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ӳý Genomic Services has partnered with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited to perform genomic analysis on patient samples from a Phase 3 clinical trial of NINLARO® (ixazomib), an oral proteasome inhibitor that was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), indicated in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone, for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy.

Every day, every cell in the body picks up one or two genetic mutations. Luckily, cells have a whole battery of strategies for fixing these errors. But most of the time, even if a mutation doesn’t get fixed — or doesn’t get fixed properly — there are no obvious functional implications. That is, the mutation isn't known to impair the function of the cell. Some mutations, however — called “driver” mutations — do impair the cell, leading to cancer, aging, or other types of diseases.

Prion disease is the common name for a family of rare, progressive neurodegenerative disorders that can be caused by mutations in the prion protein gene (PRNP). These mutations produce misshapen proteins, which accumulate, destroying neurons and leaving the brain with sponge-like holes resulting in dementia, and ultimately death. 

Some will say that finding just the right wine to pair with a meal can improve even the finest cuisine, transforming a pleasant gustatory experience into something approaching perfection. But with potentially hundreds of wines to choose from, picking the “right” one can be a chore for the casual wine-lover. That’s where the sommelier comes in, applying expertise to curate a list of only the best pairings to suit one’s needs.

Stuart Schreiber, a core member of the ӳý of MIT and Harvard and a Professor of Chemistry at Harvard, has been awarded the 2016 Wolf Prize in chemistry. The prize, considered among the most prestigious in the scientific community, recognizes Schreiber for his work in chemical biology and for the use of small molecules as probes to uncover novel cellular mechanisms at the root of human health and disease.