Updated 10 hours ago

A theory to solve the nation's ever-worsening bee decline through genetic engineering has Western Pennsylvania beekeepers split about whether it will work.

We have to start working with bees that are locally adapted to the areas we keep them, explained Dwight Wells, 77, a founding member of the Heartland Honeybee Breeders Cooperative and president of the West Central Ohio Beekeepers Association who was a guest speaker at a weekend seminar in Beaver County. Beekeepers have got to understand their bees like farmers understand their crops and cows and pigs. Farmers are careful on the genetics they have in herds and fields big-time. They're looking for proper genetics.

Beekeepers have to start thinking along the same line and start calling themselves bee farmers.

Wells has worked with Purdue University geneticists since 2013 to improve the genetics of honeybees by mating them with queen bees that have adapted to chew off the legs of Varroa mites, also known as Purdue ankle biters. The parasites have long been blamed for honeybee loss because they transmit deadly diseases.

Wells said there are many theories that attempt to explain the mysterious colony collapse disorder, which surfaced in 2006. But he is convinced the main problem is linked to the Varroa mite and malnourished bees a problem he believes is solvable by combining the genetics of mite-resistant bees with Southern, commercial bees that are not fully adapted to surviving harsh winters.

Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, is not sure the project will work in the long run.

Fine, who keeps about 130 colonies at farms and backyards throughout Allegheny, Washington and Westmoreland counties, lost about 60 percent of his honey bees this winter.

Beekeepers can't afford not to treat for mites because we have to treat them to keep business going, Fine said.

He makes money by selling bees and honey and by renting out colonies to farmers. Business suffers when bees die off in winter, so Fine said he has a vested interest in keeping his bees alive.

To replenish his stock, he buys packages from large-scale commercial beekeepers in Georgia.

You like your strawberries I like blueberries and squash is really good, and people like zucchini, Fine said. Bees are always going to be moved.

According to the Atlanta-based American Beekeeping Federation, bees contribute nearly $20 billion to the country's agriculture industry by pollinating everything from apples to cranberries, melons and broccoli. Crops such as blueberries and cherries are almost entirely dependent on bee pollination. Almonds are entirely dependent on their pollination.

An estimated two-thirds of the country's 2.7 million bee colonies are transported to different farms across the nation throughout the year, ABF reports.

To keep his bees alive, Fine usually sprays them with an organic pesticide twice a year. The spray, he said, burns Varroa mites with naturally occurring acids. This year, however, he plans on using three or four treatments.

But Wells' genetic improving program is not necessarily targeting large beekeeping operations, which typically move bees long distances, said John Yakim, president of the Beaver Valley Area Beekeepers Association. He thinks the program would work if hobbyists who own five to 10 hives, like himself, introduced Purdue ankle biters to the region.

Yakim met Wells at a Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association seminar in November 2014. Since then, he said he has been learning about the practice and wants others to be exposed to it as well.

BVABA hosted its Queen Raising Seminar on Friday and Saturday in Baden. Participants received unmated queen bees that Yakim and Wells hope mate with local drones.

This is designed for small-scale hobbyist and sideliners, Yakim said of the genetic improving program.

But that doesn't mean he thinks the program couldn't potentially work for large-scale beekeeping operations.

I don't see why not, even for producers with 10,000 colonies. The underlying science isn't going to change, he said.

The science lies in combining the genes of climate survivability and Varroa mite resistance, Wells said.

The problem with bees bought by beekeepers is that most of them are adapted to live in warmer climates, such as Georgia and Florida, where most commercial stock is produced, Wells said.

Beekeepers have been relying on chemicals since the 1980s to treat for mites. But mites develop resistance. And now they're running out of chemicals, Wells said. The smart ones are understanding they got to start developing their own stocks in order to kill mite spells. They're in trouble, and they realize it.

Dillon Carr is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-850-1298, dcarr@tribweb.com or via Twitter @dillonswriting.

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, inspects his bee hives, at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017.

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

The queen bee, marked with a yellow dot, can be seen inside an observation hut Al Fine, at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. Fine

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, lights a ball of cardboard for his smoker, before he inspects his bee hives, at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. The Smoke is believed to mask the bees alarm pheromones, which blocks the bees ability to raise the alarm of an intruder.

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, removes the cover of a beehive, before inspecting the hive after recently introducing a new queen, at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017.

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, removes the cover of a beehive, before inspecting the hive after recently introducing a new queen, at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. The Smoke is believed to mask the bees alarm pheromones, which blocks the bees ability to raise the alarm of an intruder.

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, searches for a newly introduced queen, while inspecting his bee hives at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017.

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, inspects his bee hives, at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017.

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

The dark bodied queen bee, crawls around a frame, as Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, inspects his bee hives, at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017.

