Genetic Information News and Research

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Scientists uncover genetic information of what keeps us healthy

Genetics plays a role in the overall health and well-being of humans. Genes provide instructions for making proteins, which help determine the structure and function of each cell in the body. Aside from determining the characteristics inherited, genes have been linked to many diseases. Scientists have determined the genetic information of health.

23 Jan 2020

Study provides key insights on potential origins of coronavirus outbreak in China

Emerging viral infections--from bird flu to Ebola to Zika infections--pose major threats to global public health, and understanding their origins can help investigators design defensive strategies against future outbreaks.

22 Jan 2020

New genetic test to predict and prevent vision loss from glaucoma

Researchers have identified 107 genes that increase a person's risk of developing the eye disease glaucoma, and now developed a genetic test to detect those at risk of going blind from it.

21 Jan 2020

Researchers provide first robust cell culture model for hepatitis E virus

Even though hepatitis E causes over three million infections and about 70,000 deaths each year, the virus has been little studied as yet.

13 Jan 2020

Scientists discover a new way to combine coding languages into single "bilingual" molecule

The nucleic acids of DNA encode genetic information, while the amino acids of proteins contain the code to turn that information into structures and functions. Together, they provide the two fundamental codes underlying all of life.

10 Jan 2020

Scientists find way to combine two main coding languages into single 'bilingual' molecule

9 Jan 2020

Persistent TB infection of macrophages puts the brakes on immune engines, study shows

Scientists from Trinity College Dublin have discovered both how TB puts the brakes on our immune engines and how we can kick-start those engines back into gear - providing hope that improved treatment options could soon be on the horizon.

8 Jan 2020

New nanotech technique fights advanced-stage sepsis

Scientists have found a novel approach using nanotechnology that can fight late-stage sepsis.

8 Jan 2020

Hobbyist DNA services may be vulnerable to genetic hacking

Online services that allow users to upload their genetic information, research genealogy and find lost relatives may be vulnerable to a sort of genetic hacking, according to two geneticists at the University of California, Davis. A paper describing the work is published Jan. 7 in the journal eLife.

7 Jan 2020

Using CRISPR to switch off pain gene becomes a possibility with new study

A pathbreaking study reports success in disabling an important gene that is responsible for inducing the sensation of pain.

7 Jan 2020

Researchers develop new way to fight late-stage sepsis

Researchers have developed a way to prop up a struggling immune system to enable its fight against sepsis, a deadly condition resulting from the body's extreme reaction to infection.

6 Jan 2020

Chemical reprogramming of granulosa cells to form functional oocytes

By introducing a chemical cocktail to granulosa cells, researchers in China induced the cells to transform into functional oocytes in mice.

26 Dec 2019

Study uncovers a previously unknown subtype of muscle stem cells

Scientists have discovered a new subtype of muscle stem cells. These cells have the ability to build and regenerate new muscles, making them interesting targets for the development of gene therapies.

21 Dec 2019

Targeting specific nuclear transport systems may lead to possible therapeutic strategies for cancer

Although less often the focus of cancer research, recent studies have hinted at the possible importance of a type of protein known as nuclear transport receptors.

17 Dec 2019

Extrachromosomal circular DNA can contribute to cancer development in children

Cancer development is associated with the gradual accumulation of DNA defects over time. Thus, cancer is considered an age-related disease.

17 Dec 2019

Scientists solve 3D structure of vaccinia virus RNA polymerase

For viruses to multiply, they usually need the support of the cells they infect. In many cases, only in their host's nucleus can they find the machines, enzymes and building blocks with which they can multiply their genetic material before infecting other cells.

12 Dec 2019

DNA site GEDmatch sold to forensic genomics firm

A DNA site has been bought by a forensic genomics firm, prompting discussion over future use of genetic data in solving crime.

11 Dec 2019

Long-term exposure to hydrocarbons may be a risk factor for ischemic stroke

Long-term exposure to hydrocarbons in the air may be a risk factor for ischemic stroke development, according to a study published December 4, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Han-Wei Zhang of China Medical University, Taiwan, and colleagues.

4 Dec 2019

Freiburg scientists decipher basic molecular control mechanisms behind cellular identity

A research team headed by Prof. Dr. Sebastian Arnold and Jelena Tosic from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Freiburg has now succeeded in deciphering basic molecular control mechanisms by which stem cells decide which embryonic cell types to turn into.

3 Dec 2019

Gene discovery in fruit flies could provide clues to counteract mitochondrial diseases

Scientists have identified a protein in fruit flies that can be targeted to reverse the effects of disease-causing mutations in mitochondrial genes. The discovery could provide clues about how to counteract human mitochondrial diseases, for which there is currently no cure.

28 Nov 2019