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Police: DNA solves teen's 1974 murder

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By Dominique Debucquoy-Dodley, CNN

updated 7:35 PM EDT, Tue September 25, 2012

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

(CNN) -- DNA evidence links a now-dead American convict to the murder of a Canadian teenager who disappeared in 1974, authorities in British Columbia said Tuesday.

Bobby Jack Fowler, who died in an Oregon prison in 2006, is responsible for the murder of 16-year-old Colleen MacMillen, Inspector Gary Shinkaruk of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said at a news conference.

Authorities said while the case is closed on MacMillen's death, investigations continue into the abductions and killings of other women in the same region of Canada, and the search is still on for information in those cases.

"Today's announcement and public plea for assistance is a significant milestone in our commitment to solving a series of missing and murdered women investigations in British Columbia," said Deputy Commissioner Craig Callens, commanding officer of the RCMP in British Columbia

On August 9, 1974, MacMillen disappeared near Highway 97 in Lac La Hache, British Columbia, according to Shinkaruk. She was found dead 47 kilometers (about 29 miles) south of her last known location.

A DNA profile of an unknown male was established in 2007 from evidence in her case, but Canada's National Crime Scene Databank did not turn up a match, Shinkaruk said. A higher quality sample was submitted to INTERPOL in 2012, and the new sample was matched with Fowler.

The development brings a close to one of 18 open cases in British Columbia involving women who went missing, with some later found murdered, stretching back to 1969. The cases are being investigated by a task force named Project E-Pana.

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Police: DNA solves teen's 1974 murder

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DNA Microarray 2012: A Focus on Sales Growth

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NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue:

DNA Microarray 2012: A Focus on Sales Growth

http://www.reportlinker.com/p0980749/DNA-Microarray-2012-A-Focus-on-Sales-Growth.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Genetically_Modified_Organism,_GMO

Background

From the early use of miniaturised microarrays for the analysis of gene expression in the mid 1990s, this technique has established markets that are expected to reach $3 billion by 2015. However markets are also changing as new applications are developed and new instruments and competitive technologies such as PCR, are launched. Today, more than ever, developers and vendors in the microarray field are targeting their resources in those areas that best support their own sales and growth strategies.

Purpose

This report, based on an analysis of prevailing and emerging market conditions in the DNA microarray field, has been produced to assist marketing and sales, and the identification of new opportunities. It is the outcome of an extensive global study involving more than 200 experienced DNA microarray users. It's findings provide a "focus on sales growth" to developers and vendors in the microarray field, and the changes that are driving these developments.

Analysis

As part of this report, market areas outlined below have been analysed to provide information relevant to marketing and sales, new market opportunities, qualified sales leads, customer needs and future plans, competitive position, new and emerging applications, growing and declining areas and threats.

Market Areas

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DNA Microarray 2012: A Focus on Sales Growth

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DNA Dynamics Update on Sports Title

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LEAMINGTON SPA, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - Sep 25, 2012) - DNA Dynamics, Inc. ( PINKSHEETS : DNAD ), a global developer and publisher of mobile video games and applications, announces today that it is to unveil the first of its new Sports Game at GDC Online in Austin in October.

The Company recently announced that it had hired Kevin Corti to head up studio operations. Kevin took responsibility on day one for reworking Warheads Battle to turn the 100,000 users into a more profitable part of the DNA Games business. Moreover, Kevin was given the task of developing the two exciting social mobile games that DNA is working on right now.One of these games, a Sports Based Social Mobile Game, is to be announced at GDC Online in Austin, TX this October.

This comes hot on the back of the decision to close down one of its subsidiaries, DNA Interactive Limited, the company responsible for the Naked Gun: ICUP license, as the game just failed to hit the numbers expected.

Talking of the experience of the Naked Gun game, CEO Ed Blincoe had this to say, "We learnt a lot of lessons working with the Naked Gun license, more than we had wanted to. After DNA initially being mis-sold the Naked Gun license by GameCentric Media and a widespread, but misplaced, belief that DNA had received AppBackr funds, the game itself just missed the mark. We were always frustrated when AppBackr's Backers thought we had received their funds -- we didn't receive a dime from AppBackr, though we understand that GameCentric Media may have received some of the pledged funds."

When talking about the quality of the game, Blincoe says: "In industry reviews as well as user reviews, the game was a real hit with an average rating of 4/5 stars in the AppStore.It just didn't gain enough traction to be a commercial success. Finally, we took the decision to cut the spending and have begun to pull the game. We believe this is in the interest of the business and its shareholders, we make tough decisions here, but ultimately we believe they are the best decisions."

Blincoe continued, "It's a difficult decision to close down a part of the business which isn't performing, but with the new impetus behind the social mobile execution of our business plan, we believe that DNA Dynamics, operating through DNA Games, has a fantastic future. We are very much alive, kicking and looking forward to a successful future."

