ALISO VIEJO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ambry Genetics Corporation (Ambry) is calling on psychiatrists, psychologists and behavioral specialists to encourage their patients with autism, along with their family members, to sign up for a new study conducted through Ambrys data sharing program, AmbryShare. With this program, Ambry is taking a step towards discovering possible associations between genes and autism, so clinicians can provide their patients with targeted treatments and therapies much earlier in life.

Whats unique about AmbryShares approach is that we collect genetic information from clinics and families from all over the world to answer questions that cant be answered with just a handful of patients, said Brigette Tippin Davis, PhD, Ambrys Director of Emerging Genetic Medicine. The great thing about Ambry partnerships is that we are building connections between research institutions and empowering them to develop new approaches to treating patients with autism based on genetic profiles.

So far, dozens of behavioral clinics and other medical offices have contributed to AmbryShare studies by encouraging participation from their patients. Ambry strives to enroll more than 10,000 patients from clinics nationally and internationally.

Genetic testing would allow us to personalize treatment from a genetic profile and optimize it together with our rich behavioral data, said Dennis Dixon, PhD, Chief Strategy Officer at Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD). I really value working with Ambry, knowing this data will have an impact on treatment for our patients and then will still be available for other researchers to access to answer additional research questions. As we each put more samples in, it increases the overall likelihood that were going to find something that really makes a difference.

One in 64 children in the United States is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which can impact social interaction, communication and behavior. Genetic testing can help identify an underlying cause in up to 40% of autism spectrum disorders. Some genetic causes include chromosome microdeletions/microduplications, fragile X syndrome, Angelman syndrome, and tuberous sclerosis. New gene discovery can allow clinicians to determine their patients course of treatment and the gene-disease relationship associated with their individual case of autism. Through the recruitment of a massive cohort, more data will be collected to discover more genes, develop medical management plans and enact preventive strategies.

The scientists need the data to be out there, said Charles Dunlop, Ambrys President and Chairman. We need to know what these diseases are actually doing, what causes them, what gene mutations are associated with them so we can move forward as an industry and move onto the next phase where there is no disease of any kind. A phase where pharmaceutical researchers know exactly what to do, or exactly what problems theyre trying to solve at a minutiae levelthats when the cures come.

In 2016, Mayo Clinic and University of Utah collaborated with Ambry on a new research study of more than 60,000 patients to help refine breast cancer risk estimates from predisposition genes that are either previously lacking data or have limited data. The study, Breast cancer risks associated with mutations in cancer predisposition genes identified by clinical genetic testing of 60,000 breast cancer patients represented the largest genetic study of women with hereditary breast cancer. The large amount of data was able to provide researchers with new information about genes that contributed to breast cancer risk. Ambry wants to provide researchers with the same capabilities for autism.

Since 2001, Ambry has been dedicated to scientific research to help empower the scientific community and refine clinician management guidelines so patients may receive tailored medical management. AmbryShares initial launch in 2016 provided scientific researchers and clinicians with the largest open, de-identified database of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer cohorts with the goal of achieving a greater understanding of human disease.

For more information and to enroll in the AmbryShare autism study, visit the AmbryShare portal here.

ABOUT AMBRY GENETICS

Ambry Genetics is both College of American Pathologists (CAP)-accredited and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified. Ambry leads in clinical genetic diagnostics and genetics software solutions, combining both to offer the most comprehensive testing menu in the industry. Ambry has established a reputation for sharing data while safeguarding patient privacy, unparalleled service, and responsibly applying new technologies to the clinical molecular diagnostics market. For more information about Ambry Genetics, visit http://www.ambrygen.com.

About the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD)

CARD treats individuals of all ages who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at treatment centers around the globe. CARD was founded in 1990 by leading autism expert and clinical psychologist Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD, BCBA-D. CARD treats individuals with ASD using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), which is empirically proven to be the most effective method for treating individuals with ASD and recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Surgeon General. CARD employs a dedicated team of over 3,000 individuals across the nation and internationally.

For more information, visit http://www.centerforautism.com or call (855) 345-2273.

Continued here:
Ambry Genetics Recruits Patient Cohorts to Discover New Links ... - Business Wire (press release)

Denise Ricco didn't know for sure what was hampering her son's development until his relatively mild form of autism spectrum disorder was diagnosed in the fourth grade.

