Gene

A gene is a unit of heredity in a living organism. It normally resides on a stretch of DNA that codes for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. All living things depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains.

What are Genes?

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is the chemical information database that carries the complete set of instructions for the cell as to the nature of the proteins produced by it, its life span, maturity, function and death. Genes are the working subunits of DNA. Each gene contains a particular set of instructions, usually coding for a particular protein or for a particular function.

Conditional Gene Knockout Techniques

What are Homeobox Genes?

Genes that Control Pluripotency

Gene Knockout versus Knockdown

Genetics and Gene Expression

Gene Knockin

Ras Genes and Cancer

What is SATI Gene Editing?

The Latest Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy

Horizontal Gene Transfer and Antibiotic Resistance

Horizontal Gene Transfer

See more featured articles »

Gene Editing Techniques: ZFNs, TALENs or CRISPR?

What are Homeobox Genes?

Gene History

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Functions of BRCA1/2 Gene Products

Genetic Inheritance

Latest Gene News and Research

Macrophage immune memory depends on lingering interferon gamma

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, have discovered that immune cells known as macrophages remain poised to fight repeat infections due to the persistent presence of signaling molecules left behind during previous infections.

18 Feb 2026

Developmental ANGPTL4 deficiency protects mice from colitis and tumors

A novel study using a mouse model has found that the absence of the angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) protein during development triggers a long-lasting reprogramming of the immune system that protects against intestinal inflammation.

18 Feb 2026

New technology maps protein production across individual brain cells

The brain's ability to carry out everything from forming memories to coordinating movement depends on its cells producing the right proteins at the right time.

18 Feb 2026

Researchers identify a genetic brake for the formation of blood vessels in muscles

In an international study, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have identified a gene variant that controls the body's capability to form new blood vessels in muscles – a mechanism that affects physical performance, health and recovery.

18 Feb 2026

Novel implant delivers tiny growth-promoting particles directly to injured nerve cells

Researchers from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences have developed a novel implant that delivers tiny growth-promoting particles directly to injured nerve cells, helping them to regrow after spinal cord injury.

18 Feb 2026

Axol Bioscience acquires ophthalmology business from Newcells Biotech

Axol Bioscience Ltd. (Axol), a leading provider of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies for drug discovery and research, today announced that it has acquired the ophthalmology business of Newcells Biotech (Newcells), a leading drug discovery partner specializing in the development of in vitro models and bespoke assay services.

18 Feb 2026

Study reveals poxvirus's unique DNA clamp for gene activation

A research team at the University of Würzburg has deciphered another aspect of poxviral gene activation.

18 Feb 2026

Researchers develop new score to predict the risk of liver cancer

Researchers led by Xian-Yang Qin at the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences (IMS) in Japan have developed a score that predicts the risk of liver cancer.

17 Feb 2026

Lund's new model aims to accelerate patient access to cell and gene therapies

Despite groundbreaking research, many cell and gene therapies do not make it all the way to the patients.

17 Feb 2026

New gene editing approach offers hope for cystic fibrosis patients

UCLA researchers have developed a lipid nanoparticle-based gene-editing approach capable of inserting an entire healthy gene into human airway cells, restoring key biological function in a laboratory model of cystic fibrosis and establishing a potential new path toward mutation-agnostic gene therapy for inherited lung diseases.

17 Feb 2026

New approach better predicts chemotherapy response in patients with triple-negative breast cancer

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a new computational approach designed to better account for changes in gene expression within tumors relative to their unique microenvironments.

17 Feb 2026

M-PACT sets new standard for pediatric brain tumor diagnostics, treatment monitoring

Liquid biopsies, which test body fluids that contain cancerous material, including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), are a noninvasive way to learn about a cancer's biology.

17 Feb 2026

Preoperative combination treatment shows promise for some patients with pancreatic cancer

A new UCLA investigator-initiated study sponsored by the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has found that adding immunotherapy to standard chemotherapy before surgery is safe and shows promise for some patients with borderline-resectable pancreatic cancer, a disease that has historically been difficult to treat.

17 Feb 2026

Harnessing AI to optimize the development of new protein manufacturing processes

Industrial yeasts are a powerhouse of protein production, used to manufacture vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, and other useful compounds.

17 Feb 2026

Review: Pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of harlequin ichthyosis

Harlequin ichthyosis (HI) is a rare, severe genetic skin disorder caused by ABCA12 mutations, leading to defective lipid transport and loss of skin barrier function.

17 Feb 2026

A yeast-derived genetic tool offers hope for mitochondrial disorders and cancer

Nucleotide synthesis-the production of the basic components of DNA and RNA-is essential for cell growth and division.

17 Feb 2026

Bioengineered E. coli bacteria can now produce rhododendron-derived drugs

Bioengineered E. coli bacteria can now produce a group of compounds with anticancer, anti-HIV, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities.

17 Feb 2026

Nuclear speckles may be the unseen architects of viral infection spread

Recent research reveals that nuclear speckles play a key role in modifying viral messenger RNAs and in their transport out of the nucleus; therefore, nuclear speckles are an important subject of study in understanding viral infections.

17 Feb 2026

Healthy diets link to longer life regardless of longevity genes, large study finds

Adherence to five established healthy dietary patterns was associated with lower mortality and modestly longer life expectancy in a large UK cohort. These associations were largely independent of genetic predisposition to longevity, suggesting diet quality may influence lifespan regardless of inherited risk.

16 Feb 2026

Chronic inflammation shapes cancer progression and immunotherapy response

Chronic inflammation is both a driver and suppressor of cancer depending on context. Key players-NF-κB, IL-6, STAT3, TAMs, MDSCs, and Tregs-orchestrate a tumor-permissive microenvironment.

16 Feb 2026