Genetics

Genetics is the study of genes and heredity. Heredity is the passing of genetic information and traits (such as eye color and an increased chance of getting a certain disease) from parents to offspring.

How Do Genetic Mutations Cause Disease?

Mutations in genes can lead to genetic disorders, impacting health. Understand the types, causes, and implications of genetic mutations and disease.

Applications of the Expanded Genetic Code

Von Recklinghausen Disease Expressivity

The Importance of Genetic Counseling In Healthcare And Medicine

What is the Expanded Genetic Code?

Genetic Change

Genetics Research and Technology

Genetics and Gene Expression

Genotype Versus Phenotype

The Role of Alternative Splicing in Disease

History of Genetics

Genetic Inheritance

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Genetic Regulation of Fingers and Toes Development

What is Cytogenetics?

START and STOP Codons

What is Genetic Anticipation?

Genetics of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Genetic Risk Associated with Social Anxiety

Latest Genetics News and Research

Protein buildup mechanism shapes response to PROTAC drugs

The way cancer-causing proteins accumulate in tumours may influence how effectively a promising new generation of medicines can remove them, a study suggests.

1 Sep 2026

Study identifies 36 risk genes for OCD and tic disorders

A Rutgers-led international collaboration has identified 36 genes that substantially raise the risk for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic tic disorders – providing what two researchers said is the most detailed biological understanding of how these conditions develop – and how they might eventually be treated.

1 Sep 2026

Immunotherapy shows potential for treating rising gynecological tumors

Gynecological tumors, including cervical cancer (CC), endometrial cancer (EC), and ovarian cancer (OC), represent a significant global health burden for women.

1 Sep 2026

Lifestyle factors aggravate genetic causes of male infertility, study finds

Lifestyle factors can worsen the effects of genetic causes of male infertility, finds new research that could help explain why men carrying similar genetic mutations often experience different levels of fertility impairment.

31 Aug 2026

Protein build-up may shape cancer drug response

The way cancer-causing proteins accumulate in tumors may influence how effectively a promising new generation of medicines can remove them, a study suggests.

31 Aug 2026

People with diabetes may have another reason to protect their cardiovascular health

Better cardiovascular health, measured using Life’s Essential 8, was associated with a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment among people with diabetes after accounting for genetic susceptibility. Associations with dementia varied by genetic risk, while higher LE8 scores were also linked to greater gray matter volume and lower white matter hyperintensity volume.

30 Aug 2026

Type 1 diabetes cases projected to increase worldwide by 2049

New research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of The European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Milan, Italy (Sept 28 – Oct 2) estimates the number of people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D) worldwide will increase by 29% from 9.4 million in 2025 to 12.1 million in 2049.

28 Aug 2026

Researchers uncover molecular pathway driving craniosynostosis

Craniosynostosis is a congenital developmental disorder in which the skull's cranial sutures fuse prematurely.

28 Aug 2026

UCSF scientists build largest molecular interaction map for autism

For more than two decades, researchers have identified hundreds of genes that increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

28 Aug 2026

HRT linked to lower dementia risk, but timing and menopause type matter

In a UK Biobank study of 183,450 postmenopausal women followed for an average of 13.3 years, hormone replacement therapy use was associated with a modestly lower risk of dementia, with stronger associations in women who had surgical menopause or shorter natural estrogen exposure. The relationship also varied by age at HRT initiation, while the observational design means the findings cannot establish that HRT prevents dementia.

27 Aug 2026

Pomegranate phytobiotics offer natural alternative to synthetic veterinary drugs

Researchers have identified a broad range of biological properties in pomegranate with potential for use in medical applications, including antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, liver-supporting, and wound-healing effects.

27 Aug 2026

Multi-ancestry genetic score improves risk prediction for Alzheimer's disease

Late-onset Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive disorder characterized by cognitive decline and memory impairment, affecting an estimated 6.9 million people in the U.S.

27 Aug 2026

New platform enables large-scale production of custom proteins

Scientists have been hard at work for more than 20 years to instruct biological systems, such as E. coli cells, to produce proteins they don't naturally do.

27 Aug 2026

Brain atrophy on MRI could help predict Alzheimer’s progression

Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute researchers have found that a pattern of brain atrophy visible on MRI could help predict how quickly people with early-onset Alzheimer's disease progress from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.

27 Aug 2026

Hormone replacement therapy may reduce dementia risk for some women

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may reduce the risk of dementia, particularly for certain groups of women - according to a study from the University of East Anglia and the University of Exeter.

26 Aug 2026

Why living to 100 may depend on far more than diet and exercise

A critical narrative review found that healthy diets, regular physical activity, strong social ties, and psychological well-being can support healthier aging and reduce premature mortality, but none has been shown to reliably determine who reaches 100. The authors argue that exceptional longevity arises from complex interactions among biological resilience, genetics, social and environmental conditions, lifelong exposures, and chance rather than any universal lifestyle formula.

25 Aug 2026

New review challenges the eight-hour ancestral sleep myth

Everyone knows the number. Eight hours. It sits on wellness dashboards, on pediatric handouts, on the label of the melatonin bottle in the medicine cabinet.

25 Aug 2026

Protein degrader shows strong activity against treatment-resistant blood cancers

A first-in-class therapy to target MYC, one of the most sought-after and difficult targets in cancer biology, showed promise in hard-to-treat blood cancers, according to a new preclinical study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center published in Blood.

24 Aug 2026

Understanding opioid risks can help prevent accidental overdoses

According to numbers calculated from the CDC, approximately 80,000 people died last year from a drug overdose, which represents about 21 deaths per 100,000 residents in the U.S. alone. Overdose deaths are preventable, and in most of the cases we see, they are completely accidental.

24 Aug 2026

New statistical framework untangles genetic and environmental autism risk

A powerful new research tool from a University of Virginia School of Medicine scientist and colleagues is set to advance our understanding of how genetics and environment contribute to autism risk.

24 Aug 2026