About DNA Dynamics, Inc. Headquartered in Leamington Spa in the United Kingdom, DNA Dynamics is a worldwide developer and publisher of graphically rich, interactive entertainment currently delivered on iOS, Android, Apple Mac and PC.Through its operating subsidiaries, the Company has created, acquired or licensed a portfolio of highly recognizable or emerging brands that broadly appeal to its consumer demographics, ranging from children to adults and casual gamers to serious enthusiasts.For more information, please go to http://www.dnadynamics.net. You can also follow the Company on Facebook and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including information about management's view of DNA Dynamics, Inc.'s future expectations, plans and prospects. In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," or "may," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any statements made in this news release other than those of historical fact, about an action, event or development, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the results of DNA Dynamics, its subsidiaries and concepts to be materially different than those expressed or implied in such statements. Unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on DNA Dynamics' future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. DNA Dynamics cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Finally, DNA Dynamics undertakes no obligation to update these statements after the date of this release, except as required by law, and also takes no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by DNA Dynamics.

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DNA Dynamics Update on Sports Title

Posted in DNA

Treatment for 'untreatable' progeria has roots in untargeted basic cell research

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Public release date: 25-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: John Fleischman jfleischman@ascb.org 513-706-0212 American Society for Cell Biology

BETHESDA, MD, SEPTEMBER 25, 2012---The good news widely reported this morning of positive results from a clinical drug trial at Boston Children's Hospital for the previously "untreatable" rapid aging disorder in children known as progeria has its scientific roots in basic biology discoveries made in recent years.

A paper published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) reports that the use of farnesyl transferase inhibitors (FTI) significantly slows the progress of progeria, a rare and until now "untreatable" lethal genetic disorder. Also known as Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), progeria has been described as out-of-control rapid aging in children. A ""normal"" baby born with HGPS will stop growing by 16-18 months and quickly develop signs of old age including hair loss, thin skin, osteoporosis and, most dangerously, progressive arteriosclerosis. By 10 years of age progeria children appear to be 80. The PNAS paper apparently shows a significant slowing of bone loss and blood vessel blockage.

This clinical trial grew out of the identification of the defective progeria gene, LMNA, in 2003 through the Human Genome Project and the laboratory of current NIH Director Francis Collins. But the link to defective proteins called lamins that make up the envelope surrounding the cell nucleus came about through "untargeted" basic cell biology research. Veteran lamin researchers remember having their grant applications dismissed by review panels as "boring" and irrelevant. But basic work by Robert Goldman of the Northwestern University School of Medicine and other nuclear lamin researchers around the world revealed that a greasy tag molecule called farnesyl accumulates on defective Lamin A proteins, eventually warping the structure of the entire nuclear envelope and disrupting the orderly production of genetic messages in the nucleus that direct normal growth.

The identification of the defective LMNA gene transformed progeria into a "laminopathy," a now growing class of diseases caused by problems with the once-irrelevant nuclear lamins. "Normal" aging is thought to involve many of the same processes as laminopathies and gives this new clinical trial implications beyond progeria. With the discovery of the lamin link, clinical researchers were suddenly looking for farnesyl transferase inhibitors (FTI) for progeria treatment. They zeroed in on Lonafarnib, an FTI drug developed by Merck that had been extensively tested and found safe for use in adults and children but ineffective against its brain cancer targets. In the two and a half year clinical trial, physicians at Boston Children's gave Lonafarnib to 26 children with progeria.

###

The American Society for Cell Biology has been reporting on progeria since 2006. In 2008, the ASCB Newsletter published a report on the proposed clinical drug trial. The ASCB has pulled together a file of these earlier reports for reporters and the general public interested in the deeper scientific background of progeria at: http://www.ascb.org/progeria-background.html

The PNAS paper was published online before print September 24, 2012, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1202529109 PNAS September 24, 2012 Gordon, Leslie B. et al, Clinical trial of a farnesyltransferase inhibitor in children with HutchinsonGilford progeria syndrome

Reporters: For further information, contact ASCB Science Writer John Fleischman, jfleischman@ascb.org or 513-706-0212.

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Treatment for 'untreatable' progeria has roots in untargeted basic cell research

Researchers looking to exploit bacterial immune system for medicine and industry

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Rebecca and Michael Terns are seen in their lab at the University of Georgia. Rebecca Terns is asenior research scientist in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in UGAs Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. Michael Terns isa distinguished research professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and genetics.

Bacteria and archaea are among the smallest forms of life on the planet, but don't let their size fool you. These simple creatures have persevered for billions of years, thanks in part to a recently discovered immune-like defense system that protects them from marauding infectious agents like viruses and plasmids.

University of Georgia researchers Michael and Rebecca Terns were some of the first to describe how the bacterial immune system works in a 2009 paper published in Cell. Now, thanks in part to two grants from the National Institutes of Health totaling more than $2.4 million, the Terns lab hopes to find ways of manipulating this bacterial immunity that could have far-reaching implications for a variety of biotechnological and biomedical industries.

"Bacteria, from the pathogens that you hear about on the news to the microbes that normally live in and on our bodies, play a whole range of diverse and important roles in human lives," said Rebecca Terns, senior research scientist in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in UGA's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. "What we're studying is a defense system that protects bacteria from viruses."

The fact that bacteria are vulnerable to viruses is a double-edged sword, because bacteria are both powerful enemies and essential allies. On one hand, pathogenic bacteria cause serious and debilitating diseases in humans. On the other hand, many bacteria serve protective functions, or are used in industries to clean wastewater, make food, produce medicine and make plastics.

