Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Novel approach induces cell death via dual targeting of DNA repair mechanism

Proteins commonly known as BRCA - short for BReast CAncer susceptibility gene- serve a critical role in cellular DNA repair, but when mutated they allow genetic errors to replicate, facilitating cancer development.

13 Jun 2018

Eminent biologist resigns over allegations of gender discrimination and sexual harassment

Eminent biologist and cancer researcher Inder Verma has resigned from the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences in La Jolla, California according to an announcement made by the institute on the 11th of June 2018

13 Jun 2018

Study uncovers new molecular mechanisms of Parkinson's disease

Detailed brain cell analysis has helped researchers uncover new mechanisms thought to underlie Parkinson's disease.

12 Jun 2018

Researchers discover genomic characteristics that define testicular germ cell cancer

Testicular germ cell cancer, a disease that is rare but growing in incidence in men in the United States, is considered to be among the most curable of solid tumors. Now researchers from the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and a consortium of institutions have discovered the genetic and genomic characteristics that define the disease.

12 Jun 2018

UNC study provides insight into mechanism of CHD4-related heart defects

Heart defects are the most common type of birth defect, and can be caused by mutations in the gene CHD4. Researchers at the UNC School of Medicine have now revealed key molecular details of how CHD4 mutations lead to heart defects.

12 Jun 2018

Scientists discover protective mechanism against atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis, the pathological narrowing of blood vessels, is the underlying cause for the majority of strokes and heart attacks, the major causes of mortality worldwide according to the WHO.

12 Jun 2018

IU researchers observe bacteria's 'DNA uptake' process

Indiana University scientists have made the first direct observation of a key step in the process that bacteria use to rapidly evolve new traits, including antibiotic resistance.

12 Jun 2018

Scientists find novel tactic with potential for fighting medulloblastoma

Scientists have a new tactic with potential for fighting medulloblastoma, the most common and most aggressive form of brain tumor in children. The results are scheduled for publication in Cancer Cell.

12 Jun 2018

Penn research team identifies novel therapeutic target for heart disease

Changes in cellular struts called microtubules (MT) can affect the stiffness of diseased human heart muscle cells, and reversing these modifications can lessen the stiffness and improve the beating strength of these cells isolated from transplant patients with heart failure, found researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

12 Jun 2018

New research explores why minority children have worse cancer outcomes

New research will focus on finding better treatments for minority children with high-risk cancer malignancies - a group whose outcomes and survival rates are worse than other pediatric patients.

11 Jun 2018

Synthetic gene reveals potential therapeutic target for rare, inherited disease

DNA Repair is essential for a healthy organism. In every day of our lives, tens of thousands of damages occur in the genetic material of our cells. Hence, it is not surprising that a broad variety of repair mechanisms developed in the course of evolution that enables cells to quickly react and patch up the affected DNA strands.

11 Jun 2018

CRISPR-Cas9 technique may raise cancer risk

Therapeutic use of gene editing with the so-called CRISPR-Cas9 technique may inadvertently increase the risk of cancer, according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, and the University of Helsinki, Finland, published in Nature Medicine.

11 Jun 2018

Translate Bio collaborates with Sanofi to develop mRNA vaccines for infectious diseases

Translate Bio, a clinical-stage messenger RNA therapeutics company developing a new class of potentially transformative medicines to treat diseases caused by protein or gene dysfunction, announced today a multi-year research and development collaboration and exclusive licensing agreement with Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines global business unit of Sanofi, to develop mRNA vaccines for up to five undisclosed infectious disease pathogens.

11 Jun 2018

Genetic mutation shown to cause bipolar disorder

Researchers have discovered a mutation that may increase the risk of bipolar disorder through a complex interplay between serotonin and mitochondrial signaling.

11 Jun 2018

ANT1 mutations connect bipolar disorder with mitochondrial dysfunction

Mutations in the gene ANT1 may confer a risk for bipolar disorder through a complex interplay between serotonin and mitochondrial signaling in the brain.

11 Jun 2018

Researchers identify enzyme that controls cell’s collagen secretion

Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have identified an enzyme that controls how much our cells secrete collagen.

11 Jun 2018

Rural Vietnam village harbors multi-drug-resistant, colistin-resistant E. coli bacteria, shows study

A new study has found that the majority of residents in a rural village of Vietnam harbored multi-drug-resistant, colistin-resistant E. coli bacteria.

11 Jun 2018

Alnylam announces new positive results from Phase 1/2 study of lumasiran in patients with PH1

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the leading RNAi therapeutics company, announced today new positive results from its Phase 1/2 study with lumasiran, an investigational RNAi therapeutic targeting glycolate oxidase for the treatment of Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1.

8 Jun 2018

International research team develops simplified CRISPR

Details of an advanced form of CRISPR technology have been published in Nature Communications.

8 Jun 2018

Scientists find role of schizophrenia gene in brain development

A USC research team identified 150 proteins affecting cell activity and brain development that contribute to mental disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar condition and depression.

8 Jun 2018