She wondered, how much more effective would therapy have been if she had known the diagnosis when her son was an infant, or even before he was born?

"We could have found out if we needed to go in a different way, and sought additional support," she said.

Ricco, of Northbrook, said she wants to help give that kind of head start to the next generation of parents of children with autism.

Ricco, her husband and son all were tested as a part of what organizers are calling the largest study of its kind to find genetic markers of autism spectrum disorder. Organizers of that year-old study called SPARK (Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge) are asking for the families of 50,000 people with autism to be tested.

Not only is the study large but it's also inclusive, said Kathryn Heerwagen, a local organizer for the project.

"Other studies have depended solely on an intact biological family," she said. "Ours works with any family structure."

She said that families can easily have parents, and one sibling under the age of 18, tested, because the inside-the-cheek-swab can be done at home, and arranged entirely through the Internet, through http://www.SPARKforAutism.org/rush, and mailed back to researchers. The study promises to mail a $50 gift card to each family.

As of early in April National Autism Awareness Month "25,328, individuals with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) and their families are participating," said Heerwagen, of the Assessment, Research, Treatment and Services Center at Rush University Medical Center. Rush is handling the Chicago-area end of the three-year-long study.

Researchers also are offering professional testing of families next month, for those who prefer to go that route. Testing will take place May 6 at Have Dreams, 2020 Dempster St., Evanston, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the AHSS Autism Center, 85 Revere Drive, Suite B, Northbrook, 2 to 5 p.m. Another collection opportunity will take place about a month later, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 17, at the Autism Family Center, 670 W. Hubbard St.

"There are a lot of families who would rather come in, get additional assistance, and have us walk them through it," Heerwagen said.

She said that it's still far from clear how much of autism is genetic, and how much is caused by other factors.

"There are traits that are handed down through lineage, and de novo (new) traits that happen in that child," Heerwagen said.

She said that research has already shown that autism sometimes runs in families. With this study, scientists hope to find out more about how that happens.

When, for instance, a chromosomal abnormality is found in a person with autism, "we want to pull all the individuals with that certain deletion, and then we can re-contact those individuals, and study the efficacy of treatments of people with that deletion marker," Heerwagen said.

Other, more personal stories may be told with the research, she said. Those include finding which families might have a genetic marker for autism. Then, a person who has been tested might get a call asking how much they would like to know about their genetic predisposition for the disorder.

All of the data will be made available, with security controls, to unaffiliated research groups, she said.

She said the data also may reveal possible indicators of autism spectrum disorders in children even before they are born, but that isn't the focus of the research.

"Prevention is not the aim of this study," she said. "It's better understanding."

ileavitt@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @IrvLeavitt

More:
Study to explore connection between autism and genetics - Chicago Tribune

An animatronic baby at the London Science Museum. Photo: Getty

Its a nightmare scenario straight out of a primetime drama: a child-seeking couple visits a fertility clinic to try their luck within-vitro fertilization, only to wind up accidentally impregnated by the wrong sperm.

In a fascinating legal case out of Singapore, the countrys Supreme Court ruled that this situation doesnt just constitute medical malpractice. The fertility clinic, the court recently ruled, must pay the parents 30% of upkeep costs for the child for a loss of genetic affinity. In other words, the clinic must pay the parents child support not only because they made a terrible medical mistake, but because the child didnt wind up with the right genes.

At a time when rapidly advancing science and technology puts things like genetically engineering embryos to prevent disease in the realm of reality, the case sets an intriguing precedent. First, it places a monetary value on the amount of DNA that a child shares with their parents. And it suggests that the base genetic makeup of a child can actually be wrong.

Its suggesting that the child itself has something wrong with it, genetically, and that it has monetary value attached to it, Todd Kuiken, a senior research scholar with the Genetic Engineering and Society Center at North Carolina State University, told Gizmodo. They attached damages to the genetic makeup of the child, rather than the mistake. Thats the part that makes it uncomfortable. This can take you in all sort of fucked up directions.

In the court case in question, the couple underwent a successful IVF procedure at Thomson Medical Centre in Singapore and gave birth to a healthy baby girl in 2010. Soon, though, the couple suspected something was amiss. Their daughters features seemed markedly different from their own, and different from those of their first child. A genetic test soon confirmed that their daughter was related to her mother, but not her father. The center then confirmed a mistake: An anonymous donors sperm had accidentally been used to inseminate the mothers egg. The couple were of Chinese and German heritage. But the genetic father of their daughter was Indian.

