Genetic News and Research

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Applying “programmable molecular scissors” to combat COVID-19 infection

As an approach that could be used to create a new class of antiviral drugs, synthetic biology was used by Cambridge scientists to artificially create enzymes programmed to attack the genetic code of SARS-CoV-2 and eliminate the virus.

17 Nov 2022

Enzymes hold the answer to understanding how DNA mutates

According to recent research from the University of Surrey, enzymes, which are essential for regulating how cells replicate in the human body, could be the very component that encourages DNA to spontaneously mutate, leading to potentially permanent genetic errors.

From University of Surrey 17 Nov 2022

The genetic mechanisms that induce protein decline in modern maize

The wild ancestor of maize, teosinte, contains three times as much seed protein as the majority of cultivars of maize today. The mechanisms causing the declining seed protein content in maize hybrids and inbred lines were identified by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters.

17 Nov 2022

A gene’s function in embryonic development

An international study led by the medical school at the University of Bonn has discovered a gene that is crucial to the growth of the human embryo. Abnormalities of different organ systems may occur if it is changed.

16 Nov 2022

New guidelines for genomic consent benefit patients and researchers

How can Canada maximize the benefits of human genomic sequencing to deepen knowledge of disease? For researchers and decision-makers in this expanding field, new guidance published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) establishes the essential components for obtaining patient consent.

16 Nov 2022

Investigating the direct effect of mutation on sperm behavior

A team of researchers discovered that the activity of sperm cells is attributable in part to the individual DNA make-up of these cells, rather than just male genetics.

From New York University (NYU) 16 Nov 2022

Researchers develop a global indicator that measures the state of marine biodiversity

Scientists from Simon Fraser University are part of an international team of researchers that has developed a new science-based indicator to assess the state of health of the oceans-;and the possible risk of extinction of their species.

16 Nov 2022

New study figures out which patients will react to immunotherapy

According to a new study, patients with head and neck cancer who have more chromosome 9 genetic material in their cancer cells survive three times longer after accepting immunotherapy than patients who have less of it.

From New York University (NYU) 15 Nov 2022

Researchers create genetic 'devices' to perform computations like artificial neural circuits

Bringing together concepts from electrical engineering and bioengineering tools, Technion and MIT scientists collaborated to produce cells engineered to compute sophisticated functions – "biocomputers" of sorts.

15 Nov 2022

First-ever pedigree provides insights for maximizing genetic diversity in aquarium-bred corals

Corals bred in public aquaria provide novel research opportunities and a healthy stock for outplanting into the wild, essential components of a thriving future for coral reef ecosystems, which support around 25% of all life in Earth's oceans.

15 Nov 2022

NIH funds research on mRNA vaccines to stop cancer development

The National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health has awarded a multidisciplinary team of Weill Cornell Medicine researchers a five-year $5.7 million grant to support a center dedicated to creating messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines to prevent the development of cancer in at-risk groups.

15 Nov 2022

New insights into the genetics underlying autism spectrum

At The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), scientists have untangled new genes and genetic changes linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the biggest autism whole genome sequencing analysis so far.

14 Nov 2022

Novel proteomics approach to identify a three-protein signature in the blood

A new proteomics method has been utilized by researchers to determine a three-protein signature in the blood that has the potential to enhance the detection of separated impaired glucose tolerance, a form of prediabetes.

14 Nov 2022

Treatment using CRISPR alleviates swelling attacks in hereditary angioedema patients

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, genetic disorder characterized by severe, recurring, and unpredictable swelling attacks in various organs and tissues of the body, which can be painful, debilitating, and life-threatening.

11 Nov 2022

Role of adolescent lifestyle in biological aging

According to findings published in eLife, genetics may contribute to the explanation of the connection between unhealthy lifestyles and increased biological aging in young adults.

10 Nov 2022

Genetic study links Madagascar's loss of large vertebrates with human expansion 1,000 years ago

The island of Madagascar-;one of the last large land masses colonized by humans-;sits about 250 miles (400 kilometers) off the coast of East Africa.

8 Nov 2022

Multidisciplinary analysis of WGS improves diagnostic rates

The NHS Genomic Medicine Service, launched by the Department of Health in the United Kingdom in 2018, enables patients with unusual conditions to have their complete genetic code evaluated in the hopes of gaining a critical diagnosis.

From University College London 8 Nov 2022

Enhancing outcomes after surgery of breast cancer patients with miR-145

According to research results published online ahead of print in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS), microRNA (miRNA) can be used as a biomarker to identify which individuals are most likely to experience breast cancer recurrence and mortality.

8 Nov 2022

Genetic predisposition for SLE protective against severe COVID-19 infection

Some genetic polymorphisms might expose individuals to the risk of autoimmune diseases while also protecting them against the effects of viral infection.

4 Nov 2022

Different cancers carry distinctive genetic signatures

After analyzing data from a public repository, CD4-T, CD8-T cells, and Treg cells, a team of researchers led by bioinformatics Mabel Vidal from the University of Concepcion and working with researchers from MELISA Institute and other academic institutions discovered a distinctive genetic signature among subsets of infiltrating T cells of various types of cancer.

4 Nov 2022