Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Shared genetic architecture links schizophrenia with hemispheric white matter microstructure

Schizophrenia is a highly heterogeneous psychiatric disorder affecting ~1% of the global population, typically emerging in adolescence or early adulthood and characterized by hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and cognitive impairments; while its etiology remains elusive, genetic factors are widely recognized as fundamental, and GWAS have identified over 200 genome-wide significant loci.

24 Jan 2026

MYC cancer gene suppresses immune alarm signals to protect pancreatic tumors

The cancer gene MYC camouflages tumors by suppressing alarm signals that normally activate the immune system.

23 Jan 2026

New findings explain how lysosomal defects trigger neuronal energy failure

Together with colleagues from Stanford University, USA, researchers at the Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) have, for the first time, created a comprehensive cell type-specific atlas of lysosomes in the brain, the cell organelles which are responsible for degradation and recycling processes.

23 Jan 2026

Genetic study links vitamin B1 metabolism to gut motility and IBS risk

Research links thiamine metabolism to gut motility, identifying genetic markers that could lead to new therapies for IBS and related digestive disorders.

23 Jan 2026

Trojan horse immunotherapy opens tumors to immune system attack

Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed an experimental immunotherapy that takes an unconventional approach to metastatic cancer: instead of going after cancer cells directly, it targets the cells that protect them.

22 Jan 2026

New partnership aims to expand global access to sickle cell gene therapy

Caring Cross, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to improving access to advanced therapies, and Boston Children's Hospital today announced a collaboration to provide a sustainable, affordable pathway for patients to access stem cell gene therapies for the treatment of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD).

22 Jan 2026

Brain cell precursors show constant myelin-making drive

In experiments with mice, Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists report new evidence that precursors of myelin-producing cells - one of the few brain cell types that continue to be produced in the adult brain - undergo differentiation widely and at a constant pace, rather than "as needed" in response to injury or advancing age.

22 Jan 2026

Discovery explains why people with IBD have higher risk of colorectal cancer

A chain of immune reactions in the gut—driven by a key signaling protein and a surge of white blood cells from the bone marrow—may help explain why people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a higher risk of colorectal cancer, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

22 Jan 2026

Facial wound secrets revealed for scarless repair

Tweaking a pattern of wound healing established millions of years ago may enable scar-free injury repair after surgery or trauma, Stanford Medicine researchers have found.

22 Jan 2026

Alterations in liver metabolism experienced by individuals with Down syndrome

Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome (Crnic Institute) have uncovered compelling evidence that individuals with Down syndrome experience significant alterations in liver metabolism, including elevated levels of bile acids in the bloodstream and other biomarkers of liver dysfunction.

22 Jan 2026

Researchers decipher a key mechanism that controls pancreatic cancer growth

Could this mark a shift in how we think about cancer therapy? At least in the laboratory, evidence suggests it may be.

22 Jan 2026

Myosteatosis: An emerging predictor of outcomes in chronic liver disease

Myosteatosis, the pathological infiltration of fat into skeletal muscle, is increasingly recognized as a key predictor of poor clinical outcomes across a spectrum of liver diseases.

22 Jan 2026

Super-enhancers: Cancer's double-edged sword of growth and DNA damage

New study shows that cancer damages its own DNA by pushing key genes to work too hard. Researchers found that the most powerful genetic "on switches" in cancer cells, called super-enhancers, drive unusually intense gene activity.

22 Jan 2026

Unlocking microbial secrets for health on Earth and beyond

Microorganisms live in biofilms - the equivalent of microbial "cities"- everywhere on Earth. These city-like structures protect and house microbial communities and play essential roles in enabling human and plant health on our planet.

22 Jan 2026

Sperm RNA aging shift that may explain paternal age effects

Study reveals an 'aging cliff' in sperm RNA, linking age-related changes to early development and highlighting risks associated with advanced paternal age.

22 Jan 2026

AI tool predicts metastatic risk in multiple cancers

Why do some tumors spread while others remain localized? The mechanisms governing the metastatic potential of tumor cells remain largely unknown — yet understanding this is crucial for optimizing patient care.

22 Jan 2026

Bacteria behind Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis foot odor identified

The distinct foot odor that comes with the skin disorder Nagashima-type palmoplantar keratosis (NPPK) is caused by the overgrowth of a specific bacterial strain.

22 Jan 2026

Study shows DHPS enzyme controls macrophage maturation across multiple organs

A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, its Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that an enzyme involved in protein translation is essential for circulating immune cells, called monocytes, to mature into tissue-resident macrophages, a specialized population of immune cells that maintain organ health by clearing dead cells and debris.

21 Jan 2026

Newly discovered survival pathway explains stubborn EGFR-driven lung cancers

Scientists from A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (A*STAR IMCB) have identified why certain lung cancer cells become highly resistant to treatment after developing mutations in a key gene called EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor).

21 Jan 2026

Shingles vaccination is linked to slower biological aging in older adults

This population-based study of U.S. adults aged 70 and older found that shingles vaccination was associated with slower epigenetic and transcriptomic aging, as well as lower systemic inflammation. No significant associations were observed for neurodegeneration or cardiovascular biomarkers, highlighting domain-specific molecular effects rather than broad clinical changes.

21 Jan 2026