Once they have a better understanding of the various mechanisms involved in bacterial immunity, the Terns lab hopes to develop methods to protect helpful bacteria and destroy those that make people sick.

"We're trying to bolster this immune system in the good bacteria that we exploit to make foods, pharmaceuticals and biofuels," said Michael Terns, UGA distinguished research professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and genetics. "At the same time, we're trying to find ways to turn this immune system on itself and kill pathogenic bacteria."

When a bacterium encounters an invader like a virus, it recognizes the viral DNA, chops it up into pieces and incorporates a segment of the viral DNA into its own genome. As the bacteria experiences more threats from viruses, it accumulates a memory bank of past infections in a special part of its genetic code commonly known as CRISPRs, short for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats.

After this initial step, the bacteria then create special CRISPR-associated proteins that ultimately recognize and destroy the virus if it tries to invade again.

"If we take a bacterium and challenge it with a virus in the lab, overnight most of the bacteria will be killed, but there will be a few survivors that have found a piece of the virus and incorporated it into their own genome," Michael Terns said. "And the resulting immunity is heritable, because when these survivors reproduce, all new cells exposed to the same virus will survive."

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Researchers looking to exploit bacterial immune system for medicine and industry

School nutrition law takes bite out of portion sizes

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The new federal law governing school nutrition means smaller slices of pizza and possibly higher prices for students in the Central Bucks School District.

To comply with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, pizza slices are now 2 inches smaller, said Alicia Kent, senior director at Aramark, which provides food service to the districts schools.

Aramark officials reviewed the new law and its impact during a school board meeting on Monday evening.

The 14-inch pizza slices are necessary, Kent said, to comply with the maximum calorie and grain restrictions in the new law, which went into effect this year and will be fully phased in over three years.

In addition, she said, if a student fails to select a fruit or vegetable as part of his or her meal, the cost will be higher than a student who does make that part of the meal. Thus, a student selecting a slice of pizza and milk will pay more than a student purchasing pizza, an apple and milk.

If they dont take a fruit or vegetable they are charged a la cart pricing, Kent said. Theres a little bit of sticker shock when they are coming through the line and learning what the new requirements are.

There may be a monetary impact on the district as well, she said, noting that the district will not receive reimbursement for student meals that do not meet the new U.S. Department of Agriculture requirements.

These are really significant changes of what the students are allowed to eat, she said.

Among the changes required are the use of only fat-free flavored milk, decreased sodium levels and at least half the grains offered must be whole grain. It also requires different nutrient levels for different age groups.

The new rules will be challenging for students, she said, and require education of students and parents.

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School nutrition law takes bite out of portion sizes

Tufts University Offers Master's In Nutrition For Distance Learners

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Newswise The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University today announced a Master of Nutrition in Science and Policy (MNSP) degree program that combines intensive on-campus residencies in Boston with online learning. The blended learning program will enroll its first cohort of students in the fall of 2013. The Friedman Schools blended learning degree is the only masters degree in nutrition in the United States that combines week-long residencies on campus with online learning.

The blended learning format will allow students from around the world to continue living and working where they choose while they study at one of the premier research universities in the United States, said Robin Kanarek Ph.D., interim dean of the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Nutrition is a vitally important field, and the Friedman School is committed to educating and training future leaders who can create new knowledge and apply and disseminate evidence-based information.

For approximately one week each semester, students and Tufts faculty will meet at the Friedman School in Boston for a residency period that includes interactive coursework, lectures, seminars and collaboration among students of diverse backgrounds. These on-campus residencies will facilitate hands-on learning and in-person meetings among students and between students and faculty. Following each residency session, the coursework continues in a highly facilitated online environment, building on the knowledge and relationships developed on campus. Students may attend the program full-time or part-time.

The combination of online and on-campus learning was first developed by the Friedman School to bring graduate-level nutrition education to students in the United Arab Emirates and surrounding countries. The experience our faculty members have acquired in blended learning has given us a unique ability to educate students wherever they live and advance the schools mission of improving the wellbeing of persons, communities and populations worldwide, said Lynne Ausman, D.Sc., R.D., MSNP program director and Saqr Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi Professor in International Nutrition at the Friedman School.

The Master of Nutrition Science degree is part of the Friedman Schools fully accredited academic offerings and is taught by faculty from the schools campus in Boston, Massachusetts. Admissions, curriculum, and tuition information, as well as a video and downloadable brochure, are available online at http://nutrition.tufts.edu/mnsp.

The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University is the only independent school of nutrition in the United States. The schools centers, which focus on questions relating to famine, hunger, poverty, and communications, are renowned for the application of scientific research to national and international policy. The Schools web site is http://nutrition.tufts.edu

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Tufts University Offers Master's In Nutrition For Distance Learners

New online, open access journal focuses on microbial genome announcements

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Public release date: 24-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa jsliwa@asmusa.org 202-942-9297 American Society for Microbiology

The American Society for Microbiology is launching a new online-only, open access journal, Genome Announcements, which will focus on reports of microbial genome sequences. Genome Announcements will begin publishing in January 2013.

