Genomic News and Research

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16 new lineages of SARS-CoV-2 emerge in South Africa despite lockdown

Published in a recent medRxiv* paper, researchers from South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Brazil found that these mutations in SARS-CoV-2 lineages are localized to South Africa. These unique strains, not found elsewhere in the world, are thought to have contributed around 42% to the country's total infection rate.

3 Nov 2020

Researchers identify a novel vulnerability in advanced prostate cancer

Researchers at the University of Bern led an international team that has identified a novel vulnerability in advanced prostate cancer that is no longer responding to hormonal therapy.

3 Nov 2020

Study: 1 in 8 patients with cancer have inherited gene mutations

Genetic testing can uncover inherited genetic mutations, and could individualize cancer therapies, improve survival, manage cancer in loved ones and push the boundaries of precision medicine.

2 Nov 2020

Genomic sequence of the White House "superspreader" event

Now, a new study revealed the genetic signature of the SARS-CoV-2 that spread in the White House and most likely infected President Trump. The team applied genomic epidemiology to shed light on the origins of the outbreak

2 Nov 2020

Study identifies new cause of inflammation in people living with HIV

While current antiretroviral treatments for HIV are highly effective, data has shown that people living with HIV appear to experience accelerated aging and have shorter lifespans - by up to five to 10 years - compared to people without HIV.

30 Oct 2020

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor wins $4.5 million for breast cancer research and therapy

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology Erik Nelson has won a $4.5M Era of Hope Scholar Award from the United States Department of Defense (DoD) Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP).

30 Oct 2020

Beetroot peptide may be a good candidate for development of a drug to treat inflammatory diseases

In a recent study, a research group led by Christian Gruber at MedUni Vienna's Institute of Pharmacology isolated a peptide (small protein molecule) from beetroot.

30 Oct 2020

Study examines link between SARS-CoV-2 genomic load and COVID-19 patient outcomes

A new study published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society examines whether the amount of RNA, or genomic load, of SARS-CoV-2 detected in swab tests of patients being admitted to the hospital with viral pneumonia is associated with more severe COVID-19.

30 Oct 2020

SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins can directly impact the blood-brain barrier

Like a key, SARS-CoV-2 - the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) - attaches to specific molecules on the host cell surface, opening gateways into the cell interior.

30 Oct 2020

Scientists use new approach to analyze millions of chemical-gene interactions

A University of Massachusetts Amherst environmental health scientist has used an unprecedented objective approach to identify which molecular mechanisms in mammals are the most sensitive to chemical exposures.

30 Oct 2020

A2B-COVID: Rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2 transmission

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in October 2020 reports a method to assess transmission potential for any event in the current pandemic, using what is known about the virus's spread, data on the mobility of individuals, and new ways of processing genomic sequencing data. The outcome is to determine whether cases are linked or not so as to take action to prevent further spread.

29 Oct 2020

Study suggests a role for the hypothalamus in genetic susceptibility to IBD

Using sophisticated 3D genomic mapping and integrating with public data resulting from genome-wide association studies, researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have found significant genetic correlations between inflammatory bowel disease and stress and depression.

29 Oct 2020

Severe ulcerative colitis linked to a newly-discovered strain of oral bacteria

Bacteria from the mouth could hold clues to understanding – and potentially treating – severe ulcerative colitis, a painful bowel disease.

29 Oct 2020

Research shows why certain people infected with COVID-19 show no symptoms

Researchers worldwide have been surprised to see that individuals can be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus - the virus that produces COVID-19 - without showing symptoms. Since these individuals expose others to infection without knowing it, it is important to find an explanation and hopefully a solution to this.

29 Oct 2020

Researchers use genomic tools and supercomputers to study the infant gut microbiome

Since 2017, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers Casey Morrow, Ph.D., and Hyunmin Koo, Ph.D., have used powerful genomic tools and supercomputers that analyze massive amounts of genetic data to identify individual strains within single species of the gut microbiome.

29 Oct 2020

Study reveals complex and vast diversity of African genetic variation

The study, in which six Wits researchers were involved, show that these newly discovered variants were found mostly among newly sampled ethnolinguistic groups.

29 Oct 2020

Genomic analysis of early SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in the UK

By analyzing 50,887 SARS-CoV-2 genomes, the team has provided insights into the micro-epidemiological patterns underlying the features of one of the world's largest national COVID-19 epidemics.

28 Oct 2020

Genetic alterations linked to high incidence of prostate cancer in African American men

Prostate cancer tumors from African American men had higher frequencies of certain genetic alterations that may be associated with aggressive disease, compared with prostate cancer tumors from white men.

28 Oct 2020

Beat AML trial achieves primary endpoint

Patients participating in The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) groundbreaking precision medicine Beat AML Master Clinical Trial had superior outcomes compared to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients who opted for standard chemotherapy treatment, according to findings published today in the prestigious Nature Medicine journal.

28 Oct 2020

Cleveland Clinic-led study identifies features associated with pathogenic and benign variants

An international team of researchers led by Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute has performed for the first time a wide-scale characterization of missense variants from 1,330 disease-associated genes.

27 Oct 2020