Genes News and Research

RSS

Paternal age may influence sex-specific gene expression changes in embryos

When genes are "expressed," it is like reading an instruction manual to create things the body needs - such as proteins or RNA.

20 Oct 2026

Experts weigh risks of using gene therapies for common diseases

Gene therapy is no longer the future of medicine - it's reality. Treatments that replace, silence or edit genes are already changing clinical care.

20 Oct 2026

New program helps high-risk children improve sun protection behaviors

Children of parents who have melanoma, a serious type of skin cancer that starts in the cells that make pigment, have twice the lifetime risk of developing the disease themselves.

20 Oct 2026

Discovery of new bacteria opens fresh avenues for prostate cancer research

University of East Anglia researchers have discovered the genetic blueprints of 18 new bacterial species collected from prostate cancer patients.

20 Oct 2026

Researchers investigate molecular mechanisms linking high-calorie diets to cognitive decline

The molecular mechanisms linking a high calorie diet to cognitive impairment remain unclear. Researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan, investigated this association in mice, finding that the diet reduced nuclear protein PQBP1 expression, disrupting the alternative splicing of genes involved in synaptic function.

20 Oct 2026

Study links DNA methylation to OCD psychotherapy treatment response

OCD is a mental health disorder characterized by unwanted, recurring thoughts and repetitive behaviors that can severely interfere with everyday life. Exposure-based psychotherapy is one of the most effective treatments, but the biological mechanisms underlying treatment response remain poorly understood.

19 Oct 2026

Study identifies priority genes for safer prescribing in older Chinese patients

A research team has identified three genes that could help prioritize pharmacogenomic testing for older adults in China who receive multiple medications.

15 Oct 2026

Nearly one in three women with autoimmune diseases waited at least four years for a diagnosis, survey finds

An international study of 6,607 adults with autoimmune diseases found that female participants reported longer diagnostic delays, more clinician visits, and higher rates of perceived psychiatric and psychosomatic misdiagnoses than males. The findings suggest sex-related differences in diagnostic experiences, although the researchers cautioned that patient-reported misdiagnoses were not independently verified and the causes of these disparities remain uncertain.

15 Oct 2026

A protective brain enzyme may counteract aging-associated cognitive decline

Cinzia Vicidomini, PhD, and Amar Sahay, PhD, of the Mass General Brigham Department of Psychiatry, the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, are the lead and senior authors of a paper published in Nature Neuroscience, "An aging-sensitive secreted phospholipase confers neuroprotection and cognitive resilience."

15 Oct 2026

Researchers identify molecular pathway that improves ultrasound-based bone defect healing

Researchers from Capital Medical University, Beijing, China, have identified a CaN/NFATC3/Id3/E2A/Bmp4 signaling pathway that helps explain how low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) promotes bone regeneration.

15 Oct 2026

Recurrent brain tumors undergo unique genetic changes after treatment

When patients are diagnosed with certain brain tumors, one of the biggest unanswered questions is what happens when the cancer returns.

14 Oct 2026

Novel gene rejuvenation therapy preserves cell identity while reversing age

Every organ and tissue progressively loses function and integrity as it ages. In fact, researchers have identified "hallmarks of aging" that not only present specific processes impacted by age, but are also thought of as levers that, if successfully targeted, could help turn back the aging clock and result in tissue rejuvenation.

14 Oct 2026

Naval research tracks high copper resistance in marine bacteria

Marine bacteria have evolved to bypass the copper-based coatings placed under ships to stop the growth of barnacles, algae, and other marine life.

14 Oct 2026

Scientists identify novel autoimmune driver behind DNA repair breakdown in childhood cancer

Researchers have found the first evidence for a previously unsuspected cause of pediatric cancer. They showed that children with such cancers were more likely than their healthy peers to produce ‘auto-antibodies’ targeting six proteins necessary for normal DNA repair. Likewise, they showed that young adults with cancer had greater amounts of these circulating antibodies already years before diagnosis.

14 Oct 2026

Cigarette smoke exposure alters ovarian and testicular function in mice

New research has shed light on how exposure to cigarette smoke could affect reproductive health in both men and women, identifying changes in biological processes involved in ovarian function and sperm production.

13 Oct 2026

CHOP researchers link MAP2K4 variants to a neurodevelopmental disorder

Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have discovered the mechanisms of previously unknown changes in a gene that result in symptoms associated with a neurodevelopmental disorder.

13 Oct 2026

Pancreatic cancer cells continuously reshape DNA to evade treatment

A new analysis of nearly half a million cells from dozens of pancreatic tumors, led by researchers at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center and New York University (NYU), reveals how pancreatic cancer cells continuously reshape their genetic makeup over time, enabling them to evade treatment.

13 Oct 2026

Single-cell analysis reveals how pancreatic cancer evades treatment

An analysis of nearly half a million cells from dozens of patients' tumors reveals how cancer cells continuously reshape their genetic makeup over time, enabling them to evade treatment for one of the deadliest forms of cancer.

13 Oct 2026

Gene therapy and special goggles help some blind adults detect objects again

In a phase 1 study of 10 adults with advanced retinitis pigmentosa, researchers found that optogenetic gene therapy combined with light-stimulating goggles was generally well tolerated, although one participant experienced a severe but transient ocular adverse event. Seven participants showed improved light sensitivity, while four of eight who completed behavioral testing demonstrated modest gains in visual function, providing preliminary evidence of partial vision restoration that requires confirmation in larger controlled trials.

12 Oct 2026

Year-long trial finds NAD-boosting supplement fails to improve early Parkinson's symptoms

In a phase 3 randomized clinical trial involving 410 people with early Parkinson disease, 52 weeks of nicotinamide riboside supplementation increased blood NAD levels but failed to improve clinical outcomes compared with placebo. Participants receiving the supplement had modestly worse overall disease scores, although the difference was below the threshold generally considered clinically meaningful.

12 Oct 2026