Molecular Diagnostics

Image: The Professional Standard TRIO thermal cycler provides three independent 48 well blocks and heated lids in one housing (Photo courtesy of Biometra).

Methods Compared for Chagas Disease Diagnosis

Chagas Disease (CD) is a chronic infectious disease caused by the protozoan flagellate Trypanosoma cruzi. In endemic countries, CD is transmitted mainly through the contact with feces of different triatomine bugs. Due to increased migration, CD has become an international health problem. More...
08 Aug 2017

Image: A new study suggests that Ashkenazi Jewish women can benefit from genetic testing for all known breast cancer genes (Photo courtesy of the University of Washington).

Study Shows Predisposed Cancer Factors in Ashkenazi Jewish Women

Upon finding additional breast cancer mutations in Ashkenazi Jewish breast cancer patients, a new study suggests that this population of women can benefit from genetic testing for all known breast cancer genes. More...
07 Aug 2017

Image: A cluster of circulating tumor cells (CTCs, shown in red) originated from the blood of a breast cancer patient (Photo courtesy of the NIH).

Breast Cancer Diagnosed by Measuring Circulating Tumor DNA

An unintended consequence of a recent drug study was the discovery that measurement of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) could be used to diagnose a type of breast cancer with an unamplified HER2 mutation. More...
07 Aug 2017

Study Highlights Ethnic Diversity of Lupus-Linked Genes

A large genotyping study has identified multiple regions of the genome linked to the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in individuals of European, African, and Hispanic Amerindian ancestry. More...
03 Aug 2017

$Image: A new large-scale genetic study provides a better understanding of Alzheimer\'s disease by uncovering two new risk genes (Photo courtesy of the American Academy of Neurology).$

New Genes Found Raise Alzheimer’s Disease Risk

Two new genes that have been found that moves us closer to understanding the genetic underpinnings of Alzheimer's disease and raises the risk for the condition. More...
03 Aug 2017

Image: A scanning electron micrograph of a CD8+ T cell engaging a virus (Photo courtesy of Dennis Kunkel).

Genetic Variation Associated with Influenza Severity Identified

It is estimated that in the USA influenza -related deaths in recent years have ranged from 12,000 to 56,000. Factors like age, obesity, pregnancy and such chronic health conditions as asthma, chronic lung disease and heart disease are associated with an elevated risk of complications and death. More...
03 Aug 2017

$Image: Co-first author Paul Northcott, Ph.D., an assistant member of the St. Jude Department of Developmental Neurobiology and author Xin Zhou, PhD, senior bioinformatics research scientist (Photo courtesy of Seth Dixon / St. Jude Children\'s Research Hospital).$