Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Expression of long non-coding RNAs can result in high levels of specific proteins involved in cancer

A Danish-German research team has shown that not only the where and when of long non-coding RNA expression is important for their function but also the how.

25 Apr 2018

Salk researchers develop new glioblastoma model using gene-edited organoids

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an incredibly deadly brain cancer and presents a serious black box challenge. It's virtually impossible to observe how these tumors operate in their natural environment and animal models don't always provide good answers.

25 Apr 2018

MGH researchers identify risk factors for drug overdose in youth with substance use disorders

A team of Massachusetts General Hospital investigators has identified factors that may increase the risk of drug overdose in adolescents and young adults. In their report published online in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, the researchers describe finding that more than a quarter of those seeking treatment at Addiction Recovery Management Service, an MGH-based outpatient substance-use-disorder treatment program for youth ages 14 to 26, had a history of at least one overdose.

24 Apr 2018

New technique harnesses 'natural barcodes' to facilitate better cell tracking

Each of us carries in our genomes about 10 million genetic variations called single nucleotide polymorphisms, which represent a difference of just one letter in the genetic code.

24 Apr 2018

Researchers discover new gene associated with aortic aneurysms

An interdisciplinary team of researchers has identified a new gene linked to human aortic aneurysms. By combining comprehensive genetic studies in the fruit fly, dataset searches and analysis of diseased human aortic tissue, the researchers shed light on mechanisms not previously known to be associated with this devastating disease.

24 Apr 2018

Role of extrachromosomal pieces of DNA in cancer development and treatment resistance

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer. Response to standard-of-care treatment is poor, with a two-year survival rate of only 15 percent.

24 Apr 2018

Salamander study provides clues for treating spinal cord injuries

One of the most vexing problems with spinal cord injuries is that the human body does not rebuild nerves once they have been damaged. Other animals, on the other hand, seem to have no problem repairing broken neurons.

23 Apr 2018

Study examines how higher-order gene combinations help maintain normal cell physiology

We inherit many traits from our parents including the color of our eyes and hair. Unfortunately, we also inherit risk factors for certain diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Understanding those genetic connections can help prevention efforts and develop new life-saving treatments to combat these diseases.

20 Apr 2018

Scientists identify gene responsible for evolution of recombination rates

Genetics is a crapshoot. During sexual reproduction, genes from both the mother and the father mix and mingle to produce a genetic combination unique to each offspring. In most cases, the chromosomes line up properly and crossover. In some unlucky cases, however, "selfish DNA" enters the mix, causing abnormal crossovers with deletions or insertions in chromosomes, which can manifest as birth defects.

20 Apr 2018

Study may explain how chemoresistance evolves over time in some triple-negative breast cancers

Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of the disease accounting for 12 to 18 percent of breast cancers. It is a scary diagnosis, and even though chemotherapy can be effective as standard-of-care, many patients become resistant to treatment.

20 Apr 2018

Role of UBE3A enzyme in Angelman syndrome

The group, led by the Ikerbasque professor Ugo Mayor of the UPV/EHU's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has just published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics an explanation of the mechanisms affected by Angelman syndrome.

20 Apr 2018

New initiative launched to support goals of Human Cell Atlas

Uri Laserson, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics and Genomics Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and collaborators have been awarded one of 85 grants announced today from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative DAF (CZI), an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

20 Apr 2018

Researchers develop new drug-testing platform for epilepsy

For more than a third of children living with epilepsy, the currently approved medications do not stop their seizures. This statistic has not changed for the past five decades, despite the development of many new anti-seizure drugs.

20 Apr 2018

UT Southwestern researchers identify 170 potential therapeutic targets for lung cancer

After testing more than 200,000 chemical compounds, UT Southwestern's Simmons Cancer Center researchers have identified 170 chemicals that are potential candidates for development into drug therapies for lung cancer.

20 Apr 2018

Breathtaking evolution amongst Indonesian tribe - bigger spleens for free-diving

New evidence shows that the Bajau tribes from Indonesia, who are known to dive deep into the waters for up to 70 metres have evolved to develop larger spleens. Previous studies have shown that free dives and spleens have an association.

19 Apr 2018

Study examines effectiveness of caregiver education about sickle cell trait

Despite universal newborn screening that detects the presence of sickle cell trait (SCT), only 16 percent of Americans with SCT know their status. To address this issue, in Ohio, in-person education is offered to caregivers of referred infants with SCT.

18 Apr 2018

New study maps links between 625 genes and different chemotherapy treatments

Despite the great successes of targeted cancer drugs and the promise of novel immunotherapies, the vast majority of people diagnosed with cancer are still first treated with chemotherapy. Now a new study by UCSF researchers using techniques drawn from computational biology could make it much easier for physicians to use the genetic profile of a patient's tumor to pick the chemotherapy treatment with the fewest side effects and best chance of success.

18 Apr 2018

Gene affects some women's body fat distribution and increases their diabetes risk

A natural variation of the gene KLF14 causes some women to store fat on their bellies and hips and puts them at significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes, new research reveals.

17 Apr 2018

Study: Hot spots of type 1 diabetes found in food swamps

Hot spots of type 1 diabetes in New York City are found in food swamps, areas with a higher proportion of fast food restaurants, for children and adults with type 1 diabetes according to a new study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of the Endocrine Society.

17 Apr 2018

FDA approves combination immunotherapy for treatment of kidney cancer

The standard of care for kidney cancer patients continues to improve. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted approval to the combination of two immunotherapy drugs, ipilimumab and nivolumab, for the treatment of metastatic kidney cancer.

17 Apr 2018