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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).

Tweaking nuclear pores could provide new avenue to battle against cancer

If the cell nucleus is like a bank for DNA, nuclear pores are the security doors around its perimeter. Yet more security doors aren't necessarily better: some cancer cells contain a dramatic excess of nuclear pores.

19 Sep 2018

Research shows enlarged genotype-phenotype correlation for three-base pair deletion in NF1

International collaborative research led by Ludwine Messiaen, Ph.D., shows that while a three-base pair, in-frame deletion called p.Met992del in the NF1 gene has a mild phenotype for people with the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1, the mutation does cause complications.

18 Sep 2018

Scientists find the genetic code underlying limb growth

Researchers at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne have discovered the gene code that sets the pace and order of fetal development.

18 Sep 2018

NUS researchers develop new device for quick and accurate screening of diseases

A multidisciplinary team of researchers at the National University of Singapore has developed a portable, easy-to-use device for quick and accurate screening of diseases.

18 Sep 2018

Researchers find way to map mysterious content of non-coding RNA

Researchers from the University of North Carolina have found a way of categorising long non-coding RNAs (lnc-RNAs) by their probable function.

18 Sep 2018

New research on sperm quality updates advice for couples trying to conceive

Could doctors at fertility clinics be giving men bad advice? Dr. Da Li and Dr. XiuXia Wang, who are clinician-researchers at the Center for Reproductive Medicine of Shengjing Hospital in Shenyang in northeast China, think so.

17 Sep 2018

Salk research in yeast leads to serendipitous finding about hypomyelinating leukodystrophy

Studying the fundamental aspects of biology can sometimes lead to unexpected findings that directly relate to human disease. In one of the latest examples of scientific serendipity, researchers from the Salk Institute found that an important quality control mechanism in baker's yeast is closely connected to hypomyelinating leukodystrophy, a debilitating disease found in children.

17 Sep 2018

KKH develops new test to enable faster diagnosis of critically ill children with rare diseases

A multi-disciplinary team at KK Women's and Children's Hospital has developed a test to enable faster diagnosis of rare diseases to help critically ill children.

17 Sep 2018

Researchers find new way to differentiate between active and inactive viruses

Human herpesviruses such as HHV-6 can remain dormant in cells for many years without being noticed. When reactivated, they can cause serious clinical conditions. Researchers from Würzburg have now found a way of differentiating between active and inactive viruses.

14 Sep 2018

FDA approves new treatment for people with hairy cell leukemia

AstraZeneca and MedImmune, its global biologics research and development arm, announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration has approved LUMOXITI (moxetumomab pasudotox-tdfk) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukemia who have received at least two prior systemic therapies, including treatment with a purine nucleoside analog.

14 Sep 2018

Study reveals how dangerous bacterium shares its genetic information

Bacteria are very sneaky in their efforts to develop resistance to antibiotics. Some strains of bacteria package up the genetic instructions for how they defend themselves and cause disease, and pass this information on to neighbouring, naïve, bacteria - essentially gifting their colleagues with the defences they need to survive against our medical armoury of antibiotics.

14 Sep 2018

MAPK pathway mediates normal kidney development, reveals study

The prevalence of kidney diseases is growing rapidly due to an aging population and an increased incidence of diseases like diabetes.

14 Sep 2018

Study could pave way for new therapies to reverse aging in human cells

Research has shed new light on genetic processes that may one day lead to the development of therapies that can slow, or even reverse, how our cells age.

14 Sep 2018

UTA scientist to provide new insights on the role of 'jumping genes'

A biology researcher at The University of Texas at Arlington will be using the high-tech tools provided by the North Texas Genome Center to shed light on the role of 'jumping genes'.

14 Sep 2018

Studies explore biological mechanisms that may explain HIV post-treatment controllers

Most HIV patients need to take daily anti-retroviral therapy - if they suspend treatment, HIV will rebound within 3-4 weeks.

14 Sep 2018

Discovery of key mechanism may lead to more functional skin grafts for burn victims

University of Colorado Boulder researchers have discovered a key mechanism by which skin begins to develop in embryos, shedding light on the genetic roots of birth defects like cleft palate and paving the way for development of more functional skin grafts for burn victims.

14 Sep 2018

New research sheds light on the causes of diabetes

The main cause of all forms of diabetes is pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction. Beta cells, found in the pancreatic islets, store and release insulin.

14 Sep 2018

Is ‘precision medicine’ the answer to cancer? Not precisely.

Facing incurable breast cancer at age 55, MaryAnne DiCanto put her faith in "precision medicine" — in which doctors try to match patients with drugs that target the genetic mutations in their tumors. She underwent repeated biopsies to identify therapies that might help.

13 Sep 2018

Simple screening tool evaluates online health ads for deception

The internet is rife with ads for health products, from weight-loss systems to arthritis cures--but whether they actually work can be difficult to discern.

12 Sep 2018

Improving early-stage diagnosis of diseases linked to metabolic syndrome

An EU-funded network of universities, hospitals and pharmaceutical and life sciences companies is studying an inflammatory condition associated with a variety of diseases.

12 Sep 2018