Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

MGH researchers uncover new clues about X chromosome inactivation

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have uncovered new clues that add to the growing understanding of how female mammals, including humans, "silence" one X chromosome.

15 Mar 2021

Why does convalescent plasma therapy for severe COVID-19 show mixed success?

A surprising new preprint, released on the medRxiv* server, suggests that the beneficial effects of convalescent plasma (CP) in this disease stem not only from the presence of neutralizing antibodies, but also the immunomodulatory effects of this plasma that shapes the host immune response.

15 Mar 2021

Which biomarkers can help predict severe COVID-19?

The ability to detect potentially fatal illness early on in the course of the disease would enable a swift prioritization of these high-risk individuals for treatment. A new preprint on the medRxiv* server presents an array of biomarkers that may help achieve this laudable goal.

15 Mar 2021

Genome-wide CRISPR screening used to identify factors essential for SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans

In a methodologically trailblazing paper published in the journal Nature Genetics, a team of Belgian scientists uncovered an assembly of coronavirus host factors that may be exploited to develop drugs against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), but also potentially forthcoming zoonotic coronaviruses.

14 Mar 2021

Novel computer-guided design tool helps increase the efficiency of cell conversions

There is a great need to generate various types of cells for use in new therapies to replace tissues that are lost due to disease or injuries, or for studies outside the human body to improve our understanding of how organs and tissues function in health and disease.

13 Mar 2021

Less-educated, unmarried patients less likely to undergo a transplant for mantle cell lymphoma

Mantle cell lymphoma is a malignant disease in which intensive treatment can prolong life. In a new study, scientists from Uppsala University and other Swedish universities show that people with mantle cell lymphoma who were unmarried, and those who had low educational attainment, were less often treated with a stem-cell transplantation, which may result in poorer survival.

13 Mar 2021

Le Bonheur and UTHSC sign agreement to obtain genetic information from 25,000 DNA samples

As research into genetic causes of disease began to grow, Le Bonheur Pediatrician-in- Chief Jon McCullers, MD, knew it was time to start building a pediatric DNA biorepository.

13 Mar 2021

Random cellular changes play vital role in longevity beyond genetics and environment

A new model of aging takes into account not only genetics and environmental exposures but also the tiny changes that randomly arise at the cellular level.

13 Mar 2021

Vital exhaustion may increase risk of heart attack in never married, divorced and widowed men

Men experiencing vital exhaustion are more likely to have a heart attack, according to research presented today at ESC Acute CardioVascular Care 2021, an online scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology.

13 Mar 2021

N501Y mutation in SARS-CoV-2 responsible for increased viral transmission

Researchers at the University of Texas, USA, have confirmed the specific mutation in the B.1.1.7 variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has allowed for it to be more transmissible than the ancestral strain. The N501Y substitution is one of 8 spike protein substitutions present in the UK variant and has also appeared convergently in the Brazil (P.1) and South Africa (B.1.351) variants.

11 Mar 2021

Women with non-O type blood who smoke, take oral contraceptives more likely to have a stroke

Non-O blood type may increase the risk of stroke among women who smoke and take oral contraceptives, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2021.

11 Mar 2021

NIAID awards $2.5 million in grants to support research on bacteriophage therapy

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, has awarded $2.5 million in grants to 12 institutes around the world to support research on bacteriophage therapy.

11 Mar 2021

Genetics can partly explain aggressive behavior in children with ADHD with DBDs

An international collaboration headed by researchers from iPSYCH has found genetic variants that increase the risk of aggression in children with ADHD.

11 Mar 2021

Study uncovers 50 new genes for eye color

The genetics of human eye color is much more complex than previously thought, according to a new study published today.

11 Mar 2021

Novel CRISPR-based gene editor developed to correct mutations that cause genetic disorders

A team of researchers from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's (A*STAR) Genome Institute of Singapore have developed a CRISPR-based gene editor, C-to-G Base Editor (CGBE), to correct mutations that cause genetic disorders.

11 Mar 2021

Promega launches XpressAmp™ Direct Amplification Reagents

Promega Corporation has released XpressAmp™ Direct Amplification Reagents that facilitate RNA extraction-free sample preparation that is automation-friendly.

From Promega Corporation 11 Mar 2021

Study opens the door to new possibilities targeting telomeres to help treat cancer

The Telomeres and Telomerase Group led by Maria A. Blasco at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre continues to make progress in unraveling the role that telomeres -the ends of chromosomes that are responsible for cellular aging as they shorten- play in cancer.

10 Mar 2021

Accuracy of rapid tests to fight coronavirus

Even with the advent of vaccines, strategies for rapid and affordable testing for COVID-19 are still paramount.

10 Mar 2021

Phase 2 clinical trial is now open at Columbia to test gene therapy for dry macular degeneration

A phase 2 clinical trial is underway at Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian to test an investigational gene therapy for dry age-related macular degeneration, a progressive, chronic eye disease with no cure and a leading cause of blindness in the United States.

9 Mar 2021

Somatic gene mutations in brain cells could contribute to schizophrenia pathology

Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder that disrupts brain activity producing hallucinations, delusions, and other cognitive disturbances. Researchers have long searched for genetic influences in the disease, but genetic mutations have been identified in only a small fraction--fewer than a quarter--of sequenced patients.

9 Mar 2021

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

MGH researchers uncover new clues about X chromosome inactivation

Why does convalescent plasma therapy for severe COVID-19 show mixed success?

Which biomarkers can help predict severe COVID-19?

Genome-wide CRISPR screening used to identify factors essential for SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans

Novel computer-guided design tool helps increase the efficiency of cell conversions

Less-educated, unmarried patients less likely to undergo a transplant for mantle cell lymphoma

Le Bonheur and UTHSC sign agreement to obtain genetic information from 25,000 DNA samples

Random cellular changes play vital role in longevity beyond genetics and environment

Vital exhaustion may increase risk of heart attack in never married, divorced and widowed men

N501Y mutation in SARS-CoV-2 responsible for increased viral transmission

Women with non-O type blood who smoke, take oral contraceptives more likely to have a stroke

NIAID awards $2.5 million in grants to support research on bacteriophage therapy

Genetics can partly explain aggressive behavior in children with ADHD with DBDs

Study uncovers 50 new genes for eye color

Novel CRISPR-based gene editor developed to correct mutations that cause genetic disorders

Promega launches XpressAmp™ Direct Amplification Reagents

Study opens the door to new possibilities targeting telomeres to help treat cancer

Accuracy of rapid tests to fight coronavirus

Phase 2 clinical trial is now open at Columbia to test gene therapy for dry macular degeneration

Somatic gene mutations in brain cells could contribute to schizophrenia pathology

Sequencing & Genomics: Elevating Science and Healthcare 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