Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Researchers apply CRISPR technology to eliminate fusion genes present in tumor cells

The CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing tool is one of the most promising approaches to advancing treatments of genetic diseases - including cancer -, an area of research where progress is constantly being made.

9 Oct 2020

Virginia Tech to build a cyberinfrastructure for wastewater antibiotic-resistant gene monitoring

Antibiotic resistance is a grand challenge of the 21st century. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, antibiotic resistance rates are increasing globally, with an estimated 35,000 related deaths per year in the United States in 2019, compared to 23,000 in 2013.

8 Oct 2020

Breakthrough genetic discovery into the cause of severe neurological conditions

Researchers have made a breakthrough genetic discovery into the cause of a spectrum of severe neurological conditions.

8 Oct 2020

Research uncovers a novel way of preventing or treating epilepsy

Epileptic seizures often originate in small, localized areas of the brain where neurons abnormally fire in unison.

8 Oct 2020

Using mRNA therapies or CRISPR gene editing to treat cystic fibrosis

The potential for treating cystic fibrosis (CF) using mRNA therapies or CRISPR gene editing is possible regardless of the causative mutation. CF clinical trials showing that a genotype-agnostic gene therapy for CF is possible are reviewed in the peer-reviewed journal Human Gene Therapy.

8 Oct 2020

Laser irradiation shows promise as a new treatment modality for osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bone loses mass as a result of age or other influences. This weakening is the leading cause of fractures in the elderly, often after trivial injuries, and makes treating these "pathological fractures" a challenge.

8 Oct 2020

Exome sequencing sheds light on genetic causes of nonimmune hydrops fetalis

A new study by University of California researchers shows the promise of high-throughput DNA-sequencing technologies to improve prenatal diagnosis and pregnancy outcomes for women who have experienced an abnormal prenatal ultrasound.

8 Oct 2020

Overreaction of the immune system could be linked to severe COVID-19 cases

Samples from the lungs of patients show a runaway immune system reaction could be one mechanism behind severe COVID-19 cases.

8 Oct 2020

Comet supercomputer performs complex calculations on receptor sequence data from human T cells

While researchers around the world race to develop an effective and safe COVID-19 vaccine, a team from the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at UC San Diego contributed to a study led by Vanderbilt Vaccine Center of Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) on T cell receptors, which play a vital role in alerting the adaptive immune system to mount an attack on invading foreign pathogens including the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

8 Oct 2020

Study: Thymoquinone selectively kills prostate cancer cells at advanced stages

The compound thymoquinone (TQ) selectively kills prostate cancer cells at advanced stages, according to a new study published in Oncogene.

8 Oct 2020

Plasma ABO protein is a causal risk factor for severe COVID-19

Researchers used an integrative genomics approach to find the genes responsible for COVID-19 and its severity.

7 Oct 2020

Study identifies the exact neurons that are most affected by epilepsy

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. It is caused by a malfunction in brain cells and is usually treated with medicines that control or counteract the seizures.

7 Oct 2020

Researchers hope to develop an effective COVID-19 vaccine using bovine adenovirus

A researcher in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences is part of a team of scientists working to develop a unique COVID-19 vaccine that uses a bovine adenovirus as a safe and effective delivery vehicle.

7 Oct 2020

Oral cancer pain may help predict metastasis

Oral cancer is more likely to spread in patients experiencing high levels of pain, according to a team of researchers at New York University College of Dentistry that found genetic and cellular clues as to why metastatic oral cancers are so painful.

7 Oct 2020

Biodegradable microneedle patch for local therapeutic gene delivery

There is great potential in gene therapy for treating certain types of cancer and genetic defects, immunological diseases, wounds and infections. The therapies work by delivering genes into the patients' cells, which then produce therapeutic proteins to treat the affliction.

7 Oct 2020

Rare gene mutations can cause cerebral palsy, confirms new study

An international research team including the University of Adelaide has found further evidence that rare gene mutations can cause cerebral palsy, findings which could lead to earlier diagnosis and new treatments for this devastating movement disorder.

7 Oct 2020

Why do we need sleep?

In this interview, Dr. Gina Poe speaks to News-Medical about why we sleep, and the importance of REM sleep for brain development.

7 Oct 2020

Study shows how CD4+ T cells respond to SARS-CoV-2 virus

As scientists around the world develop life-saving COVID-19 vaccines and therapies, many are still wondering exactly why the disease proves deadly in some people and mild in others.

7 Oct 2020

New clinical report on brain changes in deceased COVID-19 patients

German researchers published a report on a series of cases on post mortem findings of COVID-19 patients who succumbed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection along with neurological complications. Their study titled “Neuropathology of patients with COVID-19 in Germany: a post-mortem case series” is published in the latest issue of The Lancet Neurology.

6 Oct 2020

Using GWAS and trans-ancestry comparison to accurately predict risk for coronary artery disease

An international group led by researchers from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences have used a combination of genome-wide association analysis--or GWAS--and a trans-ancestry comparison of different GWAS studies, to come up with a more accurate predictor of coronary artery disease based on genetic factors.

6 Oct 2020