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Nicoya is a famous blue zone. DNA aging estimates tell a more complicated story

Researchers developed a SuperLearner framework that combines established epigenetic clocks with machine learning to compare DNA methylation-based aging in residents of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Blue Zone with other Costa Ricans. Initial calibration suggested a modest younger epigenetic age among Nicoyans, but accounting more closely for age distribution substantially reduced the apparent advantage, highlighting the importance of population-specific calibration in longevity research.

26 Aug 2026

Researchers map DNA's physical code using large-scale simulations

Nearly every cell in the human body contains essentially the same genetic information, yet different cells activate different genes. For regulatory proteins to reach these genes, DNA must be accessible.

20 Aug 2026

Five epigenetic clocks reveal shared and distinct signals of aging

Researchers linked five epigenetic clocks to distinct blood gene-expression patterns and biological pathways in 3,227 Health and Retirement Study participants. TAGS derived from these patterns often showed stronger associations with frailty, functional measures, morbidity, and mortality than their parent clocks, although further validation is needed.

22 Jul 2026

Maternal blood test reveals prenatal methylation clues linked to autism risk

Researchers found that maternal plasma cell-free DNA methylation patterns in late pregnancy were associated with later autism diagnosis and maternal obesity in a high-likelihood ASD cohort. The findings suggest cfDNA may offer a minimally invasive way to study prenatal epigenetic changes linked to neurodevelopmental risk, but larger validation studies are needed.

25 Jun 2026

Obesity may leave immune cells stuck in inflammatory mode after weight loss

A new EMBO Reports study suggests that obesity can leave a lasting epigenetic imprint on CD4 T cells, delaying the restoration of adaptive immune balance after weight loss. Using mouse models and human cohorts, researchers linked this immune “memory” to DNA methylation changes, saturated fatty acids, autophagy, and immune senescence.

28 Apr 2026

Study links common herbicide to rising early-onset colorectal cancer risk

Researchers used DNA methylation-based “epigenetic fingerprints” as proxies for lifelong exposome-related patterns and found that early-onset colorectal cancer was associated with lower Mediterranean diet adherence, lower education, smoking-related signatures, and higher picloram-related exposure signals. They then supported the picloram association in nine independent cohorts and with 21 years of US county-level pesticide-use data, while noting that the findings show association rather than proof of causation.

22 Apr 2026

DNA methylation "fingerprints" identify primary sites in metastatic cancers

A machine learning model analyzing CpG-based DNA methylation accurately predicted the origin of many different cancer types in patients with cancers of unknown primary (CUP), according to research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2026, held April 17-22.

21 Apr 2026

New method boosts AI-driven protein engineering with massive data

Protein engineering is a field primed for artificial intelligence research. Each protein is made up of amino acids; to optimize a protein function, researchers modify proteins by switching out one of 20 different amino acids for another.

13 Apr 2026

Engineers develop highly precise gene editor for safer cystic fibrosis treatments

Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania and Rice University have refined a technology for editing individual genetic "base pairs" to a new level of precision, opening the door to safer, more reliable therapies for a wide range of genetic diseases, and to potential treatments for some cystic fibrosis patients that may yield better outcomes than existing therapies.

23 Feb 2026

Study reveals DNA methylation score that better detects alcohol intake than standard biomarkers

A Mediterranean cohort study evaluated a DNA methylation biomarker of alcohol intake and compared it with conventional indicators such as GGT. The epigenomic score correlated with alcohol exposure, linked to telomere shortening and epigenetic aging markers, but findings remain observational and population-specific.

9 Feb 2026

Unusual i-DNA structure shown to regulate genes and cancer

DNA's iconic double helix does more than "just" store genetic information. Under certain conditions it can temporarily fold into unusual shapes.

3 Feb 2026

Key protein in the tuberculosis bacterium helps protect itself from foreign DNA

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), with collaborators from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), have discovered how a key protein in the tuberculosis bacterium helps protect it from the influence of foreign DNA inserted into its genome.

9 Jan 2026

New method can help better assess precision genome editing technology

Scientists and physicians can better assess precision genome editing technology using a new method made public today by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Significant amounts of time and resources spent improving CRISPR gene editing technology focus on identifying small off-target sites that pose a safety risk, which is also technically challenging.

2 Jan 2026

Study finds GLP-1 drugs improve strength and reverse aging biology in mice

Researchers showed that GLP-1 receptor agonism counteracts aging across multiple organs in mice, improving strength and reversing molecular aging signatures without meaningful effects on body weight. These benefits depended largely on hypothalamic GLP-1R signaling and closely mirrored the anti-aging patterns produced by rapamycin.

23 Nov 2025

Tryptophan deficiency in breast milk may explain health challenges in children born to mothers with HIV

A new UCLA study reveals that breast milk from women living with HIV contains significantly lower levels of tryptophan, an essential amino acid likely important for infant immune function, growth, and brain development.

28 Oct 2025

Eating peanuts while pregnant may influence how a child’s genes respond to breastfeeding

Maternal peanut and peanut butter consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding shaped DNA methylation patterns in children, particularly in genes regulating neurodevelopment and inflammation. These findings suggest maternal diet can prime offspring epigenetic sensitivity to breastfeeding duration.

27 Oct 2025

Microbial genetic variation shapes neurocognitive behavior in sheep

The researchers used Merino sheep as an animal model, systematically collecting samples of their hindgut and ruminal microbiota, plasma metabolites, and neurocognitive behavioral phenotype data.

10 Oct 2025

HIV trial points to semaglutide as a new anti-aging contender

Once-weekly semaglutide significantly slowed epigenetic aging in adults with HIV-associated lipohypertrophy, as measured by multiple DNA methylation clocks in a randomized controlled trial. These exploratory findings suggest GLP-1 receptor agonists could impact biological aging but require further validation in broader populations.

4 Aug 2025

NIST releases first publicly consented pancreatic cancer genome data

In an effort to foster progress in cancer research, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is releasing detailed and comprehensive data about the entire genetic content of a pancreatic cancer cell.

16 Jul 2025