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.

Genetics Research and Technology

Genetic Change

Genetic Risk Associated with Social Anxiety

The Importance of Genetic Counseling In Healthcare And Medicine

Genetics of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

The Role of Alternative Splicing in Disease

Genetics and Gene Expression

Applications of the Expanded Genetic Code

Genetic Regulation of Fingers and Toes Development

History of Genetics

What is the Expanded Genetic Code?

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What is Genetic Anticipation?

Genetic Inheritance

Von Recklinghausen Disease Expressivity

What is Cytogenetics?

START and STOP Codons

Genotype Versus Phenotype

Latest Genetics News and Research

How DNA and life experiences leave distinct marks on the human immune system

Using single-cell epigenomic profiling of immune cells from 110 individuals, researchers show that genetic variation and environmental exposures shape the human immune system through distinct DNA methylation mechanisms. Genetic effects concentrate within gene bodies of memory cells, while environmental exposures primarily remodel regulatory regions in naive immune cells.

28 Jan 2026

Following the EAT-Lancet diet lowers chronic kidney disease risk

Research shows the EAT-Lancet diet may lower chronic kidney disease risk, emphasizing the importance of diet quality and personalized nutrition in prevention.

28 Jan 2026

Study isolates mania-specific genetic architecture in bipolar disorder

Researchers at King's College London and the University of Florence have, for the first time, identified the specific genetic blueprint of mania, the defining feature of bipolar disorder.

27 Jan 2026

New atlas of brain lysosomes sheds light on neurodegenerative disorders

Functioning brain cells need a functioning system for picking up the trash and sorting the recycling. But when the cellular sanitation machines responsible for those tasks, called lysosomes, break down or get overwhelmed, it can increase the risk of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurological disorders.

27 Jan 2026

Game-changing discovery reveals how viruses may trigger ALS development

A large, multidisciplinary team led by researchers from Texas A&M University has made a potentially game-changing discovery about the development of devastating motor neuron diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

27 Jan 2026

Tiny plastic particles may interfere with brain processes implicated in Parkinson’s disease

Micro- and nanoplastics are increasingly detected in human tissues, including the brain, and experimental evidence suggests they can interact with biological pathways central to Parkinson’s disease pathology. This review synthesises mechanistic data indicating that plastic particles may influence protein aggregation, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the gut–brain axis, while emphasising the need for prospective human studies.

26 Jan 2026

Evidence links gut microbiome changes to Alzheimer’s progression

Human studies consistently report gut microbiome differences in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, but findings vary widely by cohort, methods, and taxa. Heterogeneity and limited longitudinal data prevent causal inference, highlighting the need for functional profiling and well-designed intervention trials.

25 Jan 2026

Large multi-ancestry study expands understanding of schizophrenia genetics

A landmark study led by researchers with the Department of Veterans Affairs has uncovered new genetic insights into schizophrenia by analyzing data from ancestrally diverse populations, including African Americans, through the Million Veteran Program (MVP) and Cooperative Studies Program (CSP).

24 Jan 2026

Unraveling liver injury mechanisms in familial hypobetalipoproteinemia

Familial Hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL), caused by variants in the apolipoprotein B (APOB) gene, is a rare autosomal co-dominant monogenic disorder characterized by lifelong low plasma levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and APOB.

24 Jan 2026

Genetic study links vitamin B1 metabolism to gut motility and IBS risk

Research links thiamine metabolism to gut motility, identifying genetic markers that could lead to new therapies for IBS and related digestive disorders.

23 Jan 2026

FIU's personalized cancer treatment shows promise

Researchers at FIU are advancing a personalized approach to cancer treatment that is showing increasingly promising results for patients with hard-to-treat disease, supported by new philanthropic investment that is helping expand the science behind the work.

22 Jan 2026

High BMI linked to vascular dementia risk

High body mass index (BMI) could cause a higher risk of vascular-related dementia (a combination of vascular + unspecified dementia), according to new research from the University of Bristol and University Hospital of Copenhagen (Rigshospitalet and Herlev-Gentofte hospital).

22 Jan 2026

Lifelong health: The Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 enters a new era of aging research

One of the world’s most extensive birth cohorts is now entering later adulthood. At the University of Oulu in Finland, the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966) is launching a major new follow-up combining decades of biological, social, and environmental data with modern digital health tools to examine how lifelong exposures and the genome shape health and aging.

22 Jan 2026

Unlocking microbial secrets for health on Earth and beyond

Microorganisms live in biofilms - the equivalent of microbial "cities"- everywhere on Earth. These city-like structures protect and house microbial communities and play essential roles in enabling human and plant health on our planet.

22 Jan 2026

Large study identifies more than 100 genetic regions linked to schizophrenia

A team of researchers led by scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, and the Department of Veterans Affairs has conducted the largest and most comprehensive genome-wide association study (GWAS) to date of schizophrenia in individuals of African ancestry.

21 Jan 2026

Researchers develop protocol to create functional acinar cells in organoids

Organoids are three-dimensional miniature models of organs, grown in a dish.

21 Jan 2026

Weill Cornell Medicine receives ARPA-H award to advance lymphatic disease diagnosis

Weill Cornell Medicine has received a $5.2 million, initial two-year award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Lymphatic Imaging, Genomics, and pHenotyping Technologies (LIGHT) program to develop a comprehensive and innovative approach to diagnosing lymphatic disease.

20 Jan 2026

Far-red light suppresses biofilm formation and virulence in pathogenic bacteria

Light is a universal stimulus that influences all living things. Cycles of light and dark help set the biological clocks for organisms ranging from single-celled bacteria to human beings.

20 Jan 2026

Prenatal wildfire smoke exposure linked to higher autism risk in children

Exposure to wildfire smoke during the final months of pregnancy may raise the risk that a child is later diagnosed with autism, according to a new study led by Tulane University researchers.

20 Jan 2026

Blood lipid–hormone ratios predict future asthma attacks years in advance

This study shows that specific ratios of circulating sphingolipids to steroids can predict the risk of future asthma exacerbations over five years with high discriminatory performance. By integrating metabolomics with longitudinal medical records, the research highlights lipid–hormone pathway imbalance as a key driver of asthma instability.

20 Jan 2026