A Nevada woman is almost seven feet tall and 400 pounds, due to a rare disease that causes gigantism. Diagnosis Tanya Angus like swimming, the weightlessness of the water relieves the constant pain she feels due to her condition. It all started with a small tumor that pressed against her pituitary gland, and the excess […]
Tag Archives: genetics
New Genes Discovered for MS
The best way to understand a disease is to get at its root cause, and most of the time, that means hunting down the genes that trigger it. In three papers published this week, researchers report that they have identified two new genes that may contribute to the immune disorder multiple sclerosis .
Researchers say they found malaria’s origin: In chimps
Nathan Wolfe is a hunter, but he doesn’t carry a gun. His prey are invisible to the naked eye. Wolfe leads expeditions into the mysterious world of viruses and pathogens
ACLU sues over patents on breast cancer genes
Patents on two human genes linked to breast and ovarian cancers are being challenged in court by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argues that patenting pure genes is unconstitutional and hinders research for a cancer cure. “Knowledge about our own bodies and the ability to make decisions about our health care are some of our most personal and fundamental rights,” said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero.