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.

Genetic Inheritance

Horizontal Gene Transfer and Antibiotic Resistance

Conditional Gene Knockout Techniques

Genetics and Gene Expression

What is SATI Gene Editing?

Functions of BRCA1/2 Gene Products

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Gene Editing Techniques: ZFNs, TALENs or CRISPR?

What are Homeobox Genes?

Ras Genes and Cancer

The Latest Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy

See more featured articles »

Gene History

Genes that Control Pluripotency

What are Homeobox Genes?

Gene Knockin

Gene Knockout versus Knockdown

Horizontal Gene Transfer

Latest Gene News and Research

Prevention proves cheaper than treatment for Li-Fraumeni syndrome

Screening people with the rare, inherited cancer-causing condition Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) brings both medical and economic benefits to patients and healthcare systems, according to research to be presented to the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today (Tuesday).

15 Jun 2026

Family genetics study reveals clues to longer healthspan

Understanding why some people stay healthy without developing disease until late in life (have an increased healthspan), whereas others become infirm at a much younger age has important implications for the health of today's ageing population.

15 Jun 2026

Researchers urge caution over large-scale newborn genome screening

New research from large population studies provides invaluable evidence on genome screening of newborn babies to reduce risks from overdiagnosis.

15 Jun 2026

Study identifies genetic marker associated with severe IBD

In the largest genetic study of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) traits to date, researchers have identified a genetic marker that is associated with more severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease – the major forms of IBD.

15 Jun 2026

Bionic cooling skin accelerates healing and combats wound infections

As the global burden of infected wounds continues to rise-with over 300 million surgeries performed annually and postoperative infections affecting 5–20% of patients-conventional wound dressings face a critical limitation: no single product has successfully integrated protective function, wearing comfort, and efficient antibacterial activity.

15 Jun 2026

Dr. Dan Landau receives Lotus Award for ovarian cancer research

Dr. Dan Landau, the Bibliowicz Family Professor of Medicine, and a member of the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center and the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, has received a Lotus Award from the Pershing Square Foundation for research aimed at uncovering new immunotherapy targets in ovarian cancer.

15 Jun 2026

Gut microbes control liver genes by flipping DNA switches

A local research study led by scientists from the A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (A*STAR GIS) has uncovered how the gut microbiome can influence gene activity in the liver by acting on short stretches of regulatory DNA that function like molecular "switches".

15 Jun 2026

Study investigates whether obesity accelerates brain aging

Scientists have long known that being obese increases the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. What remains unclear is how that risk develops in the brain.

15 Jun 2026

Mutation in OTULIN gene causes rare childhood skin disease

An international team of researchers has identified a genetic cause for a rare inflammatory skin condition.

15 Jun 2026

Single-dose gene therapy extends healthy lifespan in older mice

A research team from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) has shown that a one-time administration of a gene therapy expressing the metabolic factor FGF21 can prolong health span in old mice.

15 Jun 2026

Novel analysis identifies unique proliferation gene alterations in diverse cancer patients

New research to be presented today (Monday) at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics shows that a cancer patient's genetic ancestry can have a significant effect both on how their disease progresses and their survival. In the largest study of its kind, researchers examined nearly 1,900 specific genetic changes in tumors in order to measure whether certain mutations were more common in patients with different historic geographic origins.

15 Jun 2026

Australia’s diphtheria outbreak shows why boosters, antibiotics, and better housing all matter

A 131-case diphtheria outbreak in Australia’s Northern Territory showed how toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae can re-emerge even in highly vaccinated populations. Genomic and epidemiological evidence linked most cases to a dominant ST381 strain, with transmission shaped by overcrowding, poor skin health, and persistent health inequities.

15 Jun 2026

Researchers map rare DHDDS disease mechanism using lab-grown mini brains

Variants in the DHDDS gene cause a severe neurodegenerative condition, characterized by tremors, seizures, coordination and learning difficulties, usually manifesting in early childhood. This Parkinson's-like condition is extremely rare, and until recently, parents were told that there was nothing that could be done to slow down its progression.

15 Jun 2026

Phase 3 study of in vivo CRISPR therapy for hereditary angioedema successfully completed

Researchers from Amsterdam UMC, in collaboration with other hospitals, have successfully completed the first-ever Phase 3 study of an in vivo CRISPR therapy.

13 Jun 2026

Renowned physician‑scientist to lead Houston Methodist's cell and gene therapy research

Malcolm Brenner, an internationally recognized physician‑scientist renowned for his leadership in cell and gene therapy, has been tapped to lead the newly formed Houston Methodist Center for Cell and Gene Therapy.

12 Jun 2026

Cellular process discovery may lead to new cancer treatments

A molecular geneticist at Montana State University has discovered a cellular process once believed impossible by scientists – the creation of the amino acid cysteine within a living cell when the cell's primary systems to do so fail. The discovery may one day lead to new cancer treatments.

12 Jun 2026

Cerebellar structural changes influence social behavior in autism

Researchers at Kanazawa University have identified a previously unrecognized mechanism by which structural changes in the cerebellum influence social behavior.

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

New combination therapy improves outcomes in high-risk leukemia

A research team from the Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has developed a novel combination therapy that significantly improves treatment outcomes and survival in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) with FLT3 gene mutations.

11 Jun 2026