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Study reveals new genetic explanation for dilated cardiomyopathy

A potentially life-changing heart condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, can be caused by the cumulative influence of hundreds or thousands of genes and not just by a single "aberrant" genetic variant, as was previously thought, finds a new study led by researchers at UCL (University College London), Imperial College London and the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences.

21 Nov 2024

Normal breast tissue cells harbor cancer-like genetic abnormalities

A new study from researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center finds that, in healthy women, some breast cells that otherwise appear normal may contain chromosome abnormalities typically associated with invasive breast cancer. The findings question conventional thinking on the genetic origins of breast cancer, which could influence early cancer detection methods.

20 Nov 2024

Researchers uncover key genes linked to DCIS progression

A team of researchers mapping a molecular atlas for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has made a major advance toward distinguishing whether the early pre-cancers in the breast will develop into invasive cancers or remain stable.

20 Nov 2024

EZH2 enzyme drives aggressive tumor growth in treatment-resistant prostate cancer

An enzyme called EZH2 has an unexpected role in driving aggressive tumor growth in treatment-resistant prostate cancers, according to a new study by scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine.

20 Nov 2024

Researchers unlock cell density as a tool for building synthetic tissues

Genes aren't the sole driver instructing cells to build multicellular structures, tissues, and organs. In a new paper published in Nature Communications, USC Stem Cell scientist Leonardo Morsut and Caltech computational biologist Matt Thomson characterize the influence of another important developmental driver: cell density, or how loosely or tightly cells are packed into a given space.

20 Nov 2024

Researchers uncover hidden roles of accessory genes in SARS-CoV-2

Viruses are lean, mean, infection machines. Their genomes are tiny, usually limited to a handful of absolutely essential genes, and they shed extra genomic deadweight extremely fast.

20 Nov 2024

Study identifies DNA collisions driving genetic changes in cancer

Cancer researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have discovered that mutations in certain genes can lead to the accumulation of DNA errors, resulting in a specific type of genetic change known as large tandem duplications (TDs) that can arise from the collision of two critical cellular processes: transcription and DNA replication.

20 Nov 2024

Barcoding small extracellular vesicles with new CRISPR-based system

Cell-to-cell communication through nanosized particles, working as messengers and carriers, can now be analyzed in a whole new way, thanks to a new method involving CRISPR gene-editing technology.

20 Nov 2024

Antibiotic activity altered by interaction with nanoplastics, new research shows

Nanoplastics significantly alter antibiotic interactions, reducing effectiveness and increasing resistance, posing serious implications for health and ecology.

20 Nov 2024

Memories of obesity can linger in fat cells long after weight loss

Epigenetic changes from obesity persist after weight loss, altering fat cell function and increasing the risk of weight regain, impacting metabolic health.

19 Nov 2024

Innovative platform helps explore genetic links to 99 diseases

A new study introduces the Proteome-Wide Association Study Hub, an innovative and powerful tool designed to explore gene-disease connections across ninety-nine common diseases.

18 Nov 2024

Rare variant analysis reveals genetic spectrum of monogenic diabetes genes

This study links rare genetic variants to type 2 diabetes risk, emphasizing their role in monogenic diabetes and potential for precision medicine integration.

18 Nov 2024

Pulses of light show promise in controlling seizures

In what could one day become a new treatment for epilepsy, researchers at UC San Francisco, UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkeley have used pulses of light to prevent seizure-like activity in neurons.

15 Nov 2024

Researchers discover how mutations disrupt protein splicing and cause disease

An international research team has uncovered a new mechanism crucial to the production of cellular proteins.

15 Nov 2024

Rare STAT6 gene variant provides protection against severe asthma

Scientists at deCODE genetics, a subsidiary of Amgen, and collaborators have published a study in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology reporting a rare missense variant in STAT6 that protects against asthma.

15 Nov 2024

Customizable biological sensors activate cancer immunotherapy only in tumor environments

Most cancer treatments – from chemotherapies to engineered immune cells – have a host of side effects, in large part because they affect healthy cells in the body at the same time as targeting tumor cells.

15 Nov 2024

Researchers discover mechanism affecting splicing process in retinal cells

Genes contain the essential building instructions for life, guiding cells on which amino acids to assemble in what sequence to produce specific proteins. The human genome codes for about 20,000 such instructions.

15 Nov 2024

AI-powered tool predicts gene activity in cancer cells from biopsy images

To determine the type and severity of a cancer, pathologists typically analyze thin slices of a tumor biopsy under a microscope.

14 Nov 2024

Researchers use cerebrospinal fluid to unlock pathways in Alzheimer's disease

A multitude of genes have been linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Specifically how those genes might influence the progression of neurodegeneration remains something of a black box though, in part because of the challenges of examining in molecular detail the brain of a living patient.

14 Nov 2024