The myth of the genomic revolution

'Building on our inheritance: Genomic technology in healthcare' is the latest in a long line of reports that have sought to assess the potential of genomic medicine and to outline how policy can best support its development....[Read More]

Multiple sclerosis and vitamin D linked by rare genetic variant

A rare genetic variant causing lower levels of vitamin D has been linked to multiple sclerosis (MS), according to scientists...[Read More]

Innovative gene therapy protects mice from HIV infection

US scientists have induced long-lasting HIV protection in mice from a single injection. Their study, published in the journal Nature, uses gene therapy to stimulate production of antibodies against the virus...[Read More]

TV Review: Brave New World - Health

'Science is on the brink of changing your life'. It's a bold and risky opening statement, but I find my initial scepticism quelled. Whether this is due to the promise coming from the revered Professor Stephen Hawking, or because I've allowed myself to get caught up in the increasingly dramatic soundtrack is hard to say. But either way, the addition of flashy sound bites from enthusiastic scientific celebrities coupled with epic landscape shots from exotic destinations is sufficient to convinc...[Read More]

Synthetic blood to be trialled within two years

Artificial blood, manufactured from human stem cells, could be used in patient trials within two years. The blood will be based on the universal donor group (O rhesus negative), a blood type suitable for up to 98 percent of the population...[Read More]

Gene therapy to treat HIV shows promise

The success of a new gene therapy trial represents a significant step towards a 'functional cure' for HIV, US researchers announced this week. By mimicking the effects of a naturally occurring gene mutation that makes an individual resistant to infection, this therapy aims to reduce or eliminate the dependency of HIV patients on antiretroviral drugs....[Read More]

Genetic link found to resistance to the flu

Scientists have suggested there may be a genetic basis behind the way our body reacts to the flu virus, making some of us more vulnerable than others. A study published in PLoS Genetics has tracked the body's response to the H3N2/Wisconsin strain of the flu virus at the genetic level. The researchers injected the virus into 17 volunteers and analysed expression patterns from the time of injection to the onset of full-blown clinical symptoms...[Read More]

Film Review: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is this summer's big blockbuster and is directed by Rupert Wyatt. The film is a prequel to the other Planet of the Apes films and charts how the apes came to revolt. The basic storyline is thus; Dr Will Rodman (James Franco) is testing a gene therapy called ALZ-112 on chimps to find a cure for degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's...[Read More]

Potential breakthrough in HIV gene therapy

American researchers have successfully created immune cells resistant to HIV. T cells, which are the main target of HIV, were isolated from six HIV positive patients and genetically manipulated to confer resistance. The cells were injected back into the same patients and were able to survive and multiply...[Read More]

Gene therapy as a treatment for HIV patients

A human RNA-based gene therapy trial to combat HIV has passed the first safety test. US researchers modified human blood stem cells to make them resistant to the virus....[Read More]

Gene therapy for muscle wasting conditions shows promise

Research published in the journal Science Translational Medicine last week shows gene therapy can improve muscle size and strength in monkeys. The technique holds promise as a therapy for several neuromuscular disorders, and researchers hope that clinical trials will start next year....[Read More]

Gene therapy improves vision in rare hereditary blindness condition

A phase I clinical trial in the US has successfully used gene therapy to improve vision in individuals suffering from a rare form of hereditary blindness. The promising results of this trial pave the way for future trials and may eventually lead to a cure for several forms of congenital blindness...[Read More]

Gene therapy and drug studies show promise for treatment of cystic fibrosis

Scientists have used two new techniques to fix defects in lung cells from people with cystic fibrosis, raising hope for new treatments for the disease in the future. The first study, published in the journal Plos Biology, used a gene therapy technique to treat the cells, whilst the second study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology, used a drug called miglustat....[Read More]

Breakthrough in gene therapy for chronic pain

Gene therapy could ease chronic pain by simulating the pain-killing properties of opiate drugs, researchers from the Departments of Medicine and Neurosciences at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found, reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research team designed a cold virus...[Read More]

Glow-in-the-dark cats will provide clues to human genetic disease, say scientists

Last week South Korean scientists reported that they had successfully cloned cats whose genes had been altered so that they 'glow-in-the-dark' under UV light. It is hoped that the ability to alter genes in this way may help scientists discover how to make more complicated gene changes...[Read More]

Reprogramming stem cell breakthrough

Two groups of scientists have managed to 'reprogramme' skin cells, retuning them to an embryonic-like state in which they regain the potential to develop into any type of body cell. The studies, published in the journals Cell and Science, pave the way for new research aimed...[Read More]

First brain disease gene therapy trial shows promise

A US study, published in the journal The Lancet last week, reported that all twelve Parkinson's patients who took part in the world's first gene therapy trial for brain disease improved markedly without experiencing side-effects. Under the care of Dr Michael Kaplitt and colleagues of the New...[Read More]

Gene therapy restores sight to mice

A team of University of Florida researchers has restored sight to mice with hereditary blindness by using a harmless virus to deliver therapuetic genes. In a paper published in Nature Medicine, the scientists describe how their research proved it was possible to target and rescue cone cells...[Read More]

Gene therapy hope for childhood blindness

Researchers at University College London are the first in the world to attempt to use gene therapy to treat a rare inherited condition which leads to blindness in childhood. The disease, known as Leber Congenital Syndrome (LCS), is caused by an abnormality in the RPE65 gene, which...[Read More]

UK stem cell network launched

A new initiative to oversee and promote stem cell research in the UK was launched last week. The UK National Stem Cell Network (UKNSCN) aims to 'bring coherence and coordination' to existing regional and national activities in the field. It was formed in response to a...[Read More]