Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

New insights into human cytomegalovirus may lead to development of therapeutic interventions

New insights into how human cytomegalovirus, the leading cause of birth defects associated with infection spreads from pregnant mother to fetus and from organ to organ in newborns provides translational researchers an exciting new avenue for investigation that may lead to the development of therapeutic interventions.

31 Oct 2013

RI-MUHC researchers identify genetic changes that could pave way for early diagnosis of CRC

Diagnosing colorectal cancer is complex; it relies on significant invasive tests and subjective evaluations. This process may soon become much easier thanks to a medical breakthrough by scientists at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.

31 Oct 2013

Scientists develop new therapeutic approach for treatment of type 2 diabetes

Scientists from the Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen and the Technische Universitaet Muenchen, together with scientists in the USA, have developed a new therapeutic approach for treatment of Type 2 diabetes. A novel single molecule hormone, which acts equally on the receptors of the insulin-stimulating hormones GLP-1 and GIP, was observed to reduce weight and improve blood sugar.

31 Oct 2013

Genetic factors may be the same for specific language impairment and language-impaired autism

In the first molecular genetic study of families with a history of both language impairment and autism, scientists may have uncovered a shared origin for the two conditions, an important step toward explaining why some cases of autism are accompanied by language difficulties and others are not. The study, a collaboration of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital with experts at Rutgers University, indicates that a disorder called specific language impairment—one of the most common developmental delays in children—may be caused by the same genetic variants that lead to language difficulties in some children with autism.

30 Oct 2013

Malaria elimination and insecticide resistance: an interview with Professor Hilary Ranson, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

The first malaria elimination programme was in the 1950s and 1960s. Malaria was eliminated from many countries in Asia and the Americas, largely by indoor spraying with insecticide. But the campaign had very little impact in Africa and eventually resources were moved away from malaria control.

30 Oct 2013

Mice exploit IRG proteins to create resistance mechanism against toxoplasma infection

One of the commonest parasites in the world is Toxoplasma gondii. Toxoplasma can infect most warm-blooded animals, including humans, and causes significant damage to the unborn child if a woman becomes infected for the first time during pregnancy.

30 Oct 2013

New research reveals genetic link that connects family members with autism

Lorenzo Miodus-Santini an 11-year-old sixth-grader from Princeton, who was classified as autistic at only 13 months old, was never a big talker. As an infant he didn't babble or coo. When he was a toddler beginning to speak, he would learn one word but forget another.

30 Oct 2013

Study shows how wrong levels of protein linked with AD can lead to dangerous blockages in brain cells

Scientists have known for some time that a protein called presenilin plays a role in Alzheimer's disease, and a new study reveals one intriguing way this happens.

29 Oct 2013

UCR, CRF initiate PROSPECT II trial to identify plaques that may lead to coronary events

The Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF) of New York, NY and the Uppsala Clinical Research Center (UCR) of Uppsala, Sweden announced today the initiation of the PROSPECT (Providing Regional Observations to Study Predictors of Events in the Coronary Tree) II trial and the PROSPECT ABSORB sub study.

29 Oct 2013

International researchers identify 11 new genes linked to Alzheimer's disease

An international group of researchers has identified 11 new genes that offer important new insights into the disease pathways involved in Alzheimer's disease. The highly collaborative effort involved scanning the DNA of over 74,000 volunteers-the largest genetic analysis yet conducted in Alzheimer's research-to discover new genetic risk factors linked to late-onset Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of the disorder.

28 Oct 2013

Two related genes underlie development of two rare bone tumours in nearly 100% of patients

Scientists have made a rare discovery that allows them to attribute two types of tumour almost entirely to specific mutations that lie in two related genes.

28 Oct 2013

‘Distinct’ bipolar pathways revealed

A genetic analysis reported in Nature suggests two mechanisms that could lead to bipolar disorder.

