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).

Study uncovers the tradeoff between fast immune defense and long-term inflammation

Some of our biggest threats can come in the tiniest forms-viruses and bacteria. Thankfully, we are born with a built-in defense system, our innate immune system that protects us in our youth but can turn against us as we age.

16 Sep 2025

Philippines unveils new technologies to detect and manage African Swine Fever

Three new technologies to detect and manage African Swine Fever have been unveiled in the Philippines amid ongoing concerns about a vaccine imported from Vietnam.

15 Sep 2025

How processed red meat might drive neurodegenerative diseases

The relationship between processed red meat and neurodegenerative diseases is complex, with potential risks and protective effects requiring more investigation.

15 Sep 2025

Charity funding boosts research into inclusion body myopathy at Aston University

Muscular Dystrophy UK, a charity working on behalf of 110,000 children and adults living with more than 60 muscle-wasting conditions, has awarded £140,944 in funding to Dr. Rebecca Jones at Aston University for a project to understand the cause of a condition called inclusion body myopathy.

13 Sep 2025

Unlocking hidden soil microbes for new antibiotics

Most bacteria cannot be cultured in the lab-and that's been bad news for medicine. Many of our frontline antibiotics originated from microbes, yet as antibiotic resistance spreads and drug pipelines run dry, the soil beneath our feet has a vast hidden reservoir of untapped lifesaving compounds.

13 Sep 2025

Genetic mutation in some East Asians linked to aldehyde storm and increased liver disease risk

Researchers have identified the mechanism by which a common genetic mutation increases liver disease risk. Their findings suggest that healthy choices, such as increasing antioxidants and limiting exposure to smoke, may reduce the risk of this disease.

13 Sep 2025

New genetic test redefines diagnosis and management of hereditary pancreatitis

A new genetic test developed at Mayo Clinic is redefining how clinicians diagnose and manage hereditary pancreatitis.

11 Sep 2025

CRISPR-based therapeutic approach designed to treat fatal pediatric disease

Multisystemic smooth muscle dysfunction syndrome (MSMDS) is a rare condition associated with stroke, aortic dissection (tearing) and death in childhood.

11 Sep 2025

Infection or stressful events during pregnancy may increase anxiety risk in offspring

Increased risk for anxiety may begin before birth, shaped by infection or stressful events during pregnancy, according to a new preclinical study from researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine.

11 Sep 2025

Genes play an active role in shaping the gut bacteria, study finds

New research from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre has found that genes play an active role in shaping the bacteria found in our gut, questioning the idea that gut health is influenced only by diet.

10 Sep 2025

New method reveals how mitochondrial DNA mutations influence cancer growth

Mitochondria act as energy factories in cells and have their own, separate DNA. Mutations to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) have been observed in cancer, but it has been unclear how these changes might affect cancer growth.

10 Sep 2025

Can cannabis use disrupt women’s fertility? New study finds strong evidence

Researchers found that THC, the psychoactive compound in cannabis, alters oocyte gene expression, spindle formation, and chromosome segregation, lowering embryo euploidy rates in IVF. This provides direct human evidence linking cannabis exposure to impaired female fertility outcomes.

10 Sep 2025

Rare ABCA7 gene variants linked to Alzheimer’s risk

A new study from MIT neuroscientists reveals how rare variants of a gene called ABCA7 may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's in some of the people who carry it.

10 Sep 2025

Long-read sequencing uncovers massive DNA elements shaping human oral microbiome

Researchers including those at the University of Tokyo have made a surprising discovery hiding in people's mouths: Inocles, giant DNA elements that had previously escaped detection.

10 Sep 2025

Microbial piracy offers clues to fighting antimicrobial resistance

Researchers have discovered how 'pirate phages' hijack other viruses to break into bacteria, sharing new genetic material for dangerous traits.

10 Sep 2025

Specific microbial changes linked to poor growth in children

Malnutrition is responsible for more than half of all deaths in children under the age of five worldwide.

10 Sep 2025

Sapio Sciences and Ultima Genomics partner to advance multi-omics research

Sapio Sciences, the science-aware™ lab informatics platform, today announced a strategic partnership with Ultima Genomics.

From Sapio Sciences 10 Sep 2025

Bottlebrush particles deliver large range of chemotherapy drugs directly to tumor cells

Using tiny particles shaped like bottlebrushes, MIT chemists have found a way to deliver a large range of chemotherapy drugs directly to tumor cells.

10 Sep 2025

Combination immunotherapy prior to surgery shows encouraging results in mesothelioma

Results from an early phase clinical trial presented this week at the World Conference on Lung Cancer Meeting in Barcelona, Spain, and published in the Nature Medicine journal today [Monday, 8th September 2025] show that patients with mesothelioma - a rare cancer of the lining of the lung that may be caused by exposure to asbestos - who received a combination of two immunotherapy drugs, nivolumab and ipilimumab, before surgery had successful surgeries and encouraging early outcomes.

9 Sep 2025

Johns Hopkins team develops urine-based test for prostate cancer detection

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital and four other institutions have devised a novel method to test for prostate cancer using biomarkers present in urine, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.

9 Sep 2025