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COVID-19 linked to increased risk of hearing loss in young adults, study finds

Researchers in South Korea found that young adults who recovered from COVID-19 are at significantly higher risk of experiencing hearing loss and sudden sensorineural hearing loss compared to those who never had the virus.

28 Aug 2024

Columbia study reveals bacteria create free-floating genes, challenging genetic code norms

Since the genetic code was first deciphered in the 1960s, our genes seemed like an open book. By reading and decoding our chromosomes as linear strings of letters, like sentences in a novel, we can identify the genes in our genome and learn why changes in a gene's code affect health.

9 Aug 2024

Alarming spread of H5N1 bird flu in US dairy cattle reveals cross-species transmission dangers

Researchers discovered that the H5N1 avian influenza virus has spilled over into dairy cattle in the US, posing significant cross-species transmission risks. Their multidisciplinary study reveals the virus's evolution and its zoonotic potential, emphasizing the need for heightened biosecurity measures.

25 Jul 2024

One-time prime editing targets common genetic cause of cystic fibrosis

Researchers optimized prime editing for the efficient correction of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator F508del mutation in human airway epithelial cells, achieving high correction efficiencies and functional restoration with minimal off-target effects.

15 Jul 2024

Restoring youthful TERT levels reverses aging phenotypes in preclinical models

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have demonstrated that therapeutically restoring 'youthful' levels of a specific subunit of the telomerase enzyme can significantly reduce the signs and symptoms of aging in preclinical models.

21 Jun 2024

Researchers decode spatial structure of prime editor

Joint research led by Yutaro Shuto, Ryoya Nakagawa, and Osamu Nureki of the University of Tokyo determined the spatial structure of various processes of a novel gene-editing tool called "prime editor."

29 May 2024

RNAConnect, Inc. formally launches to drive RNA analysis

RNAConnect, a pioneering life science reagent company, officially launches today, promising groundbreaking solutions for exploring the real-world diversity of RNA sequence and structure.

From RNAConnect 29 May 2024

Avian flu crosses species, infecting cats and cattle in Texas and Kansas

A study in the CDC's Emerging Infectious Disease Journal reports the spread of H5N1 avian influenza among cats and dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas, showing systemic illness in cattle and significant fatalities in cats exposed to the virus through infected milk.

1 May 2024

Common HIV drugs linked to reduced Alzheimer's disease risk

Alzheimer's disease (AD) currently afflicts nearly seven million people in the U.S. With this number expected to grow to nearly 13 million by 2050, the lack of meaningful therapies represents a major unmet medical need.

16 Apr 2024

Nirmatrelvir fails to shorten COVID-19 symptoms in latest trial

A study in The New England Journal of Medicine evaluates the combination of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir against COVID-19, finding it does not significantly reduce symptom duration in vaccinated or unvaccinated adult outpatients.

8 Apr 2024

Genetic key to milder COVID: Certain genes slash severity and death risk in older men

Study found that certain genetic variants in the IL1RN gene significantly reduce COVID-19-related inflammation and mortality in patients, with notable improvements observed in older men carrying specific single-nucleotide variants.

19 Mar 2024

Breakthrough gene therapy method utilizes bird retrotransposon for safe gene insertion

The recent approval of a CRISPR-Cas9 therapy for sickle cell disease demonstrates that gene editing tools can do a superb job knocking out genes to cure hereditary disease.

20 Feb 2024

GV1001 exerts anti-aging effects in triple transgenic Alzheimer's mice

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 3, entitled, "GV1001 reduces neurodegeneration and prolongs lifespan in 3xTg-AD mouse model through anti-aging effects."

15 Feb 2024

Prime editing takes gene therapy to the next level

This study is led by Prof. Xianqun Fan (Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Ninth People's Hospital).

27 Jan 2024

RT-PCR genotyping outperforms whole-genome sequencing in speedy and accurate COVID-19 variant tracking

A study in JAMA Network Open shows RT-PCR genotyping assays as a faster, cost-effective alternative to WGS for SARS-CoV-2 variant surveillance, offering high accuracy and scalability.

24 Jan 2024

Anti-HIV drugs can be used to prevent inflammatory complications of bacterial sepsis

Bacterial infections can lead to the formation of abscesses - pockets of dead cells and debris surrounded by inflammatory immune cells. Bacteria multiply within abscesses, causing more inflammation and further damage to surrounding tissues.

17 Jan 2024

Engineered virus-like particles power up gene editing, correcting blindness in mice

Prime editing, a versatile form of gene editing that can correct most known disease-causing genetic mutations, now has a new vehicle to deliver its machinery into cells in living animals.

8 Jan 2024

Novel adaptations and functions of human LINE-1 revealed by structural analysis and inhibition

Martin Taylor, MD, PhD, a physician investigator in the Department of Pathology at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor in Pathology at Harvard Medical School, is the lead corresponding author of a new study in Nature, Structural Analysis and Inhibition of Human LINE-1 ORF2 Protein Reveals Novel Adaptations and Functions.

19 Dec 2023

Unlocking the secrets of our "dark genome": Scientists crack the code of LINE-1

A multidisciplinary study published in Nature has elucidated the structure of the machinery responsible for writing much of our "dark genome" - the 98 percent of our DNA that has largely unknown biological function.

14 Dec 2023

New early phase study evaluates “on-demand” HIV prevention method for women

A fast-dissolving vaginal insert that women would use at or around the time of sex as an "on-demand" HIV prevention method is being evaluated in a new early phase study being conducted by MATRIX, a United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded project focused on the early research and development of innovative HIV prevention products for women.

7 Dec 2023