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UrduThe same genetics that helped some of our ancestors fight the plague is still likely to be at work in our bodies today, potentially providing some of the population with extra protection against respiratory diseases such as COVID-19. However, there is a trade-off, where this same variation is also linked to increased autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Tag: Genetics
Deer protected from deadly disease by newly discovered genetic differences
University of Illinois scientists have found gene variants in deer associated with the animals’ susceptibility to Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease.
ISU scientists exploit genetic mutation to accelerate plant breeding process
Iowa State University researchers may have solved a long-standing challenge associated with accelerated development of pure genetic lines.
Genes that may predict complications from obesity differ between the sexes
In a new study published February 16, 2023, in Nature Genetics, researchers from the University of Chicago characterized the impact of a genetic variant associated with higher cholesterol and triglyceride blood levels in women, suggesting that similar genes might lead to different patterns of fat distribution and obesity-related disease risk for women.
Argonne researchers share in Chicago Innovation Award for COVID wastewater testing
Argonne’s expertise in biosafety, genetic sequencing and epidemiology help public health officials track which COVID variants are present in Illinois and monitor variants of concern.
Researchers Create New System for Safer Gene-Drive Testing and Development
Researchers have developed a new system for developing gene drives for areas ranging from human health to global food supplies. The new “hacking” system converts split gene drives into full drives, offering new flexibility for safely conducting gene drive experiments in a range of applications.
Study Identifies Cause for Excessive Folding of Gyri in Human Cerebral Cortex
UC San Diego researchers identify mutation that causes excessive folding in human brain’s wrinkly cerebral cortex, resulting in diminished cognitive function.
Study Identifies Cause for Mysterious Cases of Epilepsy in Children
An international consortium led by UC San Diego has identified at least some of the genetic drivers of a mysterious form of pediatric epilepsy.
Zebrafish model helps explain eye development
Scientists at the National Eye Institute (NEI) have developed a zebrafish model of NEDBEH—a rare genetic disorder that can cause coloboma, where parts of the eye are missing due to developmental defects. The model provides a new tool for understanding the eye’s embryonic development. The NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health.
Penn Medicine Awarded $9.7 Million from The Warren Alpert Foundation for Genetic Counselor Continuing Education Efforts
Penn Medicine has received a $9.7 million grant from The Warren Alpert Foundation (WAF) that will fund continuing education efforts for genetic counselors, to ensure opportunities for continued training that will keep them on the leading edge of their profession interpreting genomic data and explaining its implications to patients.
New Computer Program ‘Learns’ to Identify Mosaic Mutations That Cause Disease
UC San Diego researchers describe a method for teaching a computer how to spot complex “mosaic mutations” using an artificial intelligence approach termed “deep learning.”
Scientists Discover Hidden Genetic Anomaly Behind Common Late-Onset Cerebellar Ataxia
Researchers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, McGill University and other institutions have found that a well-concealed genetic variation in the gene FGF14, called a DNA tandem repeat expansion, causes a common form of late-onset cerebellar ataxia, a brain disorder that interferes with coordinated movement. Tandem repeat expansions are only found in 50 conditions, including Friedreich’s ataxia and Huntington’s disease, but researchers believe they could account for many other conditions.
Experts from 14 Nations Discuss Global Gene Drive Project Registry
UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science led 70 participants from 14 nations in a discussion on the ways in which a gene drive project registry could both contribute to and detract from the fair development, testing and use of gene-drive modified organisms.
New Look at an Ancient Disease: Study Finds Novel Treatment Targets for Gout
UC San Diego scientists identify a new molecular model and potential therapeutic target for gout, the most common form of inflammatory arthritis.
Two UCI researchers named fellows by the National Academy of Inventors
Irvine, Calif., Dec. 8, 2022 — The National Academy of Inventors has named two University of California, Irvine researchers as fellows for 2022. Philip Felgner, a pioneer in the development of lifesaving mRNA vaccines, and Payam Heydari, a prolific creator of cutting-edge microelectronics technologies, were both recognized for inventions that have made tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.
Adapting language models to track virus variants
Groundbreaking research by Argonne National Laboratory finds new method to quickly identify COVID-19 virus variants. Their work wins the Gordon Bell Special Prize.
