Skin disease has inbuilt genetic 'cure'

Scientists have identified genetic changes responsible for the rare skin condition, ichthyosis with confetti (IWC). They also discovered that skin cells from patients with IWC can eliminate the genetic mutation that causes the disease...[Read More]

Birth of white baby to black parents, geneticists intrigued

A black Nigerian couple have given birth to a white baby. With blonde curly hair and blue eyes, the girl's appearance has prompted several theories as to its genetic cause...[Read More]

Celebrating 20 years of preimplantation genetic diagnosis

At the beginning of this month, following the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) annual meeting in Rome, a workshop was held to celebrate 20 years of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)...[Read More]

Gene deletion creates lesbian mice

Geneticists claim that female mice can be turned 'lesbian' by a single gene deletion...[Read More]

Faulty breast cancer gene increases male risk too

Western men who carry a BRCA2 genetic mutation have a six to nine per cent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer, UK researchers have found...[Read More]

Gene linked to blood clots during cancer therapy

A new US study has found a gene mutation that can increase the risk of developing blood clots in breast cancer patients undergoing treatment with the drug tamoxifen....[Read More]

Gene patent for breast cancer faces legal challenge

The Australian Federal Court in Sydney is considering groundbreaking legal action of whether private companies can obtain patents on human genes....[Read More]

Personalised cancer therapy on the NHS

Cancer patients in the UK are to be treated with drugs specific to the genetic make-up of their individual tumours. A new initiative, to be launched by the NHS this autumn, will test the tumours of up to 6000 cancer patients a year for known genetic mutations....[Read More]

Stem cell research for Motor Neurone Disease advancing

A new research project, which will use human stem cells to artificially create the diseased brain cells affected in Motor Neurone Disease (MND) could pave the way for a cure for sufferers....[Read More]

Book Review: The Language of Life

The author of this book was head of the Human Genome Project at the time when the pioneering work to sequence the human genome was carried out. Furthermore, the cover of the paperback carries an endorsement of his work from no less than Barack Obama. So this is an important book...[Read More]

Cell's 'power cells' protect against stroke

Certain variations of mitochondrial DNA are protective against strokes, according to a recent study in The Lancet Neurology....[Read More]

US woman accuses employer of genetic discrimination after breast cancer test

A Connecticut woman who had a voluntary double mastectomy after genetic testing is alleging her employer wrongfully terminated her job after learning she carried a gene implicated in breast cancer...[Read More]

Bridge to offer Counsyl test

A UK fertility centre is to offer the controversial US genetic test that promises to eliminate the chances of a couple having a baby with over 100 inherited diseases....[Read More]

The case for case-by-case regulation of PGD: a response to Dr David King

The Genetic Interest Group (GIG) welcomed the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)’s review of the case-by-case approach to the licensing of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for late-onset conditions and for tissue typing of embryos to produce a 'saviour sibling'. I attended the HFEA's consultation event at which Dr David King spoke on 1 December last year and heard his presentation. Then, as in his BioNews comment

The case for case-by-case regulation of PGD

On 20 January, the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) will decide whether to continue the case-by-case regulation of two types of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) applications: those for late onset conditions and tissue typing of embryos to produce a 'saviour sibling'....[Read More]

So are we making progress?

The contemporary media is increasingly flooded with stories where the cause, explanation or hope involves genetics. With all the reporting of genetic findings and its 'potential' to improve clinical care - has genetics really led to a marked improvement in our healthcare? And should genetic determinism be the focus of scientific research?...[Read More]

Tumour genes mapped in major milestone for cancer treatment

Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute have sequenced the genomes of two cancers - malignant melanoma skin cancer and an aggressive form of lung cancer. Their findings were published in Nature last week and could transform cancer treatments....[Read More]

Rare gene mutation blamed for some childhood obesity

A rare gene mutation may explain the weight of some severely overweight young children, a study has found. The new findings have already affected when social workers judge children to be deliberately overfed or neglected...[Read More]

Reduced sentence for murderer with 'genetic predisposition' to aggression

An Italian court has reduced the sentence of a convicted murderer by a year based on evidence that he carries genetic mutations linked to aggressive behaviour. This is the first time that genetics have been considered a mitigating factor in a European court sentencing....[Read More]

Epigenetic link to autism

US scientists have identified a genetic trait that is strongly associated with autism. The genetic change does not involve a mutation within the DNA sequence of a gene but instead involves an alteration in the physical structure of the DNA which affects the way a gene is turned on and off. The researchers hope that the new findings will lead to novel ways to diagnose and treat autism....[Read More]