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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).

Study shows how RNA splicing errors may trigger development of ALS, FTD

The most frequent genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)- rare and related neurological disorders marked by progressive deterioration of motor or cognitive abilities- may be due to errors in RNA splicing, an intermediary step for translating genetic instructions into functional proteins.

14 Jun 2017

Researchers develop new method for more accurate testing of anti-cancer drugs

A method to more accurately test anti-cancer drugs has now been developed at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. The method paves the way to much earlier assessment of who benefits from a specific drug and who does not.

14 Jun 2017

Cigarette smoking causes diverse harm that extends way beyond the lungs

Warning: Cigarette smoking presents far more health hazards than you probably realize.

14 Jun 2017

UAB researchers demonstrate persistence of donor microbes in recipients after fecal transplant

University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers have made the first direct demonstration that fecal donor microbes remained in recipients for months or years after a transplant to treat the diarrhea and colitis caused by recurrent Clostridium difficile infections -- a serious and stubborn cause of diarrhea after an antibiotic treatment for some other illness.

14 Jun 2017

Decrease in diversity of vaginal microbes linked to preterm birth

More than 10 percent of babies in the United States are born prematurely, yet very little is know about the underlying causes. Vaginal infections long have been thought to be related to preterm birth, prompting researchers to look at the mix of microbes in the vagina during pregnancy.

13 Jun 2017

UNC study uncovers crucial function of key enzyme found in virtually all organisms

UNC School of Medicine researchers have cracked a long-standing mystery about an important enzyme found in virtually all organisms other than bacteria.

13 Jun 2017

Cornell researchers unravel E. coli bacteria's defense secret

By tagging a cell's proteins with fluorescent beacons, Cornell researchers have found out how E. coli bacteria defend themselves against antibiotics and other poisons. Probably not good news for the bacteria.

13 Jun 2017

Study finds that e-cigarettes are potentially as harmful as tobacco cigarettes in damaging DNA

A study by chemists at the University of Connecticut (UConn) offers new evidence that e-cigarettes loaded with a nicotine-based liquid are potentially as harmful as unfiltered cigarettes when it comes to causing DNA damage.

13 Jun 2017

Scientists create method for mapping genome-wide DNA damage caused by chemical carcinogen

Scientists have known for decades that smoking cigarettes causes DNA damage, which leads to lung cancer. Now, for the first time, UNC School of Medicine scientists created a method for effectively mapping that DNA damage at high resolution across the genome.

13 Jun 2017

Genetic testing getting better at identifying testicular cancer risk

Testing for a new group of genes associated with testicular cancer has improved the ability to identify men at greatest risk of the disease, say researchers. Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, found that by testing for 19 new genetic factors in addition to the 25 risk genes already known, they could identify the 1% of men at highest risk.

13 Jun 2017

New biosensor technology could be used in wearable devices to monitor health

Imagine wearing a device that continuously analyzes your sweat or blood for different types of biomarkers, such as proteins that show you may have breast cancer or lung cancer.

13 Jun 2017

New OpenArray system offers simultaneous detection of pathogens in blood samples

The emergence of new pathogens like West Nile Virus, Ebola, Dengue, and Zika, threaten human health on a global scale.

From Thermo Fisher Scientific - Microbiology 13 Jun 2017

Dietary practices get reflected in the genes of Europeans, study reveals

A recently published Cornell University study describes how shifts in the diets of Europeans after the introduction of farming 10,000 years ago led to genetic adaptations that favored the dietary trends of the time.

13 Jun 2017

Review suggests need for improved treatment outcome measures in clinical trials for FXS

A group of researchers from several institutions in the USA, including Johns Hopkins Medicine, reports that its review of 22 clinical trials of fragile X syndrome (FXS) suggests the need for a wider use of newer and improved treatment outcome measurement tools for this and other several neurodevelopmental disorders.

13 Jun 2017

Roche to showcase new solutions for lab innovation at EuroMedLab

Roche announced today that it will be showcasing new solutions for lab innovation and leadership at the 22nd IFCC–EFLM European Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicines in Athens, Greece, 11–15 June.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 13 Jun 2017

Moffitt researchers develop novel drug that may help combat castration-resistant prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related death in men in the United States. It is estimated that 161,360 men will be diagnosed and more than 26,700 men will die from the disease in this year.

12 Jun 2017

Study reveals role of mast cells in severe forms of dengue infection

Why mosquito-borne dengue virus causes more severe disease in some individuals, including hemorrhagic fever with or without shock, remains controversial and researchers are focusing on the factors related to the interaction between the virus and the host immune system, including the role of mast cells.

12 Jun 2017