OCTOBER 2008, MedicineandBiotech.com EDITOR'S BLOG Dear Readers, Are your Political choices and beliefs influenced by your Genes, your Physiology?  This is an important and very interesting question as we get closer to the pivotal Presidential elections in the US history. Why do people with strong conservative or liberal views have a hard time changing their mind? How a person responds to war, threat and other political views may be determined by a person’s physiology and genetics. This is another step towards understanding human behavior, social dynamics, decision making and risk assessment in response to the environment and genetics. Genetics, environment and life experiences may collectively help shape our political and social views of the world! Read More....   JOIN OUR COMMUNITY at http://www.yourhelix.com. We are proud to announce the Launch of a new, dynamic, innovative Professional/Social Networking platform targeted mainly for Biotech/Pharma/Medical networking, named Your Helix!  Your Helix! allows every professional to create their own specific “HELIX” of interconnected business professionals suited to their interests. Professional networking helps create a community where professionals can develop their career, grow a network of professional peers and make connections with senior executives and key decision makers. MedicineandBiotech.com continues to strive to provide our readers with valuable information in the Biotech and Pharma world every month. Visit MedicineandBiotech.com regularly to learn more about these developments- by Neerja Sethi, PhD, Managing Editor "MedicineandBiotech.com is a Unique e-magazine that Provides a Platform where Biotechnology, Medicine, Business sector and the Community Converge" SIGN UP NOW FOR A FREE SUBSCRIPTION

Snapshot of Weekly Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Headline News at MedicineandBiotech.com......Read in Detail Here   October 1- October 7, 2008   Genentech, Glycart and Roche Enter Into Collaboration Agreement for Potential Cancer Therapy   Lilly Announces Global Phase III Trial of Investigational Alzheimer's Disease Compound   Controversial Stem Cell Patent on South Korea’s Hwang’s Cloning Work Issued in Australia   DNA Genome Sequence of Penicillin Producer Penicillium chrysogenum is Published   READ THE ABOVE HEADLINE NEWS IN DETAIL HERE.........   And   READ DAILY FINANCIAL NEWS AND STOCK QUOTES HERE........

Micro and Nanotechnologies are Revolutionizing Medicine - BioFinger System and Adonis Project   'Almost invisible' tools are being developed by European researchers to discover diseases earlier and to treat patients better. The miniaturization of instruments to micro and nano- dimensions promises to make our future lives safer and cleaner. A team of European researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Technologies Institute near Saarbruecken is using nanotechnology to improve diagnostic capabilities. In the "Adonis"-project, nano-sized gold particles are used to detect prostate cancer cells at an early stage.   deCODE Discovers a Genetic Link to Urinary Bladder Cancer   Common Variants in the Human Genome Conferring Risk of Bladder Cancer Detection may be used to complement and target screening for the disease; variants will be integrated into the deCODEme™ personal genome scan.  Read More....   STEM CELL RESEARCH California Stem Cell Agency Sends Open Letter To Presidential Candidates Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared Sept. 25 to be Stem Cell Awareness Day. To mark the day, CIRM President Alan Trounson and Robert Klein, Chairman of the Independent Citizen's Oversight Committee, co-signed an open letter to the presidential candidates regarding funding for stem cell   research and biomedical research in general. Read More.... BIOTECHNOLOGY FDA Issues Draft Guidance on Regulating Genetically Engineered Animals   The draft guidance is titled "The Regulation of Genetically Engineered (GE) Animals Containing Heritable rDNA Constructs".   Genetic engineering generally refers to the use of recombinant DNA (rDNA) techniques to introduce new characteristics or traits into an organism. When scientists splice together pieces of DNA and introduce a spliced DNA segment into an organism to give the organism new properties, it's called rDNA technology. The spliced piece of DNA is called the rDNA construct. A GE animal is one that contains an rDNA construct  intended to give the animal new characteristics or traits. Read More....

INFECTIOUS DISEASES  New Data For Glaxosmithkline’s Pre-Pandemic H5N1 Influenza Vaccine, Prepandrix™   Prepandrix™, Europe’s only approved pre-pandemic influenza vaccine, confers persistent immune response against a number of H5N1 strains   Results from two new clinical studies announced at the Third European Influenza Conference (ESWI) demonstrate that Prepandrix™, GlaxoSmithKline’s (GSK) H5N1 adjuvanted pre-pandemic influenza vaccine, confers broad cross-clade immunity that is maintained when the second dose is given many months after the first dose, and even if the second dose is formulated from a different H5N1 strain. Greater administration flexibility, adaptable to local pre-pandemic vaccination policies, could potentially reduce the impact on vital healthcare resources during the first intensive months of a pandemic. Read More....

