Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Sharing large-scale health data to drive forward precision medicine

Precision medicine requires big data. In order to improve the treatment of individuals with cancer, or to understand rare diseases, scientists and clinicians, as well as AI technologies require access to larger sets of health research data that covers diverse populations and wide ranges of conditions.

20 Nov 2021

Repurposed ALS drug could slow gradual brain cell loss in Niemann-Pick disease type C1

Riluzole, a drug approved to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease affecting nerve cells controlling movement, could slow the gradual loss of a particular brain cell that occurs in Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1), a rare genetic disorder affecting children and adolescents, suggests a study in mice by scientists at the National Institutes of Health.

20 Nov 2021

Experts debate whether whole genome sequencing is necessary for all newborn babies

Genomics England, a government owned company, recently announced a pilot programme of whole genome sequencing to screen for genetic diseases in 200,000 healthy seeming newborns.

18 Nov 2021

Scientists predict structures of eukaryotic protein complexes using AI

UT Southwestern and University of Washington researchers led an international team that used artificial intelligence (AI) and evolutionary analysis to produce 3D models of eukaryotic protein interactions.

17 Nov 2021

What genes affect the COVID-19 gender imbalance?

Many studies have established that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is more infective in men than women, and men are more at risk of severe disease. While some have suggested that behavioral differences could explain increased transmission to men, this does not explain the more morbid prognosis.

16 Nov 2021

'Brain age' mostly relates to early life influences

Researchers in brain science and aging are very interested in measuring the health of a brain using a single observation. The most popular way to measure it is through a method called "brain age".

16 Nov 2021

Young adults with cancer may require different treatments than older patients

Not all tumors are alike. Young adults who are diagnosed with skin, colon, and other cancer types may require different treatments than older patients receive.

16 Nov 2021

Study finds beneficial and harmful short-term health effects of caffeinated coffee consumption

Drinking caffeinated coffee appears to have both beneficial and harmful short-term health effects: increased abnormal heartbeats, increased physical activity and reduced sleep duration, according to late-breaking research presented today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2021.

15 Nov 2021

Lamin C important for keeping cell’s genetic material organized, research shows

In a study with lab-grown mouse cells, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have found that a protein that helps form a structural network under the surface of the cell's "command center" — its nucleus — is key to ensuring that DNA inside it remains orderly.

15 Nov 2021

Updated mapping of the human genetic architecture of COVID-19

In the present study, researchers presented extensive meta-analysis and added ten new genome-wide significant loci.

15 Nov 2021

Expert explores how our sleeping patterns can be linked to cognitive decline

Dr Greg Elder, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Associate Director of Northumbria Sleep Research explores why a good night's sleep is important and how our sleeping patterns can be linked to conditions like dementia for The Conversation.

15 Nov 2021

Study provides a new target for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease

In an unexpected discovery, Georgetown University Medical Center researchers have identified what appears to be a significant vascular defect in patients with moderately severe Parkinson's disease.

14 Nov 2021

RT-LAMP coupled solid-state nanopores for SARS-CoV-2 detection

Researchers discuss a highly sensitive, specific, and rapid SARS-CoV-2 detection platform by coupling the RT-LAMP with glass nanopore sensors.

11 Nov 2021

Urothelial cancers in Lynch Syndrome patients can be detected using a simple, cheap urine test

Researchers have shown for the first time that it is possible to detect signs of urothelial cancer using a simple, postal, urine test in Lynch Syndrome (LS) patients who are at high risk of developing tumors.

11 Nov 2021

Treating depression with an app

News-Medical talks to Dr. Mann and Dr. Shah about the Columbia Psychiatry Pathways app and its purpose of improving the treatment of depression.

11 Nov 2021

Inhibiting epigenetic modification could be key to reducing cancer metastasis

Fatty acid uptake produces an epigenetic modification that is required for cancer metastasis, according to a study published in Nature.

10 Nov 2021

The autoantibody profile in COVID-19 patients with MIS-C

A new study assessed the presence of autoantibodies against autoantigens associated with known autoimmune diseases in patients with COVID-19.

10 Nov 2021

Retinoid therapy improves vision in mice with Usher syndrome

Using data generated from patients and mice with genetic mutation for the disorder Usher syndrome, researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health's National Eye Institute, and National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, documented the natural history of vision impairment in patients and identified the cell mechanism behind progressive vision loss.

9 Nov 2021

Repeated listening to favorite music induces beneficial brain plasticity in Alzheimer’s patients

Researchers at the University of Toronto and Unity Health Toronto have demonstrated that repeated listening to personally meaningful music induces beneficial brain plasticity in patients with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's disease.

9 Nov 2021