"The revolution in high-speed, low-cost, and high-throughput parallel sequencing technology has changed the way we think about whole-genome sequencing and sequences. Identification of novel bacteria and viruses by sequencing entire genomes of isolates from normal and diseased tissue or the environment is now routine," says Tom Shenk of Princeton University, Chair of the ASM Publications Board.

Although sequence data typically are deposited in GenBank or other shared databases, the rationale for sequencing a particular organism and the detailed methodologies and protocols used often are not readily available.

Since 2007, the ASM's Journal of Bacteriology has published Genome Announcements, brief reports stating that the genome of a particular organism has been sequenced and deposited which provide a citable record of the corresponding GenBank submission. Two other ASM journals, the Journal of Virology and Eukaryotic Cell, joined the Journal of Bacteriology in accepting Genome Announcements in 2011 as a simple, rapid way for authors to inform their communities about completion of new sequencing projects.

"The exponential increase in submissions and the usage of Genome Announcements has confirmed the value and service they bring to the scientific community. As a result, ASM will now publish all Genome Announcements in a single, dedicated, online-only, open-access journal starting January 2013," says Phil Matsumura of the University of Illinois at Chicago, editor of the new journal.

Eukaryotic Cell, Journal of Bacteriology, and Journal of Virology will cease publishing Genome Announcements with the last issues of the 2012 volume year.

Any Genome Announcement manuscript accepted for publication in these three journals by 30 September 2012 will be published in 2012. Authors whose submissions are accepted on or after 1 October 2012 will have the option to transfer their submission to Genome Announcements.

Manuscripts submitted to Genome Announcements must include an abstract, an acknowledgments section indicating the source of support for the work, and a nucleotide sequence accession number. Manuscripts are limited to 500 words (exclusive of the abstract and acknowledgments), and no text headings should be used except for "References." Sequences must be made publicly available before a submission will be considered for publication, and the nucleotide sequence accession number(s) must be provided in a separate paragraph at the end of the text. Manuscripts may not include figures, tables, or supplemental material used to present data or analysis. However, multiple related sequences and their accompanying accession numbers and URL may be presented in tabular form. Publication of Sequence Read Archives (SRAs) is not permitted.

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New online, open access journal focuses on microbial genome announcements

Could viruses be used to treat acne?

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Public release date: 25-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jim Sliwa jsliwa@asmusa.org 202-942-9297 American Society for Microbiology

Scientists have isolated and studied the genomes of 11 viruses, known as phage, that can infect and kill the acne-causing bacterium Propionibacterium acnes, potentially paving the way for topical therapies that use viruses or viral products to treat this vexing skin condition. Their results are reported in the September 25 issue of mBio, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

"There are two fairly obvious potential directions that could exploit this kind of research," says Graham Hatfull of the University of Pittsburgh, an author of the study. "The first is the possibility of using the phages directly as a therapy for acne. The second is the opportunity to use phage-derived components for their activities."

P. acnes is a normal resident on human skin, but its numbers increase substantially at puberty, eliciting an inflammatory response that can lead to acne. Although antibiotics can be effective in treating acne, antibiotic-resistant strains of P. acnes have emerged, highlighting the need for better therapies.

Hatfull and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh along with scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles, isolated phages and P. acnes bacteria from human volunteers with and without acne, then sequenced the phages' genomes. What they found in those genomes was surprising. The phages were all remarkably similar, sharing more than 85% of their DNA, an unheard of level of similarity among viruses, which usually exhibit a great deal of diversity. This lack of genetic diversity suggests that resistance to phage-based antimicrobial therapy is less likely to develop, they say.

All of the phages carry a gene that makes a protein called endolysin, an enzyme that is thought to break down bacterial cell walls and kill the bacteria. Enzymes like this are used in other applications, says Hatfull, suggesting that endolysin from these phages might also be useful as a topical anti-acne therapeutic. "This work has given us very useful information about the diversity of that set of enzymes and helps pave the way for thinking about potential applications," he says.

From here, Hatfull says, research with these phages will explore how they might be used therapeutically, but phages like these can also provide useful tools, like genes and enzymes, that can be used to manipulate and understand the bacteria they infect. "The information derived from these phages helps contribute toward those kinds of genetic tools," says Hatfull.

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mBio is an open access online journal published by the American Society for Microbiology to make microbiology research broadly accessible. The focus of the journal is on rapid publication of cutting-edge research spanning the entire spectrum of microbiology and related fields. It can be found online at http://mBio.asm.org.

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Defense claims new DNA evidence in Dechaine case

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1:00 AM

By Ann S. Kim akim@mainetoday.com Staff Writer

PORTLAND -- Further testing of items from the 1988 murder of 12-year-old Sarah Cherry has yielded new DNA, but it's too early to know what the implications are for her convicted killer, Dennis Dechaine.

Dechaine is in the midst of a long-running attempt to win a new trial. To do so, he must convince a judge that a jury would not have convicted him had they known about DNA evidence found on Cherry's thumbnail.

The latest development in Dechaine's bid is the discovery of male DNA on the scarf that was used to strangle the girl, as well as her T-shirt and bra. The items had been tested previously in the case but were retested this summer using a scraping method that had not been employed. That DNA came from the same male, according to a report by Orchard Cellmark, the Dallas-based firm that performed the analysis.

