Category Archives: siRNA

It’s not over until the RNA sings…

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Nicole Kelesoglu

Epigenetic regulation is accomplished by a series of interdependent systems. It’s overall effect on gene expression is often compared to a musical composition. Today I’m thinking of opera in particular…since I’m proud to say that my uncle Robert Aldridge just won a Grammy for best contemporary classical composition. Bravo Uncle Bob! So you probably know the silly old saying, “It’s not over till the fat lady sings”, right? There are numerous well studied roles in the epigenetic opera….modifications of DNA, chromatin and histones, enzymes activities like DNA and protein methyltransferase, etc….but today let’s think of RNA expression as the grand finale. Once a gene has been physically exposed through modifications to chromatin and histone structural proteins, and expression takes place…those … Continue reading →

Posted in Bioinformatics, Cell Culture Models, Cellular Biology, Gene Regulation, Gene Silencing, Histone Modification Assay, Non-coding RNA, chIP, siRNA | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Epigenetics Aids AML Research

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Nicole Kelesoglu

According to NCI, there are well over 300 ongoing clinical trials for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). AML is an important disease model to our understanding of how epigenetics fits into the multidimensional cancer process.  Please find below a description of AML, and a few recent important studies providing traction on AML sub-type biomarkers and drug targets using epigenetic techniques. AML is a blood and marrow cancer. Myeloid stem cells abnormally propagate and differentiate into non-functional red blood cell, white blood cell, or platelets.  Clinical sub-typing is currently based on the degree of derivation from normal cells microscopically, and by cytogenic methods. Adult AML is diagnosed when 20% or greater leukemia cells appear in the bone marrow. Keep in mind, this … Continue reading →

Posted in Applications, siRNA | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Cellular Trash to Treasure – Exosomes

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Nicole Kelesoglu

Blood-Based Gene Expression Signatures in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.Clin Cancer Res. 2011 May 15 Thomas Zander, Andrea Hofmann, Andrea Staratschek-Jox, et al has been big in the international news recently. The authors are aiming to develop an RNA-stabilized blood test for asymptomatic lung cancer, using gene expression profiles, from what they believe to be immune effector blood cells – not cancer cells. The prognosis for lung cancer once you already have symptoms, is terrible. Their work is great news because this kind of non-invasive diagnostic test is desperately needed. However, there is another promising approach to transcriptome signature diagnostics to be aware of…Microvesicle shuttled RNA. Microvesicles, (MV), were once considered just cellular debris. We now know that blood, and many … Continue reading →

Posted in Applications, Biomarkers, Clinical Studies, Diagnostics, Flow Cytometry, Genetics, History & Trends, Next Gen Sequencing, Oncology, Pathology, Real-time PCR, Virology, microRNA, siRNA | Leave a comment

Epigenetics, Eh! to Promote Canadian Collaboration

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Nicole Kelesoglu

Late registration is still available online for Epigenetics Eh!, the Canadian Conference on Epigenetics, which is taking place in London, Ontario from May 4 to May 7th, 2011. Part of the stated mission for this conference is to promote a Canadian Epigenetics Research Network (EPIGENETICS CANADA). The epigenetic research areas of the speakers for this conference include, but are not limited to the following. Diabetes Early detection of cancer Leukemia Pluripotency in ES cells Proteomics to study protein import into the nucleus Genomic CNV and epigenetic changes in Neurobehavioral disorders Chromatin factors in brain development Molecular mechanisms underlying cell fate specification, proliferation, and differentiation of neural stem cells Genomic imprinting X chromosome inactivation Dicer expression and/or microRNA function. ING family … Continue reading →

Posted in Applications, Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Cellular Biology, Chromatin Structure, DNA Methylation, Developmental Biology, Divergent Transcription, Evolutionary Epigenetics, Gene Regulation, Gene Silencing, Genetics, Hematology, Histone Modifications, Leukemia, Neuroscience, Non-coding RNA, Plant Epigenetics, Reproductive Biology, Stem Cells, Translational Research, chIP, siRNA | 2 Comments