Genetics News and Research

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Genetics is the study of genes and heredity. Heredity is the passing of genetic information and traits (such as eye color and an increased chance of getting a certain disease) from parents to offspring.

Common Plastic Ingredient Linked to DNA Damage in Roundworms

A new study conducted in roundworms finds that a common plastic ingredient causes breaks in DNA strands, resulting in egg cells with the wrong number of chromosomes.

25 Oct 2024

New Study Links Cannabis Use to DNA Methylation Changes in Mental Health Pathways

Research reveals that frequent high-potency cannabis use alters DNA methylation, affecting mitochondrial and immune genes, with implications for mental health.

25 Oct 2024

Artificial Intelligence Designs Novel DNA Elements for Precise Gene Control

Using artificial intelligence, scientists at Yale University, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and The Jackson Laboratory have created thousands of novel DNA switches that can precisely regulate a gene's expression in many cell types.

24 Oct 2024

Simple Neural Circuit Controls Chewing and Appetite

Speaking, singing, coughing, laughing, yelling, yawning, chewing-;we use our jaws for many purposes. Each action requires a complex coordination of muscles whose activity is managed by neurons in the brain.

24 Oct 2024

Discovery of RNA Brake Offers Insights into Neurodevelopmental Disorders

When a gene produces too much protein, it can have devastating consequences on brain development and function.

24 Oct 2024

Structural Insights into Bacteriophages Open Doors for New Therapeutics

The viruses that infect bacteria are the most abundant biological entities on the planet. For example, a recent simple study of 92 showerheads and 36 toothbrushes from American bathrooms found more than 600 types of bacterial viruses, commonly called bacteriophages or phages.

23 Oct 2024

Unraveling the Genetic Blueprint of the Deep Brain

Researchers have discovered 254 genetic variations that influence important “deep brain” structures, such as those that govern memory, motor skills, addictive behaviors, and more, in one of the biggest-ever investigations of DNA and brain volume.

22 Oct 2024

Genetic Study Offers Hope for the Endangered Oriental Stork

A new genomic study of the endangered Oriental Stork reveals that the population's genetic health is still surprisingly strong, with high genetic diversity and low levels of inbreeding.

22 Oct 2024

Advancements in Understanding Intestinal Hormone Secretion

A multi-institutional group of researchers led by the Hubrecht Institute and Roche's Institute of Human Biology has developed strategies to identify regulators of intestinal hormone secretion.

21 Oct 2024

Discovering the Molecular Mechanisms Behind Chicken Feather Patterns

Birds possess unique skin appendages called feathers that are derived from the outermost layer of skin cells. Feathers are important for several functions, such as flight, temperature regulation, protection from external stimuli, and mating behavior.

21 Oct 2024

Magnetic Control of Brain Cells: A Step Forward in Neuromodulation

The introduction of magnetogenetics provides a noninvasive technique to modulate brain circuits, paving the way for innovative therapies in neuromodulation.

18 Oct 2024

Genetic Study Reveals Vulnerability of Bonobos

Bonobos, endangered great apes that are among our closest relatives, might be more vulnerable than previously understood, finds a genetics study led by a UCL researcher that reveals three distinct populations.

17 Oct 2024

Transposable Elements Drive a Critical Transition in Early Embryogenesis

Researchers at Sinai Health have discovered that DNA elements known as transposons, which may travel throughout the genome, control a crucial stage in early human development instead of human genes.

16 Oct 2024

Transposable Elements Are Key to Normal Progression of Embryonic Cells

A critical transition in early human development is regulated not by our own genes, but by DNA elements called transposons that can move around the genome, Sinai Health researchers have found.

16 Oct 2024

High Potency Cannabis Leaves Unique DNA Signature, Study Shows

Published in Molecular Psychiatry, this is the first study to suggest that the use of high potency cannabis leaves a distinct mark on DNA, providing valuable insights into the biological impact of cannabis use.

16 Oct 2024

Researchers Develop Innovative Human Macrophage Model for Disease Study

A human cell culture model of the lung's most important immune cells, alveolar macrophages, helped make a key finding that is prompting researchers to rethink the role of another immune protein in infectious disease.

15 Oct 2024

Disrupting a Gene Boosts T Cell Therapy, St. Jude Study Shows

Immunotherapy, using a patient's own immune system to treat disease, has shown promise in some patients with cancer but has not worked in most.

15 Oct 2024

Human Skin Map Gives ‘Recipe’ to Build Skin and Could Help Prevent Scarring

For the first time, researchers have created a single cell atlas of prenatal human skin to understand how skin forms, and what goes wrong in disease.

From Wellcome Sanger Institute 14 Oct 2024

Cell Division Variability Promotes Healthy Embryo Development

There is variability in when and how cells divide during the development of embryos. While researchers traditionally believed this variability was an obstacle that needed to be regulated, the Hiiragi group now found that it actually promotes healthy development.

14 Oct 2024

New Insights Into Early Brain Development and Mental Health

An unparalleled glimpse at how gene regulation changes during human brain development has been provided by a study led by UCLA, which demonstrates the crucial role played by the 3D structure of chromatin, which is made up of proteins and DNA.

10 Oct 2024