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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).

New method for on-the-spot genome analysis

The ability to read the genome - all the DNA of an organism - has vast potential to understand human health and disease.

14 Mar 2019

PNAS publishes results of pilot study for early detection of liver cancer

Today, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published the results of a pilot study for early detection of liver cancer in a cohort of HBV carriers, who are at risk for developing this disease.

13 Mar 2019

Wireless earphones shown to be source of carcinogenic radiation

Wireless earphones, such as those sold by tech giants Apple and Samsung, could be releasing potentially carcinogenic radiation into the heads of the users.

13 Mar 2019

Scientists introduce a simple, reliable method for universal isothermal DNA amplification

Whether revealing a perpetrator with DNA evidence, diagnosing a pathogen, classifying a paleontological discovery, or determining paternity, the duplication of nucleic acids (amplification) is indispensable.

13 Mar 2019

New findings upturn a fundamental model in virology

Scientists have shown that different segments of a virus genome can exist in distinct cells but work together to cause an infection.

13 Mar 2019

Association found between gene variant and lung disease in the form of systemic vasculitis

University of Tsukuba-led team reveals the association between a gene variant and a lung disease in the form of systemic vasculitis particularly prevalent in the Japanese, potentially providing a target for future therapies.

13 Mar 2019

Gene behind mitochondrial disease has more varied effects than previously thought

For more than two decades, mutations in a gene located in the DNA of mitochondria have been classified as a mitochondrial disease and linked to a particular set of symptoms.

12 Mar 2019

23andMe to predict risk of diabetes from genetic makeup

DNA testing company 23andMe will soon release a DNA test that can predict an individuals' risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but many experts are concerned.

12 Mar 2019

The app that warns you about snacks you can’t add to your shopping cart

Researchers have developed an app that scans the barcodes of food items in the supermarket and warns you if it is not suitable for your body, based on your DNA.

12 Mar 2019

Adolescent binge drinking may raise risk for anxiety later in life

A growing body of evidence supports the idea that alcohol exposure early in life has lasting effects on the brain and increases the risk of psychological problems in adulthood.

12 Mar 2019

Medical treatment for gestational diabetes could prevent long-term complications in children

Researchers at Cardiff University have found that women taking metformin and/or insulin during gestational diabetes could reduce the risk of long-term complications for their child.

11 Mar 2019

New chromatography technique may improve our understanding of retroviral infections

Researchers have devised a two-step chromatography method that can isolate enveloped virus-like particles (VLPs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) for analysis.

11 Mar 2019

$2.7 million grant supports UIC researchers to study role of arsenic in development of diabetes

A five-year, $2.7 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences will help researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago answer basic questions about the role of arsenic in the development of diabetes and examine the mechanisms by which selenoproteins – found in the human body in 25 different forms – counter the effects of arsenic.

11 Mar 2019