Monthly Archives: June 2022

Pride Week: Beginning Hormone Replacement Therapy : Short Wave – NPR

Posted: June 13, 2022 at 2:39 am

Medical transition-related treatments like HRT are associated with positive physical and mental health outcomes. amtitus/Getty Images hide caption

Medical transition-related treatments like HRT are associated with positive physical and mental health outcomes.

Medical transition-related treatments like hormone replacement therapy are associated with overwhelmingly positive outcomes in terms of both physical and mental health for transgender people. But, it can be hard to know exactly how to get started. Reporter James Factora explains where to start, common misconceptions about HRT, and the importance of finding community through the process. Read James' full reporting here:

If you're just learning about hormone replacement therapy for the first time, welcome! We're so glad you're here. You might want to read about the basics before listening to this episode. We'll be here when you get back!

This episode was produced by Brit Hanson, fact-checked by Indi Khera and edited by Viet Le. Joshua Newell and Kwesi Lee provided engineering support.

See the article here:
Pride Week: Beginning Hormone Replacement Therapy : Short Wave - NPR

Posted in Hormone Replacement Therapy | Comments Off on Pride Week: Beginning Hormone Replacement Therapy : Short Wave – NPR

Latest study reveals that two male contraceptive pills could expand options for birth control – Interesting Engineering

Posted: June 13, 2022 at 2:39 am

The first product for male birth control isalmosthere.

In the first phase of clinical trials, two experimental male contraceptive pills -DMAU and 11-MNTDC - appearedto effectively lower testosterone without causing unacceptable side effects.

The study will be presented on Monday at ENDO 2022, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Atlanta, Ga, as per a press release.

According to the researchers, there are similar pathways for the hormonal control of reproductive function in women.

"We are building on the knowledge of many decades of contraceptive development for women as well as our success with other combination hormonal methods such as Nestorone (a progestogen) and Testosterone gel for regulating LH secretion and sperm production in men," lead researcher,Tamar Jacobsohnof the Contraceptive Development Program (CPD) at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and Dr.Diana Blithe, Program Chief of CDP, toldIEin an interview.

Ever since thebirth control pill was first approved as a contraceptive in the US in 1960, the onus of birth control has largely fallen on people with female reproductive systems.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), in 2015-2017, 64.9 percent of the 72.2 million women aged 1549 in the United States were using contraception, with the most common method being female sterilization, oral contraceptive pills, long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), and the male condom (8.7%).

Data from the 20152017 National Survey of Family Growthrevealed that nearly all women use some form of contraception methodat some point in their lifetime. Currently, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved 17 birth control methods for people with female reproductive systems and only two for people with male reproductive systems - condoms and vasectomy. Some people also practice methods such as natural family planning (or "fertility awareness") or the pullout method, but both of these methods have a very high rate of failure.

In recent years, there have beenreports of trials for hormone gels and injectionsfor men, but these are not widely available. According to data from Global Market Insights, if a new male contraceptive method were to be approved in the next five years, the market is projected to be around $1 billion by 2024 and could grow at the rate of six percent over the next ten years,

As yet, however, there areno new birth control methods on the market for those who produce sperm.

There have been several challenges when it comes to developing a male hormonal contraceptive.

"The first includes developing a first-of-its-kind drug to be used by healthy men who do not face health risks from pregnancy," said Blithe and Jacobsohn.

This sets the bar for safety very high. As always, with the new medication, extensive testing is required to ensure that there are no health risks, which is different from the side effects, they stressed.

Androgens are male hormones; these are naturally produced in the body and are a requirement for the normal sexual development of both males and females. In males, the predominant androgen is testosterone. In genetic males,testosterone has a number of roles, includingregulating sex drive, bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass and strength, and the production of red blood cells and sperm.

However, current formulations of oral testosterone derivatives require multiple doses per day.

There have been a number of obstacles to the development of a male oral contraceptive.One is that reliably and completely blocking the production of millions of sperm every day (in males) versus preventing the release of a single egg a month (in females) is a lot more complicated, biologically speaking. Those drugs that have been tested have often had serious side effects.

However, there has also been little interest from largepharmaceutical companies, some of whom make billions from the female contraceptive pill, and there is little funding available for clinical trials of these drugs. All of this makes the research more challenging.

However, "With more awareness of the potential market for these products, through clinical trials and acceptability trials globally, large pharmaceutical companies may become more interested in supporting the research. If that happens, through our research efforts and the efforts of male contraceptive development generally, it could help speed up the process of developing more options for men," Blithe and Jacobsohn said.

The drugs involved in the current study are Dimethandrolone (DMA) and 11-methyl-19-nortestosterone (11-MNT), which areprogestogenic-androgens,which means they are single agents with two functions.

To elaborate, "the progestogenic function serves to lower the pituitary production of gonadotropin hormones (FSH and LH). Inhibiting LH leads to lower testosterone in the testis," according to Blithe and Jacobsohn.

In theory, sperm production would be inhibited in the absence of adequate testosterone in the testis.

Why these specific compounds?

"The androgenic function of these molecules supports sexual function and other bodily functions that rely on adequate testosterone levels in the blood. These progestogenic androgens are being tested because they are orally bioavailable and thus can be used as a pill (research shows that men would like to use oral pills), and because both functions may be delivered with a single drug instead of two combined drugs," Blithe and Jacobsohn explained.

The study included 96 healthy male participants in two Phase 1 clinical trials. As aforementioned, the usage of DMAU and 11-MNTDC suppress testosterone. Lowering testosterone levels can lead to unpleasant side effects, but most men involved in the study were willing to continue using the drugs.

"Many of the men joining our clinical trials are extremely enthusiastic about the prospect of male contraception. They are dedicated to helping move the product forward through clinical trials," Blithe and Jacobsohn said.

In each trial, the men were randomly assigned to receive doses of two or four oral pills, of either the active drug or the placebo, daily for 28 days. Testosterone levels in those taking the active drug notably dropped below the normal range after seven days on the active drug. And in men taking the placebo, testosterone levels stayed within the normal range.

Among the participants, 75 percent of the men who took the active drug said that they would be willing to use it in the future, in comparison with 46.4 percent of those who took the placebo.

It was also observed that men who took the four-pill daily dose (400 milligrams) had lower levels of testosterone than those taking the two-pill, 200-milligram dose.

