Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise Genomic medicine is rapidly developing, bringing with its advances promises of individualized genetic information to tailor and optimize prevention and treatment interventions. Genetic tests are already guiding treatments of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis c virus (HPC), and emerging research is showing genetic variants may be used to screen for an individuals susceptibility to addiction to a substance, and even inform treatments for addiction. While there appear to be many benefits inherent in the development of this field and related research, there is a lack of data on the attitudes of marginalized populations towards genetic testing. A new study by researchers affiliated with New York University's Center for Drug Use and HIV Research (CDUHR) is the first to present the perceptions of genetic testing among drug users. Published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, the study, Perceptions of genetic testing and genomic medicine among drug users, gauged drug users attitudes and understandings of genetics and genetic testing through six focus groups. The focus groups were segregated by race and ethnicity to increase participants comfort in talking about racial and ethnic issues. Over half of the participants (53%) reported having … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 23-Sep-2014 Contact: Christopher James christopher.james@nyu.edu 212-998-6876 New York University @nyuniversity Genomic medicine is rapidly developing, bringing with its advances promises of individualized genetic information to tailor and optimize prevention and treatment interventions. Genetic tests are already guiding treatments of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis c virus (HPC), and emerging research is showing genetic variants may be used to screen for an individual's susceptibility to addiction to a substance, and even inform treatments for addiction. While there appear to be many benefits inherent in the development of this field and related research, there is a lack of data on the attitudes of marginalized populations towards genetic testing. A new study by researchers affiliated with New York University's Center for Drug Use and HIV Research (CDUHR) is the first to present the perceptions of genetic testing among drug users. Published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, the study, "Perceptions of genetic testing and genomic medicine among drug users," gauged drug users' attitudes and understandings of genetics and genetic testing through six focus groups. The focus groups were segregated by race and ethnicity to increase participants' comfort in talking about racial and ethnic issues. Over half of … Continue reading →

Contact Information Available for logged-in reporters only Newswise NEW YORK (September 23, 2014) David Goldstein, PhD, will join Columbia University as professor of genetics and development in the College of Physicians and Surgeons and director of a new Institute for Genomic Medicine in partnership with NewYork-Presbyterian, effective January 1, 2015. Dr. Goldstein will be responsible for building a program that comprehensively integrates genetics and genomics into research, patient care, and education at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and NewYork-Presbyterian and that develops programs to prepare students for careers in the expanding field of genomic and personalized medicine. Dr. Goldsteins role includes serving as an adviser to Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger and Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences Lee Goldman, MD, on the genetic and genomic components of Columbias university-wide initiative in precision or personalized medicine, which was announced in February. Having a pioneering researcher like David Goldstein join us marks a crucial next step in our initiative to be at the forefront of genomics, data science, and the core science and engineering disciplines essential to this emerging field of truly humanistic medicine, said President Bollinger. The potential for progress in this broad subject encompasses not only … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 24-Sep-2014 Contact: Krista Conger kristac@stanford.edu 650-725-5371 Stanford University Medical Center @sumedicine Over 500 million people worldwide carry a genetic mutation that disables a common metabolic protein called ALDH2. The mutation, which predominantly occurs in people of East Asian descent, leads to an increased risk of heart disease and poorer outcomes after a heart attack. It also causes facial flushing when carriers drink alcohol. Now researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have learned for the first time specifically how the mutation affects heart health. They did so by comparing heart muscle cells made from induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, from people with the mutation versus those without the mutation. IPS cells are created in the laboratory from specialized adult cells like skin. They are "pluripotent," meaning they can be coaxed to become any cell in the body. "This study is one of the first to show that we can use iPS cells to study ethnic-specific differences among populations," said Joseph Wu, MD, PhD, director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute and professor of cardiovascular medicine and of radiology. "These findings may help us discover new therapeutic paths for heart disease for carriers of this mutation," … Continue reading →

Xia Jie. Medical entrepreneur Xia Jie, whose company Health 100 owns the largest chain of health clinics in China, plans to open overseas facilities to cater for wealthy clients. That could result in an investment of about $20 million in a regenerative treatment centre in the resort, making it a Mecca for health tourism and athlete injury rehabilitation. ''We're now negotiating with the local medical teams,'' Mr Xia said yesterday through an interpreter while on a four-day fact-finding mission to Queenstown. ''Health 100 really wants to find beautiful cities around the world to take Chinese patients to and Queenstown is one of them. ''The vision is to bring the very high-end customers to have special treatment which is not carried out elsewhere in the world,'' he said. Health 100 would invest with existing firms Queenstown Regenerative Medicine (QRM), run by Marcelle Noble, and the Queenstown Skin Institute. Both have small premises at Remarkables Park in Frankton. Queenstown Skin Institute director Dr Hans Raetz said Mr Xia had indicated plans for a much larger centre, with sites in Remarkables Park, Jacks Point or the Five Mile development off Frankton Ladies Mile already earmarked. ''The size depends on Mr Xia, but we've … Continue reading →

DALLAS, September 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Cell Isolation/Cell Separation Marketby Product (Reagent, Media, Bead, centrifuge), Cell Type (human, stem cell, animal), Technique (Filtration, Surface Marker),by Application (Research, IVD) &by End user (Hospital, Biotechnology) - Forecast to 2019", published by MarketsandMarkets, provides a detailed overview of the major drivers, restraints, challenges, opportunities, current market trends, and strategies impacting the Cell Isolation Market along with the estimates and forecasts of the revenue and share analysis. Browse 194 market data tables and 53 figures spread through 211 pages and in-depth TOC on"Cell Isolation/Cell Separation" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cell-isolation-market-103931479.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. The global Cell Isolation Market is expected to reach $5.1 Billion by 2019 from $2.5 Billion in 2014, growing at a CAGR of 15.8% from 2014 to 2019. The report segments this market on the basis of product, cell type, technique, application, and end user. Among various techniques, the centrifugation-based cell isolation technique is expected to account for the largest share in 2014, while surface marker-based cell isolation technique is expected to account for the fastest-growing segment in the cell isolation market, owing to technological advancement due to which new products are … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 24-Sep-2014 Contact: Paddy Moore padmoore@ohri.ca 613-737-8899 x73687 Ottawa Hospital Research Institute Ottawa, Canada September 24, 2014 Ovarian cancer is the most deadly gynecological cancer, claiming the lives of more than 50% of women who are diagnosed with the disease. A study involving Ottawa and Taiwan researchers, published today in the influential Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), provides new insight into why ovarian cancer is often resistant to chemotherapy, as well as a potential way to improve its diagnosis and treatment. It is estimated that 2,700 Canadian women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2014 and that 1,750 Canadian women will die from the disease, according to Ovarian Cancer Canada. This cancer is often diagnosed late and develops a resistance to chemotherapy. "What we've discovered will help clinicians to better treat women with ovarian cancer," says Dr. Ben Tsang, senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and professor at the University of Ottawa. "The key is understanding the role of a protein called gelsolin. With our colleagues from National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, we found that an increased level of this protein is associated with aggressive forms of ovarian cancer that are … Continue reading →