Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Artificial intelligence technique identifies new class of mutations behind autism

Many mutations in DNA that contribute to disease are not in actual genes but instead lie in the 99% of the genome once considered "junk." Even though scientists have recently come to understand that these vast stretches of DNA do in fact play critical roles, deciphering these effects on a wide scale has been impossible until now.

27 May 2019

Novel method for evaluating genomic sequencing results in newborn screening

Newborn screening is required in the U.S. and differs slightly depending on which state you live in. For the most part, it's done before a newborn baby leaves the hospital and includes a blood test that screens for 30-50 serious health problems that usually arise in infancy or childhood, and could hinder normal development.

26 May 2019

Researchers discover new function of ribosomes in human cells

Researchers from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have discovered a new function of ribosomes in human cells that may show the protein-making particle's role in destroying healthy mRNAs, the messages that decode DNA into protein.

26 May 2019

Infants at high risk for autism are less attuned to differences in speech patterns

A new study by Columbia University researchers found that infants at high risk for autism were less attuned to differences in speech patterns than low-risk infants.

25 May 2019

Newly approved gene therapy for SMA is based on delivery vehicle discovered by Penn expert

James Wilson, MD, PhD, recalls being struck by the devastating toll of rare diseases as a young physician in the 1980s. He set out on a path to correct the genes that cause these conditions, including spinal muscle atrophy (SMA), the most common inherited fatal disease in infants.

25 May 2019

New statement emphasizes need for special multidisciplinary clinical programs

With a better understanding of how various heart conditions are inherited, and the availability of faster and less expensive genetic testing, there is need for more specialized multidisciplinary clinical programs that combine focused expertise in heart disease and genetics, according to a new statement from the American Heart Association, the world's leading voluntary organization focused on heart and brain health.

25 May 2019

Tips for staying safe in water during summer

Beaches, lakes, and pools are great ways to beat the summer heat but there are precautions to take before reaching for that swimsuit, report physicians with The University of Texas Health Science at Houston.

24 May 2019

Are fruit fly 'avatars' the next step in personalized medicine?

Researchers have created fruit fly “avatars” that have helped to guide treatment for a man who had terminal colon cancer.

24 May 2019

Cell scientist receives $1.9 million NIH grant to study muscle regeneration

As people age, their muscle regeneration capacity declines in part because they can no longer make enough muscle stem cells to replace damaged tissue.

24 May 2019

Johns Hopkins researchers develop method to map retinal cell development

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report they have created a method of mapping how the central nervous system develops by tracking the genes expressed in cells.

24 May 2019

Cornell University-led study creates new standard genome for widely researched worm

A new Cornell University-led study finds that the genome for a widely researched worm, on which countless studies are based, was flawed. Now, a fresh genome sequence will set the record straight and improve the accuracy of future research.

24 May 2019

Novel program that provides comprehensive care for Turner syndrome earns national recognition

A novel program designed to provide comprehensive care for Turner syndrome at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and UT Physicians is one of the first in the U.S. to be designated an adult clinic by the Turner Syndrome Global Alliance.

24 May 2019