Genetic News and Research

RSS

Thyroid cancer risks and medication timing with oral GLP-1s

Like most prescriptions, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) medications to manage weight come with potential risks.

28 Oct 2026

COMPASS pathway helps regulatory T cells prevent intestinal inflammation

Trillions of bacteria live in the human gut without triggering an immune response. Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have now discovered a gene-regulatory pathway that helps maintain this delicate balance.

28 Oct 2026

Researchers tested an unexpected addition to vaginal treatment: oxygen

Researchers investigated the effects of topical vaginal oxygen treatment, alone or combined with antimicrobials, on the vaginal microbiota of 22 women with bacterial vaginosis or vaginitis. The combined treatment reduced the relative abundance of strict anaerobes and increased Lactobacillus abundance, but the absence of an antimicrobial-only control group prevented researchers from establishing whether oxygen contributed independently to these changes.

28 Oct 2026

Identical twins showed a survival divide when only one had Parkinson’s

Researchers followed 54 twin pairs discordant for Parkinson’s disease and found substantially higher 10-year mortality among affected twins, including in genetically identical pairs. They also observed more frequent constipation among affected twins, but dietary and nutritional differences were limited, with secondary findings requiring confirmation.

28 Oct 2026

University of Utah researchers discover backup energy system in the heart

The heart is the hardest-working muscle in the body, beating constantly no matter what the body's energy reserves look like.

28 Oct 2026

Landmark studies map how genetic differences drive human diseases

In three landmark studies published in Nature today, Australian researchers have made major advances in our understanding of how genetic differences between people influence disease.

28 Oct 2026

DEBRA research invests in Topadur to advance small-molecule therapies for dystrophic Epidermolysis bullosa

DEBRA Research gGmbH, a global non-profit organization dedicated to advancing research and drug development for Epidermolysis bullosa (EB), and Topadur Pharma AG, a Swiss clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced an investment by DEBRA Research in Topadur to support a preclinical program exploring a new treatment approach for dystrophic Epidermolysis bullosa (DEB). DEB is one of the more severe forms of EB, characterized by extremely fragile skin and progressive, debilitating complications.

28 Oct 2026

Lab-on-a-chip technology helps predict childhood leukemia treatment responses

More than 120,000 people in the U.S. are living with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and 6,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Of those, more than 3,500 will be in children.

27 Oct 2026

New research center aims to accelerate hepatitis C vaccine development

The shifty hepatitis C virus (HCV) has a knack for outmaneuvering the immune system. Its secret is an especially high mutation rate, which has generated an abundance of viral variants with extreme genetic diversity.

27 Oct 2026

$1 million grant advances research into RNA-DNA virus evolution

Much remains unknown about the origin of viruses and how they evolve - but hunting for answers has been the focus of Portland State biology professor Ken Stedman's eXtreme Virus Lab for the past 25 years.

27 Oct 2026

Low vitamin B12 is linked to heart disease. Supplements tell a different story

A narrative review published in Nutrition Journal examines how vitamin B12 deficiency may contribute to cardiovascular disease through elevated homocysteine, endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress and altered methylation. The authors found that B12 supplementation has not consistently prevented heart attacks or cardiovascular deaths in clinical trials, although combined B-vitamin therapy may modestly reduce stroke risk, particularly in populations without folic acid fortification.

27 Oct 2026

Amyloid fibers help sperm deliver RNA to mouse embryos

Researchers identified RNA-associated amyloid fibrils in human seminal fluid and demonstrated that synthetic PAP fibrils could enter mammalian sperm. In mouse IVF experiments, these fibrils helped sperm deliver RNA to embryos, where the detected reporter-protein signal was at least tenfold higher than without fibril exposure.

27 Oct 2026

Blocking cellular communication reduces the spread of deadly glioblastoma

In a new study published in Cancer Cell, researchers at VIB-KU Leuven reduced the spread of glioblastoma by interrupting specific interactions between the brain's immune cells and tumor cells.

27 Oct 2026

Rutgers study links prenatal wildfire smoke exposure to autism risk

A Rutgers-led analysis of health insurance records found that exposure to fine particles from wildfire smoke during pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of autism diagnosis in children, with the strongest associations during the second and third trimesters.

27 Oct 2026

Breakthrough targeted therapy shows strong precision in treating chronic myeloid leukemia

A more effective and better-tolerated treatment for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) could improve quality of life for people living with the disease.

27 Oct 2026

Machine learning models predict common cancer risks using routine health data

Machine learning models using routinely collected health information, such as blood tests, medical history and lifestyle factors, could help identify people at higher risk of several common cancers, according to an international study reported at the ESMO Congress 2026.

27 Oct 2026

Heated tobacco products cause immediate cardiovascular and genetic damage

Just one session of heated tobacco product use results in measurable damage to the blood vessels, according to a study published today (Tuesday) in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

27 Oct 2026

Could a few days of annual extreme heat raise dementia risk?

Extreme outdoor heat is associated with higher dementia risk, especially in socially vulnerable areas, emphasizing the need for targeted community strategies.

27 Oct 2026

Cerebrospinal fluid liquid biopsy detects tumor DNA in complex brain cases

A Mayo Clinic study published in the Journal of Neuro-Oncology suggests that analyzing DNA in cerebrospinal fluid could provide another source of information when MRI cannot provide a clear brain tumor diagnosis or obtaining tissue through biopsy is difficult or potentially unsafe.

27 Oct 2026

Early exercise improves motor function in a mouse model of DDX3X syndrome

Acquisition of motor skills during infancy is critical for a child's ability to interact with the physical and social environment and motor impairments are frequent in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism.

27 Oct 2026