Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Nanoparticles regenerate neurons and improve cognition in Alzheimer’s mice

The adult human brain has limited capacity to repair or regenerate neurons lost to Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia.

26 Aug 2026

Breast milk fats may reflect more than the fats a mother eats

A cross-sectional study of 109 breastfeeding women in the Netherlands found that maternal intakes of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs and trans fats were associated with corresponding fatty acid proportions in human milk. The researchers also identified links involving dietary fiber, diet quality and several micronutrients, although whether these relationships reflect direct biological effects or broader dietary patterns remains uncertain.

26 Aug 2026

Specific brain regions found more vulnerable to dementia with Lewy bodies

Dementia with Lewy bodies is one of the most common forms of dementia in older adults, after Alzheimer's disease.

26 Aug 2026

Molecular switch ERBB4 linked to broad range of Alzheimer's pathologies

What if amyloid plaques are not the whole story of Alzheimer's disease? New research suggests that a broad range of Alzheimer's pathologies may be orchestrated by a molecular switch called ERBB4 when it turns on in the wrong neurons.

26 Aug 2026

Research improves understanding of biological mechanisms behind cluster headaches

Inflammation, altered gene regulation, and exposure to substances in tobacco smoke may all contribute to the development of cluster headache.

26 Aug 2026

Hormone replacement therapy may reduce dementia risk for some women

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may reduce the risk of dementia, particularly for certain groups of women - according to a study from the University of East Anglia and the University of Exeter.

26 Aug 2026

Scientists identify new drug target to combat airborne tuberculosis

Tuberculosis bacteria released into the air from infected individuals dry out to form infectious particles that are second only to measles in contagiousness.

26 Aug 2026

Stress gene switches on more easily in the brains of people with schizophrenia

Experts at the University of Sydney have found that a gene involved in regulating the body's response to stress switches on more easily in the brains of people who live with schizophrenia.

26 Aug 2026

Nicoya is a famous blue zone. DNA aging estimates tell a more complicated story

Researchers developed a SuperLearner framework that combines established epigenetic clocks with machine learning to compare DNA methylation-based aging in residents of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Blue Zone with other Costa Ricans. Initial calibration suggested a modest younger epigenetic age among Nicoyans, but accounting more closely for age distribution substantially reduced the apparent advantage, highlighting the importance of population-specific calibration in longevity research.

26 Aug 2026

Scientists found a distinct gut microbiome pattern in people with symptomatic diverticular disease

A multicenter Japanese study found that symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease (SUDD) was associated with reduced gut microbial diversity, increased abundance of the Ruminococcus gnavus group, and depletion of Coprococcus and other butyrate-producing bacteria. Predictive microbiome analysis also identified enrichment of pathways linked to exopolysaccharide biosynthesis and the cell cycle, although the observational design means these associations cannot establish causality.

25 Aug 2026

Ancient proteins revived to inspire new antimicrobial treatments

University of Oregon biologists have resurrected prehistoric proteins up to 160 million years old that carry natural antimicrobial properties.

25 Aug 2026

Gene removal makes engineered immune cells more effective against osteosarcoma

Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have discovered that removing the gene for Regnase-1 from engineered immune cells makes them more effective at treating relapsed osteosarcoma.

25 Aug 2026

New review challenges the eight-hour ancestral sleep myth

Everyone knows the number. Eight hours. It sits on wellness dashboards, on pediatric handouts, on the label of the melatonin bottle in the medicine cabinet.

25 Aug 2026

From caffeine to trigonelline, coffee has surprising links to muscle biology

A scoping review of 54 studies found that coffee and several coffee-derived bioactive compounds influence pathways linked to skeletal muscle metabolism, including insulin signaling, mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, inflammation, glucose uptake, and protein turnover. Human studies reported associations with greater muscle mass and lower frailty or functional impairment, but most evidence remains observational or preclinical and cannot establish causality.

25 Aug 2026

Scientists compared 51 longevity studies to see which aging biomarkers respond most reliably

Researchers analyzing 51 longitudinal intervention studies found that reliable generation 2+ DNA methylation biomarkers, particularly those predicting mortality or pace of aging, were the most responsive to interventions aimed at longevity or healthspan. Pharmacological and lifestyle interventions produced the strongest biomarker changes, but the authors cautioned that responsiveness does not yet establish these measures as validated surrogate endpoints for slower aging or longer life.

25 Aug 2026

AI identifies key gene driving aging in blood stem cells

Stem cells possess the unique ability to self-renew and transform into different types of cells. For example, rare hematopoietic stem cells found in bone marrow can become any type of blood cell.

24 Aug 2026

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