The couple sued the medical center, seeking damages including child care costs through the age of 21. The court ultimately granted those damages, setting a new legal standard. Whether were related to our kids, the court found, is highly valued in societyit is, after all, the reason so many people spend so much time and money on IVF procedures in the first place.

Interestingly, the court settled on establishing a new category of lossgenetic affinityin order to avoid sending the message that the childs birth itself was a mistake, a basis upon which courts often deny wrongful birth claims. These cases often arise when, say, one parent has been sterilized but a couple gets pregnant anyway. In a wrongful fertilization case in New York, the state supreme court found that it cannot be said, as a matter of public policy, that the birth of a healthy child constitutes a harm cognizable at law.

In the Singaporean case, however, the court disagreed. Parents, they found, have a legal right to share traits like eye color and skin color with their children. The court made that determination relying on an obscure 1999 law review article that argues parents have an interest in having children with whom they share symbolically identifying traits. This on its own raises all kinds of questions.

Does this mean that adopted children are more or less valuable? said Kuiken. Or you can imagine a divorce scenario in which child support is determined by what percentage of genes a parent shares with the child. Or blame is placed on one parent for a child inheriting a particular disease.

According to Eleonore Pauwels, a science policy expert at the Wilson Center, the ruling defines kinship as something thats only skin deep. Defining someone by their genotype is the most reductionist way you can look at an identity, said Pauwels told Gizmodo. Genetic affinity is such a superficial concept. It questions the very basis of what makes someone a parent.

But the problems this ruling raises extend beyond genetic affinity. In creating this new category of loss, the court sought to avoid suggesting there was something inherently wrong with the childs birth, but the ruling suggests specific genetic traits are more valuable than others all the same.

Pauwels said that for her this brings to mind one particular quote in the 1997 sci-fi film Gattaca: They used to say that a child conceived in love has a greater chance of happiness. They dont say that anymore.

This sets the stage for much more personalized, genome-level discrimination, she said.

What if, for example, a mother found out she had a devastating mitochondrial disease a underwent the controversial three-parent baby technique to avoid passing that DNA on to her child, and it failed? Could she sue for the childs DNAits existencebeing incorrect? Further down the line, should science and the law ever allow parents to select specific genetic traits, could you sue if your kid had the wrong eye color, or a lower-than-expected IQ? If you engineered a child, and it wound up having more genetic affinity with one parent than the other, does that constitute some kind of loss?

This opens up a dangerous box that when we start talking about editing the human genome, Kuiken said. A ruling like this places value on the specific genetic makeup of a child.

Obviously, the parents in the Singaporean case were at the wrong end of a devastating medical mistake. But in ruling that the genes their child wound up with warrant financial reward in a court of law, the court is placing a value on her genes, whether intended or not. And that is the top of one very slippery slope.

View original post here:
Do Parents Have a Right to Sue Over Their Kids' Genetics? - Gizmodo

Get the Pulse of the Market with StreetInsider.com's Pulse Picks. Get your Free Trial here.

Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN), a leader in molecular diagnostics and personalized medicine, today announced that new data comparing BRCA1 and BRCA2 variant classifications between Myriad Genetics and a commonly used public genetic database was published in the journal The Oncologist.1 A key finding was that the public database provided discrepant variant classifications more than 26 percent of the time, which can introduce uncertainty and diminish patient care.

The study, done in collaboration with William Gradishar, M.D., from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, evaluated 4,250 BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants. Overall, 73.2 percent of variant classifications analyzed were fully concordant, while 26.7 percent were not. Most of the discordant classifications had definitive classifications of pathogenic or benign from Myriad, compared to variant of uncertain significance (VUS) classifications in the public database.

The high degree of discordance seen in this study signals a cautionary note. As a repository of actual patient results, it means that different labs are providing different results to patients for the same genetic mutation. By definition, this means that some patients are receiving incorrect results that may have life-changing or -threatening implications, said Dr. Gradishar. The discordance observed within these databases between labs also highlights why public databases do not accommodate the consistent standard of variant classification needed for clinical use. Although efforts are underway to resolve the quality problems within public databases, it is unlikely the issue will be resolved soon and users of public databases likely will continue to encounter discrepancies. At this time, labs should not use public databases in any way in clinical variant classification.

