Genomics & Health Weekly Update

This weekly update provides information about the impact of human genomic research on disease prevention & population health. Learn more about the Genomics & Health Weekly Update.

Thursday, June 11, 2009       Volume 22   Number 23

 

Spotlight

CDC Publishes Recommendations on Good Lab Practices for Genetic Testing
The new recommendations, developed by the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Advisory Committee, focus on good lab practices in molecular genetic testing for heritable diseases and conditions, and aim to improve the quality of test performance and use of molecular genetic lab services. Read the recommendations in the latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Also available in PDF  (PDF 593 KB).For questions and comments, contact cdcinfo@cdc.gov.

 

Announcements

• CDC, NCI, and other stakeholders have launched the Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Network (GAPPNet) to help accelerate and streamline effective and responsible use of validated and useful genomic knowledge and applications into clinical and public health practice. Visit the GAPPNet Web page. Access a new scientific article about GAPPNet  (PDF 311 KB).
• New article, Genome-Wide Association Studies, Field Synopses, and the Development of the Knowledge Base on Genetic Variation and Human Diseases  (PDF 480 KB), published in the June 4, 2009 issue of American Journal of Epidemiology. Authors: Khoury MJ, Bertram L, Boffetta P, Butterworth AS, Chanock SJ, Dolan SM, et al.
• CDC's Office of Public Health Genomics is recruiting health care providers (genetic counselors, general practitioners, oncologists, nurse practitioners, or physicians’ assistants) to participate in a health message survey for educational materials on the new EGAPP recommendation for Lynch Syndrome genetic testing. For more information, contact Sara Bedrosian (eri7@cdc.gov) by June 19, 2009.

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Genomics In The News

The following are headlines from on-line news articles published during the past week. The headlines and lead sentence are exactly as they appear in the popular press & do not necessarily reflect the opinions or recommendations of CDC. Free registration required for some articles.

Cancer

Cancer Registries hold annual cancer surveillance meeting, AScibe, June 10

Researchers find how a common genetic mutation makes cancer radiation resistant, Medical News Today, June 10

Found: 1 in 3 billion, EurekAlert, June 10

Single 'spelling mistake' in genetic code can lead to rare and untreatable form of ovarian cancer, Science Daily, June 10

Gene activity reveals dynamic stroma microenvironment in prostate cancer, EurekAlert, June 9

Genetic variant associated with resistance to chemotherapy drug in women with breast cancer, NIH News, June 9

Hawai'i Tumor Registry to launch "Sharing Ohana" study..., Medical News Today, June 8

Link unraveled between chromosomal instability and centrosome defects in cancer cells, Medical News Today, June 8

There might be a better way to screen for prostate cancer, Los Angeles Times, June 8

Genetic variants in FGFR2 and FGFR4 genes and skin cancer risk in the Nurses'Health study, 7th Space Interactive, June 6

Genetic abnormalities test detects intestinal cancers, Modern Medicine, June 5

Cardiovascular Disease

High levels of type of cholesterol not routinely screened linked to heart attacks, Medical News Today, June 11

Diabetes

ADA: Gene linked to HbA1c in Type 1 Diabetes, Medpage Today, June 6

Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI)

Don’t splash the cash on genetic research, The Times Online, June 10

Individuals with family history of genetic disease at risk of discrimination, EurekAlert, June 10

The times debate: Your genetic future, Times Online, June 8

Ethicists call for research on DTC genomics social networking, Genome Web, June 5 [by free subscription only]

Federal regulators discuss DTC genetic testing oversight at AACC online meeting, Genome Web, June 5 [by free subscription only]

Risks of sharing personal genetic information online need more study, Stanford bioethicists say, GEN, June 5

Family History

The life-saving secrets in your family tree, The Wall Street Journal, June 11

Women can improve their health by knowing family history, stltoday.com, June 4

Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention Network (GAPPNet)

CDC, NIH to start genomic applications network, Genome Web, June 5 [by free subscription only]

Genetic Testing

Illumina partners with DTC genomics firms to offer whole genome sequencing for $48K, Genome Web, June 10 [by free subscription only]