Despite thefact that lowering testosterone levels can lead to unpleasant and serious side effects, many researchers favor contraceptives that use hormones.

"Research on non-hormonal methods is quite active, with several different mechanisms being explored," Blithe and Jacobsohn said.

A few months ago, a team of researchers based at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities tested the compound YCT529,which focuses on receptors for a specific form of vitamin A, called retinoic acid, that's essential to the growth and development of cells and embryos. After the drug was given to mice for several weeks, the pregnancies among the mice went down.

"No [non-hormonal medication] has successfully transitioned to clinical evaluation, but progress is being made toward that goal. It cannot be assumed that non-hormonal methods will be free of side effects, so we will have to wait for those clinical trials to begin to see if anything emerges that was not evident in pre-clinical qualifying studies," Blithe and Jacobsohn said.

Jacobsohn and her team are working with contraceptive mechanisms to replace androgen function either with testosterone or other androgenic drugs to minimize or prevent side effects.

And in the current studies, no adverse effects or side effects were observed with either of the drugs. "Mild side effects included acne and changes in libido (both increased and decreased), headaches, and erectile dysfunction in a few individuals. All side effects were resolved by the end of the study," they said.

In the Phase 1b trial of testing, the researchers are looking at the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and safety of the drug.

After Phase 1 trials, longer and larger studies are required, the researchers pointed out. "Since the treatment is used in healthy men, the studies are sequential and escalating to ensure that safety is maintained across longer treatment in a larger number of individuals," Blithe and Jacobsohn said.

Phase 2 trials would look at the longer periods of treatment to confirm safety "and determine if the drugs can inhibit sperm production."

Additionally, researchers at the CDP are also amid conducting a Phase 2b (efficacy) trial for a combination Nestorone/Testosterone gel product, "which we hope will be the first groundbreaking product for male contraception, thus paving the way for other drugs to become available within the next ten years," Blithe and Jacobsohn said.

If drugs successfully reach Phase 2b efficacy testing in couples, the trials will be lengthy, requiring a two-year commitment from couples to demonstrate suppression, efficacy, and recovery. Discussions with the FDA on what would be expected in Phase 3 will take place if the Phase 2 trials are successful.

The researchers are hoping to create a birth control pill that can be taken once daily, like those which are available for women.

"Given that these drugs also combat the side effects of hypogonadism with their androgenic effects, further research is necessary to look at them as a possibility for androgen replacement therapy as well. Similar to the use of hormonal birth control for women for a variety of reasons other than pregnancy prevention, the same may be possible for men," Blithe and Jacobsohn said.

Just the prospect of male contraception becoming widely available is imperative for reproductive autonomy and equality. "The development of contraceptive products for men will both increase available options for men and allow for many women to have more options for sharing the contraceptive burden," they added.

Abstract:A promising development in hormonal male contraception (HMC) is a class of bifunctional prodrugs that combine both androgenic and progestogenic activities into a single molecule. Examples of these prodrugs currently being studied are dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU) and 11-methyl-19-nortestosterone-17-dodecylcarbonate (11-MNTDC) (1, 2). The inactive prodrugs are cleaved to release active drug over a 24-hour timeframe, providing once-a-day dosing. As potent androgens, these steroids suppress gonadotropin secretion, leading to markedly decreased serum testosterone production and circulating levels. Low testosterone levels might lead to unpleasant symptoms of hypogonadism if DMAU and 11-MNTDC are not providing sufficient and effective androgenicity. Therefore, we examined the impact of the novel progestogenic androgens on serum testosterone levels and acceptability of varying dosages of these oral prodrugs in a secondary analysis of two Phase 1 placebo-controlled trials. Healthy male participants were randomized to take two or four oral pills of active drug or placebo per day. As DMAU and 11-MNTDC share similar mechanisms of action and tolerability, we examined the association of dosage as well as testosterone concentrations on combined drug acceptability versus placebo. Survey respondents across the two trials (39 DMAU, 30 11-MNTDC, 28 combined placebo group) shared similar baseline demographics. After seven days of usage, testosterone levels for those using either prodrug dropped to levels below 100 ng/dL while testosterone levels for those using the placebo (400-600 ng/dL) remained within the reference. Recipients of either DMAU or 11-MNTDC reported greater willingness to use the active prodrug in the future (75%), compared to placebo recipients (46.4%, p=0.007). Throughout the 28-day oral pill usage, while average testosterone levels during the period of suppression (day 7 to 28) were very low, they were significantly higher in the 200 mg group than in the 400 mg group (92.7 ng/dL vs. 49.6 ng/dL, p-value <0.001). Participants using 2 pills (200 mg, n=33) versus 4 pills (400 mg, n=35) of active drug did not report a significant difference in general satisfaction, willingness to use in the future, or recommendation of the study pill to other men (p=0.85, p=0.48, p=0.60, respectively). In placebo-controlled trials, men randomized to use active, daily oral progestogenic androgen prodrugs reported greater acceptability with their respective regimens than did men who received placebo pills despite low serum testosterone levels. Oral hormonal male contraceptive pill prototypes, DMAU and 11-MNTDC, significantly suppress serum testosterone while providing sufficient androgenicity to be acceptable to most men.

View post:
Latest study reveals that two male contraceptive pills could expand options for birth control - Interesting Engineering

Posted in Hormone Replacement Therapy | Comments Off on Latest study reveals that two male contraceptive pills could expand options for birth control – Interesting Engineering

Trans conversion therapy: What to expect when MPs debate ban – Open Democracy

Posted: June 13, 2022 at 2:38 am

By contrast, genuine therapeutic interventions involve the safe exploration of an individuals needs and uncertainties, and value self-awareness and self-acceptance, campaigners explained. This doesnt mean that you dont challenge or question [the client], or help them explore who they are. But the starting point is one of respect and dignity for the individual, said Jayne Ozanne, a gay evangelical Christian and director of the Ozanne Foundation, which works with religious organisations to eliminate discrimination based on gender and sexuality.

[Therapeutic] conversations are intended to be exploratory, said Cara English from Gendered Intelligence. Theyre about meeting people where they are and not giving them a fixed destination.

Theres this wilful misinterpretation that people will be telling young people that theyre trans and working backwards from there. Its just so bizarre to see it be voiced like that. But it will inevitably be voiced like that by parliamentarians on Monday.

