Inherited mutation links exploding chromosomes to cancer
An inherited mutation is likely the link between exploding chromosomes and some aggressive types of cancer. Looking at the complete genome sequence of childhood brain tumors, scientists found one or...
View ArticleVIDEO: How viruses evolve
Researchers at Michigan State University have demonstrated how a new virus evolves, shedding light on how easy it can be for diseases to gain dangerous mutations. The scientists showed for the first...
View ArticleResearchers use epigenetics to discover processes leading to acute myeloid...
Scientists at University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) have learned more about the mutation in DNA that leads to the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). When the UCSB researchers...
View ArticleGenetic link between melatonin receptor and type 2 diabetes
Researchers have found evidence supporting a genetic link between the receptor for the “body clock” hormone melatonin and type 2 diabetes. Previous studies have found that those who work night shifts...
View ArticleSt. Jude researchers discover genetic mutations responsible for deadly brain...
Researchers at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have identified genetic mutations in a specific type of childhood tumor of the brain stem. Genetic mutations not previously linked with cancer were...
View ArticleGene mutation discovery sparks hope for endometriosis screening
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have, for the first time, described the genetic basis of endometriosis, a condition marked by chronic pelvic pain and infertility that affects millions of women....
View ArticleStudy of live human neurons reveals Parkinsonâs disease origins
Parkinson's disease researchers at the University at Buffalo have discovered how mutations in the parkin gene cause the disease. The UB findings reveal potential new drug targets as well as a...
View ArticlePublic health, influenza experts agree H5N1 research critical, but extend...
A small group of global public health and influenza experts at a WHO-convened meeting extended the temporary moratorium on research with new laboratory-modified H5N1 viruses, but recognized that...
View ArticleNew DNA sequencing technology could be more effective in genetic diagnosis
New DNA-reading technology could be used in the diagnosis of muscle-wasting diseases such as muscular dystrophy. The DNA sequencing machine would allow for a more accurate long-term prognosis, meaning...
View ArticleA drug approved for human clinical trials extends lifespan in mice with...
Scientists have found a way to extend the average lifespan of mice with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the leading inherited cause of death in human infants and toddlers. SMA is caused by genetic...
View ArticleClues to restoring normal function in gene that causes cystic fibrosis
A recent study publish in Cell has shown that to restore normal function to the mutant gene product that causes Cystic Fibrosis (CF), it is necessary to correct two structural defects. CF is caused by...
View ArticleNew mutations in gene that increase breast cancer identified
According to a study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, mutations in a gene called XRCC2 cause increased breast cancer risk. The study looked at families that have a history of the...
View ArticleNew gene mutation linked to Alzheimerâs
Scientists have discovered a new gene mutation that could contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. It was known that specific genetic mutations were linked to early-onset forms of Alzheimer’s, but some...
View ArticleNewly-discovered mutations on genetic pathways contribute to autism
Researchers focused on children with ‘sporadic autism,’ meaning that they have no family history of the disorder or similar impairments, to evaluate a genetic model for autism spectrum disorder (ASD)...
View ArticleNew study validates importance of mutations in specific gene in AML therapy
Scientists at the University of California, San Francisco have discovered that mutations in a gene called FLT3 could hold the key to treating the most common type of leukemia in humans, acute myeloid...
View ArticleResearchers identify gene mutation responsible for devastating neurological...
Researchers at University of California, Los Angeles have worked with a California family stricken by an extremely rare, devastating disorder that attacks the brain and spine to pinpoint the cause of...
View ArticleDramatic improvements in melanoma treatment
Stage III and IV melanoma patients are routinely tested for the BRAF gene mutation, a known oncogene for melanoma. Recently, Vemurafenib, a new FDA-approved drug, was found to be highly effective for...
View ArticleFANCM gene plays a key role in genetic recombination
Fanconi anemia, a recessive hereditary disease, leads to dysplasia, degeneration of bone marrow, and an increased risk of leukemia and tumors. Now, new research is showing the gene that causes this...
View ArticleControversial bird flu research finally published
A controversial study of the H5N1 bird flu virus has been published today in the journal Nature. The study, and similar one that will be published in Science, sparked an international furor when it...
View Article23andMe Receives First FDA Authorization for Direct-to-Consumer Cancer Risk...
On March 6, 2018, 23andMe, Inc. received the first-ever FDA authorization for a direct-to-consumer genetic test that analyzes gene mutations to help predict a subject’s risk of developing specific...
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