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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).

Cell-free DNA can be used to predict biological age, according to a new study

Scientists have found that cell-free DNA (cfDNA) within in the blood can reflect differences in the age and health of individuals.

21 Dec 2018

New data demonstrates clinical utility of AlloSure in repeat kidney transplant recipients

CareDx, Inc., a leading molecular diagnostics company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of clinically differentiated, high-value diagnostic solutions for transplant patients, today announces the publication of data demonstrating the clinical utility of measuring AlloSure in repeat kidney transplant recipients in the American Journal of Transplantation.

21 Dec 2018

Change in genome of Caucasians could explain higher rates of esophageal cancer

A change in the genome of Caucasians could explain much-higher rates of the most common type of esophageal cancer in this population, a new study finds.

21 Dec 2018

Elegant, low-cost approach enhances single-cell RNA sequencing

Droplet microfluidics has revolutionized single-cell RNA sequencing, offering a low-cost, high-throughput method for single-cell genomics. However, this method has been limited in its ability to capture complete RNA transcription information.

20 Dec 2018

Study lays foundation for addressing unresolved questions in human aging

Doctors have long observed that biological age and chronological age are not always one and the same. A 55-year-old may exhibit many signs of old age and have numerous age-related diseases, whereas an 80-year-old may be healthy and robust.

20 Dec 2018

Advanced stem cell approach could help fight Parkinson's disease

Scientists have taken a key step towards improving an emerging class of treatments for Parkinson's disease.

20 Dec 2018

Scripps Research finds molecular cause of a group of rare autoimmune disorders

A team from Scripps Research has found a molecular cause of a group of rare autoimmune disorders in which the immune system attacks the body's own healthy cells.

20 Dec 2018

New test shown to be 100% effective at detecting cervical cancer

Researchers have developed a new cervical cancer test that proved to be 100% effective at detecting the cancer in a trial of 15,744 participants.

19 Dec 2018

DNA “webs” shown to promote metastasis in ovarian cancer

Researchers have found that neutrophils cast DNA “webs” that aid the spread of ovarian cancer cells to new tissues (a process known as metastasis).

19 Dec 2018

Researchers uncover genes that play a key role in the inactivation of X chromosomes

In cell biology, men and women are unequal: men have an X chromosome, while women have two. How can we get around this difference?

19 Dec 2018

Active ingredient in eye drops shows promise for treating aggressive blood cancer

An active ingredient in eye drops that were being developed for the treatment of a form of eye disease has shown promise for treating an aggressive form of blood cancer. Scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, University of Cambridge, University of Nottingham and their collaborators have found that this compound, which targets an essential cancer gene, could kill leukemia cells without harming non-leukemic blood cells.

19 Dec 2018

Horizon Discovery partners with C4XD to validate novel synthetic lethal oncology targets

Horizon Discovery Group today announces that it has entered into an exclusive target discovery partnership with C4XD, a pioneering drug discovery company.

From Revvity 19 Dec 2018

Research explores effects of cannabis use on males’ reproductive health

As legal access to marijuana continues expanding across the U.S., more scientists are studying the effects of its active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in teens, adults and pregnant women.

19 Dec 2018

New compound blocks genetic cause of familial ALS and frontotemporal dementia

Since the ice bucket challenge went viral in 2014, raising awareness and funding for ALS research, scientists have learned much about a disease that disconnects muscles from nerves, leading to muscle atrophy and eventual death. Their ultimate goal is to create medications capable of stopping ALS in its tracks.

18 Dec 2018

New genetic testing method increases the precision of biomarker analysis

Estonian scientists have announced the invention of a genetic testing technology that allows the number of clinical biomarkers to be analyzed at the single-molecule level, which enhances the sensitivity of tests in precision medicine and will make them more affordable in future.

18 Dec 2018

CRISPR may restore effectiveness of chemotherapies used to treat lung cancer

The CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system may be able to restore the effectiveness of first-line chemotherapies used to treat lung cancer by deleting or "knocking out" a gene in cancer tumors that helps the tumors develop resistance to the drugs.

18 Dec 2018

Advanced method can help detect multiple markers that contribute to Alzheimer's disease

In biomedical research, plant breeding, and countless other endeavors, geneticists are on the hunt for the specific genes responsible for disease susceptibility, yield, and other traits of interest.

17 Dec 2018

New 'epigenetics-based' cervical cancer test outperforms Pap smear and HPV tests

A new test for cervical cancer was found to detect all of the cancers in a randomized clinical screening trial of 15,744 women, outperforming both the current Pap smear and human papillomavirus test at a reduced cost, according to a study led by Queen Mary University of London.

17 Dec 2018

New robust method for microscopically profiling tiny single cells

Many of the cell types in our bodies work in obscure ways, that science does not yet fully understand. That also goes for immune cells, which are vital for protecting us against serious diseases.

17 Dec 2018

Researchers reveal how key transcription factor keeps the immune system in check

Our immune systems defend our bodies against dangerous invaders and help clean up when damage is done. But if our bold protectors are left unsupervised, they sometimes do their jobs too well and end up harming healthy tissues.

17 Dec 2018