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A joint research team led by an NUI Galwayscientist has found that changes in a little-known gene called ULK4 were observed in individuals with schizophrenia.

A rare risk factor which is associated with mental illnesses like schizophrenia has been identified by a joint research team led by an NUI Galway (NUIG) scientist.

The research team has found that changes in a little-known gene called ULK4 were observed in individuals with schizophrenia.

The findings are published today in the Journal of Cell Science.

Prof Sanbing Shen of NUIGs Regenerative Medicine Institute, who led the research, says that this could contribute to more effective treatment of the condition in time.

The multi-institutional study examined a database of up to 7,000 people, half of whom had schizophrenia and half of whom did not.

Many genetic risk factors have been associated with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder and depression, but Prof Shen and his team were able to characterise how the ULK4 gene functions in the brain.

He and his colleagues found that when levels of ULK4 were decreased, through mutation or deletion, the neuronal (brain) cells tend to function less well.

This leads to reduced synaptic function and other changes that are also known as risk factors of schizophrenia.

Prof Shen said ULK4 is essential for the formation of the nerve fibres which connect the two sides of the brain.

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Risk factor linked to schizophrenia identified by NUI Galway scientist

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Newswise NEW YORK (January 30, 2014) Steven Libutti, M.D., F.A.C.S., professor and vice chairman in the Department of Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University, director at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care and professor in the Department of Genetics and associate director of clinical services at Albert Einstein College of Medicine has been named Editor-in-Chief of Cancer Gene Therapy, a journal for cancer researchers and clinicians.

Cancer Gene Therapy serves as a respected resource for scientists and clinicians on the latest gene and cellular therapies for cancer. Topics will range from DNA synthesis and repair to the latest original laboratory research and case reports on translational research and tumor immunotherapies.

The progression of personalized cancer treatments and evolution of new technologies for monitoring genetic changes holds new promise for those impacted by cancer, said Dr. Libutti. Cancer Gene Therapy will cover innovative scientific developments and prompt clinical questions that I hope spark new perspectives and industry dialogue about whats next.

As a pioneer in tumor-targeted gene therapy, Dr. Libutti is developing novel cancer therapies through his study of the complex interactions that occur within a tumors microenvironment. Since 2009, he has spearheaded multidisciplinary efforts in research and treatment of cancer at the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care.

We feel honored to be working in conjunction with an expert of Dr. Libuttis caliber, said Andrea Macaluso, publishing manager, Nature Publishing Group. His vast experience discovering new and effective ways to treat cancer combined with his record of excellent basic research and clinical care made him a natural choice to lead our journal and further strengthen Nature Publishing Groups library of scientific and medical publications.

Dr. Libutti is an internationally recognized expert in surgical oncology and endocrine surgery and has published more than 250 peer-reviewed journal articles and 16 oncology book chapters. He has received the NIH Directors Award and the National Cancer Institutes Directors Gold Star and Intramural Innovation Awards. Dr. Libutti also has appeared on Castle Connollys list of Top Doctors in America and on New York Magazines list of Top Doctors in New York. In 2009, he was named the Marvin L. Gliedman, M.D., Distinguished Surgeon at Montefiore Medical Center. Prior to being appointed director of the Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care, Dr. Libutti was a researcher, surgeon and Section Head at the National Cancer Institute.

About Montefiore Medical Center As the University Hospital for Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore is a premier academic medical center nationally renowned for its clinical excellence, scientific discovery and commitment to its community. Recognized among the top hospitals nationally and regionally by U.S. News & World Report, Montefiore provides compassionate, patient- and family-centered care and educates the healthcare professionals of tomorrow. The Children's Hospital at Montefiore is consistently named in U.S. News' "America's Best Children's Hospitals." With four hospitals, 1,491 beds and 90,000 annual admissions, Montefiore is an integrated health system seamlessly linked by advanced technology. State-of-the-art primary and specialty care is provided through a network of more than 130 locations across the region, including the largest school health program in the nation and a home health program. Montefiore's partnership with Einstein advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. The medical center derives its inspiration for excellence from its patients and community, and continues to be on the frontlines of developing innovative approaches to care. For more information please visit http://www.montefiore.org and http://www.montekids.org. Follow us on Twitter; like us on Facebook; view us on YouTube.

About Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University is one of the nations premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2013-2014 academic year, Einstein is home to 734 M.D. students, 236 Ph.D. students, 106 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and 353 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more than 2,000 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2013, Einstein received more than $155 million in awards from the NIH. This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in diabetes, cancer, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore Medical Center, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. Through its extensive affiliation network involving Montefiore, Jacobi Medical Center Einsteins founding hospital, and five other hospital systems in the Bronx, Manhattan, Long Island and Brooklyn, Einstein runs one of the largest residency and fellowship training programs in the medical and dental professions in the United States. For more information, please visit http://www.einstein.yu.edu, read our blog, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and view us on YouTube.

Original post:
Montefiore Einstein Center for Cancer Care Director Named Editor-in-Chief of Cancer Gene Therapy