Treating Cancer with Personalized Medicine

September 24, 2007 | by

A Michigan oncologist recently devised a simple experiment to help treat seven patients with advanced, incurable cancer. The experiment used DNA microarray technology to analyze each patient’s tumors for the expression of genes associated with positive response to anti-cancer drugs. The oncologist, Dr. Eric Lester, M.D., then based his drug treatment plans on the results. Four of seven patients are reported to have had a better outcome than expected [1].

microarrayAlthough every cell in the body contains identical genetic material, the same genes are not active in every cell. Tumor cells are no exception. Cancer refers to any one of a large number of diseases characterized by abnormal cell growth and proliferation. Few of these diseases can be treated in the same way, since the genes responsible for a variety of biological processes — DNA duplication, cellular proliferation, cell death — are different from one tumor to the next.

Bill in Senate to Expand Public Access to Taxpayer-funded Research

September 19, 2007 | by

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the world’s largest source of funding for biomedical research. Taxpayers provide more than $28 billion annually for the NIH [1], yet only about a third of the research studies are made publicly available in various repositories after a 12-month delay [2]. Lawmakers are trying to change this and the U.S. Senate is currently deliberating a bill that would require all research funded by the NIH to be freely available to the public within 12 months of publication.

10 Reasons to List Your Site in the Highlight HEALTH Web Directory

September 16, 2007 | by

The Highlight HEALTH Web Directory is my endeavor to catalog and make available health-related websites I find to be informative and useful. The response thus far has been fantastic. Presently, there are 250 listings in over 40 categories. My thanks to everyone who submitted their blog or website.

Novel Gene Suppresses Tumor Growth in Multiple Cancers

September 14, 2007 | by

A novel gene was discovered recently that suppresses the growth of human tumors in a number of different cancers. The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, found that the gene HACE1, an acronym for HECT domain and ankyrin repeat containing, E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1, is able to help cells deal with various forms of stress that cause tumor formation [1].

Health Highlights – September 10th, 2007

September 10, 2007 | by

Health Highlights is a biweekly summary of particularly interesting articles from credible sources of health and medical information that we follow & read. For a complete list of recommeded sources, see our links page.

Health Highlights
  • The Business of Bottled Water | Think Bigg

    Because bottle water is considered a food, it’s regulated by the FDA. In contrast, tap water is regulated by the EPA. A Natural Resources Defense Council study found that bottled water sold in the U.S. isn’t necessarily cleaner or safer than most tap water. Tabetha at Think Bigg writes a thought-provoking article on the business of bottled water.

  • DNA and Spit Law Enforcement Campaigns | Eye on DNA

    What is it with people spitting at other people? Hsien at Eye on DNA tells us about the spit law enforcement campaign in England. Maybe that’ll make them think twice about spitting!

  • I Could Swear I’ve Read This Post Before | Healthbolt

    New clues regarding deja vu have Sara at Healthbolt saying “I could swear I’ve read this post before.”

  • The Sherpa Silenced | Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You

    Steve Murphy, a.k.a. the Gene Sherpa, is making an appeal for more Gene Sherpas:

    I am now putting out a plea to all of those who wish to harness genetics for health and longevity, those who wish to have science behind their clinical decision making, those who have a keen business sense and the ethics to make you shudder when you see what is being sold, those who wish to learn more about the future of genetic and medicine.

  • Chocolate Myths | Sciencebase

    David at Sciencebase writes about chocolate and the alkaloids caffeine and theobromine, and also provides a great example of unfounded claims and the importance of scientific evidence and source referencing.