The King’s Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) has received further funding from the UK Ministry of Defence to continue its research into the health and well-being of military personnel, many of whom have served in Iraq. The research, which began in 2003 as a prospective investigation of the physical and psychological health of over 12,000 UK service personnel serving in Iraq, will be monitoring service personnel more widely, including those deployed to Afghanistan.
Proteins found in the blood can indicate an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to groundbreaking new research published today (30 October) in the journal Brain. It is the first time markers for the development of Alzheimer’s have been identified in blood. The findings take researchers a step closer to knowing whether a blood test can be used to diagnose and measure progression of the Alzheimer’s disease.
As many as 100,000 Australians could be carrying a genetic mutation that predisposes them to low bone density and a higher risk of bone fractures.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins have discovered how taking the brakes off a ?detox? gene causes chemotherapy resistance in a common form of lung cancer. Products made by a gene called NRF2 normally protect cells from environmental pollutants like cigarette smoke and diesel exhaust by absorbing the materials and pumping them out of the cell. Another gene called KEAP1 encodes products that stop this cleansing process. But lung cancer cells sabotage the expression of these same genes to block assault from chemotherapy drugs.
Bethesda, Md. ? The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today announced the latest round of grant awards totaling more than $13.3 million to speed the development of innovative sequencing technologies that reduce the cost of DNA sequencing and expand the use of genomics in medical research and health care.
Agencourt Bioscience Corporation, a Beckman Coulter company, has announced that its Genomic Services were integral in a breakthrough Johns Hopkins study on the genetic code for breast and colon cancers. A recent and widely publicized report on that study, published this month in Science Express, was co-authored by James Hartigan, an Agencourt project manager. The research identifies close to 200 mutated genes, now linked to these cancers, most of which were not previously recognized as associated with tumor initiation, growth, spread or control. The study provides an understanding into disease processes and is expected to drive cancer research for years to come.
The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative today announced the appointment of John G. McNeil, MD, MPH, as scientific director, effective immediately. Dr. McNeil will have principal responsibility for directing MVI’s early-stage vaccine development efforts and for shaping and managing MVI’s overall candidate vaccine portfolio.
AstraZeneca announced that it has successfully completed the European Union Mutual Recognition Procedure (MRP) for Symbicort? Maintenance And Reliever Therapy (Symbicort SMART?). This new asthma treatment approach allows patients to use just one inhaler for both maintenance and relief of asthma symptoms.
Breastfed babies are more intelligent because a higher percentage of highly educated mothers tend to breastfeed, say researchers from the Medical Research Council (UK) and the University of Edinburgh. A higher percentage of breastfed babies are brought up in a mentally stimulating environment. You can read about this study in the British Medical Journal.
Overdose of iron supplements to pregnant women who are not anaemic could lead to birth complications, says a new study.
Iron deficiency is common among women of childbearing age. Doctors recommend daily supplements of 60 to 120 mg of iron to prevent or correct anaemia and iron deficiency during pregnancy.