Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Neanderthal gene in women boosts infertility

It is still unclear why some women go into labor for long periods, and some face a high risk of childbirth. Also, some women fall pregnant quickly, while others may take years before they conceive. The answer may be due to a gene inherited from the Neanderthals, an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans who lived in Eurasia until about 40,000 years ago.

31 May 2020

Scientists identify factors influencing outcomes in kidney cancer patients treated with immunotherapy

By analyzing tumors from patients treated with immunotherapy for advanced kidney cancer in three clinical trials, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists have identified several features of the tumors that influence their response to immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs.

30 May 2020

Origin of SARS-CoV-2 virus well-suited to jump from animals to humans

A team of scientists studying the origin of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that has caused the COVID-19 pandemic, found that it was especially well-suited to jump from animals to humans by shapeshifting as it gained the ability to infect human cells.

30 May 2020

Toshiba and Shinshu University jointly develop a 'tumor-tropic liposome technology' for gene therapy

Toshiba Corporation and a team led by Professor Yozo Nakazawa at the Department of Pediatrics, Shinshu University, have together developed a “tumor-tropic liposome technology” for gene therapy. The technology uses unique, nano-sized biodegradable liposomes developed by Toshiba to accurately and efficiently deliver therapeutic genes to targeted cancer cells, and achieves safer gene delivery than viruses used as carriers.

30 May 2020

New genetic engineering technique sets the stage for advances in medicine and beyond

From bacteria-made insulin that obviates the use of animal pancreases to a better understanding of infectious diseases and improved treatments, genetic engineering of bacteria has redefined modern medicine. Yet, serious limitations remain that hamper| progress in numerous other areas.

30 May 2020

Researchers design developmental map of sound-sensing structure in mice’s inner ear

A team of researchers has generated a developmental map of a key sound-sensing structure in the mouse inner ear.

30 May 2020

UMSOM scientists develop experimental rapid diagnostic test for COVID-19

Scientists from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) developed an experimental diagnostic test for COVID-19 that can visually detect the presence of the virus in 10 minutes.

29 May 2020

Targeted therapy pralsetinib shows high response rates in patients with RET fusion-positive cancers

The targeted therapy pralsetinib appears to have high response rates and durable activity in patients with a broad variety of tumors harboring RET gene fusions, according to results from the international Phase I/II ARROW trial, led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

29 May 2020

Study analyzes cancer diagnosis in children with birth defects

Scientific studies suggest that children with birth defects are at increased risk of cancer. However, it has not been assessed whether the type of cancer, the age at which they are diagnosed or the extent of cancer spread at the time of diagnosis, is different for children with birth defects compared to children without birth defects.

29 May 2020

Using gene therapy to help the body to make its own cancer drugs

Imagine that we could instruct our bodies to make the drugs they need themselves. The gene technology that makes this possible is called mRNA therapy, which may become a major tool in the treatment of multiple diseases.

29 May 2020

Researchers investigate possible causes of high COVID-19 mortality in Italy

On March 11th, 2020 the World Health Organization declared Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a pandemic.

29 May 2020

Study sheds light on homologous recombination of DNA strands

As chromosomes go, X and Y make an unlikely pair. The X is large and contains thousands of genes critical for life. The Y, by contrast, is little more than a nub.

29 May 2020

Researchers identify risk factors for fatty liver disease

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have uncovered an unexpected connection between an imbalance of electrons in liver cells and many metabolic problems that increase the risk for conditions such as cardiovascular disease and fatty liver disease.

29 May 2020

Researchers use new technique to develop experimental rapid COVID-19 test

Scientists from the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) developed an experimental diagnostic test for COVID-19 that can visually detect the presence of the virus in 10 minutes.

29 May 2020

Targeted therapy shows immense benefit for patients with early stage NSCLC

According to findings led by researchers at Yale Cancer Center, treatment with the targeted therapy osimertinib following surgery significantly improves disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with early-stage, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR gene mutations.

29 May 2020

How comorbidities affect SARS-CoV-2 viral entry

Almost from the start of the current COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that individuals suffering from other medical conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and lung disease are far more likely to contract the infection and to have a poorer outcome.

28 May 2020

Ludwig Cancer Research study profiles immune landscape of brain tumors

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has profiled, in a sweeping comparative analysis, the distinct immune landscapes of tumors that arise in the brain, or gliomas, and those that metastasize to the organ from the lungs, breast and skin.

28 May 2020

Nanoscope received NIH grant to advance ultrafast laser-based gene delivery to the retina

The Nanoscope team has developed Multi-Characteristic Opsins to sensitize cells toward low level of white light so that vision is improved at ambient room light.

28 May 2020

Genomic variation and descent of SARS-CoV-2 strains in India

The pandemic of COVID-19 that is still affecting over 188 countries and territories the world over has taken over 359,000 lives in just under five months, while affecting at least 5.8 million people. Different strains have diverged from the original strain detected in Wuhan, China.

28 May 2020

Combination therapy found to be effective against IDH1-mutated acute myeloid leukemia

A combination therapy of ivosenidib (IVO) plus venetoclax (VEN) with or without azacitidine (AZA) was found to be effective against a specific genetic subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in a Phase Ib/II trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

28 May 2020