Seeking the stroke gene

Researchers in Iceland are closing in on a gene which makes people more prone
to strokes. By studying 1200 stroke patients and their families, researchers at
deCode genetics of Reykjavik have traced the gene to a specific region of an
unnamed chromosome and hope to pinpoint its location soon. DeCode’s
collaborator, Swiss drugs giant Hoffmann-La Roche, hopes that this will help in
developing new drugs to combat the effects of strokes. The finding is the second
triumph for deCode, which has unique access to the medical records of the
close-knit Icelandic population.