These findings are consistent with previously published studies. A study by Vail et al. compared the interpretation of more than 2,000 BRCA1/2 variants among five public databases and found substantial disparity of variant classifications among and within publicly accessible variant databases.2 For VUSs in particular, there is no agreement once the variant is observed in a least four of the five databases in this study. Another study by Balmana et al. assessed conflicting interpretations of genetic variants in the Prospective Registry of Multiplex Testing (PROMPT) and found significant conflicting interpretations of genetic variants in that database.3 Specifically, among variants entered into the PROMPT registry database with classifications from multiple labs, 26 percent had discrepant classifications; 36 percent of which would affect patient management.

There are important clinical implications concerning the high VUS and discordance rates observed in public databases, said Johnathan Lancaster, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer, Myriad Genetic Laboratories. Dr. Gradishars findings reinforce the need for clinical laboratories to invest in meticulous research so that patients can receive the appropriate medical interventions. Over the past 25 years, Myriad has made substantial investments and published more than 8,000 definitively classified variants in peer reviewed publications as well as the details of our variant classification programs to advance the science of variant classification.

A recent study published by Kurian et al. showed that many surgeons manage patients with BRCA1/2 VUS the same as patients with BRCA1/2 pathogenic mutations and that half of average-risk patients with VUS undergo bilateral mastectomy.4 The analysis by Gradishar et al. found that in cases where other commercial laboratories had a VUS classification in the database, 40 to 60 percent of these variants have a definitive classification (pathogenic or benign) by Myriad, which may have helped to avoid many unnecessary surgeries.

Myriads ability to more definitively classify genetic variants stems from its proprietary myVision Variant Classification Program and more than 25-years of experience.

Variant classification is a complicated endeavour and multiple studies have shown that it matters when patients are tested by laboratories that have not invested in the necessary research but are dependent in part on public databases, said Dr. Lancaster. Myriad is the unquestioned leader in genetic testing for hereditary cancers. Over the last 25-years, Myriad has delivered millions of test results, which means the myVision program is based on the largest and most robust database in the industry to identify, classify, and assign clinical significance to genetic variants.

Key features of the myVision variant classification program include:

Follow Myriad Genetics on Twitter via @MyriadGenetics to stay informed about news and updates about the Company.

Go here to read the rest:
Myriad Genetics (MYGN) Says Study Finds Wide Gap in Quality of BRCA1/2 Variant Classification - StreetInsider.com

This is a story of nature and nurture.

Scientists at the University of WisconsinMadisons Waisman Center have shown one way in which human genetics and chronic stress interact to shape health and well-being later in life.

According to the study, published recently April 13 in the American Journal of Medical Genetics: Neuropsychiatric Genetics, individuals who both have specific variations of a particular gene called fragile X mental retardation 1, or FMR1, and experience higher levels of stress throughout their adulthood face poorer health and more physical and cognitive challenges when older.

In this era of precision medicine, its vital that we understand why some people may have more health symptoms or functional limitations later in life than others, says Marsha Mailick, UWMadison vice chancellor for research and graduate education, Waisman Center investigator and lead author of the study.

Marsha Mailick

The FMR1 gene contains varying numbers of a DNA pattern called a CGG triplet repeat. The letters refer to nucleotides, which form the building blocks of DNA. In humans, the most common number of CGG repeats in this gene is 30. Repeat numbers higher than 200 lead to fragile X syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes intellectual disability and behavioral, physical and learning challenges.

The researchers looked at CGG repeat numbers in more than 5,500 people drawn from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, a long-term study funded by the National Institutes of Health. They represented a random sample of men and women who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957. All of them were parents and they averaged 71 years of age.

A subset of these parents had adult children with developmental or mental health disabilities; the rest had adult children who did not have chronic disabilities.

While all parenting is both stressful and joyful, parents of children with disabilities face some unique challenges throughout the lifespan, says Mailick. Over time the stress of parenting a child with disabilities can add up.

Mailick and her colleagues categorized parents of children with disabilities as a high-stress group and explored whether they faced more health challenges compared to a lower-stress group parents of children without disabilities.

