Genomics News and Research

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Genomics is the study of the complete genetic material, including genes and their functions, of an organism.

Stroke may trigger younger brain patterns in unaffected regions

In a new study published in The Lancet Digital Health, scientists at the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) have discovered that the brains of people who experience severe physical impairment after a stroke may reorganize themselves in unexpected ways, showing signs of "younger" brain structure in undamaged regions as they adapt to injury.

25 Mar 2026

Genetic study maps bacteria’s protective armor behind severe infections

The first large-scale genetic study of E. coli's protective armor has identified the five capsule types that are responsible for 70 per cent of all multidrug-resistant bloodstream infections in Europe.

25 Mar 2026

Webinar introduces advanced bioinformatics tool to interpret mutations in cancer genomes

A free open-access webinar will introduce the Cancer Genome Interpreter (CGI), an advanced bioinformatics tool to interpret mutations in cancer genomes developed by IRB Barcelona and co-created with European hospitals to turn complex cancer genomics into actionable insights.

23 Mar 2026

Study identifies protein that slows cartilage breakdown in joints

Osteoarthritis, a condition that causes pain and reduced mobility in joints such as the knees and fingers, is one of the most common joint disorders worldwide, particularly among aging populations.

23 Mar 2026

Synaptic wiring reveals neuronal identity without relying on morphology

Recent technological advances facilitate the reconstruction of complete brain connectomes in small organisms and partial connectomes in mammals, involving the mapping of the network of neurons and synaptic connections.

19 Mar 2026

Children develop stronger immunity after repeated infections in nursery

Young children who attend nursery get sick more often than those who don't, but they will go on to have fewer illnesses during early school years, finds a new review of evidence by a group of parent-scientists involving University College London (UCL) researchers.

18 Mar 2026

Zero-risk food safety approach may increase waste and costs

These food safety measures and ultra-sensitive tests may drive edible food being thrown away, excessive packaging, and extra costs for consumers.

17 Mar 2026

AlphaFold Database expands with millions of predicted protein complexes

A new collaboration between EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Google DeepMind, NVIDIA, and Seoul National University has made millions of AI-predicted protein complex structures openly available through the AlphaFold Database.

17 Mar 2026

New insight into origins of rare liver tumors in children

Liver cancer in children is rare, but when it occurs the two main types are hepatoblastoma (HB) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

16 Mar 2026

Researchers identify cellular drivers of gut scarring in Crohn’s disease

As inflamed regions of the gut form scar tissue, the space within the gut lumen becomes smaller and more restricted, leading to symptoms of gut obstruction.

16 Mar 2026

Targeting two influenza proteins may reduce viral transmission

A long-running debate in vaccine design revolves around whether a vaccine should be optimized to prevent the virus from replicating inside an infected host or prevent the virus from transmitting to others.

13 Mar 2026

Scientists map epigenetic changes across aging brain cells

Neurodegenerative diseases affect more than 57 million people globally. The incidence of these diseases, from Alzheimer's to Parkinson's to ALS and beyond, is expected to double every 20 years.

11 Mar 2026

New review reveals complex polygenic architecture underlying common epilepsies

An insightful mini-review published in Genomic Psychiatry synthesizes the rapidly expanding landscape of molecular genetic research on common epilepsies, assembling evidence from genome-wide association studies, whole-exome sequencing projects, and advanced statistical modeling to illuminate the polygenic architecture that underpins these heterogeneous neurological disorders.

10 Mar 2026

New review calls for biologically grounded approach to psychiatric diagnosis

A comprehensive invited review published today in Brain Medicine confronts one of the most persistent paradoxes in modern medicine: psychiatry remains the only major clinical discipline that diagnoses complex illness primarily through conversation and symptom checklists, while fields such as oncology and cardiology long ago embraced laboratory markers, imaging, and molecular profiling.

10 Mar 2026

Low-cost interventions reduce neonatal sepsis from Klebsiella pneumoniae

A new study found that a multifaceted infection prevention and control intervention could at least temporarily thwart outbreaks of infections from the Klebsiella pneumoniae bacterium, a leading cause of neonatal sepsis and mortality in Africa and South Asia.

10 Mar 2026

Long-read whole genome sequencing uncovers new genetic variants linked to autism

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have identified new genetic variants associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by using long-read whole genome sequencing (LR-WGS), an emerging approach that reads large sections of the genome at once, making it easier for scientists to find new genetic variants and understand how genetic variants affect the function of a gene.

9 Mar 2026

Largest genetic study classifies 14 psychiatric disorders into five major groups

Although mental disorders have multifactorial causes, genetics can explain some of them, yet this field remains largely unexplored in terms of guiding diagnoses and treatments.

9 Mar 2026

FOXJ3 gene identified as the critical link between abnormal brain development and epilepsy

Researchers have discovered that mutations in the FOXJ3 gene act as a "master switch" failure, disrupting how the brain builds its layers and leading to FCD, a primary cause of drug-resistant epilepsy.

9 Mar 2026

Understanding PIEZO2 mutations and sensory disorders

Every time we feel a gentle tap on the skin, specialized nerve cells convert that physical force into an electrical signal that the brain can interpret as touch. While scientists have long known that a protein called PIEZO2 acts as a key sensor for touch, it remained unclear why PIEZO2 is specialized for the localized mechanical forces experienced by sensory neurons, whereas its close relative PIEZO1 responds to broader mechanical stresses such as those generated when cells stretch, as occurs in blood vessels.

9 Mar 2026

How somatic mutations shape disease and reveal new drug targets

Researchers reviewed how somatic mutations accumulate in normal and diseased tissues, showing that natural selection can expand clones that influence disease risk, tissue adaptation, or cellular resilience. The study proposes somatic genomics as a powerful strategy to uncover disease mechanisms and identify new therapeutic targets across multiple conditions.

8 Mar 2026