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Study uncovers novel genetic variant associated with intellectual disability

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have published a pivotal study in Nature Genetics (DOI: 10.1038/s41588-024-01917-1) that sheds light on a novel genetic variant associated with intellectual capacities and educational outcomes.

23 Sep 2024

Broken String Biosciences appoints Laurence Reid and Brad Crutchfield to its Board of Directors

Broken String Biosciences enhances its leadership team with Laurence Reid and Brad Crutchfield, aiming to revolutionize cell and gene therapy development.

From Broken String Biosciences 23 Sep 2024

Florida’s new covid booster guidance is straight-up misinformation

In what has become a pattern of spreading vaccine misinformation, the Florida health department is telling older Floridians and others at highest risk from covid-19 to avoid most booster shots, saying they are potentially dangerous.

23 Sep 2024

Fever enhances immune cell activity and induces mitochondrial stress

Fever temperatures rev up immune cell metabolism, proliferation and activity, but they also - in a particular subset of T cells - cause mitochondrial stress, DNA damage and cell death, Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers have discovered.

20 Sep 2024

Wastewater monitoring proves effective for tracking foodborne pathogens

First used in the 1940s to monitor for polio, wastewater surveillance proved such a powerful disease monitoring tool that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the National Wastewater Surveillance System to support SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in September of 2020.

20 Sep 2024

AI-powered research to advance understanding of radiation exposure risks

Keck Graduate Institute (KGI), a member of The Claremont Colleges, has been awarded a significant grant from the Department of Energy to investigate the effects of low-dose radiation on human beings. The research will advance society's understanding of the collateral and long-term effects of radiation exposure, whether through an individual's vocation or by way of common treatments for certain forms of cancer.

20 Sep 2024

Do long genes hold the key to understanding the genetic underpinnings of aging?

Review highlights the growing evidence that aging is linked to reduced expression of long genes, offering insights into potential anti-aging therapies based on gene length.

19 Sep 2024

Study uncovers mechanisms behind Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy

Important insights into the mechanisms behind Fuchs Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy (FECD), a common cause of age-related visual loss, have been revealed in a new study led by UCL researchers.

19 Sep 2024

Collaborative study offers hope for syphilis vaccine development

Syphilis cases have surged worldwide, leaving public health officials scrounging for ways to stop the spread. Now, a large, collaborative study of syphilis genetics from four continents has found hints of a possible target for a vaccine.

19 Sep 2024

Study reveals impact of human breast milk on infant microbiome and respiratory health

Human breast milk regulates a baby's mix of microbes, or microbiome, during the infant's first year of life. This in turn lowers the child's risk of developing asthma, a new study shows.

19 Sep 2024

Cardiovascular disease pathways associated with psoriasis, but not other immune-mediated diseases

A genetic connection between cardiovascular disease and psoriasis highlights shared inflammatory pathways, emphasizing the need for cardiovascular monitoring.

19 Sep 2024

IBD increases type 1 diabetes risk, revealing a bidirectional link between the two conditions

Researchers discovered that IBD significantly increases the risk of developing T1D, and this association works both ways, independent of genetics and familial factors. The strongest link was seen in ulcerative colitis patients.

19 Sep 2024

New biomarkers offer hope for early detection and prevention of Alzheimer's

The failure to diagnose Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia in the elderly, at an early stage of molecular pathology is considered a major reason why treatments fail in clinical trials. Previous research to molecularly diagnose Alzheimer's disease yielded "A/T/N" central biomarkers based on the measurements of proteins, β-amyloid ("A") and tau ("T"), and "N" encompassing neurodegeneration. A/T/N can be measured in brain tissue, by in vivo brain imaging techniques, and by analysis of cerebrospinal fluid and plasma.

18 Sep 2024

New machine learning approach boosts precision of cardiovascular risk assessments

Risk calculators are used to evaluate disease risk for millions of patients, making their accuracy crucial. But when national models are adapted for local populations, they often deteriorate, losing accuracy and interpretability.

18 Sep 2024

Scientists pinpoint thousands of gene variants linked to breast and ovarian cancer risk

Scientists have pinpointed thousands of genetic changes in a gene that may increase a person's risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, paving the way for better risk assessment and more personalised care.

18 Sep 2024

Discovery of 5-formylcytosine as an activating epigenetic switch

The team of Professor Christof Niehrs at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) in Mainz, Germany, has discovered that a DNA modification called 5-formylcytosine (5fC) functions as an activating epigenetic switch that kick-starts genes in early embryonic development.

18 Sep 2024

Genome-wide association study identifies genetic risk factors for dementia

In landmark research, scientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) have reported the largest-ever genome-wide association study of dementia from all causes, revealing an overlap of genetic risks including neurodegeneration, vascular factors and cerebral small-vessel disease.

18 Sep 2024

A novel approach to biomolecule engineering

Thanks to a serendipitous discovery and a lot of painstaking work, scientists can now build biohybrid molecules that combine the homing powers of DNA with the broad functional repertoire of proteins - without having to synthesize them one by one, researchers report in a new study. Using a naturally occurring process, laboratories can harness the existing molecule-building capacities of bacteria to generate vast libraries of potentially therapeutic DNA-protein hybrid molecules.

18 Sep 2024

Genetic analysis challenges the idea that loneliness directly causes diseases

Research reveals that loneliness is linked to numerous diseases observationally, but genetic analysis shows it's likely a marker rather than a cause.

18 Sep 2024

Study uncovers ancestry-specific genetic links to multiple sclerosis risk

A landmark study has uncovered novel ancestry-specific genetic variants linked to multiple sclerosis (MS), offering new insights that could reshape treatment approaches for diverse populations affected by the disease.

17 Sep 2024