Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers identify distinct molecular profiles in Down syndrome

A new study published in Nature Communications by researchers from the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome (Crnic Institute) at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus reports a significant breakthrough.

7 Aug 2024

New treatment boosts pluripotent stem cell production in mice

Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) have discovered a treatment which accelerates the production and quality of pluripotent stem cells in mice.

7 Aug 2024

Seaweed extract shows promise in protecting neurons in Parkinson’s disease

Ecklonia cava polyphenols (ECPs) show promise in reducing neuronal damage caused by rotenone in Parkinson’s disease (PD) by activating the Nrf2-ARE pathway, highlighting their potential as a neuroprotective treatment.

7 Aug 2024

Higher BPA levels in pregnant mothers linked to autism in sons

Florey researchers have found evidence of higher levels of the plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in pregnant mothers who gave birth to sons with autism.

7 Aug 2024

Decoding glioblastoma: New insights into molecular subtypes and mesenchymal transition mechanisms

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) stands as a formidable adversary in oncology, characterized by its molecular complexity and relentless progression.

7 Aug 2024

Sensory nerves drive breast cancer growth and spread, study reveals

Cancer doesn't grow in a vacuum - each tumor grows in a particular microenvironment within the body and spreads through a tangled web of vasculature and nerves.

7 Aug 2024

Healthy diet and exercise can mitigate genetic risk for type 2 diabetes, study finds

A new study from the University of Eastern Finland is the first in the world to show that a healthy diet and regular exercise reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes even in individuals with a high genetic risk.

7 Aug 2024

KAUST researchers uncover LINE-1 RNA’s role in triggering bone repair

Around half of the human genome is composed of DNA fragments originating from ancient viruses. These "transposable elements" (TEs) are now known to play various roles in modulating gene expression and disease development.

7 Aug 2024

From discovery to approval: Vorasidenib approved by FDA for treatment of IDH-mutant gliomas

A new drug for treatment of a type of brain cancer, called IDH-mutant low-grade glioma, was approved Aug. 6 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

7 Aug 2024

Understanding the age gap in leukemia survival rates

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) affects both children and adults, but children have better chances to be cured, with long-term survival rates over 85% compared to 50-75% in adults. Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital conducted a comprehensive study to understand the biological causes driving this difference. The work, published today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, provides a blueprint for understanding B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), the most common form of the disease.

7 Aug 2024

METRNL protein identified as key player in cancer progression

A protein called Meteorin-like (METRNL) in the tumor microenvironment saps energy from T cells, thereby severely limiting their ability to fight cancer, according to new research directed by investigators at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and its Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Finding ways to block the effects of METRNL signaling on tumor-infiltrating T cells may allow these immune cells to regain the energy necessary to eliminate tumors.

7 Aug 2024

Study advances understanding of complex neurological disorder

To effectively treat a disease or disorder, doctors must first know the root cause. Such is the case for developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs), whose root causes can be hugely complex and heterogeneous. Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital demonstrated the value of DNA methylation patterns for identifying the root cause of DEEs, showing specific gene methylation and genome-wide methylation "episignatures" can help identify the genes that cause DEE. The findings were published today in Nature Communications.

7 Aug 2024

Yogurt with probiotics and honey boosts gut bacteria but no digestive or cognitive benefits

A study in The Journal of Nutrition found that yogurt with B. animalis and honey increases probiotic levels but doesn't affect digestion, cognition, or mood.

6 Aug 2024

Study uncovers how TREM2 R47H mutation affects Alzheimer's plaques

Researchers led by the University of California, Irvine have discovered how the TREM2 R47H genetic mutation causes certain brain areas to develop abnormal protein clumps, called beta-amyloid plaques, associated with late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

6 Aug 2024

Study reveals distinct genetic risk factors for influenza and COVID-19

A recent study in Nature Genetics reports that genetic risk factors for influenza and COVID-19 are distinct, highlighting their unique genetic architectures.

6 Aug 2024

Analyzing the impact of heart disease treatments on patients with CHIP

Nicholas A. Marston, MD, MPH, of the TIMI Study Group and Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro Cardiovascular Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital, is the corresponding author of a paper published in Nature Medicine, "Clonal hematopoiesis, cardiovascular events and treatment benefit in 63,700 individuals from five TIMI randomized trials."

6 Aug 2024

Accelerated neuronal development linked to intellectual disabilities and autism

The mechanisms underlying intellectual disabilities or autism remain largely unknown. Researchers in the labs of Prof. Pierre Vanderhaeghen and Prof. Vincent Bonin at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research and NERF have discovered that mutations in a gene called SYNGAP1 disrupt the prolonged development of human neurons, which is thought to be essential for normal cognitive function.

6 Aug 2024