Health & Wellness - September 2012 Archives

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Norm Turner joined us to discuss the foot.  We discussed all sorts of conditions that can go wrong with the foot and talked about ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — September 20, 2012.  Mayo Clinic researchers and an international team of scientists have developed a highly-efficient means of editing zebrafish genomes for research purposes, eliminating a bottleneck that has stymied biomedical scientists from using the fish as a model for human disease. The details appear online today in the journal Nature. For many researchers, zebrafish are becoming the model of choice for genetic studies. However, the inability to efficiently target genetic modifications has delayed their use by some. The Mayo team used an improved variant of artificial transcription activator-like effector nucleases, or TALENs, to provide a new approach. "By using genetic engineering tools called TALENs and synthetic DNA to make defined changes in the genomes of our fish, we are able to make small changes (just a few nucleotides) as well as add a specific sequence for biological gene switch applications," says Stephen Ekker, Ph.D., senior author and head of Mayo's zebrafish core facility. "This is the first time we've been able to make custom changes to the zebrafish genome." Dr. Ekker says this toolkit opens the door to a range of new experiments in zebrafish, including modeling of human disease by introducing small point mutations, designing regulated gene alleles, and developing classical structure/function experiments using an animal model system. This new approach has implications for other model systems, including mice, rats, flies and worms, and possible applications in stem cell research. "To our knowledge, this TALEN toolkit also is the most active described to date," says Dr. Ekker. "This has important implications for the growing TALEN field, whether used in fish or any other cells. We used this higher activity for genome editing applications. We also used it to conduct a series of somatic gene function assessments, opening the door to an array of non-germline experiments in zebrafish."

Adult obesity in the United States is predicted to increase up to 60 percent by 2030, likely resulting in an increase of obesity-related diseases and health care costs. The ...

MEDIA ADVISORY: Genomics in Patient Care Conference at Mayo Clinic Oct. 1-3   The Individualizing Medicine 2012: Transforming Patient Care with Genomics conference, Oct. 1-3, will be webcast ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — September 20, 2012.  The Individualizing Medicine 2012: Transforming Patient Care with Genomics conference, scheduled for Oct. 1-3, will be webcast live for journalists on the Mayo Clinic News Network. This inaugural conference from Mayo's Center for Individualized Medicine focuses on the promise and challenges of incorporating genomics into patient care. All conference content, including presentations and panel discussions, will be available to journalists via the Mayo Clinic News Network. Media professionals interested in watching the conference webcast must go to the News Network web site to sign up and set a username and password; registration is free. Individualizing Medicine 2012 covers five key themes on use of genomics in patient care. Each theme consists of three presentations, followed by a panel discussion. Schedule highlights include: Individualizing Medicine Today — A Primer on Individualized Medicine. What is individualized medicine? Where does the field stand today? The conference begins by answering these questions and providing an overview of emerging technologies, like next-generation sequencing, the microbiome, pharmacogenomics, epigenomics, informatics and more. Individualizing Clinical Care. As new discoveries make their way into the clinic, they bring a new set of challenges. Speakers will address clinical issues, such as whole-genome interpretation, its use in prognosis and diagnosis, and how to share this information with patients. Individualizing Laboratory Medicine. Individualized care begins in the lab, with the sequencing and interpretation of a patient's As, Gs, Ts and Cs. Topics in this theme focus on laboratory practice, including data processing, knowledge integration, validation and reporting rules. Ethical and Regulatory Implications of Individualizing Medicine. The use of genomic data in clinical practice has triggered an array of ethical, legal, social and regulatory considerations. Speakers and discussions will delve into these evolving issues. Decision-Support Infrastructure for Individualizing Medicine. To practice individualized medicine, clinicians must have access to the right information in the right place at the right time. From biomedical informatics to information technology, this theme will cover the technical needs necessary to navigate the oceans of data generated during genome sequencing and unlock the true potential of individualized medicine. Other conference highlights include the media panel titled "Great Expectations: Making Informed Decisions in Individualized Medicine." Ira Flatow, host of NPR's "Science Friday," will moderate the discussion, which focuses on the perceptions and realities of genomics in patient care. The panel is scheduled from 7-8 p.m., Oct. 2 at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester. The panel will be webcast live on Mayo Clinic's Advancing the Science blog. Viewers may submit questions during the event to imconference@mayo.edu. Panelists scheduled to appear include: Ron Winslow, Deputy Medical Editor, The Wall Street Journal Erika Check Hayden, senior reporter, Nature Susan Wolf, J.D., McKnight Presidential Professor of Law, Medicine and Public Policy, and the Faegre Baker Daniels Professor of Law, University of Minnesota Gianrico Farrugia, M.D.,director, Center for Individualized Medicine at Mayo Clinic Gail Onderak, co-chair, Community Advisory Board, Mayo Clinic Biobank