25 Oct 2013

Researchers study genetic factors associated to metabolic syndrome

Researchers from the Institute of Genomic Medicine carried out a study on genetic factors that can be associated to metabolic syndrome, main trigger of cardiovascular diseases, type II diabetes and obesity, with the goal of identifying high risk populations and influence its treatment in the most effective way.

25 Oct 2013

Obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome are highly heritable

An international research consortium led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the University of Chicago has answered several questions about the genetic background of obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome, providing the first direct confirmation that both are highly heritable and also revealing major differences between the underlying genetic makeup of the disorders.

25 Oct 2013

UMMS professor receives EUREKA grant to develop light activated nanoparticles for imaging brain tissue

University of Massachusetts Medical School Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Gang Han, PhD, has received a $1.3 million EUREKA (Exceptional Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration) grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to develop light activated nanoparticles that can be used to image live brain tissue.

25 Oct 2013

Gene-diet interaction may shed light on increased risk of colorectal cancer linked with meat consumption

A newly discovered potential gene-diet interaction for colorectal cancer was reported today (Thursday, Oct. 24) at the American Society of Human Genetics 2013 meeting in Boston.

25 Oct 2013

Whitehead Institute scientists identify novel Parkinson's disease drug target

Using a discovery platform whose components range from yeast cells to human stem cells, Whitehead Institute scientists have identified a novel Parkinson's disease drug target and a compound capable of repairing neurons derived from Parkinson's patients.

25 Oct 2013

New report explains occurrence of breast cancer in women with normal BRCA genes

Since 1994, many thousands of women with breast cancer from families severely affected with the disease have been tested for inherited mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2. The vast majority of those patients were told that their gene sequences were normal.

25 Oct 2013

Scientists identify link between rare mutations in RINT1 gene and early onset breast cancer risk

An international team of scientists has identified an association between heritable, rare mutations in the RINT1 gene and increased risk of early onset breast cancer, according to research reported today (Oct. 24) at the American Society of Human Genetics 2013 annual meeting in Boston.

25 Oct 2013

Study: Investigational drug shows promise against pancreatic cancer

An investigational drug that disrupts tumor blood vessels shows promise against a rare type of pancreatic cancer, scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found. Their results were presented October 20 during a poster session at an international cancer conference.

25 Oct 2013

Genetics News and Research

Latest Genetics News and Research

New insights into human cytomegalovirus may lead to development of therapeutic interventions

RI-MUHC researchers identify genetic changes that could pave way for early diagnosis of CRC

Scientists develop new therapeutic approach for treatment of type 2 diabetes

Genetic factors may be the same for specific language impairment and language-impaired autism

Malaria elimination and insecticide resistance: an interview with Professor Hilary Ranson, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Mice exploit IRG proteins to create resistance mechanism against toxoplasma infection

New research reveals genetic link that connects family members with autism

Study shows how wrong levels of protein linked with AD can lead to dangerous blockages in brain cells

UCR, CRF initiate PROSPECT II trial to identify plaques that may lead to coronary events

International researchers identify 11 new genes linked to Alzheimer's disease

Two related genes underlie development of two rare bone tumours in nearly 100% of patients

‘Distinct’ bipolar pathways revealed

Researchers study genetic factors associated to metabolic syndrome

Obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome are highly heritable

UMMS professor receives EUREKA grant to develop light activated nanoparticles for imaging brain tissue

Gene-diet interaction may shed light on increased risk of colorectal cancer linked with meat consumption

Whitehead Institute scientists identify novel Parkinson's disease drug target

New report explains occurrence of breast cancer in women with normal BRCA genes

Scientists identify link between rare mutations in RINT1 gene and early onset breast cancer risk

Study: Investigational drug shows promise against pancreatic cancer

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

Redefining control and consistency in anaerobic microbiome workflows

AI in Healthcare: How generative tools are transforming clinical practice

The future of automation: Machine learning–driven hepatocyte and organoid counting