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Released: 18-Mar-2016 11:05 AM EDT
UT Southwestern Lupus Study Shows Precision Medicine’s Potential to Define the Genetics of Autoimmune Disease
UT Southwestern Medical Center

Demonstrating the potential of precision medicine, an international study based at UT Southwestern Medical Center used next-generation DNA sequencing technology to identify more than 1,000 gene variants that affect susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Released: 17-Mar-2016 2:00 PM EDT
Researchers Generate Whole-Genome Map of Fruit Fly Genetic Recombination
Stowers Institute for Medical Research

For the first time, researchers at the Stowers Institute have mapped where recombination occurs across the whole genome of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster after a single round of meiosis.

17-Mar-2016 8:05 AM EDT
Researchers Find Ancient DNA Preserved in Modern-Day Humans
Binghamton University, State University of New York

Residents of the remote equatorial islands of Melanesia share fragments of genetic code with two extinct human species. That’s the key finding of a new study published March 17 in the journal Science. An international team contributed to the research, which compared the DNA sequences of 35 modern people living on islands off the coast of New Guinea with DNA drawn from two early human species: Denisovans, whose remains were found in Siberia, and Neandertals, first discovered in Germany. “Substantial amounts of Neandertal and Denisovan DNA can now be robustly identified in the genomes of present-day Melanesians, allowing new insights into human evolutionary history,” they wrote. “As genome-scale data from worldwide populations continues to accumulate, a nearly complete catalog of surviving archaic lineages may soon be within reach.”

15-Mar-2016 2:05 PM EDT
For First Time, Scientists Use CRISPR-Cas9 to Target RNA in Live Cells
UC San Diego Health

Scientists have long sought an efficient method for targeting RNA— intermediary genetic material that carries the genetic code from the cell’s nucleus to protein-making machinery — in living cells. Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have now achieved this by applying the popular DNA-editing technique CRISPR-Cas9 to RNA. The study is published March 17 in Cell.

16-Mar-2016 4:00 PM EDT
The Brain May Show Signs of Aging Earlier Than Old Age
American Physiological Society (APS)

A new study published in Physiological Genomics suggests that the brain shows signs of aging earlier than old age. The study found that the microglia cells—the immune cells of the brain—in middle-aged mice already showed altered activity seen in microglia from older mice.

11-Mar-2016 11:00 AM EST
Within Six Families, a Path to Personalized Treatment for an Immune Disorder
University of Utah Health

The most common immune disorder, common variable immunodeficiency disorder (CVID), is notoriously difficult to diagnose early, before serious complications develop. Genetic analysis of six families from across the U.S. and Europe has revealed that mutations in IKAROS, known for its central role in immune cell development, define a new class of CVID. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the results open the door to personalized health care tailored to patients with this disorder.

16-Mar-2016 9:05 AM EDT
Genomic Profiling Helps Provide Targeted Therapy Options for Hard to Treat Cancers
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

Research from Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey examining difficult to treat tumors through genomic profiling shows that tumors with alterations in a signaling pathway responsible for cell regulation may respond to targeted therapy regardless of where the tumor originated in the body.

Released: 16-Mar-2016 3:05 PM EDT
Cancer-Causing Gene Triggered by Alcohol May Increase Breast Cancer Risk
University of Houston

A University of Houston researcher and his team have discovered an important link between alcohol and breast cancer by identifying a cancer-causing gene triggered by alcohol.

Released: 16-Mar-2016 2:05 PM EDT
Synaptic Amplifier
Harvard Medical School

Our brains are marvels of connectivity, packed with cells that continually communicate with one another. This communication occurs across synapses, the transit points where chemicals called neurotransmitters leap from one neuron to another, allowing us to think, to learn and to remember. Researchers have known that these synapses often need a boost to send information across neuronal divides.

14-Mar-2016 2:05 PM EDT
Scientists Generate a New Type of Human Stem Cell That Has Half a Genome
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Scientists from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) and The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute (NYSCF) have succeeded in generating a new type of embryonic stem cell that carries a single copy of the human genome, instead of the two copies typically found in normal stem cells. The scientists reported their findings today in the journal Nature.

   
Released: 16-Mar-2016 12:05 PM EDT
Bacterial Resistance to Copper in the Making for Thousands of Years
Ohio State University

Human use of copper dating back to the Bronze Age has shaped the evolution of bacteria, leading to bugs that are highly resistant to the metal’s antibacterial properties.

Released: 15-Mar-2016 12:00 PM EDT
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Leading Prostate Cancer Study in Men of African Descent
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers are leading a multicenter genetic study of prostate cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa to try to find new information about the genetic etiology of prostate cancer.