The DNA has not yet been compared to any others samples, including DNA from Dechaine, individuals who worked on the investigation or the felons in a state database. A fresh blood sample was recently taken from Dechaine for comparison purposes.

"The thing we're hoping for -- of course, we could have it backfire on us -- is that this could prove it's not Dennis Dechaine," said Steve Peterson, Dechaine's court-appointed lawyer.

Dechaine, 54, is serving a life sentence for the murder of Cherry, a Bowdoin Central School student who was kidnapped while babysitting on July 6, 1988. He maintains he did not commit the crime. His defense contends the unidentified male DNA from a nail clipped from Sarah Cherry during her autopsy points to another suspect.

The prosecutor, Deputy Attorney General William Stokes, has argued that the state and jurors who convicted Dechaine already know who killed Cherry. He has described the thumbnail DNA as meaningless.

"We don't know what it means," he said Monday of the latest DNA testing.

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Defense claims new DNA evidence in Dechaine case

Posted in DNA

DNA in 1980 Maine murder case shown to match defendant

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Posted: 10:50 PM Updated: 12:44 AM Samples from the body of Rita St. Peter match the DNA profile of Jay Mercier, an expert says.

By DOUG HARLOW/Morning Sentinel

SKOWHEGAN DNA samples taken from the body of Rita St. Peter in 1980 match the DNA profile of Jay Mercier of Industry, the man who is charged with sexually assaulting and killing her, a state witness said in court Monday.

click image to enlarge

Murder defendant Jay Mercier looks around the courtroom on Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012 during his trial in Somerset County Superior Court for the death of Rita St. Peter 32 years ago..

click image to enlarge

Rita St. Peter in an undated file photo. She was 20 at the time of her death when her body was found off the Campground Road in Anson on July 5, 1980.

"Unless you have an identical twin, there is no one else in the world with your DNA," Kathy MacMillan, a forensic DNA analyst with the state police crime lab, told the jury in Somerset County Superior Court.

MacMillan said the possibility that DNA samples taken from St. Peter's body didn't come from Mercier is one in a trillion.

MacMillan's testimony came on the third day of the murder trial for Mercier, who was 25 when St. Peter's body was found off Campground Road in Anson on July 5, 1980.

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Posted in DNA

Former Alabama professor gets life in prison

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Former Alabama biology professorAmy Bishop avoided a death sentence by pleaded guilty to killing three colleagues and wounding three others in a 2010 shooting rampage at the University of Alabama at Huntsville.

A former Alabama biology professor who pleaded guilty to killing three colleagues and wounding three others in a 2010 shooting rampage was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Monday after a jury convicted her in a shortened trial.

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Amy Bishop, avoided a death sentence by admitting earlier this month to gunning down her colleagues during a biology department staff meeting at the University of Alabama at Huntsville.

Alabama law requires a jury to decide the punishment and confirm a guilty plea for a capital murder charge.

Bishop's defense attorneys did not contest the facts of the case during the abbreviated proceedings on Monday.

"She has admitted she did these terrible things," defense attorney Robert Tuten said in his opening statement.

Bishop, a Harvard-trained biologist and mother of four, was accused of shooting her colleagues execution-style in February 2010. Colleagues believed Bishop was angry that the school had denied her tenure.

The trial on Monday took less than two hours and featured only two witnesses. One was Bishop's former colleague Debra Moriarity, who recalled how she tried to take Bishop down after the woman started firing during the meeting.

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Former Alabama professor gets life in prison

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Study Supports Power of Subtyping Breast Cancer by PAM50

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SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

On September 23, researchers published online in the journal Nature a study of the molecular biology of breast cancer, using the intrinsic subtypes as defined by the PAM50 gene signature as an organizing framework for analyzing genomic and proteomic aberrations. This landmark study both underscores the emergence of the intrinsic subtypes as a powerful taxonomy of breast cancer in research, and PAM50s role as the gold standard for categorizing breast cancer by subtype.

This study, titled Comprehensive molecular portraits of human breast tumours, represents the most complete description of breast cancer biology to date. The study was an outcome of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Initiative, a comprehensive and coordinated effort to accelerate our understanding of the molecular basis of cancer through the application of genome analysis technologies. The study involved the analysis of tissue from 800 breast cancer tumors by a total of six technology platforms, covering genomics, epigenetics, and proteomics.

Intrinsic subtype by PAM50 was used as a primary organizing framework for the analysis and presentation of the data. The research concluded that diverse genetic and epigenetic alterations converge phenotypically into the four main breast cancer subtypes defined by PAM50 Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2-enriched, and Basal-like.

NanoString Technologies, Inc., a privately held provider of life science tools for translational research and developer of molecular diagnostics, is developing a PAM50-based in vitro diagnostic test for breast cancer. NanoString announced in December 2010 that it had secured an exclusive worldwide license for the PAM50 gene signature from Bioclassifier, LLC to develop in vitro diagnostic and research products for breast cancer on its nCounter Analysis System.

This research advances our understanding of the molecular architecture of breast cancer, and reinforces the emergence of intrinsic subtypes by PAM50 as a powerful description of breast cancer biology, said NanoString President & CEO Brad Gray. We congratulate the authors on this seminal contribution to our understanding of breast cancer, and look forward to the day when analysis of breast cancer tumors by PAM50 will be available to patients worldwide.

