Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Scientists discover genetic basis and molecular mechanisms of new neurodevelopmental syndrome

Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and colleagues have demonstrated that variants in the SPTBN1 gene can alter neuronal architecture, dramatically affecting their function and leading to a rare, newly defined neurodevelopmental syndrome in children.

1 Jul 2021

Study offers clues for earlier diagnosis of folate deficiency

As many expectant mothers know, getting enough folate is key to avoiding neural tube defects in the baby during pregnancy. But for the individuals who carry certain genetic variants, dealing with folate deficiency can be a life-long struggle which can lead to serious neurological and heart problems and even death.

1 Jul 2021

Researchers discover genetic markers that drive the timing of first sex and birth

An Oxford-led team, working with Cambridge and international scholars, has discovered hundreds of genetic markers driving two of life's most momentous milestones - the age at which people first have sex and become parents.

1 Jul 2021

Can age, sex, BMI or blood group influence the immunogenicity of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine?

A group of Belgium researchers recently discuss their findings in the journal Microorganisms, which describe the influence of several factors on vaccine-induced immunogenicity.

1 Jul 2021

Researchers identify proteins that contribute to the pathogenicity of COVID-19 virus

Researchers at Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) have narrowed down the proteins enabling SARS-CoV-2 to cause disease.

1 Jul 2021

Study offers a new model for examining genetic risk associated with nicotine dependence

Some people casually smoke cigarettes for a while and then stop without a problem, while others develop long-term, several packs-per-day habits. A complex mix of environmental, behavioral, and genetic factors appear to raise this risk for nicotine dependence.

1 Jul 2021

New research receives $2 million grant to determine if meningitis, sepsis increase Alzheimer's risk

The role of peripheral and brain infections in the development of Alzheimer's disease is the focus of new research at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, funded with a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

30 Jun 2021

Innovative corona test offers great potential for systematic testing

A new corona test developed at the University Hospital Bonn can analyze a large number of swabs simultaneously using sequencing technology and has a similarly high sensitivity as the common qPCR test.

29 Jun 2021

New components for oligonucleotide drugs show safety, efficacy in treating spinal muscular atrophy

Skoltech researchers and their colleagues from Russia and the UK investigated the safety and efficacy of new chemistry in antisense oligonucleotides used to treat spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a debilitating genetic disease.

29 Jun 2021

IU School of Medicine wins $30 million NIA funding to study Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias

National Centralized Repository for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias grant has been renewed for another five years with funding expected to total $30 million from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), within the National Institutes of the Health.

29 Jun 2021

UPMC expert finds successful treatment for rare diseases diagnosed by newborn screenings

1It was a nagging mystery: A rare-disease expert at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh had found a successful treatment for two of the deadliest symptoms of one of the more common classes of rare diseases diagnosed by newborn screenings, but one symptom--painful episodes of muscle breakdown that land victims in intensive care--persisted.

29 Jun 2021

Two CU Cancer Center studies provide insights into the link between inflammation and leukemia

Two recent collaborative publications by CU Cancer Center members provide insights into how chronic inflammation can serve as a key factor in the development of leukemia and other blood cancers.

29 Jun 2021

New analysis links distinct patterns of genetic mutations with OCD

In the first analysis of its kind, researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and several other institutions have linked distinct patterns of genetic mutations with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in humans.

28 Jun 2021

Selection acting on males causes offspring to inherit healthy gene

A few males are enough to fertilise all the females. The number of males therefore has little bearing on a population's growth. However, they are important for purging bad mutations from the population.

28 Jun 2021

First CRISPR-Cas9-based gene drive cuts and copies genetic elements in Arabidopsis plants

With a goal of breeding resilient crops that are better able to withstand drought and disease, University of California San Diego scientists have developed the first CRISPR-Cas9-based gene drive in plants.

25 Jun 2021

New book improves understanding of rare disease genetics using genomic approaches

In 2018, Dr. Claudia Gonzaga-Jáuregui, who years before had completed her doctorate studies in Dr. James R. Lupski's lab at Baylor College of Medicine, received an email from an editor at Elsevier's Academic Press with a proposal that immediately caught her attention.

25 Jun 2021

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children significantly affects more Black and Latino children

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) significantly affected more Black and Latino children than white children, with Black children at the highest risk, according to a new observational study of 124 pediatric patients treated at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.

25 Jun 2021

Study shows how inhibitory neurons play a key role to facilitate signal transmission

When looking at a complex landscape, the eye needs to focus in on important details without losing the big picture--a charging lion in a jungle, for example. Now, a new study by Salk scientists shows how inhibitory neurons play a critical role in this process.

25 Jun 2021

Study could help identify genes linked to aging process

To better understand the role of bacteria in health and disease, National Institutes of Health researchers fed fruit flies antibiotics and monitored the lifetime activity of hundreds of genes that scientists have traditionally thought control aging.

25 Jun 2021

Researchers trace gecko’s skin tumors to a gene implicated in deadly cancer

The leopard gecko's name was Mr. Frosty, and he was hard to miss. Yellow bands striped his back, and uncommonly white skin peeked out from speckles on his head and tail.

25 Jun 2021

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Scientists discover genetic basis and molecular mechanisms of new neurodevelopmental syndrome

Study offers clues for earlier diagnosis of folate deficiency

Researchers discover genetic markers that drive the timing of first sex and birth

Can age, sex, BMI or blood group influence the immunogenicity of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine?

Researchers identify proteins that contribute to the pathogenicity of COVID-19 virus

Study offers a new model for examining genetic risk associated with nicotine dependence

New research receives $2 million grant to determine if meningitis, sepsis increase Alzheimer's risk

Innovative corona test offers great potential for systematic testing

New components for oligonucleotide drugs show safety, efficacy in treating spinal muscular atrophy

IU School of Medicine wins $30 million NIA funding to study Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias

UPMC expert finds successful treatment for rare diseases diagnosed by newborn screenings

Two CU Cancer Center studies provide insights into the link between inflammation and leukemia

New analysis links distinct patterns of genetic mutations with OCD

Selection acting on males causes offspring to inherit healthy gene

First CRISPR-Cas9-based gene drive cuts and copies genetic elements in Arabidopsis plants

New book improves understanding of rare disease genetics using genomic approaches

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children significantly affects more Black and Latino children

Study shows how inhibitory neurons play a key role to facilitate signal transmission

Study could help identify genes linked to aging process

Researchers trace gecko’s skin tumors to a gene implicated in deadly cancer

eBook: Using iPSCs models for human disease research and drug discovery eBook

Small solutions for big problems in drug discovery and delivery

Professor Nancy Ip: Pioneering New Paths in Neurodegenerative Therapy

Utilizing process Raman in optimizing cultivated meat production