Raquel Assis, Ph.D., associate professor, College of Engineering and Computer Science, and a fellow of FAU’s Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention, has received a five-year, $1.8 million “Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award” from the NIH. The goal of this early career award is to enhance the ability of investigators to take on ambitious scientific projects and approach problems more creatively.
Tag: Genomics
Investigators expand Alzheimer’s disease genetics research with a focus on people in the U.S. with African ancestry
Researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, with colleagues from multiple research centers, will study the genomics of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in people with African heritage throughout the United States.
When stubborn bugs refuse to make drugs
An untapped trove of desirable drug-like molecules is hidden in the genomes of Streptomyces bacteria — the same bacteria responsible for the first bacterial antibiotics to treat tuberculosis back in the 1940s. Isolating them, however, has proved challenging. Now, biologists at Washington University in St. Louis are using comparative metabologenomics to try to uncover what may be “silencing” Streptomyces and preventing it from producing desirable compounds encoded by its genes.
Study confirms the low likelihood that SARS-CoV-2 on hospital surfaces is infectious
A new study confirms the low likelihood that coronavirus contamination on hospital surfaces is infectious. The study is the original report on recovering near-complete SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences directly from surface swabs.
Leading Scientist Working to Complete the Human Genome to Join UCSC Faculty
Leading scientist known for working to complete the human genome will join UCSC faculty; Karen Miga is a longtime Genomics Institute researcher, recently named “one to watch” by the journal Nature.
UTHealth professor awarded CPRIT grant for research training program
Zhongming Zhao, PhD, MS, with The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), has been awarded nearly $4 million from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) to provide research training to help with cancer prevention.
Genetic Tools Help Identify a Cellular Culprit for Type 1 Diabetes
By mapping its genetic underpinnings, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have identified a predictive causal role for specific cell types in type 1 diabetes, a condition that affects more than 1.6 million Americans.
NSU Researcher Part of Team to Sequence the Genome of One of the World’s Most Elusive Big Cats – the Leopard
They are some of the most beautiful, and elusive, animals on the plant. Leopards. In a major scientific step, the whole genome DNA sequence of 23 individual leopards have been interpreted.
Ravi Sheth Wins Hertz Thesis Prize for Revolutionizing Microbial Research
Hertz Fellow Ravi Sheth was awarded the 2020 Hertz Thesis Prize for developing new tools used in microbial research.
NSU Researcher Part of a Flagship Study on Vertebrate Genomes
Unprecedented novel discoveries have implications for characterizing biodiversity for all life, conservation and human health and disease.
CUR Health Sciences Division Announces 2021 NCUR Presentation Awardees
CUR’s Health Sciences Division announces the 2021 recipients of its NCUR Presentation Awards. The awards cover the cost of registration for undergraduates presenting original research at the 2021 National Conference on Undergraduate Research.
UCI-led study uses plankton genomes as global biosensors of ocean ecosystem stress
Irvine, Calif., April 15, 2021 — By analyzing gains and losses in the genes of phytoplankton samples collected in all major ocean regions, researchers at the University of California, Irvine have created the most nuanced and high-resolution map yet to show where these photosynthetic organisms either thrive or are forced to adapt to limited quantities of key nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and iron.
CU Cancer Center Researcher Reveals New Effects of Oxygen Deprivation in Cancer Cells
A team of University of Colorado School of Medicine researchers recently published a paper offering new insight into the role that oxygen deprivation, or hypoxia, plays in cancer development. CU Cancer Center member Joaquin Espinosa, PhD, is the senior researcher on the paper, which he hopes will help lead to more targeted treatments for cancer.
David Schaffer Harnesses “Directed Evolution” for Gene Therapy
Hertz Fellow David Schaffer uses high throughput genetic sequencing technology to identify gene variants that can potentially help restore sight, repair hearts damaged by Fabry disease, and improve lung function in patients with cystic fibrosis.
Hackensack Meridian Health Launches Anthology Diagnostics Laboratories for State-of-the-Art Lab Genomic Profiling of Cancers
Hackensack Meridian Health and Genomic Testing Cooperative (GTC) in Irvine, California, have teamed up to establish the first-of-its-kind genomic profiling laboratory called Anthology Diagnostics, to generate more personalized, precise, and real-time insights for cancer patients, oncologists and hospitals.
Two Danforth Center Scientists Receive Prestigious Awards Recognizing Their Achievements And Leadership
Andrea Eveland received the Marcus Rhoades Early Career Award at the 63rd Maize Genetics Conference. Malia Gehan received the 2021 North American Plant Phenotyping Network (NAPPN) Early Career Award at the NAPPN annual conference.
Researchers Identify RNA Editing Events that Impact Gene Expression and Phenotype
Combining computational mining of big data with experimental testing in the lab, researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have identified RNA editing events that influence gene expression and, in turn, the phenotypic manifestation of that expression. In analyzing so-called A-to-I RNA editing, in which the adenosine of an RNA molecule is chemically modified into an inosine, the researchers describe how a single nucleotide change by RNA editing can have large downstream effects. The findings were published today in Genome Biology.
