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A gene is a unit of heredity in a living organism. It normally resides on a stretch of DNA that codes for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. All living things depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains.

MIT engineers develop a method to turn off specific genes in bone marrow cells

Using specialized nanoparticles, MIT engineers have developed a way to turn off specific genes in cells of the bone marrow, which play an important role in producing blood cells.

From Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 6 Oct 2020

Researchers identify new DNA fragment that forms male sex organs in mice

Researchers have identified a new piece of DNA that is crucial for the formation of male sex organs. This discovery may require the revisal of biology textbooks.

5 Oct 2020

Vacuolar Tauopathy: New, rare genetic form of dementia discovered

A new, rare genetic form of dementia has been discovered by a team of Penn Medicine researchers. This discovery also sheds light on a new pathway that leads to protein build up in the brain -- which causes this newly discovered disease, as well as related neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's Disease -- that could be targeted for new therapies. The study was published today in Science.

5 Oct 2020

Type and direction of force on a cell can alter gene expression

Tissues and cells in the human body are subjected to a constant push and pull - strained by other cells, blood pressure and fluid flow, to name a few.

5 Oct 2020

Researchers map genetic networks controlling human regulatory T cell identity

Unlike most T cells, which launch immune responses against foreign molecules, regulatory T cells are the peacekeepers of the human immune system, damping down inflammatory reactions when they're not needed.

5 Oct 2020

Neanderthal gene variant associated with higher risk of developing severe COVID-19

Research has revealed that a part of DNA, which causes a almost three times higher risk of developing severe COVID-19, is inherited from Neanderthals.

5 Oct 2020

Scientists discover new genes and brain circuits crucial for short-term memory

A mice study has revealed a novel gene that is crucial for short-term memory but works in a part of the brain that is not usually linked to memory.

5 Oct 2020

Genetic test identifies patients with invasive lobular carcinoma at high risk of recurrence

New results to be presented at the 12th European Breast Cancer Conference show that a test, which looks at the activity of 70 genes in breast cancer tissue, is possible to use in the clinic to identify patients with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) that is at high risk of recurring and progressing.

1 Oct 2020

Researchers identify key molecules that contribute to radioresistance in glioblastoma

Scientists have identified key molecules that mediate radioresistance in glioblastoma multiforme; these molecules are a potential target for the treatment of this brain cancer.

1 Oct 2020

Study offers clues to optimize defense tactics against viruses

Science's pursuits of unraveling how human cells fight viral infections kicked into high gear in 2020 with the devastating emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

30 Sep 2020

New mobile app analyzes SARS-CoV-2 genome on a smartphone

A new mobile app has made it possible to analyse the genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on a smartphone in less than half an hour.

30 Sep 2020

Researchers identify specific cellular pathway involved in the regeneration of lung tissue

Scientists have discovered a new cellular pathway that can be targeted with a naturally occurring medication to activate the regeneration of lung tissue.

30 Sep 2020

Epigenetic alterations drive late-onset Alzheimer's disease

New findings suggest that late-onset Alzheimer's Disease is driven by epigenetic changes -- how and when certain genes are turned on and off -- in the brain. Results were published today in Nature Genetics.

29 Sep 2020

Scientists identify a novel approach to regulate cell plasticity

Cell plasticity is a property by which a cell can take on different and reversible identities. Cell plasticity is also essential for embryo development and for the correct function of the immune system.

29 Sep 2020

New precision drug targeting cancer's ability to repair DNA shows promise

A new precision drug which stops cancer from repairing its DNA has shown promise in an early-stage clinical trial - highlighting the potential of a new class of drugs known as ATR inhibitors.

29 Sep 2020

Analysis of wild tomatoes elucidates genetic basis underlying fruit traits

Domestication and subsequent intensive breeding of tomato had a major impact on fruit ripening and the myriad metabolic processes accompanying it.

29 Sep 2020

Cocaine addiction: Impact of genetic mutations elucidated

Cocaine addiction is a chronic disorder with a high rate of relapse for which no effective treatment is currently available.

28 Sep 2020

Study may help develop new immunotherapies for different types of tumors

A team of researchers have plotted the genes that enable cancer cells to avoid being destroyed by the immune system.

From University of Toronto 25 Sep 2020

Researchers identify new therapeutic target for spinocerebellar ataxia

Scientists have created an animal model that simulates cerebellar neurodegeneration and motor dysfunction.

25 Sep 2020

Researchers discover how antibiotic resistance genes spread via plasmids

For the first time, researchers have discovered how antibiotic resistance genes are spreading, at a continental scale, via bacterial plasmids in the hospital superbug, Klebsiella pneumoniae.

25 Sep 2020