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DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Nicotinamide riboside boosts walking endurance in peripheral artery disease

The over-the-counter supplement nicotinamide riboside, a form of vitamin B3, increased the walking endurance of patients with peripheral artery disease, a chronic leg condition for which there are few effective treatments.

18 Jun 2024

Blood test identifies specific pathologies in frontotemporal dementia, ALS, and PSP

In a study with 991 adults, scientists at DZNE show that the most common forms of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) as well as the neurological diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) can be recognized by blood testing.

18 Jun 2024

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences Revolutionizes High-Throughput Genomic Sample Preparation with the New Biomek Echo One System

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From Beckman Coulter Life Sciences - Flow Cytometry 18 Jun 2024

Mitophagy fuels cancer stem cell growth and survival

A new research paper was published on the cover of Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 16, Issue 11, entitled, "Mitophagy and cancer: role of BNIP3/BNIP3L as energetic drivers of stemness features, ATP production, proliferation, and cell migration."

18 Jun 2024

New research explores maternal influence on brain biomarkers

A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham suggests that whether a person inherits risk of Alzheimer's disease from their mother or father influences risk of biological changes in the brain that lead to disease. By evaluating 4,400 cognitively unimpaired adults ages 65-85, the team found those with a history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) on either their mother's side or both parents' sides had increased amyloid in their brains. Their results are published in JAMA Neurology.

18 Jun 2024

Microplastics in rivers harbor unique microbial communities, spreading antibiotic resistance

Researchers discovered distinct bacterial and viral communities on microplastics in the Beilun River, highlighting potential health risks and the spread of antibiotic-resistance genes.

17 Jun 2024

Rapid test detects brain cancer mutations in cerebrospinal fluid

A test that looks for genetic hallmarks of brain cancers in samples of cerebrospinal fluid can decrease the time to diagnosis and eliminate the need for invasive brain biopsies for some patients.

17 Jun 2024

Protein aggregation: A new frontier in age-related disease detection

Could measuring protein clumps in our cells be a new way to find out our risk of getting age-related diseases? Professor Dorothee Dormann and Professor Edward Lemke of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), who are also adjunct directors at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) in Mainz, propose the concept of a "protein aggregation clock" to measure aging and health in a new perspective article published in Nature Cell Biology.

17 Jun 2024

Study reveals the effects of protein-rich diets on the gut microbiome and overall health

New research has shed light on the effects of protein-rich diets on the gut microbiome and overall health. Despite the increasing protein intake in Western diets, especially among athletes and individuals with obesity, the fate of undigested protein and its impact on human health remains largely unknown.

16 Jun 2024

AI-based liquid biopsy technology promises early detection of cancer recurrence

An artificial intelligence-powered method for detecting tumor DNA in blood has shown unprecedented sensitivity in predicting cancer recurrence, in a study led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian, the New York Genome Center (NYGC) and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK).

14 Jun 2024

The hidden genetic switches influencing human height and bone health

In mammals, only 3% of the genome consists of coding genes which, when transcribed into proteins, ensure the biological functions of the organism and the in-utero development of future individuals. But genes do not function alone.

14 Jun 2024

Mutated TREX1 gene linked to catastrophic DNA damage and deadly rare disease

TREX1 is a gene that is supposed to direct the maintenance of the entire body's DNA, but new research shows that when people are born with mutated TREX1, it causes catastrophic damage to the DNA over time, resulting in a deadly rare disease called retinal vasculopathy with cerebral leukoencephalopathy (RVCL).

13 Jun 2024

Study links antidepressant use and epigenetic aging to higher mortality risk in postmenopausal women

The impact of depressive symptoms, use of antidepressants, and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) on mortality in postmenopausal individuals.

13 Jun 2024

Stanford study finds low risk of secondary blood cancers after CAR-T cell therapy

A large study by researchers at Stanford Medicine has found that the risk of secondary blood cancers after CAR-T cell therapy - a cell-based cancer treatment that exploded on the scene in 2017 as a treatment for intractable blood cancers - is low, despite a Food and Drug Administration warning.

12 Jun 2024

Synthetic cell mimics immune response via symmetry breaking

In a feat aimed at understanding how cells move and creating new ways to shuttle drugs through the body, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have built a minimal synthetic cell that follows an external chemical cue and demonstrates a governing principle of biology called "symmetry breaking."

12 Jun 2024

Long-read RNA sequencing reveals novel insights into alternative splicing and disease genetics

Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) researchers harness long-read RNA sequencing to decode genetic intricacies and disease links.

12 Jun 2024

HiDEF-seq technique reveals the origins of DNA mutations in single strands

Mutations are changes in the molecular "letters" that make up the DNA code, the blueprint for all living cells. Some of these changes can have little effect, but others can lead to diseases, including cancer.

12 Jun 2024

Nasal microbiota composition predicts sepsis with high accuracy in ICU settings

The nasal microbiota of intensive care unit (ICU) patients effectively distinguishes sepsis from non-septic cases and outperforms analyzing the gut microbiota to predict sepsis, according to a new study published in Microbiology Spectrum, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology.

12 Jun 2024

Human antibodies show promise against Black widow spider venom

There are various types of widow spiders, including black, red, and brown varieties in North and South America, the Australian redback spider, and several button spider species that inhabit South Africa.

12 Jun 2024

Gut bacteria turn dietary phytate into health-boosting fatty acids, study shows

Study reveals that human gut bacteria, particularly Mitsuokella jalaludinii, efficiently degrade dietary phytate into short-chain fatty acids, enhancing health benefits through microbial synergy.

12 Jun 2024