http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Giant axonal neuropathy (GAN) is a rare genetic disorder that causes central and peripheral nervous system dysfunction. GAN is known to be caused by mutations in the gigaxonin gene and is characterized by tangling and aggregation of neural projections, but the mechanistic link between the genetic mutation and the effects on neurons is unclear. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-untangle-molecular-pathology-giant-axonal.html Neuroscience Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:00:08 EST news285240172 (Medical Xpress)—On April 15, the Supreme Court will hear oral argument in Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics, a case that could answer the question, "Under what conditions, if any, are isolated human genes patentable?" Kevin Emerson Collins, JD, patent law expert and professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, believes that layered uncertainties make this case an unusually difficult case in which to predict the outcome. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-human-genes-patentable.html Genetics Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:44:31 EST news284921064 The emergence of molecular diagnostic testing in lung cancer offers new hope for patients battling the number one cancer killer in the United States and abroad. Now, for the first time after a decade of biomarker testing in lung cancer, a uniform approach for testing for the EGFR mutation and ALK rearrangement along with the availability of targeted therapies offer lung cancer patients the chance for improved quality of life and more time with their loved ones. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-advances-molecular-lung-cancer-patients.html Cancer Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:49:40 EST news284226573 (Medical Xpress)—Cell biologists studying Parkinson's disease are training their sights on mitochondria, the energy source of the cell, whose activity in neurons appears to go awry in this devastating neurodegenerative illness. A neuron needs its mitochondria to be healthy and mobile, particularly during their continual cycles of fission and fusion in which damaged bits are removed and healthy mitochondria are renewed. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-gene-mutated-parkinson-disease-function.html Medical research Fri, 22 Mar 2013 10:00:05 EST news283163411 Researchers have identified a pivotal protein in a cellular transformation that makes a cancer cell more resistant to treatment and more capable of growing and spreading, making it an inviting new target for drug development. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-protein-central-cancer-stem-cell.html Cancer Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:30:01 EST news279987024 (Medical Xpress)—Neurobiologists at the Research institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna have discovered one of the key genes required to make a brain. Mutations in this gene, called TUBB5, cause neurodevelopmental disease in children. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-key-gene-brain.html Genetics Fri, 14 Dec 2012 07:17:37 EST news274691841 Neurobiologists at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna investigated how the brain is able to group external stimuli into stable categories. They found the answer in the discrete dynamics of neuronal circuits. The journal Neuron publishes the results in its current issue. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-brain-categories.html Neuroscience Sat, 20 Oct 2012 06:38:33 EST news269933819 Bethesda, MD, October 18, 2012 The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) published the report of the Whole Genome Analysis (WGA) Working Group of the AMP Clinical Practice Committee in the November 2012 issue of The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics (JMD). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-10-amp-possibilities-applications-next-generation-sequencing.html Genetics Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:53:30 EST news269794400 A protein abundantly found in treatment-resistant cancers holds an important tumor-suppressor out of the cell nucleus, where it would normally detect DNA damage and force defective cells to kill themselves, a team of scientists reports in the current Cancer Cell. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-aurora-a-hinders-tumor-suppressor-chemotherapy-resistance.html Cancer Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:25:36 EST news249578450 Today, the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) asked the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to place a moratorium on the issuing of patents on human genes during testimony presented at an Agency hearing on genetic diagnostic testing. AMP is the lead plaintiff of 20 plaintiffs in an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sponsored lawsuit challenging the validity of patents on two hereditary breast and ovarian cancer genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2. AMP joined the litigation because of its members' first hand view of the harmful effects of gene patents on patients with genetic diseases and their at-risk family members. "Every day, AMP members witness the ability of genetic testing to better patients' lives and improve their health. Unfortunately, they also experience firsthand the challenges imposed by gene patents that interfere with the practice of medicine and limit their treatment decisions," said Mary Williams, Executive Director of AMP. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-amp-testimony-patent-trademark-office.html Genetics Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:28:07 EST news248621216 The American Civil Liberties Union and the Public Patent Foundation have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Association for Molecular Pathology v. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a case that challenges the validity of patents on two human genes associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-supreme-court-petitioned-amp-al.html Other Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:21:06 EST news243177656 The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) opposed the National Institutes of Health (NIH) proposal to exclusively license the subject matter of a cancer-related proteonomics patent application filed by the Agency. AMP's written remarks were submitted to NIH in response to a request for comments in the Federal Register Notice entitled, "Prospective Grant of Exclusive License: The Development of a Companion Diagnostic Kit for Predicting Therapeutic Efficacy of Anti-Cancer Agents." The proposed license grants exclusive worldwide rights to use the relationships between levels of three proteins, PTEN, Akt, and mTOR and cancers of the breast, lung, and kidney. Under the terms of the prospective agreement, the licensor could provide laboratory test services and/or sell test kits. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-amp-opposes-exclusive-nih-proteomics.html Other Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:58:29 EST news241185497 The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) submitted comments to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in which the Association voiced concerns about the proposed Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) as currently designed, and requested that NIH take clarity and cost into consideration when designing a test registry. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-nih-genetic-registry-lacks-clarity.html Genetics Fri, 28 Oct 2011 10:16:08 EST news239015756 Yesterday, the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) submitted comments on the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) called, Human Subjects Research Protections: Enhancing Protections for Research Subjects and Reducing Burden, Delay, and Ambiguity for Investigators. AMP commends the agency for its efforts to streamline the regulations to facilitate participation in research while maintaining the high level of protections research subjects deserve and expect. The Association also supports the creation of an excused category of studies and modifies the rule to allow a multi-site study to rely on a single institutional review board (IRB). However, AMP believes that this should not be mandatory and asks that the final rule deem this change to be optional. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-association-molecular-pathology-comments-common.html Other Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:03:30 EST news238845803 The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) submitted comments to the US Food and Drug Administration on the draft guidance document titled, "Commercially Distributed In Vitro Diagnostic Products Labeled for Research Use Only or Investigational Use Only: Frequently Asked Questions." AMP is very concerned that this guidance could compromise the quality of patient care by severely reducing the availability of certain reagents and laboratory developed testing services that have become the standard of care for many diseases or conditions. Specifically, if enforced in its broadest sense without sufficient accommodations for low test volume or sufficient time for manufacturers to achieve submission compliance, the draft guidance document could result in reduced availability of testing services would limit a healthcare provider's ability to manage patient care, and ultimately limit patient access to new or improved molecular tests. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-08-fda-guidance-document-limit-patient.html Medications Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:40:52 EST news233923187 Today, the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) released its new position statement on the appropriate manner to reference diagnostic tests in drug labels. The association also met with officials from the United States Food and Drug Administration that participate in the effort to draft guidance documents for co-developed products and companion diagnostics to inform them of its new position statement. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-05-amp-statement-diagnostics-drug.html Medications Mon, 16 May 2011 11:10:01 EST news224761676