11-Mar-2016 12:00 PM EST
TSRI Scientists Identify Molecular Markers of Kidney Transplant Rejection
Scripps Research Institute

A study led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) shows that genome-wide molecular profiling of kidney biopsies may be a key to catching organ rejection before it’s too late.

   
Released: 14-Mar-2016 11:00 PM EDT
Pigeon Foot Feather Genes Identified
University of Utah

University of Utah scientists identified two genes that make some pigeon breeds develop feathered feet known as muffs, while others have scaled feet. The same or similar genes might explain scaled feet in chickens and other birds, and provide insight into how some dinosaurs got feathers before they evolved into birds.

Released: 10-Mar-2016 3:05 PM EST
Scientists Use Synthetic Gene and Magnets to Alter Behavior of Mice, Fish
University of Virginia

University of Virginia scientists have demonstrated that neurons in the brain that have been supplemented with a synthetic gene can be remotely manipulated by a magnetic field. The finding has implications for possible future treatment of a range of neurological diseases, such as schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease.

Released: 10-Mar-2016 2:05 PM EST
Timing Matters
Harvard Medical School

Video: Rick Groleau As doctors and researchers explore the effectiveness of treating cancer patients with combinations of chemotherapy drugs, their attention has largely been focused on how much of each drug to give. A new study has found that achieving best results may also require looking into how much time should pass between delivering one drug and the next.

Released: 10-Mar-2016 11:05 AM EST
New Gene Variants Found in Childhood Body Mass Index
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

An international team of scientists has identified novel gene locations associated with childhood body mass index (BMI)—an important measurement related to childhood obesity. This largest-ever genetic study of childhood BMI may offer biological clues to designing future interventions.

Released: 9-Mar-2016 3:05 PM EST
Announcing the PALM Network Spring 2016 Fellows
Genetics Society of America

The Genetics Society of America takes an active and collaborative role in the Promoting Active Learning & Mentoring (PALM) Network, along with our partners: the American Society for Cell Biology and the American Society of Plant Biologists.PALM Fellows work with mentors to develop, use and evaluate evidence-based active learning strategies in their own classroom.

Released: 9-Mar-2016 12:05 PM EST
NSF Awards IU Biologist $750,000 to Study Effect of Environment on Development
Indiana University

An Indiana University biologist has been awarded $750,000 to identify the genetic mechanism that makes up a "switch" allowing some genetically identical species to develop strikingly different physical characteristics based on their environment, a phenomenon known as "polyphenism.

Released: 9-Mar-2016 10:05 AM EST
HIV Patients in Africa with a Specific Genetic Variant Have Much Lower Rate of TB
Case Western Reserve University

In the first known discovery of its kind, a Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine-led team has found that HIV patients in Africa with a certain genetic variant have a 63-percent lower chance of developing tuberculosis than HIV patients without the genetic variant.

8-Mar-2016 8:55 AM EST
Breakthrough Discovery Honored by Leading Scientific Organization
Van Andel Institute

Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) Professor H. Eric Xu will receive the prestigious Hans Neurath Award in recognition of a 2015 discovery that could lead to the development of better, more targeted therapies for many diseases.

Released: 7-Mar-2016 10:00 AM EST
Molecule Induces Lifesaving Sleep in Worms
Genetics Society of America

Sometimes, a nematode worm just needs to take a nap. In fact, its life may depend on it. New research has identified a protein that promotes a sleep-like state in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Without the snooze-inducing molecule, worms are more likely to die when confronted with stressful conditions, report researchers in the March 7, 2016 issue of the journal GENETICS.

2-Mar-2016 1:00 PM EST
Gene Variation in Athletes Might Signify Longer Recovery Following Concussion
American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM)

Genetic research on concussions is progressing in many different avenues. However, researchers presenting their work at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine’s (AOSSM) Specialty Day, believe there may be a new genetic connection regarding recovery rates following a sports-related concussion.

Released: 4-Mar-2016 12:05 PM EST
'Four-Flavored' Tetraquark, Planets Born Like Cracking Paint, New 2D Materials, The World's Newest Atom-Smasher in the Physics News Source Sponsored by AIP
Newswise

'Four-Flavored' Tetraquark, Planets Born Like Cracking Paint, New 2D Materials, The World's Newest Atom-Smasher in the Physics News Source sponsored by AIP.

Released: 4-Mar-2016 8:30 AM EST
Four Ways Inheritance Is More Complex Than Mendel Knew
NIH, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Gregor Mendel’s publication that—after sitting ignored for a few decades—helped launch the field of modern genetics. Today, we know that inheritance is far more complex than what Mendel saw in his pea plants. Our scientists who track progress in genetics research funded by NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences share some of the things researchers have learned about how traits are passed from one generation to the next.

