Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Researchers discover 'Developmental Split-Brain syndrome' caused by biallelic mutations in DCC gene

In a study published in Nature Genetics, Dr Saumya Jamuar, co-founder of Global Gene Corp and a visiting scientist at Harvard Medical School, under the supervision of Prof Christopher Walsh and A/Prof Timothy Yu of Harvard Medical School, reports on a new disease entity that they discovered in their quest to map novel human disorders related to brain development.

3 Mar 2017

Case Western Reserve and VA team up to tackle rising problem of antibiotic resistance

Since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, antibiotics have made the world a much safer and healthier place. But Shakespeare was onto something when he asked if it's possible to have too much of a good thing. In the case of antibiotics, the answer is increasingly "yes."

3 Mar 2017

Researchers discover CTE in deceased patient's brain with no known history of head trauma

Researchers at Toronto Western Hospital's Canadian Concussion Centre have discovered the presence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the brain of a deceased patient with no known history of traumatic brain injury or concussion, the first known case of its kind.

2 Mar 2017

Red hair-related gene variant may contribute to link between melanoma and Parkinson's disease

A gene variant that produces red hair and fair skin in humans and in mice, which increases the risk of the dangerous skin cancer melanoma, may also contribute to the known association between melanoma and Parkinson's disease.

2 Mar 2017

Study increases understanding of how air pollution affects human health

Researchers from the University of Leicester have for the first time discovered that bacteria that cause respiratory infections are directly affected by air pollution - increasing the potential for infection and changing the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment.

2 Mar 2017

Advances in Optogenetics

Optogenetics is a way of introducing information into the brain using light, it targets specific cells or connections across the brain. It is fast, like brain signaling, and helps you communicate with neural circuitry in a language more similar to what is normally used within the brain.

From Pittcon 2 Mar 2017

Highly prevalent gene variants in African Americans contribute to kidney disease

African Americans have a heightened risk of developing chronic and end-stage kidney disease. This association has been attributed to two common genetic variants - named G1 and G2 -- in APOL1, a gene that codes for a human-specific protein.

1 Mar 2017

KRAS ‘imbalances’ that emerge over time may influence cancer treatment response

Choosing among cancer treatments increasingly involves determining whether tumor cells harbor specific, mutated "oncogenes" that drive abnormal growth and that may also be especially vulnerable or resistant to particular drugs.

28 Feb 2017

Australian scientists discover genetic clues for degenerative eye disease that leads to blindness

Australian scientists have discovered the first evidence of genes that cause Macular Telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel), a degenerative eye disease which leads to blindness and is currently incurable and untreatable.

28 Feb 2017

Researchers discover rare deafness-dystonia syndrome in a family in Pakistan

A group of researchers from Pakistan, Europe and Singapore have identified and characterised a previously undiscovered rare deafness-dystonia syndrome in a family living in a remote region of Pakistan.

28 Feb 2017

New molecule may inhibit growth of aggressive pediatric brain tumor

Northwestern Medicine scientists have found a molecule that stops the growth of an aggressive pediatric brain tumor. The tumor is always fatal and primarily strikes children under 10 years old.

27 Feb 2017

New study aims to better understand major factors affecting African American cancer survivors

The Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University School of Medicine will launch the nation's largest study of African American cancer survivors to better understand disproportionately high incidence and mortality from cancer and its impact on this specific patient population.

27 Feb 2017

Study finding suggests new ways in which genetic mutations may cause brain disorders

Many kids say they love their mom and dad equally, but there are times when even the best prefers one parent over the other. The same can be said for how the body's cells treat our DNA instructions. It has long been thought that each copy - one inherited from mom and one from dad - is treated the same. A new study from scientists at the University of Utah School of Medicine shows that it is not uncommon for cells in the brain to preferentially activate one copy over the other.

25 Feb 2017

Alzheimer's drug prescribed off-label could accelerate cognitive decline for some patients

Donepezil, a medication that is approved to treat people with Alzheimer's disease, should not be prescribed for people with mild cognitive impairment without a genetic test.

24 Feb 2017

Scientists unravel mechanism of rare, early phenomenon that can affect human development

The genetic material of an organism encodes the instructions that guide its development. These codes are not written in stone; they can change or mutate any time during the life of the organism.

24 Feb 2017

MGH researchers discover regulators of gene expression programs in medulloblastoma

Massachusetts General Hospital researchers have identified a mechanism that controls the expression of genes regulating the growth of the most aggressive form of medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain tumor. In their report published online in Cancer Discovery, the team also identifies potential targets for future treatments.

24 Feb 2017

Pitt study sheds light on shared roots of schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis

An in-depth computational analysis of genetic variants implicated in both schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh points to eight genes that may explain why susceptibility to one of the disorders could place individuals at lower risk for the other, according to the results of a study published today in the journal npj Schizophrenia.

24 Feb 2017

New investigational drug may help combat antibiotic-resistant global health threat

The deadly fungus, Candida auris, which has been found in hospitals, is resistant to entire classes of antimicrobial drugs, limiting treatment options for those infected.

24 Feb 2017

Older people with back pain have 13% increased risk of dying from any cause, study finds

The 600,000 older Australians who suffer from back pain have a 13 per cent increased risk of dying from any cause, University of Sydney research has found.

24 Feb 2017

New research offers insights into how differences arise in common illnesses

As much as we try to avoid it, we are constantly sharing germs with those around us. But even when two people have the same infection, the resulting illnesses can be dramatically different--mild for one person, severe or even life-threatening for the other.

24 Feb 2017

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

Researchers discover 'Developmental Split-Brain syndrome' caused by biallelic mutations in DCC gene

Case Western Reserve and VA team up to tackle rising problem of antibiotic resistance

Researchers discover CTE in deceased patient's brain with no known history of head trauma

Red hair-related gene variant may contribute to link between melanoma and Parkinson's disease

Study increases understanding of how air pollution affects human health

Advances in Optogenetics

Highly prevalent gene variants in African Americans contribute to kidney disease

KRAS ‘imbalances’ that emerge over time may influence cancer treatment response

Australian scientists discover genetic clues for degenerative eye disease that leads to blindness

Researchers discover rare deafness-dystonia syndrome in a family in Pakistan

New molecule may inhibit growth of aggressive pediatric brain tumor

New study aims to better understand major factors affecting African American cancer survivors

Study finding suggests new ways in which genetic mutations may cause brain disorders

Alzheimer's drug prescribed off-label could accelerate cognitive decline for some patients

Scientists unravel mechanism of rare, early phenomenon that can affect human development

MGH researchers discover regulators of gene expression programs in medulloblastoma

Pitt study sheds light on shared roots of schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis

New investigational drug may help combat antibiotic-resistant global health threat

Older people with back pain have 13% increased risk of dying from any cause, study finds

New research offers insights into how differences arise in common illnesses

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

How GLP‑1 Agonists Are Shaping the Future of Obesity Treatment With Dr Bryony Henderson

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Digital pathology and the PathoVerse: A conversation with Dr. Singh