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DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms. Nearly every cell in a person’s body has the same DNA. Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria (where it is called mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA).

Massive Genetic Study Explores How Thousands of Variants Shape Personality

A massive genetic study offers one of the clearest pictures yet of how DNA contributes to personality, identifying genetic variants associated with five major personality traits.

24 Oct 2026

Squeezing Cell Nuclei Loosens DNA to Boost CRISPR Reprogramming Efficiency

Our cells hold about two meters of DNA, folded and compacted to fit inside a nucleus far narrower than a strand of human hair.

24 Oct 2026

Long-Read Nanopore Sequencing Resolves Unexplained Tumor Mutations

Michigan's Oncology Sequencing Program, or MiOncoSeq, was the first of its kind in the nation to sequence patient tumors.

24 Oct 2026

New Genetic Map Identifies Variations Linked to Long QT Syndrome

Using an innovative, high-throughput technique, an international collaboration led by Vanderbilt Health researchers has created a "map" of 1,757 genetic variations that can trigger a life-threatening heart rhythm disorder called long QT syndrome.

24 Oct 2026

With Climate-Resilient Crops in Mind, Study Tackles Flaw in Photosynthesis

Rising temperatures and increasing drought are shortening crop growing seasons in many parts of the world. Now scientists at KTH report new advances toward engineering more efficient photosynthesis, work that could eventually contribute to efforts to adapt crops for climate change.

24 Oct 2026

Carrier-Free Jet Vaccine Method Protects Against COVID-19 and Flu in Animal Studies

A needle-free vaccination method protected mice against the viruses that cause COVID-19 and flu, offering a possible new way to deliver mRNA vaccines while limiting unwanted inflammation.

24 Oct 2026

Genetic Clue to Autism's Fourfold Difference In Boys and Girls

Findings on MECP2 regulatory variants suggest genetic factors contribute to autism's male bias, enhancing understanding of the disorder's heritability.

22 Oct 2026

New DNA Test Detects Listeria in Ice Cream and Reveals How It Survives Freezing

Researchers developed a PMA-ddPCR assay to detect and quantify potentially viable Listeria monocytogenes in ice cream, identifying the pathogen in two of 500 commercial samples and demonstrating good agreement with conventional culture-based measurements. The method also supported predictive models of bacterial growth under different temperature conditions, while experiments showed that the pathogen could survive 240 days of frozen storage without substantial changes in population levels.

21 Oct 2026

Touchlight Announces Leadership Transition, with Will Downie Appointed Interim CEO

Touchlight today announces that Karen Fallen is stepping down as CEO and that the Board of Directors has appointed Will Downie as Interim Chief Executive Officer.

From Touchlight 21 Oct 2026

Clinician-Led Approach Could Give Doctors a Control Dial for Cell Therapies

A clinician-led research team has developed a gene-editing platform that could give doctors more control over cell therapies, making them more practical for patients with complex immune conditions.

20 Oct 2026

Study Details Genetic Divergence Between Astrocytomas and Oligodendrogliomas

Treatment-resistant brain cancers develop different mutations as they become more aggressive, according to new research from Yale School of Medicine.

20 Oct 2026

Dendritic Cell STING Activation Licenses Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Priming

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed cancer care, yet only a subset of patients benefit. A major barrier is tumor microenvironment (TME) heterogeneity: "hot" tumors are enriched with cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and respond better, while "cold" tumors lack T-cell infiltration or are shielded by immunosuppressive barriers.

20 Oct 2026

Cold Responsive Transcription Factor Binding Overlaps Open Chromatin at Gene Promoters

Rice originated in subtropical environments, yet its cultivation has expanded into regions where low temperatures threaten growth, development, and yield. Japonica rice generally tolerates cold better than indica rice, and researchers have linked this adaptation to changes in stress-responsive gene expression. Much attention has focused on C-repeat binding factors, a group of transcription factors that help coordinate plant cold responses.

20 Oct 2026

Mayo Clinic Study Advances Detection of Somatic DNA Mutations

Researchers in a Mayo Clinic-led study have shown how to detect a broad range of DNA mutations in noncancerous human tissues and across the genome.

16 Oct 2026

Three Genes Identified to Prioritize Genetic Drug Testing in China

A research team has identified three genes that could help prioritize pharmacogenomic testing for older adults in China who receive multiple medications.

16 Oct 2026

Machine Learning Tool Pinpoints Crucial Gene Regulation Changes

Changes in our genes affect health risks from heart disease to cancer, but how those genes are turned on and off is just as crucial to health.

16 Oct 2026

Scientists Discover Molecular Chain Reaction Behind Sound Wave Healing

Researchers from Capital Medical University, Beijing, China, have identified a CaN/NFATC3/Id3/E2A/Bmp4 signaling pathway that helps explain how low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) promotes bone regeneration.

16 Oct 2026

Genomic Adaptation Reveals How Candida auris Resists Potent Antifungal Drug Treatments

New research has revealed an unexpected new mechanism through which the killer fungus Candida auris is resisting antifungal drug treatment.

15 Oct 2026

Gene Amplification Unexpectedly Increases Bacterial Susceptibility to Frontline Antibiotics

This study was led by Yuqin Song and Jie Feng from the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The researchers investigated how insertion sequence (IS)-mediated gene amplification contributes to the adaptability of Acinetobacter baumannii, an important nosocomial pathogen known for its multidrug resistance and persistence in clinical environments.

15 Oct 2026

Comprehensive Analysis of Emerging Strategies for Targeting Cyclin-Dependent Kinases in Cancer

More than 30 years after the direct connection was established between the molecular machinery controlling cell division and cancer, a new paper traces the evolution of cyclin-dependent kinase research and outlines the next generation of CDK-targeted therapies.

15 Oct 2026