Science and Enterprise

Tag: genomics

  • Gates Grant Awarded for Tuberculosis Genomics Research

    The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) in Seattle, Washington, said today it received a multi-million dollar grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for research in chemical genomics to identify targets and leads in tuberculosis (TB). The project includes access to a large library of compounds at Eli Lilly and Company. The grant aims…

  • Bird-Flu Stopping Transgenic Chickens Produced

    Genetically modified chickens with molecular structures designed to prevent the spread of bird flu have been developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge and Edinburgh University in the U.K. The study is published in this week’s issue of the journal Science (paid subscription required). The team of scientists successfully developed genetically modified or transgenic…

  • Consortium to Develop Sanfilippo B Gene Therapy

    Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (AMT), a biopharmaceuticalcompany in the Netherlands, and a group of French research institutes, including the Institut Pasteur in Paris, has formed a consortium to develop a gene therapy to treat Sanfilippo B. AMT will manufacture compounds to be tested in a clinical trial of the therapy. Sanfilippo B is a rare genetic…

  • Consumers Want, Will Pay for Predictive Health Tests

    In a national survey conducted by researchers at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, consumers indicated they place a high value on information to predict their future health, and may be willing to pay out of pocket to get it. The they survey was funded by the Institute for Health Technology Studies. The findings appear…

  • Collaboration to Research Obesity Biomarkers, Drug Targets

    Florida Hospital in Orlando, Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute also in Orlando, and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company in Osaka, Japan, will collaborate on developing new therapies for obesity, a growing worldwide health problem. The partnership aims to to identify and validate new obesity-related biomarkers and molecular targets. The project is the first corporate-sponsored research undertaken by the…

  • International Team Sequences Criollo Cacao Genome

    Researchers from 18 institutions in five countries reported sequencing the genome of Theobroma cacao, commonly called the Criollo cacao tree. The findings are published in the current online issue of Nature Genetics. The tree is known for its high quality, but also for low productivity and weak resistance to disease. Most commercial chocolate today comes…

  • Genetic Signature Validated for Early-Stage Colon Cancer

    ChipDX LLC, an online molecular diagnostics and personalized medicine company in New York, New York, says it discovered and validated a genetic signature for early-stage colon cancer. The company is developing an online screening application for clinicians to more accurately identify risk of recurrence. The study is published in the December issue of the British…

  • U.S., Europe Patents Issued for RNAi Drug Delivery

    Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corp. in Vancouver, Canada, a developer of RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics, says that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and European Patent Office (EPO) have issued patents covering elements of Tekmira’s lipid nanoparticle technology for delivering nucleic acid therapeutics, including small interfering RNA (siRNA). RNAi therapeutics have the potential to treat…

  • Engineered Bacteria Process Converts Bio-Wastes to Plastics

    A Ph.D. candidate at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands has discovered a process for engineering bacteria to more efficiently convert agricultural wastes into industrial-quality plastics. Jean-Paul Meijnen presented the findings in his dissertation, which he defends at TU Delft on Monday 22 November. Lignocellulose, the complex combination of lignin and cellulose…

  • New Process Breeds Resistance to Potato, Tomato Blight

    Researchers have discovered a process that offers an alternative to combating resistance to late blight, a disease of potatoes and tomatoes costing the industry £5 to £6 billion ($8.0 to $9.6 billion) a year worldwide. Late blight of potatoes and tomatoes is caused by the fungus-like pathogen Phytophthora infestans (P. infestans), and was responsible for…