Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

UC Davis researchers pioneer safer gene therapy for vision loss

The UC Davis Department of Ophthalmology has received a five-year, $3.6 million grant from the National Eye Institute to explore a new way to treat vision loss using gene therapy.

22 Jul 2025

Breakthrough gene therapy reverses genetic deafness across age groups

Using gene therapy to treat hereditary deafness is safe and effective in both children and adults, according to new findings from a multicenter clinical trial.

22 Jul 2025

Dual cancer drugs restore memory and rewire brain cells in Alzheimer’s mouse models

Researchers identified a combination of two existing cancer drugs, letrozole and irinotecan, that reversed Alzheimer’s disease-related changes in brain cell networks and improved memory in mouse models. The study supports a multi-cell-type, network-correcting strategy as a promising path for future Alzheimer’s treatments.

22 Jul 2025

Restricted diet triggers drop in microbial diversity without convergence

According to a recent exploratory study published in eGastroenterology, the answer is more complex than expected. Researchers from KU Leuven and collaborating institutions conducted a tightly controlled dietary intervention, known as the "Oatmeal Study", to examine whether restricting food variety could induce convergence in the gut microbiota across individuals.

22 Jul 2025

New link found between cellular stress and aggressive pancreatic cancer

Precancerous cells must adapt to and overcome cellular stress and inflammation in order to progress and form malignant tumors.

22 Jul 2025

Astrocytes play key role in coordinating neurons for visual information

Cells called astrocytes are about as abundant in the brain as neurons, but scientists have spent much less time figuring out how they contribute to brain functions.

22 Jul 2025

New antibody therapy offers hope for fragile patients with Fanconi anemia

An antibody treatment developed at Stanford Medicine successfully prepared patients for stem cell transplants without toxic busulfan chemotherapy or radiation, a phase 1 clinical trial has shown.

22 Jul 2025

New genetic discovery could change how Friedreich's ataxia is diagnosed

A University of Oklahoma researcher is the first to discover that the sequence of the genetic defect in the neuromuscular disease Friedreich's ataxia isn't always as uniform as previously thought, a breakthrough finding that could spark changes in how the condition is diagnosed and studied.

21 Jul 2025

Liver identified as key driver of cancer cachexia

Many people with cancer experience dramatic loss of muscle and fat tissue. In many cases, even the heart muscle is affected, which further weakens the body.

21 Jul 2025

Immune cells navigate tissues with coordinated cytoskeletal forces

Immune responses rely on the efficient movement of immune cells within the complex and geometrically unpredictable three-dimensional tissues that make up our bodies.

21 Jul 2025

Blocking a single gene disrupts vitamin D metabolism and cancer pathways in new cell study

Researchers identified SDR42E1 as a key regulator of vitamin D absorption and sterol metabolism in colorectal cancer cells. Disruption of this enzyme altered cancer-related pathways and cell viability, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target.

21 Jul 2025

APOE ε4 variant reveals hidden risk factors beyond Alzheimer’s

Researchers discovered that people carrying the APOE ε4 gene variant share a unique immune-related protein signature across their blood, brain, and cerebrospinal fluid—regardless of neurodegenerative disease diagnosis. This signature reveals a fundamental, disease-independent vulnerability linked to APOE ε4, reframing our understanding of genetic risk in conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, ALS, and FTD.

21 Jul 2025

Study identifies mechanism that helps prevent cancer, neurodegeneration, and premature aging

Researchers at the University of Oxford and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have uncovered the mechanism by which cells identify and repair a highly toxic form of DNA damage that causes cancer, neurodegeneration, and premature aging.

21 Jul 2025

Prime editing reverses symptoms of severe childhood neurological disease

Scientists use a precise form of gene editing called prime editing to correct the most common genetic mutations that cause alternating hemiplegia of childhood, a rare and severe neurological disorder that begins in infancy.

21 Jul 2025

Gene editing in the brain offers hope for ultra-rare neurological disease

Scientists have corrected gene mutations in mice causing an ultra-rare disease by editing DNA directly in the brain with a single injection, a feat with profound implications for patients with neurological diseases.

21 Jul 2025

Combination of two cancer drugs could treat the most common form of dementia

A study comparing the gene expression signature of Alzheimer's disease with those elicited by 1,300 approved drugs found a combination of two cancer medications that could treat the most common form of dementia.

21 Jul 2025

New study identifies genes that shape human brain features

What makes the human brain distinctive? A new study published July 21 in Cell identifies two genes linked to human brain features and provides a road map to discover many more.

21 Jul 2025

Myeloid cells play central role in immune response after polytrauma

Gaining insights into the complex pathways and key cell populations involved in immune dysregulation can aid the development of therapeutic approaches to treat polytrauma, which is associated with poor patient outcomes.

21 Jul 2025

Sperm RNA profiles could identify the best embryos for IVF

Findings on sperm RNA suggest new biomarkers for IVF success, potentially improving embryo selection and reducing cycles needed for desired fertility outcomes.

21 Jul 2025

Goat milk boosts muscle health better than cow’s milk in animal study

Dairy products, especially low-fat and fortified goat milk, significantly improved muscle mass, reduced inflammation, and positively modulated gut microbiota in a mouse model of sarcopenia. These findings suggest tailored dairy interventions could help delay age-related muscle loss.

21 Jul 2025