The nCounter Analysis System is a fully automated, multi-application digital detection and counting system with a very simple workflow currently intended for research use only. The nCounter system has been employed in basic and translational research since it was first introduced in 2008. NanoString provides assays for gene expression, miRNA analysis and copy number variation.

About NanoString Technologies, Inc.

NanoString Technologies is a privately held provider of life science tools for translational research and developer of molecular diagnostics. The companys nCounter Analysis System is the first and only technology platform to deliver highly multiplexed, direct profiling of individual molecules in a single reaction without amplification. The nCounter Analysis System offers a cost-effective way to easily profile hundreds of gene transcripts, copy number variations, or miRNAs simultaneously with high sensitivity and precision. The companys technology enables a wide variety of basic research and translational medicine applications, including biomarker discovery and validation. NanoString is also developing the technology for use in molecular diagnostics.

The NanoString Technologies design logo, NanoString, NanoString Technologies and nCounter are registered trademarks of NanoString Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Study Supports Power of Subtyping Breast Cancer by PAM50

Research of alligator blood could one day help humans

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Researchers at McNeese State University believe alligators could hold thekey to healing humans.

At the helm of the study is Dr. Mark Merchant, professor of biochemistry.

Merchant saidhis interest with gators began at an early age.

"I grew up in the marshes of Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas hunting and fishing and I am still in the marsh a lot pursuing those activities. I've been around alligators most of my life," Merchant said.

Merchant said he realized a long time ago that there was something special about the immune systems of theseprehistoric animals.

"Alligators and crocodiles are very territorial and they fight andat times, inflict great injury on one another butthe fact is it seems they heal rather rapidly despite the fact they live in an environment wherethere are lots of potentially infectious microbes such asbacteria and fungi and things that can infect these massive wounds," Merchant said.

When his research began 11 years ago, Merchantwas able to prove the blood of alligators could kill pathogens. Since then, he has learned more howalligator blood kills bacteria, fungi and viruses, specifically white blood cells.

"What we have found in the last four or five years is that the white blood cells from alligators can and other crocodilians around the world make these tiny peptides that have tremendous antibacterial and antifungal activity," explained Merchant. "We have just recently isolated the small peptides or proteins and are working to determine the exact structure. So we think we potentially may have not only a new antibiotic, but a whole new class of antibiotics for human and veterinary use."

Merchantsaid there is still a lot of researchbeforethe antibioticcan be produced inlabs.

"It could be tomorrow. It could be next month or it could be in 10 years. I hope it is sooner rather than later," he said.

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Scientists engineer novel DNA barcode

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Researchers have created a new kind of barcode that uses DNA origami technology. Colored-dots can be arranged into geometric patterns or fluorescent linear DNA barcodes, and the combinations are almost limitless -- substantially increasing the number of distinct molecules or cells scientists can observe in a sample. Credit: Chenxiang Lin, Ralf Jungmann, Andrew M. Leifer, Chao Li, Daniel Levner, George M. Church, William M. Shih, Peng Yin, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard Medical School

Much like the checkout clerk uses a machine that scans the barcodes on packages to identify what customers bought at the store, scientists use powerful microscopes and their own kinds of barcodes to help them identify various parts of a cell, or types of molecules at a disease site. But their barcodes only come in a handful of "styles," limiting the number of objects scientists can study in a cell sample at any one time.

Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University have created a new kind of barcode that could come in an almost limitless array of styleswith the potential to enable scientists to gather vastly more vital information, at one given time, than ever before. The method harnesses the natural ability of DNA to self-assemble, as reported today in the online issue of Nature Chemistry.

"We hope this new method will provide much-needed molecular tools for using fluorescence microscopy to study complex biological problems," says Peng Yin, Wyss core faculty member and study co-author who has been instrumental in the DNA origami technology at the heart of the new method.

Fluorescence microscopy has been a tour de force in biomedical imaging for the last several decades. In short, scientists couple fluorescent elementsthe barcodesto molecules they know will attach to the part of the cells they wanted to investigate. Illuminating the sample triggers each kind of barcode to fluoresce at a particular wavelength of light, such as red, blue, or greenindicating where the molecules of interest are.

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Researchers have created a new kind of barcode that uses DNA origami technology. Shown here are the color combinations resulting from attaching just three colors to a DNA nanotube using origami technology -- underscoring the potential of this new method. Credit: C. Lin, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University

Here's how it works: DNA origami follows the basic principles of the double helix in which the molecular bases A (adenosine) only bind to T (thymine), and C (cytosine) bases only bind to G (guanine). With those "givens" in place, a long strand of DNA is programmed to self-assemble by folding in on itself with the help of shorter strands to create predetermined formsmuch like a single sheet of paper is folded to create a variety of designs in the traditional Japanese art.

To these more structurally complex DNA nano-structures, researchers can then attach fluorescent molecules to the desired spots, and use origami technology to generate a large pool of barcodes out of only a few fluorescent molecules. That could add a lot to the cellular imaging "toolbox" because it enables scientists to potentially light up more cellular structures than ever possible before.

