Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

NUS researchers use glowing nanoparticles to control biological processes

The biological technique of 'optogenetics' uses light to control cells within living tissues that have been genetically modified to be light-sensitive.

29 Oct 2019

New research could help better understand progress of breast cancer

New research at Case Western Reserve University could help better determine which patients diagnosed with the pre-malignant breast cancer commonly as stage 0 are likely to progress to invasive breast cancer and therefore might benefit from additional therapy over and above surgery alone.

29 Oct 2019

Wisconsin study: 3 in 5 people with Down syndrome diagnosed with dementia by age 55

Not so many years ago, people with Down syndrome rarely survived to middle age. Many died young due to heart problems associated with the congenital condition.

29 Oct 2019

UVA scientists awarded $2.7 million NIH grant to study genetic variation linked with heart disease

The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $2.7 million grant to scientists from the University of Virginia to study a genetic variation associated with coronary heart disease.

29 Oct 2019

Pro-inflammatory protein could play key role in protecting against herpes virus

Researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix have discovered a function in a pro-inflammatory protein that could play an important part in improving current and future therapeutics for the herpes virus.

29 Oct 2019

Discovery of causal link between hydrogen sulfide and schizophrenia

Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Brain Science in Japan have found certain chemical markers that are associated with schizophrenia. They worked with lab mice with models of schizophrenia as well as post mortem brain specimens of persons with schizophrenia. The study titled, “Excess hydrogen sulfide and polysulfides production underlies a schizophrenia pathophysiology,” was published in the latest issue of the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine.

28 Oct 2019

MPST enzyme levels in hair could be a good biomarker for schizophrenia

Working with model mice, post-mortem human brains, and people with schizophrenia, researchers at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science in Japan have discovered that a subtype of schizophrenia is related to abnormally high levels hydrogen sulfide in the brain.

28 Oct 2019

New cystic fibrosis drug now available through NHS England

On October 24, 2019, cystic fibrosis (CF) patients rejoiced at the news that three years of talks between the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals had succeeded in a compromise which could see about 5,000 patients gaining access to a potentially life-saving drug called Orkambi within the next month. Orkambi is perceived to be a ‘wonder drug’ because it helps these patients to breathe easier and better, and can be started as young as two years.

28 Oct 2019

How the SETD1A gene produces schizophrenia in mice

A new study published in the journal Neuron on October 9, 2019 reports that scientists have unlocked part of the secrets of the SETD1A gene – how mutations in the gene put the individual at risk for the condition.

26 Oct 2019

Gut microbiome altered by burn injury and influenced by fluid resuscitation, study shows

Major burns lead to changes in the gastrointestinal tract bacteria, and these alterations of the gut microbiome are influenced by resuscitation with intravenous (IV) fluids, according to animal studies reported in SHOCK: Injury, Inflammation, and Sepsis: Laboratory and Clinical Approaches, Official Journal of theShockSociety. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

25 Oct 2019

Novel technique for detecting cutting-edge trends in scientific research

Spotting emerging trends in scientific research has always been challenging, as thousands of research papers are published every year on a vast number of subjects.

25 Oct 2019

Discovery in monkeys could pave way for treatment of Bardet-Biedl Syndrome

A genetic mutation that leads to a rare, but devastating blindness-causing syndrome has been discovered in monkeys for the first time. The finding offers a promising way to develop gene and cell therapies that could treat the condition in people.

25 Oct 2019

Parental depression may increase kids' risk for later physical health problems

When parents suffer from depression, kids may be at risk for physical health problems in young adulthood, according to a study from researchers including the University of Georgia's Katherine Ehrlich.

25 Oct 2019

Study finds molecular key to formation of mature and fully functioning T cells

In a finding that could help lead to new therapies for immune diseases like multiple sclerosis and IBD, scientists report in the Journal of Experimental Medicine identifying a gene and family of proteins critical to the formation of mature and fully functioning T cells in the immune system.

25 Oct 2019

Scientists make breakthrough in the hunt for new C. diff vaccine

Scientists have made a breakthrough in the hunt for a new vaccine for killer hospital bug Clostridioides difficile (C. diff).

25 Oct 2019

Researchers identify chemical signatures in blood and urine to measure dietary intake

Researchers at McMaster University have identified several chemical signatures, detectable in blood and urine, that can accurately measure dietary intake, potentially offering a new tool for physicians, dieticians and researchers to assess eating habits, measure the value of fad diets and develop health policies.

25 Oct 2019

Insights about the sweet receptor could lead to better-tasting food

Whether it's chocolate cake or pasta sauce, the sensation of sweetness plays a major role in the human diet and the perception of other flavors.

24 Oct 2019

Unhealthy gut microbiome reduces brain synaptic pruning, impairs learning

A new study by Weill Cornell Medicine and Cornell University has come up with more explanations of how gut microbes communicate with the brain neurons. The study, published in the journal Nature on October 23, 2019, examined the brains of mouse models and found that when the gut microbiome is significantly reduced, there are changes in gene expression in the brain’s microglial cells.

24 Oct 2019

Protein mutation that causes inflammatory bowel diseases becomes dysfunctional

A new study led by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Canada and Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China has uncovered why a protein mutation that causes inflammatory bowel diseases is dysfunctional.

24 Oct 2019