Cancer Research

A University of Rochester scientist discovered that the toxins in cigarette smoke wipe out a gene that plays a vital role in protecting the body from the effects of premature aging. Without this gene we not only lose a bit of youthfulness – but the lungs are left open to destructive inflammation and diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. By identifying the Sirtuin (SIRT1) gene’s role in pulmonary disease, scientists also hope to find ways to restore it and jump-start lung healing. They’ve begun testing the powerful antioxidant resveratrol, which is…

The use of a drug to activate stem cells that differentiate into bone appears to cause regeneration of bone tissue and be may be a potential treatment strategy for osteoporosis, according to a report in the February 2008 Journal of Clinical Investigation. The study – led by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) – found that treatment with a medication used to treat bone marrow cancer improved bone density in a mouse model of osteoporosis, apparently through its effect on the mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that differentiate into…

LONDON, January 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Clinique is delighted to announce its partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital for the KISS IT BETTER appeal - to raise money to fund research into the causes and treatment of childhood cancer. KISS IT BETTER is the brainchild of Carmel Allen whose daughter Josephine was treated at the hospital for Neuroblastoma - a type of cancer. After many months spent at the hospital, and struggling to reconcile life as a Beauty Editor, Carmel decided that she wanted to help and devised the KISS IT BETTER appeal. "The premise was really simple, Kiss it Better is…

Rapid evolution of a protein produced by an immunity gene is associated with increased antiviral activity in humans, a finding that suggests evolutionary biology and virology together can accelerate the discovery of viral-defense mechanisms, according to researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. These findings by Julie Kerns, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the Hutchinson Center’s Basic Sciences Division, present a striking example by which evolutionary studies can directly lead to biomedically important discoveries in the field of infectious diseases. The immunity gene,…

An endoscope is a flexible camera that travels into the body's cavities to directly investigate the digestive tract, colon or throat. Most of today's endoscopes capture the image using a traditional approach where each part of the camera captures a different section of the image. These tools are long, flexible cords about 9 mm wide, about the width of a human fingernail. Because the cord is so wide patients must be sedated during the scan. A fundamentally new design has created a smaller endoscope that is more comfortable for the patient and cheaper to use than current technology. Its first…

Genes have the ability to recognise similarities in each other from a distance, without any proteins or other biological molecules aiding the process, according to new research published this week in the Journal of Physical Chemistry B. This discovery could explain how similar genes find each other and group together in order to perform key processes involved in the evolution of species. This new study shows that genes – which are parts of double-stranded DNA with a double-helix structure containing a pattern of chemical bases - can recognise other genes with a similar pattern of chemical…

A new study has shed light on the genetic roots of obesity – a condition that is increasing dramatically in North America and has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. The new findings may also help to unlock the mystery of how our nervous systems control obesity. Researchers at Queen's University and the University of Toronto teamed up to work with tiny, transparent worms that have similar neurotransmitters (chemicals that transmit nerve impulses) as humans. They discovered that when a specific nerve receptor is deleted, the worms lose interest in foraging for…

HALIFAX, Canada, January 23 /PRNewswire/ -- ImmunoVaccine Technologies Inc. (IVT) announced today that it has met with Health Canada's regulatory affairs division, the Biologics and Genetic Therapies Directorate, to discuss requirements for a Phase I clinical trial application. For Phase I human clinical trials, IVT plans to combine novel antigens with its vaccine-enhancement technology, the VacciMax(R) platform. "We are seeing impressive pre-clinical results with the VacciMax(R) platform," said Dr. Randal Chase, president and CEO of IVT. "The comments from the Biologics and Genetic…

MONTREAL and CAMBRIDGE, England, January 23 /PRNewswire/ -- - First Phase of Development of Product to Reduce Risk of Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease From Plasma Product Completed on Schedule - Scale-Up Phase Worth US$1 M to ProMetic - Multi-Million Dollar Long-Term Agreement to Supply Prion Removal Affinity Resin Following Regulatory Approval Anticipated by Mid-2008 ProMetic Life Sciences Inc. (TSX:PLI) ("ProMetic") announces that its UK-based subsidiary, ProMetic BioSciences Ltd ("PBL"), has successfully completed the first phases of development utilizing Pathogen Removal and Diagnostic…

TARRYTOWN, New York, January 23 /PRNewswire/ -- EpiCept Corporation (Nasdaq and OMX Nordic Exchange: EPCT) today provided updates on the regulatory and clinical status of Ceplene(TM) (histamine dihydrochloride) and EpiCept(TM) NP-1 Cream. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020513/NYM112LOGO ) EpiCept announced today that its Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) seeking marketing approval for Ceplene in the European Union has advanced to the next important step. The Company has submitted full written responses to the Day 180 List of Outstanding Issues to the Committee for Human…