Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

New method improves polygenic prediction of disease risk across diverse populations

Polygenic risk scores (PRS) are promising tools for predicting disease risk, but current versions have built-in bias that can affect their accuracy in some populations and result in health disparities.

5 May 2022

Study finds racial and ethnic differences in rising uterine cancer mortality rates in the United States

Deaths from uterine cancer are rising in the United States, and are highest among non-Hispanic Black women, according to a new study led by researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health.

5 May 2022

Relevance of stem-loop 2 motif in SARS-CoV-2 and astroviruses

A recent paper posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server demonstrated that the stem-loop 2 motif (s2m) was substantial for astroviruses but unnecessary for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

5 May 2022

Study offers a path to closing the knowledge gap about differences in breast cancer genes

Too many women are getting unnecessary mastectomies and other invasive procedures because of a knowledge gap about differences in cancer genes. A new study offers a path to closing the gap.

4 May 2022

SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 poses greater risk to global health than BA.1

In a recent study published in the journal Cell, researchers investigated distinguishing virological characteristics of Omicron sub-variant BA.2.

3 May 2022

Brain folds formed during fetal development could affect age at onset in frontotemporal dementia

Frontotemporal dementia begins relatively early compared to other forms of dementia. We still know relatively little about what causes the disease, however, new research from Lund University in Sweden shows that the folds in the brain that are formed in the latter stages of pregnancy could have an impact on the age at which the disease takes hold.

3 May 2022

Lung cancer risk increases with emphysema severity, study reveals

CT-detected emphysema is linked to a higher risk of lung cancer, a risk that increases with emphysema severity, according to a new study published in the journal Radiology.

3 May 2022

Novel genetic mapping study traces links between DNA variations and blood proteins

A new genetic mapping study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health traces links between DNA variations and thousands of blood proteins in two large and distinct populations. The results should help researchers better understand the molecular causes of diseases and identify proteins that could be targeted to treat these diseases.

3 May 2022

New insights on the mechanisms of transmission of bacterial pathogen that causes listeriosis

Listeriosis is a zoonotic disease of food origin that can cause, both in the human species and in animals, symptoms of gastroenteritis, meningitis, bacteremia and miscarriages.

2 May 2022

Combining two cancer drugs can be effective in treating specific type of colorectal cancer, study shows

Researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School Medicine have found that combining two cancer drugs can be effective in treating a specific type of colorectal cancer, according to a new study published in Nature Communications.

2 May 2022

New workflow identifies hidden genetic connections that could improve personalized medicine for IBD

All humans carry genetic variations in their DNA, called Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) that can underlie susceptibility to diseases such as diabetes and cancer.

28 Apr 2022

Genetic bottlenecks could impact Wyoming toads' ability to respond to new pathogens

A new study from North Carolina State University examines immune system diversity in the critically endangered Wyoming toad and finds that genetic bottlenecks could impact a species' ability to respond to new pathogens.

28 Apr 2022

Unraveling how strigoractone hormone regulates massive gene networks controlling plant growth

As sessile organisms, plants have to continually adapt their growth and architecture to the ever-changing environment. To do so, plants have evolved distinct molecular mechanisms to sense and respond to the environment and integrate the signals from outside with endogenous developmental programs.

28 Apr 2022

Specific genes that play important role in schizophrenia identified

Schizophrenia is a serious psychiatric disorder that starts in late adolescence or early adulthood and affects around 1 in 300 people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

28 Apr 2022

Study shows how DNA changes in Barrett's esophagus cells may predict esophageal cancer

More and more mutations clutter up our DNA as we age. Mostly, these don't cause problems. But sometimes, a switch will flip, and a mutated cell turns cancerous. Can we see this shift in time to prevent or treat cancer before it starts?

28 Apr 2022

MAPK pathway mutations can provide “precision” treatment targets for head and neck cancer

About one-fifth of often deadly head and neck cancers harbor genetic mutations in a pathway that is key to normal cell growth, and scientists report those mutations, which enable abnormal cancer cell growth, can also make the cancer vulnerable.

28 Apr 2022

Novel plug-and-play multi-organ chip can be customized to the patient

Engineered tissues have become a critical component for modeling diseases and testing the efficacy and safety of drugs in a human context.

27 Apr 2022

Misexpression of non-cardiac genes may lead to congenital heart disease

Inside embryonic cells, specific proteins control the rate at which genetic information is transcribed from DNA to messenger RNA – a crucial regulatory step before proteins are created. Then, organs develop and hopefully function properly.

27 Apr 2022

Gene discovery could pave the way for new and more effective treatments for lupus

Researchers from The Australian National University have identified a gene called TLR7 that, when over-activated, is responsible for causing lupus, an autoimmune disease that can be life-threatening in severe cases.

27 Apr 2022

Cellular reprogramming can lead to better liver tissue regeneration in mice

Mammals can't typically regenerate organs as efficiently as other vertebrates, such as fish and lizards. Now, Salk scientists have found a way to partially reset liver cells to more youthful states - allowing them to heal damaged tissue at a faster rate than previously observed.

27 Apr 2022

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

New method improves polygenic prediction of disease risk across diverse populations

Study finds racial and ethnic differences in rising uterine cancer mortality rates in the United States

Relevance of stem-loop 2 motif in SARS-CoV-2 and astroviruses

Study offers a path to closing the knowledge gap about differences in breast cancer genes

SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 poses greater risk to global health than BA.1

Brain folds formed during fetal development could affect age at onset in frontotemporal dementia

Lung cancer risk increases with emphysema severity, study reveals

Novel genetic mapping study traces links between DNA variations and blood proteins

New insights on the mechanisms of transmission of bacterial pathogen that causes listeriosis

Combining two cancer drugs can be effective in treating specific type of colorectal cancer, study shows

New workflow identifies hidden genetic connections that could improve personalized medicine for IBD

Genetic bottlenecks could impact Wyoming toads' ability to respond to new pathogens

Unraveling how strigoractone hormone regulates massive gene networks controlling plant growth

Specific genes that play important role in schizophrenia identified

Study shows how DNA changes in Barrett's esophagus cells may predict esophageal cancer

MAPK pathway mutations can provide “precision” treatment targets for head and neck cancer

Novel plug-and-play multi-organ chip can be customized to the patient

Misexpression of non-cardiac genes may lead to congenital heart disease

Gene discovery could pave the way for new and more effective treatments for lupus

Cellular reprogramming can lead to better liver tissue regeneration in mice

Sequencing & Genomics: Elevating Science and Healthcare eBook

Unlocking live single-cell functional insights

Fluidics in Modern Healthcare & Medical Device Innovation

How microRNA is transforming science: From discovery to diagnostics