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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Shots - Health News

Each Family May Have Schizophrenia In Its Own Way

Genetic changes in signaling pathways in the brain may cause schizophrenia.

May 28, 2013 Some families with a history of schizophrenia share genetic variants on one brain pathway, a study finds. And the family members with schizophrenia are more likely to share symptoms. This may help researchers decipher the frustratingly complex genetics of schizophrenia.

Summary

Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Shots - Health News

A Sleep Gene Has A Surprising Role In Migraines

Bates experienced migraines as a child. She made this painting to depict how they felt to her.

May 1, 2013 Disruptions of sleep are well known as migraine triggers, but now researchers have found a genetic link between the two. In studying families with lots of migraines, they also found a mutation on a gene that helps control circadian rhythms.

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Tuesday, April 02, 2013

The Two-Way

DNA-Mapped Furniture Really Ties The Room Together ... With You

The Darwin Table is created from a person's unique DNA profile.

April 2, 2013 A Dutch design studio is building furniture that is built from a person's unique DNA profile. The process takes genetic profiles, maps them with 3-D imaging and constructs pieces of furniture.

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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Shots - Health News

Catalog Of Gene Markers For Some Cancers Doubles In Size

A microscopic image of prostate cancer. Researchers have found new genetic markers that flag a person's susceptibility to the disease, as well as breast and ovarian cancer.

March 27, 2013 The largest gene-probing study ever done has found dozens of new genetic markers that flag a person's susceptibility to breast, ovarian and prostate cancer. But knowing these susceptibility markers won't mean much for patients for now.

Summary

Monday, February 11, 2013

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

A Mind And A Man Worthy Of Adulation: Conrad H. Waddington

A zygote begins its journey to expression in the form of a human being.

February 11, 2013 Conrad H. Waddington helped unite population genetics and developmental biology, laying the foundations for systems biology. Commentator Stuart Kauffman says Waddington was more than merely brilliant; he was human.

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Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Shots - Health News

Drug Fulfills Promise Of Research Into Cystic Fibrosis Gene

Kalydeco is one of the first drugs that is effective at combating the root causes of a genetic disease.

January 2, 2013 The success of Kalydeco, a drug to treat cystic fibrosis, has been decades in the making — since the discovery of the gene associated with the disease. The time from gene discovery to successful drug may be shortening, but there are only a handful of drugs like Kalydeco on the market.

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Friday, December 21, 2012

Shots - Health News

Killer's DNA Won't Explain His Crime

A person's DNA can say a lot about a person, but not why someone has committed a horrific crime like mass murder.

December 21, 2012 Sandy Hook and other mass killings have left people wondering how someone could engage in such behavior. Scientists say that genes can indeed predispose a person to mental illness or violence. But genetic variants alone can't explain why someone commits mass murder.

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Thursday, December 06, 2012

Shots - Health News

Perfection Is Skin Deep: Everyone Has Flawed Genes

When researchers looked at the genetic sequences of 179 individuals, they found far more defects in the patterns of As, Ts, Gs, and Cs than they expected.

December 6, 2012 Researchers found a surprising number of mutations, including several associated with disease, in the genes of normal healthy people. Their study raises questions about whether widespread genetic sequencing could end up scaring people for no good reason.

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Monday, November 19, 2012

Shots - Health News

Matching DNA With Medical Records To Crack Disease And Aging

A light micrograph image of telomeres, shown in yellow, at the end of human chromosomes. Women tend to have longer telomeres than men and tend to outlive men, according to new research matching genetic information with medical records.

November 19, 2012 A massive research project in California is beginning to show how genes, health habits and the environment can interact to cause diseases. The new combination of genetic and health information is one of the most powerful research tools on earth, a researcher says.

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Friday, November 16, 2012

Shots - Health News

Mental Disorders And Evolution: What Would Darwin Say About Schizophrenia?

Charles Darwin

November 16, 2012 Given the pressure of evolution, why have genes behind schizophrenia, autism and others disorders persisted? A study that looks at the likelihood someone is to have kids tries to figure it out.

Summary

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The Salt

Raise A Toast To Building Better Beer Bubbles Through Chemistry

You'll be seeing more of this white foamy stuff on top of the beers of the future, thanks to a recent genetic discovery.

November 14, 2012 Spanish scientists have identified the specific gene in yeast that's responsible for the foamy head on your glass beer. And that discovery could lead to what we've all been wishing for — more long-lasting foam on top of our ales of the future.

Summary

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Shots - Health News

Doctors Sift Through Patients' Genomes To Solve Medical Mysteries

Sara Terry and her son, Christian, in Spring, Texas. After sequencing Christian's genome, doctors were able to diagnose him with a Noonan-like syndrome.

September 25, 2012 Doctors used genome sequencing to put a name to the mysterious cluster of symptoms that afflicted Christian Terry, 5. He's one of many patients now getting the test, which can cost as little as $1,000, to resolve undiagnosed illnesses. Doctors are also using it to sequence cancer and target treatment at the precise genetic mutations in a tumor.

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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Shots - Health News

Scientists See Upside And Downside Of Sequencing Their Own Genes

Dr. James Watson looks at a reproduction of the structure of DNA, which he helped discover, in this 1962 photograph. Decades later, Watson was one of the first people to have his entire genome sequenced.

September 19, 2012 Prominent geneticists are getting their own genomes decoded, revealing the benefits and risks.

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Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Shots - Health News

As Genetic Sequencing Spreads, Excitement, Worries Grow

Slides containing DNA sit in a bay waiting to be analyzed by a genome sequencing machine.

September 18, 2012 The cost of deciphering a person's genetic code has dropped faster than the price of flat-screen TVs. But some experts are concerned that access to genomic information could stoke fears and invade privacy.

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Friday, September 14, 2012

The Salt

Love To Hate Cilantro? It's In Your Genes And Maybe, In Your Head

The very sight of this lacy, green herb can cause some people to scream. The great cilantro debate heats up as scientists start pinpointing cilantrophobe genes.

September 14, 2012 From stinky, crushed bugs to fresh citrus aromas, cilantro's flavor profile is a contentious issue. But is our opinion of the herb hard-wired in our genes, or can we learn to enjoy it? Scientists say maybe it's both.

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