Celebrate Rare Disease Day February 29th with NIH
On Monday, February 29th, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will celebrate Rare Disease Day with a day-long celebration and recognition of various rare disease research activities. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. at Masur Auditorium (Clinical Center, Building 10). Attendance is free and open to the public. Read more: (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - February 26, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Investigating how the genome works, one cell at a time
In a study published in the journal Nature Biotechnology, scientists have set their sights on chromatin - the DNA-protein complex that packages DNA into chromosomes in the cell. Chromatin influences gene activity in a cell by controlling access to the genes and regulatory proteins that make the genome work. A better understanding of chromatin will yield important insights into the genome's working parts and how those parts are managed. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - February 22, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Maynard Olson revisits the launch of the Human Genome Project
Maynard Olson, Ph.D., professor of genome sciences and medicine at the University of Washington and one of the founders of the Human Genome Project, spoke recently for the seminar series A Quarter Century after the Human Genome Project's Launch: Lessons Beyond the Base Pairs. A genomic research pioneer, Dr. Olson launched the effort to construct a physical map of the yeast genome, which allowed for the study of large portions of the human genome. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - February 19, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Neanderthal DNA has subtle but significant impact on human traits
The first study comparing Neanderthal DNA from the genomes of adults of European ancestry and their medical records has revealed its effect on modern human biology. Reporting in Science, investigators with Vanderbilt University funded by NHGRI's Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE) program found associations between Neanderthal DNA and immunological, dermatological, neurological, psychiatric and reproductive diseases. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - February 11, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
National DNA Day: Improving genomic literacy on a national scale
The National Human Genome Research Institute will mark its fourteenth annual National DNA Day by organizing a nationwide network of educational events for students, teachers and health professionals. Celebrated on April 25th every year, National DNA Day aims to educate people about important scientific advances in genomics and how those advances may impact their lives. National DNA Day commemorates the successful completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 and the discovery of DNA's double helix in 1953. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - February 8, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Fearfulness changes impact of genomic information in overweight women
New research suggests that fearful patients who received information about the role of genomics in being overweight viewed the information as threatening and were less likely to take steps to improve their health habits than those in a neutral or angry state. The study, by researchers from NHGRI's Social and Behavioral Research Branch, was published in an advanced online issue of the Annals of Behavioral Medicine on February 5, 2016. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - February 8, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
NHGRI's advisory council meets in open session
The open session for the seventy-sixth meeting of the National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research met Monday, February 8th, at Fishers Lane Conference Center. NHGRI Director Eric Green reported to council, followed by talks on Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa), integrating genomics into clinical practice, a recent roundtable on including underrepresented populations in genomic research, and more. Video of this event will be available soon. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - February 5, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
NHGRI's advisory council meets in open session February 8th
The open session for the seventy-sixth meeting of the National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research will meet Monday, February 8th, at Fishers Lane Conference Center. NHGRI Director Eric Green will report to council, followed by talks on Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa), integrating genomics into clinical practice, a recent roundtable on including underrepresented populations in genomic research, and more. The session will be broadcast live starting at 10 a.m. Eastern. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - February 5, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
NIH researchers identify genomic signature shared by five types of cancer
National Institutes of Health researchers have identified a signature in tumor DNA that occurs in five different types of cancer. They've also found evidence that this methylation signature may be present in many more types of cancer. The specific signature results from a chemical modification of DNA called methylation, which can control the expression of genes like a dimmer on a light switch. The study appears in the February 5 issue of The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - February 3, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
The "Bunny Ear" hypothesis: How defective DNA looping may contribute to cancer
Your DNA forms thousands of "bunny ear" loops, like those of a shoe lace. Your DNA creates "genetic neighborhoods" within each bunny ear loop. These neighborhoods bring distant genes and specific gene control switches into close proximity. The December Genome Advance of the Month highlights a landmark study in Nature that describes what happens when two genetic neighborhoods merge in brain tumor cells. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - January 29, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
NHGRI & ASHG seek policy and education fellowship applicants
NHGRI and the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) are now accepting applications for the 2016 Genetics & Public Policy Fellowship and the 2016 Genetics & Education Fellowship. The application period is now open for both fellowships until April 25, 2016. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - January 26, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
New ENCODE funding opportunities released, Webinar scheduled
Information on five new research funding opportunities for the NHGRI ENCyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) Project is now available. To explain theses initiatives, a pre-application, information Webinar will be held Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern. Please see the ENCODE website by Jan. 29 for instructions on participating. Submit questions or comments on the RFAs to ENCODE@mail.nih.gov before Feb. 1. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - January 22, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
NIH genome sequencing program targets the genomic bases of common, rare disease
The National Institutes of Health will fund a set of genome sequencing and analysis centers whose research will focus on understanding the genomic bases of common and rare human diseases. On January 14, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of NIH, launched the Centers for Common Disease Genomics (CCDG), which will use genome sequencing to explore the genomic contributions to common diseases. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - January 13, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
NHGRI Genome Sequencing Program: Blazing the Path Forward in Human Disease Genomics
Much to the chagrin of most adult Washingtonians (I note that children have a very different attitude about this), our seemingly mild winter ended abruptly last weekend with the accumulation of a record-breaking amount of snow. However, the 'Blizzard of 2016' failed to chill my enthusiasm for recent developments with the NHGRI Genome Sequencing Program - whose new phase was announced last month. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - January 5, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
Future of ENCODE: Looking Deeper into Genome Function
Happy New Year! NIH begins 2016 with a budget increase, its first substantive increase in a very long time and much-need funding for biomedical reearch. Beyond this great budget news, we have plenty of things to highlight as we start the new year. In this month's The Genomics Landscape, I feature the next stage of NHGRI's ENCyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) Project, along with other informational items I hope will be of interest to you. (Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights)
Source: NHGRI Homepage Highlights - January 5, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: news