29-Feb-2016 10:05 AM EST
There Goes the Neighborhood: Changes in Chromosome Structure Activate Cancer-Causing Genes
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research

In a finding with enormous implications for cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, Whitehead Institute scientists have discovered that breaches in looping chromosomal structures known as “insulated neighborhoods” can activate oncogenes capable of fueling aggressive tumor growth.

2-Mar-2016 2:05 PM EST
DNA "Scrunching" Occurs as RNA Polymerase Selects a Position to Begin Synthesizing RNA
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

A research collaboration that combines novel “big-data” informatics tools with expertise in basic biology has uncovered details of an essential process in life: how a crucial enzyme locates the site on DNA where it begins to direct the synthesis of RNA. The finding may help scientists discover antimicrobial medicines, and shed light on other important cellular processes.

Released: 3-Mar-2016 1:05 PM EST
Without Ancestral Gene Life on Earth Might Not Have Evolved Beyond Slime
University of British Columbia

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have identified a common ancestral gene that enabled the evolution of advanced life over a billion years ago.

29-Feb-2016 4:00 PM EST
Common Genetic Variant in a Tumor Suppressor Gene Linked to Obesity &Type 2 Diabetes
Wistar Institute

P53, a tumor suppressor gene that is mutated and inactivated in the vast majority of cancers, has often been described as the “guardian of the genome” because of its protective effects against cancer. Now, researchers at The Wistar Institute are also making the case for p53 as the “guardian of obesity,” having found that a variant of the gene is heavily implicated in metabolism, which may lead to obesity and the development of type 2 diabetes.

Released: 3-Mar-2016 10:05 AM EST
Biologists Identify Six New Unique Species of the Western Rattlesnake
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

The research team, using head shapes and genetic analyses, recommend that six groups of subspecies of the western rattlesnake be elevated to full species status.

3-Mar-2016 9:05 AM EST
Mapping Family History Can Lead More at-Risk Patients to Timely Screening
Duke Health

Most doctors and nurses review a patient’s family history to identify risk factors for heart disease and cancer, often through a paper checklist or brief interview. But more deliberate efforts to map a patient’s family tree could identify additional risks and drive patients to timely screenings for illnesses that may unknowingly affect them, according to a new study from Duke Health.

29-Feb-2016 1:05 PM EST
Newly Identified Genetic Errors May Prevent Heart Attacks
Washington University in St. Louis

A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has identified two genes that, when altered in specific ways, either promote or undermine cardiovascular health. The findings may help guide efforts to design new preventive drugs, similar to the way statins now are prescribed to lower “bad” cholesterol to reduce the risk of heart disease.

29-Feb-2016 9:30 AM EST
A Small Dragonfly Is Found to Be the World's Longest-Distance Flyer
Rutgers University

A dragonfly barely an inch and a half long appears to be animal world's most prolific long distance traveler – flying thousands of miles over oceans as it migrates from continent to continent – according to newly published research led by biologists at Rutgers University-Newark.

Released: 2-Mar-2016 1:05 PM EST
Processed Meat May Increase the Risk of Breast Cancer for Latinas
University of Southern California (USC)

Latinas who eat processed meats such as bacon and sausage may have an increased risk for breast cancer, according to a new study that did not find the same association among white women.

Released: 2-Mar-2016 9:00 AM EST
Common Blood Test Could Predict Risk of 2nd Stroke
University of Virginia Health System

A new discovery about ischemic stroke may allow to doctors to predict a patient’s risk of having a second stroke using a commonly performed blood test and their genetic profile.

Released: 2-Mar-2016 8:05 AM EST
Genetics and Brain Regions Linked to Sex Differences in Anxiety-Related Behavior in Chimpanzees, Study Finds
Georgia State University

Genetics and specific brain regions are linked to sex differences in chimpanzees’ scratching behavior, a common indicator of anxiety in humans and others primates, according to a research study led by Georgia State University that shows chimpanzees can be models of human mental illness.

Released: 1-Mar-2016 9:00 AM EST
International Cancer Genome Consortium Reaches Milestone of 1,000 Authorized Users
Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

The International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) announced today that its Data Access Compliance Office (DACO) authorized its 1,000th user, giving them access to the Consortium’s Controlled Access datasets.

26-Feb-2016 4:05 PM EST
Whole-Exome Sequencing: A Rational Approach for ‘Diagnostic Odyssey’ Patients
Mayo Clinic

A new clinical study from the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine shows that whole-exome sequencing (WES) could serve as a viable diagnostic approach for identifying rare inherited diseases and providing a resolution for patients on a diagnostic odyssey.