Affirmative care is about getting rid of the psychotherapists agenda and focusing on the patient, Moore agreed. Reflective work is absolutely possible in an ethical, affirmative way.

This distinction is upheld in the Memorandum of Understanding on conversion practices a joint statement signed by 25 health, counselling and psychotherapy bodies including the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and NHS England which defines conversion practices as therapy or persuasive techniques designed to prejudice peoples choices about gender change or sexual orientation.

Moore also highlighted a tendency for opponents to deliberately conflate medical affirmation treatments like hormone replacement therapy and affirming surgeries with the affirmative therapy model.

Its a different thing altogether, she said. When were talking about therapy, were referring to talk therapy Unless they also happen to be endocrinologists or surgeons, psychotherapists are not prescribing hormones or other medical interventions.

Opponents of a trans-inclusive ban may also claim that trans conversion practices arent happening, or that there is insufficient evidence to show that these practices cause harm, say campaigners.

The governments own 2018 survey found that trans people are more likely to undergo conversion practices than lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Some 13% of trans respondents said they had been offered some form of conversion therapy.

And while there is no evidence that these practices can succeed in changing sexual orientation or gender identity, there is significant research and first-hand testimonies underscoring their severe, long-term and sometimes deadly psychological consequences.

Research carried out last year by a coalition of UK LGBT charities, together with independent research monitor Richard Matousek, found that gender-diverse participants who had experienced conversion practices were nearly twice as likely to have attempted suicide.

These findings are consistent with a 2018 study published in the American Journal of Public Health, which found that LGBT young people who had experienced conversion practices were more than twice as likely to report attempting suicide following the experience. The American Psychological Association has also linked conversion practices to depression and suicidality in survivors.

To deny that these practices are happening invalidates the experiences of countless survivors who have come forward and testified to the harm caused, Appan said. Its a kick in the face, and it denies my current life. The trauma I faced has led to lifelong health conditions, including fibromyalgia and complex post traumatic stress.

Its cruelty, said Ozanne, who is herself a survivor of conversion practices. What angers me most is the indifference of those who practice conversion therapy and have no remorse for the harm they have caused.

All recent legislative bans, including those implemented in Canada, France, New Zealand and Greece, include both sexual orientation and gender identity. Excluding trans people from the ban on conversion practices would be outdated, harmful and an international embarrassment, said Lui Asquith, from Mermaids.

I hope more than anything that the reality of the lived experiences of trans people will come through in the debate on Monday Its incredibly important that we debunk the false myths that are being spread and that we understand the harm that trans people are facing, Ozanne said.

It will be a dereliction of our duty as a society that is meant to protect the vulnerable if we do not include them in the ban.

Read the original post:
Trans conversion therapy: What to expect when MPs debate ban - Open Democracy

Posted in Hormone Replacement Therapy | Comments Off on Trans conversion therapy: What to expect when MPs debate ban – Open Democracy

COVID-19 protocols for upcoming commencement events and reminder of mandatory indoor masking – COVID-19 and vaccine resources – ucla covid-19

Posted: June 13, 2022 at 2:37 am

June 6, 2022

COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force

What you need to know:

Dear Bruin Community:

We wanted to take a moment to thank our campus community for your efforts to make our academic year a safer one. We know this has been another challenging year, and your patience and perseverance is greatly appreciated.

Cases of COVID-19 have remained high in Los Angeles County over the past four weeks with new variants in circulation. The reinstatement of universal indoor masking for students, faculty, staff and campus visitors will help stabilize our campus case rates. As we approach end-of-year celebrations and graduation ceremonies, we want to remind you to make these special occasions safer for all guests and attendees.

Well-fitting upgraded masks or respirators are required for all students, faculty, staff and campus visitors while indoors on UCLA property, except when alone in a room, eating or drinking, or in your living units with your household. Masking is also highly recommended in crowded outdoor settings. Wearing a properly fitted mask reduces the risks of getting the virus or spreading it to others.

Upgraded masks are available to students, faculty and staff free of charge at the UCLA Emergency PPE Supply Store, the John Wooden Center, all residence hall front desks, the Student Activities Center and in Ackerman Union at the A-level information window (next to the post office).

As a reminder, those attending indoor commencement ceremonies and celebrations, including UCLA affiliates and external guests, must mask indoors at UCLA. Commencement speakers may remove their masks to deliver their graduation addresses and graduates may momentarily remove their masks while walking across the stage and while being photographed on or adjacent to the stage.

Event organizers are strongly encouraged to request surgical masks from the PPE store and have them available at these gatherings. Free masks will be available this Friday through Sunday for graduates and guests at most commencement venues. Rapid antigen tests will also be available at Bruin Plaza and the Dickson Plaza Flagpole. Please refer to the Commencement COVID-19 FAQs below for more information.

We are anticipating street closures, increased traffic delays and high parking demand on Friday. Plan to allow additional time to get to campus prior to your commencement event and prepare for hot weather. We recommend guests arrive at Pauley Pavilion for College Commencement ceremonies at least one hour prior to the time printed on your tickets.Please visit the College Commencement FAQ site for more information regarding commencement.

Masking at other events off campus will also help curb the spread of the virus. There is still a lot we do not know about the health impacts of COVID-19. You should continue to avoid getting infected or reinfected to the extent possible.

Together, we can make our end-of-year events memorable and help reduce the risks. We have experienced a remarkable academic year, and that has largely been due toour communitys commitment to caring for one another. We thank you for all of your continued efforts and wish you a happy and healthy summer.

Sincerely,

Michael J. BeckAdministrative Vice ChancellorCo-chair, COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force

Megan McEvoyProfessor, Institute for Society and Genetics, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular GeneticsCo-chair, COVID-19 Response and Recovery Task Force

NOTE: Those who work in UCLA Health clinical areas (including medical, dental and nursing clinics) must follow the COVID-19 protocols for health care settings. However, those who work in both clinical and non-clinical settings must also comply with these campus protocols when outside of the health care environment.

UCLA pre-K12 facilities (including early care and education centers, UCLA Lab School and Geffen Academy) will continue to follow specific protocols that were previously communicated separately from the schools.

Do I need to wear a mask at UCLA commencement?

