Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Gut microbiota can help predict occurrence of colorectal cancer

Gut microbiota - the population of microbes that live in our intestine - can be used to predict the occurrence of colorectal cancer, the second most common type of cancer in women and the third in men.

1 Apr 2019

Colorado compound dramatically affects cancer metastasis

Many cancers are relatively harmless at their site of origin, and it is only when they metastasize to sites like the brain, bones, lungs, and liver that they become especially dangerous.

1 Apr 2019

Potential target for Group A Streptococcus vaccine identified

Most people think of "strep throat" as a relatively benign infection cured by a round of antibiotics and a few days of rest. But the bacterium that causes strep throat -- Group A Streptococcus -- is also responsible for a number of much more dangerous disorders, including rheumatic heart disease and toxic shock syndrome.

1 Apr 2019

Study finds cellular protein as a 'gas pump attendant' of cancer development

The cells which make up our body vary significantly. A liver cell does not look like a muscle cell and each has a unique function. This is because liver cells produce the proteins that characterize them, and muscle cells do the same.

1 Apr 2019

Potential drug targets cause of adult-onset muscular dystrophy

People diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy type 1 have difficulty unclenching muscles due to a genetic defect that generates toxic material within their cells.

1 Apr 2019

EU-funded researchers develop 'nano-vehicle' to deliver life-saving drugs

Despite many successes, modern medicine is still struggling to find effective treatments for serious pathologies such as cancer and neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases. For Alzheimer’s disease, for example, only 30% of patients respond to therapy whereas for cancers the figure is only 25%.

1 Apr 2019

Researchers discover natural gene therapy for intractable skin disease

Pathogenic gene mutations causing a type of intractable skin disease can be eliminated from some parts of patients' skin as they age, according to Hokkaido University researchers and their collaborators in Japan. This represents a form of natural gene therapy.

1 Apr 2019

ETH researchers take major step towards personalized cancer immunotherapy

Cells belonging to the body's own immune system can help fight tumours. For several years now, this has allowed oncologists to use medications known as checkpoint inhibitors to encourage T cells to eliminate tumor cells.

30 Mar 2019

Binding affinities of PFASs to Baikal seal PPARα revealed using in vitro and in silico approaches

A team of researchers at Ehime University revealed the binding affinities of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) to Baikal seal peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) using in vitro and in silico approaches.

30 Mar 2019

Research reveals genomic basis of acute erythroid leukemia

Acute erythroid leukemia is a high-risk cancer with a dismal prognosis, uncertain genetic basis and controversy surrounding the diagnosis. That is changing, thanks to research led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital that appears today in the journal Nature Genetics.

30 Mar 2019

Cellular mechanism that connects smoking during pregnancy and baby’s obesity risk identified

Using foreskin tissue from newborn circumcisions, a group of researchers have identified a potential cellular mechanism that connects a mother's smoking while pregnant with an increased risk of offspring obesity later in life.

30 Mar 2019

Gastrointestinal symptoms in children could be a red flag for future mental health problems

A Columbia University study has found that adversity early in life is associated with increased gastrointestinal symptoms in children that may have an impact on the brain and behavior as they grow to maturity.

29 Mar 2019

Study finds two new genes in the developmental defects of canine enamel

In addition to humans, hereditary disorders of enamel development occur in dogs, greatly impacting their dental health and wellbeing. A recent study reveals canine enamel disorders similar to those found in humans, linking them with ENAM and ACP4, two genes previously described in humans.

29 Mar 2019

Scientists identify two, extremely rare genetic variants linked to Alzheimer disease

Researchers have identified two, extremely rare genetic variants linked to Alzheimer disease (AD) for the first time.

29 Mar 2019

Researchers discover how mosquitoes smell acidic volatiles in human sweat

Female mosquitoes are known to rely on an array of sensory information to find people to bite, picking up on carbon dioxide, body odor, heat, moisture, and visual cues.

29 Mar 2019

Breakthrough study could lead to new treatments for sickle cell disease

In a breakthrough study of sickle cell disease, biomedical engineers in the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering have revealed that the building blocks of the disease are much less efficient at organizing than previously thought.

29 Mar 2019

Research uncovers crucial receptor involved in response to fast-acting antidepressants

Effective treatment of clinical depression remains a major mental health issue, with roughly 30 percent of patients who do not respond to any of the available treatments.

29 Mar 2019

Study reveals new way to increase population of intestinal stem cells

Cells that line the intestinal tract are replaced every few days, a high rate of turnover that relies on a healthy population of intestinal stem cells. MIT and University of Tokyo biologists have now found that aging takes a toll on intestinal stem cells and may contribute to increased susceptibility to disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.

29 Mar 2019

Walnut consumption could change gene expression in pathologically-confirmed breast cancers

New research from Marshall University links walnut consumption as a contributing factor that could suppress growth and survival of breast cancers.

29 Mar 2019

Research leads to innovative method of diagnosing rare hereditary diseases

A new sophisticated computational model, developed by scientists at Lawson Health Research Institute, is bringing an innovative method of diagnosing rare hereditary conditions.

29 Mar 2019