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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).

Protein complex cohesin found essential for guiding cell identity decisions

Temporarily disabling a protein complex that organizes DNA into loops inside the cell's nucleus drastically disrupted the three-dimensional structure of the genome, but surprisingly most genes continued to function as usual, Weill Cornell Medicine researchers found.

13 Apr 2026

Lab study shows cigarette smoke damaged lung cells more than e-cigarette vapor

Researchers found that cigarette smoke extract disrupted the lung cell barrier, increased IL-6 inflammation, and caused DNA damage in Calu-3 cells, while e-cigarette vapor extract showed no significant adverse effects on these measures under the study conditions. The authors caution that these were in vitro findings using liquid extracts and unflavored e-liquid, so they do not directly predict long-term human health outcomes.

12 Apr 2026

Damon Runyon supports young scientists driving cancer research innovation

The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation has named 13 new Damon Runyon Fellows, exceptional postdoctoral scientists conducting basic and translational cancer research in the laboratories of leading senior investigators.

11 Apr 2026

PRRDetect algorithm could one day revolutionize the treatment of cancer

Researchers have created a "metal detector" algorithm called PRRDetect to hunt down vulnerable tumors, in a development that could one day revolutionize the treatment of cancer.

11 Apr 2026

Non-clinical safety assessment crucial for CRISPR-based gene therapies

The rapid evolution of CRISPR/Cas genome editing has redefined the possibilities of cellular and gene therapy, enabling precise correction, disruption, and regulation of disease-associated genes.

10 Apr 2026

Early epigenetic changes shape infant gut microbiome development

The gut microbiome and epigenetics-molecular switches that turn genes on or off-are intertwined, and both contribute to neurodevelopment, finds a study publishing April 10 in the Cell Press journal Cell Press Blue.

10 Apr 2026

New PCR method enables full genome amplification of HPV16

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a double-stranded circular DNA virus with a genome of approximately 7–8 kb. This study aimed to establish an overlapping extension polymerase chain reaction method for the amplification of the entire genome of HPV16.

10 Apr 2026

Low oxygen triggers regenerative programs in mammalian limb cells

Some animals can regrow lost body parts. Salamanders and frog tadpoles can rebuild entire limbs after amputation. Mammals cannot. For decades, biologists have tried to understand why.

9 Apr 2026

Vibrio cholerae acquires antiviral defenses through horizontal gene transfer

Like most bacteria, Vibrio cholerae lives under constant attack from viruses. To survive, bacteria equip themselves with antiviral immune systems.

9 Apr 2026

Study maps DNA methylation changes driving MDS stem cell dysfunction

Published on April 01, 2026, in Volume 2, article number 19 of the journal Immunity & Inflammation, a collaborative team led by Prof. Cao at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, along with Dr. Liangding Hu at the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, and Professors Qian Zhang and Yanmei Han at the National Key Laboratory of Immunity and Inflammation, Naval Medical University, has generated the first base-resolution DNA methylome of human MDS HSCs.

9 Apr 2026

One letter DNA change switches sex development in mice

Researchers at Bar-Ilan University have discovered that changing just one letter in DNA can completely alter sex development in mice.

9 Apr 2026

New 3D organoid model advances pediatric glioma research and treatment

A three-dimensional experimental system has been developed to study the response to drugs in low-grade glioma, a tumor of the central nervous system that often occurs in children.

9 Apr 2026

Dynamic binding of linker histone H1 shapes flexible chromatin organization

DNA inside the nucleus is not packed as a rigid regular fiber-linker histone H1 dynamically binds and loosely "glues" nucleosomes together, creating a dynamic, fluid organization that can still support essential genome functions.

9 Apr 2026

Study explains why current BET inhibitors fail in cancer treatment

For over a decade, a class of drugs called BET inhibitors has been tested in cancer trials with high expectations.

9 Apr 2026

Scientists find new genetic causes for diabetes in babies

Scientists have found new genetic causes for diabetes in babies – in a part of the genome that has historically been overlooked in genetic studies.

9 Apr 2026

New method reveals how the genome is regulated and disrupted in diseases

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School have developed a new method called PARTAGE that provides a clearer picture of how the genome is regulated and disrupted in diseases like cancer.

8 Apr 2026

Genetic overlap links psychiatric disorders with many physical ailments

For centuries, mental illness and physical disease have been viewed as two distinct categories, each with its own field of study, its own doctors, and its own menu of treatments.

8 Apr 2026

Study reveals how tau tangles spread from one brain region to another in Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that slowly impairs memory, affects thinking skills, and eventually interferes with daily functioning.

8 Apr 2026

Study finds genetic basis for GLP-1 weight loss efficacy and side effects

23andMe Research Institute, a nonprofit medical research organization, announced the publication of a study that identifies genetic predictors for GLP-1 weight loss efficacy and side effects.

8 Apr 2026

New cell atlas reveals biological links to pregnancy complications

The biological connection between a pregnant woman and her developing baby has been mapped in unprecedented detail by UC San Francisco scientists, revealing new cell types and insights into conditions such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, and miscarriage.

8 Apr 2026