Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

First-ever genomic analysis of puberty yields insights into critical areas of human health

In the first-ever genome-scale analysis of the puberty process in humans, researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah outline distinct and critical changes to stem cells in males during adolescence.

9 Jan 2020

Common genetic defect in prostate cancer associated with worse prognosis

Like security screening to make sure nothing harmful makes its way into a crowded area, cells in the human body use checkpoints to control their growth and prevent harmful mutations from making their way into new cell populations and causing trouble.

9 Jan 2020

Scientists identify 'modifier gene' that determines severity of inherited kidney disease

Scientists have developed a new way to understand complex genetic diseases and have identified a gene that modifies the severity of inherited kidney disease, paving the way for personalised treatments.

9 Jan 2020

First in vitro system can help study early spine development in humans

More than 20 years ago, the lab of developmental biologist Olivier Pourquié discovered a sort of cellular clock in chicken embryos where each "tick" stimulates the formation of a structure called a somite that ultimately becomes a vertebra.

9 Jan 2020

Study: Environment changes can impact stability landscape of the gut microbial community

Your fingerprints stay the same all your life. But what about the "fingerprint" of microbial strains that are shared in the guts of childhood twins?

9 Jan 2020

University of Chicago Medicine vascular surgeon offers tips for healthy arteries and veins

Our vascular system is our body's unsung hero. Arteries transport nourishing oxygen and nutrient-rich blood throughout tissues; veins carry the deoxygenated, waste-filled blood back to the heart, where the process begins anew.

8 Jan 2020

New ACMG Points to Consider document on use of fetal exome sequencing in prenatal care

A new Points to Consider document from the ACMG aims to assist referring physicians, laboratory geneticists, genetic counselors and other medical professionals in understanding the complexity and implications of exome sequencing in prenatal care.

8 Jan 2020

Research project leverages big data to close the gap on cognitive decline and healthy aging

A new research project at the University of Arizona Center for Innovation in Brain Science will apply a big-data approach, using bioinformatics and computational modeling, to better understand the systems biology of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

8 Jan 2020

A physically and mentally active lifestyle can slow familial frontotemporal dementia

A physically and mentally active lifestyle confers resilience to frontotemporal dementia (FTD), even in people whose genetic profile makes the eventual development of the disease virtually inevitable, according to new research by scientists at the UC San Francisco Memory and Aging Center.

8 Jan 2020

Hobbyist DNA services may be vulnerable to genetic hacking

Online services that allow users to upload their genetic information, research genealogy and find lost relatives may be vulnerable to a sort of genetic hacking, according to two geneticists at the University of California, Davis. A paper describing the work is published Jan. 7 in the journal eLife.

7 Jan 2020

Zinc and folic acid supplements fail to improve fertility in men

Zinc and folic acid, a pair of dietary supplements long touted as an effective treatment for male infertility, failed to improve pregnancy rates, sperm counts, and sperm potency in a new study conducted at University of Utah Health and other medical centers in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health.

7 Jan 2020

Major genetic study provides most comprehensive map of breast cancer risk variants to date

A major international study of the genetics of breast cancer has identified more than 350 DNA 'errors' that increase an individual's risk of developing the disease. The scientists involved say these errors may influence as many as 190 genes.

7 Jan 2020

Children exposed to high level of air pollution have increased risk of developing schizophrenia

Air pollution affects physical health, and research results now conclude that it also affects our psychological health. The study, which combines genetic data from iPSYCH with air pollution data from the Department of Environmental Science, shows that children who are exposed to a high level of air pollution while growing up, have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia.

7 Jan 2020

Researchers discover a way to restore strength of cardiac muscles in aging fruit flies

Researchers may have discovered a way to turn back the clock on aging heart muscles in fruit flies, a development that could lead to new therapies for older humans with heart disease.

7 Jan 2020

Novel computer algorithm identifies promising new treatment for neuroblastoma

Using a computer algorithm, scientists at Uppsala University have identified a promising new treatment for neuroblastoma.

7 Jan 2020

New brain tumor research could improve patient diagnosis, treatment options

New research on brain tumours could improve patient diagnosis and treatment options as part of a precision medicine approach. Brain tumours are the leading cause of cancer deaths in children and adults under the age of 40, with 16,000 people in the UK diagnosed with a brain tumour each year.

7 Jan 2020

VA researchers find new evidence on the underlying biological causes of anxiety

In the largest genetic study on anxiety to date, VA researchers found new evidence on the underlying biological causes of the disorder.

7 Jan 2020

Study uncovers genes controlling mycorrhizal colonization in soybean

Like most plants, soybeans pair up with soil fungi in a symbiotic mycorrhizal relationship. In exchange for a bit of sugar, the fungus acts as an extension of the root system to pull in more phosphorus, nitrogen, micronutrients, and water than the plant could on its own.

6 Jan 2020

Prison sentences given to scientists who gene-edited babies

The three scientists responsible for the creation of three gene-edited babies have received prison sentences.

6 Jan 2020

Diet significantly influences mental health and wellbeing, review confirms

A new expert review confirms that diet significantly influences mental health and wellbeing, but cautions that the evidence for many diets is comparatively weak.

3 Jan 2020

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

First-ever genomic analysis of puberty yields insights into critical areas of human health

Common genetic defect in prostate cancer associated with worse prognosis

Scientists identify 'modifier gene' that determines severity of inherited kidney disease

First in vitro system can help study early spine development in humans

Study: Environment changes can impact stability landscape of the gut microbial community

University of Chicago Medicine vascular surgeon offers tips for healthy arteries and veins

New ACMG Points to Consider document on use of fetal exome sequencing in prenatal care

Research project leverages big data to close the gap on cognitive decline and healthy aging

A physically and mentally active lifestyle can slow familial frontotemporal dementia

Hobbyist DNA services may be vulnerable to genetic hacking

Zinc and folic acid supplements fail to improve fertility in men

Major genetic study provides most comprehensive map of breast cancer risk variants to date

Children exposed to high level of air pollution have increased risk of developing schizophrenia

Researchers discover a way to restore strength of cardiac muscles in aging fruit flies

Novel computer algorithm identifies promising new treatment for neuroblastoma

New brain tumor research could improve patient diagnosis, treatment options

VA researchers find new evidence on the underlying biological causes of anxiety

Study uncovers genes controlling mycorrhizal colonization in soybean

Prison sentences given to scientists who gene-edited babies

Diet significantly influences mental health and wellbeing, review confirms

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