These results were delivered in both a presentation and poster titled Large Scale Genetic Screen to Identify Genes Implicated in Vascular Biology in Mammals at IBC Life Sciences' meeting, Ocular Anti-angiogenesis: Translating Preclinical Indications to Successful Clinical Development.
"Our screening platform is unique in the field of ophthalmology and has proven extremely useful in the identification of promising potential drug targets for ocular diseases," stated Dennis S. Rice, Ph.D., Director of Ophthalmology at Lexicon Genetics, and lead author presenting the work. "Using our knock-out technology, we are able to study the results of blocking gene function in vivo, so that we may choose targets for ocular drug discovery and development with desired therapeutic profiles in mind."
The research highlighted in today's presentation demonstrates the power of these technologies in identifying new targets that produce anti-angiogenic effects similar to those caused by blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This research is aimed at the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and other diseases, including cancer, in which angiogenesis plays a role.
With its unique ophthalmic-specific screening platform, Lexicon has examined the functions of over 4,000 genes using knockout mice from the Company's Genome5000(TM) program and has identified proteins involved in retinal degeneration, glaucoma, dry eye and ocular inflammation. The focus of the company's presentation at the conference is the discovery platform used to elucidate genes that affect vascular biology. Vascular diseases represent one of the most sight-threatening conditions in ophthalmology.
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Recent statistics show that nearly 17 percent of youth ages 6-19 years old in the United States are considered overweight. Youth are defined as overweight if they have a body mass index (BMI) that is above the 95 percent for their sex and age. BMI measures weight in relation to height. There is no BMI cutpoint that defines obesity for children.
Over the next five years, researchers will enroll 200 adolescents who are scheduled for bariatric surgery and compare their data to 200 adults who had bariatric surgery after being obese since their teen years. The researchers will collect information on the pre-operative and two year post-operative status of the participants, including measures of body composition, body fat, cardiovascular risks, sleep apnea episodes, diabetes indicators, depressive symptoms, quality of life, eating habits, and nutritional status. The investigators will also store serum, plasma, urine and genetic samples for future studies.
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