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.

Functions of BRCA1/2 Gene Products

Gene History

What are Homeobox Genes?

Gene Knockout versus Knockdown

Conditional Gene Knockout Techniques

Ras Genes and Cancer

What are Homeobox Genes?

Gene Knockin

Genes that Control Pluripotency

The Latest Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy

Horizontal Gene Transfer

See more featured articles »

Gene Editing Techniques: ZFNs, TALENs or CRISPR?

Genetics and Gene Expression

Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genetic Inheritance

Horizontal Gene Transfer and Antibiotic Resistance

What is SATI Gene Editing?

Latest Gene News and Research

Spermidine boosts key cellular processes linked to aging in early research

This review finds that spermidine supports autophagy, mitochondrial function, and healthspan in experimental models, while observational studies link higher dietary intake to lower mortality. However, human trials have produced limited and mixed results, leaving its clinical role in healthy aging unresolved.

23 Jul 2026

Thymulin curbs age-related inflammation and slows breast tumors in mice

Thymulin reduced age-associated inflammatory myeloid cells and slowed breast-tumor growth in aged mice by suppressing NF-κB signaling. The peptide also restored anti-PD-L1 responsiveness in aged mouse models, while human cell and tumor data supported an age-linked inflammatory myeloid profile.

23 Jul 2026

Study reveals bacterial strategy behind antibiotic tolerance and persistence

Antibiotics are a medical marvel, but many microbes are gaining the ability to resist and tolerate these therapeutics.

22 Jul 2026

DNA enhancer hubs control cancer genes in prostate tumors

Enhancers are pieces of DNA that act like switches, regulating when genes are turned on and off and how strongly they are activated.

22 Jul 2026

SuperAgers retain exceptional memory through mechanisms beyond genetics

Many people assume that some memory decline is an inevitable consequence of getting older. But a select group of older adults, known as SuperAgers, reach their 80s and 90s while retaining memory performance as good as or better than people in their 50s and 60s.

22 Jul 2026

Senolytic drugs rejuvenate blood stem cells in sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease causes premature aging of blood stem cells, which scientists may be able to address with a special class of drugs, according to a new study from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

22 Jul 2026

Occult hepatitis B mutations drive liver cancer growth via Akt mTOR pathway

Occult hepatitis B virus (OBI) infection presents a significant global health challenge, notoriously flying under the radar of standard viral screening while relentlessly driving the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

22 Jul 2026

Study reveals how p53 mutations cause tumors to resist cancer immunotherapy

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has transformed cancer treatment, but many tumors remain resistant.

22 Jul 2026

New study links specific microRNAs to cancer-associated cachexia

Cachexia-a syndrome characterized by progressive muscle wasting-affects both humans and dogs with chronic diseases such as cancer.

22 Jul 2026

SynGenSys makes key appointments to strengthen senior commercial and scientific teams

SynGenSys, a biotechnology company designing synthetic gene promoter systems to address critical bottlenecks in biopharma manufacturing and enhance cell and gene therapy development, today announced the expansion of its senior commercial and scientific teams with the appointments of several heads of departments.

From SynGenSys Ltd. 22 Jul 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

Oral microbiome imbalances may contribute to symptomatic hand arthritis

Specific imbalances and disruptions to the oral microbiome have been linked to symptomatic hand arthritis by a study published online in the open access journal RMD Open.

22 Jul 2026

New ARPA-H grant aims to advance genomic medicines for rare vascular diseases

Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, has been awarded an Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) contract to develop advanced personalized genomic medicines to treat rare genetic vascular diseases.

21 Jul 2026

Study reveals sex-based protein differences across lung cancer types

Biological sex factors into cancer in ways you might not expect. In lung cancer, a form called squamous cell carcinoma disproportionately affects males while adenocarcinoma occurs more frequently in females.

21 Jul 2026

Dementia addiction and psychiatric disorders show distinct patterns of accelerated brain aging

People with dementia, mild cognitive impairment, alcohol addiction, or psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia show increased brain aging, each in specific patterns within the brain, according to a study published July 21st in the open access journal PLOS Medicine by Shile Qi from the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China, and colleagues.

21 Jul 2026

Childhood ultra-processed food intake associates with altered insulin responses

Researchers analyzed dietary and metabolic data from 508 nondiabetic Mexican American children in the SAFARI family cohort, finding that higher ultra-processed food scores were associated with lower insulin sensitivity and altered early insulin secretion measures. The exploratory cross-sectional study did not establish causality, and its multiple comparisons, historical dietary data, and questionnaire-based UPF estimates warrant confirmation in longitudinal studies and trials.

21 Jul 2026

New light-sheet imaging system tracks brain seizure dynamics in 3D

Seizures can race through the brain in seconds, making them difficult to capture in detail. To overcome this challenge, researchers have developed a new high-resolution light-sheet imaging system that is fast enough to image seizure propagation in the brain of a larval zebrafish in 3D.

21 Jul 2026

Peroxisome preservation extends lifespan and protects mitochondrial health in worms

A new research paper was published in Volume 18 of Aging on July 6, 2026, titled "Inhibition of peroxisomal protein PRX-11 promotes longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans via enhancements to mitochondria."

21 Jul 2026

UC San Diego and IGI join hands to develop advanced genome-editing tools and applications

The University of California San Diego and the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), founded by Nobel laureate and CRISPR gene editing co-discoverer Jennifer Doudna, announced a new partnership today to jointly develop cutting-edge genomic tools for addressing large-scale challenges in health and the environment.

21 Jul 2026

Tailored gene therapy dramatically reduces childhood epilepsy seizures in trial

SCN2A‑related developmental epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) is a rare, severe form of childhood epilepsy and one of the most common causes of monogenic autism.

21 Jul 2026