Telomere News and Research

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A telomere is a region of repetitive DNA at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration.

Different Chromosomes Found to Have Separate End-Specific Telomere-Length Distributions

We depend on our cells being able to divide and multiply, whether it's to replace sunburnt skin or replenish our blood supply and recover from injury.

12 Apr 2024

Unveiling the Diversity and Evolutionary Dynamics of Centromeres Across Primates

A genomic study of human and selected nonhuman primate centromeres has revealed their unimaginable diversity and speed of evolutionary change.

4 Apr 2024

Scientists Discover Dual Challenges in DNA Replication Process

Half a century ago, scientists Jim Watson and Alexey Olovnikov independently realized that there was a problem with how our DNA gets copied.

29 Feb 2024

Study Reveals Gut Microbiome's Influence on Premature Aging in Chronic HIV Patients

The Wistar Institute's associate professor Mohamed Abdel-Mohsen, Ph.D., has demonstrated, with his lab and collaborators, a connection between viral damage to the gut and premature biological aging.

22 Feb 2024

Telomerase's Double-Edged Sword: Preventing DNA Repair Mishaps

The natural ends of chromosomes appear alarmingly like broken DNA, much as a snapped spaghetti strand is difficult to distinguish from its intact counterparts.

16 Feb 2024

Tapping into the Genetic Reservoir of Wild Blueberries

Blueberries, belonging to the Vaccinium genus and characterized by their petite size, are renowned for their delectable flavor, harmonious blend of sweetness and acidity, and impressive nutritional profile. They are rich in a diverse array of vitamins and antioxidants.

23 Nov 2023

Epidemiology and Genetic Underpinnings of Clonal Hematopoiesis

A comprehensive new study from deCODE genetics, a subsidiary of Amgen, published today in Nature Genetics, provides insights into the epidemiology and somatic and germline genetics of clonal hematopoiesis.

7 Nov 2023

First Complete View of Y Chromosome's Code Sequenced

More than 100 experts from across the world, including those from Johns Hopkins University, have worked together to completely sequence the chromosome linked to male development, the final unsolved component of the human genome.

24 Aug 2023

Previously unknown telomere and cancer connection to the immune system revealed

Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say their 20-year study of more than 200 people with premature aging syndromes caused by abnormally short telomeres, or shortened repetitive DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes, may upend long-held scientific dogma and settle conflicting studies about how and whether short telomeres contribute to cancer risk.

31 Mar 2023

Brain scans link signs of cellular aging to symptoms of Alzheimer’s

According to a new study led by Anya Topiwala of Oxford Population Health, a division of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and published on March 22nd, 2023 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE, changes in the brain caused by Alzheimer’s disease are connected to telomeres shortening, the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that shorten as cells age.

23 Mar 2023

New biomarker helps identify biological age

Once considered to be incompetent in encoding proteins due to their simple monotonous DNA repetitions, tiny telomeres at the tips of human chromosomes now appear to have a powerful biological function that could help better understand cancer and aging.

21 Feb 2023

NIH researchers release new tool to assemble complete genome sequences on-demand

National Institutes of Health researchers have developed and released an innovative software tool to assemble truly complete (i.e., gapless) genome sequences from a variety of species.

17 Feb 2023

New approach to rapidly determine biological aging

Telomeres-;the caps at the ends of chromosomes that protect our genetic materials from the brunt of cellular wear and tear-;are known to shorten and fray over time.

16 Feb 2023

Researchers pioneer a new approach to study mosquito's DNA

When it comes to DNA, one pesky mosquito turns out to be a rebel among species.

10 Feb 2023

Telomeres, mitochondria, and inflammation: Working in synergy to fight cancer

The telomeres, or ends of the chromosomes, increasingly shorten as people age. Recently, Salk researchers found that when telomeres are very short, they can still interact with the mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouses.

9 Feb 2023

Study shows how COVID-19 deaths occur in aging due to genetic limit on cell division

The ability of the human immune system to fight COVID-19, like any infection, is primarily dependent on its ability to multiply immune cells capable of eliminating the disease-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus.

12 May 2022

National DNA Day 2022: PacBio HiFi Sequencing Contributes to First Complete Human Genome

To celebrate National DNA Day 2022, News-Medical speaks to Jonas Korlach, Chief Scientific Officer of PacBio.

25 Apr 2022

Scientists produce the first complete, gapless sequence of a human genome

Two decades after the Human Genome Project delivered the first preliminary human genome sequence, researchers have published the first full, gapless sequence of a human genome.

From National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) 4 Apr 2022

Cloud-based platform enables easy access to global genomics databases

The capacity to examine large numbers of genomes is expensive and time-consuming, thus using genomics to uncover risk factors for major diseases is difficult.

13 Jan 2022