DNA News and Research

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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).

Genetic ancestry influences tumor biology and survival in head and neck cancers

Genetic ancestry plays a key role in determining the behavior of head and neck tumors and may help explain why African-American patients survive for half as long as their counterparts of European ancestry, according to a new review study led by researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine's (UMSOM) Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) and the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC).

31 Jan 2026

Research reveals a link between defective DNA repair and immune-driven inflammatory disease

Unrepaired DNA-protein crosslinks (DPCs) – highly toxic tangles of protein and DNA – cause a process that leads to premature aging and embryonic lethality in mice.

31 Jan 2026

Sex-specific analysis uncovers unique disease pathways and treatment implications

Biological differences between women and men led to variations in the appearance and progression of many diseases, which influenced diagnosis and response to treatments.

31 Jan 2026

Researchers identify key factor to help improve treatment for glioblastoma

A groundbreaking study from Brown University Health researchers has identified a crucial factor that may help improve treatment for glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and common forms of adult brain cancer.

30 Jan 2026

Dynamic viral markers predict treatment response in hepatitis B

The rate of functional cure (HBsAg loss) remains unsatisfactory following pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) treatment in chronic hepatitis B. To optimize PEG-IFN administration, this study aimed to evaluate virological markers to predict functional cure and/or hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) loss.

30 Jan 2026

King’s researchers help transform UK mental health research infrastructure

King’s researchers will help transform mental health data, clinical trials and industry partnerships as part of the UK Government’s Mental Health Goals programme.

30 Jan 2026

ERC Proof of Concept grant supports promising CRISPR-based cancer treatment research

Microbiologist John van der Oost of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) has received an ERC Proof of Concept grant to further develop a promising CRISPR-based approach to cancer treatment. With funding of €150,000, he and researcher Christian Südfeld will spend the next eighteen months working on a method to kill cancer cells from within, while sparing healthy cells as much as possible.

30 Jan 2026

Scientists uncover new mechanism initiating gene transcription

Scientists at IOCB Prague are uncovering new details of gene transcription. They have identified a previously unknown molecular mechanism by which the transcription of genetic information from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) into ribonucleic acid (RNA) can be initiated.

30 Jan 2026

AI uncovers evolution of genetic control elements in mammalian cerebellum

Artificial intelligence allows tracing the evolution of genetic control elements in the developing mammalian cerebellum.

30 Jan 2026

New mode of communication inside cells helps bacterial pathogens to evade drugs

Biologists have uncovered a new mode of communication inside cells that helps bacterial pathogens learn how to evade drugs.

30 Jan 2026

Time of radiotherapy can influence the effectiveness of cancer treatment

A team of researchers from the Andalusian Centre for Molecular Biology and Regenerative Medicine (CABIMER) and the University of Seville, in collaboration with the Virgen Macarena University Hospital, have identified a fundamental mechanism that links the 24-hour circadian cycle to the precise repair of DNA breaks.

30 Jan 2026

DNA repair enzyme failure triggers inflammation and accelerates aging in cells

If severe DNA damage is not repaired, the consequences for the health of cells and tissues are dramatic.

30 Jan 2026

Aptamer-based wearables revolutionize continuous health tracking

Continuous monitoring of biomarkers is essential for early disease detection, treatment evaluation, and personalized health management, yet most clinical tests rely on invasive, single-point blood sampling. Recent advances in aptamer-based wearable electrochemical sensors offer a promising alternative by enabling real-time, continuous tracking of physiological signals directly in or on the body.

30 Jan 2026

Why education expanded but opportunity remained unequal

A study shows genetic factors increasingly influence education, but socioeconomic background remains a stronger predictor of educational success across cohorts.

30 Jan 2026

Data-driven modeling uncovers dynamic genome folding in three dimensions

Chromosomes are masters of organization. These long strings of DNA fold down into an ensemble of compact structures that keep needed parts of the genome accessible while tucking away those that aren't used as often.

29 Jan 2026

Genetic inheritance and life experience leave distinct epigenetic marks in immune cells

The COVID-19 pandemic gave us tremendous perspective on how wildly symptoms and outcomes can vary between patients experiencing the same infection.

29 Jan 2026

Biomarker discovery may pave the way for early diagnosis of Parkinson's

A team led by researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, has succeeded in identifying biomarkers for Parkinson's disease in its earliest stages, before extensive brain damage has occurred.

29 Jan 2026

Genetic variants associated with rare inherited growth disorder identified in two prehistoric individuals

Researchers led by the University of Vienna and Liège University Hospital Centre have identified genetic variants associated with a rare inherited growth disorder in two prehistoric individuals who lived more than 12,000 years ago.

29 Jan 2026

Study uncovers genes and proteins likely to play a causal role in Type 2 diabetes

An international study co-led by researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Helmholtz Munich in Germany has uncovered hundreds of genes and proteins likely to play a causal role in Type 2 diabetes, many of which would have been missed by studies relying on blood samples alone.

29 Jan 2026

Neighborhood disadvantage accelerates biological aging through emotional distress

While scientists have long known that living in a disadvantaged neighborhood is associated with biological symptoms of accelerated aging, emotional distress accounts for a significant portion of these effects, researchers found in a recent study.

29 Jan 2026