Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Researchers create new brain cancer model using genetically engineered pluripotent stem cells

Using genetically engineered human pluripotent stem cells, University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers created a new type of cancer model to study in vivo how glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer, develops and changes over time.

29 Jan 2020

New study of genes in Asian populations may help better understand, treat genetic diseases

An ambitious new study of genes in Asian populations is filling in big gaps in our understanding of human genetics, shedding light on the history of human migration and ultimately aiming to improve our ability to treat disease.

28 Jan 2020

Naturally produced protein suppresses breast cancer metastasis

A protein naturally produced in the body has been found to suppress breast cancer metastasis in animal models of human tumors. Researchers led by Baylor College of Medicine also found that high levels of this protein, AKAP8, predicts a better survival for breast cancer patients.

27 Jan 2020

Expert genomics panel disputes certain genes linked to a dangerous heart condition

A panel of experts have said that nine genes linked to a dangerous heart disorder called long QT syndrome, are not associated with the condition.

27 Jan 2020

Study tracks milestones in the history of human disease genetics

Genetic discoveries over the past 25 years have substantially advanced understanding of both rare and common diseases, furthering the development of treatment and prevention for ailments ranging from inflammatory bowel diseases to diabetes, according to a study published in Nature Research in January.

27 Jan 2020

ClinGen expert panel disputes nine genes linked to long QT syndrome

Geneticists and heart specialists around the world had previously reported 17 genes to cause long QT syndrome, a little-known inherited heart condition. However, the Clinical Genome Resource's expert panel has critically reevaluated the scientific evidence for all 17 reported genes, disputing nine of the genes and revealing only three of the genes to be definitively associated with the most common form of the disease.

27 Jan 2020

Study traces the molecular roots of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

The heart's ability to beat normally over a lifetime is predicated on the synchronized work of proteins embedded in the cells of the heart muscle.

27 Jan 2020

UCI-led study reveals link between early life adversity and opioid addiction

Individuals with a history of early life adversity are disproportionately prone to opioid addiction. A new UCI-led study reveals why.

24 Jan 2020

A small region of the brain represents all our emotions

The entire set of our emotions is topographically represented in a small region of the brain, a 3 centimeters area of the cortex, report scientists in a study conducted at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Italy.

24 Jan 2020

30-year study of MSUD highlights critical need for more effective disease-modifying therapies

A new study analyzes 30 years of patient data and details the clinical course of 184 individuals with genetically diverse forms of Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD), which is among the most volatile and dangerous inherited metabolic disorders.

24 Jan 2020

Stanford scientists complete first global census of cell surface proteins

Stanford scientists have completed the first global census of diverse proteins sprouting tree-like from the outer membrane of a cell. These cell surface proteins govern how cells interact with one another and how they assemble into tissues and organs such as hearts and brains.

24 Jan 2020

RB1 alterations in cancer cells may lead to treatment resistance

The Cancer Genetics Group of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, led by Montse Sánchez-Céspedes, together with Luis Montuenga from CIMA, and Enriqueta Felip from Vall d'Hebron Hospital, has revealed that inactivation of RB1 through intragenic rearrangements is frequent in lung cancer cells from non-smoking patients with EGFR mutations.

24 Jan 2020

Scientists uncover genetic information of what keeps us healthy

Genetics plays a role in the overall health and well-being of humans. Genes provide instructions for making proteins, which help determine the structure and function of each cell in the body. Aside from determining the characteristics inherited, genes have been linked to many diseases. Scientists have determined the genetic information of health.

23 Jan 2020

Landmark study identifies 102 genes associated with autism risk

In the largest genetic sequencing study of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to date, researchers have identified 102 genes associated with risk for autism. The study also shows significant progress towards teasing apart the genes associated with ASD from those associated with intellectual disability and developmental delay, conditions which often overlap.

23 Jan 2020

Researchers grow venom-producing snake organoids in the lab

Researchers from the group of Hans Clevers at the Hubrecht Institute, in an international collaboration, have developed a method to grow snake venom gland cells as organoids.

23 Jan 2020

Discovery could lead to early identification of children at high risk of future type 2 diabetes

Researchers at the University of Plymouth and Nestlé have revealed new insights into the factors that predispose children to developing type 2 diabetes in adult life.

23 Jan 2020

Children born to mothers with gestational diabetes and preeclampsia at risk for higher BMI

Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States. For children, obesity is defined as having a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18.5% of children between the ages of 2 and 19 meet this criteria.

22 Jan 2020

Men in the UK could be allowed to donate sperm after death

A new analysis concludes that sperm donations taken from men after death are morally permissible.

22 Jan 2020

How fast can a new internet standard for sharing patient data catch fire?

Medical professionals have been storing personal health information in electronic form for more than a decade, but it is cumbersome for patients to gather disparate computer and paper records scattered across doctors' offices, hospitals and medical labs.

22 Jan 2020