University of Michigan Faculty Member Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Toby Citrin, adjunct professor of health management and policy at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and director of community-based public health, received the first-ever President's Lifetime Achievement Award conferred jointly by the presidents of the Michigan Association for Local Public Health (MALPH) and the Michigan Public Health Association (MPHA).

The award is reserved for an individual "whose career in public health has been exemplary and leaves a legacy that is not likely to be matched by others in the field." To read more about Dr. Citrin, visit http://www.sph.umich.edu/iscr/faculty/profile.cfm?uniqname=tcitrin.  

• The following are headlines from on-line news articles published during the past week.
• The headlines and lead sentence are exactly as they appear in the popular press and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or recommendations of CDC.
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“Genetic Barcodes”   (Nov 14) ScienCentralNews reports, “Doctors are learning to tailor disease treatments to individuals' genetic makeups, but will customized medicine really be available to all?”

“Compugen Launches Predictive Discovery Platform With 200,000 Novel Genomic Variations”   (last accessed 3/2007)
(Nov 15) Red Orbit reports, “Compugen Ltd. announced today at the 2006 Cold Spring Harbor Meeting on Pharmacogenomics the launch of its GeneVa structural genomic variations platform providing predicted non-SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism), medium and large-scale genetic variations in the human genome.”

“Taking 'chips' to the next level of gene hunting”  
(Nov 15) innovations report reports, “Researchers at the Johns Hopkins' High Throughput Biology Center have invented two new gene "chip" technologies that can be used to help identify otherwise elusive disease-causing mutations in the 97 percent of the genome long believed to be "junk."”

“Experimental Hadassah-inspired pill is 'promising' in repairing cystic fibrosis gene”   (last accessed 2/2008)
(Nov 14) The Jerusalem Post reports, “A new experimental oral medication for cystic fibrosis (CF) patients who carry a genetic mutation that affects 60 percent of all Jewish patients, most of which are of Ashkenazi origin, has been found "promising" by doctors at Hadassah University Medical Center on Jerusalem's Mount Scopus.”

“Nanoscale Microscope Sheds First Light On Gene Repair”  
(Nov 14) Science Daily reports, “Proteins called H2AX act as "first aid" to DNA, among other roles. For the first time, scientists using the world's most powerful light microscope (the only one of its kind in the Americas) have seen how H2AX is distributed in the cell nucleus: in clusters, directing the first aid/repair after DNA injuries to the region where it is really needed.”

“More students should study genetics”  
(Nov 14) The Daily Evergreen reports, “Last week, I registered for classes. And like most students, I picked my schedule based mostly on my major and a little bit on what I am interested in.”

“NYU researchers developing molecular delivery vehicles for genetic therapies”  
(Nov 13) EurekAlert! reports, “Researchers at New York University are working to develop molecular delivery vehicles that can be used to transport nucleic acids into diverse cell types, which may lead to eventual applications in genetic therapies.”

“Scientists Study Genes, Severe Injuries”   (last accessed 2/2008)
(Nov 13) USA Today reports, “Surviving major trauma - a car crash, gunshot wounds, burns - isn't just a matter of fixing the obvious injuries.”

“Identification Of A Key Gene Required For Brain Neural Circuit Formation”  
(Nov 13) Science Daily reports, “An international team of scientists, lead by Dr. Frederic Charron at the IRCM, and Drs Ami Okada, Sue McConnell, and Marc Tessier-Lavigne in the USA, have made a discovery which could help treat spinal cord injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.”

“Genetics play key role in onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis”
(Nov 12) newKerala.com reports, “Both knee radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) and knee alignment are heritable traits in females, but may not be under common genetic control, suggests a new research that UK researchers presented at the American College of Rhematology Annual Scientific Meeting in Washington, DC.”

“Gene problems may lead to hair loss”  
(Nov 10) Science Daily reports, “Problems in a gene may be a cause of inherited hair loss, a University of Massachusetts study showed.”

“Studies Look At How Genes Affect Antipsychotic Drug Response”  
(Nov 10) Science Daily reports, “Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy are attempting to discover how genes determine how well an antipsychotic medication works in adults and children and the side effects it will cause.”

“New Family Health History Projects Focus on Alaska Native, Appalachian Communities”
(Nov 15) HHS News reports, “As part of the effort to educate all Americans about the importance of knowing their family health histories, Acting Surgeon General Kenneth P. Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., today announced two new outreach projects involving Alaska Native and urban Appalachian communities.”

