Dec. 12, 2013 A newly improved internet research tool is helping cancer researchers and physicians make sense out of a deluge of genetic data from nearly 100,000 patients and more than 50,000 mice. The tool, called the Gene Expression Barcode 3.0, is proving to be a vital resource in the new era of personalized medicine, in which cancer treatments are tailored to the genetic makeup of an individual patient's tumor. Significant new improvements in the Gene Expression Barcode 3.0 are reported in the January issue of the journal Nucleic Acids Research, published online ahead of print. Senior author is Michael J. Zilliox of Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Zilliox is co-inventor of the Gene Expression Barcode. "The tool has two main advantages," Zilliox said. "It's fast and it's free." The Gene Expression Barcode is available at a website http://barcode.luhs.org/ designed and hosted by Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. The website is receiving 1,600 unique visitors per month. Knowing how a patient's cancer genes are expressed can help a physician devise an individualized treatment. In a tumor cell, for example, certain genes are turned on (expressed) while other genes are turned off (unexpressed). Also, different types of … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 13-Dec-2013 Contact: Emma Rayner emma.rayner@nottingham.ac.uk 44-011-595-15793 University of Nottingham A research team from The University of Nottingham has helped uncover a second rare genetic mutation which strongly increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease in later life. In an international collaboration, the University's Translational Cell Sciences Human Genetics research group has pinpointed a rare coding variation in the Phospholipase D3 (PLD3) gene which is more common in people with late-onset Alzheimer's than non-sufferers. The discovery is an important milestone on the road to early diagnosis of the disease and eventual improved treatment. Having surveyed the human genome for common variants associated with Alzheimer's, geneticists are now turning the spotlight on rare mutations which may be even stronger risk factors. More than 820,000 people in the UK have dementia and the number is rising as the population ages. The condition, of which Alzheimer's disease is the predominant cause, costs the UK economy 23 billion per year, much more than other diseases like cancer and heart disease. Nottingham's genetic experts have been working with long-term partners from Washington University, St Louis, USA and University College, London, to carry out next-generation whole exome sequencing on families where Alzheimer's affects several members. … Continue reading →

Rajeev Saini MD, recently passed the American Board of Obesity Medicine Certification Exam for Obesity Medicine Physicians and became certified in the subspecialty of obesity medicine. Physicians certified in obesity medicine are able to positively impact all systems of the body by incorporating weight management into traditional models of medical practice. Specifically, this subspecialty requires competency in and a thorough understanding of the treatment of obesity and the genetic, biologic, environmental, social and behavioral factors that contribute to obesity. Rajeev Saini Dr. Saini was among only 191 physicians nationally who successfully completed this years exam. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults and 17 percent of children and adolescents in this country are obese. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. In 2008, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion. Supervision from a health care provider is necessary to detect and treat weight-related medical conditions, Dr. Saini said. A healthcare program supervised by a physician, certified in obesity medicine offers a comprehensive and effective approach to maximizing overall health and reversing obesity-related co-morbidities. In New York State, the prevalence of adult obesity is … Continue reading →

Poway, California (PRWEB) December 13, 2013 Noni is a ten-year-old released Canine Companion for Independence dog who just achieved her Master Agility Champion status after the pain from arthritis tried to slow her down. Nonis owner, Dr. Kim Dembinski, a veterinarian at Paradise Veterinary Hospital in San Diego turned to stem cell therapy by Vet-Stem, Inc. and fellow colleague Dr. Jennipher Harris to help Noni. When Dr. Dembinski noticed weakness and discomfort in her aging agility dog she was proactive in keeping Noni happy and comfortable, The main thought was that she gives so much between therapy work, being my best friend, and as the clinic mascot that giving her relief from pain and her being more comfortable was the least I could do for her. Nonis stem cell therapy involved a small fat sample collection, which was brought to Vet-Stems lab in Poway, California. There, highly trained lab technicians processed Nonis fat tissue to isolate the stem cells into doses that could be injected into the arthritic joints that were causing her pain. Normally the tissue is shipped overnight to Vet-Stem and the cells are shipped overnight back to the veterinarian making doses available within 48 hours, but because … Continue reading →