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Three NHS genetics labs fail to routinely share vital variant data

Three out of England's seven NHS genetics laboratories are failing to routinely share vital information about genetic variants in public databases that helps patients with rare diseases access diagnosis and care, reveals an investigation by The BMJ today.

8 Oct 2026

Optogenetic therapy improves light sensitivity in people with retinitis pigmentosa

An international research team has reported new results from the first clinical cohort of blind people treated with an optogenetic therapy for advanced retinitis pigmentosa.

7 Oct 2026

Study uncovers a protective role for microglia in Parkinson's disease

Researchers at the University of Oxford have uncovered a previously unrecognized protective role for microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, in Parkinson's disease.

7 Oct 2026

Adults with ADHD face higher risk of developing dementia later in life

A new study led by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers finds that adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face a significantly higher risk of developing dementia or mild cognitive impairment later in life.

7 Oct 2026

Ancient gut microbes migrated with humans across the globe

As waves of humans left Africa tens of thousands of years ago, eventually populating the entire planet, they were joined on their world-conquering ride by the trillions of microorganisms that compose the gut microbiome.

7 Oct 2026

Single tRNA controls prostate cancer identity and treatment resistance

Researchers at Fred Hutch Cancer Center have identified a previously overlooked molecular regulator that helps determine whether prostate tumors remain sensitive to treatment or evolve into a more aggressive, drug-resistant form of the disease.

7 Oct 2026

Researchers identify new protein regulator of muscle stem cell differentiation

Researchers at the Leibniz Institute on Aging—Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena and the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg in Senftenberg have identified a previously unknown regulator of muscle stem cell differentiation.

7 Oct 2026

High expression of CTDNEP1 gene linked to poorer kidney cancer survival

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common form of kidney cancer, accounting for about 90% of kidney cancers.

7 Oct 2026

Study reveals link between mtDNA copy number and cancer severity

Mitochondria are small organelles within cells that play a central role in vital cellular processes, especially energy production.

7 Oct 2026

NCCN summit highlights strategies to improve cancer prevention and screening

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) hosted a two-day summit focused on expanding access to life-saving cancer prevention and screening.

6 Oct 2026

Genetic and tissue analysis reveals new targets for lymphatic malformations

Lymphatic malformations are rare disorders in which lymph vessels develop abnormally, often beginning in childhood and sometimes causing swelling, infection, bleeding, pain, or airway obstruction.

6 Oct 2026

Study uncovers link between inherited blindness and a gene causing rare metabolic disease

Researchers at the Greenwood Genetic Center (GGC) led the discovery of an unexpected connection between inherited blindness and a gene known for causing a rare metabolic disorder.

6 Oct 2026

Timing of brain surgery critical for certain Parkinson's patients

The timing of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery is a critical factor in preserving cognitive function for Parkinson's disease patients with a specific genetic mutation, according to a new study by an international team of researchers.

6 Oct 2026

SGLT2 inhibitors reduce inflammatory cells linked to heart disease

For the first time in a human trial, a class of drugs known as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, already known for their weight loss and glucose lowering benefits, has been shown to also reduce inflammatory cells in the blood known to cause cardiovascular disease.

6 Oct 2026

Experimental cancer drug works differently than researchers originally thought

A cancer drug currently being tested in patients may have entered clinical trials based on an incorrect understanding of how it works, according to a new study led by the University of Sydney in collaboration with Goethe University, Oxford University and the Institute of Cancer Research, London.

6 Oct 2026

Skin biopsy offers less invasive diagnosis for mitochondrial disease

Researchers at Children's Hospital Colorado (Children's Colorado) and the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine have published one of the largest studies to date evaluating advanced laboratory testing for mitochondrial disease, providing new evidence that a small skin biopsy can often help diagnose these rare and complex conditions without the need for more invasive procedures.

6 Oct 2026

Fontan circulation linked to accelerated biological aging in youth

Our birthdays tell us how long we have lived, but not necessarily how our bodies are aging. Biological age reflects the condition and function of our cells and tissues, shaped by genetics, lifestyle, environment, and disease.

6 Oct 2026

Specific gene variants influence dental symptoms in rare bone condition

In hypophosphatasia, a rare inherited condition that weakens bones and teeth, early tooth loss can be the first, or even the only obvious sign.

6 Oct 2026

Cigarette smoke alters lung stem cells to drive specific cancers

Chronic exposure to cigarette smoke may reprogram different populations of lung stem cells, which maintain and repair lung tissue, in ways that make them vulnerable to specific cancer-causing gene alterations and ultimately helps determine the type of lung cancer that develops.

6 Oct 2026

New insights into fetal DNA could improve prenatal testing

Understanding how fetal DNA travels in a pregnant woman’s blood could unlock the next generation of prenatal screening, according to a new paper published in Science Advances today.

6 Oct 2026