes the equivalent of the two components of this fusion protein, namely TRIM5 and cyclophilin A.

September 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists from University of California have identified a gene in anthrax-causing bacteria that could be used as a potential therapeutic target for the deadly disease. The ClpX gene in bacterium Bacillus anthracis not only contributes to the severity of the anthrax disease but also makes it more difficult for a patient's immune system to fight the infection.

September 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists from Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered two small protein fragments that could lead to improved anthrax vaccine with less side effects. The current anthrax vaccine is intended mainly for members of the armed forces serving in areas considered high risk and for individuals involved in homeland biosecurity.

August 31st, 2009 LONDON - Counting copies of duplicated genome sequences and doing initial analyses of their contents are possible with the aid of a new computational method, according to a study. Led by scientists at the University of Washington (UW), the study suggests that the number of copies of particular DNA segments can differ from one person to the next.

August 28th, 2009 WASHINGTON - A collaborative study conducted by researchers from three institutions in the U.S. has shown that an enzyme, which is essential to many bacteria, can be targeted to kill dangerous pathogens.