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Breast Cancer DNA Study Yields New Targets for Therapy

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By Ryan Flinn - 2012-09-24T04:01:00Z

Genetic mapping of hundreds of breast cancer tumors confirmed there are four main subtypes and discovered that one closely resembles ovarian cancer, suggesting the two may be attacked with similar therapies.

The study, in which the genomes of 825 breast tumors were sequenced, was the most comprehensive of its type involving the disease. It is part of a U.S. research project into the genetics of 20 types of cancers. Earlier this month, the group, called the Cancer Genome Atlas project, released a similar report on new DNA mutations affecting a type of lung malignancy.

The breast cancer findings were published yesterday in the journal Nature. They support the expanding medical view that cancers should be categorized by their genetic origins, rather than where theyre found on the body. The link between breast and ovarian cancer gives scientists added leverage to compare treatments and outcomes across both tumors.

There are certain mutations you can find across cancers in different organs, said Eric Topol, a professor at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, who wasnt involved in the research. This is a real transition point, and we have to move toward more sequencing to give patients the best shot toward curing their cancer.

The personalized medicine approach has fueled a move among drugmakers to identify treatments targeting genetic mutations, such as Roche Holding AGs (ROG) Zelboraf and Pfizer Inc.s Xalkori.

For years, doctors have classified breast cancers according to measures such as how they invade other tissues, their cellular variability, and their appearance when stained with certain chemicals, said Paul Billings, a geneticist who is medical director Life Technologies Corp. (LIFE), a maker of DNA sequencers in Carlsbad, California.

Thats the old world, Billings said. The new world is a diagnostic system that will be based on targetable DNA mutations present in breast cancer.

In the breast cancer study, a computer analysis suggests the form known as basal-like, named for its resemblance to basel skin cells, may be treatable with drugs that either cut off the tumors blood supply, prevent blood vessel growth or chemotherapy, according to a statement from the National Cancer Institute.

The research released yesterday backed up earlier work segmenting breast cancer into four groups according to genetic markers: HER2-enriched, Luminal A, Luminal B and basal-like.

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Human brains outpace chimp brains in the womb

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The image shows a 3D ultrasound of a chimp in the womb. Credit: Current Biology, Sakai et al.: Fetal brain development in chimpanzees versus humans

Humans' superior brain size in comparison to their chimpanzee cousins traces all the way back to the womb. That's according to a study reported in the September 25 issue of Current Biology that is the first to track and compare brain growth in chimpanzee and human fetuses.

"Nobody knew how early these differences between human and chimp brains emerged," said Satoshi Hirata of Kyoto University.

Hirata and colleagues Tomoko Sakai and Hideko Takeshita now find that human and chimp brains begin to show remarkable differences very early in life. In both primate species, the brain grows increasingly fast in the womb initially. After 22 weeks of gestation, brain growth in chimpanzees starts to level off, while that of humans continues to accelerate for another two months or more. (Human gestation time is only slightly longer than that of chimpanzees, 38 weeks versus 33 or 34 weeks.)

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This movie shows a pregnant chimpanzee undergoing an ultrasound imaging procedure to explore brain growth in her fetus. Credit: Current Biology, Sakai et al.: Fetal brain development in chimpanzees versus humans

The findings are part of a larger effort by the research team to explore differences in primate brains. In another Current Biology report published last year, they compared brain development in chimps versus humans via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of three growing chimpanzees from the age of six months to six years (see this article).

"Elucidating these differences in the developmental patterns of brain structure between humans and great apes will provide important clues to understand the remarkable enlargement of the modern human brain and humans' sophisticated behavior," Sakai said.

The researchers say they now hope to explore fetal development in particular parts of the brain, including the forebrain, which is critical for decision making, self-awareness, and creativity.

More information: Sakai et al.: "Fetal brain development in chimpanzees versus humans" Current Biology, 2012.

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District Three students excel in Clemson merit exam

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By: From Local Reports | SCNow Published: September 24, 2012 Updated: September 24, 2012 - 11:43 AM

Middle and high school students who participated in the Clemson University Biology Merit Exam last spring were recognized by the Florence County School District Three Board of Trustees at its regular monthly meeting Thursday, September 20.

Students from Lake City High School, J. Paul Truluck Middle School and Ronald E. McNair Middle School joined nearly 200 other students from high schools and middle schools across the state to participate in the 33rd annual Biology Merit Exam at Clemson University on April 20.

Middle school students receiving first honorable mention for scoring in the top three percent were Haileigh Altman and Rustie Welch of J. Paul Truluck Middle School and Nicholas Boyington of Ronald E. McNair Middle School.

Middle school students receiving second honorable mention for scoring in the top 10 percent included Jacob Malasky of J. Paul Truluck Middle School and William Durnan and Shartari Dunmore Ronald E. McNair Middle School.

Rustie Welch of J. Paul Truluck Middle School also won third place for Division I Middle Schools in the Biology Bowl.

Alex Luna of Lake City High School was awarded Division III Honorable Mention and third place for Division III in the Biology Bowl.

This exam is designed for middle school and high school students to recognize and reward outstanding student achievement and promoting further interest in the life sciences.

The Merit Exam consists of 40 multiple-choice questions of varying degrees of difficulty that are distributed among the major content areas of biology. Also offered is the Biology Bowl, patterned after the TV show "Jeopardy", where students compete against others in their own division to answer questions on the following topics: general biological principles, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, cell biology, taxonomy, plant structure and function, and animal structure and function. The top three individuals in each division receive awards.

