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Research advance may lead to preservation of hearing in people with Usher syndrome type III

A research advance co-led by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine's Kumar Alagramam, PhD, may stop the progression of hearing loss and lead to significant preservation of hearing in people with Usher syndrome type III, a form of hereditary hearing loss linked to defects in the sensory "hair" cells in the inner ear. USH3 is caused by a mutation in the clarin-1 gene.

26 Oct 2017

Penn study sheds light on genetic cause of early hearing loss

From the moment a baby is born, they are put through a battery of screenings to test for all sorts of characteristics, which includes the sense of hearing.

26 Oct 2017

Dartmouth study uncovers three novel genetic biomarkers for lung cancer

Both environmental and genetic risk factors contribute to development of lung cancer. Tobacco smoking is the most well-known environmental risk factor associated with lung cancer. A Dartmouth research team led by Yafang Li, PhD, has conducted a study to display that gene-smoking interactions play important roles in the etiology of lung cancer.

26 Oct 2017

Penn study shows how blood flow shapes developing heart valves into mature valve leaflets

Congenital heart valve defects appear in 2 percent of all live births, making them the most common type of birth defect. While some of these defects have been linked to specific genetic mutations, the majority have no clearly definable genetic cause, suggesting that epigenetic factors - changes in gene expression versus an alteration in the genetic code -- play an important role.

26 Oct 2017

New study sheds light on normal function of Parkinson's gene

A new study published in the journal Neuron sheds light on the normal function of LRRK2, the most common genetic cause for late-onset Parkinson's disease. The study was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health.

26 Oct 2017

New enzyme may one day enable genome surgery that erases harmful mutations

DNA editing just got a sharp, new pencil. Researchers have built an enzyme that can perform a previously impossible DNA swap, directly changing the DNA base pair from an A•T to a G•C.

26 Oct 2017

Majority of women at higher risk for breast cancer decline MRI screenings, study finds

Some women, because of genetic predisposition, personal, or family history, have a higher than average lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. For those women, earlier magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recommended for cancer screening.

26 Oct 2017

IBN researchers create DNA technology with two new genetic alphabets

Just like how alphabets are strung together to form words, our DNA is also strung together by alphabets to encode proteins. Our DNA contains only 4 natural genetic alphabets - A, C, G and T, which hold the blueprint for the production of proteins that make our bodies work.

26 Oct 2017

CRISPR - a genetic editor - used to edit DNA and RNA in two parallel studies

Two different studies have shown that CRISPR - a gene editing tool, could be the next big thing in manipulating and modifying the DNA to suit the needs.

26 Oct 2017

Genetic variability of Helicobacter pylori complicates efforts to develop effective vaccine

Helicobacter pylori is a widespread bacterial pathogen that infects the lining of the stomach, where it can cause ulcers and even cancer. As a new study shows, its genetic variability complicates efforts to develop an effective vaccine.

25 Oct 2017

Single infusion of wildtype HSPCs halts cellular damage caused by neuromuscular disorder in mice

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that a single infusion of wildtype hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) into a mouse model of Friedreich's ataxia (FA) measurably halted cellular damage caused by the degenerative disease.

25 Oct 2017

New flu forecasting tool makes better predictions by factoring evolution of virus

Each year, public health officials monitor the spread of influenza to identify which flu strains need to go into that year's vaccines and where outbreaks will occur. But it can be difficult to predict how bad a particular flu season will be until people actually start getting sick.

25 Oct 2017

Researchers find rare genetic variants that may help explain longevity in some CF patients

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disorder caused by genetic mutations that disrupt the normal movement of chloride in and out of cells. Among other health problems, cystic fibrosis compromises the lungs' ability to fight infection and breathe efficiently, making it the most lethal genetic disease in the Caucasian population. Patients have an average lifespan of just 30 to 40 years.

25 Oct 2017

Gut bacteria could hold clues to risk of developing PTSD after traumatic event

The bacteria in your gut could hold clues to whether or not you will develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after experiencing a traumatic event.

25 Oct 2017

Pharmacist identifies protein linked to tumor growth in gallbladder cancer

Patients with gallbladder cancer often show few or no symptoms for long periods of time. As a result, the tumors are only detected at a late stage of the disease when treatment is often no longer possible.

25 Oct 2017

Researchers develop new way to genetically engineer T cells for treating leukemia relapse

Researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington have developed a novel way to genetically engineer T cells that may be effective for treating and preventing leukemia relapse.

25 Oct 2017

Insights from NGLY1 deficiency could provide new approach to treat blood cancers

A new class of drugs for blood cancers such as leukemia and multiple myeloma is showing promise. But it is hobbled by a problem that also plagues other cancer drugs: targeted cells can develop resistance.

25 Oct 2017

New analysis method allows to efficiently search for gene transfers onto Y chromosome

Y chromosomes, which are only inherited paternally, evolved from "normal" chromosomes known as autosomes. As males only possess one Y chromosome, there is no counterpart for recombination, the direct exchange of genetic material.

25 Oct 2017

Adopting healthy diet can help reverse risk of high triglycerides, despite genetic predisposition

Triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood, are important for good health. But having high triglycerides might increase a person's risk of heart disease, and may be a sign of metabolic syndrome--a combination of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and too much fat accumulation at the waist.

25 Oct 2017

Scientists get one step closer to reversing retinal degenerative diseases

Degenerative disorders affecting the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), such as age-related macular degeneration and autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy, can ultimately lead to blindness. Some of these life-changing disorders are the result of mutations in a single gene, called BEST1.

25 Oct 2017

Genetic News and Research

Research advance may lead to preservation of hearing in people with Usher syndrome type III

Penn study sheds light on genetic cause of early hearing loss

Dartmouth study uncovers three novel genetic biomarkers for lung cancer

Penn study shows how blood flow shapes developing heart valves into mature valve leaflets

New study sheds light on normal function of Parkinson's gene

New enzyme may one day enable genome surgery that erases harmful mutations

Majority of women at higher risk for breast cancer decline MRI screenings, study finds

IBN researchers create DNA technology with two new genetic alphabets

CRISPR - a genetic editor - used to edit DNA and RNA in two parallel studies

Genetic variability of Helicobacter pylori complicates efforts to develop effective vaccine

Single infusion of wildtype HSPCs halts cellular damage caused by neuromuscular disorder in mice

New flu forecasting tool makes better predictions by factoring evolution of virus

Researchers find rare genetic variants that may help explain longevity in some CF patients

Gut bacteria could hold clues to risk of developing PTSD after traumatic event

Pharmacist identifies protein linked to tumor growth in gallbladder cancer

Researchers develop new way to genetically engineer T cells for treating leukemia relapse

Insights from NGLY1 deficiency could provide new approach to treat blood cancers

New analysis method allows to efficiently search for gene transfers onto Y chromosome

Adopting healthy diet can help reverse risk of high triglycerides, despite genetic predisposition

Scientists get one step closer to reversing retinal degenerative diseases

eBook: Using iPSCs models for human disease research and drug discovery eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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