Dec. 23, 2012 Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center investigators have identified three new genetic "hotspots" linked to colorectal cancer. These variants, reported Dec. 23 in an Advanced Online Publication in Nature Genetics, provide new insight into the biology of colorectal cancer -- and could represent new therapeutic targets for the disease. Colorectal cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers worldwide -- and rates are particularly high in the United States and other developed countries. Genetics plays an important role in both sporadic and familial (inherited) forms of the disease. However, only about 6 percent of colorectal cancer cases are explained by the rare genetic variants known to confer high risk of colorectal cancer (as seen in familial forms of the disease). Previous studies on the genetic basis of colorectal cancer have pinpointed several additional variants, but most of the studies were conducted in European/Caucasian populations. "Looking at different ethnic groups is important because the genetic structures can be different enough that variants identified in one population do not explain risk in other populations," said Wei Zheng, M.D., Ph.D., MPH, an Ingram Professor of Cancer Research and senior author on the study. "Because of the difference in genetic structures and underlying … Continue reading →

Dec. 23, 2012 In research published online Dec. 23, 2012 in the journal Nature Genetics, scientists have found three new and relatively rare genetic variants that influence insulin production, offering new clues about the genetic factors behind diabetes. "Studying genetic variants -- even rare ones -- helps us learn how genes affect health and disease," said Karen Mohlke, PhD, one of the study's senior authors and associate professor of genetics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. "In this study, we've implicated new genes as playing a role in insulin processing and secretion." The study is also the first time genetic insights have been reported using exome array genotyping, a new tool that is less costly than genetic sequencing. This analysis allows scientists to quickly screen DNA samples for known variants in specific genes. It is especially helpful for testing variants that are rare. "The exome array allowed us to test a large number of individuals -- in this case, more than 8,000 people -- very efficiently," said Mohlke. "We expect that this type of analysis will be useful for finding low-frequency variants associated with many complex traits, including obesity or cancer." The scientists pulled data from a … Continue reading →

Stem Cell Treatment Restores Man's Vision Stem cell treatment restores man's vision A man has undergone successful stem cell treatment to restore his eyesight. While he was on a humanitarian work mission in Haiti, Taylor Binns experienced extreme pain in his eye and his vision started to become blurry. After a couple of years, Binns became legally blind; progressively losing his sight due to corneal problems that may have been brought on by wearing contact lenses that were not properly disinfected. There were no other treatment options that would have worked to improve his eyesight, so doctors at Toronto Western Hospital decided to try a new treatment that involved the use of a limbal stem cell transplant. Binns' sister turned out to be a perfect match as a donor for the stem sell transplant, so doctors took stem cells from her eyes and put them on the surface of his damaged eyes after removing the scar tissue. Embryonic stem cells have also been used successfully to treat people with blindness by improving their eyesight. One of the women who underwent the embryonic stem cell treatment suffered progressively worsening eyesight, but after the surgery she can use her … Continue reading →

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) at Florida Pain Clinics http://www.floridapainnetwork.com Platelet rich plasma therapy (PRP) is regenerative medicine that can repair tissue as opposed to simply masking pain. The treatment involves a simple blood draw, is outpatient, and very low risk. PRP contains platelets, growth factors and calls in the body's stem cells for repair. Pain clinics in Florida offer platelet rich plasma, visit flrodapainentworkdotcom to find clinics closest to you or call (877) 877-8556 for assistance. By: FloridaPainNetwork … Continue reading →