In response to a consistent rise in COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County and on the UCLA campus, beginning Friday, May 27, the University reinstated a universal indoor masking policy for all students, staff, faculty, affiliates and visitors to the UCLA campus regardless of vaccination status. This requirement applies to, and will be enforced at, all indoor 2022 commencement ceremonies. It will also apply to guests and graduates temporarily going indoors to utilize University facilities or shop at campus retail establishments.

The below masking exceptions at indoor UCLA commencement ceremonies are permitted:

In addition to the above ceremony exceptions, those dining indoors at campus restaurants may remove their masks while eating or drinking. However, outdoor dining and to-go options are strongly encouraged.

A complete list of all current campus protocols addressing COVID-19 prevention, vaccines, testing, exposure management and isolation/quarantine can be viewed on the UCLA COVID-19 website.

I am a commencement guest. Do I need to be vaccinated or tested to attend commencement at UCLA? Will tests be available on site?

Currently, guests do not need to present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test to come to campus or enter a commencement venue.

As a precautionary accommodation for visiting guests who are concerned about potential exposure during travel, UCLA will have rapid antigen tests available at Bruin Plaza and the Dickson Plaza Flagpole. These tests will be provided free of charge and be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Anyone testing positive must not attend these events and must follow isolation rules.

I am a graduate. Do I need to be vaccinated or tested to attend commencement at UCLA?

All graduates must be in compliance with the UC Systemwide COVID-19 Vaccination Policy and must test in accordance with the ongoing UCLA surveillance testing program and receive a negative result prior to their ceremony.

More information on the established Spring Quarter COVID-19 requirements for faculty, staff and students can be found on the UCLA COVID-19 resources website.

What if I have COVID-19 symptoms?

Anyone who is symptomatic must not attend commencement events.

UCLA students, faculty, and staff must complete the campus daily symptom monitoring survey prior to arriving on campus.

What if I am traveling to UCLA from out of state?

Those who plan to attend should stay informed about the California Department of Public Healths and LA County Department of Public Healths most recent guidelines.

What happens if Los Angeles County moves back into more restrictive COVID-19 tiers between now and commencement weekend?

The situation with the pandemic is fluid. If Los Angeles County moves back into more restrictive tiers, the State and County guidelines could introduce new requirements for the events to be held. Information on protocol updates will be communicated to guests by email or other appropriate mechanism.

Read the original here:
COVID-19 protocols for upcoming commencement events and reminder of mandatory indoor masking - COVID-19 and vaccine resources - ucla covid-19

Posted in Molecular Genetics | Comments Off on COVID-19 protocols for upcoming commencement events and reminder of mandatory indoor masking – COVID-19 and vaccine resources – ucla covid-19

Stanford Scientists Unlock Mysteries of Plant Growth and Health – SciTechDaily

Posted: June 13, 2022 at 2:37 am

A study finds that algal genes provide answers to questions concerning plant growth and health.

Plants, like all other known organisms, utilize DNA to pass on traits. Animal genetics often focuses on parentage and lineage, but this can can be challenging in plant genetics since plants can be self-fertile, unlike most animals.

Many plants have unique genetic abilities that make speciation easier, such as being well suited to polyploidy. Plants are special in that they can synthesize energy-dense carbohydrates via photosynthesis, which is accomplished through the usage of chloroplasts. Chloroplasts have their own DNA which allows them to serve as an additional reservoir for genes and genetic diversity, as well as creates an additional layer of genetic complexity not seen in animals. Despite its difficulty, plant genetic research has significant economic implications. Many crops can be genetically modified to increase yield and nutritional value as well as gain pest, herbicide, or disease resistance.

Genes contain all of the instructions that an organism needs to survive, develop, and reproduce. But identifying a gene and understanding what it does are two very different things. Many genes include unexplained instructions, and their functions are unknown to scientists. Recent research conducted by UC Riverside, Princeton University, and Stanford University has revealed the functions of hundreds of genes in algae, some of which are also found in plants. The breakthrough will aid attempts to genetically modify algae for biofuel production and generate climate-resistant agricultural crop types.

Plant and algae genetics are understudied. These organisms make the foods, fuels, materials, and medicines that modern society relies on, but we have a poor understanding of how they work, which makes engineering them a difficult task, said corresponding author Robert Jinkerson, an assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering at UC Riverside. A common way to learn more about biology is to mutate genes and then see how that affects the organism. By breaking the biology we can see how it works.

The researchers conducted tests that generated millions of data points using algal mutants and automated tools. The researchers were able to uncover the functional role of hundreds of poorly characterized genes and identify several new functions of previously known genes by analyzing these datasets. These genes have roles in photosynthesis, DNA damage response, heat stress response, toxic chemical response, and algal predator response.

Several of the genes they discovered in algae have counterparts in plants with the same roles, indicating that the algal data can help scientists understand how those genes function in plants as well.

The single-celled green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii growing in flasks in a laboratory. Credit: Robert Jinkerson/UCR

Automated approaches to analyzing tens of thousands of mutants quickly, known as high-throughput methods, are typically used to understand gene function on a genome-wide scale in model systems like yeast and bacteria. This is quicker and more efficient than studying each gene individually. High-throughput methods do not work very well in crop plants, however, because of their larger size and the difficulty of analyzing thousands of plants.

The researchers, therefore, used a high-throughput robot to generate over 65,000 mutants of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a type of single-celled green algae closely related to plants and easy to alter genetically. They subjected the mutants to 121 different treatments, which resulted in a dataset of 16.8 million data points. Each mutant had a unique DNA barcode that the team could read to see how that mutant was doing in a specific environmental stress condition.

The group discovered new gene functions in hundreds of genes. For example, they learned that a gene widely found throughout multicellular organisms helps repair damaged DNA. Another 38 genes, when disrupted, caused problems with using energy from light, indicating that these genes played roles in photosynthesis.

Yet another cluster of genes helped the algae process carbon dioxide, a second crucial step in photosynthesis. Other clusters affected the tiny hairs, or cilia, the algae use to swim. This discovery could lead to a better understanding of some human lung and esophageal cancers, which might be partially caused by defective cilia motility.

A newly discovered gene cluster protected the algae from toxins that inhibit cytoskeleton growth. These genes are also present in plants and the discovery could help scientists develop plants that grow well even in some contaminated soils.

