Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Scientists develop new array to identify biomarkers for wide range of diseases

Scientists have developed a way to identify biomarkers for a wide range of diseases by assessing the antibodies we are making to the complex sugars coating our cells.

12 Feb 2018

UNC gene therapy scientists uncover viral barcode to penetrate blood-brain barrier

Gene therapies promise to revolutionize the treatment of many diseases, including neurological diseases such as ALS. But the small viruses that deliver therapeutic genes can have adverse side effects at high doses.

11 Feb 2018

Salk scientists uncover how the liver can have a speedy response to food

Minutes after you eat a meal, as nutrients rush into your bloodstream, your body makes massive shifts in how it breaks down and stores fats and sugars.

9 Feb 2018

Undergraduate researcher discovers genes linked to glioblastoma

When Leland Dunwoodie, an undergraduate researcher in biochemistry, approached his PI about wanting to start research on "some human stuff" in the spring of 2016, he didn't imagine it would lead to the discovery of 22 genes that are implicated in glioblastoma, the most aggressive type of brain cancer.

9 Feb 2018

Study reveals the link between genetic variations and major psychiatric disorders

Psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, autism, and bipolar disorder share common molecular characteristics, despite variations in gene expression.

9 Feb 2018

Researchers describe human blood-nerve barrier transcriptome for the first time

Human peripheral nerves -- all the nerves outside of the central nervous system -- are protected by the blood-nerve barrier. This is a tight covering of endothelial cells that maintains the microenvironment within the nerves by restricting the amounts or types of water, ions, solutes and nutrients that can reach the axons, or electric cables within the nerves, from the blood circulation system.

8 Feb 2018

Myriad’s myRisk Hereditary Cancer test finds inherited gene mutations in more than 12% of prostate cancer patients

Myriad Genetics, Inc., a leader in molecular diagnostics and personalized medicine, announced today that results from a large 1,162 patient study of the Myriad myRisk Hereditary Cancer test will be featured during the poster presentation at the 2018 Genitourinary Cancer Symposium in San Francisco, Calif.

8 Feb 2018

Next-generation ‘active genetics’ tool opens new horizons

In 2015, University of California San Diego biologists Ethan Bier and Valentino Gantz developed a breakthrough technology known as "active genetics," which results in parents transmitting a genetic trait to most of their offspring (instead of 50 percent receiving the trait under standard inheritance).

6 Feb 2018

Scientists discover rare hypertension disease gene

More than a billion people worldwide suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension). Prolonged hypertension damages blood vessels, which can result in damage to the heart, the kidneys, and the brain. Possible consequences include heart attack, kidney failure, and stroke.

5 Feb 2018

Researchers move closer to solving puzzle of 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome

Researchers are closer to solving the puzzle of a complex neurological condition called 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome. Individuals with this condition are missing a small piece of chromosome 15 that usually contains six genes, but which one of the genes is responsible for the clinical characteristics of patients has not been clear.

2 Feb 2018

Fight for Sight awards new grants for 13 vital eye research projects

Fight for Sight, the leading eye research charity, has awarded grants totaling over £180,000 for thirteen vital research projects in partnership with nine different organizations.

2 Feb 2018

New scientific statement reveals shared risk factors and cardiotoxic effects of cancer therapy

A new scientific statement issued today by the American Heart Association underscores the commonalities between cardiovascular disease and breast cancer among women, and it calls for more focus on research and specialized treatment where the diseases overlap.

1 Feb 2018

Free magnesium ions regulate chromosome shape, new tool shows

Japanese researchers report a new ion detector, MARIO. Using it, they show that changes in the intracellular concentration of free magnesium ions (Mg2+) is critical for the chromosome folding that must occur for cells to divide.

1 Feb 2018

Exploring the Future of Breast Cancer Risk Assessment

An interview with Dr Gareth Evans about the future of breast cancer screening and the implementation of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) profiling.

1 Feb 2018

Steven R. Brant shines light on genetic causes for IBD

Whether he is sailboat racing on the Chesapeake Bay or researching genetic causes for inflammatory bowel disease, Steven R. Brant values one quality above all others: a strong team.

31 Jan 2018

Scientists discover role of two specific HOX genes in colon cancer development

In breakthrough colon cancer research, scientists at Christiana Care Health System's Center for Translational Cancer Research of the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute have discovered that over-expression of HOXA4 and HOXA9 genes in colon cancer stem cells promotes cell replication and contributes to the overpopulation of stem cells that drives colon cancer development.

31 Jan 2018