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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).

Mitochondrial stress triggers long-term protection against heart damage

Mitochondria are popularly known as the "powerhouse of the cell," but these cellular structures do so much more-including acting as signaling hubs.

4 Sep 2026

Ancient parchment reveals historical evolution of destructive sheeppox virus

Some of Europe's most well-known historic manuscripts, including the York Gospels, have proven to be biological time capsules for uncovering the 3,500-year history of the sheeppox virus (SPPV).

4 Sep 2026

Research reveals how natural enzymes transcribe expanded eight-letter genetic code

All known life on earth utilizes the same genetic alphabet, consisting of four letters. Now, researchers at University of California San Diego have demonstrated that one of biology's most essential enzymes can accurately read and transcribe an expanded, eight-letter genetic alphabet.

4 Sep 2026

Pig kidney xenotransplantation offers a bridge for patients awaiting human donor kidneys

In January 2026, Tim Andrews, who had received a genetically edited pig kidney in January 2025, became the recipient of a human kidney.

3 Sep 2026

Study finds biases in tools predicting dangerous genetic mutations

When a patient has their DNA read, it gets compared against a reference version of the human genome. It allows geneticists and rare disease experts to look at a list of places where the patient's DNA differs.

3 Sep 2026

Cancer-fighting T cells need small amounts of ROS to attack tumors, study finds

New research reveals a promising new target for treating cancer by harnessing a type of molecule previously thought to do more harm than good.

3 Sep 2026

High-dose folic acid appears safe from formaldehyde toxicity

Folic acid – an essential vitamin added to flour and cereals and prescribed at high doses for cancer patients and people with blood disorders – does not elevate toxic formaldehyde in the body, according to a new Cornell University study on mice and human cancer patients who consumed high doses.

2 Sep 2026

Shared biological pathways may explain chronic fatigue across diseases

A shared biological secret that helps explain chronic exhaustion in conditions including long Covid and PTSD has been discovered by researchers at the University of East Anglia and Oxford BioDynamics.

2 Sep 2026

Two scientists win Horwitz Prize for Rett syndrome breakthrough

Columbia University will award the 2026 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize to Adrian Bird and Huda Zoghbi for their pioneering work on epigenetic regulation in the nervous system and its role in human neurological disease, particularly Rett syndrome.

2 Sep 2026

Harvard scientists discover entirely new gene regulation system in mammals

For decades, scientists have understood that each of the roughly 20,000 genes in the human body carries the instructions for a single kind of protein.

2 Sep 2026

Study identifes genetic variants that shape human personality traits

An international consortium of researchers found that more than 1,200 different genetic variants are associated with the Big Five personality traits - and surprisingly, these personality genetics are linked to dozens of life outcomes.

2 Sep 2026

Researchers discover dozens of genes tied to OCD and tic disorders

A Rutgers-led international collaboration has identified 36 genes that substantially raise the risk for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and chronic tic disorders – providing what two researchers said is the most detailed biological understanding of how these conditions develop – and how they might eventually be treated.

2 Sep 2026

Bacterial protein fragment corisin found to drive pulmonary fibrosis

A bacterial protein fragment called corisin drives the process of pulmonary fibrosis by infiltrating and disrupting the cell's quality-control system, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Mie University in Japan found in a new study.

2 Sep 2026

Healthy ageing shaped by more varied biology than previously thought

Molecular changes of ageing are far more unique than previously thought, meaning two healthy individuals of identical age can experience significantly different ageing journeys.

2 Sep 2026

Hidden sperm structures may offer new clues to male fertility

Researchers at VIB, VUB, and the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology (UK) have discovered a hidden feature of human sperm cells.

2 Sep 2026

Europe has a new mosquito problem, but it may not be the one you think

A scoping review of 91 studies, combined with a workshop involving 41 experts from six European countries, mapped the spread, biology, surveillance challenges, and potential disease relevance of the invasive mosquito Aedes koreicus. The researchers identified major gaps in species identification, vector competence, ecology, genetics, and long-term surveillance that must be addressed as the cold-tolerant mosquito expands across Europe.

2 Sep 2026

Researchers found one childhood behavior linked to folic acid use before pregnancy

Researchers analyzed 646 children aged 2–8 years and their 563 mothers to examine whether maternal folic acid supplementation before conception was associated with childhood behavioral difficulties. Preconception supplementation was associated with a 34% lower risk of peer relationship problems, while no significant associations were found for total behavioral difficulties, emotional, conduct, hyperactivity/inattention, or prosocial problems.

1 Sep 2026