A robot picks the mutant algal colonies out of a tray of algae. Credit: Robert Jinkerson

Many of the gene functions discovered in algae are also conserved in plants. This information can be used to engineer plants to be more tolerant to heat or cold stress, temperature stress, or improve photosynthesis, all of which will become increasingly important as climate change threatens the worlds food supply.

A better understanding of algae genetics will also improve engineering strategies to make them produce more products, like biofuels.

The data and knowledge generated in this study is already being leveraged to engineer algae to make more biofuels and to improve environmental stress tolerance in crops, said Jinkerson.

The research team also included: Sean Cutler at UC Riverside; Friedrich Fauser, Weronika Patena, and Martin C Jonikas at Princeton University; Josep Vilarrasa-Blasi, Masayuki Onishi, and Jos R Dinneny at Stanford University: Rick Kim, Yuval Kaye, Jacqueline Osaki, Matthew Millican, Charlotte Philp, Matthew Nemeth, and Arthur Grossman at Carnegie Institution; Silvia Ramundo and Peter Walter at UCSF; Setsuko Wakao, Krishna Niyogi, and Sabeeha Merchant at UC Berkeley; and Patrice A Salom at UCLA.

The research was supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the Simons Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the European Molecular Biology Organization, the Swiss National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Reference: Systematic characterization of gene function in the photosynthetic alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by Friedrich Fauser, Josep Vilarrasa-Blasi, Masayuki Onishi, Silvia Ramundo, Weronika Patena, Matthew Millican, Jacqueline Osaki, Charlotte Philp, Matthew Nemeth, Patrice A. Salom, Xiaobo Li, Setsuko Wakao, Rick G. Kim, Yuval Kaye, Arthur R. Grossman, Krishna K. Niyogi, Sabeeha S. Merchant, Sean R. Cutler, Peter Walter, Jos R. Dinneny, Martin C. Jonikas, and Robert E. Jinkerson, 5 May 2022, Nature Genetics.DOI: 10.1038/s41588-022-01052-9

Go here to see the original:
Stanford Scientists Unlock Mysteries of Plant Growth and Health - SciTechDaily

Posted in Molecular Genetics | Comments Off on Stanford Scientists Unlock Mysteries of Plant Growth and Health – SciTechDaily

Trio of Manchester scientists win Royal Society of Chemistry prizes – The University of Manchester

Posted: June 13, 2022 at 2:37 am

Three scientists from The University of Manchester have been awarded with prestigious prizes by The Royal Society of Chemistry for their research. Professors Sarah Haigh, Jason Mickleford and Chris Hardacre have all been honoured and will each receive a prize and medal for their contributions.

Professor Sarah Haigh has been named winner of the Royal Society of Chemistrys Analytical Division mid-career Award. Based at the University of Manchester, Professor Haigh won the prize for the development of transmission electron microscopy methods for advancing understanding of the dynamic behaviour of 2D materials and nanomaterials.

After receiving the prize, Professor Haigh said: Im very excited to have received this prize and thank the RSC for the honour. It is a testament to the hard work of my fantastic research group who very patiently put up with me. I am very grateful to them for their great ideas, persistence, enthusiasm, and collaboration. This prize is evidence that you can continue to succeed in science with a young family even with the huge additional challenges and stresses imposed by the pandemic over the last years.

Most science and engineering processes occur in liquids or gases. Professor Haighs research group uses electron microscopes to study these processes, dynamically, with atomic spatial resolution and chemical sensitivity. Electron microscopes are similar to optical microscopes, but they use electrons instead of light. Electrons can be accelerated to very high speeds, when they have a wavelength 100,000 times smaller than visible light, which gives us the possibility to see atoms.

Applications of their research include studying the early stage synthesis of nanomaterials, the charging and discharging of batteries, the production of electricity from fuel cells or of green fuels from renewable energy, and the corrosion of pipelines or offshore wind turbines. Her research group is particularly interested in the applications for clean energy generation to support the net zero energy transition.

Professor Jason Micklefield has been named winner of the Royal Society of Chemistrys Interdisciplinary Prize. Based at the University of Manchester, Professor Micklefield won the prize for innovative research spanning organic chemistry to molecular genetics, leading to the discovery, characterisation, and engineering of many novel enzymes.

After receiving the prize, Professor Micklefield said: I am very pleased to win this award. I am particularly grateful to my very talented research group for their hard work, dedication and excellent research over the years, which has made this possible.

Nature uses enzymes to catalyse reactions building all of the molecules required for life. Enzymes also break down molecules to release energy that enables all living organisms to move forward. Professor Micklefields lab discovers novel enzymes from unusual bacteria in nature. They characterise these enzymes to determine their structures and mechanisms. With this knowledge, they are able to re-programme the enzymes to create variants that can catalyse new reactions.

These engineered enzymes are used to produce novel antibiotics to combat antimicrobial resistance, antiviral agents that entered clinical trials for COVID-19, anticancer agents and other useful molecules. The enzymatic pathways they develop are cleaner and more sustainable than the traditional chemical synthesis routes that are currently used to prepare pharmaceuticals and other molecules.

Read the original post:
Trio of Manchester scientists win Royal Society of Chemistry prizes - The University of Manchester

Posted in Molecular Genetics | Comments Off on Trio of Manchester scientists win Royal Society of Chemistry prizes – The University of Manchester

CDFD Recruitment 2022 Notification Out for Technical Associate and other post; Check How to Apply Online, Sal – Jagran Josh

Posted: June 13, 2022 at 2:37 am

Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) has invited online application for the Technical Associate and other post on its official website. Check CDFD recruitment 2022 application process, age limit, qualification and other details here.

CDFD Recruitment 2022 Jobs Notification: Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad, an autonomous institute of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology has issued notifications for the posts of Technical Associate, Project Scientist and Others. Interested and eligible candidates can apply for these posts on or before 20 June 2022.

In a bid to apply for CDFD Recruitment 2022 Jobs Notification, candidates should have certain educational qualification including Masters degree/M.Com/B.Sc/ PhD/MD/MS/Doctoral Degree with additional eligibility as mentioned in the notification.