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Honey bees, owned by Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, stand at the uncovered entrance to the bee hives, at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. Fine

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, inspects his bee hives, at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017.

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, takes a break while inspecting his bee hives, at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017. Fine

Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review

Al Fine, owner of Fine Family Apiary, poses for a portrait in his bee keeper suit, at Triple B Farms in Monongehala, on Wednesday, May 17, 2017.

Original post:
Western Pennsylvania beekeepers abuzz on genetic engineering - Tribune-Review

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, FDNA (www.FDNA.com) announces its collaboration with two of the most reputable genomics testing labs in the world, GeneDx and Blueprint Genetics. The collaboration will fully integrate FDNAs analysis into the genetic testing workflow of these labs by enabling clinicians to share phenotypic data with these labs in real time. This marks the first time clinicians will have the ability to send phenotypic data, including facial analysis collected through FDNAs Face2Gene suite, directly to labs, paving the way for a new precision medicine industry standard.

Founded in 2011, FDNA is committed to helping clinicians, labs and researchers diagnose, treat and create therapies for rare diseases. FDNAs Face2Gene suite of applications helps to quickly evaluate patients clinical signs through artificial intelligence and facial analysis. With a comprehensive database of more than 10,000 rare disease syndromes, this new LABS capability is improving the speed and accuracy of a diagnosis for rare disease patients.

Trying to diagnose patients with genetic sequencing is like searching for a pinin a 22,000-needle haystack, said Dekel Gelbman, CEO of FDNA. By providingaccurate phenotypic and clinical data to the lab directly at the point of genetic interpretation, we are truly realizing the promise of precision medicine. And, with the power of artificial intelligence behind it, clinicians will be pointed toward potential diagnoses that they may have never otherwise considered. GeneDx and Blueprint Genetics are both examples of innovative and renowned labs adopting technology that will lead the way in pinpointing rare disease and promote further medical advancements.

The results of PEDIA, a recent study led by the Berlin Institute of health and Charit University of Medicine, displayed exciting results of this collaboration on the accuracy of genetic sequencing. We estimate that the addition of phenotypic features [encoded in HPO terms] increases the diagnostic yield to about 60% [from 25% without]. When adding facial analysis, FDNAs technology, to that process, the diagnostic yield increases to more than 85%, explained Dr. Peter Krawitz, Principal Investigator of PEDIA.

One in 10 people worldwide suffer from a rare genetic disease, and often the search for answers is a tiresome journey. With hundreds of millions of patients having their phenotypic information buried in paper files and unstructured data, it is challenging to integrate this information to support the variant interpretation process. With the Face2Gene LABS application, all of this information is available immediately to support the analysis of genetic testing to help clinicians pinpoint the disease-causing genetic variants as they draw clearer and more efficient conclusions.

This is an important collaboration for several reasons, said Dr. Ben Solomon, Managing Director of GeneDx and practicing clinical geneticist.Its a great way to leverage clinical and genetic information and machine learning approaches to find answers for the clinicians, patients and families GeneDx serves.Aside from providing answers, this integration will make the diagnostic testing process easier, smoother and more enjoyable for clinicians.

Since 2012, Blueprint Genetics has been developing technological innovations in sequencing and clinical interpretation to improve the quality and performance of rare disease diagnostics, said Dr. Tero-Pekka Alastalo, PhD and Chief Medical Officer of Blueprint Genetics. Its great to see how these innovations are now helping the genetics community and patients suffering from inherited disorders. Combining these technological innovations with our transparent approach to diagnostics and next generation phenotyping tools like Face2Gene represents the next steps forward in molecular genetic diagnostics.

About FDNA and Face2Gene FDNA is the developer of Face2Gene, a clinical suite of phenotyping applications that facilitates comprehensive and precise genetic evaluations. Face2Gene uses facial analysis, deep learning and artificial intelligence to transform big data into actionable genomic insights to improve and accelerate diagnostics and therapeutics. With the worlds largest network of clinicians, labs and researchers creating one of the fastest growing and most comprehensive genomic databases, FDNA is changing the lives of rare disease patients. For more information, visit http://www.FDNA.com.

About GeneDx GeneDx is a world leader in genomics with an acknowledged expertise in rare and ultra-rare genetic disorders, as well as one of the broadest menus of sequencing services available among commercial laboratories. GeneDx provides testing to patients and their families in more than 55 countries. GeneDx is awholly-owned subsidiaryof BioReference Laboratories,anOPKO Health, Inc.company.For more information, visitwww.genedx.com.