Genomic Data Commons provides unprecedented cancer data resource
The National Cancer Institute’s Genomic Data Commons (GDC), launched in 2016 by then-Vice President Joseph Biden and hosted at the University of Chicago, has become one of the largest and most widely used resources in cancer genomics, with more than 3.3 petabytes of data from more than 65 projects and over 84,000 anonymized patient cases, serving more than 50,000 unique users each month.
Increased Expression of PAK1 Enzyme Plays Role in Breast Cancer
Article title: Chemical carcinogen-induced rat mammary carcinogenesis is a potential model of p21-activated kinase (PAK1) positive breast cancer Authors: Emily L. Duderstadt, Sarah A. McQuaide, Mary Ann Sanders, David J. Samuelson From the authors: “Our finding of elevated [p21 activated…
Genomic Studies Implicate Specific Genes in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
After analyzing the genomes of more 250,000 military veterans, researchers have identified 18 specific, fixed positions on chromosomes that appear associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. The findings may point to new therapeutic drug targets.
Fields of Breeders’ Dreams: A Team Effort Toward Targeted Crop Improvements
In Nature, a multi-institutional team including DOE Joint Genome Institute researchers has produced a high-quality reference sequence of the complex switchgrass genome. Building off this work, bioenergy researchers are exploring targeted genome editing techniques to customize the crop.
Early breeding reduced harmful mutations in sorghum
A new Cornell University study found that harmful mutations in sorghum landraces – early domesticated crops – decreased compared to their wild relatives through the course of domestication and breeding.
CHOP Researchers Find NTRK Fusions More Common than Expected in Pediatric Tumors
In a large study of pediatric cancer patients, researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have analyzed the frequency, fusion partners, and clinical outcome of neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) fusions, which are clinical biomarkers that identify patients suitable for treatment with FDA-approved TRK inhibitors. The researchers found that NTRK fusions are more common in pediatric tumors and also involve a wider range of tumors than adult cancers, information that could help prioritize screening for NTRK fusions in pediatric cancer patients who might benefit from treatment with TRK inhibitors.
Roswell Park Experts Use Gene Sequencing to Quantify Risk of Skin Cancer Long Before Damage is Visible
In a study published today in the journal Science Advances, a team from Roswell Park details a method to measure the abundance of cancer-related early changes to skin tissue long before the damage becomes visible to the eye.
Breaking Bad: How Shattered Chromosomes Make Cancer Cells Drug-Resistant
UC San Diego and Ludwig Cancer Research scientists describe how a phenomenon known as “chromothripsis” breaks up chromosomes, which then reassemble in ways that ultimately promote cancer cell growth.
Researchers use genomics to identify diabetic retinopathy factors
In the paper, “Integration of genomics and transcriptomics predicts diabetic retinopathy susceptibility genes,” published in eLife, researchers identified genes that respond differently in response to high glucose in individuals with and without diabetic retinopathy.
Scientist Proposes Use of Convolutional Neural Networks to Detect and Classify COVID-19 Infection
Article title: Implementation of convolutional neural network approach for COVID-19 disease detection Author: Emrah Irmak From the author: “In this paper, two novel and fully automatic studies using deep convolutional neural networks [CNN] are presented for COVID-19 detection and virus…
Making sense of a universe of corn genetics
A new study details the latest efforts to predict traits in corn based on genomics and data analytics. The data management technique could help to “turbo charge” the seemingly endless amount of genetic stocks contained in the world’s seed banks, leading to faster and more efficient development of new crop varieties.
Testing Wastewater for COVID-19
UNLV researcher Edwin Oh and colleagues have implemented wastewater surveillance programs to screen samples for the presence of COVID-19 and to extract the RNA from the SARS-COV-2 virus to find targets that make vaccines more effective.
New Grant Seeks to Fill Knowledge Gaps Regarding Spina Bifida
Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine and Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine have been awarded a five-year, $8.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the causes of spina bifida, the most common structural defect of the central nervous system.
CHOP Researchers Reverse Severe Lymphatic Disorder in Patient with Noonan Syndrome by Targeting Genetic Pathway
Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have resolved a severe lymphatic disorder in a girl with Noonan Syndrome that had led to upper gastrointestinal bleeding, fluid collection around the lungs, and numerous surgeries that had been unable to resolve her symptoms. By identifying a genetic mutation along a pathway related to lymphatic vessel development and function, the research team was able to target the pathway using an existing drug they had used in a previous case to remodel a patient’s lymphatic system.
What We Know: Mount Sinai to Host COVID-19 Research Symposium
The COVID-19 Research Symposium, hosted by the Mount Sinai Clinical Intelligence Center (MSCIC), is a one-day comprehensive review of advances in research by the Mount Sinai Health System to better understand and treat the coronavirus known as COVID-19.
Low risk of cancer spread on active surveillance for early prostate cancer
Men undergoing active surveillance for prostate cancer have very low rates – one percent or less – of cancer spread (metastases) or death from prostate cancer, according to a recent study published in The Journal of Urology®, an Official Journal of the American Urological Association (AUA). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.
