Genes News and Research

RSS

FDA-approved compound promotes photoreceptor survival in lab models of inherited retinal ciliopathy

A National Eye Institute-led team has identified a compound already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that keeps light-sensitive photoreceptors alive in three models of Leber congenital amaurosis type 10 (LCA 10), an inherited retinal ciliopathy disease that often results in severe visual impairment or blindness in early childhood.

30 Mar 2023

Two subtypes of cells that produce insulin discovered

A team of scientists from the Van Andel Institute and the Max Planck Institute for Immunobiology and Epigenetics uncovered two unique subtypes of insulin-producing beta cells, or ß cells, each having important traits that could potentially be used to better understand and treat Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

30 Mar 2023

Epigenetic fingerprinting helps trace the origin of animal products

Food analysis laboratories can provide an answer to questions like “Was the salmon for dinner really caught wild or did it come from aquaculture? What to make of the alleged ‘biolabel quality’ of the shrimp for the seafood salad? And was the chicken for the Sunday roast really allowed to spend its life in the open air?” to a limited extent.

30 Mar 2023

Genetic welding: Evolutionary meddling with genes

With CRISPR-Cas9 technology, humans can now rapidly change the evolutionary course of animals or plants by inserting genes that can easily spread through entire populations.

29 Mar 2023

Using better probiotics to maintain a healthy gut microbiome

Bacteria have thousands of genes and functions that we, the human host, do not have. For instance, bacteria can help us digest fiber, provide support to our immune systems, and absorb important nutrients. But reaping the benefits of "good bacteria" is easier said than done.

29 Mar 2023