An international team that included scientists from the National
Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes
of Health (NIH), today reported it has identified six more genetic
variants involved in type 2 diabetes, boosting to 16 the total
number of genetic risk factors associated with increased risk of
the disease.

Scientists have identified a genetic variant that not only makes
smokers more susceptible to nicotine addiction but also increases
their risk of developing two smoking-related diseases, lung cancer
and peripheral arterial disease. The research was supported by
the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National
Institutes of Health (NIH).

Researchers have identified genetic variations in a region of
DNA that may be associated with risk for breast cancer. Women with
the variation have a 1.4 times greater risk of developing breast
cancer compared to those without this variation. The study is one
of several genome-wide association studies looking for breast cancer
genes to be published this year by researchers at the National
Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health,
and their colleagues.