Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Amount of amyloid plaques in the brain predicts rate of cognitive decline, study finds

A new study from the Center for Vital Longevity at The University of Texas at Dallas has found that the amount of amyloid plaques in a person's brain predicts the rate at which his or her cognition will decline in the next four years.

15 Jun 2017

Penn study reveals new molecular pilot light required to turn on brown fat furnace

As we bask in the summer heat, it is easy to take for granted that humans are also prepared for the cold of winter, with overcoats in the closet and home heating systems ready to be fired up as an added assurance against falling temperatures.

15 Jun 2017

Scientists show how brain circuits govern hunger and cravings

The urge to satisfy hunger is a primal one, but – as any dieter knows – choices about when and what to eat can be influenced by cues in the environment, not just how long it's been since breakfast.

14 Jun 2017

Researchers discover how mutations in protein network drive high-risk leukemias

Researchers have uncovered how mutations in a protein network drive several high-risk leukemias, offering new prospects for novel therapies.

14 Jun 2017

Experimental drug suppresses new defective PTEN cancer pathway, study finds

A collaboration between Saïd M. Sebti, Ph.D., chair of Moffitt Cancer Center's Drug Discovery Department, and Michele Pagano, M.D., chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at New York University's Langone Medical Center, led to the publication of an important study in the latest issue of Nature.

14 Jun 2017

SLU scientists discover nuclear receptor that appears to play key role in muscle regeneration

Saint Louis University researchers report in Molecular Metabolism new findings that the nuclear receptor REV-ERB appears to play a key role in muscle regeneration, suggesting the receptor may be a good target for new drugs to treat a variety of muscle disorders and injuries.

14 Jun 2017

Study shows how RNA splicing errors may trigger development of ALS, FTD

The most frequent genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)- rare and related neurological disorders marked by progressive deterioration of motor or cognitive abilities- may be due to errors in RNA splicing, an intermediary step for translating genetic instructions into functional proteins.

14 Jun 2017

Findings may contribute to better understanding of aging and cancer development

A team of researchers led by Dr. Dennis Kappei, a Special Fellow from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore at the National University of Singapore, has discovered the role of the protein ZBTB48 in regulating both telomeres and mitochondria, which are key players involved in cellular aging.

14 Jun 2017

New mutation in MUC1 gene could be valuable biomarker for diagnosing kidney disease

Medullary cystic kidney disease type 1 (MCKD1) is a rare genetic kidney disease. Despite this, because it is an autosomal dominant disease, once the mutation is in a family, many family members are affected. Current diagnostic methods discover the disease late in its development.

14 Jun 2017

UNC study uncovers crucial function of key enzyme found in virtually all organisms

UNC School of Medicine researchers have cracked a long-standing mystery about an important enzyme found in virtually all organisms other than bacteria.

13 Jun 2017

USC scientists illuminate impact of early brain-clogging plaques on Alzheimer's disease

Older adults with elevated levels of brain-clogging plaques -- but otherwise normal cognition -- experience faster mental decline suggestive of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study led by the Keck School of Medicine of USC that looked at 10 years of data.

13 Jun 2017

Impairment of specific gene increases susceptibility to opioid addiction and binge eating, study shows

Impairment of a particular gene raises increases susceptibility to opioid addiction liability as well as vulnerability to binge eating according to a new study.

13 Jun 2017

Altered virus could help more patients to become eligible for human gene therapy trials

For many patients, participating in gene therapy clinical trials isn't an option because their immune system recognizes and fights the helpful virus used for treatment.

13 Jun 2017

Molecule may play role in helping maintain balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurons

Many neurological diseases are malfunctions of synapses, or the points of contact between neurons that allow senses and other information to pass from finger to brain.

13 Jun 2017

Poor diet may fuel Alzheimer's in people who carry disease-related gene

A diet high in cholesterol, fat and sugar may influence the development of Alzheimer's disease in people who carry the ApoE4 gene, a leading risk factor for the memory-erasing disease, indicates a new USC study.

13 Jun 2017

Scientists create method for mapping genome-wide DNA damage caused by chemical carcinogen

Scientists have known for decades that smoking cigarettes causes DNA damage, which leads to lung cancer. Now, for the first time, UNC School of Medicine scientists created a method for effectively mapping that DNA damage at high resolution across the genome.

13 Jun 2017

Genetic testing getting better at identifying testicular cancer risk

Testing for a new group of genes associated with testicular cancer has improved the ability to identify men at greatest risk of the disease, say researchers. Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, found that by testing for 19 new genetic factors in addition to the 25 risk genes already known, they could identify the 1% of men at highest risk.

13 Jun 2017

TSRI scientists solve cellular mystery that may have implications for fundamental biology

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have solved a cellular mystery that may have important implications for fundamental biology and diseases like ALS.

13 Jun 2017

Dietary practices get reflected in the genes of Europeans, study reveals

A recently published Cornell University study describes how shifts in the diets of Europeans after the introduction of farming 10,000 years ago led to genetic adaptations that favored the dietary trends of the time.

13 Jun 2017

Review suggests need for improved treatment outcome measures in clinical trials for FXS

A group of researchers from several institutions in the USA, including Johns Hopkins Medicine, reports that its review of 22 clinical trials of fragile X syndrome (FXS) suggests the need for a wider use of newer and improved treatment outcome measurement tools for this and other several neurodevelopmental disorders.

13 Jun 2017

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Amount of amyloid plaques in the brain predicts rate of cognitive decline, study finds

Penn study reveals new molecular pilot light required to turn on brown fat furnace

Scientists show how brain circuits govern hunger and cravings

Researchers discover how mutations in protein network drive high-risk leukemias

Experimental drug suppresses new defective PTEN cancer pathway, study finds

SLU scientists discover nuclear receptor that appears to play key role in muscle regeneration

Study shows how RNA splicing errors may trigger development of ALS, FTD

Findings may contribute to better understanding of aging and cancer development

New mutation in MUC1 gene could be valuable biomarker for diagnosing kidney disease

UNC study uncovers crucial function of key enzyme found in virtually all organisms

USC scientists illuminate impact of early brain-clogging plaques on Alzheimer's disease

Impairment of specific gene increases susceptibility to opioid addiction and binge eating, study shows

Altered virus could help more patients to become eligible for human gene therapy trials

Molecule may play role in helping maintain balance of excitatory and inhibitory neurons

Poor diet may fuel Alzheimer's in people who carry disease-related gene

Scientists create method for mapping genome-wide DNA damage caused by chemical carcinogen

Genetic testing getting better at identifying testicular cancer risk

TSRI scientists solve cellular mystery that may have implications for fundamental biology

Dietary practices get reflected in the genes of Europeans, study reveals

Review suggests need for improved treatment outcome measures in clinical trials for FXS

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