Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

First insights into familial ALS in Egypt reveal genetic variations and disease progression

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive degeneration of motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness and eventually death.

18 Feb 2025

Human-specific gene variant may hold key to evolution of language

The origins of human language remain mysterious. Are we the only animals truly capable of complex speech? Are Homo sapiens the only hominids who could give detailed directions to a far-off freshwater source or describe the nuanced purples and reds of a dramatic sunset?

18 Feb 2025

Study links genetics to success of smoking cessation with varenicline

The effectiveness of a common drug to quit smoking could be down to people's genes, according to a study from the University of Leicester (United Kingdom).

18 Feb 2025

ImmuneLENS method provides new insights into cancer prognosis

The immune systems of cancer patients are highly disrupted, with those who have a higher number of immune cells in their blood having a better survival rate, finds a new study that uses a pioneering technique developed by researchers at UCL and the Francis Crick Institute.

18 Feb 2025

AI predicts preterm birth risk with 82% accuracy

Researchers used machine learning models to predict preterm birth risk, identifying linear SVMs as the most accurate, with key predictors including inflammation and blood composition markers.

17 Feb 2025

Study links sucrase defects to increased IBS risk and severe symptoms

Sucrase-isomaltase (SI) is an intestinal enzyme critical for the digestion of dietary carbohydrates, particularly sucrose and starch.

17 Feb 2025

Stanford researchers identify key variants linked to inherited cancer risk

Thousands of single changes in the nucleotides that make up the human genome have been associated with an increased risk of developing cancer.

17 Feb 2025

Obesity and cognition: Surprising study links higher BMI to better memory

Higher BMI in early adulthood and midlife is linked to better memory performance, particularly in men and Black Americans, challenging traditional views on obesity and cognition.

16 Feb 2025

Study reveals key role of opsin 3 in regulating food intake and energy balance

Scientists discovered years ago that the hypothalamus - which helps to manage body temperature, hunger, sex drive, sleep and more - includes neurons that express the protein opsin 3 (OPN3).

14 Feb 2025

New discovery on mitochondrial protein could transform Charcot-Marie-Tooth treatment

Researchers from Cologne, Bochum, Padova and Angers have discovered a novel connection between mitochondrial function, protein quality control and cellular health, whose failure could be the leading cause in the currently incurable neurological disease Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT).

14 Feb 2025

A step toward precision medicine: New drug targets for heart failure

Researchers identify several promising drug targets for heart failure and its clinical subtypes.

14 Feb 2025

Researchers identify genetic cause of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) at Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor Genetics and collaborating institutions provided a long-awaited and rare genetic diagnosis in a child with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a type of developmental epileptic encephalopathy (DEE), associated with a severe, complex form of epilepsy and developmental delay.

14 Feb 2025

Discovery of gene silencer offers hope for autosomal dominant leukodystrophy

A team led by University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health geneticists has shown, for the first time, that a gene "silencer" that resides in junk DNA is directly sparing people from a devastating and fatal progressive neurological disease.

13 Feb 2025

Researchers discover genetic mutation linked to toxic protein buildup in Alzheimer's

The root causes of most forms of Alzheimer's disease largely remain a mystery. Now, researchers have revealed a new piece of the puzzle.

13 Feb 2025

Study reveals key mechanisms behind cancer cells adapting to extra chromosomes

Cancer cells have special adaptation mechanisms that allow them to proliferate despite changes in their genetic makeup.

13 Feb 2025

Testosterone treatment can save lives for men with Klinefelter syndrome

Testosterone treatment significantly reduces mortality among men with Klinefelter syndrome. Researcher calls for changes in guidelines to ensure more patients receive the necessary treatment.

13 Feb 2025

Guardian molecule found to prevent cancer cells from changing identity

A guardian molecule ensures that liver cells do not lose their identity. This has been discovered by researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the Hector Institute für Translational Brain Research (HITBR), and from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).

13 Feb 2025

PAC-MANN blood test could help detect pancreatic cancer at early stages

A new blood test could help doctors detect pancreatic cancer earlier, potentially improving survival rates for one of the deadliest cancers.

12 Feb 2025

Research reveals distinct blood pressure patterns in South Asian and East Asian adults

South Asian and East Asian adults living in the United Kingdom may have distinct trajectories to develop high blood pressure over their life course, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

12 Feb 2025

UCLA study reveals key role of mismatch repair genes in Huntington’s disease

A new UCLA Health study has discovered in mouse models that genes associated with repairing mismatched DNA are critical in eliciting damages to neurons that are most vulnerable in Huntington's disease and triggering downstream pathologies and motor impairment, shedding light on disease mechanisms and potential new ways to develop therapies.

11 Feb 2025