The Scientist
Another eczema gene identified
Eczema is a common skin problem that involves chronic inflammation and itching. Genetic studies of the disorder have homed in ...
Neuron diversity might shape personality and ability
Genomic analyses of single human neurons—either from postmortem brains or those derived in culture—reveal a considerable degree of DNA copy ...
Genomic analysis moves to the cloud
Baylor College of Medicine's Human Genome Sequencing Center (HGSC) is looking to the cloud for large-scale genomic analyses. According to ...
Genes may dictate which microbes thrive on your body
Scouring the genomes and body-wide microbial communities of 93 people, researchers have discovered a link between the composition of the ...
Fighting Viruses with RNAi
Plants, fungi, and invertebrates use RNA interference (RNAi) to fend off invading viruses. Mammals, on the other hand, are known ...
Yoav Gilad: Gene Regulator
Growing up in the town of Beersheba in Israel, Yoav Gilad became restless when high school failed to challenge him. So, after ...
Genome sequencing standards needed
Two recent initiatives promise to deliver much-needed standards for the genomics community. Last year, the National Institute of Standards and ...
Defanged HIV a positive for gene therapy
The scientific community witnessed an unexpected medical breakthrough last year, when a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was treated ...
DNA identification can be too expensive for governments that need it
When the remains of victims of political conflict or natural disasters are so badly damaged that they cannot be identified ...
Bird, rish, and fly cells reprogrammed
The ability to reprogram differentiated cells toward pluripotency has been a remarkable achievement, though its application has mostly been limited ...
The epigenetics of body clocks and metabolism: why when you eat matters
Few environmental factors are as reliable as the 24-hour day, and an evolutionary argument can be made for why the ...
New technique for simultaneous gene visualization and epigenetic analysis
Techniques exist to visualize specific gene loci within tissue sections. And separate test-tube experiments exist to determine those genes’ epigenetic ...
Whales tan to protect DNA from UV damage, like humans do
In humans, skin pigmentation protects DNA from UV damage. Blue whales react to the sun’s rays similarly, darkening their skin ...
Genetic study of intestinal bacteria shows low gut bacteria diversity link to obesity
Individuals with fewer numbers of so-called “good” bacteria are more likely to be obese and develop obesity-related ailments such as ...
Gene may contribute to weakness for statin users
Using a novel approach, researchers have discovered a genetic variant that may contribute to the muscle pain and weakness experienced ...
Restoring tomato flavor: More complicated than finding that perfect taste
Tomatoes are the #1-selling fruit or vegetable in the world today. Yet consumers complain about blandness of supermarket tomatoes and ...
Researchers create single-gene knockout library
Using a technique called “gene trapping,” researchers have built a library of haploid human cell lines. The collection includes more ...
The tiny genes that control heartbeats
The regular heartbeats of humans and fruit flies both depend on tiny genes that have gone unnoticed because of their ...
Mediterranean diet reduces genetic stroke risk
Eating a Mediterranean diet may lower the risk of stroke and offset other negative effects associated with a genetic variant ...
Pluripotent cells may help animals jumpstart drastically new lifestyles
Many tissues, such as skin and hair follicles, regenerate constantly throughout an organism’s lifetime, fueled by what are known as ...
Scientists bioengineer tumor-killing cells
Scientists have combined the ability to reprogram stem cells into T cells with the ability to genetically modify patients’ own ...
One gene variant contributes to two mental disorders
Schizophrenia and fragile X syndrome both can involve problems with cognitive function, and two studies published in Nature Neuroscience earlier on August 4 ...
Engineering life: the principles of synthetic biology
Engineering began as an outgrowth of the craftwork of metallurgical artisans. In a constant quest to improve their handiwork, those ...
Spliceosome may help disable foreign RNA from viral infections
Although small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are largely explored today for their potential in gene therapy, the phenomenon was first described ...
Do very small embryonic-like stem cells exist?
The existence of very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) has been hotly debated by scientists since they were first reported ...
Researchers sequence genomes of microbe species beyond the lab
The tree of life is dominated by microbes, but many large branches remain uncharted because scientists have been historically restricted ...
Is gene therapy coming of age?
Researchers are promising results from gene therapy trials for the treatment of two different rare diseases ...
Married cousins boost birth defects
History is rife with famous married cousins: Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Edgar Allan Poe, and H.G. Wells all married their ...