New Research Reveals Infertile Spikelets Contribute To Yield In Sorghum And Related Grasses
The researchers used radioactive and stable isotopes of carbon, RNA-seq of metabolically important enzymes, and immunolocalization of Rubisco to show that the sterile spikelet collects carbon from the air and carries out photosynthesis while the awn does not.
CHOP Genomic Study Reveals Role for Hypothalamus in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Using sophisticated 3D genomic mapping and integrating with public data resulting from genome-wide association studies (GWAS), researchers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have found significant genetic correlations between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and stress and depression. The researchers went on to implicate new genes involved in IBD risk that are enriched in both derived hypothalamic neurons, from a part of the brain that has a vital role in controlling stress and depression, and organoids derived from colon cells, a region more commonly studied in the context of IBD.
Cancer’s dangerous renovations to our chromosomes revealed
Cancer remodels the architecture of our chromosomes so the disease can take hold and spread, new research reveals.
International Group of Scientists Explain the Advantages of Using Metabolic Engineering to Address Hidden Hunger
In a perspective paper, “Multiplying the efficiency and impact of biofortification through metabolic engineering,” published in Nature Communications, an international team of scientists, led by Ghent University, explain how plant genetic engineering can help to sustainably address micronutrient malnutrition.
Mount Sinai Doctors Elected to National Academy of Medicine for Contributions to Emergency Medicine and Translational Genetics
Brendan G. Carr, MD, MA, MS, and Judy H. Cho, MD, of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health researcher’s work opens doors to understanding COVID-19’s early spread
A UCLA Fielding School of Public Health researcher’s work on two related research projects published in the past month suggests that in both the United States and in Europe, sustained transmission networks of SARS-CoV-2 became established only after separate introductions of the virus that went undetected.
Jennifer Doudna Wins 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Biochemist Jennifer Doudna, a professor at UC Berkeley and faculty scientist at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), is co-winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for “the development of a method for genome editing.”
J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD, Named Chair of the Department of Pharmacology
J. Silvio Gutkind, PhD, has been named chair of the Department of Pharmacology at UC San Diego School of Medicine.
ADHD Study Reveals Unique Genetic Differences in African American Patients with the Condition
Researchers have shown there may be key genetic differences in the causes of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) between African Americans and people of European ancestry, which may play an important part in how patients of different ethnic backgrounds respond to treatments for this condition.
Inflammatory Protein Found to Protect against Metabolic, Gut Changes in Mice
Article title: Lipocalin 2 deficiency-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis evokes metabolic syndrome in aged mice Authors: Vishal Singh, Sarah Galla, Rachel M. Golonka, Andrew D. Patterson, Benoit Chassaing, Bina Joe, Matam Vijay-Kumar From the authors: “Overall, the current study demonstrates that…
Genetic Causes of Severe Childhood Brain Disorders Found Using New Computational Methods that Process Clinical Features at Scale
A team of researchers have combined clinical information with large-scale genomic data to successfully link characteristic presentations of childhood epilepsies with specific genetic variants.
Searching the ancient depths of a reptilian genome yields insight into all vertebrates
An Iowa State University scientists contributed to a global effort to assemble the genome of the tuatara, a rare reptile species native to New Zealand. The tuatara genome sheds light on the genomic structure of a huge range of species, including humans.
Algorithm Created By “Deep Learning” Identifies Potential Therapeutic Targets Throughout Genome
A team of researchers have developed an algorithm through machine learning that helps predict sites of DNA methylation – a process that can change the activity of DNA without changing its overall structure – and could identify disease-causing mechanisms that would otherwise be missed by conventional screening methods.
Arizona biologist part of international team to sequence genome of rare reptilian ‘living fossil’
Northern Arizona University professor Marc Tollis was one of a dozen collaborators sequencing the genome of the tuatara, a lizard-like creature that lives on the islands of New Zealand. This groundbreaking research was done in partnership with the Māori people of New Zealand, as the tuatara is a sacred animal for many tribes.
Perfectly Balanced: The Yin and Yang of Inflammation Controlled By A Single Molecule
Penn Study Reveals A Molecular Mechanism That Helps The Body Mount Perfectly Balanced Responses to Deadly Infections
Silencing Expression of Specific Gene Variants May Provide Insight for Treatment of Mutation-associated Cardiomyopathy
Article title: Silencing of MYH7 ameliorates disease phenotypes in human iPSC-cardiomyocytes Authors: Alexandra Dainis, Kathia Zaleta-Rivera, Alexandre Ribeiro, Andrew Chia Hao Chang, Ching Shang, Feng Lan, Paul W. Burridge, W. Robert Liu, Joseph C. Wu, Alex Chia Yu Chang, Beth…
UC San Diego Scientists Part of Special Package of Studies Describing Human Genome
Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine are among the contributors to a package of 10 studies in the journal Nature, describing the latest results from the ongoing Encyclopedia of DNA Elements project, a worldwide effort led by the NIH to understand how the human genome functions.