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DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Certain genes that predispose to cancer also affect the immune system, study shows

The study shows that the involvement of certain genes that predispose to cancer also affects the immune system, which could facilitate tumor growth.

25 Jun 2020

Fish exposed to chemicals can cause adverse biological effects in animals and humans

Fish exposed to very low levels of chemicals commonly found in waterways can pass the impacts on to future generations that were never directly exposed to the chemicals, according to Oregon State University researchers.

25 Jun 2020

New therapeutic approach for Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases

Xiang-Dong Fu, PhD, has never been more excited about something in his entire career. He has long studied the basic biology of RNA, a genetic cousin of DNA, and the proteins that bind it. But a single discovery has launched Fu into a completely new field: neuroscience.

25 Jun 2020

Platelets may be contributing to COVID-19

The current pandemic of COVID-19 is characterized mainly by severe acute respiratory distress of the lungs, but other organ dysfunctions are also being observed, including the heart and blood vessels. Now, a new paper published on the preprint server medRxiv* in June 2020 describes the abnormal activation of platelets in this disease and the link between this phenomenon and poor outcomes for COVID-19 patients.

24 Jun 2020

Whole genome sequencing can improve diagnosis and treatment of patients with rare diseases

A research programme pioneering the use of whole genome sequencing in the NHS has diagnosed hundreds of patients and discovered new genetic causes of disease.

24 Jun 2020

A 'quick and easy' COVID-19 test developed for population-scale screening

Global endeavors to fight the Covid-19 pandemic heavily rely on accurate, fast and frequent tests for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 - "test, test, test", as the World Health Organization has bluntly put it.

24 Jun 2020

A metabolic enzyme drives B cell lymphomas and could be a potential drug target

Scientists at the Sloan Kettering Institute have found that increased activity of a normal metabolic enzyme can lead to cancer. The enzyme, SHMT2, is a driver of a large portion of B cell lymphomas and could be a potential drug target.

24 Jun 2020

Tiny protein in mitochondria has a big impact on health and longevity, study shows

A new study led by researchers at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology is the first to demonstrate that a tiny protein has a big impact on health and longevity in both animals and humans.

24 Jun 2020

Automated classification of colorectal cancer using IR imaging

A research team from the Prodi Centre for Protein Diagnostics at Ruhr-Universität Bochum has used infrared microscopes based on quantum cascade lasers to classify tissue samples of colorectal cancer from routine clinical operations in a marker-free and automated way.

24 Jun 2020

Researchers develop eDNA method to prevent emergence of pathogens

As the SARS-CoV-2 puts a new focus on zoonotic pathogens, a Washington State University researcher has developed a method to use environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect disease in the vast international trade of aquatic animals.

24 Jun 2020

New technique helps measure dNTP concentrations with greater sensitivity

A highly sensitive and easy-to-use technique applicable for tissue samples can be useful, for example, to researchers specialised in mitochondrial diseases and cancer.

24 Jun 2020

U.K. to roll out the largest genetic study on chronic fatigue syndrome

Fatigue is the feeling of constant tiredness or weakness, which can affect anyone. In worse cases, people develop a condition called myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). This condition is debilitating and lacks a universally accepted definition, cause, diagnosis, and even treatment.

24 Jun 2020

St. Jude scientists create O-PDX models for pediatric brain tumor research

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have created orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (O-PDX) models representing a variety of pediatric brain tumor types.

23 Jun 2020

Improving cancer therapies by exploiting drug resistance in cancer

News-Medical talks to Professor David Thomas about his recent research identifying the mechanisms behind cancer cells developing resistance to drugs.

23 Jun 2020

Research shows females use anti-inflammatory T cells to maintain their blood pressure

In the face of a multipronged front to drive blood pressure up, including a high-salt diet, females are better able to keep their pressure down by increasing levels of a T cell that selectively dials back inflammation, scientists say.

23 Jun 2020

Organoids can help provide new level of accuracy in prescribing anti-cancer therapies

Precision medicine, using the power of the human genome to diagnose and treat patients, is about to get even more precise.

22 Jun 2020

Specific changes in DNA affect the existence and amount of gut bacteria, study finds

The role genetics and gut bacteria play in human health has long been a fruitful source of scientific enquiry, but new research marks a significant step forward in unraveling this complex relationship.

22 Jun 2020

Simple blood test found to accurately diagnose and classify brain tumors

A simple but highly sensitive blood test has been found to accurately diagnose and classify different types of brain tumors, resulting in more accurate diagnosis, less invasive methods and better treatment planning for patients, in the future.

22 Jun 2020

Tumor cell–based vaccine may prevent relapse of mantle cell lymphoma

A phase I/II clinical trial by researchers at Stanford University suggests that vaccines prepared from a patient's own tumor cells may prevent the incurable blood cancer mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) from returning after treatment.

22 Jun 2020

Massive proteomics investigation of COVID-19 infection

Researchers from Germany and Switzerland revealed functional effects of individual severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proteins on cellular level after infection. They placed the findings into the context of host signaling pathways in order to identify vulnerable parts of the virus amenable to treatment. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server.

21 Jun 2020