The results were complex. Many of the parents in the high-stress group did show poorer health and well-being compared to the lower-stress group, but others did not. Whether the parents faced more physical and cognitive challenges when older was dependent on their numbers of FMR1 CGG repeats.

Parents in the high-stress group who also had either significantly more than or significantly fewer than 30 CGG repeats in their FMR1 gene were less healthy and faced more limitations in old age compared to parents of children without disabilities.

But for people with about 30 CGG repeats, their level of stress doesnt differentiate their health and wellbeing, says Mailick.

The researchers also found that in the lower-stress group, individuals with significantly more than or fewer than 30 CGG repeats actually had better health and fewer limitations than those with the normal number of CGG repeats.

This shows that its not only about genetics and not only about the environment, but how the two interact and together affect human health, says Mailick.

Researchers call this the flip-flop effect or differential susceptibility, where people with the same genetic background can have very different life outcomes depending on their environments.

Some people thrive in any environment, but others, with different genetic profiles, may find their health and well-being more susceptible to their circumstances and surroundings, says Mailick.

The study is also an example of how research that started by focusing on a rare genetic condition fragile X syndrome can lead to insights about variation in the general population, Mailick adds.

She would like to expand the study to a larger and more diverse population, and use new techniques and tools in population genetics and precision medicine to help. Our goal is to find out what we can do today to make tomorrow better, she says.

Other authors of the study include Paul Rathouz, chair of biostatistics and medical informatics at UWMadison, Jan Greenberg, associate vice chancellor for research and graduate education, Mei Baker at the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene, and Jinkuk Hong and Leann Smith DaWalt. All co-authors are affiliated with the UWMadison Waisman Center.

Excerpt from:
Genetics and stress interact to shape human health and well-being - University of Wisconsin-Madison

April 14, 2017 In a recent study, Dr. Jacob McGee, a professor in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and a gynecology oncologist at London Health Sciences Centre, found that, on average, less than seven per cent of Ontario women with the most common type of ovarian cancer were seen for genetics consultation within two years of diagnosis. McGee and his colleagues were able to demonstrate that, by changing the way women are referred for ovarian cancer genetic consultation, it is possible to increase genetic testing rates from less than 20 per cent to almost 80 per cent, potentially increasing diagnostic and treatment outcomes. Credit: Crystal Mackay//Special to Western News

Nearly 3,000 Canadian women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year. Often undetected, until it progresses to late stages, the disease is the fifth most common and the most serious cancer in women.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer generally appear after it has already spread within the pelvis and abdomen and, once it has spread, the cancer is difficult to treat. In these later stages, it is often fatal. Early-stage ovarian cancer, in which the disease is confined to the ovary, is more likely to respond to treatment an indication early detection and intervention could be key in increasing treatment and survival rates.

Genetic consultation in ovarian cancer testing which has shown promising potential for life-saving benefits isn't as common as it should be, according to Western researchers.

In a recent study, published in the March issue of the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, Dr. Jacob McGee, a professor in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and a gynecology oncologist at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), found that, on average, less than seven per cent of Ontario women with the most common type of ovarian cancer were seen for genetics consultation within two years of diagnosis.

Women at the highest risk of developing high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) are those with a mutation in their BRCA (tumour suppression) genes, which can be identified through genetics consultation.

Given the results of the study, McGee and his colleagues were able to demonstrate that by changing the way women are referred for ovarian cancer genetic consultation, it is possible to increase genetic testing rates from less than 20 per cent to almost 80 per cent, potentially increasing diagnostic and treatment outcomes.

The identification of the BRCA mutation can mean the difference between life and death for family members of the affected individual. For women with the BRCA mutation, there is a 50 per cent chance they will pass that mutation on to their children and grandchildren. If the hereditary gene can be found in the affected individual, and then identified in their family members, it can be followed by life-saving interventions including surgically removing the ovaries and fallopian tubes, before there is a diagnosis of cancer. This preventative procedure has been shown to drastically reduce mortality rates, McGee explained.

Identification of the gene also allows for consideration of treatment with a PARP (poly-ADP-ribose polymerase) inhibitor, a new class of medication found to be beneficial only for women with this mutation.

McGee and his research team cite an intervention at LHSC's London Regional Cancer Centre (LRCP), which has increased the rate of consultation in London to well above the provincial average.

