Newswise STONY BROOK, N.Y., September 24, 2012 Benjamin J. Luft, M.D., Edmund D. Pellegrino Professor of Medicine at Stony Brook University School of Medicine, and Medical Director of the Long Island Clinical Center of Excellence (LI-CCE), part of the World Trade Center Health Program, and colleagues, have received a two-year $1 million grant from the WTC Health Program, which is administered by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), to study the role genetics may play after exposure to environmental toxins in the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and respiratory illness in 9/11 WTC responders. Approximately 10 percent of 9/11 responders treated at WTC Health Programs suffer from both conditions. The Epigenetics Link of PTSD and Respiratory Disease in 9/11 Responders study is the first to investigate the association between genetic changes and the development of both conditions in the 9/11 responder patient population. Approximately 500 patients treated at the LI-CCE for both conditions will be evaluated during the two-year study. Numerous studies have linked PTSD with physical illnesses, illustrating the integral association between mental health and physical disease. For example, in 2011 Dr. Luft and Evelyn Bromet, PhD, Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, … Continue reading →

Newswise (TORONTO, Canada Sept. 23, 2012) Cancer researchers studying 44 known genetic variants associated with breast cancer have found the way to identify why they increase cancer risk, opening the door to future therapeutic applications based on personalized medicine. The findings, published online today ahead of print in Nature Genetics, (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NG.2416) fill a gap that will expand the reach of genetic profiling beyond merely screening, says principal investigator Dr. Mathieu Lupien, a scientist at Ontario Cancer Institute, the research arm of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre at University Health Network. Dr. Lupien, who specializes in epigenetics in cancer, is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto. Our work has identified the mechanisms altered by genetic risk variants in regions believed for a long time to be junk DNA; that is, DNA outside the genes with no known function until now. This moves us one step closer to translating genetic profiling into patient care and advancing personalized cancer medicine, says Dr. Lupien. We discovered that genetic variants promoting breast cancer are found in elements with a regulatory role that modulate genes expression, he says. The team discovered the changes affecting the activity of two well … Continue reading →

A new study on the genomics of breast cancer confirms that there are four distinct genetic types of the disease, suggesting that some drugs already used to treat cancer in other parts of the body could possibly be used to treat certain forms of breast cancer that share the same genetic abnormalities. The researchers, whose findings were published Sunday in the journal Nature, studied the DNA of breast cancer tumors of 825 patients at various stages of the disease, and found that the disease could be stratified into four major genetic categories. The study, a collaborative effort between 348 researchers, is part of a larger project known as the Cancer Genome Atlas, which is mapping the genetic changes in 20 cancers, including breast cancer. The new study, part of the largest breast cancer genomic project, offers the largest pool of data for researchers who have known for decades that there were genetic subtypes of breast cancer. "This again reconfirms on a larger scale the heterogeneity that exists between each patient's breast cancer," said Dr. Ben Park, associate professor of oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. Park was not involved in the study. The genetic analysis … Continue reading →

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) announces Therapeutic Workshops on Cancer stem cell therapy, kinase drugs, and ultra rare diseases planned for the upcoming BIO Investor Forum. Hosted by BIO, the 11th annual event will take place at the Palace Hotel on October 9-10 in San Francisco, Calif. This years Therapeutic Workshops will address some of the most exciting therapeutic advances for the biotech industry. We have worked very closely with this years esteemed Advisory Committee to identify topics that will engage investors and industry alike, said Alan Eisenberg, executive vice president, Emerging Companies & Business Developmentat BIO. Therapeutic Workshops will feature senior-level industry executives, scientific officers and leading clinical experts that represent innovative investment opportunities in the biotech industry. Therapeutic Workshops include: The BIO Investor Forum features public and venture-stage company presentations, expert-led, business roundtables, one-on-one investor meetings and networking opportunities. To learn more about the BIO Investor Forum, including registration and program information, please visit here. Advance media registration is available here. Registration is complimentary for credentialed members of the media and qualified investors. BIO is pleased to recognize the leadership provided by the BIO Investor Forum Conference sponsors including Supporting Bank Stifel, Nicolaus & Company. BIO … Continue reading →

(WGBA/NBC) - It is a story that gives hope to pet owners all over the country stem cell therapy for animals suffering from problems like arthritis or hip displaysia. Stem cells are taken out of the dog's fatty tissue are harvested then injected into problem areas leaving the dogs completely healed. "We couldn't take him on walks, he just laid around a lot," said Keith Nosowiak, Deniro's owner. "We'd hear whimpering overnight, she'd take a few steps and she would sit down," said Luther Kortbein, Shadow's owner. Until two months ago, Deniro suffered from severe arthritis, Shadow from hip displaysia. Deniro's owner thought he may even have to put his German shepherd down. "We felt we had a decision to make with his quality of life and being in pain we didn't want him to be in pain," Noskowiak said. Shadow's owner was willing to try anything to cure her. "Whatever the cost needed to get this done we were willing to do," Kortbein said. Then Packerland Veterinary Center offered them stem cell therapy by using the dogs own stem cells and then injecting them back into the bloodstream joints. View original post here: Stem cells revolutionizing veterinary medicine … Continue reading →

WEST HAVEN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- NanoViricides, Inc. (OTCBB: NNVC) (the "Company") reported today that its oral FluCide drug candidates demonstrated dramatically improved survival in animals administered a lethal dose of the H3N2 influenza A virus. Animals treated with the oral anti-influenza nanoviricide drug candidates survived for much longer as compared to Tamiflu treated animals. Animals treated with the best of the oral FluCide nanoviricide drug candidates survived 15.6 days while the animals treated with oral Tamiflu survived only 9.6 days. The control animals died within 5 days. The Company has previously reported that animals treated with these same oral anti-influenza nanoviricides protected mice infected with the H1N1 influenza A virus and were similarly substantially superior to oral oseltamivir (Tamiflu). This is the first demonstration of efficacy of the Companys FluCide drug candidates against a completely unrelated type of influenza A virus (viz. H3N2) in contrast to the H1N1 Influenza A virus that the Company has used for its recent development work leading to its pre-IND application with the US FDA. This demonstration is a key finding along the way to establish that our FluCide drug candidates are indeed broad-spectrum, said Anil R. Diwan, PhD, President of the Company, adding, and we … Continue reading →

To view our videos, you need to enable JavaScript. Learn how. install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now. Then come back here and refresh the page. Be the Match raises money and enlists donors to help patients with blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell. Organizers say common misperceptions of donations often make people hesitant to give, but doctors say treatment has progressed and so has the way marrow and stem cells are taken from donors. "What we're able to do now is just extract the cells from your blood. It's not as invasive as it used to be. It really compares to donating plasma or platelets, if you're familiar with that. It's in a blood center setting. It's one day of your life, and you could potentially save a life," Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Patient Cristina Rodriguez said. Organizers say 70 percent of patients are unable to find matches within their families. You can find out more information at marrow.org. See the article here: 'Be the Match' seeks stem cell, marrow donors … Continue reading →