UT Southwestern scientists among top 1% of highly cited researchers across the globe
More than 20 UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists are among the 2022 Highly Cited Researchers listed in the top 1% of researchers from across the globe
Brain Changes in Autism Are Far More Sweeping Than Previously Known
The new study finds brain-wide changes in virtually all of the 11 cortical regions analyzed, regardless of whether they are higher critical association regions – those involved in functions such as reasoning, language, social cognition and mental flexibility – or primary sensory regions.
Study: More Than One Way to Build a Black Bird
Scientists have so far found at least two genetic pathways leading to the same physical outcome: all-black feathers. This change was no random accident. It was a result of nature specifically selecting for this trait. The new study is published in the journal PLOS Genetics.
New technique makes gene editing at scale possible in animals, turning years of work into days and making new kinds of genetic experiments possible
A new gene editing technique developed by University of Oregon researchers compresses what previously would have been years of work into just a few days, making new kinds of research possible in animal models.
MD Anderson’s Guillermina Lozano receives AAMC Award for Distinguished Research in the Biomedical Sciences
In recognition of her trailblazing work in uncovering the mechanisms of the p53 tumor suppressor, Guillermina “Gigi” Lozano, Ph.D., chair of Genetics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, has been selected to receive the 2022 Award for Distinguished Research in the Biomedical Sciences by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
Vitamin D deficiency linked to premature death
Now, new research from the University of South Australia gives strong evidence that vitamin D deficiency is associated with premature death, prompting calls for people to follow healthy vitamin D level guidelines.
Methane-Eating ‘Borgs’ Have Been Assimilating Earth’s Microbes
In Star Trek, the Borg are a ruthless, hive-minded collective that assimilate other beings with the intent of taking over the galaxy. Here on nonfictional planet Earth, Borgs are DNA packages that could help humans fight climate change.
NSU Professor Honored with The Explorers Club Prestigious Lowell Thomas Award
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is proud to announce that one of its own – Stephen J O’Brien, Ph.D. – was honored with The Explorers Club’s 2022 Lowell Thomas Award.
Genetic Variation Explains Racial Disparity in Esophageal Cancer Cases
Researchers at UC San Diego have used artificial intelligence-guided tools to pinpoint both a specific type of immune cell as the driver of esophageal cancer and a specific genetic variation that acts as a protective factor in African Americans.
UCLA researcher awarded National Academy of Medicine prize for work on genetics of autism
Dr. Daniel Geschwind was awarded the National Academy of Medicine’s top annual prize in mental health in recognition of his pioneering research and leadership in autism genetics.
How environmental changes affect the shapes of RNA in living cells
The impact of environmental conditions on the dynamic structures of RNAs in living cells has been revealed by innovative technology developed by researchers at the John Innes Centre.
Down on Vitamin D? It could be the cause of chronic inflammation
World-first genetic research from the University of South Australia shows a direct link between low levels of vitamin D and high levels of inflammation, providing an important biomarker to identify people at higher risk of or severity of chronic illnesses with an inflammatory component.
Researchers discover gene that promotes muscle strength during exercise
Researchers have identified a gene that promotes muscle strength when switched on by physical activity, unlocking the potential for the development of therapeutic treatments to mimic some of the benefits of working out.
‘Junk’ DNA could lead to cancer by stopping copying of DNA
Scientists have found that non-coding ‘junk’ DNA, far from being harmless and inert, could potentially contribute to the development of cancer.
Scientists discover genes that affect the risk of developing pre-leukaemia
The discovery of 14 inherited genetic changes which significantly increase the risk of a person developing a symptomless blood disorder associated with the onset of some types of cancer and heart disease is published today in Nature Genetics. The finding, made in one of the largest studies of its kind through genetic data analysis on 421,738 people, could pave the way for potential new approaches for the prevention and early detection of cancers including leukaemia.
Awash in Potential: Wastewater Provides Early Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Virus
Scientists and physicians at UC San Diego and Scripps Research describe how wastewater sequencing provided dramatic new insights into levels and variants of SARS-CoV-2 on campus and in the broader community — a key step to public health interventions in advance of COVID-19 case surges.
Scientists discover cancer trigger that could spur targeted drug therapies
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have definitively linked the function of a specific domain of proteins important in plant-microbe biology to a cancer trigger in humans, knowledge that had eluded scientists for decades.
Organoids Reveal Similarities Between Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 & Rett Syndrome
Using brain organoids, UC San Diego researchers discover mutational commonalities between muscular dystrophy type 1 and Rett syndrome, suggesting the potential of a similar treatment for both.
