Genetic News and Research

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New method based on human blood simplifies mRNA drug development

mRNA-based drugs are emerging as the drug of the future for a wide range of diseases, but they are difficult and time-consuming to develop.

1 Sep 2026

Early-onset bowel cancer shows distinct biological and clinical features

One of Australia's largest real world studies of younger adults with advanced bowel cancer has identified important differences between cancers diagnosed before and after the age of 50, which could help doctors tailor treatments for younger adults more effectively.

1 Sep 2026

AI tools map tumor architecture to predict treatment response

Spatial transcriptomics is a powerful tool to create a detailed map of not just how genes are expressed in a piece of tissue, but also where genetic activity takes place in different cells and locations within the tissue.

31 Aug 2026

Lifestyle factors aggravate genetic causes of male infertility, study finds

Lifestyle factors can worsen the effects of genetic causes of male infertility, finds new research that could help explain why men carrying similar genetic mutations often experience different levels of fertility impairment.

31 Aug 2026

Does a psychedelic need an awake brain to have lasting effects? This mouse study offers a clue

A single dose of psilocybin produced a lasting increase in sociability for at least two weeks in Cntnap2-knockout mice with social deficits, while it did not enhance sociability overall in mice with normal social behavior. The effect required 5-HT2A receptor activation and persisted when psilocybin was administered under light anesthesia, suggesting that wakefulness during the drug’s acute effects was not necessary for this behavioral response.

30 Aug 2026

People with diabetes may have another reason to protect their cardiovascular health

Better cardiovascular health, measured using Life’s Essential 8, was associated with a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment among people with diabetes after accounting for genetic susceptibility. Associations with dementia varied by genetic risk, while higher LE8 scores were also linked to greater gray matter volume and lower white matter hyperintensity volume.

30 Aug 2026

Pacibekitug safely reduces inflammatory biomarkers in kidney disease patients

The interleukin-6 (IL-6) antibody, pacibekitug, produced sustained reductions in inflammatory biomarkers in patients with chronic kidney disease at high inflammatory risk, according to results from the phase II TRANQUILITY trial presented in a Hot Line session today at ESC Congress 2026.

29 Aug 2026

Primate-specific DNA change reveals a new link to dementia-related neurodegeneration

Brain diseases, including dementia, have long been studied using experimental animals such as mice. However, differences between the human and animal genomes have raised concerns that some disease mechanisms may not be fully explained by conventional animal models.

29 Aug 2026

Paternal sperm epigenetics may help explain early pregnancy loss

When a pregnancy ends early and unexplained, the search for answers usually begins with the mother. Lacey Luense, Ph.D., wants to know what the father's sperm might have to do with it.

28 Aug 2026

Digital technologies reshape clinical research and public health

JMIR Publications this week released seven feature News and Perspectives articles covering how digital tools are transforming clinical research, public health readiness, health care institutions, and consumer choices.

28 Aug 2026

Stanford scientists develop an ultracompact gene activation tool

The ability to precisely adjust the expression of genes inside the human body - ramping up protective ones and tamping down harmful ones - holds enormous potential for treating and preventing disease.

28 Aug 2026

Study shows how cancer can act as a systemic disease

In their quest to understand how cancers take root, grow and spread, scientists have for the past half-century explored the genetic aberrations and microenvironmental peculiarities of tumors and their constituent cells.

28 Aug 2026

Cell proliferation gene plays a distinct role in cells that no longer proliferate

In a tale of identities as divergent as "The Prince and the Pauper," a well-known cancer-causing gene also influences cells in a zombie-like state meant to prevent cancer.

28 Aug 2026

Researchers uncover molecular pathway driving craniosynostosis

Craniosynostosis is a congenital developmental disorder in which the skull's cranial sutures fuse prematurely.

28 Aug 2026

UCSF scientists build largest molecular interaction map for autism

For more than two decades, researchers have identified hundreds of genes that increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

28 Aug 2026

Compound PF-04457845 slows motor decline in ALS mouse models

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a severe neurological disease that destroys nerve cells responsible for muscle movement.

28 Aug 2026

HRT linked to lower dementia risk, but timing and menopause type matter

In a UK Biobank study of 183,450 postmenopausal women followed for an average of 13.3 years, hormone replacement therapy use was associated with a modestly lower risk of dementia, with stronger associations in women who had surgical menopause or shorter natural estrogen exposure. The relationship also varied by age at HRT initiation, while the observational design means the findings cannot establish that HRT prevents dementia.

27 Aug 2026