Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

DNA-guided CRISPR system targets RNA and expands Cas12 beyond gene editing

Researchers developed ΨDNA, a DNA-based CRISPR guide that allows Cas12 enzymes to target RNA with high specificity while retaining compatibility with DNA-editing workflows. The platform detected HCV RNA in clinical samples and enabled programmable RNA knockdown, multiplex targeting, and RNA modification in human cells.

18 May 2026

Health experts outline symptoms and risks of shipboard hantavirus

It's one of the cruisegoer's biggest fears: a contagious disease outbreak at sea.

18 May 2026

Gut microbiome metabolite butyrate relieves chronic jaw joint pain

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain is associated with disrupted gut microbiome metabolites. Researchers reveal that butyrate, administered as tributyrin, alleviates pain by restoring histone acetylation and reversing gene regulatory changes in the brain.

18 May 2026

Preclinical models map genetic changes behind multiple sclerosis nerve damage

More than 1 million people across the United States live with multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that affects the brain, optic nerves and spine.

18 May 2026

Chia seeds may boost fetal brain DHA during obesity-linked pregnancy

Chia seed supplementation during pregnancy increased maternal omega-3 long-chain fatty acids, including DHA, in a rat model of high-fat-high-sugar diet-induced obesity. The findings suggest plant-derived ALA from chia seeds may improve maternal, placental, and mid-gestation fetal brain lipid profiles, but human relevance and offspring outcomes still need testing.

17 May 2026

Aged immune cells may drive memory decline by releasing a brain-aging protein

A preclinical mouse study in Immunity suggests that aged circulating CD8+ T cells can disrupt hippocampal function and impair learning and memory. The findings point to granzyme K, a secreted factor linked to age-associated CD8+ T cells, as a potential target for restoring aspects of cognition in aging.

17 May 2026

Cancer-driving MYC protein also helps tumors repair damaged DNA

A protein best known for driving cancer growth also helps damaged tumor cells survive by repairing their DNA, according to a new study that could influence how some cancers are treated.

17 May 2026

New CRISPR breakthrough promises more affordable disease diagnostics

A team of engineers at the University of Florida has developed a new form of CRISPR technology that could make diagnostics and treatments safer, more precise, and more affordable, while opening the door to entirely new ways of controlling disease.

15 May 2026

Study reveals why aging makes the body more vulnerable to breast cancer

Researchers at Georgetown's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified a mechanism that may help explain a key reason why older people experience worse outcomes from breast cancer.

15 May 2026

New FUSILLI tool improves gene fusion detection in pediatric leukemia

Researchers have introduced a novel diagnostics method that can more sensitively detect gene fusions in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), the most common type of pediatric cancer, compared to other publicly available fusion detection algorithms.

15 May 2026

New technology reveals how RNA shapes influence protein production and stability

Researchers from A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (A*STAR GIS) have developed a new method, called 'sm-PORE-cupine', to study individual RNA molecules and reveal how their structures influence gene regulation, a fundamental process that affects how cells function in health and disease.

15 May 2026

Brain immune cells found to regulate anxiety and grooming behaviors

A study led by a University of Louisville School of Medicine pediatrics and child neurology researcher reveals how a specific signaling mechanism in microglia, the brain's immune cell, can regulate anxiety and grooming behaviors. These behaviors are core symptoms of autism and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders.

14 May 2026

Stanford scientists map the molecular diversity of different global populations

Researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine have found that ethnicity and geography may influence human molecular makeup - from metabolism and immunity to gut microbiota and biological aging.

14 May 2026

Scientists develop a superior diagnostic tool to spot hidden gene fusions in pediatric cancer

Researchers have introduced a novel diagnostic method that can more sensitively detect gene fusions in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), the most common type of pediatric cancer, compared to other publicly available fusion detection algorithms.

14 May 2026

Solving the mystery of ALS survival differences with new biological insights

Patients with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, live an average of only three years after symptoms begin, though some can survive closer to 10 years. What drives these differences in survival has remained a mystery.

14 May 2026

New imaging technique maps 38000 liver cells to solve fibrosis

The liver is often called a "silent organ," as it can sustain significant damage without obvious symptoms. But when injury is prolonged, whether from alcohol, poor diet, or chronic hepatitis virus infection, it triggers fibrosis: a progressive hardening and scarring of liver tissue.

14 May 2026

Turning the flu virus into a powerful tool to fight cancer

A recent Views & Comments article published in Engineering highlights advances in repurposing influenza viruses as flexible therapeutic platforms for infectious diseases and cancer, driven by progress in reverse genetics and viral vector engineering.

14 May 2026

The complex peptide mixture that makes ant venom a powerful shield

In addition to serving as biochemical weapons for offense and defense, the venoms produced by ants in the subfamily Formicinae also fulfill additional roles. For example, the ants use it to protect their nests from pathogens. It has long been assumed that the primary constituent of these venoms, formic acid, was responsible for these functions.

14 May 2026

Regular arts and physical activity linked to slower aging

Research shows that leisure activities, including arts engagement and physical exercise, are linked to slower epigenetic aging and improved health outcomes.

14 May 2026

Base editing approach repairs deadly Dravet syndrome mutation in mice

Gene editing can repair a DNA error in mice that causes Dravet syndrome, a rare, incurable, and potentially deadly form of childhood epilepsy. After the edit, the mice have far fewer seizures and live much longer.

13 May 2026