DNA News and Research

RSS

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).

Newly Identified Mitochondrial DNA Damage Sheds Light on Cellular Stress

A previously unknown type of DNA damage in the mitochondria, the tiny power plants inside our cells, could shed light on how our bodies sense and respond to stress.

20 Nov 2025

Genetic Insights Reveal Key Drivers of Bone Density in Children

Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) revealed important genetic components that affect bone density in children and adolescents.

20 Nov 2025

Discovery Reveals Greater Epigenetic Complexity in Unicellular Life

Multicellular organisms (animals, plants, human) all have the ability to methylate the cytosine © base in their DNA. This process, a type of epigenetic modification, plays an important role in conditions such as cancer and processes such as aging.

19 Nov 2025

Neurons and Other Nondividing Cells Respond Differently to CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing

The gene editing tool known as CRISPR-Cas9 is changing what's possible for treating a wide range of diseases caused by genetic mutations.

18 Nov 2025

Optical Genome Mapping Reveals Overlooked Causes of Pregnancy Loss

Pregnancy loss may occur in as many as 25% of all pregnancies. Most of these losses occur in the first trimester, and about half are caused by genetic or chromosomal issues.

18 Nov 2025

Targeted Genetic Testing Revolutionizes Diagnosis of X-Linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism

Scientists at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School have developed a targeted genetic test to improve diagnosis for X-linked dystonia-parkinsonism (XDP), a rare and disabling movement disorder that affects primarily men of Filipino ancestry.

17 Nov 2025

Reviving Ancient DNA Techniques to Study Historical Disease Evolution

Research institutions around the world house valuable genetic information that could help unlock countless medical mysteries.

17 Nov 2025

Understanding Genetic Diversity Through Short Tandem Repeats

Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have revealed a previously overlooked layer of genetic variation that could help explain why people experience disease differently, and why some treatments work better for certain populations.

17 Nov 2025

Molecular Test Targets Three Significant Pathogenic Fungi

This innovative assay detects key fungal pathogens with 100% accuracy, addressing urgent diagnostic needs for infections affecting immunocompromised patients.

17 Nov 2025

RNA Imaging Predicts Early Cell Damage with High Sensitivity

NIMS, in collaboration with Nagoya University, Gifu University, and the University of Adelaide, has developed a method for simultaneously imaging DNA and RNA inside cells using harmless infrared to near-infrared light.

14 Nov 2025

Studying Disease Evolution Through Ancient DNA Analysis

Research institutions around the world house valuable genetic information that could help unlock countless medical mysteries. However, because DNA degrades over time, it is difficult for researchers to analyze DNA samples older than 20 years using conventional analytical approaches.

14 Nov 2025

New Tool Studies Kinase Activity During DNA Damage

Cornell researchers have developed a powerful new biosensor that reveals, in unprecedented detail, how and where kinases – enzymes that control nearly all cellular processes – turn on and off inside living cells.

14 Nov 2025

FOXP3 Gene Regulation Holds Key to Immune Therapies

The immune system faces a delicate balancing act: it must be aggressive enough to fight infections and cancer, yet restrained enough to avoid attacking the body's own tissues.

14 Nov 2025

New "Ultra-Mild" Method Corrects Cancer DNA Methylation Test Errors

Traditional bisulfite sequencing damages DNA, while enzyme-based alternatives are inconsistent. A novel methylation analysis method, called UMBS-seq, was published this week in Nature Communications. UMBS-seq achieves both accuracy and gentleness, unlocking more reliable cancer biomarker detection.

13 Nov 2025

Plant Cell Duality: Balancing Adaptability in Skin Cells with Stability in Reproductive Cells

Mutations drive evolution, but they can also be risky. New research led by plant biologists at the University of California, Davis, published Nov. 10 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals how plants control mutation rates in different stem cells to balance adaptability with safety and stability.

13 Nov 2025

Texas A&M Researchers Use AI to Identify a Genetic Time Capsule for Distinguishing Species

In a groundbreaking study, scientists from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) have utilized cutting-edge artificial intelligence methods to identify a region of the X chromosome that has maintained the distinctiveness of mammal species for millions of years.

13 Nov 2025

Animal Testing to Be Phased Out Faster as UK Unveils Roadmap for Alternative Methods

Animal testing in science is set to be phased out faster under a new plan to deliver on the government’s manifesto commitment, unveiled by Science Minister Lord Vallance today (Tuesday 11 November).

13 Nov 2025

Pitt-Led Team Creates Fully Synthetic Bacteriophages, Speeding Up Discovery

A team led by University of Pittsburgh's Graham Hatfull has developed a method to construct bacteriophages with entirely synthetic genetic material, allowing researchers to add and subtract genes at will. The findings open the field to new pathways for understanding how these bacteria-killing viruses work, and for potential therapy of bacterial infections.

11 Nov 2025

Study Exposes Critical Security Flaws in Widely Used DNA Sequencing Tech

Portable genetic sequencers used around the world to sequence DNA have critical, previously unreported security vulnerabilities that could reveal or alter genetic information without detection, according to a new study.

11 Nov 2025

Neanderthal DNA Reveals Secrets of Jaw Development

Every human face is unique, allowing us to distinguish between individuals. We know little about how facial features are encoded in our DNA, but we may be able to learn more about how our faces develop by looking at our ancient relatives, the Neanderthals.

11 Nov 2025