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CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing can cause greater genetic damage than previously thought

Scientists at the Wellcome Sanger Institute have discovered that CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing can cause greater genetic damage in cells than was previously thought. These results create safety implications for gene therapies using CRISPR/Cas9 in the future as the unexpected damage could lead to dangerous changes in some cells.

16 Jul 2018

Researchers solve mystery of final blood group system

Ever since the blood type was discovered in 1962, no one has been able to explain why some people become Xga positive while others are Xga negative.

16 Jul 2018

Researchers discover how proteins involved in neurodegeneration enter cells

Researchers have discovered how nerve cells recruit corrupted proteins that then corrupt other normal proteins within the cell, leading to Alzheimer's.

16 Jul 2018

Researchers seek to understand role of APOE mutation in Alzheimer's disease

If you had your genome sequenced and the report says you have the APOEε4 mutation, it does not mean you are definitely going to get Alzheimer's disease.

16 Jul 2018

Molecules formed when the body metabolizes omega-3 fatty acids may inhibit cancer

A class of molecules formed when the body metabolizes omega-3 fatty acids could inhibit cancer's growth and spread, University of Illinois researchers report in a new study in mice.

16 Jul 2018

Researchers uncover how cells invite corrupted proteins inside

Vampires can turn humans into vampires, but to enter a human's house, they must be invited in. Researchers at the UT Southwestern Medical Center, writing in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, have uncovered details of how cells invite inside corrupted proteins that can turn normal proteins corrupt, leading to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

16 Jul 2018

Research sheds on how new species may arise from rapid mitochondrial evolution

Genetic research at Oregon State University has shed new light on how isolated populations of the same species evolve toward reproductive incompatibility and thus become separate species.

13 Jul 2018

Researchers reveal massive genome havoc in breast cancer

In cancer cells, genetic errors wreak havoc. Misspelled genes, as well as structural variations -- larger-scale rearrangements of DNA that can encompass large chunks of chromosomes -- disturb carefully balanced mechanisms that have evolved to regulate cell growth.

13 Jul 2018

Whole genome sequencing shows tight clustering between bacterial isolates in returning travelers

Thirteen patients with OXA-48-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae ST392 have been reported by Sweden and Norway between January and April 2018 - all returning travellers with prior hospital admission in Gran Canaria, Spain.

13 Jul 2018

Scientists identify structural and functional differences in human immune-surveillance protein

The human body is built for survival. Each one of its cells is closely guarded by a set of immune proteins armed with nearly foolproof radars that detect foreign or damaged DNA.

13 Jul 2018

Research deepens understanding of mechanism behind organ morphogenesis

Many organs arise from simple sheets and tubes of cells. During development, these sheets bend and deform into the more complex final shape of the organ.

13 Jul 2018

Researchers develop novel approach to bridge gap in cell-free systems

Engineering cellular biology, minus the actual cell, is a growing area of interest in biotechnology and synthetic biology.

13 Jul 2018

Researchers solve protein puzzle that paves way for new cancer therapies

Researchers at Oregon State University have solved a longstanding puzzle concerning the design of molecular motors, paving the way toward new cancer therapies.

13 Jul 2018

Researchers find new way for producing medical therapeutic proteins

Bacterial systems are some of the simplest and most effective platforms for the expression of recombinant proteins.

13 Jul 2018

Study: Negative selection plays major role in cancer evolution

Natural selection shapes genomes to evolve and to adapt but, are the rules of natural selection also applying to cancer genome evolution?

13 Jul 2018

UCLA researchers uncover gene that controls equilibrium of bone and fat in bone marrow

In an unexpected discovery, UCLA researchers have found that a gene previously known to control human metabolism also controls the equilibrium of bone and fat in bone marrow as well as how an adult stem cell expresses its final cell type.

13 Jul 2018

Researchers uncover gene that plays role in cocaine addiction

Cocaine can have a devastating effect on people. It directly stimulates the brain's reward center, and, more importantly, induces long-term changes to the reward circuitry that are responsible for addictive behaviors.

12 Jul 2018

UZH scientists identify enzyme that controls cell division

When a cell divides, its constituents are usually evenly distributed among the daughter cells. UZH researchers have now identified an enzyme that guarantees that cell constituents that are concentrated in organelles without a membrane are properly distributed.

12 Jul 2018

New study identifies inherited genetic variants that raise risk of clonal hematopoiesis

A new study led by researchers at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has identified some of the first known inherited genetic variants that significantly raise a person's likelihood of developing clonal hematopoiesis, an age-related white blood cell condition linked with higher risk of certain blood cancers and cardiovascular disease.

12 Jul 2018

Fighting cancer with engineered cancer cells

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital have engineered cancer cells that track and kill cancer cells. The modified cancer cells have demonstrated anti-cancer efficacy in preclinical studies, destroying both primary and metastatic tumours.

12 Jul 2018