Released: 29-Feb-2016 3:05 PM EST
Sweeping Review of Human Genome IDs Stroke Risk Genes
University of Virginia Health System

Researchers seeking to better understand how our genes contribute to stroke risk have completed what is believed to be the largest and most comprehensive review of the human genome to identify genes that predispose people to ischemic stroke, the cause of approximately 85 percent of all strokes.

24-Feb-2016 9:05 AM EST
Mammalian Fertilization, Caught on Tape
Biophysical Society

The development of every animal in the history of the world began with a simple step: the fusion of a spermatozoon with an oocyte. Despite the ubiquity of this process, the actual mechanisms through which fertilization occurs remain poorly understood. A new tool developed by a team of French biophysicists may soon shed light on this still-mysterious process, and has already captured highly detailed images of what happens when sperm and egg first touch.

Released: 25-Feb-2016 2:05 PM EST
Fat Cells Outlive Skinny Ones
Michigan State University

Cells with higher fat content outlive lean cells, says a new study from Michigan State University.

Released: 25-Feb-2016 1:05 PM EST
Genome Editing: US Could Apply UK's Approach to Evaluate Safety, Ethics
Brown University

This winter has provided several dramatic developments in the ongoing debate about whether altering the "germline" - that is, the genome of a new embryo - should be allowed. Employing the technique could permanently alter not just an individual, but also that person's future genetic lineage. In a new research essay in the journal Cell, a duo of medical and legal experts from Brown and Harvard Universities argues that if the U.S. decides to consider the practice, it has a well-drawn regulatory roadmap to follow, courtesy of the United Kingdom.

Released: 25-Feb-2016 12:05 PM EST
What Will Novel Genetic Reproductive Tools for Mitochondrial DNA Replacement Mean for Patients and Clinicians?
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Sophisticated prenatal techniques, not yet in clinical practice, offer the potential to prevent a cruel multi-system genetic disease passing from mother to child long before birth. However, these emerging tools raise ethical and social questions.

Released: 25-Feb-2016 11:05 AM EST
Clinical Community Has Crucial Role to Play in the Future of Mitochondrial Replacement Techniques, Say Experts
Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics

There is a unique role for the United States medical community to play in determining the future application of, and ethically acceptable approach to, mitochondrial replacement techniques (MRTs), according to a commentary published online by the New England Journal of Medicine.

   
Released: 24-Feb-2016 10:05 AM EST
Potatoes Wild with Calcium
Crop Science Society of America (CSSA)

Researchers have found the molecular marker -- a pattern in the plant's natural DNA -- for calcium in potatoes. This will save time in breeding high-quality, high-calcium potatoes that resist rot.

Released: 24-Feb-2016 9:05 AM EST
New Research Challenges Darwin, Shows How a Gene Cheats Mendel’s Law of Segregation
University of North Carolina Health Care System

Copies of the mouse gene R2d2 can spread quickly through lab and wild mouse populations, despite the fact that the genes cause females to have fewer offspring. This is the first time scientists have used mice to show that a selfish gene responsible for infertility can become fixed in a population.

Released: 23-Feb-2016 3:05 PM EST
'Kurly' Protein Keeps Cilia Moving, Oriented in the Right Direction
Princeton University

A new study reveals that the Kurly protein is required for the proper orientation and movement of tiny hair-like projections called cilia. Defects in cilia are linked to human disease.

Released: 23-Feb-2016 11:05 AM EST
A New Recipe for Biofuel: Genetic Diversity Can Lead to More Productive Growth in Switchgrass Crops
Argonne National Laboratory

A team of national laboratory and university researchers led by the Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Argonne National Laboratory is growing large test plots of switchgrass crops with the farmer in mind. For the first time, researchers have mixed different genetic varieties of switchgrass on production-size plots, hypothesizing this could increase yield by extending the growing season, varying the size of the switchgrass plants to produce a fuller crop and potentially reducing the crop’s vulnerability to weather fluctuations. A seven-year study showed the switchgrass variety mixture was, most consistently, the highest yielding crop, as measured by the harvested dry weight from each plot.

21-Feb-2016 4:00 AM EST
Untangling the Spider Tree of Life
PeerJ

Employing cutting edge bioinformatics & next generation sequencing techniques, scientists have reconstructed the spider ‘tree of life’ to come to intriguing new conclusions about the evolution of the web, something which has important implications for the overall story of spider evolution.

18-Feb-2016 1:05 PM EST
Gene Linking Sleep and Seasonal Affective Disorder Found
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

A newly discovered human gene mutation appears to contribute both to unusual sleep patterns and to heightened rates of seasonal depression, according to new research from UC San Francisco.



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