In London, the genetics referral process for patients with HGSC was altered from an 'opt-in' to an 'opt-out' process. This involves automatically forwarding the list of new HGSC ovarian cancer patients to the cancer genetics clinic through an advance directive. Seeing a genetic counsellor or geneticist becomes the default, with patients stepping outside of the referral process only if their physician cancels the consultation with genetics. In the first year of implementation, 77 per cent of patients at LRCP diagnosed with HGSC completed genetics consultation, well above the provincial average identified in McGee's study.

"This process has been surprisingly easy to implement, and we think it could be a good fit for other centres across the province," said McGee, a Lawson Health Research Institute scientist.

Despite the province's expanding genetic counselling eligibility in 2001 to all women with HGSC ovarian cancer, consultation rates in Ontario remained low during the study period, between 1997 and 2011. The rates did rise, peaking at 13.3 per cent in 2011, however, the numbers remained well below where McGee believes they should be.

"These numbers show no matter what centre you are in, there have to be better interventions to help patients see a genetic counsellor," he said. "This is something absolutely worth doing because of the impact it has for both the patient's current treatment and in preventing ovarian cancer cases down the road."

Explore further: Drug combination boost PARP inhibitor response in resistant ovarian cancer

More information: Genetics Consultation Rates Following a Diagnosis of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma in the Canadian Province of Ontario. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. DOI: 10.1097/IGC.0000000000000907

About one-third of patients with ovarian cancer who wouldn't be expected to respond to a PARP inhibitor had partial shrinkage of their tumor when a kinase inhibitor was added to treatment, report scientists from Dana-Farber ...

Discovery of the BRCA genetic mutation in the mid-90s represented a breakthrough in breast and ovarian cancer prevention. About 5-10% of breast cancer cases and 10-18% of ovarian cancer cases can be attributed to two BRCA ...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 20,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year. September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month and physicians want to raise awareness ...

The genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 play a significant role in hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. Recent media attention has focused on American actress Angelina Jolie's decision to have her ovaries and fallopian tubes surgically ...

(HealthDay)A major shift is needed in the prevention and treatment of ovarian cancer, according to a doctor who specializes in the disease.

A new streamlined approach to genetic testing for women with ovarian cancer provides testing rapidly and affordably, allowing many more patients to benefit from personalised cancer management and their relatives to benefit ...

In a newly published study, researchers at Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center find that unique immune cells, called resident memory T cells, do an outstanding job of preventing melanoma. The work began with the question ...

A new study co-authored by a researcher starting her laboratory at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center shows that in certain genetic situations, one non-small cell lung cancer subtype can change into another subtype.

A phase one study of 11 patients with glioblastoma who received injections of an investigational vaccine therapy and an approved chemotherapy showed the combination to be well tolerated while also resulting in unexpectedly ...

A new study has identified novel mechanisms whereby T cells may be able to distinguish an emerging class of targets specifically increased on cancer cells.

EPFL scientists have improved the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy by blocking two proteins that regulate the growth of tumor blood vessels.

Targeting a molecule called B7-H4which blocks T-cells from destroying tumor cellscould lead to the development of new therapies that boost the immune system's ability to fight cancer, according to a review published ...

Please sign in to add a comment. Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. Read more

See the article here:
Genetic testing rates for ovarian cancer low across Ontario - Medical Xpress

AMES, Iowa, April 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NewLink Genetics Corporation (NLNK), today announced that it will release its first quarter 2017 financial results on Thursday, May 4, 2017. The company has scheduled a conference call for 8:30 AM ET the same day to discuss the results and to give an update on its clinical and development activities.

NewLink Genetics' senior management team will host the conference call, which will be open to all listeners. There will also be a question and answer session following the prepared remarks.

Access to the live conference call is available by dialing (855) 469-0612 (U.S.) or (484) 756-4268 (international) five minutes prior to the start of the call. The conference call will be webcast live and a link can be accessed through theNewLink Geneticswebsite at http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/qa52gxjk. A replay of the call will be available for two weeks from the date of the call and can be accessed by dialing (855) 859-2056 (U.S.) or (404) 537-3406 (international) and using the passcode 7503837.

About NewLink Genetics Corporation

NewLink Genetics is 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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements ofNewLink Geneticsthat involve substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, 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 any 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 thatNewLink Geneticsmakes 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 Geneticsanticipates 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.

