Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

New research identifies critical gene for ALS treatment

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - which you may know as the disease that affected Stephen Hawking - is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive muscle weakness. A research team at Tohoku University and Keio University has uncovered a unifying mechanism in ALS revolving around the expression of UNC13A (a gene crucial for neuronal communication) that represents a common target for developing effective treatment strategies that could improve the lives of patients with ALS.

26 Jul 2025

Researchers pinpoint PRMT5 as a promising target for cancer drugs

A potential target for experimental drugs that block PRMT5 - a naturally occurring enzyme some tumors rely more on for survival - has been identified by researchers with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute's Cancer Research Center in Washington, D.C.

26 Jul 2025

Discovery of TAF1's role could revolutionize cancer treatment

A new study led by Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., director of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, shows how a key molecule regulates the generation of new blood cells, a process called hematopoiesis that goes awry in cancer. The findings have the potential to lead to new therapeutic strategies targeting the molecule, a regulator of gene activity called TAF1.

26 Jul 2025

New research shows neurogenesis slows in early adulthood, impacting memory

Age often brings a gradual decline in the ability to learn new things and retain memories. This phenomenon, often associated with the elderly, is linked to the brain's deteriorating capacity to generate new neurons-a process that primarily occurs in the hippocampus -as neural stem cells (NSCs) divide and mature. Recent research suggests this decline begins much earlier in life than previously thought, potentially starting in early adulthood.

25 Jul 2025

Gene-edited mosquitoes slash malaria spread 93% using self-propagating shield

Scientists engineered a naturally occurring genetic variant (Q224) in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, making them highly resistant to malaria parasites without affecting fitness. A novel gene-drive system rapidly spread this protective trait through lab mosquito populations, offering a potential breakthrough for malaria control.

24 Jul 2025

Standard DNA tests miss most cases of NUT carcinoma

The diagnosis of a suspected lung, head, and neck cancer called NUT carcinoma should include additional testing capable of detecting gene fusions that are definitive markers of the disease, according to a study by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute investigators.

24 Jul 2025

Promising therapeutic approach identified for multiple myeloma

Researchers at Uppsala University have identified a promising therapeutic approach for the challenging blood cancer multiple myeloma.

24 Jul 2025

Low-gluten diets disrupt gut health by depleting key bacteria

Long-term gluten reduction may disrupt gut microbiota balance, reducing beneficial bacteria and increasing ethanol, linked to inflammation and metabolic risks.

24 Jul 2025

AI identifies novel gene variants linked to Alzheimer’s risk

This study reveals how machine learning models uncover new genetic variants linked to Alzheimer’s, advancing predictive accuracy in genetic epidemiology.

24 Jul 2025

Reactivating silent genes offers hope for Rett syndrome treatment

Researchers led by UC Davis Health scientist Sanchita Bhatnagar have developed a promising gene therapy that could treat Rett syndrome.

23 Jul 2025

New imaging tool measures inner ear fluid to assess hearing loss

Optical coherence tomography (OCT), a tool routinely used to diagnose and plan treatment for eye diseases, has now been modified to collect images of the inner ear.

23 Jul 2025

Blocking key host pathways may stop Cryptosporidium infections

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have mapped the human metabolic pathways that Cryptosporidium, an intestinal parasite, requires to survive.

23 Jul 2025

New method genetically blocks mosquitoes from transmitting malaria

Mosquitoes kill more people each year than any other animal. In 2023, the blood-sucking insects infected a reported 263 million people with malaria, leading to nearly 600,000 deaths, 80% of which were children.

23 Jul 2025

Researchers develop therapeutic nanoparticles beyond delivery

A group of University of Ottawa researchers have already shown how scientists can harness gene therapies to deliver nano-sized treatments for cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases.

23 Jul 2025

Insights into antibiotic resistance and virulence of Bordetella hinzii

Announcing a new article publication for Zoonoses journal. This study was aimed at analyzing the pathogenic characteristics of Bordetella hinzii (B. hinzii), and elucidating its antibiotic resistance mechanisms, virulence gene distribution, and vaccine development potential.

23 Jul 2025