Briefs

• Fiscal health as important as physical health for older Americans
• Multimillion dollar grant awarded to TMC Digestive Diseases Center
• Researchers win NIH award to study how to correct protein defect in cystic fibrosis patientss
• Robert Todd named to lead BCM's Department of Medicine
• U.S., Tanzania governments partner with Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative to open two new AIDS centers

Statistical method makes finding rare genetic variants easier

Combining two forms of analysis into a new statistical method should make it easier to identify rare genetic variations that increase the risk of developing common diseases, said Baylor College of Medicine researchers.

Weight increases across generations through epigenetics

Obesity increases across generations, said Baylor College of Medicine researchers, who found that chemical changes in the ways genes are expressed could affect successive generations of mice.

Bert O'Malley, M.D., receives National Medal of Science

Bert O'Malley, M.D., chair of Baylor College of Medicine's department of molecular and cellular biology, was recognized for his pioneering research with the National Medal of Science.

'Sister act' aided by enzyme in keeping genome stable

Matched chromatids must act together in a "sister act" to keep the genome stable. How to keep these chromatids paired is a problem the cell has solved with the enzyme Eco1, according to Baylor College of Medicine scientists.

A matter of health

Science is a lot like the U.S. Postal Service. Come rain, snow sleet – or even Ike, it has to go on. How did the scientists handle Hurricane Ike? At Baylor College of Medicine, as at most of the local institutions, it was simple devotion to duty.