Read the original:
NewLink Genetics to Host Its First Quarter 2017 Financial Results Conference Call on May 4, 2017 - Yahoo Finance

PAT DEAVOLL

Last updated10:26, April 13 2017

CASEY TRELOAR

Two-month old holstein calf Gigi sold for a quarter of a million dollars in Australia in January. She may be cute, but she is worth every cent.

Importer of US dairy genetics, Christchurch based World Wide Sires New Zealand (WWSNZ) has seen a 42 per cent increase in straw sales over the last year.

General manager Hank Lina said New Zealand farmers were increasingly interested in different genetic options to produce more profitable dairy cows and heifers.

"Farmers are starting to shop around as they are realising that semen is a huge investment, not a commodity," he said.

Ben Curran

Hank Lina: Breeding worth tends to be the currency for dairy breeding in this country but it's not the only way to judge great genetics

This was strikingly demonstrated in January when a two-month-old holstein heifer, Lightning Ridge-CMD Jedi Gigi-Imp-Et (or Gigi for short) was sold for NZ$263,850 at the WWS evolution sale in Victoria, Australia, smashing the previous Australasian record.

READ MORES:Best price heifer! Gigi the A$251,000 calf off to America after breaking record

*Kiwi company launches new heat tolerant dairy genetics

Hank Lina: The measure that speaks most loudly to farmers is what they see in the paddock, in the vat and in their bank balance.

*Biochemist explores dairy's genetic brew

Gigi ranked fourth in the world genetic total performance index out of more than a million calves. Her sister Yahoo, which ranked second in Australia in the genetic total performance index, sold for A$37,000 to an Australian breeder.

Gigi's owner, Declan Patten, of Lightning Ridge Holsteins, said the aim was to breed cows that were more efficient by producing more milk while being fed the same amount as ordinary cows.

FIONA HANKS

Owner Declan Patten (front left) with his prized calf Gigi after the record sale.

"We're trying to make a more profitable cow, " he said. "It's also better for the environment."

Lina said WWS was formed in the US 45 years ago and was now one of the largest distributors of dairy genetics around the world. It was owned by two of the largest farmer-owned AI cooperatives in the world Select Sires and Accelerated Genetics - with 51,000 farmer members and sales exceeding 19 million straws.

Lina has worked with Maffra Herd Improvement and NZ Genetics in Australia, has been an AI consultant in Ireland and acting general manager of a large dairy operation in Missouri, US, before returning to New Zealand as a CRV Ambreed regional sales and service manager. He was appointed World Wide Sires' NZ general manager late in 2015.

"WWSNZ has been in New Zealand for at least 30 years so we're part of the industry. I believe now, with the volatility we're seeing in the dairy payout, that the company's genetics have more relevance for Kiwi farmers than ever," he said

"I believe the big player in the genetics market has hedged itself into a one-size-fits-everything position in breeding worth, limiting the amount of choice for New Zealand farmers.

"We're saying there is another way which will help you reduce head count and improve production.

"Breeding worth tends to be the currency for dairy breeding in this country but it's not the only way to judge great genetics.

"Many farmers with moderate-to-high BW herds are saying they're not seeing this translated into milksolids, fertility, longevity or strong, functional conformation. They quite rightly ask why herds producing well over the national average of 370kgMS have low to very low BW.

"Most of our customers produce well over the national average and they focus on what works best for them which, nine times out of 10, is very good type (capacity, legs, feet, udders and moderate stature) transmittable components and fertility.

"BW is a measure of profitability but it's not the only measure. The measure that speaks most loudly to farmers is what they see in the paddock, in the vat and in their bank balance," Lina said.

The company's WWS mating service is a scientific programme which utilises advanced computer technology to improve each cow and take the guess work out of mating.

"The programme is the world's largest and most successful mating programme. We minimise inbreeding, boost fertility, have moderate size cows, and keep things simple," he said.

WWSNZ breeding consultant for North Canterbury Hannah Wentworth said the company imported semen from America to sell to dairy farmers in New Zealand. The majority of the bulls were kept in the US, she said, but the Tahora Holstein Friesian Stud at Tai Tapu, North Canterbury, provided semen to the company.

Wentworth said her job was to help farmers with their genetics.

"I consult with farmers on their breeding programmes and put together breeding guides. I help them to know what bull to use on what particular cow," she said.

