Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Researchers identify 29 genetic variants linked to problematic drinking

A genome-wide analysis of more than 435,000 people has identified 29 genetic variants linked to problematic drinking, researchers at Yale University School of Medicine, and colleagues report May 25 in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

26 May 2020

Researchers find a 'skinny' gene

Some people may have trouble losing weight, while others find it hard to gain weight. Now, a team of scientists may have found the answer to why some people remain thin despite eating without restriction.

26 May 2020

Inherited genetic variations can alter progression of melanoma, indicates study

Sometimes cancer stays put, but often it metastasizes, spreading to new locations in the body. It has long been suspected that genetic mutations arising inside tumor cells drive this potentially devastating turn of events.

26 May 2020

Researchers recombine entire chromosomes with CRISPR/Cas technology

The CRISPR/Cas molecular scissors work like a fine surgical instrument and can be used to modify genetic information in plants.

25 May 2020

Blood test could help doctors identify patients at risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Scientists have identified metabolites in the blood that accurately predict whether a woman will develop type 2 diabetes after experiencing a transient form of illness during pregnancy.

22 May 2020

Novel biomarkers linked to improved outcomes with immunotherapy in metastatic breast cancer

Two novel biomarkers have been found to correlate with improved outcomes with immunotherapy in metastatic breast cancer and may help to identify the patients most likely to benefit from this treatment, according to exploratory studies reported at the ESMO Breast Cancer Virtual Meeting 2020.

22 May 2020

Genetic discoveries show promise for developing new treatment targets for schizophrenia

In recent years, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified many different genetic variants associated with schizophrenia.

22 May 2020

Review finds persistent male bias in pain research

It is increasingly clear that male and female humans and rodents process pain in different ways. And that there are important differences in the underlying mechanisms involved at genetic, molecular, cellular, and physiological levels.

21 May 2020

Researchers receive $5 million to study two types of parasitic infection

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have received two grants from the National Institutes of Health totaling more than $5 million to study two types of parasitic worm infection that cause devastating illness in millions of people worldwide.

21 May 2020

UBC scientists discover gene that plays a role in resisting weight gain

Why can some people eat as much as they want, and still stay thin?

21 May 2020

Experts urge further improvements in COVID-19 testing to increase speed and availability

In an important, comprehensive, and timely review, an expert team from the University of California Berkeley details the methodologies used in nucleic acid-based tests for detecting the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

20 May 2020

Study: Bioelectrical view can provide biological understanding of cellular processes

We use cells to breathe, to moderate body temperature, to grow and many other every day processes, however the cells in these processes are so complex its left scientists perplexed into how they develop in different environments.

20 May 2020

Methodologies to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2

20 May 2020

Study could help identify more targeted treatments for ovarian cancer

The rogue cellular engine that drives a majority of ovarian cancers remains frustratingly difficult to disable. A new study comparing cancerous tissue with normal fallopian tube samples advances important insights about this machinery and confirms biological hallmarks of survival.

20 May 2020

Experts define TRAF7 syndrome-associated phenotype spectrum

An international multicentre study describes a rare disease characterized by a series of recognizable facial features, cardiac defects and intellectual disability, which they propose to name as TRAF7 syndrome -according to the name of the gen that causes this pathology.

19 May 2020