Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Eating habits tied to Parkinson’s risk: sweets and processed meats raise odds, fruit lowers them

In a large Italian case-control study, researchers identified data-driven dietary patterns linked to Parkinson’s disease risk. Diets rich in sweets, red and cured meats were associated with higher odds of PD, while fruit, especially citrus, was protective.

29 Oct 2025

Scripps Research professor wins $3.2 million grant to unravel the mysteries of type 1 diabetes

Luc Teyton, professor in the Department of Immunology and Microbiology at Scripps Research, has received a five-year, $3.2 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to help answer how type 1 diabetes manifests and develop potential therapeutics to reverse or prevent the disease.

29 Oct 2025

Unlocking memory: The role of epigenetics in memory expression

Our experiences leave traces in the brain, stored in small groups of cells called "engrams". Engrams are thought to hold the information of a memory and are reactivated when we remember, which makes them very interesting to research on memory and age- or trauma-related memory loss.

29 Oct 2025

Fruit flies illuminate the role of Alzheimer's disease risk genes

Scientists have identified hundreds of genes that may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease but the roles these genes play in the brain are poorly understood.

29 Oct 2025

Heart ‘blueprint’ offers insights into fetal development and congenital defects

New research in Sweden has produced a "blueprint" revealing how the human heart is built during prenatal development.

29 Oct 2025

New biofilm discovery may pave way to undermining antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas

The bacterium known as Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an unwelcome visitor in the human body. Serious infections can result when a bunch of these bugs settle together on a surface to form a biofilm - a community of microbes like the slime on spoiled food, but in this case residing inside a person.

29 Oct 2025

AI-powered LifeClock forecasts diseases years before symptoms appear

Researchers have developed LifeClock, an AI-driven biological clock trained on over 24 million electronic health records to estimate biological age across the human lifespan. The model accurately predicts disease risk years in advance, revealing distinct developmental and aging processes.

28 Oct 2025

BD² expands global effort to examine the key mechanisms of bipolar disorder

Today, BD², or Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder, announced its third round of Discovery Research grants, totaling nearly $18 million – expanding a comprehensive global effort to examine the key mechanisms of bipolar disorder.

28 Oct 2025

Researchers discover a previously unknown genetic cause for microcephaly

Microcephaly is a congenital malformation that leads to a significantly reduced brain size and is often accompanied by developmental delay.

28 Oct 2025

Scripps Research wins $4 million CIRM grant to develop novel platform for neurodevelopmental disorders

Most people are born with two functioning copies of each gene-one inherited from each parent. In many cases, having just one working copy is enough for the body to function normally.

28 Oct 2025

Obesity’s health risks shift with age and sex, new genetic study reveals

Using a new time-resolved Mendelian randomization approach in over 360,000 UK Biobank participants, Karlsson et al. revealed that the causal impact of obesity changes across life, with distinct age- and sex-specific risk patterns for diabetes, heart disease, atrial fibrillation, and osteoarthritis.

27 Oct 2025

Study finds up to 5% of Americans carry genetic mutations linked to increased cancer susceptibility

New Cleveland Clinic research reveals that up to 5% of Americans – approximately 17 million people – carry genetic mutations or "variants" linked to increased cancer susceptibility, regardless of risk factors like personal or family cancer history.

27 Oct 2025

Unraveling the mystery of motor neuron degeneration in ALS

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is among the most challenging neurological disorders: relentlessly progressive, universally fatal, and without a cure even after more than a century and a half of research.

27 Oct 2025

Prenatal air pollution exposure tied to higher autism risk in children

A population-based study of over two million births in Ontario found that prenatal exposure to the sulfate and ammonium components of fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) was associated with a higher risk of autism spectrum disorder. The risk was greatest during mid to late pregnancy and among infants in urban, lower-income neighborhoods.

26 Oct 2025

Study unravels the genetic shield against winter vomiting disease

Winter vomiting disease is caused by the Norovirus, which is most virulent during the colder half of the year.

24 Oct 2025

Unlocking the secrets of vascular health through eye imaging

The tiny blood vessels in your eyes might hold the key to predicting a person's risk of developing heart disease and how fast they're biologically aging, according to researchers at McMaster University and Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) - a joint institute of Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster.

24 Oct 2025

Researchers trace the ancient origins of an urban mosquito species

New research has uncovered the ancient origins of an urban mosquito species, Culex pipiens form molestus, also known as the 'London Underground mosquito' – disproving a long-held theory of when it first evolved.

23 Oct 2025

People with both cavities and gum disease may face higher ischemic stroke risk

People with both cavities and gum disease may face a higher risk of ischemic stroke, according to a study published on October 22, 2025, in Neurology Open Access, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

23 Oct 2025

Exposure to bright light at night can increase heart disease risk

A new study led by Flinders University has found that being exposed to bright light at night can significantly increase the chances of developing serious heart problems, including heart attacks, strokes and heart failure.

23 Oct 2025

Psoriasis-linked gene mutation may also play a surprising role in gut health

A mutation previously linked to skin disorders like psoriasis may also play a surprising role in gut health, according to new research published by scientists at VIB-UGent and colleagues from UGent, the University of Barcelona, and University College London.

23 Oct 2025