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Genetic liability to mental health conditions may affect a person's choice of residence

Living in cities has been highlighted as an environmental risk factor for schizophrenia and, to a lesser extent, other mental health conditions. However, few studies have explored genetic effects on the choice of residence.

28 Oct 2021

Mice study shows how air pollution reduces sperm count by causing brain inflammation

Researchers have long known that air pollution can increase the risk of disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and fertility, but they did not know the exact mechanism for how it can lead to these health conditions.

26 Oct 2021

'Mini brains' allow researchers to study a fatal, untreatable neurological disorder

Cambridge researchers have developed 'mini brains' that allow them to study a fatal and untreatable neurological disorder causing paralysis and dementia – and for the first time have been able to grow these for almost a year.

22 Oct 2021

'Switching on' Sight using Gene Therapy

AZoLifeSciences speaks to Dr. Raymond Wong about his latest research into eye health and we could potentially 'switch on' sight using gene therapy.

20 Oct 2021

Junk DNA' plays a crucial role in early embryonic development in all mammals, study shows

Nearly half of our DNA has been written off as junk, the discards of evolution: sidelined or broken genes, viruses that got stuck in our genome and were dismembered or silenced, none of it relevant to the human organism or human evolution.

19 Oct 2021

Study explains why shift workers are vulnerable to heart problems

Recent research demonstrates how circadian rhythms in heart cells help to change heart function.

19 Oct 2021

Novel research reveals a vital but previously unknown role for microglia

University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have revealed a vital but previously unknown role for immune cells that protect the brain from disease and injury: The cells, known as microglia, also help regulate blood flow and maintain the brain's critical blood vessels.

18 Oct 2021

Researchers map proteo-genomic connections between different human diseases

Hundreds of connections between different human diseases have been uncovered through their shared origin in our genome by an international research team led by scientists from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, challenging the categorisation of diseases by organ, symptoms, or clinical speciality.

18 Oct 2021

Researchers uncover how killer T cells repeatedly reload their toxic weapons to keep on killing

Cambridge researchers have discovered how T cells – an important component of our immune system – are able keep on killing as they hunt down and kill cancer cells, repeatedly reloading their toxic weapons.

15 Oct 2021

Mutant clones outcompete and eliminate early tumors, mouse study shows

Cells carrying mutations can out compete early tumors in the mouse esophagus, so they never make it into cancers, new research has shown.

15 Oct 2021

Oral diuretic pill may potentially be repurposed to treat Alzheimer's in people with genetic risk

A commonly available oral diuretic pill approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration may be a potential candidate for an Alzheimer's disease treatment for those who are at genetic risk, according to findings published in Nature Aging.

12 Oct 2021

Color-coded nutrition labels and warnings may encourage more healthful purchases

A new analysis has integrated findings from 134 studies of the impact of color-coded nutrition labels and warnings found on the front of some food packaging, indicating that these labels do indeed appear to encourage more healthful purchases.

7 Oct 2021

Researchers identify 14 genes responsible for obesity

Promising news in the effort to develop drugs to treat obesity: University of Virginia scientists have identified 14 genes that can cause and three that can prevent weight gain. The findings pave the way for treatments to combat a health problem that affects more than 40% of American adults.

4 Oct 2021

Gene expression changes help understand the mechanism behind noise-induced hearing loss

A growing number of people are suffering from hearing loss due to exposure to loud noises from heavy machinery, concerts, or explosions. As a result, scientists have been working to understand the mechanism behind how the damage to hearing actually occurs.

30 Sep 2021

Intermittent fasting slows aging and increases longevity in fruit flies, study shows

Whether intermittent fasting is called the 5:2 diet or the 16/8 method, celebrities swear that these eating regimens are a great way to lose weight. Fasting is now trendy, but real science backs up claims that fasting two days a week or restricting eating to an eight-hour window each day leads to weight loss.

30 Sep 2021

Radiation therapy can reprogram heart muscle cells to a younger state, suggests study

New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that radiation therapy can reprogram heart muscle cells to what appears to be a younger state, fixing electrical problems that cause a life-threatening arrhythmia without the need for a long-used, invasive procedure.

27 Sep 2021

NIH to renew grants to continue building the ClinGen resource

In an effort to continue building the Clinical Genome Resource, the National Institutes of Health will be renewing three awards amounting to $73.2 million over five years.

From National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) 24 Sep 2021

Researchers show how 'bad mucin' contributes to worsening pulmonary conditions

Mucus is an essential protective layer of gel-like liquid composed largely of proteins called mucins throughout our airways.

23 Sep 2021

Llamas' nanobodies could provide a new frontline treatment against Covid-19

A unique type of tiny antibody produced by llamas could provide a new frontline treatment against Covid-19 that can be taken by patients as a simple nasal spray.