Novel, sensitive, and robust single-cell RNA sequencing technique outperforms competition
The novel terminator-assisted solid-phase complementary DNA amplification and sequencing (TAS-Seq) method provides high-precision data on gene expression
Sea dragons’ genes give clues to their distinctive looks
Even with plenty of fish in the sea, sea dragons stand out from the crowd. The funky, fabulous fish are bedecked with ruffly leaf-like adornments. Their spines are kinked. They’re missing their ribs and their teeth. And the responsibility of pregnancy is taken on by the males. By sequencing the genomes of two species of sea dragons, University of Oregon researchers have found genetic clues to the fish’s distinctive features: They’re missing a key group of genes found in other vertebrates. Those genes help direct the development of the face, teeth and appendages, as well as parts of the nervous system.
Scientists at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and 23andMe Find Genetic Link to People’s Ability to Move to a Musical Beat
The study, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, is the first large-scale genome-wide association study of a musical trait. Gordon and Lea Davis, PhD, associate professor of Medicine, both co-senior authors on the findings, along with Maria Niarchou, PhD, research instructor in the Department of Medicine and first author of the paper, co-led a team of international collaborators in novel groundwork toward understanding the biology underlying how musicality relates to other health traits.
Largest study of domestic cat DNA identifies disease-causing variants in new breeds
Many disease-linked variants are declining in frequency in breeds regularly screened for the marker.
Estimating tumor-specific total mRNA level predicts cancer outcomes
Researchers have developed a mathematical tool to estimate tumor-specific RNA levels from tumor samples with mixed cell types. Using this technique on thousands of samples found that higher mRNA levels are correlated with shorter survival.
Better understanding of DNA repair protein could lead to novel cancer therapies
Summer is here, and that means more time soaking up the sun for many of us.
Genetic study offers new insights into DCIS biology, progression
A new genetic study discovered that not all breast cancers that develop after DCIS arise from the original DCIS lesion. Roughly 1 in 5 are new cancers, genetically unrelated to the original DCIS.
Broad Spectrum of Autism Depends on Spectrum of Genetic Factors
UC San Diego researchers report significant progress in understanding how the combined effects of rare mutations and common genetic variation in determining whether a child will develop ASD and its consequential effects.
The Application of Noninvasive Prenatal Screening Using Cell-free DNA in General Risk Pregnancies – The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics Publishes its Highly Anticipated Evidence-based Review
The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) has released its second, highly anticipated systematic evidence-based review (SER): “The Application of Noninvasive Prenatal Screening Using Cell-free DNA in General Risk Pregnancies.”
Fly researchers find another layer to the code of life
A new examination of the way different tissues read information from genes has discovered that the brain and testes appear to be extraordinarily open to the use of many different kinds of code to produce a given protein.
COVID-19, MIS-C and Kawasaki Disease Share Same Immune Response
COVID-19, MIS-C and KD all share a similar underlying mechanism involving the over-activation of particular inflammatory pathways, UC San Diego study shows. Findings support novel drug targets for MIS-C.
Minerals can be key to healing damaged tissue
Every species, from bacteria to humans, is capable of regeneration. Regeneration is mediated by the molecular processes that regulate gene expression to control tissue renewal, restoration and growth.
Gene Therapy Reverses Effects of Autism-Linked Mutation in Brain Organoids
UC San Diego scientists use lab-grown human brain tissue to identify neural abnormalities in Pitt-Hopkins Syndrome and show gene therapy tools can rescue neural structure and function.
Rutgers Researcher Aims to Protect and Regenerate Corals Through Coral Genomics with $500K NSF Grant and Award-Winning Video
A Rutgers researcher will use genomics, genetics, and cell biology to identify and understand the corals’ response to heat stress conditions and to pinpoint master regulatory genes involved in coral bleaching due to global warming and climate change. The researcher and his team will use a novel gene-editing tool as a resource to knock down some gene functions with the goal of boosting the corals’ abilities to survive.
Scientists Implicate Non-Cardiac Genes in Congenital Heart Disease
UNC-Chapel Hill, Princeton, and Boston Children’s Hospital researchers show how three transcription factors inside the embryonic heart recruit the protein subunit CHD4 for their role known roles in heart health and disease.
Genetic changes differed, increased in people with Alzheimer’s disease
Inside brain cells, errors in DNA can accumulate as we age. But in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, these errors — known as somatic mutations — may build up at a faster rate.