Telomere News and Research

Latest Telomere News and Research

Lowering the Barriers to Automated Microscopy

News-Medical Life Sciences spoke to Zaber Technologies at Neuroscience 2019 to find out how they are lowering the barriers of automated microscopy.

From Zaber 19 Nov 2019

Crick study reveals vital protective role of telomere t-loops

Loops at the ends of telomeres play a vital protective role preventing irretrievable damage to chromosomes, according to new research from the Crick.

From The Francis Crick Institute 12 Nov 2019

Chronic sleep deprivation linked to increased biological aging and cardiovascular disease risk

Getting a good night's sleep is important and insufficient sleep has been linked to poor health in many studies.

11 Nov 2019

Researchers uncover novel molecular clues for tumor aggression in neurofibromatosis type 1

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center report that their study of tumor samples from people with the rare genetic syndrome neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) has uncovered novel molecular clues about which tumors are most likely to be aggressive in those with NF1

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 18 Oct 2019

Scientists successfully create age-resistant mice with hyper-long telomeres

Researchers have shown that it is possible to extend the life of mice by generating hyper-long telomeres, without using any gene modifying technologies.

17 Oct 2019

Cellular aging associated with structural changes in the brain

Telomeres are protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that become shorter with each cell division. If they become so short that the genes they protect could be damaged, the cell stops dividing and renewing.

27 Sep 2019

Gene coding error likely responsible for rare form of inherited 'short telomere' disease

By combing through the entire genetic sequences of a person with a lung scarring disease and 13 of the person’s relatives, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have found a coding error in a single gene that is likely responsible for a rare form of the disease and the abnormally short protective DNA caps on chromosomes long associated with it.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 11 Sep 2019

Study reshapes the understanding of telomerase's function in normal cells

New research from the University of Maryland and the National Institutes of Health reveals a new role for the enzyme telomerase.

3 Sep 2019

DNA methylation closely linked to telomere length

Aging is associated with multiple disease conditions. Recently it has been found that many of these illnesses are linked to the length of the telomeres at the ends of every chromosome. Telomere length (TL) is affected by both genetic and epigenetic contributions.

2 Sep 2019

Sick mitochondria pollute the cells, cause telomere damage

Researchers at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center provide the first concrete evidence for the long-held belief that sick mitochondria pollute the cells they're supposed to be supplying with power.

27 Aug 2019

Protein present in telomeres shows global action on genome which influences pleuripotency

Pluripotent cells can give rise to all cells of the body, a power that researchers are eager to control because it opens the door to regenerative medicine and organ culture for transplants.

21 Aug 2019

Researchers identify effective drug combinations for malignant brain tumor in mice

Usually, scientists study the molecular biology of cancer to find new treatments, but sometimes, it is the other way round: when trying to find new treatments, scientists find key information on cancer biology.

14 Jun 2019

Telomere shortening in adulthood is not caused by smoking, say researchers

A new study suggests that telomere length in adults should be regarded as a static biomarker that does not significantly change during adult life.

7 Jun 2019

Study: Smoking does not shorten the length of telomeres

A new study has surprised the medical world, finding that smoking does not shorten the length of telomeres - a marker at the end of our chromosomes that is widely accepted as an indicator of aging.

6 Jun 2019

Researchers identify new mechanism for accessing damaged DNA

UV light damages the DNA of skin cells, which can lead to skin cancer.

31 May 2019

Unsupportive parenting may have negative health implications for children, study suggests

New research out of Loma Linda University Health suggests that unsupportive parenting styles may have several negative health implications for children, even into their adult years.

30 May 2019

Researchers discover unexpected survival mechanism of a subset of cancer cells

Embedded at the end of chromosomes are structures called "telomeres" that in normal cells become shorter as cells divide. As the shortening progresses it triggers cell proliferation arrest or death. Cancer cells adopt different strategies to overcome this control mechanism that keeps track of the number of times that a cell has divided.

28 May 2019

Physician training makes doctors' DNA to age six times faster than normal

In just a few short weeks, tens of thousands of newly minted doctors will start the most intense year of their training: the first year of residency, also called the intern year.

15 May 2019

Oxidative stress acts directly on telomeres to hasten cellular aging, study reveals

The same sources thought to inflict oxidative stress on cells- pollution, diesel exhaust, smoking and obesity- also are associated with shorter telomeres, the protective tips on the ends of the chromosomal shoelace.

14 May 2019

Study finds no major epigenetic differences between space astronaut and his earthbound twin brother

In a landmark study, a group of U.S. scientists from Johns Hopkins, Stanford University and other institutions has found no long-lasting, major differences between the epigenomes of astronaut Scott Kelly, who spent a year in space aboard the International Space Station, and his twin brother, Mark, who remained on Earth.

9 Apr 2019