Telomere News and Research

Latest Telomere News and Research

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

Maternal smoking and pre-eclampsia may affect fertility of offspring

Low levels of oxygen in the womb - which can be caused by smoking or conditions such as pre-eclampsia - may cause problems with fertility later in life, a study carried out in rats suggests.

29 Mar 2019

People born with short telomeres found to have short-lived immune system cells

Scientists at Johns Hopkins say they have found that people born with abnormally short chromosome endcaps, or telomeres, have immune system cells that age and die prematurely.

27 Mar 2019

Study shows how cooperative breeding could increase lifespan

Seychelles warblers live and breed in family groups on the tiny island of Cousin. In each group, a dominant female and male reproduce.

22 Mar 2019

Study: Female birds have longer, healthier lifespan when they have help raising offspring

Female birds age more slowly and live longer when they have help raising their offspring, according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

22 Mar 2019

Medical treatment for gestational diabetes could prevent long-term complications in children

Researchers at Cardiff University have found that women taking metformin and/or insulin during gestational diabetes could reduce the risk of long-term complications for their child.

11 Mar 2019

Cellular recycling process may prevent cancer initiation, finds study

Just as plastic tips protect the ends of shoelaces and keep them from fraying when we tie them, molecular tips called telomeres protect the ends of chromosomes and keep them from fusing when cells continually divide and duplicate their DNA.

24 Jan 2019

Researchers gain new insights into pediatric tumors

Peripheral nervous system tumors are one of the most common types of childhood tumors. While some of these tumors, known as neuroblastoma, disappear on their own without treatment, others will continue to grow even despite intensive treatment.

10 Dec 2018

Biological aging caused by cancer treatments correlates with cognitive decline

Cancer treatments are suspected to accelerate certain aging processes in the body. A new study has found that indicators of such biological aging correlate with declines in cognitive function in women who had undergone breast cancer treatment several years earlier.

26 Nov 2018

Meditation, music may change biomarkers of cellular aging and Alzheimer’s disease in older adults

A research team led by Dr. Kim Innes, a professor in the West Virginia University School of Public Health, has found that a simple meditation or music listening program may alter certain biomarkers of cellular aging and Alzheimer's Disease in older adults who are experiencing memory loss.

13 Nov 2018

Researchers uncover secret of immortality mechanism in aggressive glioblastoma

UC San Francisco researchers have discovered how a mutation in a gene regulator called the TERT promoter -- the third most common mutation among all human cancers and the most common mutation in the deadly brain cancer glioblastoma -- confers "immortality" on tumor cells, enabling the unchecked cell division that powers their aggressive growth.

10 Sep 2018

RUDN biochemists describe previously unknown mechanism of autoimmunity regulation

The ability of a human body to resist pathogenic factors is under control of immune cells, the most important of which are lymphocytes.

7 Sep 2018

Short telomeres could be independent risk factor for age-related functional decline

Elderly people with short chromosome caps, or telomeres, are more likely to have difficulty performing daily activities such as carrying groceries, climbing stairs and walking, finds a new study of more than 1,200 people from five European countries.

6 Sep 2018

Gene therapy with telomerase does not increase cancer risk, study shows

Negative results and findings in science are perhaps less newsworthy, but they are no less important. Particularly when, as in this case, they demonstrate that a possible new therapeutic pathway against idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and other diseases associated to short telomeres is in fact safe.

21 Aug 2018

Study: Healthy diet could help promote healthy cellular aging in women

Eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low in added sugar, sodium and processed meats could help promote healthy cellular aging in women, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

21 Aug 2018

Scientists uncover key control mechanism of DNA replication

Researchers from Osaka University in Japan have uncovered a key control mechanism of DNA replication with potential implications for better understanding how cells maintain genetic information to prevent diseases or cancer.

16 Aug 2018

Study shows why women with multiple pregnancies tend to age quickly

Multiple pregnancies might make women's cells age more quickly, a new Northwestern University study suggests.

26 Jul 2018

Blood telomeres can help predict risk of disease worsening or death in COPD patients

Some patients with COPD demonstrate signs of accelerated aging. In a new study published in the journal CHEST researchers report that measuring blood telomeres, a marker of aging of cells, can be used to predict future risk of the disease worsening or death.

12 Jul 2018

Researchers use precision genomics to search genetic mutations causing accelerated aging

Mayo Clinic researchers are using precision genomics to search for undiscovered, inheritable genetic mutations that cause accelerated aging. In a study recently published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers conducted a study assessing 17 patients with short telomere syndromes -; rare conditions that result in premature DNA and cellular deterioration.

6 Jul 2018

Scientists disrupt two enzymes to shrink cancer cells

Before cell division, the long strings of the cell's DNA are wrapped tightly into the structures we know as chromosomes. This protects the cell's genetic material from physical and chemical damage.

17 May 2018