Off-the-shelf genetic testing on display, Technology Review, June 9

Scientists: Long-promised '$1,000 Gene Sequence' less than two years off, Mercury News, June 8

FDA sends warning letters to three diagnostic firms, Gerson Lehrman Group, June 5

Genetic testing: A Virginia Tech Professor helps you decide in her new book, WDBJ7.com, June 4

Influenza

Companies starting work on H1N1 vaccine: CDC, Reuters Health, May 29

Mental Health

Earliest possible causes of autism studied by NIH autism center of excellence network, Medical News Today, June 10

Genetic link found between anxiety, depression and insomnia, EurekAlert, June 8

New gene variant linked to autism, Reuters Health, June 5

Other News

Genetic links to rare liver disease found, U.S. News & World Report, June 10

New era of gene-based 'personalized medicine' dawning, Miami Herald, June 10

Team led by Scripps research scientists finds new way that cells fix damage to DNA, EurekAlert, June 10

Researchers identify new risk factor gene for rheumatoid arthritis, EurekAlert, June 9

The future of DNA sequencing at the NHGRI, PHG Foundation, June 8

Advance toward new drugs that turn genes on and off, Medical News Today, June 7

New genetic immune disorder in children discovered by scientists, Medical News Today, June 6

Mysterious ailments may be the result of undiagnosed genetic defects, Medical News Today, June 5

Scientists identify gene for deadly inherited lung disease, EurekAlert, June 4

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Genomics in Scientific Literature

Featured Item

Challenges of translating genetic tests into clinical and public health practice
Rogowski WH, et al.
Nat Rev Genet 2009 Jun

General Articles

Chapter 9 Alzheimer's disease genetics current status and future perspectives
Bertram L
Int Rev Neurobiol 2009;84:167-84

Failure to replicate a genetic association may provide important clues about genetic architecture
Greene CS, et al.
PLoS ONE 2009;4(6):e5639

Effect of genetic factors on opioid action
Kosarac B, et al.
Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 2009 Jun

Genetics and the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis
Brown MA
Curr Opin Rheumatol 2009 Jul;21(4):318-23

Non-apolipoprotein E and apolipoprotein E genetics of sporadic Alzheimer's disease
Seripa D, et al.
Ageing Res Rev 2009 Jul;8(3):214-36

Review of recent genome-wide association scans in lupus
Graham RR, et al.
J Intern Med 2009 Jun;265(6):680-8

Bayesian mixture modeling of gene-environment and gene-gene interactions
Wakefield J, et al.
Genet Epidemiol 2009 Jun

Testing Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium using Family Data from Complex Surveys
She D, et al.
Ann Hum Genet 2009 Jun

The genetic contribution to non-syndromic human obesity
Walley AJ, et al.
Nat Rev Genet 2009 Jun

Recovering unused information in genome-wide association studies: the benefit of  analyzing SNPs out of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium
Fardo DW, et al.
Eur J Hum Genet 2009 Jun

Family History

Development and validation of a colon cancer risk assessment tool for patients undergoing colonoscopy
Kastrinos F, et al.
Am J Gastroenterol 2009 Jun;104(6):1508-18

Comparison of patients by family history with gastric and non-gastric cancer
Zhou XF, et al.
World J Gastroenterol 2009 Jun;15(21):2644-50

Characteristics of suicide attempters with family history of suicide attempt: a retrospective chart review
Nakagawa M, et al.
BMC Psychiatry 2009 Jun;9(1):32

BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutations in Korean ovarian cancer patients
Lim MC, et al.
J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2009 Jun

Genetic Testing

Clinical genetic testing for familial melanoma in Italy: A cooperative study
Bruno W, et al.
J Am Acad Dermatol 2009 Jun

Genome Wide

Identification of a genetic variant associated with abdominal aortic aneurysms on chromosome 3p12.3 by genome wide association
Elmore JR, et al.
J Vasc Surg 2009 Jun;49(6):1525-31

REL, encoding a member of the NF-kappaB family of transcription factors, is a newly defined risk locus for rheumatoid arthritis
Gregersen PK, et al.
Nat Genet 2009 Jun

HuGE

For this week's human genome epidemiology articles, please visit the HuGE Navigator.

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