"We are a global company. We market in 90 different countries. Last year WWS sold 19.3 million doses in 93 countries."

-Stuff

Link:
Dairy genetics importer sees 42 per cent increase in sales - Stuff.co.nz

SDSU College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences

BROOKINGS Using genetic technology to improve cattle herds with an improved payday captivates cattle producers. Those willing to learn will have a unique opportunity to acquire the latest in this specialized technology via a program offered in Rapid City by the King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management in May.

Sessions on Application of Advanced Genetic Technology in Beef Cattle will be offered May 11-12 at the Rushmore Inn and Suites in Rapid City. The South Dakota State University West River Ag Center is co-hosting the lectureships.

This is exactly the information that many producers are looking for, Kristi Cammack, director of the West River Ag Center in Rapid City said. We hear many of our producers are beginning or wanting to use genetic technology to improve their herds. Some question if they are using it correctly; some feel it is information overload.

As the technology develops, those in the industry have gone from reluctance to acceptance. Many have observed others who are using it and are eager to implement the practices. Keeping up with genetic selection and evaluation innovations can be challenging. Cammack sees two groups of cattle people who will learn from the sessions. There are the early adopters who have been trying the technology and the second group are those who are interested but dont know where to start.

The sessions are meant to strengthen the understanding of the genetic principles and help attendees build on the information. Faculty contracted by the King Institute will share how to apply advanced genetic technologies in the real world of seedstock and commercial cattle production.

Instructors will be Bob Weaber, Ph.D., Extension specialist animal sciences and industry from Kansas State University and Matt Spangler, Ph.D., beef genetics Extension specialist in the Animal Science Department, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Along with the basics, they will look at the application of advanced genetic tools including genomically enhanced expected progeny differences and marker assisted management in genetic advancement.

Cammack expects that the sessions will appeal to both commercial and seed stock producers from across the state, region, and throughout the country. Many in the cattle industry know and respect the King Ranch and the expertise provided by SDSU and its staff.

Information will focus on developing breeding objectives for the herd and determining the economics relative for each operation as that may vary within a region. Owners want to know what will work for them at their location, taking into consideration different feedstuffs and different markets.

The tools have advanced so they are producer friendly. Cammack said the speakers will share knowledge that producers can apply and use in their operation, including an applied understanding of how to use genomic selection tools. Cattle producers will get a lot out of the 1 -day program. Learning will come from Interactive Sire Selection Scenarios where attendees will break out into groups and practice how to pick sires.

We hope the result is that cattle producers will learn to use advanced genetics. Applying these tools, in the correct way, will pay off with improved genetics. Producers will find it advancing herd genetics really pays it forward, Cammack said.

Contact Cammack at 605-394-2236, or email [emailprotected] To see the agenda and make a reservation, go to: http://bit.ly/2peuHmS.

Reservations for rooms: Rushmore Inn and Suites, 605-646-4690 (Group Rate: $79/night for reservations made by April 18; Event name: Beef Cattle).

View post:
Producers invited to advanced genetic training offered by King Ranch Institute at Rapid City - Farm Forum

Genetic information from Kennewick Man shows the Bering Land Bridge may not have been the only route humans used to migrate to North America more than 10,000 years ago.

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences uses genetic data from four skeletons found along the coast of Northern British Columbia and Southeast Alaska. Scientists compared that information to Washingtons Kennewick Man and Montanas Anzick child.

Kennewick Mans only certain relatives come from Washington state and include members of todays Colville Indian Tribe as well as people who lived in Interior British Columbia, but not people who migrated across the Bering Land Bridge.

The Montana remains are linked to indigenous groups from Central and South America, thats one possible migration route, according to Professor Ripan Malhi of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Or it could be that there was another movement from northeast Asia later on in time, Malhi said.

Scientists studied the nuclear genome from the ancient skeletons that range in age from 1,500 to 10,000 years old.

The nuclear genome is the vast majority of the DNA that you have in a cell and it provides you information about all of your ancestors, Malhi said.

Other studies previously made use of mitochondrial DNA, but that only shines light on an individuals maternal ancestry. Malhi said this new study provides a more complete picture of ancestry for native people along the Northwest coast of Alaska to Prince Rupert, British Columbia.

Original post:
Kennewick Man's Genetics Suggest More Than One Route To North ... - KUOW News and Information