EVANSTON, Ill. — September 19, 2012.  NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) and Mayo Clinic today announced NorthShore as a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. This unique collaboration, the only one of its kind in the Chicago region, will provide NorthShore patients with access to medical resources and experts from both systems working together on their behalf. The agreement formalizes a long-standing relationship between the two institutions and promotes the collaborative efforts of physicians dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of complex medical conditions, including neurological, cancer and cardiovascular cases. "The future of health care will be enhanced via the collaboration of strong partners finding new ways to share expertise to deliver the best outcomes for patients," says Mark Neaman, president and CEO of NorthShore. "NorthShore is proud to have some of the best and brightest physicians who will combine forces with their Mayo Clinic colleagues to offer patients an unrivaled team of specialists dedicated to their care." "Health care in America is at a crossroads," says John Noseworthy, M.D., president and CEO of Mayo Clinic. "Providers are seeking meaningful relationships that allow them to best address their patients' needs while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of care. This collaboration is about advancing long-standing relationships with organizations like NorthShore, to share a commitment to improving care and value for our patients." As part of the agreement, patients at NorthShore's Neurological Institute, Kellogg Cancer Center and Cardiovascular Center will benefit from exceptional care as leading specialists consult with Mayo Clinic experts on complex diagnosis and treatment plans. The clinical collaboration also will allow NorthShore physicians to facilitate patient visits to Mayo Clinic when necessary and offer follow-up care and expertise close to home for those patients who refer themselves to Mayo Clinic. "When faced with a complex and difficult diagnosis, every patient wants and deserves a second opinion," says Joseph Golbus, M.D., president of the NorthShore Medical Group. "Patients travel from all over the world to consult with Mayo Clinic physicians. Thanks to this new collaboration, our patients will have seamless access to a network of experts from both institutions, without having to travel from home." "We selected NorthShore because we share a common philosophy, commitment and mission to improve the delivery of health care to our patients," says David Hayes, M.D., medical director of Mayo Clinic Care Network. "The Mayo Clinic Care Network is about providing access to the finest medical knowledge available, close to home. Through this collaboration, patients in the Chicago area will not only have access to top providers at NorthShore but also to the leading specialists at Mayo Clinic."

Estos son los puntos más destacados de la edición de agosto de Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Cómo evitar que la pre-diabetes se convierta en diabetes ...

ROCHESTER, Minnesota — 17 de septiembre de 2012.  Las marcas de nacimiento, como el hemangioma en fresa, se denominan hemangiomas infantiles y crecen rápido en ...

Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida have identified an enzyme that could represent a powerful new tool for combating Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is the most common memory disorder ...

ROCHESTER, Minnesota — 17 de septiembre de 2012.  El estilo de vida sedentario es una causa común para la obesidad y, a su vez, el ...

ROCHESTER, Minnesota — 17 de septiembre de 2012.  La Conferencia sobre la personalización de la medicina, organizada por Mayo Clinic, se llevará a cabo entre ...

Dr. Jon O. Ebbert joined us to discuss food addiction.  Is there such a thing and does is account for the epidemic of obesity?  What are the ...