Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Major grant funds research effort that seeks to understand complexity of invasive cancer

A $9.5 million, five-year grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) will fund an intensive multidisciplinary research effort that seeks to better understand how cancer cells reach an aggressive state and begin to damage surrounding tissue.

25 Mar 2017

Multipronged study of schizophrenia-associated syndrome receives $3.1 million NIH grant

A research team at Emory University is embarking on a multipronged study of 3q29 deletion syndrome, a genetic mutation associated with a 40-fold increased risk for schizophrenia and a range of other neuropsychiatric conditions including mild to moderate intellectual disability, autism and anxiety.

24 Mar 2017

Scientists discover potential role for 'jumping genes' in ALS

By inserting an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-linked human gene called TDP-43 into fruit flies, researchers at Stony Brook University and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory discovered a potential role for 'transposons' in the disease.

24 Mar 2017

Researchers show shared genetic origin between ALS/MND and schizophrenia

Researchers have shown for the first time that Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and schizophrenia have a shared genetic origin, indicating that the causes of these diverse conditions are biologically linked.

24 Mar 2017

Researchers develop new way to assemble genome of an organism from scratch

A team spanning Baylor College of Medicine, Rice University, Texas Children's Hospital and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard has developed a new way to sequence genomes, which can assemble the genome of an organism, entirely from scratch, dramatically cheaper and faster.

24 Mar 2017

New research reveals surprising culprit involved in self-destruction of axons

In many neurodegenerative conditions — Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and peripheral neuropathy among them — an early defect is the loss of axons, the wiring of the nervous system.

24 Mar 2017

Researchers describe set of observable characteristics linked to congenital Zika syndrome

Even as the Zika virus becomes more prevalent — the Centers for Disease Control reports that the number of U.S. infants born with microcephaly and other birth defects is 20 times over the normal rate — researchers are still trying to fully pin down the identifying consequences of the viral infection.

24 Mar 2017

Research suggests way to reverse age-related and radiation-induced DNA damage

DNA repair is essential for cell vitality, cell survival and cancer prevention, yet cells' ability to patch up damaged DNA declines with age for reasons not fully understood.

24 Mar 2017

NHGRI researchers use facial recognition software to diagnose rare genetic disease

Researchers with the National Human Genome Research Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, and their collaborators, have successfully used facial recognition software to diagnose a rare, genetic disease in Africans, Asians and Latin Americans.

24 Mar 2017

OTUD6B gene mutations linked to physical and intellectual deficits

An international team of researchers from institutions around the world, including Baylor College of Medicine, has discovered that mutations of the OTUD6B gene result in a spectrum of physical and intellectual deficits.

24 Mar 2017

Genome sequencing approach opens door to therapy options for rare, neglected cancers

An international team of scientists led by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and UConn School of Medicine have reported the results of a genome sequencing study for an extremely rare form of cancer.

23 Mar 2017

Analysis of antibodies could be new tool for predicting prognosis and choosing therapy for RA patients

In rheumatoid arthritis, antibodies are formed that affect the inflammation in the joints. In an article published today in the journal Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, researchers at Uppsala University show that antibodies against the cartilage protein collagen II are associated with a good prognosis.

23 Mar 2017

Study finds steady increase in BRCA testing among low-risk women

Discovery of the BRCA genetic mutation in the mid-90s represented a breakthrough in breast and ovarian cancer prevention. About 5-10% of breast cancer cases and 10-18% of ovarian cancer cases can be attributed to two BRCA mutations.

23 Mar 2017

Researchers develop novel genetic score to calculate age-specific risk of Alzheimer's disease

An international team of scientists, led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine and University of California San Francisco, has developed a novel genetic score that allows individuals to calculate their age-specific risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD), based upon genetic information.

22 Mar 2017

Researchers uncover gene mutation that may provide answers to unexplained female infertility

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and Rice University have uncovered a gene mutation that may provide answers to unexplained female infertility. The study appears in Scientific Reports, a member of the Nature family of journals.

22 Mar 2017

Changes in the vascular system could play role in initiating Alzheimer’s disease

As the average age of Americans increases, so too does the problem of Alzheimer's, one of the world's most common neurological diseases. In recent years, scientists have explored many new approaches to clear the plaques and tangles in the brain that characterize the condition, but the new drugs have largely turned out to be disappointing.

22 Mar 2017

USC study close to finding gene involved in cleft lip and palate

A group of researchers has found that three siblings born with cleft lip and palate share a common gene mutation associated with the birth defect.

22 Mar 2017

Study reveals link between tanning dependence and other addictive behaviors

Despite the known dangers of exposure to ultraviolet light, many people continue to sunbathe and use indoor tanning beds with some users exhibiting a dependence to tanning. A new study from the Yale School of Public Health finds that such dependence is also associated with other addictive behaviors.

21 Mar 2017

Researchers discover minimally invasive way to take high-resolution pictures of animal brain

With just an inexpensive micro-thin surgical needle and laser light, University of Utah engineers have discovered a minimally invasive, inexpensive way to take high-resolution pictures of an animal brain, a process that also could lead to a much less invasive method for humans.

21 Mar 2017

Tsimane indigenous South Americans have lowest prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis of any population yet studied

The Tsimane people – a forager-horticulturalist population of the Bolivian Amazon – have the lowest reported levels of vascular ageing for any population, with coronary atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) being five times less common than in the US, according to a study published in The Lancet and being presented at the American College of Cardiology conference.

21 Mar 2017

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Major grant funds research effort that seeks to understand complexity of invasive cancer

Multipronged study of schizophrenia-associated syndrome receives $3.1 million NIH grant

Scientists discover potential role for 'jumping genes' in ALS

Researchers show shared genetic origin between ALS/MND and schizophrenia

Researchers develop new way to assemble genome of an organism from scratch

New research reveals surprising culprit involved in self-destruction of axons

Researchers describe set of observable characteristics linked to congenital Zika syndrome

Research suggests way to reverse age-related and radiation-induced DNA damage

NHGRI researchers use facial recognition software to diagnose rare genetic disease

OTUD6B gene mutations linked to physical and intellectual deficits

Genome sequencing approach opens door to therapy options for rare, neglected cancers

Analysis of antibodies could be new tool for predicting prognosis and choosing therapy for RA patients

Study finds steady increase in BRCA testing among low-risk women

Researchers develop novel genetic score to calculate age-specific risk of Alzheimer's disease

Researchers uncover gene mutation that may provide answers to unexplained female infertility

Changes in the vascular system could play role in initiating Alzheimer’s disease

USC study close to finding gene involved in cleft lip and palate

Study reveals link between tanning dependence and other addictive behaviors

Researchers discover minimally invasive way to take high-resolution pictures of animal brain

Tsimane indigenous South Americans have lowest prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis of any population yet studied

eBook: Using iPSCs models for human disease research and drug discovery eBook

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

Synthetic Psychedelics: A Growing Public Health Concern

How the Vutara VXL simplifies single-molecule imaging