“Family's sad saga burdens Nova's exploration of genetics”  
(Nov 14) boston.com reports, “This is an age of genetic idealism. We still know precious little about our DNA, but we can glimpse enough to fantasize that dread diseases could have simple cures -- that benevolent mutations, a la "X-Men" and "Heroes," could turn out to be our salvation.”

Breast cancer screening in women at increased risk according to different family histories: an update of the Modena Study Group experience
Cortesi L, et al.
BMC Cancer 2006;6:210

Association Between Family History of Prostate and Breast Cancer Among African-American Men with Prostate Cancer
Beebe-Dimmer JL, et al.
Urology 2006 Nov

Cost-effectiveness of screening with contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging vs X-ray mammography of women at a high familial risk of breast cancer
Griebsch I, et al.
Br J Cancer 2006 Oct;95(7):801-10

Cancer genetics: the importance of obtaining a family history
Bancroft E, et al.
Nurs Times 2006 Oct;102(40):28-9

Deficits on the continuous performance test within the schizophrenia spectrum and the mediating effects of family history of schizophrenia
Avila MT, et al.
J Abnorm Psychol 2006 Nov;115(4):771-8

Familial aggregation of metabolic syndrome among the Chinese: Report from the Chin-Shan community family study
Chien KL, et al.
Diabetes Res Clin Pract 2006 Nov

“New genetic test predicts risk of metastasis in patients with deadly eye cancer”  
(Nov 15) EurekAlert! reports, “Imagine being diagnosed with eye cancer – but your doctor can't tell whether you have the aggressive type that will swiftly spread, causing blindness and death in as early as a year.”

“Kimball Genetics, Inc. Launches The Warfarin Sensitivity DNA Test For Research”  
(Nov 15) Medical News Today reports, “Kimball Genetics, Inc. is pleased to announce today the launch of its Warfarin Sensitivity DNA Test for research/investigational purposes.”

“Inexpensive test detects H5N1 infections quickly and accurately”  
(Nov 13) EurekAlert! reports, “Scientists from the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed an inexpensive "gene chip" test based on a single influenza virus gene that could allow scientists to quickly identify flu viruses, including avian influenza H5N1.”

“Genes offer researchers a 'crystal ball' to help them prevent, diagnose and treat cancer”  
(Nov 12) EurekAlert! reports, “The science of cancer prevention has advanced to the point where researchers now say they can detect "cancer genes" in the breath of smokers, and can test the presence of two proteins in men they say will predict development of prostate cancer a decade in advance.”

“Kimball Genetics Steps Up National Awareness Campaign For Celiac Disease And Related Genetic Testing”  
(Nov 11) Medical News Today reports, “Kimball Genetics, Inc. announces its participation this week at the XII International Celiac Disease Symposium in New York City and its support of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University.”

Genetic screening for SSRI drug response among those with major depression: great promise and unseen perils
Rasmussen-Torvik LJ & McAlpine DD
Depress Anxiety 2006 Nov

Diagnostic criteria for congenital long QT syndrome in the era of molecular genetics: do we need a scoring system?
Hofman N, et al.
Eur Heart J 2006 Nov

Articles that report on population prevalence of genotypes, gene-disease associations, gene-environment and gene-gene interactions and evaluation of genetic tests. For more information on HuGE, please visit the HuGENet™ home page

For the week ending November 15, 2006, there are HuGE articles in the following areas:

Gene Variant Frequency
Infectious and Parasitic Diseases
Neoplasms
Endocrine, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases
Diseases of the Blood and Blood-Forming Organs Disorders
Mental Disorders
Diseases of the Nervous System and Sense Organs
Diseases of the Circulatory System
Diseases of the Respiratory System
Diseases of the Digestive System
Diseases of the Genitourinary System
Complications of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Puerperium
Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue

For more information on HuGE, please visit the HuGENet™ home page

DNA Extraction Biotechniques Virtual Lab  
The Genetic Science Learning Center is an outreach education program located in the midst of bioscience research at the University of Utah. Their mission is to help people understand how genetics affects their lives and society.  Enter this virtual laboratory to perform a cheek swab and extract DNA from human cells.

Standford Genomic Resources  
Hyperlinks to systematic analysis projects, resources, laboratories, and departments at Stanford University.

Opportunity Knocks: The Pathologist as Laboratory Genetics Consultant   (last accessed 2/2008)
Roger D. Klein, MD, JD; Jeffrey A. Kant, MD, PhD
Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine: Vol. 130, No. 11, pp. 1603–1604