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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).

Can diet alone slow brain aging? Scientists say evidence is still too weak

Researchers reviewing evidence in the Annual Review of Nutrition find that healthy dietary patterns may support brain aging, but caution that scientific enthusiasm currently outpaces solid proof. Multidomain strategies combining diet with exercise, cognitive training, and vascular health show greater promise.

25 Aug 2025

iconPCR™: Powering the next wave of metagenomics and microbiome discovery

The landscape of metagenomics and microbiome research is evolving at breakneck speed. As sequencing technologies improve and the demand for high-resolution, bias-free microbial data grows, the bottleneck is shifting from sequencing itself to the quality of upstream sample preparation.

From n6 23 Aug 2025

Next-gen sequencing reveals the regulatory potential of the non-coding genome

The non-coding genome, once dismissed as "junk DNA", is now recognized as a fundamental regulator of gene expression and a key player in understanding complex diseases. Following the landmark achievements of the Human Genome Project (HGP), scientists have increasingly focused on deciphering the non-coding regions of the human genome, which comprise approximately 98% of the genetic material.

23 Aug 2025

Carriers of colibactin-producing E. coli face threefold increase in colorectal cancer risk

Researchers from Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and collaborating Japanese institutions found that patients carrying colibactin-producing Escherichia coli (pks+ E. coli) in their colon polyps were more than three times as likely to have a history of colorectal cancer compared to those without the bacterium.

22 Aug 2025

Research examines how cancer may invalidate forensic age-estimation tools

Patients with solid tumors, including breast and lung cancers, showed only slightly less accurate results. In contrast, individuals with blood cancers, particularly chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), sometimes had large errors, with ages overestimated by as much as 50 years.

22 Aug 2025

AI and advanced microscopy reveal tangled DNA structures with nanometer precision

At school, it's often presented as a tidy double helix but scientists are revealing the varied and intricate shapes of DNA molecules.

22 Aug 2025

The HBsAg/HBV DNA ratio's potential for predicting disease progression

Patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the immune-tolerant phase may still experience hepatic inflammation and disease progression, and could benefit from early antiviral treatment.

22 Aug 2025

Study reveals genome rewiring mechanism driving mantle cell lymphoma

Translocations are chromosomal "cut and paste" errors that drive many lymphomas, a type of blood cancer and the sixth most common form of cancer overall.

21 Aug 2025

Gut bacteria in mothers and newborns may shape infants’ risk of early respiratory infections

Finnish researchers found that differences in maternal and infant gut microbiota during the first weeks of life were linked to the risk of respiratory tract infections in the first six months. Specific bacteria, including butyrate producers and opportunistic pathogens, may shape early infection susceptibility.

21 Aug 2025

Yale researchers uncover new RNA editing tools for safer genetic surgery

The ability to correct disease-causing genetic mistakes using genome editors holds great promise in medicine, but it is not without risk.

21 Aug 2025

New genetic study reveals why people age differently

It's a fact of life: Some people age better than others. Some ease into their 90s with mind and body intact, while others battle diabetes, Alzheimer's or mobility issues decades earlier.

20 Aug 2025

AI model detects genetic changes in colorectal cancer from tissue images

An international, interdisciplinary research team led by Prof. Jakob N. Kather from the Else Kröner Fresenius Center (EKFZ) for Digital Health at TUD Dresden University of Technology analyzed seven independent patient cohorts from Europe and the USA using their newly developed AI model.

20 Aug 2025

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging

Explore how the Bruker Vutara VXL advances single-molecule imaging across DNA, RNA, and proteins

From Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology 20 Aug 2025

Somatic mutations drive vascular aging and muscle weakness over time

Two new studies from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have investigated how mutations that occur in muscles and blood vessels over time can affect aging.

20 Aug 2025

ChronODE method offers precision in timing gene therapy treatments

A Yale research team has created a new computer tool that can pinpoint when exactly genes turn on and off over time during brain development - a finding that may one day help doctors identify the optimal window to deploy gene therapy treatments.

20 Aug 2025

Scientists link gut microbes to stronger muscles and healthier aging

Researchers discovered that gut microbes, including Lactobacillus reuteri and L. johnsonii, can enhance muscle strength in aging mice. Co-administration of these strains boosted muscle mass, performance, and reduced inflammation, pointing to a possible microbiome-based strategy for muscle health.

19 Aug 2025