Genetic News and Research

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New book gives overview of viruses and how they emerge to cause pandemics

Since the novel coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 emerged late last year, it has been virtually impossible to consume any news without encountering stories about the virus and how it spreads, potential treatments, and the development of new vaccines.

11 Sep 2020

Early epigenetic changes can be detected in patients before the diagnosis of diabetes

Epigenetic changes in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas can be detected in patients several years before the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

10 Sep 2020

Death of a family pet can potentially lead to mental health issues in children

The death of a family pet can trigger a sense of grief in children that is profound and prolonged, and can potentially lead to subsequent mental health issues, according to a new study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital.

10 Sep 2020

Autistic adults more likely to have chronic physical health conditions

Autistic individuals are more likely to have chronic physical health conditions, particularly heart, lung, and diabetic conditions, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Cambridge.

10 Sep 2020

A novel gene involved in primary lymphedema identified

The Human Molecular Genetics laboratory of the de Duve Institute (UCLouvain), headed by Professor Miikka Vikkula, recently identified mutations in a novel gene, ANGPT2, responsible for primary lymphedema.

10 Sep 2020

Researchers identify proinflammatory lipids that precede onset of Type 1 diabetes in mouse model, children

Type 1 diabetes, or T1D, is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune cells - led by inflammatory macrophages - attack and destroy the beta cells of the pancreas that produce insulin.

10 Sep 2020

Scientists claim serious data discrepancies in RaTG13 sequence

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic enters its ninth month, scientists continue to debate the origin of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) intensely. A new preprint published in September 2020 discusses the current issues with the bat coronavirus (CoV) strain that is often considered to have very close homology with the above-mentioned virus, concluding that there are inadequate grounds to consider it to be the ancestral pool of SARS-CoV-2.

10 Sep 2020

New method could advance efforts to find drugs that kill breast cancer cells

Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of Oxford say they have found a new way to kill some multiplying human breast cancer cells by selectively attacking the core of their cell division machinery.

10 Sep 2020

Scientists solve decades old mystery of key molecule that fuels mitochondria

Penn Medicine researchers have solved a decades old mystery around a key molecule fueling the power plant of cells that could be exploited to find new ways to treat diseases, from neurodegenerative disorders to cancer.

10 Sep 2020

Study uncovers genetic vulnerability in breast cancers tumors

The study, published in the scientific journal Nature, has uncovered a genetic vulnerability present in nearly 10% percent of all breast cancers tumours, and found a way to target this vulnerability and selectively kill cancer cells.

9 Sep 2020

Combination of stem cell therapy and educational intervention can help kids with ASD

Results of a clinical trial released today in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine indicate that a combination of stem cell therapy and educational intervention can significantly help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

9 Sep 2020

Fungi can develop drug resistance without genetic changes

The management of fungal infections in plants and humans could be transformed by a breakthrough in understanding how fungi develop resistance to drugs.

9 Sep 2020

Allergic immune response against bacteria is not pathological but protective

Allergy is one of the most common diseases in Europe, it is estimated that more than 150 million Europeans suffer from recurring allergies and by 2025 this could have increased to half of the entire European population.

9 Sep 2020

Brain inflammation seen in fatal COVID-19 cases

Now, a new study by researchers at the Barts Health NHS Trust and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom shows that some patients develop neurological complications tied to COVID-19.

9 Sep 2020

Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection varies across bat species

A recent study by researchers at Wuhan University, China, reveals that many bat species are not potential carriers of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) because of genetic mutations in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) that prevent the entry of viruses inside bat cells. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

9 Sep 2020

Researchers receive $16 million NIH grant to study link between autophagy and Alzheimer's disease

Age is the most significant risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. In the United States, approximately 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 have the disease, and the odds increase to nearly 1 in 3 for those over 85. However, the mechanisms by which aging increases risk are unknown.

9 Sep 2020

Common diabetes drug controls aspects of inflammation in mice

The diabetes drug metformin--derived from a lilac plant that's been used medicinally for more than a thousand years--has been prescribed to hundreds of millions of people worldwide as the frontline treatment for type 2 diabetes.

9 Sep 2020

Host gene editing main driving force of SARS-CoV-2 mutations

A new study published on the aRxiv preprint server in September 2020 shows that the host immune response, mediated by two RNA editors, causes the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to adapt and change strain characteristics.

9 Sep 2020

Scientists explain why men are at higher risk from COVID-19

Published in the journal PLOS Biology, the study aimed to provide a better understanding of the mechanisms that drive the varying responses of the infected individuals among different patient demographics, including sex and age.

9 Sep 2020

COVID-19 in pregnancy doubles odds of preterm delivery

The COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to cause huge social, economic, and health-related costs throughout the world, especially in Spain. Clinicians are still coming to terms with the range of health conditions wrought by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv* in September 2020 shows that this infection results in fetal and maternal complications.

9 Sep 2020