BUSINESS   Pfizer Shows Accelerating Pipeline with Significant Growth in Late-Stage Clinical Development   Pfizer Inc provided the latest update to its development pipeline, showing significant progress in achieving the company’s growth, productivity and performance goals. The pipeline now includes 114 programs, from Phase 1 through Registration. The number in late-stage (Phase 3) development has grown from 16 to 25 over the past six months. In total, 31 programs advanced to the next stage of development; 13 were discontinued; and one was withdrawn from registration. The majority (19) of the advances were in Pfizer’s identified high-potential disease areas, including oncology, pain, inflammation, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. Read More.....   CLINICAL TRIALS   New Data Confirms Avastin As The Only Biologic To Demonstrate Overall Survival When Used First-Line In Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients With K-RAS (Wild-Type) Gene Status    Avastin (bevacizumab) remains the only biologic to provide overall survival (OS) benefit when used as first-line treatment in combination with chemotherapy for patients with K-Ras wild type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Avastin’s strong position was confirmed today following new data from a cetuximab [Erbitux] study presented at the 33rd Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). “K-Ras wild-type” describes the normal gene status seen in around 60% of colorectal cancer patients where the K-Ras oncogene has not mutated.    This confirmation of Avastin's survival benefit is important because overall survival is of key importance for patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Read More....   PHARMACEUTICALS   Once-Yearly Aclasta® Approved in EU to Treat Osteoporosis in Men and to Reduce Risk of New Fractures Following Hip Fracture Both in Men and Postmenopausal Women   --Approval recognizes importance of treating osteoporosis in men: an estimated one in five aged over 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture--   --Expanded EU label includes data showing 35% reduction in new fractures in Aclasta-treated patients who recently suffered a low-trauma hip fracture--   --Aclasta also the only osteoporosis treatment to show 28% reduction in all-cause mortality following a low-trauma hip fracture--   The European Commission has approved once-yearly Aclasta®* (zoledronic acid 5 mg) for the treatment of osteoporosis in men who are at increased risk of fractures, and broadened the Aclasta label to include reduction of new clinical fractures in both men and postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who have recently suffered a hip fracture. Read More....   *Advertise with MedicineandBiotech.com-Buy A Link Here-Post and Advertise Jobs* YOUR HEALTH Melamine-contaminated Powdered Infant Formula from China   Questions and Answers on Melamine: What is melamine? What is melamine generally used for? Why was melamine added into milk and powdered infant formula? What are the health effects of melamine consumptions in humans? What is the treatment for kidney stones and kidney failure? Read More....

ENVIRONMENT/GREEN TECH “Green Gasoline”   What is Green Gasoline?   “Green Gasoline” From Sugars and Carbohydrates   Using processes familiar to the petroleum industry, two separate research groups craft "green gasoline" from sugar and carbohydrates. Following independent paths of investigation, two research teams are announcing this month that they have successfully converted sugar-potentially derived from agricultural waste and non-food plants-into gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and a range of other valuable chemicals.  Read More.... SCIENCE EDUCATION Free Online MITOpenCourseWare Courses for Fall 2008   * Course 1. Synaptic Plasticity and Memory, from Molecules to Behavior   * Course 2. Sophisticated Survival Skills of Simple Microorganisms   Read Course Description and Enroll....

IN THE NEWS
	FDA Awards $5.2 Million in Grants to Further Food and Feed Safety....Read More California Stem Cell Agency Approves Loan Program For Stem Cell Biotech Companies....Read More Cholesterol Lowering Medications Do Not Increase the Risk of "Lou Gehrig's Disease"....Read More FDA Awards up to $2.5 Billion to Modernize Information Technology over Ten Years....Read More

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**MedicineandBiotech.com Update**   -MedicineandBiotech.com highlighted and praised in the review article titled “Websites of Note-Multimedia in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education” published in the Journal Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education by Wiley Interscience publications. Author: Dr. Graham R. Parslow, Russel Grimwade School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Melbourne, Australia http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119339313/abstract     -MedicineandBiotech.com Receives Excellent Ratings as “Best of the Web” for the Second Time by Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News. Read the review at http://www.genengnews.com/bestofweb/list.aspx?iid=85   Read what our Readers have to Say………

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