Efficiently translating genomic research into the clinic is one of the most important steps in the development of the field. The clinic is where we will see things come to fruition.
The Digital DNA series explores the role of large-scale genetic testing in science, industry and society. We aim to understand both the benefits and risks of this emerging technology and see what the future may hold. We talked to Jill Davies, CEO of GeneMatters. The company provides genetic counselling to patients through a telehealth platform […]
A reversible chemical technique can separate sperm carrying X chromosomes from sperm carrying Y chromosomes to select the offspring sex of mice. Cells from male mammals contain both an X and Y chromosome. However, sperm cells contain either an X or Y chromosome. As the female egg cell always contains an X chromosome, sperm that […]
When cancer cells break off from their initial tumour they can spread throughout the body and invade other organs to form new tumours, in a process known as metastasis. Metastatic tumours cause patients to develop stage IV or advanced cancer and are responsible for over 90% of deaths in cancer patients. In the past, cancer […]
A new technique to analyse the tumour DNA present in patient’s blood circulations is an effective method to monitor breast cancer progression. The technique has been shown to give a hundred-fold improvement in the detection limit for tumour DNA. Analysis of the DNA that the tumour sheds into the bloodstream provides a non-invasive means of […]
A gene discovery has explained why current Alzheimer’s drugs don’t work for lots of patients, and why so many new drugs fail in clinical trials. The acetylcholine receptor α7nAChR has long been a target of interest for Alzheimer’s drugs. The neurotransmitter acetylcholine is involved in memory and learning processes. Despite acetylcholine being linked to the […]
A rare and difficult to cure bone cancer in children has been found to have significant genetic similarities with the same type of cancer in dogs. This insight could improve understanding of the disease and lead the development of more effective treatments. Osteosarcoma (OS) is a rare bone cancer in children, but relatively common in […]
The study of epitranscriptomics has ramifications for better understanding disease symptoms and pushing forward drug treatment. But it’s also an emerging area still misunderstood by many. FLG spoke to Dr Samie Jaffrey, Professor of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine, about the field.
Patients are not being informed about changes to their genetic risk factors for cancer, a new study shows. If an individual has a family history of a type of cancer, they can get a genetic test to identify their own cancer risk. Identifying a genetic risk means that person can get regular check-ups and be […]
A new genetic test has been successfully trialled at a hospital in Oxford to help doctors identify patients most at risk of chemotherapy side-effects. Capecitabine and fluorouracil (5FU) are common chemotherapy drugs for cancers including breast, bowl and stomach. Both drugs act as anti-metabolites and resemble biological molecules found inside cells. When the drug molecules […]
The UK Biobank’s 2019 scientific conference concluded this month. We talked to speaker Anthony Whetton, Professor of Cancer Cell Biology at the University of Manchester and Director of the Stoller Biomarker Discovery Centre, about large-scale multi-omic data within UK Biobank.
With the recent conclusion of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization’s BIO 2019 event, we thought we’d talk to some of the fascinating individuals who were present to showcase their innovative ideas or technologies. Irene Rombel, Senior Director, Head of Strategic Analysis – External Innovation, Discovery, Product Development & Supply, at Janssen Research & Development, spoke at BIO 2019 about gene therapy and the next generation of biotherapeutics. We spoke to her about her thoughts on the gene therapy field, and the future for companies in that space.
eGenesis has announced that it is now testing pig organs on primates to see if they safe for human use. If successful, this practice could solve the current shortage of human organs for transplantation. The company has declared that the pig organs are the most highly engineered ever created by surgeons.
As part of the Next Generation Children project at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and Cambridge University, all seriously ill children in England with unexplained disorders will be able to have their genomes analysed from 2020. The project should mean quicker diagnoses for families in the future.
Dr. Eric Kmiec, Director of the Gene Editing Institute at Christiana Care Health System, spoke at BIO 2019 about meeting unmet medical needs with gene editing. We spoke to him about his work at Christiana Care Health System and CRISPR’s role in promoting better social equality in life science.
A new experimental version of CRISPR could help fix genes rather than disable them using transposons, or “jumping genes”. This could help move the current “find and delete” purpose of CRISPR to the more useful “find and replace” one.