Notification Details for CDFD Recruitment 2022 Jobs :Advt. No. CDFD/EMPC/03/May22

Important Dates for CDFD Recruitment 2022 Jobs Notification: Last Date for Submission of Application: 20 June 2022Vacancy Details for CDFD Recruitment 2022 Jobs Notification:1.Technical Associate (Experimental)2. Project Coordinator3. Computational Laboratory Manager4. Senior Project Associate5. Project Scientist III6.Project Scientist II7. Research Associate I (Post No. 1)

8. Research Associate I (Post No. 2)9. Research Associate I (Post No. 3)10. Research Associate I (Post No. 4)11.Research Associate I (Post No.5)

12. Research Associate - I (Post No. 6)13. Project Associate II (Post No. 1)14. Project Associate II (Post No. 2)15. Project Associate I (Post No. 1)16. Project Associate I (Post No. 2)17. Project Associate I (Post No. 3)18. Project Associate I (Post No. 4)19. Project Associate I (Post No. 5)20. Project Associate I (Post No. 6)21. Project Associate I (Post No. 7)22. Computer Programmer Grade A23) Laboratory Assistant (Post No. 1)24. Laboratory Technician (Post No.2)

25. Project - Junior Research Fellow26. Project - Senior Research Fellow

Eligibility Criteria for CDFD Recruitment 2022 Jobs Notification:Educational Qualification:1.Technical Associate (Experimental): M.Sc. or equivalent (or B.Sc. with 3 years laboratory experience) in Genetics/Life Sciences/Biochemistry/related disciplineMinimum 3 years of experience (in addition to above qualification) of working in highthroughput genomics platforms (massively parallel sequencing and microarray)2. Project Coordinator: Masters degree/M.Com Minimum 3 years management/finance/accounts experience in service industry

3. Computational Laboratory Manager : PhD in Statistics/Informatics/computational biology or related disciplineMinimum 3 years post-PhD experience in computational analysis of massivelyparallel DNA sequencing data

4. Senior Project Associate : Master's Degree in Natural or Agricultural Sciences / MVSc or bachelor's degree inEngineering or Technology or Medicine from a recognized University or equivalent; andFour years' experience in Research and Development in Industrial and AcademicInstitutions or Science and Technology Organisations and Scientific activities andservices ORDoctoral Degree in Science / Engineering / Technology / Pharma / MD / MS from a recognized University or equivalent

5. Project Scientist III: Doctoral Degree in Science or Master's Degree in Engineering or Technology from a recognized University or equivalent; and Seven years' experience in Research and Development in Industrial and Academic Institutions or Science and Technology Organisations and Scientific activities and services

6.Project Scientist Doctoral Degree in Science or Master's Degree in Engineering or Technology from a recognized University or equivalent; and Three years' experience in Research and Development in Industrial and AcademicInstitutions or Science and Technology Organisations and Scientific activities and services

7. Research Associate I (Post No. 1): PhD/MD/MS or equivalent degree OR 3 years experience of research after MVSc/MPharm/ME/MTech with atleast one research paper in Science Citation Indexed Journal

8. Research Associate I (Post No. 2) : PhD/MD/MS or equivalent degree OR 3 years experience of research after MVSc/MPharm/ME/MTech with atleast one research paper in Science Citation Indexed Journal

9. Research Associate I (Post No. 3):Ph.D. in molecular biology, cell biology, biotechnology or relevant scientific discipline10. Research Associate I (Post No. 4) : PhD/MD/MS or equivalent degree OR 3 years experience of research after MVSc/MPharm/ME/MTech with atleast one research paper in Science Citation Indexed Journal

11.Research Associate I (Post No.5): PhD/MD/MS or equivalent degree OR 3 years experience of research after MVSc/MPharm/ME/MTech with atleast one research paper in Science Citation Indexed Journal.

12. Research Associate - I (Post No. 6): Ph.D. in molecular biology, cell biology, biotechnology or relevant scientific discipline13. Project Associate II (Post No. 1): Master's Degree in Natural or Agricultural Sciences / MVSc or bachelor's degree in Engineering or Technology or Medicine from a recognized University or equivalent; and 2 years' experience in Research and Development in Industrial and AcademicInstitutions or Science and Technology Organisations and Scientific activities and services

Check the notification link for details of the educational qualification of the posts.

CDFD Recruitment 2022 Jobs Notification: PDF

How to Apply for CDFD Recruitment 2022 Jobs Notification:Interested and eligible candidates can apply in the prescribed application form in online mode through the official website on or before 20 June 2022. Check notification link for details in this regards.

Excerpt from:
CDFD Recruitment 2022 Notification Out for Technical Associate and other post; Check How to Apply Online, Sal - Jagran Josh

Posted in Molecular Genetics | Comments Off on CDFD Recruitment 2022 Notification Out for Technical Associate and other post; Check How to Apply Online, Sal – Jagran Josh

Karnataka to set up centre for pandemic preparedness in 6 months to respond to disease outbreaks – The Indian Express

Posted: June 13, 2022 at 2:37 am

With a view to gearing up for tackling new health challenges, the Karnataka government will establish a Centre for Pandemic Preparedness, Centre for Longevity and Bio- Repository Centre at Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC) in electronic city.

Dr Vishal Rao, member of Karnataka State Vision Group on Biotechnology and regional director (head and neck surgical oncology and robotic surgery) at HCG Cancer Hospital told The Indian Express, We are living on the cusp of pandemic era. In our perpetually complex and interconnected world, the exact nature of the next outbreak is uncertain and hence cant be predicted. At the BBC, Centre for Pandemic Preparedness, for the first time in India, we have achieved a blend of unique experiences and expertise coupled with specialist capabilities to address the multifarious challenges of the pandemic age and respond to outbreaks of disease in close to real time.

The Centre for Pandemic Preparedness will start operations within six months.

Centre for Longevity

The Centre for Longevity, an integral part of the Bangalore Bio-innovation Centre, will foster academia and industry collaborations to conduct research, training and innovation on diverse issues related to pandemic preparedness. The principal collaborators will be the Indian Institute of Science (IISC) Centre for Biosystems and Engineering along with Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences and Emory Vaccine Center, USA.

The Centre for Pandemic Preparedness will draw from and build on research and experience across the key disciplines of public health and epidemiology. We will be a catalyst, enabling a fusion of political, social, economic and cultural expertise from across the world to create insights, new methodologies and breakthrough solutions that can help humanity adapt faster to disease outbreaks. It will enable cross talk between diverse domain experts including epidemiologists, public health experts, data scientists, medical doctors, microbiologists, data analysts, policymakers, International agencies, NGOs, bio pharma manufacturing partners, scientists, and government representatives, Rao said.

