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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).

Women born by cesarean have greater risk of obesity and diabetes

A new study published in the open-access journal JAMA Network Open in April 2020 suggests that women born by way of a Cesarean section are at higher risk of developing obesity as well as type 2 diabetes mellitus in adult life.

13 Apr 2020

CRISPR may help in kidney-transplants by detecting viruses

An exciting new study published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering in April 2020 reports excellent results with a new test for two common viruses that infect kidney transplant patients. The levels of these viruses shoot up during the acute phase of rejection.

13 Apr 2020

FDA approves new Rutgers saliva test for coronavirus

The FDA has granted emergency use authorization to Rutgers' RUCDR Infinite Biologics and its collaborators for a new collection approach that utilizes saliva as the primary test biomaterial for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, the first such approval granted by the federal agency.

13 Apr 2020

Study finds dependency of a type of small RNA on personal attributes

The cells in our body are home to thousands of tiny molecules called RNAs. There are many different types of RNAs – some carry the code for specific proteins to be made, some transport things within the cell, and some can influence which genes get turned on or off.

13 Apr 2020

First detailed map of transcriptome and epitranscriptome for novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)

A team of researchers has come out with the first detailed map of the transcriptome and epitranscriptome of the virulent SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 disease, the illness that has become a pandemic ravaging both developed and less developed countries of the world. The study, published in the journal Cell in April 2020, may assist in the development of new vaccines and therapeutics.

12 Apr 2020

Stuttering DNA controls development of mosquito embryos

All organisms have DNA, the genetic material that provides a blueprint for life. The long double-helix-shaped DNA molecules in the body's cells are first translated into RNA molecules and then translated into proteins that ensure the functioning of the cell and the entire organism.

12 Apr 2020

UMSOM launches new initiative to expand COVID-19 testing

University of Maryland School of Medicine Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, announced today the launch of a large-scale COVID-19 Testing Initiative that will significantly expand testing capability over the coming weeks, enabled by new funding of $2.5 million from the State of Maryland.

12 Apr 2020

PARP inhibitor drugs can be structurally modified to better kill tumor cells

A prospective "PARP inhibitor" drug that has struggled to show effectiveness in clinical trials against cancers can be structurally modified to greatly increase its power to kill tumor cells, researchers from Penn Medicine report this week in Science.

12 Apr 2020

Researchers identify new risk gene for Parkinson's disease

Screening DNA of Parkinson's patients in the Christine Van Broeckhoven laboratory (VIB-UAntwerpen Center for Molecular Neurology) identified a new risk gene for Parkinson's disease. Mutations in ATP10B resulted in loss of ATP10B protein.

12 Apr 2020

Researchers pinpoint genetic variation responsible for development of IBD

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have pinpointed a genetic variation responsible for driving the development of inflammatory bowel disease.

9 Apr 2020

Combination of rare, damaging mutations negatively affects healthspan and longevity

Scientists report that the combined effects of rare, damaging mutations present at birth have a negative impact on healthspan and longevity, according to a study published this week in eLife.

9 Apr 2020

Researchers identify protein that plays critical role in cancer treatment-related heart damage

Many cancers can be successfully treated, but treatment itself often comes with risks as well. Cancer therapy that uses anthracyclines--a class of commonly used chemotherapy drugs--has been associated with heart damage that can eventually result in heart failure. It is thought to be the reason why heart disease is a leading cause of death in cancer survivors, immediately following cancer recurrence.

9 Apr 2020

Phylogenetic network analysis provides ‘snapshot’ of COVID-19 origins

Researchers from Cambridge, UK, and Germany have reconstructed the early "evolutionary paths" of COVID-19 in humans - as infection spread from Wuhan out to Europe and North America - using genetic network techniques.

9 Apr 2020

Researchers discover novel role for dopamine that impacts gene expression related to cocaine abuse

A new role for dopamine independent of classic neurotransmission may be critical gene expression changes related to cocaine use.

9 Apr 2020

Improper cellular cleanup during neurodevelopment may cause lifelong behavioral issues

Improper removal of faulty brain cells during neurodevelopment may cause lifelong behavioral issues, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine suggests.

9 Apr 2020

Scientists demonstrate importance of aligning internal circadian clock with day-night cycles

Timing is everything. A fresh example supporting the old saying has been found in connection with the systems regulated by biological clocks.

8 Apr 2020

Researchers develop online resource to refine results from RNA sequencing

DNA sequencing is becoming a more commonplace method for detecting diseases and improving precision medicine.

8 Apr 2020

Visualizing 3D microanatomy of human nipple to understand and fight breast cancer

Nipple-sparing mastectomy is gaining ground as a treatment or preventive measure for breast cancer, given the understandable desire among patients to preserve natural appearance as much as possible. But the precise risk of preserving the nipple is not known as the cancer can spread along mammary ducts and to the nipple.

8 Apr 2020

UCF researchers seek novel mask material to catch and kill COVID-19

Masks that protect doctors and nurses from COVID-19 only block the virus before it reaches their faces, but UCF researchers are working to create a protective coating that would include a novel mask material that would catch the virus and kill it within seconds.

8 Apr 2020

New anti-COVID-19 system could potentially fight other viruses

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has sparked many research projects to meet the challenge of the virus and come up with measures to fight its activity. A new study published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe in April 2020 describes a novel system to help scientists understand the virus, including mutations, diagnose infections, and also to develop and evaluate vaccines more quickly.

8 Apr 2020