Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Altered microbiome in fruit flies can drive evolutionary change

The expression "you are what you eat" has taken on new meaning. In an experiment in fruit flies, or Drosophila melanogaster, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have found that adding different species of microbes to the flies' food caused populations to diverge genetically, racking up significant genomic changes in just five generations.

18 Sep 2019

Study: Gene editing may correct genetic mutation responsible for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare but devastating genetic disorder that causes muscle loss and physical impairments.

18 Sep 2019

UT Southwestern researchers identify novel mechanism that regulates fat formation

In work suggesting new therapeutic targets to fight obesity, UT Southwestern researchers have identified a novel mechanism that regulates the creation of fat in mammals.

18 Sep 2019

Study shows how a toxin produced by algal blooms in saltwater may cause ALS

Can a computer be used to explain why an environmental toxin might lead to neurodegenerative disease? According to Penn State College of Medicine researchers, a computer generated-simulation allowed them to see how a toxin produced by algal blooms in saltwater might cause Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

17 Sep 2019

Scientists identify potential target for treating cardiac fibrosis

A research team led by scientists from the Consortium for Fibrosis Research & Translation at the University of Colorado School of Medicine has identified a potential target for treating heart failure related to fibrosis.

17 Sep 2019

Cancer cells survive chemotherapy by eating their neighboring tumor cells

Researchers from the Tulane University School of Medicine have discovered that some cancer cells survive chemotherapy by eating their neighboring tumor cells.

17 Sep 2019

Synthetic cell intercepts and deciphers hidden messages of the immune system

When immune cells detect harmful pathogens or cancer, they mobilize and coordinate a competent defense response.

17 Sep 2019

Pros and cons of gene editing technology

CRISPR technology has greatly facilitated gene editing. Associate Professor Thorsten Müller from Ruhr-Universität Bochum and Dr. Hassan Bukhari from Harvard Medical School discuss its pros and cons in a review article in the journal "Trends in Cell Biology" from 12 September 2019.

17 Sep 2019

Combination therapies can shrink lung tumors in mice and human cancer cells

Combining a new class of drug with two other compounds can significantly shrink lung tumors in mice and human cancer cells, finds a new study led by the Francis Crick Institute and The Institute of Cancer Research, London.

17 Sep 2019

Bone marrow-derived cells also travel to the womb to help pregnancy

Bone marrow-derived cells play a role in changes to the mouse uterus before and during pregnancy, enabling implantation of the embryo and reducing pregnancy loss, according to research published September 12 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology.

From PLOS ONE 17 Sep 2019

Strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease impairs function of human microglia

A study carried out with a new human stem cell-derived model reveals that the most prevalent genetic risk factor of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), impairs the function of human brain immune cells, microglia. These findings pave the way for new, effective treatment approaches for AD. The results were published in Stem Cell Reports.

17 Sep 2019

Inherited genetic tendency appears to protect people from MRSA infections

An inherited genetic tendency appears to increase the likelihood that a person can successfully fight off antibiotic-resistant staph infections, according to a study led by Duke Health researchers.

17 Sep 2019

Mutated ciliary genes tied to heart valve birth defect

The heart pumps blood throughout the body to provide the needed oxygen and nutrients. In the heart, blood flows to get oxygen from the lungs to deliver to the cells. Some of the most important structures in the heart are the valves, because they prevent the backflow of blood, avoiding the mixture of oxygenated blood with the ones that still need to be oxygenated.

17 Sep 2019

New method developed to address failures in promising anti-cancer drug

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed a method to address failures in a promising anti-cancer drug, bringing together tools from genome engineering, protein engineering and biomaterials science to improve the efficacy, accuracy and longevity of certain cancer therapies.

17 Sep 2019

Cure for Rett Syndrome a step closer as scientists successfully reactivate 'back-up’ genes

A team headed by Vincent Pasque at his Lab at KU Leuven alongside researchers from the Jean-Christophe Marine lab and the Edith Heard lab have made a significant step towards developing a treatment for Rett syndrome and other X chromosome linked disorders.

17 Sep 2019

PSA testing can help detect prostate cancer in men with BRCA2 gene fault

Men with the BRCA2 gene fault have an increased risk of prostate cancer and could benefit from PSA (prostate specific antigen) testing to help detect the disease earlier, according to researchers funded by Cancer Research UK.

17 Sep 2019

Stopping cold viruses dead by blocking replication

The common cold virus (and its more deadly cousins, the viruses that cause polio and acute flaccid myelitis) may just have met its nemesis. In a recent study published in the journal Nature Microbiology on September 16, 2019, scientists reported a potentially successful new approach to stop cold viruses from replicating inside human cells – by blocking the formation of a protein that is vital to this process.

17 Sep 2019

Uncovering new T cell regulatory processes could help treat autoimmune disease

One of the important cells involved in the immune response is the T follicular helper (Tfh) cell. These are important in the normal process of antibody production following immunization, for instance. However, they are also abnormally increased in number in patients with autoimmune disease, such as systemic lupus erythematosus.

16 Sep 2019

Stanford-UCSF researchers report new cure for common cold in human cells and mice

Temporarily disabling a single protein inside our cells might be able to protect us from the common cold and other viral diseases, according to a study led by researchers at Stanford University and University of California-San Francisco.

16 Sep 2019

Brain activity intensity appears to increase our need for sleep

The intensity of brain activity during the day, notwithstanding how long we've been awake, appears to increase our need for sleep, according to a new UCL study in zebrafish.

16 Sep 2019