About Blueprint Genetics Blueprint Genetics is a genetic diagnostic laboratory that provides comprehensive genetics testing services through innovative technologies. This includes DNA sequencing and clinical interpretation in human rare diseases that enable improved quality and performance, faster lead-time and overall cost efficiency. With IBM Watson-powered CLINT technology, Blueprint Genetics expert team of geneticists and clinicians provide top-quality clinical interpretation and reporting, changing the standards of molecular diagnostics. For more information, visit http://www.blueprintgenetics.com.

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FDNA Announces Collaboration with GeneDx and Blueprint Genetics in the Launch of Face2Gene LABS - Business Wire (press release)

Last updated16:31, May 23 2017

There are 71 entries in this years Innovation Awards at Fieldays including entries in animal science and genetics.

Genetics, animal science and chemical-based innovations are being addedfor the first time to the Fieldays Innovations Awardsthis year.

Competition organisers had expanded the criteriabecause of an increase of focus in thefields,Fieldays Innovations event manager Gail Hendricks said.

As a result, the competition has included two new judges tojudge the science behind theinnovations, she said.

Award organisershave received 71 entriesincluding innovations in fencing, irrigation, pasture management and animal health. Agricultural technology would also be on show, with several app-based innovations entered and a virtual reality innovation.

READ MORE: * Exciting fortunes ahead for the Waikato as it prepares for Fieldays *Steve Hansen talks rugby at Fieldays *Fieldays a chance to learn

The entries are displayed at theFieldays Innovations Centre, which showcases agricultural inventions and new applications with the potential to lead change in the rural sector.

The theme of Fieldaysis 'leading change'.Hendricks said the awards wereat the cutting edge of what was happening in agriculture, and the future of the industry.

"Originally, the Fieldays Innovation Awards was about widgets, gadgets and devices to improve farming, and now, more and more we are seeing how science and technology is impacting agriculture," Hendricks said.

The main entry categories are the Fieldays Prototype Award, Fieldays Launch NZ Award and Fieldays International Award.

Other awards up for grabs include categories for the bestYoung Inventor of the Year, technology innovation, research innovation, agri-innovation, intellectual propertyand commercialisation and intellectual property.

Hendricks said there was always public, business and agricultural industry interest in the innovation awards.

"The Innovations Centre is probably the busiest space at Fieldays and always attracts a lot of attention," said Hendricks. Every year, there is always broad media interest and the television breakfast shows broadcast from the Innovations Centre during Fieldays. The place is just buzzing."

Judges considerinventiveness, design and originality, the process of coming up with the innovation, commercial opportunities, intellectual property protection, technical viability and its benefit to New Zealand agriculture beforedeciding the winners.

The winners will be announced on June 15. Hendricks said they wouldreceive the kudos of winning the awards and any resulting publicity, but also access to expert support and business advice fromcompanies sponsoring each award.

Hendricks said entrants receiveda lot of value from entering the awards, as Fieldays provided access to a large group of potential customers and it gavethem a chance to do valuable market research.

Entrants also have exclusive access to business advisors, legal experts and product development consultants at a dedicated space in the Innovations Centre.

In addition, they have a chance to meet with potential investors at an invitation-only evening, Fieldays Innovations Capitalon June 15.

"The Innovations Centre is an exciting place to be at Fieldays. People visiting will see all sorts of interesting inventions and ideas that have practical and commercial application, to help streamline work on the farm."

-Stuff

Continue reading here:
Genetics and animal science added to Fieldays Innovation Awards - Stuff.co.nz

Scientists identify 40 genes that shed new light on biology of intelligence Photograph: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

A major study into the genetics of human intelligence has given scientists their richest insight yet into the biology that underpins our cognitive skills.

The research on 60,000 adults and 20,000 children uncovered 40 new genes that play a role in intelligence, a haul that brings the number of genes known to have a bearing on IQ to 52.

Forming part of the blueprint for the brain, the genes provide instructions for the building of healthy neurons, the paths they take through the 3lb lump of tissue, and the construction of hundreds of trillions of synapses that connect them.

We want to understand how the brain works and learn what are the biological underpinnings of intelligence, said Professor Danielle Posthuma, a statistical geneticist at the Free University of Amsterdam, who led the study published in Nature Genetics.

Previous work with twins has shown that genes account for about half of the difference that is seen in IQ scores across the population, with the rest being shaped by factors such as conditions in the womb, nutrition, pollution and a persons social environment. Genes do not determine everything for intelligence, said Posthuma. There are so many other factors that affect how well someone does on an IQ test.

It is thought that hundreds, if not thousands, of genes play a role in human intelligence, with most contributing only a minuscule amount to a persons cognitive prowess. The vast majority have yet to be found, and those that have do not have a huge impact. Taken together, all of the genes identified in the latest study explain only about 5% of the variation in peoples IQs, the scientists found.

