Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Enzyme blockade improves memory updating in older mice

Everyone has moments of forgetfulness from time to time, especially as we get older. But older adults don't just have difficulty remembering new information.

9 Aug 2024

New insights into retrotransposon-derived DNA zip codes in myeloma cells

A new editorial was published in Oncoscience (Volume 11) on July 13, 2024, entitled, "Unveiling retrotransposon-derived DNA zip code for myeloma cell internalization."

9 Aug 2024

EZH2's role in cancer progression and therapy explored

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a catalytic subunit of the Polycomb-repressive complex 2 (PRC2), which plays a crucial role in transcriptional repression through the methylation of histone H3 on lysine 27 (H3K27me3).

9 Aug 2024

DeepPBS: A geometric AI model for accurate prediction of protein-DNA binding specificity

A new artificial intelligence model developed by USC researchers and published in Nature Methods can predict how different proteins may bind to DNA with accuracy across different types of protein, a technological advance that promises to reduce the time required to develop new drugs and other medical treatments.

9 Aug 2024

Machine learning revolutionizes gene delivery

Gene therapy could potentially cure genetic diseases but it remains a challenge to package and deliver new genes to specific cells safely and effectively. Existing methods of engineering one of the most commonly used gene-delivery vehicles, adeno-associated viruses (AAV), are often slow and inefficient.

9 Aug 2024

Columbia study reveals bacteria create free-floating genes, challenging genetic code norms

Since the genetic code was first deciphered in the 1960s, our genes seemed like an open book. By reading and decoding our chromosomes as linear strings of letters, like sentences in a novel, we can identify the genes in our genome and learn why changes in a gene's code affect health.

9 Aug 2024

Korean researchers accelerate race for respiratory disease cures

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted our lives, claiming nearly 7.1 million lives globally. Scientists and medical professionals have been working tirelessly to understand the virus, its transmission pathways, and effective treatments. The urgency of developing vaccines and treatments has never been greater, prompting calls for Korea to expedite its drug development efforts to match those of developed countries. Recently, a team of Korean researchers has made a breakthrough that will greatly enhance the efficiency of respiratory disease research, garnering attention.

9 Aug 2024

Houston Methodist pioneers new technique for targeted drug delivery to the brain

Houston Methodist researchers have discovered a more accurate and timely way to deliver life-saving drug therapies to the brain, laying the groundwork for more effective treatment of brain tumors and other neurological diseases.

8 Aug 2024

Gene activity can predict severe side effects from melanoma treatment

An activity pattern in certain genes responsible for building proteins known as spleen tyrosine kinases can predict which melanoma patients are likely to have severe side effects from immunotherapy designed to treat the most deadly skin cancer, a new study shows.

8 Aug 2024

Review of fasting-mimicking diets in cancer treatment

Researchers present the role of cyclic fasting and fasting-mimicking diets (FMD) in cancer therapy.

8 Aug 2024

Researchers identify distinct molecular profiles in Down syndrome

A new study published in Nature Communications by researchers from the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome (Crnic Institute) at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus reports a significant breakthrough.

7 Aug 2024

New treatment boosts pluripotent stem cell production in mice

Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) have discovered a treatment which accelerates the production and quality of pluripotent stem cells in mice.

7 Aug 2024

Seaweed extract shows promise in protecting neurons in Parkinson’s disease

Ecklonia cava polyphenols (ECPs) show promise in reducing neuronal damage caused by rotenone in Parkinson’s disease (PD) by activating the Nrf2-ARE pathway, highlighting their potential as a neuroprotective treatment.

7 Aug 2024

Higher BPA levels in pregnant mothers linked to autism in sons

Florey researchers have found evidence of higher levels of the plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in pregnant mothers who gave birth to sons with autism.

7 Aug 2024

Decoding glioblastoma: New insights into molecular subtypes and mesenchymal transition mechanisms

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) stands as a formidable adversary in oncology, characterized by its molecular complexity and relentless progression.

7 Aug 2024

Sensory nerves drive breast cancer growth and spread, study reveals

Cancer doesn't grow in a vacuum - each tumor grows in a particular microenvironment within the body and spreads through a tangled web of vasculature and nerves.

7 Aug 2024

Healthy diet and exercise can mitigate genetic risk for type 2 diabetes, study finds

A new study from the University of Eastern Finland is the first in the world to show that a healthy diet and regular exercise reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes even in individuals with a high genetic risk.

7 Aug 2024

KAUST researchers uncover LINE-1 RNA’s role in triggering bone repair

Around half of the human genome is composed of DNA fragments originating from ancient viruses. These "transposable elements" (TEs) are now known to play various roles in modulating gene expression and disease development.

7 Aug 2024

From discovery to approval: Vorasidenib approved by FDA for treatment of IDH-mutant gliomas

A new drug for treatment of a type of brain cancer, called IDH-mutant low-grade glioma, was approved Aug. 6 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

7 Aug 2024

Understanding the age gap in leukemia survival rates

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) affects both children and adults, but children have better chances to be cured, with long-term survival rates over 85% compared to 50-75% in adults. Scientists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital conducted a comprehensive study to understand the biological causes driving this difference. The work, published today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, provides a blueprint for understanding B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), the most common form of the disease.

7 Aug 2024