http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/science/09gene.html?ref=science
Monday, March 8, 2010
Rapid DNA Sequencing Can Help Doctors Track Cancer Treatment
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have discovered a new way to track a patient's progress with their cancer treatment using a method of rapidly analyzing and decoding large amounts of DNA. They have also discovered that people don't have just one strain of mitochondrial DNA, but several variations that occur in small quantities as well. These discoveries have had a large impact of the scientific community, as they have mad DNA analysis faster as well as rewriting a widely accepted fact about mitochondrial DNA. These discoveries were made by colleagues of Dr. Bert Vogelstein, who is heading a project to try and unlock more secrets of human DNA and other such things. Essentially how the technique works is by analyzing blood for repeating strains of DNA, which (if they repeat a growing number of times) are easily visible markers for cancer cells, and allow doctors to have a better idea of the progress of the cancer treatment a patient is receiving. Dr. Vogelstein's study also showed that there are multiple variations of mitochondrial DNA in roughly 80% of all cancer subjects. But while these progresses are awe-inspiring and astounding, the team working on them will be unable to continue unless the price of DNA typing drops. Otherwise, a full clinical study would simply be too expensive to be carried out effectively.
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8 comments:
This article was very interesting. I consider it important seeing that this is an article about study of DNA while that is the topic we are covering. Not to mention, a new discovery in that of mitochondrial DNA. And it is, in a way, absurd, that this work can only be done in accordance to acceptable prices.
It would be nice to know what these variations in mitochondrial DNA are like. Also, what is the price for this kind of research?
It is a very interesting article and it seems like it can easily expand and become more effective in the future.
Three things I found interesting where how forensic science has contributed to the tracking of cancer treatment. I also found intesting how this process is done by analyzing blood by repeating strains of DNA. Finally, I found interesting how the nuclear DNA variations and the Mitochondrial DNA can both show variations for tracking cancer.
Two things I would suggest would be to go deeper into where the variations in DNA will occur during this DNA sequences and what parts of the DNA will they look at to identify the repeaeting growing number of the repeating strains.
Finally, one aspect I really liked was that it explained that people have many variations of mitochondrial DNA and they can show someones progress in cancer treatment.
There were three things that I found were very well done in this review. Firstly, it grabbed my attention right off the bat by proclaiming a new theory, one I personally have never believed was possible. It was also good that we just finished studying DNA, so this review is very current. Thirdly, it simplifies technique so that the reader can understand it.
Two things that I would recommend to change in this review are as follows. Firstly I would figure out how the scientist found out that mitochondria DNA differs in different cells after we have spent so long thinking the opposite. Also, I would have gone deeper into what the researchers at John Hopkins originally discovered, as stated in the first sentence of the review.
One thing that I learned from this review was that mitcochondrial DNA is different in different cells.
The article, "Rapid DNA Sequencing Can Help Doctors Track Cancer Treatment" was very fascinating and I found several interesting aspects to the review. First of all, I liked how it was about a new discovery that can be used to cure cancer. This is done by rapidly analyzing and decoding large amounts of DNA. Secondly, I was not aware that people do not have just one strain of mitochondrial DNA, but several variations. Finally, it is all linked together by saying how multiple variations of mitochondrial DNA in roughly 80% of all cancer subjects.
On the other hand, I would make a few suggestions about the review. I would like to know why this wasn’t discovered until just recently and if this was known earlier how it could have affected cancer treatment. As well, is there a way to make the price of DNA typing cheaper to continue research?
All in all, I really liked the article and had never known how many possibilities there were when constantly repeating strains on DNA.
George summarized the article, "Rapid DNA Sequencing Can Help Doctors Track Cancer Treatment." This article was interesting because of the way doctors use repeating strains of DNA in the blood to complete this process. Also, both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA can show variations, which ultimately help track cancer. In addition, I liked that this summary was simplified so that it was easy to understand.
The two things I would change about this article summary are explaining the DNA variations in more depth and also go into deeper explanation for why this use of DNA is just being discovered.
I learned from this article that DNA can be used for so many different things, such as tracking cancer, it just takes time.
I enjoyed this article for many reasons first of I liked how it was about a new finding that can be used to cure cancer which is a very useful thing to have because cancer is effecting so many people everyday. I liked how this was done by decoding large amounts of DNA it sounds very tough and that’s pretty cool. I also enjoyed how how this article all linked together it was a good read.
Two things I would recommend to change up would be would change about this article summary are explaining the DNA variations in more depth and I would would figure out how the scientist found out that mitochondria DNA differs in different cells after we have spent so long thinking the opposite.
I had no idea that there were so many possibilities when constantly repeating strains on DNA.
hree things I found interesting where how forensic science has contributed to the tracking of cancer treatment. I also found intesting how this process is done by analyzing blood by repeating strains of DNA. Finally, I found interesting how the nuclear DNA variations and the Mitochondrial DNA can both show variations for tracking cancer.
All in all, I really liked the article and had never known how many possibilities there were when constantly repeating strains on DNA.
I believe this article was very interesting because it talked about how forensic science has contributed to the tracking of cancer treatment. I also found it very interesting that this process is done by analyzing blood stains by repeating strains of DNA. Finally, I found it interesting that the nuclear DNA variations and the mitochondrial DNA are both variations for tracking cancer.
Two things that I would suggest would be first off, to talk about why this wasn't discovered until recently. I would also like to know what parts of the DNA they look at to identify the growing number of the repeating strains.
One aspect I really liked was that the article explained about the many variations of mitochondrial DNA and how it can help cure cancer.
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