Articles from the PHG Foundation Newsletter

Gene linked to memory capacity and risk of PTSD

Wed, 16 May 2012 10:21:00 +0100

A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has identified a gene that influences both the capacity to form memories and an individual’s susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD can be highly debilitating: symptoms may include repeatedly re-ex ...

Genomics and policy news monthly round-up - May 2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:39:14 +0100

To receive our monthly round-up by email please register here (also gives you access to our Resources section). Go to monthly round-up  

Sequencing provides more evidence for role of sun in skin cancer

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:23:09 +0100

A study published in Nature appears to confirm the role of exposure to ultraviolet light as a cause of melanoma, as well as implicating a new region of gene mutations as a factor. Melanoma is not the most common form of skin cancer, but is the most dangerous because of its tendency to metastasi ...

Wikipedia founder to help make UK research accessible

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:38:54 +0100

The Minister for Universities and Science, David Willets, has announced that publicly-funded research in the UK will be made accessible free of charge to all and that Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales has been enlisted as an unpaid advisor to help realise this goal. The central idea of open accessib ...

Chromosome screening technique boosts IVF success

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 +0100

New results suggest that a new genetic screening test for embryos could significantly improve IVF success rates.   The test from Cambridge-based company Blue Gnome examined chromosomes from IVF embryos using an arrayCGH-based method, 24Sure.   Published in Molecular Cytogenetics, the n ...

Longer sleep may minimise effect of obesity genes

Fri, 04 May 2012 08:24:07 +0100

Attempts to lose weight may be more successful when complemented with longer periods of sleep, according to new research.Whilst other research has suggested that too much sleep can promote obesity, a new study suggests that gene expression that promotes obesity may be influenced by the amount of sle ...

Different diseases may share genetic links

Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 +0100

Genetic research is shedding light on how apparently very different diseases may be more closely related than previously supposed.   Determining the genetic causes and contributions to different diseases is important for understanding how diseases arise, and how it may be possible to prevent ...

New reviews and commentaries, 1 May 2012

Tue, 01 May 2012 19:17:31 +0100

Testing times Nat. Genet. 2012: 44(473):473.   Advancing the post-genomic era agenda: contributions from public health. McGrath BB. Public Health Genomics. 2012;15(3-4):125-31.    The impact of genomics on public health practice: the case for change. Zimmern RL, Khoury MJ. Publ ...

Epigenetic test could inform breast cancer risk prediction

Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 +0100

UK researchers have published data in the journal Cancer Research showing a strong link between an epigenetic modification of a gene in white blood cells and the risk of breast cancer.   The Breast Cancer Campaign funded scientists examined methylation levels in the ATM gene among 1380 women, ...

New resources to tackle congenital disorders

Tue, 01 May 2012 08:40:57 +0100

Health professionals working in the field of congenital disorders can now benefit from six new topics published today in the PHG Foundation’s Health Needs Assessment Toolkit for Congenital Disorders. The new Toolkit topics are Congenital Heart Disease, Congenital Hypothyroidism, Sickle Cell Di ...

Sequencing can boost genetic diagnosis for learning disability

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:30:35 +0100

Efforts to identify genetic causes of learning disability suggest much higher rates of diagnosis may be feasible.   Learning disability and developmental delay are relatively common, affecting 1-3% of the general population, and genetic causes can underlie up to around half of all cases, depe ...

Epigenetics research gets a boost

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:46:19 +0100

Scientists have invented a technique that will help researchers in the field of epigenetics better understand how changes in the epigenome impact human health.Epigenetics is the branch of genetics that examines how different genes are switched on or off in response to modifications in the DNA. The ...

A step closer to your genome by app

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:20:51 +0100

Easy access to our own personal genomic information is a step closer following the launch of a new app for Apple’s iPad.The MyGenome app, created by Illumina, helps users explore a real human genome and understand how different genetic variations impact health .  This is the first version ...

Further US funding for clinical genome sequencing research

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:49:49 +0100

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) is to award almost $5 million funding for projects that explore the clinical applications of genome sequencing.   The Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research (CSER) programme already supports five research projects and forms part of the la ...

New synthetic genetic material XNA unveiled

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:54:15 +0100

UK researchers have created a novel synthetic genetic material dubbed ’XNA’ that replaces the deoxyribose (D) and ribose (R) of DNA and RNA with alternative sugar-based molecules.   Results published in the journal Science by the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology say that t ...

Genetic map leads to new thinking on breast cancer

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:31:29 +0100

The biggest genetic study of breast cancer ever has revealed this form of cancer is actually ten distinct diseases.Under the microscope, breast cancer cells look very similar. Now, the detailed genetic mapping of tumours has shown the cancer is better considered as a group of ten different diseases ...

New UK School for Public Health Research launched

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:22:17 +0100

The UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has announced the launch of a new School for Public Health Research, to broaden the evidence base for effective public health practice.   The new School will be a collaboration between eight major academic centres across the UK with strong ...

Better treatments for breast cancers on the horizon

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:08:17 +0100

More effective treatments for the deadliest form of breast cancer are on the horizon as a result of a joint project between scientists in the UK and Canada.The international team have for the first time mapped the genome of the triple negative breast cancer, revealing a highly evolved cellular ecosy ...

Translating genomics into health: meeting the challenges

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 10:11:49 +0100

Registration has opened for an innovative event organised by the PHG Foundation, with a unique focus on the opportunities for genomics to improve population health, and the challenges of achieving the necessary transfer into health systems.   Translating Genomics, to be held in the city of Ca ...