Working with an international team of scientists, Posthuma looked for genetic markers linked to intelligence in 13 different groups of people of European descent. Amid the 52 genes they found, 40 were new ones that predominantly switched on in the brain. The same genes were also associated with better educational attainment, a larger head circumference at birth, living longer, and autism.

While scientists have an idea what many of the newfound genes do, Posthuma said the next step was to block their function in mice to see what impact each gene has on brain function. The same could be done with human neurons made from skin cells in the lab, she said. In time, if researchers can build up a detailed picture of the genetics of intelligence, it could help them understand what goes wrong in conditions that lead to mental impairment.

But research on the genetics of IQ has always raised serious questions about how the information might be used. Could human embryos be chosen according to their future brain power? Could scientists make drugs to enhance human intelligence? If so, would only the richest have access to such powerful technology? There is always the question of designer babies and can we use this knowledge to improve intelligence, said Posthuma. These are valid questions, but its very far from where we are now. You certainly wouldnt be able to design a baby based on the current knowledge.

Such uses are on the horizon. IVF embryos are already screened for genetic faults. With larger studies, scientists expect to find more genes that contribute to intelligence. Eventually, the work may reach a point where the genomes of IVF embryos could be used to rank them according to their intellectual potential, even if the difference is so small as to be insignificant. You can imagine that as soon as it becomes possible to explain a good deal of the variance in intelligence, people are going to start doing this, said Stuart Ritchie, a researcher in cognitive ageing at Edinburgh University and author of the book Intelligence: All that Matters.

The prospect of IQ-boosting drugs should not be dismissed either, Ritchie added. The world is home to an ageing population and cognitive function declines in old age, leaving the aged more prone to error and accidents, more vulnerable to scammers. If we know what genes are involved, and we can develop the treatments, then we might be able to stave of that cognitive ageing to some degree, he said. Over time, you could see an inequality growing there.

Another long-term prospect, perhaps, is using genetic information to tailor teaching for individual students, Posthuma said. Maybe one day we can say that based on your genetic makeup, it could be easier for you to use this strategy rather than that one to learn this task. But thats still very far off, she said. I dont think whats written in our genes determines our lives.

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Scientists identify 40 genes that shed new light on biology of intelligence - The Guardian

NORTHUMBERLAND, N.Y. >> Nearly 200 people from 26 countries toured Saratoga County recently as part of a high-tech conference that has nothing to do with computer chip manufacturing or the semiconductor industry.

The group was comprised of dairy genetic consultants who visited local dairies to get a first-hand look at some of the industrys best animals.

The four-day event was hosted by Ohio-based Select Sires Inc., North Americas largest artificial insemination firm, and included stops at more than a dozen Capital Region farms including four in Saratoga County, recognized internationally as a hotbed for dairy genetics.

The goal of such efforts is healthier, higher producing, more profitable animals.

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We work at having extremely elite genetics, said Jeff King, co-owner of Kings Ransom Farm in Northumberland. Less than 1 percent of dairy farms are as in tune as we are with their genetics. Its become part of our business model.

The group also visited Welcome Stock and Clear Echo farms in Bacon Hill, and Eildon Tweed Farm in Charlton.

We are all good friends, but theres also friendly competition, which makes us more successful, King said. Because were so concentrated here, it makes it easier for tour groups to visit, which is a big benefit for us.

Genetics has really been a passion of mine since I was a young kid, he said. Its a challenge to try to improve these animals with each successive generation. Its a joy for me to have a hand in making these decisions and producing a higher quality.

Each calf thats born has a genomic makeup, which identifies various traits. One animal might be a better milk producer, while another is more disease resistant or perhaps extra fertile.

The goal, when breeding, is studying the genomic traits of each animal, and pairing bulls and cows that are most apt to produce high-quality offspring, King said.

Visitors were on hand from places such as Mexico, Brazil, China, Australia, New Zealand and several European nations including Italy, Germany and France.

We sent them back home with information that can be used to improve cattle and dairy programs in their countries, said Rick Ver Beek, Select Sires dairy sire analyst.

His company buys high-quality bulls from farms and sells their semen to dairies around the world.

The industrys number one proven sire, based on milk production from its offspring, is a bull named Montross that came from Welcome Stock Farm. It now lives in Plain City, Ohio, where Select Sires is headquartered.

The breeding power of this bull is across all breeds, Ver Beek said. Its offspring have extremely high milk production and improved protein content; just really efficient, profitable, trouble-free animals.

In the face of domestic and global political turmoil, Ver Beek said it was refreshing to see people from so many countries come together, working for a common goal.

I think with agriculture in general theres tremendous camaraderie, he said. That common goal of feeding the world just kind of rings true.

More here:
Local dairy farms find success using genetics - The Saratogian

Ornithologist John Gould's illustrations of finches collected by Charles Darwin on the Galpagos Islands show the physical differences that the men relied on in dividing them into different species.

