Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Researchers receive $12.8M renewal grant to reveal how smoking causes distinct lung diseases

Despite cigarette smoking being the single most preventable risk factor for both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), two devastating diseases that make it hard to breathe, about 44 million American adults continue to smoke.

8 Sep 2021

Does genetics affect eating behaviors?

A new study adopted a biological approach to assess if food-related behaviors and food involvement have a genetic explanation.

8 Sep 2021

Understanding how pathogens evolve novel virulence activities

Understanding how pathogens evolve is a fundamental component of learning how to protect ourselves and our world from pests and diseases.

7 Sep 2021

New open-access repository of FAQs on human genomic research counters misinformation

New research on the genomic influences on traits such as intelligence, household income, and sexual behavior captures public attention, but it is also used to justify beliefs in racial and social inequalities.

7 Sep 2021

Novel assay helps identify factors that can convert normal cells into liver cancer cells

Researchers at the University of Helsinki could show for the first time that normal human fibroblast cells can be converted to specific cancer cells using only factors that are commonly detected in actual human patients.

7 Sep 2021

Polygenic risk score no better at predicting psychosis outcomes than written reports, study finds

With the help of cutting-edge computer programs, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai went through the genetic and medical records of more than 8,000 schizophrenia patients.

6 Sep 2021

New insights could help unlock the mystery of how lung cancer arises in never smokers

A genomic analysis of lung cancer in people with no history of smoking has found that a majority of these tumors arise from the accumulation of mutations caused by natural processes in the body.

6 Sep 2021

Scientists identify a critical checkpoint in transcription elongation

Northwestern Medicine scientists have identified a critical checkpoint in transcription elongation, the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template, according to findings published in Molecular Cell.

4 Sep 2021

Weill Cornell receives NIH support to advance TB research

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the deadliest infectious diseases in history and one of the few that naturally infects only humans.

4 Sep 2021

Scientists identify novel mechanism that links genetic defect in IBD patients to gut leakiness

A team of researchers led by a biomedical scientist at the University of California, Riverside, has identified a novel mechanism by which loss-of-function mutations in the gene PTPN2, found in many patients with inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, affect how intestinal epithelial cells maintain a barrier.

3 Sep 2021

Researchers develop a machine learning-based screening tool for genetic syndromes in children

With an average accuracy of 88%, a deep learning technology offers rapid genetic screening that could accelerate the diagnosis of genetic syndromes, recommending further investigation or referral to a specialist in seconds, according to a study published in The Lancet Digital Health.

2 Sep 2021

Research uncovers test to identify iMCD patients with superior response to FDA-approved treatment

New research has uncovered a precision medicine test using blood proteins to identify a novel patient subgroup of idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD), a rare blood disorder, who are more likely to respond to siltuximab, the only FDA approved treatment for the disease.

2 Sep 2021

New computational approach may predict how individuals are likely to respond to vaccines

In an advance that sheds light on why certain vaccines may influence people differently, a new computational approach developed at the University of Michigan may predict how individual patients are likely to respond.

2 Sep 2021

Saliva test screenings contribute to low transmission of COVID-19 in schools for children with IDD

Studies have determined that in-school transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19 is rare when masking, social distancing and other safety protocols are followed.

1 Sep 2021

Genomic autopsy reveals many genetic variants associated with cardiomyopathy

Postmortem genetic testing, or genomic autopsy, of young individuals who experienced sudden death revealed many had known genetic variants that are associated with cardiomyopathy, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in JAMA Cardiology.

31 Aug 2021

Hormones play a vital role in the development of breast cancer

A study by RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has provided greater insight into the role that hormones play in the development of breast cancer in patients. The novel findings could enhance the treatment for breast cancer, assisting clinicians in optimising individual patient care and improving overall survival rates for patients.

31 Aug 2021

New, one-stop method developed to avoid de novo genetic disease in embryos

De novo variants (DNVs), genetic mutations that were not previously identifiable in the family history of one of two prospective parents, may cause disease in any children they have.

31 Aug 2021

Finding the genetic cause of childhood epilepsy helps improve treatment and care

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological diseases, affecting more than 50 million people worldwide. Although it is believed that a large proportion of childhood-onset epilepsies are caused by genetic changes, it remains unknown precisely how many of these patients suffer from a genetic disorder and how often the treatment can be targeted to their specific genetic alteration.

31 Aug 2021

Research sheds light on potential biological mechanisms that impact adherence to medications

How strictly patients follow a prescribed drug treatment (drug adherence) is clearly important if the therapy is to have maximum effect. A number of things can affect adherence, including behavioral and socioeconomic factors, but to date there have been few investigations into the role played by genetics. Now, research to be presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics today has thrown new light on the potential biological mechanisms that can affect adherence to treatment.

31 Aug 2021

Genetic tests can provide a better picture of cardiovascular disease risk than blood tests

Determining an individual's blood group based on genetic tests instead of merely traditional blood tests can provide a better picture of the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

30 Aug 2021

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Researchers receive $12.8M renewal grant to reveal how smoking causes distinct lung diseases

Does genetics affect eating behaviors?

Understanding how pathogens evolve novel virulence activities

New open-access repository of FAQs on human genomic research counters misinformation

Novel assay helps identify factors that can convert normal cells into liver cancer cells

Polygenic risk score no better at predicting psychosis outcomes than written reports, study finds

New insights could help unlock the mystery of how lung cancer arises in never smokers

Scientists identify a critical checkpoint in transcription elongation

Weill Cornell receives NIH support to advance TB research

Scientists identify novel mechanism that links genetic defect in IBD patients to gut leakiness

Researchers develop a machine learning-based screening tool for genetic syndromes in children

Research uncovers test to identify iMCD patients with superior response to FDA-approved treatment

New computational approach may predict how individuals are likely to respond to vaccines

Saliva test screenings contribute to low transmission of COVID-19 in schools for children with IDD

Genomic autopsy reveals many genetic variants associated with cardiomyopathy

Hormones play a vital role in the development of breast cancer

New, one-stop method developed to avoid de novo genetic disease in embryos

Finding the genetic cause of childhood epilepsy helps improve treatment and care

Research sheds light on potential biological mechanisms that impact adherence to medications

Genetic tests can provide a better picture of cardiovascular disease risk than blood tests

Sequencing & Genomics: Elevating Science and Healthcare eBook

Synthetic Biology and the Pursuit of Living Diagnostics

Modular, Scalable, Intelligent: How n6 Is Rethinking NGS Library Prep

Shaping the future of lab automation through AI and robotics