Genetics

Genetics is the study of genes and heredity. Heredity is the passing of genetic information and traits (such as eye color and an increased chance of getting a certain disease) from parents to offspring.

How Do Genetic Mutations Cause Disease?

Mutations in genes can lead to genetic disorders, impacting health. Understand the types, causes, and implications of genetic mutations and disease.

What is Cytogenetics?

START and STOP Codons

Genetic Risk Associated with Social Anxiety

Genotype Versus Phenotype

What is the Expanded Genetic Code?

Genetics and Gene Expression

The Role of Alternative Splicing in Disease

What is Genetic Anticipation?

Genetic Inheritance

Von Recklinghausen Disease Expressivity

History of Genetics

See more featured articles »

Genetics Research and Technology

Genetics of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Applications of the Expanded Genetic Code

Genetic Regulation of Fingers and Toes Development

Genetic Change

The Importance of Genetic Counseling In Healthcare And Medicine

Latest Genetics News and Research

High-fat cheese and cream consumption links to lower dementia risk over 25 years

Higher intake of high-fat cheese and cream was associated with a lower risk of all-cause dementia over 25 years in a large Swedish cohort, while low-fat dairy showed no association. Associations were strongest for vascular dementia and among APOE ε4 non-carriers, with findings remaining observational.

23 Dec 2025

Researchers create the most detailed 3D maps of the human genome

In a landmark effort to understand how the physical structure of our DNA influences human biology, Northwestern investigators and the 4D Nucleome Project have unveiled the most detailed maps to date of the genome's three‑dimensional organization across time and space, according to a new study published in Nature.

22 Dec 2025

Rethinking Mendelian assumptions in inherited retinal degenerations

A new study challenges what's long been assumed about genetic variants thought to always cause inherited blindness.

22 Dec 2025

Homer1 gene plays a critical role in shaping attention

Attention disorders such as ADHD involve a breakdown in our ability to separate signal from noise. The brain is constantly bombarded with information, and focus depends on its ability to filter out distractions and detect what matters.

22 Dec 2025

Genes influence the gut microbiome beyond the individual

The gut microbiome - made up of trillions of microbes in the digestive tract - is vital for digestion and overall health. Diet and medication shape these microbial ecosystems, but the contribution of genetics has been more difficult to ascertain.

19 Dec 2025

Access barriers keep Black and low-income patients out of genetics clinics

Black patients and patients from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods are dramatically under-represented in genetics clinics-often at rates half or less than those of White patients or individuals from wealthier areas-according to researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts General Hospital.

19 Dec 2025

ACE2 protein may play a protective role against high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes

A collaborative study from the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) and Imperial College London has found that the protein ACE2 may play a protective role against two common conditions, high blood pressure and type-2 diabetes, which affect millions of people worldwide.

19 Dec 2025

Genes and biological networks that drive long COVID risk

This study merges causal genetics and network theory, revealing 32 genes linked to long COVID, offering insights for diagnostics and personalized therapies.

19 Dec 2025

Junk' DNA may hold new clues to Alzheimer’s disease

When most of us think of DNA, we have a vague idea it's made up of genes that give us our physical features, our behavioral quirks, and keep our cells and organs running.

18 Dec 2025

Folate deficiency drives genetic changes linked to lung cancer

Genetic alterations lie at the heart of cancer development, but scientists may have been overlooking a powerful driver of these changes—the everyday nutrients that feed our cells.

18 Dec 2025

Social living allows genetic effects to spread through the gut microbiome

Your "roommate's" genes could be influencing the bacteria living in your gut, and vice versa, according to a study of rats published today in Nature Communications.

18 Dec 2025

Intermittent fasting edges daily calorie cuts for blood pressure and long-term cardiovascular risk estimates

In a real-world registry study of adults with overweight or obesity, 5:2 intermittent fasting and daily calorie restriction both improved blood pressure over 12 weeks. Intermittent fasting produced modestly greater reductions in systolic and pulse pressure and a larger drop in BMI-based 30-year cardiovascular risk scores, without superior lipid or glycaemic effects.

17 Dec 2025

Rethinking dopamine’s role in movement and Parkinson’s disease

A McGill-led study is challenging a popular theory about how dopamine drives movement, a discovery that could shift how scientists think about Parkinson's disease treatments.

17 Dec 2025

Lysophosphatidylcholines show gene-dependent effects in early Alzheimer’s disease

A new study presents robust evidence on the role of lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) in the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers discovered that LPCs-compounds that transport a variety of healthy fatty acids to the brain-either promote Alzheimer's or protect against it, depending on a person's genetics.

17 Dec 2025

Hyperphosphorylated tau may help protect the brain from infection

One of the main proteins that contributes to Alzheimer's disease is called phospho-tau (p-tau). When p-tau gets too many phosphate groups attached to it (a process called hyperphosphorylation), it starts to stick together and form clumps called "tangles" inside of brain nerve cells.

17 Dec 2025

Researchers uncover how a gene influences cell size across various cell types

What keeps our cells the right size? Scientists have long puzzled over this fundamental question, since cells that are too large or too small are linked to many diseases. Until now, the genetic basis behind cell size has largely been a mystery.

17 Dec 2025

A multi-gene mouse model reveals new mechanisms of Hirschsprung disease

During development of the digestive system, a complex network of nerves forms around it, creating a "second brain" - the enteric nervous system (ENS) - which controls the movement of food and waste through the gut.

16 Dec 2025

First-of-its-kind mRNA system switches on therapeutic genes inside targeted cells

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed a first-of-its-kind mRNA system that switches on therapeutic genes preferentially inside targeted cells-an advance demonstrated in studies in mice that could lay the groundwork for safer, more precise treatments for cancer and other diseases.

16 Dec 2025

Tau biology expands beyond microtubules to neurodegeneration, metabolism and mental illness

An Thought Leaders Invited Review published today in Genomic Psychiatry by Dr. Peng Lei and colleagues presents a sweeping synthesis of tau protein research that fundamentally reframes our understanding of this molecule's dual identity.

16 Dec 2025

Scientists discover rapid synapse adaptation in neuronal communication

Every movement you make and every memory you form depends on precise communication between neurons. When that communication is disrupted, the brain must rapidly rebalance its internal signaling to keep circuits functioning properly.

16 Dec 2025