Explaining further he added, COVID-19 has taught us that the pathogen itself is only part of the story. In todays world, the social, cultural, economic and political contexts are pivotal and the fallout is much more far reaching and long-lasting. Being prepared in the pandemic era will mean taking this wider context and these broader factors into consideration. It starts by understanding the COVID-19 pandemic for what it truly is, not a one-off crisis to be countered, but a warning as well as a chance to think creatively and plan ahead. We need to making this pandemic the catalyst for developing new ways of working, evolving actionable insights and a deep rooted systemic change.

Bio- Repository Centre

Rao said bio-banks and bio-repositories and research cohorts (including demographic sites) are national assets established with considerable efforts. Recent advances in the tools and technology of molecular biology, genetics, environmental sciences, epidemiology and demography have increased the demand for well-annotated, properly preserved biological specimens and associated epidemiological and demographic data. In response to the demand for personalised medicine, organ and tissue-specific biobanks, cohorts and demographic sites have been or are in the process of being established in several parts of the country, he said.

Dissemination of biological samples

Explaining the role of Bio-Repository Centre, Rao said that bio-banking involves the collection, processing, storage, and dissemination of biological samples and their associated clinical data and information, organised in a systematic way. A well-managed biobank is a critical prerequisite for high-quality biomedical research. Recent advances in the tools and technology of molecular biology and genetics have increased the demand for well-annotated, properly preserved specimens. To address the demand, biobanks have been established in several continents over the past dozen years, and more are in development, Rao said.

Continue reading here:
Karnataka to set up centre for pandemic preparedness in 6 months to respond to disease outbreaks - The Indian Express

Posted in Molecular Genetics | Comments Off on Karnataka to set up centre for pandemic preparedness in 6 months to respond to disease outbreaks – The Indian Express

Warning signs to preventive tests: How to catch breast cancer early – Times of India

Posted: June 13, 2022 at 2:37 am

"I didn't have any symptoms. Was getting regular tests done and was told that I should go and get this checked with an oncologist," Mahima Chaudhry recently shared about her cancer diagnosis. For early detections, doctors stress on regular check-ups and address signs and symptoms one should look out forMahima Chaudhry said she had no symptoms of breast cancer and was diagnosed during a routine check-up. Doctors address signs to look out for, and check-ups one cannot miss to detect the disease earlyOn Thursday, Mahima Chaudhry revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer and has made a full recovery after treatment. In a video clip on Instagram, Chaudhry spoke with Anupam Kher about her cancer diagnosis and treatment, revealing that she was diagnosed during her annual health check-up. I did not have any symptoms. I was getting my regular tests done and the person who was doing the tests said I should go and get this checked with an oncologist, Chaudhry said in the video.The actress added that while initial tests came back negative, when we did a biopsy of the entire cells that were removed, we found a tiny portion of cells had become cancerous. Doctors share that early detection of cancer is important for recovery, and that there are signs and symptoms that women can pay attention to. Stressing on the importance of self-examination and regular screenings, they also address the myths attached to breast cancer.Self-examination is ideal to detect breast lumpsSelf-breast examination is the ideal method to detect any breast lump - malignant or benign. This method does not involve any doctor or family member and is very easy. Every woman, especially after the age of 40, should do a periodic self-breast examination as this will lead to early diagnosis and treatment, says Dr Sunny Jain HOD and Sr Consultant Oncology Marengo QRG Hospital Faridabad.Make sure to use the fat pads of the fingertips of the three middle fingers. Moving in small circles slowly around your breast, work toward the nipple. Press firmly to feel deep tissues, and gently to feel tissues under the skin. Be sure to cover the entire breast without skipping any areas. Repeat for your opposite breast. If any lump or thickening is felt, consult your doctor immediately, adds Dr Ramesh Sarin, Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncologist, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi

What are the preventive breast cancer check-ups one should go for?The screening mammography should be done annually after the age of 40, as a preventive measure, for earliest detection of cancer. This will detect the small hidden lumps in the breast, says Dr Parveen Mendiratta, Sr Consultant Surgical Oncologist, Accord Super Speciality Hospital, Faridabad.

Every woman should start screening mammography, guided by a breast clinician or breast surgeon, yearly or every two years from the age of 40. Only biopsy of an abnormal lesion, seen on a mammogram ultrasound, can confirm if it is cancerous or pre-cancerous. Once a month, a few days after your period finishes, a woman should use her hands to check for lumps, advises Dr Kanchan Kaur, Director, Breast Surgery, Breast Cancer, Cancer Institute, Medanta Hospital Gurgaon.

Dr Uma Dangi, Consultant Medical Oncology, Fortis Hospital Mulund & Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, shares, Any of the mentioned symptoms can be a sign of breast cancer, and it is best to get it checked. Self breast examination done once a month as mentioned starting as early as the age of 20 years can detect early lumps. Mammography once a year after the age of 45 years may help early detection. However, if you are in the high risk category, with a strong family history of cancer or a known high risk genetic mutation, you will need to undergo tests more frequently which may include mammograms and MRI of the breast.

Myths attached to breast cancerAmong the most common myths associated with breast cancer, is that the lumps are painful. That is why so many times we see patients say they didnt come sooner for a check-up because the lump did not hurt. As a result, they are diagnosed late. The second myth is that an absence of family history of cancer means it will not happen to you. But 95% women get it even if they do not have a family history, says Dr Kanchan Kaur.

Dr Parveen Mendiratta points out another myth People think that a biopsy isnt needed or that if a biopsy is done, the cancer spreads fast. That is not a fact. A biopsy should be done to confirm the cancer and earliest treatment should be given.

Dr Sunny Jain adds, Cancer does not spread by doing a biopsy or FNAC (Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology). Biopsy is the single most important test in the whole armamentarium of tests to diagnose cancer. It is the biopsy which confirms the type and grade of cancer, the proliferation index and information regarding the decision with regard to the treatment - chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy and advancement in the research we are doing in molecular genetics to stop the cancer cell cycle at specific phase/points in the development.

Self-exams, regular check-ups & triple assessment is most importantThe most important thing is to go for regular check-ups, breast exams by your breast specialist and mammography after the age of 40-50, depending on your risk factors. Mammography is advised on a yearly basis. A certain type of microcalcification, detected during mammography, is the earliest stage that one can diagnose and almost cure completely, says Dr Ramesh Sarin.

