Connection Between Epigenome, Selective Mutability, Evolution, and Human Disease
Li, Harris et al., PLoS Genetics
Researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine and elsewhere propose a "connection between the epigenome, selective mutability, evolution, and human disease" based on the findings of their study on associations of structural mutability with germline DNA methylation and with non-allelic homologous recombination mediated by low-copy repeats. "Combined evidence from four human sperm methylome maps, human genome evolution, structural polymorphisms in the human population, and previous genomic and disease studies consistently points to a strong association of germline hypomethylation and genomic instability," the Baylor-led team writes.
Quest, Vermillion 'On Track' to Launch OVA1 in March
Vermillion and Quest today said they "are on track" to launch their OVA1 ovarian cancer test in March.
In a statement today, the companies said they "plan to provide more detail at the time of commercialization."
The companies had originally planned to debut the assay during the fourth quarter of 2009, but later delayed the launch back to the first quarter of 2010.
In the statement, the firms also said Vermillion "collaborators" will make oral presentations about OVA1 at the following scientific conferences: the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, held March 14-17, and at the American Association for Cancer Research, held April 17-21.
OVA1 generates a numerical score based on five immunoassays that is intended to help physicians determine the likelihood of malignancy in women with pelvic mass for whom surgery is planned.