Genomics

RSS

Noninvasive sequencing expands prenatal genetic screening capabilities

While non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) has revolutionised prenatal diagnostics by allowing the detection of a number of genetic problems in a fetus, it is currently limited and thus misses many genetic causes of abnormalities.

12 Jun 2026

Ancient unicellular organism offers clues to animal origins

A recent study by Ruibao Li and Jennah Dharamshi published in Nature may help us understand the beginnings of animal evolution billions of years ago.

12 Jun 2026

New genetic driver found for rare small intestinal cancers

A signaling system known as the Wnt pathway plays a central role in how cells in the intestine grow, divide, and renew themselves.

12 Jun 2026

Biotechnology breakthrough could revolutionize treatment for neurodegenerative diseases

A research team from the School of Biomedical Sciences at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has achieved a significant breakthrough in biotechnology that could revolutionize treatment strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.

12 Jun 2026

Review uses evolutionary lens to examine modern human aging rates

A review article now published in "Nature Reviews Genetics" brings together evolutionary theory, comparative genomics and large-scale human genetics to explain why we age and why aging rates differ among individuals and species.

11 Jun 2026

Genetic study links liver enzyme to compulsive cocaine addiction

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have completed a massive genetic study that identifies key biological drivers of cocaine addiction, uncovering a potential new target for treatment that resides in the liver rather than the brain.

11 Jun 2026

Genetic screening of LOXHD1 variants guides early hearing loss intervention

Hearing loss is a common cause of disability worldwide, with anywhere between 30-60% of cases being caused by genetic factors. LOXHD1 is a gene integral to essential protein interactions responsible for maintaining normal hair cell function.

11 Jun 2026

Researchers identify genetic cause of severe childhood lung disease

A new report in the American Journal of Human Genetics describes a novel disorder caused by biallelic loss-of-function variants in the TMEM63B gene, which results in severe lung disease.

10 Jun 2026

Silver nanoparticles enable precise DNA cutting and assembly

DNA is composed of long chains that act as the blueprint for living organisms. In genetic engineering, scientists cut DNA at specific sites and join the resulting fragments to other DNA sequences, enabling applications such as advanced crop breeding, genetic disease treatment, and the generation of animal models for drug discovery.

10 Jun 2026

Uninherited parental genes leave lasting imprint on children's lives

Our parents' genes, even the ones we didn't inherit, leave a measurable lasting imprint on our lives. An international team led by researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health developed a new approach to analyze genetic data from tens of thousands of families.

9 Jun 2026

Massive genetic study uncovers new insights into anxiety risk

A study led by researchers at King’s College London and QIMR Berghofer medical research institute analysed genetic data on anxiety symptoms in 693,869 people of European ancestry, revealing new insight into the genetic pathways involved in the condition.

9 Jun 2026

Large genetic study discovers new risk factors for spinal stenosis

An international research team has identified dozens of new genetic risk factors linked to lumbar spinal stenosis, a common degenerative condition of the lower spine.

9 Jun 2026

Brazil launches genetic screening project for prospective parents

In the coming weeks, the Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center (HUG-CELL) will begin recruiting participants for the "Our Genes" project.

8 Jun 2026

DNA study links BRCA genes to aggressive early-onset breast cancer in black women

Black women experience disproportionately elevated risks of developing and dying from early-onset breast cancer. New research published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, reveals the genes that are most likely to be mutated to contribute to these increased risks.

8 Jun 2026

Novel technique enables rapid sequencing of rare hantaviruses

Infections by hantaviruses are rare but dangerous, killing 30-40% of infected people. When cases occur, public health officials need rapid, detailed information about the virus to identify the strain and its origin, so they can stop others from being exposed to the disease.

5 Jun 2026

Ancient Y chromosome gene UTY retains regulatory function in humans

The study, published in Volume 153, Issue 9 of the journal Development on May 14, 2026, by The Company of Biologists, is the first to precisely map endogenous UTY occupancy across the human genome and demonstrate that UTY remains functionally involved in transcriptional regulation during early human development.

5 Jun 2026

Study validates research models for tracking circular extra-chromosomal DNA

Damage to DNA in cancer cells can lead to pieces breaking off chromosomes and floating away, like icebergs cracking off from a glacier.

5 Jun 2026

Hidden junk DNA could play decisive role in cancer

Many repetitive regions of the genome have been considered "junk DNA" because the technologies available did not allow them to be studied at sufficient resolution.

5 Jun 2026

Novel technology maps single-cell DNA-protein interactions

A new technology allows scientists to map, in single cells, the DNA binding sites of transcription factors and other regulatory proteins that control gene activity, according to a study led by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine and the New York Genome Center.

4 Jun 2026