For Charles Darwin, "species" wasan undefinable term, "one arbitrarily given for the sake of convenience to a set of individuals closely resembling each other." That hasn't stopped scientists in the 150 years since then from trying, however. When scientists today sit down to study a new form of life, they apply any number ofmore than 70 definitionsof what constitutes a speciesand each helps get at a different aspect of what makes organisms distinct.

In a way, this plethora of definitions helps prove Darwins point: The idea of a species is ultimately a human construct. With advancing DNA technology, scientists are now able to draw finer and finer lines between what they consider species by looking at the genetic code that defines them. How scientists choose to draw that line depends on whether their subject is an animal or plant; the tools available; and the scientists own preference and expertise.

Now, as new species are discovered and old ones thrown out, researchers want to know: How do we define a species today? Lets look back at the evolution of the concept and how far its come.

Perhaps the most classic definition is a group of organisms that can breed with each other to produce fertile offspring, an idea originally set forthin 1942by evolutionary biologist Ernst Mayr. While elegant in its simplicity, this concept has since come under fire by biologists, who arguethat it didn't apply to many organisms, such as single-celled ones that reproduce asexually, or those that have been shown to breed with other distinct organisms to create hybrids.

Alternativesarose quickly. Some biologists championed an ecologicaldefinition that assigned species according to the environmental niches they fill (this animal recycles soil nutrients, this predator keeps insects in check). Others asserted that a species was a set of organisms with physical characteristics that were distinct from others (the peacock's fanned tail, the beaks of Darwin's finches).

The discovery of DNA's double helix prompted the creation of yet another definition, one in which scientists could look for minute genetic differences and draw even finer lines denoting species. Based ona 1980 bookby biologists Niles Eldredge and Joel Cracraft, under the definition of a phylogenetic species, animal species now can differ by just 2 percent of their DNA to be considered separate.

"Back in 1996, the world recognized half the number of species of lemur there are today," says Craig Hilton-Taylor, who manages the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red Listof threatened species. (Today there are more than 100 recognized lemur species.) Advances in genetic technology have given the organization a much more detailed picture of the world's species and their health.

These advances have also renewed debates about what it means to be a species, as ecologists and conservationistsdiscover that many species that once appeared singularare actually multitudes. Smithsonian entomologistJohn Burnshas used DNA technology to distinguish a number of so-called "cryptic species"organisms that appear physically identical to a members of a certain species, but have significantly different genomes. In a2004 study, he was able to determine that a species of tropical butterfly identified in 1775 actually encompassed 10 separate species.

In 2010, advanced DNA technology allowed scientists to solve an age-old debate over African elephants. By sequencing therarer and more complex DNA from the nuclei of elephant cells,instead of the more commonly used mitochondrial DNA, they determined thatAfrican elephants actually comprised two separate speciesthat diverged millions of years ago.

"You can no more call African elephants the same species as you can Asian elephants and the mammoth," David Reich, a population geneticist and lead author on the study, told Nature News.

In the wake of these and other paradigm-shifting discoveries, Mayrs original concept is rapidly falling apart. Those two species of African elephants, for instance, kept interbreeding as recently as 500,000 years ago. Another example falls closer to home: Recent analyses of DNA remnants in the genes of modern humans have found that humans and Neanderthalsusually thought of as separate species thatdiverged roughly 700,000 years agointerbred as recently as 100,000 years ago.

So are these elephants and hominidsstill separate species?

This isn't just an argument of scientific semantics. Pinpointing an organism's species is critical for any efforts to protect that animal, especially when it comes to government action. A species that gets listed on the U.S. Endangered Species Act, for example,gains protectionfrom anydestructive actions from the government and private citizens.These protections would be impossible to enforce without the ability to determine which organisms are part of that endangered species.

At the same time,advances in sequencing techniques and technologyare helping todays scientists better piece together exactly which species are being impacted by which human actions.

"We're capable of recognizing almost any species [now]," saysMary Curtis, a wildlife forensic scientist who leads the genetics team at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service'sForensics Laboratory. Her lab is responsible for identifying any animal remains or products that are suspected to have been illegally traded or harvested. Since adopting DNA sequencing techniques more than 20 years ago, the lab has been able to make identifications much more rapidly, and increase the number of species it can reliably recognize by the hundreds.

"A lot of the stuff we get in in genetics has no shape or form," Curtis says. The lab receives slabs of unidentified meat, crafted decorative items or even the stomach contents of other animals. Identifying these unusual items is usually out of the reach of taxonomic experts using body shape, hair identification and other physical characteristics. "We can only do that with DNA," Curtis says.

