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Scientists discover new mechanism behind Huntington’s disease brain cell death

Scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Harvard Medical School, and McLean Hospital have discovered a surprising mechanism by which the inherited genetic mutation known to cause Huntington's disease leads to the death of brain cells.

16 Jan 2025

New AI method predicts gene activity in human cells

Using a new artificial intelligence method, researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons can accurately predict the activity of genes within any human cell, essentially revealing the cell's inner mechanisms.

8 Jan 2025

Study shows how a single defective BRCA1 gene accelerates cancer development

People inherit two copies of each gene - one from each parent - an evolutionary fail-safe to ensure survival even when one of them doesn't function.

11 Nov 2024

Breakthrough research reveals how to target malignant DNA in aggressive cancers

Scientists have discovered a way to target elusive circular fragments of DNA that drive the survival of some of the most aggressive cancers, paving the way for future treatments.

9 Nov 2024

Stanford researchers unveil the key role of extrachromosomal DNA in cancer

A trio of research papers from Stanford Medicine researchers and their international collaborators transforms scientists' understanding of how small DNA circles - until recently dismissed as inconsequential - are major drivers of many types of human cancers.

6 Nov 2024

Study reveals why paternal mitochondria must be removed during early development

It's one of the basic tenets of biology: We get our DNA from our mom and our dad.

9 Oct 2024

Defective DNA repair mechanism linked to Huntington's disease progression

Researchers with McMaster University have discovered that the protein mutated in patients with Huntington's Disease doesn't repair DNA as intended, impacting the ability of brain cells to heal themselves.

27 Sep 2024

Known genes account for most undiagnosed cases of developmental disorders

Scientists have conducted the largest and most diverse study to date on how recessive genetic changes contribute to developmental disorders. They found that most undiagnosed cases that are due to recessive causes are linked to genes we already know about, and suggest a shift in research focus could improve diagnosis rates.

24 Sep 2024

Study reveals how bacteria pass on traits without DNA changes

Bacterial cells can "remember" brief, temporary changes to their bodies and immediate surroundings, a new Northwestern University and University of Texas-Southwestern study has found.

28 Aug 2024

First meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee reports on mpox surge

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), having concurred with the advice offered by the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR or Regulations) Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024 during its first meeting, held on 14 August 2024, has determined, on the same date, that the ongoing upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and in a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the provisions of the Regulations.

20 Aug 2024

Alcohol use disorders in parents linked to accelerated aging in children

Researchers at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) have discovered that parents who struggle with alcohol use disorders can pass along symptoms of early aging to their children, affecting them well into adulthood.

8 Aug 2024

Cellular competition determines X chromosome usage in female bodies

A new study published in Nature Genetics by the Lymphoid Development Group at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences has reveals that the contribution of cells expressing maternal or paternal X chromosomes can be selectively skewed in different parts of the body. The study leverages human data from the 1000 Genomes Project combined with mouse models of human X chromosome-linked DNA sequence variation to advance our fundamental understanding of development in biologically female individuals who have two X chromosomes.

26 Jul 2024

Study finds promising new target for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

A class of proteins that regulates cell repair and enhances cell growth-signaling systems could be a promising new target for the treatment of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State.

2 Jul 2024

Is coffee good or bad? Genetic study investigates health correlations

Coffee drinking is a heritable habit, and one that carries a certain amount of genetic baggage.

18 Jun 2024

UD researchers pioneer universal, economical method for proteomics sample preparation

Proteins are workhorses that carry out most of the biological functions in our cells. While the genes we inherit from our parents, our so-called genome, are fixed and usually remain unchanged throughout our lives, proteins in our bodies are constantly changing, as we age, under different health conditions and upon stimulation, such as with medical treatment.

11 Jun 2024