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New atlas maps 1.6 million human gut cells in unprecedented detail

The most comprehensive cell map of the human gut to date has been created by combining spatial and single-cell data from 1.6 million cells.

21 Nov 2024

Study reveals new genetic explanation for dilated cardiomyopathy

A potentially life-changing heart condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, can be caused by the cumulative influence of hundreds or thousands of genes and not just by a single "aberrant" genetic variant, as was previously thought, finds a new study led by researchers at UCL (University College London), Imperial College London and the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences.

21 Nov 2024

Pcdh8 gene suppression critical for zebrafish notochord formation

Can a single protein-encoding gene determine whether a vertebrate embryo develops normally? Yes, according to Osaka Metropolitan University researchers, who found that suppression of Pcdh8 is essential for the notochord to elongate properly in zebrafish.

21 Nov 2024

Decoding the genetic roots of stroke and heart attack

In a new study published in the European Heart Journal, researchers at Karolinska Institutet show that genetic traits influence the cellular composition of atherosclerotic plaques, which over time will affect the risk of such lesions to cause a stroke or heart attack. The new knowledge can be used to improve the risk assessment and treatment of patients with atherosclerosis in the future.

20 Nov 2024

Researchers unlock cell density as a tool for building synthetic tissues

Genes aren't the sole driver instructing cells to build multicellular structures, tissues, and organs. In a new paper published in Nature Communications, USC Stem Cell scientist Leonardo Morsut and Caltech computational biologist Matt Thomson characterize the influence of another important developmental driver: cell density, or how loosely or tightly cells are packed into a given space.

20 Nov 2024

Researchers uncover hidden roles of accessory genes in SARS-CoV-2

Viruses are lean, mean, infection machines. Their genomes are tiny, usually limited to a handful of absolutely essential genes, and they shed extra genomic deadweight extremely fast.

20 Nov 2024

New approach to stabilize RSV protein could lead to better vaccines

In most people, the lung-infecting pathogens known as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV) trigger mild cold-like symptoms. But in infants and seniors, these viruses can cause severe pneumonia and even death.

20 Nov 2024

Study identifies DNA collisions driving genetic changes in cancer

Cancer researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have discovered that mutations in certain genes can lead to the accumulation of DNA errors, resulting in a specific type of genetic change known as large tandem duplications (TDs) that can arise from the collision of two critical cellular processes: transcription and DNA replication.

20 Nov 2024

Barcoding small extracellular vesicles with new CRISPR-based system

Cell-to-cell communication through nanosized particles, working as messengers and carriers, can now be analyzed in a whole new way, thanks to a new method involving CRISPR gene-editing technology.

20 Nov 2024

Antibiotic activity altered by interaction with nanoplastics, new research shows

Nanoplastics significantly alter antibiotic interactions, reducing effectiveness and increasing resistance, posing serious implications for health and ecology.

20 Nov 2024

Diet shifts around the world may ease environmental pressures

Shifting our diets to be more sustainable can be a powerful way for each of us to address both climate change and global food insecurity, however making such adjustments at the large scales necessary to make a difference globally can be a delicate matter.

19 Nov 2024

Study reveals variability in polygenic risk scores for predicting heart disease

Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) are a cutting-edge tool in genetics, combining information from genetic markers across the genome to estimate a person's risk of developing certain diseases, such as coronary artery disease (CAD).

19 Nov 2024

Malaria crystal structure offers clues for more effective medications

Prof. Leslie Leiserowitz first became intrigued by malaria when he was a young boy in South Africa. His father, who scouted the continent in search of wood for the family business, brought back not only tales of elephants and gorillas but also skin rashes and ringing in his ears, side effects of the quinine he took to prevent malaria.

19 Nov 2024

Stilla Technologies with Source BioScience brings advanced genomics solutions to the UK market

Stilla Technologies, a global leader in digital PCR (dPCR) solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with Source BioScience, a leading UK-based genomics service provider.

From Stilla Technologies 19 Nov 2024

Innovative platform helps explore genetic links to 99 diseases

A new study introduces the Proteome-Wide Association Study Hub, an innovative and powerful tool designed to explore gene-disease connections across ninety-nine common diseases.

18 Nov 2024

New oral painkiller developed for chronic abdominal pain

University of Queensland researchers have developed a new class of oral painkillers to suppress chronic abdominal pain that is based on the peptide hormone oxytocin that drives childbirth contractions.

18 Nov 2024

Engineered virus-like particles evolve for superior gene delivery efficiency

Researchers developed a barcoded directed evolution system for engineered virus-like particles (eVLPs), creating a fifth-generation (v5) eVLP with enhanced production, transduction, and gene-editing efficiency. This system could pave the way for improved gene delivery vehicles in therapeutic applications.

17 Nov 2024

Specific redox protein identified as a critical regulator of ferroptosis

Researchers at Helmholtz Munich, in collaboration with colleagues at Tohoku University, have identified a specific redox protein as a critical regulator of ferroptosis - a form of regulated oxidative cell death.

15 Nov 2024

TB pathogen's surprising growth mechanism challenges bacterial biology

The rod-shaped tuberculosis (TB) bacterium, which the World Health Organization has once again ranked as the top infectious disease killer globally, is the first single-celled organism ever observed to maintain a consistent growth rate throughout its life cycle.

15 Nov 2024