Still, Curtis, who previously studied fishes, doesn't discount the importance of traditional taxonomists. "A lot of the time we're working together," she says. Experienced taxonomists can often quickly identify recognizable cases, leaving the more expensive DNA sequencing for the situations that really need it.

Not all ecologists are sold on these advances. Some express concerns about "taxonomic inflation," as the number of species identified or reclassified continues to skyrocket. They worry that as scientists draw lines based on the narrow shades of difference that DNA technology enables them to see, the entire concept of a species is being diluted.

"Not everything you can distinguish should be its own species," as German zoologist Andreas Wiltingtold the Washington Post in 2015. Wilting hadproposed condensing tigers into just two subspecies, from the current nine.

Other scientists are concernedabout the effects that reclassifying once-distinct species can have on conservation efforts. In 1973, the endangered dusky seaside sparrow, a small bird once found in Florida, missed out on potentially helpful conservation assistance by beingreclassified as a subspeciesof the much more populous seaside sparrow . Less than two decades later, the dusky seaside sparrow was extinct.

Hilton-Taylor isnt sure yet when or how the ecological and conservation communities will settle on the idea of a species. But he does expect that DNA technology will have a significant impacton disrupting and reshaping the work of those fields. Lots of things are changing, Hilton-Taylor says. That's the world we're living in.

This uncertainty is in many ways reflective of the definition of species today too, Hilton-Taylor says. The IUCN draws on the expertise of various different groups and scientists to compile data for its Red List, and some of those groups have embraced broader or narrower concepts of what makes a species, with differing reliance on DNA. There's such a diversity of scientists out there, Hilton-Taylor says. We just have to go with what we have.

Original post:
What Does it Mean to Be a Species? Genetics is Changing the Answer - Smithsonian

The latest health and fitness trend involves taking a DNA test to find out more about how our bodies respond to different types of food and exercise.

A growing number of start-ups, such as 23andMe, FitnessGenes, UBiome, DNAFit, Orig3n and Habit, are moving into this space, promising that mail-order genetic tests can change your life for the better.

Avi Lasarow, chief executive of DNAFit, explains that everything about who we are is the unique combination of what we are born with our genetics and how we live our environment.

The biggest environment factor that we can control in our day-to-day lives is our diet, he says, so by understanding more about the static part, the genetics, we can better tweak the bit in our control.

[S]ome genetic experts are concerned that the efficacy of such kits may be overhyped.

I do think that the amount of useful information that personalised health tests can offer is very limited at present because we still know very little about the effect of most SNPs [genetic variations called single nucleotide polymorphisms] and other types of genetic variation on a persons health, [says Dr Jess Buxton, a geneticist at University College London.]

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:Can knowing your genetic make-up lead to a healthier life?

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Do we know enough about genetics for personalized DNA tests to improve our health, fitness? - Genetic Literacy Project

US biotechnology firms Seattle Genetics and Immunomedics have broken off their planned licensing deal for Immunomedics experimental cancer antibody IMMU-132 (sacituzumab govitecan).

The deal had been hampered by legal action from Immunomedics shareholders, including investment fund venBio. Immunomedics has proposed to settle this litigation following cancellation of the deal. As part of the settlement agreement, Immunomedicss chief executive, Cynthia Sullivan, will leave the company. Founder David Goldenberg will also step down as chief science officer, although he will retain a seat on the board. Behzad Aghazadeh from venBio has assumed the role of Chairman.

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Seattle Genetics cancels Immunomedics deal - Chemistry World (subscription)

A quick cheek swab and youre well on your way to learning quite a bit about your genetic risk factors.

fotoquique/iStock

As currently written, the American Health Care Act allows states to opt out of the popular Obamacare provision that bans insurers from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions. Twenty-seven percent of adult Americans under the age of 65 have a declinable pre-existing condition, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, and if the AHCA becomes law, any number of them could become uninsured. The guiding GOP arithmetic takes as a given that people should pre-emptively pony up for conditions beyond their controlincluding, yes, having a second X chromosome. Millions more have conditionsfrom asthma to the ever-inconvenient urinary tract infectionthat could also jack up the rate of coverage, making insurance prohibitively expensive.

What their calculations dont yet consider are the could-be conditions embedded in our DNA. Our genomes provide a window into scores of genetic risk factors that have yet to present as full-fledged pre-existing conditions. If the GOP insists that people can be charged differently depending on their current health, whats to say theyll stop short of asserting that we could be charged according to our genomes?

The personal genetics revolution is well-underway. More Americans than ever have access to the information contained in their genetic material. When the Affordable Care Act passed in 2010, the cost of sequencing the 3 billion As, Cs, Gs, and Ts that comprise the human genome rang in at $50,000. Today, that price tag has plummeted to $1,000 with promises of a $100 genome in the near future. Already a mere $99 and a dab of spittle will give consumers a good sense of their genetic risk factors from private genetic testing company 23andMe. Last month, the company received Food and Drug Administration approval to test for predispositions to 10 medical conditions. And even before that came through, customers could upload the raw DNA data generated by 23andMe into interpretation only services like Promethease for a DIY disease risk assessment.

