SEQUENCING MENU

your hypothesis failed ?? cheer up !! you can still publish.

BioFlukes, a publisher based in Banglore, India have launched a new journal called 'Journal of Errology' and are accepting articles which explain failed hypotheses. Its a bold step though and i am sure they will have tons of articles being submitted for review. The reviewers and editors are going to be really busy. So friends, the next time your boss or PI asks you to work on a crazy hypothesis, don't panic. The hypothesis works or not, you will have a publication either way. That said, now anyone can come up with a hypothesis...........I personally feel the publishers are crazy. But all those out there, go back to your log notes and write up an article on the failed hypothesis.

Can’t escape being a couch-potato? No worries for here’s Irisin.

Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified a new hormone called Irisin. It’s a hormone that’s secreted in every healthy being (more during exercise) and circulates in blood. The researchers discovered that Irisin transforms bad fat in the body into good fat. Fat, we all know accumulates in our body in adipose tissue. It actually is of two types - BAT and WAT. BAT (brown adipose tissue) is the one that burns calories to provide energy during exercise (and so is good fat), while WAT (White adipose tissue) is the one that adamantly stores calories (and so is bad fat). The identification of Irisin and its potential role in converting WAT into BAT may be revolutionary in checking obesity now. Taking Irisin pills may burn your fat without having to do any exercise at all. No need to go to a gym, the gym is all in you……..you may just need to trigger it with a pill.

Peek-a-boo.......I see you (a cancer cell) !!!!

A Team led by John Viator at University of Missouri have developed a new way to detect melanoma cancer cells in a patients blood sample using photoacoustics. It uses a simple principle. A laser light shoot into a blood sample, is absorbed by excessive melanin in cancer cells, thereby expanding them. Then the detection of cancer cell is as simple as spotting a black 18-wheeler truck in the midst of an eight-lane highway full of white compact cars. The device is yet to be approved by FDA for clinical use. SO COOOOL !!!

Personalized Therapy and Whole Exomes/Genomes

Genetics is driving the medical field into a new world.......where drugs and therapeutic strategies will be tailored and customized as per the individual's genotype or haplotype. This is being done by endorsing whole exome/genome analysis for clinical diagnosis. Application of whole exome sequencing for clinical diagnosis is however a big challenge. Promises are being made that the technology is going to be an affordable alternative to disease diagnosis and mutation detection. But in reality the success rate in finding a causative mutation through these fancy technologies has been really low. So much is yet to be done to even sound sensible.