Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Protein degrader shows strong activity against treatment-resistant blood cancers

A first-in-class therapy to target MYC, one of the most sought-after and difficult targets in cancer biology, showed promise in hard-to-treat blood cancers, according to a new preclinical study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center published in Blood.

24 Aug 2026

Could a daily vinegar drink help with constipation? A small trial offers a clue

A randomized, double-blind trial found that adults with mild constipation who drank a vinegar beverage daily for four weeks had more frequent bowel movements than those receiving placebo. Exploratory findings also suggested earlier improvements in bowel habits, although the small feasibility-based trial requires confirmation in larger and more diverse populations.

24 Aug 2026

Shared protein pathology redefines treatment for multiple neurodegenerative diseases

On the surface, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE) might seem like unrelated diseases.

24 Aug 2026

New statistical framework untangles genetic and environmental autism risk

A powerful new research tool from a University of Virginia School of Medicine scientist and colleagues is set to advance our understanding of how genetics and environment contribute to autism risk.

24 Aug 2026

Targeting cyclin-dependent kinases offers new pathways for cancer therapy

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Germany. In the search for new therapeutic approaches that target the uncontrolled growth of tumor cells, a class of enzymes known as cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) has come into focus.

24 Aug 2026

New study makes progress in understanding the mechanisms behind severity of HFpEF

Approximately 3 million people in the United States are living with a condition called heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, or HFpEF.

24 Aug 2026

Disrupted brain-immune signaling may help drive neurodegeneration

A Cell perspective argues that neurodegeneration can emerge from disrupted communication between neural and immune networks, with peripheral immunity, microglia, and gene-regulatory programs all shaping disease processes. The authors propose that restoring immune homeostasis and recalibrating neuroimmune circuits could create new therapeutic and diagnostic opportunities, while emphasizing that many mechanisms remain unresolved in humans.

24 Aug 2026

A childhood shaped by sugar rationing was linked to mental health more than 50 years later

UK Biobank researchers examined whether sugar rationing during pregnancy and the first two years of life was associated with adult sweet-food preferences, sugar intake, brain structure, anxiety, and depression.

23 Aug 2026

A striking immune cell pattern emerges around a person’s 100th birthday

Single-cell immune profiling found that CD4 cytotoxic T lymphocytes become more abundant around age 100, showing stepwise differentiation and substantial clonal expansion. Ex vivo experiments also revealed cytokine plasticity within individual clones, supporting the hypothesis that these cells adapt to persistent antigens during healthy aging, although their direct role in longevity remains unproven.

23 Aug 2026

Scientists uncover tRNA changes driving Chagas parasite transformation

The Chagas disease parasite (Trypanosoma cruzi) undergoes a major transformation throughout its life cycle in order to infect humans and other mammals.

21 Aug 2026

New AI model reveals hidden code behind gene activation

Precise activation of tens of thousands of genes is critical for healthy development and growth. Specialized segments of our DNA are responsible for carefully orchestrating genetic sequences that result in the production of enzymes, hormones, proteins and other crucial components underlying cell structure and function.

21 Aug 2026

New 3D mapping technology reveals how hair follicles form over time

In a new research report, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have developed a technology that allows them to capture a 3D molecular "snapshot" of hundreds of hair follicles as they develop and then reconstruct the fourth dimension - time - to effectively create a stop-motion animation of how this organ forms.

21 Aug 2026

Neurogenesis stalls in the brains of adults with major depressive disorder, study shows

Most of our brain's 100 billion neurons are created before we're born, but the trickle of neurons created in the adult brain hippocampus could be instrumental in preventing depression, suggest findings from a new study by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

21 Aug 2026

Comprehensive review outlines engineering-driven therapeutic pathways for spinal cord injuries

A comprehensive review published in Engineering outlines multi-disciplinary engineering approaches addressing spinal cord injury (SCI), a debilitating central nervous system disorder triggering permanent sensory, motor, and autonomic dysfunction, and imposing heavy burdens on individuals and societies worldwide.

21 Aug 2026

Bonsai software visualizes complex biological data as branching trees

Modern biology research can now generate valuable data on an unprecedented scale. But there is one major obstacle: making sense of these complex high-dimensional datasets.

21 Aug 2026

AI-powered DANDELION identifies overlooked genes linked to asthma

One of the most important goals of studying genetics is to find genes that are involved with diseases. The problem is that most diseases aren't caused by a single gene or mutation.

20 Aug 2026

Cryo-EM provides real-time glimpse of cellular machinery reading DNA inside living organisms

All living things have a fleet of tiny copy machines that turn instructions from DNA into RNA, the molecules responsible for helping build proteins that keep organisms alive.

20 Aug 2026

Wake-activated brain circuits reveal what drives the urge to sleep

Researchers identified wake-activated neurons in the median raphe and anterior medial preoptic area that track sleep pressure and help regulate when and how deeply mice sleep. Manipulating these circuits altered NREM sleep, sleep-pressure accumulation, and rebound sleep, revealing key neural mechanisms underlying mammalian sleep homeostasis.

20 Aug 2026

Researchers maintain brain organoids for longer than ever before

An international team of researchers has maintained brain organoids, three-dimensional models of human brain tissue, for longer than ever before.

20 Aug 2026

Researchers map DNA's physical code using large-scale simulations

Nearly every cell in the human body contains essentially the same genetic information, yet different cells activate different genes. For regulatory proteins to reach these genes, DNA must be accessible.

20 Aug 2026