Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Study shows how HGT can bend the rules of evolution

In a world first Monash University scientists have discovered that HGT can bend the rules of evolution. The discovery is outlined in a study published today in PNAS, which was led by ARC Future Fellow Dr Mike McDonald and PhD candidate Laura Woods, both from the Monash University School of Biological Sciences.

15 Oct 2020

Researchers develop breakthrough blood test for brain tumors

Genetic mutations that promote the growth of the most common type of adult brain tumors can be accurately detected and monitored in blood samples using an enhanced form of liquid biopsy developed by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital.

14 Oct 2020

Study uncovers the mechanism behind bone marrow failure in Fanconi anemia

Fanconi anaemia (FA) is a genetic disease affecting small children characterized by bone-marrow failure, developmental abnormalities and predisposition to multiple forms of cancer.

14 Oct 2020

Anti-inflammatory drugs may hold the potential to alleviate Parkinson's disease, study suggests

Around 15% of Parkinson's disease cases are related to a known genetic background, out of which mutations in the Parkin and PINK1 genes are among the most frequent ones.

14 Oct 2020

Study offers renewed hope for children suffering from myofibrillar myopathies

Stephen Greenspan and Laura Zah were devastated when they learned their son Alexander had a rare genetic mutation, which causes a deadly neuromuscular disease with no known treatment or cure.

14 Oct 2020

FAU researchers receive NIH funding to analyze stem cell activation

Researchers from Florida Atlantic University's Schmidt College of Medicine hope to conquer a major limitation in the ability for scientists to engineer tissues for regenerative therapies for age-related and degenerative diseases.

14 Oct 2020

G protein-coupled receptors help humans taste, smell, and regulate mood and immunity

Dr. Guangyu Wu is dissecting the molecular homing that enables a nascent protein to ultimately find its way to the surface of a cell as a mature receptor type that helps us taste, smell and even regulate our mood and immunity.

14 Oct 2020

Molecular mechanisms play key role in the development of healthy heart

It might look like a little game at the molecular scale.Filament-like proteins in heart muscle cells have to be exactly the same length so that they can coordinate perfectly to make the heart beat.

14 Oct 2020

STAT3 deficiency reduces emotional reactivity, shows study

Numerous scientific studies indicate that inflammatory processes play a key role in the development of psychiatric disorders.

14 Oct 2020

3D structural model of BAF complex modifies DNA architecture, provides clues on cancer

Scientists have created an unprecedented 3-dimensional structural model of a key molecular "machine" known as the BAF complex, which modifies DNA architecture and is frequently mutated in cancer and some other diseases.

14 Oct 2020

Study summarizes treatment and management of glutaric acidemia type 1

A new study summarizes over 30 years of clinical experience in the treatment and management of glutaric acidemia type 1 (GA1), a rare and potentially devastating metabolic disorder caused by variants in the GCDH gene.

14 Oct 2020

Study determines mechanisms underlying abnormal development of nervous system in Hirschsprung disease

Ankush Gosain, MD, PhD, of Le Bonheur Children's Hospital and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center has focused his research on determining the mechanisms underlying abnormal development of the enteric nervous system in Hirschsprung disease.

14 Oct 2020

Statins may lower cancer risk through a pathway unrelated to cholesterol

Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may reduce cancer risk in humans through a pathway unrelated to cholesterol, says a study published today in eLife.

13 Oct 2020

Drug derived from a natural human protein could stop lethal lung damage from the flu

The raging lung inflammation that can contribute to death from the flu can be stopped in its tracks by a drug derived from a naturally occurring human protein, a new animal study suggests.

13 Oct 2020

Novel findings on mole growth could pave way for skin cancer treatments

Moles stop growing when they reach a certain size due to normal interactions between cells, despite having cancer-associated gene mutations, says a new study published today in eLife.

13 Oct 2020

New computational approach improves characterization of cellular diversity

Researchers in the United States have developed a computational method called “weighted-nearest neighbor” (WNN) analysis that can significantly improve the ability to define cellular states across various biological contexts and data types.

13 Oct 2020

CAR NKT cells offer a promising approach to combat hard-to-treat solid tumors

Natural killer T (NKT) cells, a type of immune cells known for their potent anti-cancer properties in murine tumor models, have been developed into a novel form of immunotherapy to treat patients with cancer.

13 Oct 2020

In vitro BA-LRA can help detect small molecule drugs for drug-induced liver injury

BioIVT, a leading provider of research models and services for drug and diagnostic development, today announced the publication of research describing the use of HEPATOPAC® cultures with a targeted in vitro assay to identify small molecule drugs with high potential for drug-induced liver injury (DILI).

13 Oct 2020

Study reveals why immobilization after injury helps in healing

By far, the most common injuries seen in emergency rooms in the United States are those affecting extremities. Immobilization is the most common treatment, and yet, until recently, it was unknown exactly why this technique worked to advance healing.

12 Oct 2020

Enzyme SSH1 impairs the disposal of damaged tau and neurotoxic mitochondria

In a healthy brain, the multistep waste clearance process known as autophagy routinely removes and degrades damaged cell components - including malformed proteins like tau and toxic mitochondria.

12 Oct 2020