While attending the Exam at Clemson, students also have an opportunity to acquaint themselves with the education and research facilities available on campus and are able to interact with scientists in the various biological and agricultural disciplines.

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A “Royal” recognition for Dal scientists

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Its a most regal honour for an academic.

On November 17, Oceanography Professor John Cullen and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Professor Andrew Roger will become fellows of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC). Induction into the RSC represents a distinguished career in research the cumulative accomplishments of an academic life. Fellows are considered top intellectuals, persons who provide thought leadership for the betterment of Canada and the world.

This honour comes for Dr. Cullen after years of presenting solid research on significant global challenges. Just one example is his work on human-caused stratospheric ozone depletion, a hot-button issue in the 1980s and 90s. Although at the time scientists knew increased ultraviolet radiation from ozone depletion would harm marine organisms, they didnt know by how much.

I worked with Dr. Patrick Neale at the Smithsonian Institute and Richard Davis in my lab to develop new ways to measure the effects of ultraviolet radiation on photosynthetic plankton, explains Dr. Cullen. We discovered that UV radiation would cause significant but not catastrophic impacts and in doing so we developed a sound scientific foundation for making those assessments.

Dr. Roger has spent much of his career piecing together the Tree of Life. His group has shown that much of lifes diversity comprises five-to-six super-kingdom level groups that diversified more than 1 billion years ago. In collaboration with Alastair Simpson's Biology group, Rogers team assembled the first evidence for a large super-kingdom group called the Excavata.

Clarifying the deepest 'structure' of the Tree of Life is realizing many biologists dreams since Darwin proposed the theory of evolution, says Dr. Roger. We can now map major evolutionary transitions that gave rise to diversity and better understand mechanisms that control evolution.

Drs. Cullen and Roger agree that their success stems from an unwavering dedication to uncovering the truth.

Dr. Cullen emphasizes reporting results honestly and clearly, reiterating, A scientists job is to help people understand nature, not to impress people with accomplishments.

Dr. Roger draws on collaborations with other academics, postdoctoral researchers and students to find the truth behind lifes mysteries. He credits much of his success to seeking out academics with complementary skills and getting the right trainees for his projects.

Ive been fortunate to work with excellent colleagues and trainees, says Dr. Roger. Ive also strived to create a comfortable intellectual environment and provide the financial support and guidance for my trainees to explore their scientific interests.

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A "Royal" recognition for Dal scientists

UCSB Professors Receive National Chemistry Awards

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Two UC Santa Barbara professors have been named recipients of the American Chemical Societys 2013 national awards for professionaladvancement. Peter C. Ford, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Craig J. Hawker, also a professor in the Department of chemistry and Biochemistry,professor of materials, and director of the Materials Research Laboratory, have been named among the 64 award winners from across the country

In only one other year, 1996, did UCSB have more than one winner of theAmerican Chemical Society (ACS) awards. The awards will be presented at the nationalACS meeting in New Orleans in April.Ford is the recipient of the ACS Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry. This award recognizes individuals who haveadvanced inorganic chemistry by significant service, in addition to performingoutstanding research. It is sponsored by StremChemicals.

I am of course very pleased and honored to have received this award from my colleagues in the American Chemical Society, saidFord.

Since this is largely in recognition of the body of work generated by my graduate and postdoctoral students and collaborators over my tenure at UCSB, I consider it an award to my research group collectively as well as another testament to the high regard in which this campus is nowheld. I am proud to be aGaucho.

Hawker has been named recipient of the ACS Award in Polymer Chemistry. Thecitation states that Hawker was nominated for transforming the field of polymer chemistry through the clever adaptation of synthetic organic chemistry concepts and theadvancement of macromolecular engineering. ExxonMobil Chemical Company sponsored thisaward.

I am thrilled with the award and the recognition that it brings to my students, collaborators, and co-workers, as well as to the unique research environment at UCSB, said Hawker. The sustained success of cross-disciplinary research has been a key driver in reinforcing UCSBs international standing in the materials chemistry arena. I am grateful for the enormous benefits that this proud tradition has bought to myresearch.

Ford joined the faculty at UCSB in 1967 after earning his Ph.D. at Yale and completing a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellowship with Nobel laureateHenry Taube at Stanford University. He is a Fellow of the American Association for theAdvancement of Science and was a Senior Fulbright Fellow. His awards include a Dreyfus Foundation Teacher-Scholar Award in 1972; the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Senior U.S. Scientist Award in 1992; the Richard C. Tolman Medal of theACS in 1993; and the Inter-American Photochemical Society Award in Photochemistry in2008.

Hawker received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, and then completeda postdoctoral fellowship with Jean M. J. Frchet at Cornell. In 2004, he moved from theIBM Almaden Research Center to join the faculty at UCSB. Some of his recent awardsinclude the 2012 Centenary prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry; the 2011 Arthur C. Cope Scholar from the American Chemical Society; and the 2008 DSM PerformanceMaterials Award from the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. In 2010,he was named a Fellow of the RoyalSociety.

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UCSB Professors Receive National Chemistry Awards