And thats just personal use of genetic informationthe current $1,000 price tag means its already accessible in many medical settings. The question now turns to how the data deluge brought on by the genomics age will be used. Personal genetics can empower patients, doctors, and researchers to make more informed decisions around health care. But while this information could help us make better medical choices, it could also be used to fine-tune insurance algorithms, calculating premiums on a sliding scale of genetic risk.

Americans saw this trade-off coming. The Human Genome Project spurred concerns around genetic discrimination in the 1990s. Over a decade before Obamacares pre-existing conditions protections, patient and civil rights organizations came together to press for protections against genetic discrimination. Thirteen years of advocacy efforts led to the bipartisan passage of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008. GINA prohibits employers and health insurers from using genetics to influence hiring decisions and insurance coverage.

The legislation was celebrated as the first major civil-rights bill of the century. It eased concerns around genetic discrimination to ultimately encourage people to take advantage of emerging genetic technologies and therapies. GINAs protections helped advance genome research, and today millions of Americans have submitted genetic samples for testing. A government-funded $215 million Precision Medicine Initiative is now underway with the goal of collecting genetic and health data from over 1 million Americans to better inform biomedical research.

That means millions of genotypes that can be used by clinicians and researchers to home in on and characterize genes linked to specific diseases. That also means millions of genotypes that could be factored into the underwriting calculus that prioritizes profits over patients.

Whats to say the GOP will stop short of asserting that we could be charged according to our genomes?

Life, disability, and long-term care insurance, which are not covered under GINAs provisions, already use genetic testing results to deny coverage to otherwise healthy individuals. And when it comes to health insurance, GINA isnt perfect. The legislation only protects people who are genetically predisposed to a disease if they are asymptomatic. Once a person begins showing symptoms, GINA no longer matters. But for a while, Obamacare closed that loophole. When it was enacted, personal genetics was still in its infancy23andMe had less than 50,000 customers at a price tag of $999, and AncestryDNA had yet to launch. So in the years since the ACAs passage, shoring up protections against genetic discrimination has received little legislative attention.

Obamacare repeal reopens the gray area between genetic predisposition and a pre-existing condition. The AHCAs MacArthur amendment would require that states opting out of Obamacares pre-existing conditions rule set up high-risk pools for sick people who incur higher medical costs. But what sick actually means is increasingly up for debate. Does a BRCA1 mutation, which portends a 55 percent to 65 percent risk of developing breast cancer by the age of 70, count as a pre-existing condition when youre 30? When youre 60?

DNA doesnt encode certain destiny: Carrying the BRCA1 mutation offers no more clarity than the percentage given above. But without the ACA, GINA is the only thing stopping insurance companies from practicing genetic determinism when they decide what conditions warrant higher premiums or coverage denial. Republicans, who control every branch of government, have shown that they believe different people should be required to pay different amounts on the basis of what essentially amounts to dumb luck. And we already know they have little interest in regulating corporate interests. Besides, nobody dies because they don't have access to health care, remember?

Even with GINA and Obamacare protections still in place, Americans remain wary of participating in whole-genome sequencing studies, citing fears of discrimination from life insurance companies. Their skepticism is warranted: For all its attributes, the ACA paradoxically opened a GINA loophole by encouraging employer health care plans to offer discounts for participating in workplace wellness programs. GOP lawmakers recently seized on this idea, introducing legislation to compel employees to share genetic test results with their employers.

We already know the current government is not much interested in sciencebut if that science involves calculating maximizing profit margins at the expense of patient empowerment, they just might perk up.

Read the original here:
Thanks to Genetic Testing, Everyone Could Soon Have a Pre-Existing Condition - Slate Magazine

May 17, 2017 17:05 ET | Source: NewLink Genetics Corporation NewLink Infographic ASCO.pdf

AMES, Iowa, May 17, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NewLink Genetics Corporation (NASDAQ:NLNK) today announced that abstracts from two clinical studies of its IDO pathway inhibitors, indoximod and navoximod (GDC-0919), used in combination with other agents, are now available on the website of the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

An infographic accompanying this announcement is available athttp://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b945495b-6286-4184-881f-b4ea49aa46b4

The IDO pathway is a key immuno-oncology target and NewLink Genetics has two separate and distinct IDO pathway inhibitors in clinical development.Indoximod, which is wholly owned by NewLink Genetics, has a proposed differentiated mechanism within the IDO pathway and acts as a tryptophan mimetic having a direct effect on immune cells to reverse immune suppression used by cancer to protect itself. Navoximod is our direct enzymatic inhibitor of IDO and is partnered with Genentech/Roche, said Charles J. Link, Jr., M.D., Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of NewLink Genetics.

