Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Study reveals the neural basis of sensory hypersensitivity in people with autism

Many people with autism spectrum disorders are highly sensitive to light, noise, and other sensory input. A new study in mice reveals a neural circuit that appears to underlie this hypersensitivity, offering a possible strategy for developing new treatments.

2 Mar 2020

Functioning amyloid found in healthy brain

Scientists from St Petersburg University worked with their colleagues from the St Petersburg branch of the Vavilov Institute of General Genetics.

2 Mar 2020

Length of pregnancy related to chemical DNA changes in newborns

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have together with an international team mapped the relationship between length of pregnancy and chemical DNA changes in more than 6,000 newborn babies.

2 Mar 2020

New genetic tool developed to label specific genes in human organoids

Researchers from the group of Hans Clevers at the Hubrecht Institute have developed a new genetic tool to label specific genes in human organoids, or mini organs.

2 Mar 2020

Potential genetic test for earlier Alzheimer's diagnosis

A new study published in the journal Epigenetics in February 2020 reports that changes in the methylation status of the Presenilin 1 (PSEN1) gene could help diagnose Alzheimer's disease (AD) earlier. This study shows for the first time that methylation of this gene is a common feature in AD.

1 Mar 2020

Researchers explore the role of SLC25A32 in cancer cell proliferation

Oncotarget Volume 11 Issue 8 reported that while it is known that cancer cells require one-carbon and FAD-dependent mitochondrial metabolism to sustain cell proliferation, the role of SLC25A32 in cancer cell growth remains unexplored.

28 Feb 2020

Novel technique helps trace individual chromosomes during embryonic development

The spatial arrangement of genetic material within the cell nucleus plays an important role in the development of an organism.

28 Feb 2020

Gene therapy regenerates functional new neurons in mouse models of HD

Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare disease characterized by abnormal chorea movement and caused by Huntingtin (Htt) gene mutation and neurodegeneration in a brain area called striatum.

28 Feb 2020

New discovery may be useful for developing novel cancer treatments

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have discovered that our cells replicate their DNA much more loosely than previously thought.

28 Feb 2020

Readers and tweeters dive into debate over ‘Medicare for All’

Your criticism about former Vice President Joe Biden’s "Medicare for All" cost estimates is spot-on but leaves out important savings.

28 Feb 2020

Research reveals key role of a protein in rare Batten disease

Professor Stéphane Lefrançois, a researcher at the Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), is working on Batten disease, a neurodegenerative genetic disease that primarily affects children. His research focuses on the most common form of the disease - Batten CLN 3 - which is caused by mutations in the protein of the same name and for which there is still no cure.

28 Feb 2020

Gene-editing technology may lead to new model for studying Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson's disease researchers have used gene-editing tools to introduce the disorder's most common genetic mutation into marmoset monkey stem cells and to successfully tamp down cellular chemistry that often goes awry in Parkinson's patients.

27 Feb 2020

Nanoparticles containing gliadin could allow celiac disease patients to eat a normal diet

Celiac disease affects 0.3-2.4% of people in most countries world-wide, and approx. 2% in Finland. Celiac patients suffer from a variety of symptoms, typically intestinal complaints, such as diarrhea, but are often symptom-free.

27 Feb 2020

Eating less prolongs life

A new study published in the journal Cell in February 2020 reports that eating less is associated with better immunity, reduce inflammation all over the body, and reduced odds of diseases related to old age, as well as increasing the odds of living longer.

27 Feb 2020

Cancer chemical from common gut microbe

Many common gut bacteria carry cancer-causing mutations, says a new study published in the journal Nature on the 27th February 2020.

27 Feb 2020

Scientists reveal ability to reverse Huntington's disease-causing DNA repeat mutations in the lab

Neurodegenerative diseases, like Huntington's disease and myotonic dystrophy, are often referred to as DNA repeat diseases, named because of long repeated sequences in the DNA of patients. Increasing repeat expansion length in the affected tissues contribute to earlier age of disease onset and worsen the progression and severity of the disease over time.

27 Feb 2020