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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).

Semaglutide, omega-3s and diet shift epigenetic aging clocks in human studies

A systematic review identified 41 human studies evaluating interventions targeting next-generation DNA methylation-based aging clocks. Pharmaceutical, lifestyle, supplement, clinical, and psychosocial interventions shifted some clock outputs, but these biomarkers remain investigational rather than proven clinical surrogates.

16 Jun 2026

New study uncovers how prostate cancer cells evade treatment

Cancer cells are remarkably good at adapting to stress. When treatments damage them, they often find new ways to survive, fueling drug resistance and disease progression.

16 Jun 2026

Family genetics study reveals clues to longer healthspan

Understanding why some people stay healthy without developing disease until late in life (have an increased healthspan), whereas others become infirm at a much younger age has important implications for the health of today's ageing population.

15 Jun 2026

Researchers urge caution over large-scale newborn genome screening

New research from large population studies provides invaluable evidence on genome screening of newborn babies to reduce risks from overdiagnosis.

15 Jun 2026

Dr. Dan Landau receives Lotus Award for ovarian cancer research

Dr. Dan Landau, the Bibliowicz Family Professor of Medicine, and a member of the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center and the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, has received a Lotus Award from the Pershing Square Foundation for research aimed at uncovering new immunotherapy targets in ovarian cancer.

15 Jun 2026

Gut microbes control liver genes by flipping DNA switches

A local research study led by scientists from the A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (A*STAR GIS) has uncovered how the gut microbiome can influence gene activity in the liver by acting on short stretches of regulatory DNA that function like molecular "switches".

15 Jun 2026

Australia’s diphtheria outbreak shows why boosters, antibiotics, and better housing all matter

A 131-case diphtheria outbreak in Australia’s Northern Territory showed how toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae can re-emerge even in highly vaccinated populations. Genomic and epidemiological evidence linked most cases to a dominant ST381 strain, with transmission shaped by overcrowding, poor skin health, and persistent health inequities.

15 Jun 2026

New DNA test improves diagnosis of rare genetic disorders

A new test provides a much more complete picture of DNA than current standard diagnostics and leads to a diagnosis more often.

13 Jun 2026

Phase 3 study of in vivo CRISPR therapy for hereditary angioedema successfully completed

Researchers from Amsterdam UMC, in collaboration with other hospitals, have successfully completed the first-ever Phase 3 study of an in vivo CRISPR therapy.

13 Jun 2026

Noninvasive sequencing expands prenatal genetic screening capabilities

While non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has revolutionised prenatal diagnostics by allowing the detection of a number of genetic problems in a fetus, it is currently limited and thus misses many genetic causes of abnormalities.

12 Jun 2026

Cellular process discovery may lead to new cancer treatments

A molecular geneticist at Montana State University has discovered a cellular process once believed impossible by scientists – the creation of the amino acid cysteine within a living cell when the cell's primary systems to do so fail. The discovery may one day lead to new cancer treatments.

12 Jun 2026

Biotechnology breakthrough could revolutionize treatment for neurodegenerative diseases

A research team from the School of Biomedical Sciences at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has achieved a significant breakthrough in biotechnology that could revolutionize treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.

12 Jun 2026

FDA accepts immunotherapy drug for review in colon cancer treatment

The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (Alliance) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted for review Genentech's supplemental Biologic License Application for their immunotherapy drug atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) for the treatment of patients with stage III colon cancer with deficient deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) mismatch repair (dMMR).

11 Jun 2026

Interspecies blastocyst complementation generates generates rat-derived kidneys in mice

Kidney transplantation remains the most effective treatment for end-stage kidney disease, yet a severe shortage of donor organs continues to limit access for millions of patients worldwide.

11 Jun 2026

Review uses evolutionary lens to examine modern human aging rates

A review article now published in "Nature Reviews Genetics" brings together evolutionary theory, comparative genomics and large-scale human genetics to explain why we age and why aging rates differ among individuals and species.

11 Jun 2026

Viral DNA blood test accurately gauges post-surgery cancer recovery success

A new study by investigators from Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute found that an ultrasensitive blood test called HPV-DeepSeek could help identify which people with HPV-associated head and neck cancer still had cancer cells in their bodies after surgery and may benefit the most from additional treatments. Their results are published in Science Translational Medicine.

11 Jun 2026

A hidden immune pathway may help explain why Alzheimer’s inflammation persists

Researchers found that KAT7 promotes CMPK2-driven mitochondrial DNA release in microglia, activating inflammatory cGAS-STING and NLRP3 pathways linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

11 Jun 2026

Scientists reveal how cGAS-STING fuels brain inflammation and neurodegeneration

The cGAS-STING pathway is emerging as a key driver of chronic neuroinflammation through its effects on glial activation, neuronal stress, blood-brain barrier integrity, and type I interferon signaling. The review highlights why selective, context-dependent modulation of cGAS-STING could help treat neurodegenerative diseases, while preserving its essential roles in antiviral defense and tumor surveillance.

10 Jun 2026

Low-methionine diet shows promise against aggressive brain tumors

An unexpected lab observation led a team of scientists to discover how diet can influence survival in animal models of glioma, one of the most aggressive and deadly forms of brain cancer.

10 Jun 2026