Dr Shubham Jain adds, What Mahima also discussed in her video was triple assessment i.e. having the breast lump evaluated by three specialists. The first one she listed was the radiologist, who did an ultrasound and found something suspicious. He recommended that she visit a surgeon, who examined her and suggested a biopsy, which detected the disease.

Dont delay annual check-ups, dont ignore lumps, say celebrities who have survived breast cancerTahira KashyapTahira, 38, who was diagnosed with Stage 0 breast cancer (a type of non-invasive cancer, in which cancerous cells grow in the lining of the breast milk duct) in 2018, wrote on social media, "I want women of all ages to be aware. I am 35, and I was returned twice over from a mammogram. If any symptoms come up, think of it as a protective force and get yourselves examined."

Christina Applegate

Sheryl CrowSheryl, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006 at age 44, is now cancer free. She said, "I found myself tempted to delay my annual mammogram visit like so many women do when dealing with stressful periods of life. Fortunately, I kept that appointment, and my breast cancer was found early."

Chhavi HusseinChhavi, 41, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2022, wrote on social media, "I had gone to a doctor for a minor gym injury in the chest and that's when they found the lump. To all women nothing should be left to chance Please do regular self-examination/ mammograms... and do not neglect a lump. Early detection is the only key."

Kylie MinogueKylie Minogue was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in 2005 at age 39, just months after being "misdiagnosed". "So my message to all of you and everyone at home is, because someone is in a white coat and using big medical instruments doesn't necessarily mean they are right," she said on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show in 2008, advising women to trust their intuition. She added, "When you are stripped of everything and you have to grow your eyelashes back, grow your hair back, it's astonishing. It's hard to express what I've learnt from that, but a deep psychological and emotional shift has obviously taken place."

Cynthia Nixon"Get your mammograms and don't delay," said Sex And The City star Cynthia Nixon. Diagnosed in 2002 at age 40, she remained private about her cancer treatment, that included a lumpectomy and radiation, before publicly announcing her diagnosis. Her mother is also a breast cancer survivor.

Julia Louis-DreyfusIn September 2017, multiple Emmy Awards winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus, then-56, announced her diagnosis on Twitter: "1 in 8 women get breast cancer. Today, I'm the one," she wrote.

Continued here:
Warning signs to preventive tests: How to catch breast cancer early - Times of India

Posted in Molecular Genetics | Comments Off on Warning signs to preventive tests: How to catch breast cancer early – Times of India

A New Kind of Genome Editing Is Here to Fine-Tune DNA – WIRED

Posted: June 13, 2022 at 2:37 am

We didn't see any indication of their drinking coming back to baseline, so we think that maybe this epigenetic editing will produce a long-lasting effect, Pandey says. I think a lot more work needs to be done in terms of how this can be translated into humans for a therapy, but I have high hopes.

To test that the Arc gene was truly responsible for this outcome, the researchers also designed a Crispr injection meant to decrease its expression. They tested it in rats that werent exposed to alcohol in adolescence. Following the injection, the rats had more anxiety and consumed more alcohol than they did before.

The study raises the possibility that our molecular memory could be revisedor even erased. I'm struck deeply by this work showcasing the feasibility of changing a gene's memory of its experience, says Fyodor Urnov, a professor of genetics at the UC Berkeley and scientific director at the Innovative Genomics Institute of UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco. But, he continues, rats arent humans, and we shouldnt leap to conclusions. The distance between curing a rat and injecting a human being with addiction to alcohol with an epigenetic editor is a formidable one, says Urnov. I think that we are quite a ways away from somebody who has developed a mild drinking problem becoming eligible for a quick injection into their amygdala.

That said, Urnov, who is also the cofounder of Tune Therapeutics, an epigenetic editing company, could see an experimental therapy like this being tested among people with alcohol addiction who have relapsed from treatment several times and have no other therapeutic options left.

Yet, as with directly editing genes, there could be unintended consequences of tweaking their expression. Because Arc is a regulator gene involved in brain plasticity, modifying its expression could have effects beyond alcohol addiction. We don't know what other behaviors are altered by this change, says Betsy Ferguson, a professor of genetics at Oregon Health and Science University who studies epigenetic mechanisms in addiction and other psychiatric disorders. Its a balance between finding something that's effective and something that's not disruptive to everyday life.

Another complicating factor is that the expression of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of genes are altered by alcohol use over time. In people, it may not be as simple as turning up the expression of Arc, which is only one of them. While it may seem like the solution would be to tweak all of those genes, manipulating the expression of many at once could cause problems. Knowing that behaviors, including alcohol use behaviors, are regulated by a number of genes, it's really a challenging problem to solve, Ferguson says.

And its not clear how long the effects of such editing might last. Epigenetic changes that occur naturally can be temporary or permanent, says Ferguson. Some can even be passed onto future generations. Overall, she finds the idea of using epigenetic editing to treat alcohol addiction fascinating, but shed want to see the results replicated and the Crispr treatment tried in larger animals that more closely mimic humans.

That day may not be too far off, as a handful of companies have recently launched to commercialize epigenetic editing. At Navega Therapeutics, which is based in San Diego, researchers are studying how to treat chronic pain by turning down the expression of a gene called SCN9A. When its highly expressed, it sends out lots of pain signals. But it would be a bad idea to simply delete this gene, because some amount of pain is useful; it signals when something is going wrong within the body. (In rare cases, people with an SCN9A mutation that effectively renders it inactive are immune to pain, which makes them vulnerable to injuries they arent able to sense.) In experiments at Navega, epigenetic editing in mice seemed to repress pain for several months.

Urnovs Tune Therapeutics, meanwhile, plans to use epigenetic editing for a broad range of conditions, including cancer and genetic diseases. Though Urnov doesnt see epigenetic editing as the antidote to binge drinking, he thinks this proof-of-concept study shows that it may be possible to rewire our genes experiences to reverse some of the damage of early alcohol abuse. It is empowering, frankly, to consider the fact that we now have genome editing to fight a drugs pernicious action right at the venue where the drug inscribes its memories onto the brain, he says.

Read this article:
A New Kind of Genome Editing Is Here to Fine-Tune DNA - WIRED

Posted in Molecular Genetics | Comments Off on A New Kind of Genome Editing Is Here to Fine-Tune DNA – WIRED