Indoximod in combination with the therapeutic cancer vaccine, PROVENGE

Results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-institutional Phase 2 investigator initiated study with indoximod in combination with the therapeutic cancer vaccine, PROVENGE (sipuleucel-T), for patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer will be presented as a poster (Abstract number 3066) by Gautam Gopalji Jha, M.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Minnesota, at ASCO in Chicago on Monday, June 5, 2017, 8:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. CT, titled, A phase 2 randomized, double-blind study of sipuleucel-T followed by IDO pathway inhibitor, indoximod or placebo in the treatment of patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

In the study, forty-six patients were randomized into two arms to receive either twice daily oral indoximod (n=22) or placebo (n=24) for 6 months beginning the day after the third and final PROVENGE infusion. Conclusions indicate that treatment with the IDO pathway inhibitor, indoximod, post PROVENGE therapy, leads to significant improvement in radiographic progression free survival (rPFS) when compared to placebo and is well-tolerated.

Key findings presented from the study include:

These data further support the hypothesis that targeting the IDO Pathway in combination with a broad backbone of treatment regimens including chemotherapy, anti-PD-1 antibodies and therapeutic vaccines across multiple indications has the potential to provide meaningful clinical benefit without compromising tolerability, commented Nicholas N. Vahanian, M.D., President and Chief Medical Officer of NewLink Genetics.

Navoximod in combination with TECENTRIQ (atezolizumab) in multiple solid tumors

Initial data from a Phase 1b dose-escalation study of navoximod in combination with TECENTRIQ for patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors conducted by our partner, Genentech/Roche, will be presented in an oral presentation (Abstract number 105) by Howard A. Skip Burris, III, M.D., President Clinical Operations and Chief Medical Officer, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, at ASCO in Chicago on Sunday, June 4, 2017, 10:24 a.m. CT. The presentation is titled, A phase 1b dose-escalation study of combined inhibition of IDO1 (GDC-0919) and PD-L1 (atezolizumab) in patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors.

This Phase 1b, open-label, dose-escalation study is designed to characterize safety and tolerability. Secondary objectives include identifying a maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended Phase 2 dose, and evaluating pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and anti-tumor activity. Patients were given TECENTRIQ (1200 mg IV every 3 weeks) and escalating doses of navoximod (orally twice daily, for 21 days) using a standard 3+3 design. Initial results from this study (n=52, non-selected heterogeneous population during the dose escalation) found the combination was generally well-tolerated, with peripheral IDO1 modulation, and some early activity signals. Patients were previously treated with prior systemic therapies with a median number of 3 and a range of 1-9. Two patients also received prior immunotherapy.

The design of the trial includes the initial dose-escalation phase reported in this abstract, followed by disease-specific expansion cohorts (enrollment target is 305 patients) for patients with select tumor types including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), renal cell cancer (RCC), urothelial bladder cancer (UBC), triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), to further evaluate safety, response, and peripheral and tumor pharmacodynamics. Updates for this study will continue to be reported by Genentech/Roche.

Dr. Vahanian continued, We are encouraged by the clinical profile for the combination of navoximod and atezolizumab from the first phase of this combination trial and look forward to the data for the disease-specific expansion cohorts which are currently accruing patients.

About NewLink Genetics Corporation

NewLink Geneticsis a biopharmaceutical company at the forefront of discovering, developing and commercializing novel immuno-oncology product candidates to improve the lives of patients with cancer.NewLink Genetics'product candidates are designed to harness multiple components of the immune system to combat cancer.For more information, please visit http://www.newlinkgenetics.com.

PROVENGE is a registered trademark of Dendreon/Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. TECENTRIQ is a registered trademark of Genentech, Inc.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements of NewLink Genetics that involve substantial risks and uncertainties.All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements, within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "target," "potential," "will," "could," "should," "seek" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words.These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements about results of its clinical trials for product candidates; its timing of release of data from ongoing clinical studies; its plans related to moving additional indications into clinical development; and any other statements other than statements of historical fact.Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements that NewLink Genetics makes due to a number of important factors, including those risks discussed in "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in NewLink Genetics Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year endedDecember 31, 2016and other reports filed with theU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC).The forward-looking statements in this press release represent NewLink Genetics views as of the date of this press release. NewLink Genetics anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its views to change.However, while it may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing NewLink Genetics' views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.

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Data from Clinical Studies of NewLink Genetics' Two Distinct IDO ... - GlobeNewswire (press release)