Genetic News and Research

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A new deep learning approach to predict disease-associated mutations

During the past years, artificial intelligence (AI) -- the capability of a machine to mimic human behavior -- has become a key player in high-techs like drug development projects.

28 Dec 2019

Identical twins with ASD have large differences in symptom severity

Identical twins with autism spectrum disorder often experience large differences in symptom severity even though they share the same DNA, according to an analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health.

28 Dec 2019

Study reveals rapid effects of diet on sperm quality

Sperm are influenced by diet, and the effects arise rapidly. This is the conclusion of a study by researchers at Linköping University, in which healthy young men were fed a diet rich in sugar.

28 Dec 2019

A HSC surface marker plays key role in ontogeny of hematopoiesis

A group of researchers at Osaka University revealed that ESAM (Endothelial cell-selective adhesion molecule), a surface marker for hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and vascular endothelial cells (ECs), played an important role in the ontogeny of hematopoiesis in mice, particularly in the development of adult-type erythropoiesis.

26 Dec 2019

Lab-grown brain organoids may hold the answers to personalized treatments for glioblastomas

Lab-grown brain organoids developed from a patient's own glioblastoma, the most aggressive and common form of brain cancer, may hold the answers on how to best treat it.

26 Dec 2019

Study uncovers novel targetable axis in mesothelioma patients

A collaborative study of researchers from Thomas Jefferson University, Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine of Temple University, University of Siena, and from the Spanish Center for the Applied Medical Research of the University of Navarra have discovered a novel targetable axis in mesothelioma patients.

26 Dec 2019

Chemical reprogramming of granulosa cells to form functional oocytes

By introducing a chemical cocktail to granulosa cells, researchers in China induced the cells to transform into functional oocytes in mice.

26 Dec 2019

Inserting end-modified DNA fragments with CRISPR-Cas9 yields highest efficiency

University of Illinois researchers achieved the highest reported rates of inserting genes into human cells with the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing system, a necessary step for harnessing CRISPR for clinical gene-therapy applications.

23 Dec 2019

Ancestral-sequence reconstruction of FMO genes unveils structure of important enzyme

To disarm toxic substances, many organisms - including humans - possess enzymes called flavin-containing monooxygenases. Despite their importance, the structure of the enzymes has not been resolved, as the protein is too unstable to study in detail.

23 Dec 2019

New technique provides real-time images of biomolecules in living cells

Metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity are ever more common globally. In addition to genetic disposition, lifestyle contributes strongly to the prevalence of these metabolic diseases.

23 Dec 2019

Immunosupressant combination therapy for glioblastoma shows promise

Researchers from the University of Texas have found an immunosuppressing target for the treatment of glioblastoma. In mice studies the team has identified CD73 macrophages which could be used to treat the cancers. The team also performed studies on human tumours to arrive at their conclusions. The study was published in the latest issue of the journal Nature Medicine this week.

23 Dec 2019

Autism risk in children could be predicted by mutations in paternal sperm

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, have found that mutations present in the sperms of the father could be predictors of autism in the offspring, in a landmark study. These mutations, if quantified could help ascertain the risk say the researchers. The new study appears this week in the latest issue of the journal Nature Medicine.

23 Dec 2019

Scientists unveil how Zika virus replicates

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Zika virus infection a global threat during the peak of its outbreak in 2016. Since then, scientists and health experts raced to understand the virus better to develop novel and effective vaccines and treatments for the disease. Now, a team of researchers in China revealed how a protein in the virus reshapes its host to boost viral replication.

23 Dec 2019

New, faster and cheaper method to uncover genetic variants in single cells

Researchers led by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg and the Center for Bioinformatics at Saarland University in Saarbrücken, Germany, have developed a cheaper and faster method to check for genetic differences in individual cells, which outperforms existing techniques with respect to the information received.

23 Dec 2019

Study unlocks the potential for new therapies to help correct bone disorder

Osteogensis imperfecta is a group of genetic disorders that mainly affect the bone. Patients with OI have bones that break easily, sometimes with no apparent cause.

23 Dec 2019

Targeted screening effective in reducing prostate cancer deaths

A new study published in the journal PLOS Medicine shows that the number of prostate cancer deaths could be reduced by a sixth by simply introducing targeted screening, which is directed at detecting cases among men whose genes put them at higher risk of the disease.

22 Dec 2019

Research shows how the hepatitis D virus copies itself

A team of researchers has discovered how one crucial step occurs in the lifecycle of the hepatitis D virus (HDV), which causes the widespread and hard to treat liver inflammation called hepatitis D. The study, which was published recently in the Journal of Virology, could help develop antiviral therapy to control this disease.

22 Dec 2019

Study explores the impact of Medicaid managed care on obstetrical care and birth outcomes

A new study shows that among a set of disadvantaged women, Medicaid managed care reduces the women's access to high-quality hospital services during pregnancy and delivery and was associated with worse birth outcomes, worse prenatal care, and a higher risk of inappropriate gestational weight gain.

22 Dec 2019

Early-life disruption to lymphotoxin pathway in mice can compromise adult immunity to rotavirus

Researchers at the University of Toronto have discovered how a brief disruption to a molecular pathway in the guts of mice before they are born can compromise adult immunity to a common and often deadly intestinal virus.

22 Dec 2019

Scientists discover neurons that play an important role in eye movement during REM sleep

REM - Rapid Eye Movement - is not only the name of a successful American rock band, but also and not least a characteristic eye movement in paradoxical sleep, so in the stage with high dream activity. This sleep phase has a peculiarity:

21 Dec 2019