Telomere News and Research

Latest Telomere News and Research

UW Medicine scientists contribute to the publication of first complete, gapless genome sequence

UW Medicine genome scientists were among the leading contributors to the publication of the first complete, gapless sequence of a human genome announced this week by the National Human Genome Research Institute.

31 Mar 2022

TTUHSC researcher secures $1.9 million grant to investigate vulnerabilities in ALT cancers

The National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, recently awarded a five-year, $ $1.9 million grant to C. Patrick Reynolds, M.D., Ph.D., director for the School of Medicine Cancer Center at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

23 Mar 2022

Correlation between idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and COVID-19

A new study investigates the genetic overlap between COVID-19 and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis to identify possible shared biological mechanisms.

14 Dec 2021

Potential association between senescence and aging in COVID-19

A review published in Cells discussed characteristics of cellular senescence and its potential role in COVID-19.

9 Dec 2021

Telomeric DNA damage response may increase susceptibility of elderly people to COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 causes the pandemic coronavirus disease COVID-19, that is more harmful for elderly people, who show more severe symptoms and are at higher risk of hospitalization and death.

3 Dec 2021

Repeated injury to the epithelial tissue of airways causes "biological aging" of stem cells

Are prematurely aged or overworked stem cells a significant factor in chronic lung disease? Findings of a study just released in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine (SCTM) say this is likely so.

22 Sep 2021

SARS-CoV-2 may have consequences to host cells beyond evoking an immune response

A recent study examined the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to impact DNA damage response and telomere stability in Vero E6 cells.

13 Sep 2021

Self-correcting genetic mutations may protect patients with shortened telomeres from blood cancers

People with rare disorders that cause shortened telomeres — protective caps that sit at the end of chromosomes — may be more likely to have blood cancers such as leukemia or myelodyplastic syndrome.

8 Sep 2021

Cancer treatment with terpyridine platinum compounds induces telomere dysfunction, chromosome instability

Oncotarget published "Terpyridine platinum compounds induce telomere dysfunction and chromosome instability in cancer cells" which reported that this assay is based on the use of two isogenic HT1080 cell lines, one carrying a linear HAC and the other carrying a circular HAC.

6 Sep 2021

Cats could be a valuable model organism for geneticists, expert says

Although cats have lived alongside humans for millennia, it remains a dogs' world. This bias has historically bled into science as well.

28 Jul 2021

Study brings scientists one step closer to solving the mystery of aging

The human body is essentially made up of trillions of living cells. It ages as its cells age, which happens when those cells eventually stop replicating and dividing.

23 Jul 2021

Study explores the intersection of culture and health among Mexican women and children

As we move through life, our bodies get older. Aging is inevitable, but how fast it happens can vary considerably. Physical and environmental stressors can accelerate the process, and culture may interact with biology in ways that are not fully explored.

7 Jul 2021

What makes the elderly more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection?

Why is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), biased towards infecting the aged population? A recently published study by Italian scientists linked aging, DNA damage, telomere shortening, and increased levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to this relationship.

13 Jun 2021

Study shows that telomeres shorten most rapidly during early childhood

Telomeres are protective caps on DNA that shorten as we grow older. Now, one of the first studies to examine telomere length (TL) in childhood finds that the initial setting of TL during prenatal development and in the first years of life may determine one's TL throughout childhood and potentially even into adulthood or older age.

25 May 2021

Full assembly of human chromosome 8 reveals novel genes, disease risks

The full assembly of human chromosome 8 is reported this week in Nature. While on the outside this chromosome looks typical, being neither short nor long or distinctive, its DNA content and arrangement are of interest in primate and human evolution, in several immune and developmental disorders, and in chromosome sequencing structure and function generally.

8 Apr 2021

Researchers define genetic landscape of uterine leiomyosarcomas

In a new study, Yale Cancer Center researchers have defined the genetic landscape of uterine leiomyosarcomas (uLMS).

6 Apr 2021

New approach may lead to novel treatments for renal fibrosis

Ageing is a common factor in many diseases. So, what if it were possible to treat them by acting on the causes of ageing or, more specifically, by acting on the shortening of telomeres, the structures that protect chromosomes?

16 Mar 2021

Study opens the door to new possibilities targeting telomeres to help treat cancer

The Telomeres and Telomerase Group led by Maria A. Blasco at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre continues to make progress in unraveling the role that telomeres -the ends of chromosomes that are responsible for cellular aging as they shorten- play in cancer.

10 Mar 2021

BMI, male sex, smoking, depression and metabolic syndrome contribute to biological aging

A 'biological age' score predicts that being male, overweight, a smoker and having depression all contribute to biological aging, a study published today in eLife reports.

9 Feb 2021

Researchers assess impact of family migration on infant well-being

While the number of immigrants from Arab countries to the United States has steadily increased over the past several years, family and child health research on this population remains scarce.

4 Feb 2021