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Clinical genetics news
These tiny genetic fragments may be critical for telling a brain when to rest
The altered presence of tiny fragments of neuronal genes, called microexons, causes hyperarousal in zebrafish. This is the main conclusion of an international study led by Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and the Center for ...
5 hours ago
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MAP1B reveals unexpected role for cytoskeletal proteins in brain development
The cytoskeleton gives cells their shape and helps them move. Researchers at Helmholtz Munich and Ludwig Maximilian University now show that, in neural stem cells, proteins of the cytoskeleton are also found in the cell nucleus, ...
6 hours ago
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Gene therapy shows promise in ARC syndrome, a deadly childhood liver disease
A new gene therapy has been used to successfully treat a deadly childhood liver disease in mice that model the disease, according to researchers at UCL and Great Ormond Street Hospital. Arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and ...
14 hours ago
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Restless legs syndrome—zebrafish reveal a cerebellar connection
An irresistible urge to move the legs or other areas, often accompanied by unpleasant sensations at night or during rest: Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) affects millions of people worldwide. Despite being one of the most common ...
Jun 18, 2026
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Link between genetics and BMI has become stronger since rise in obesity rates, study finds
People who carry genetic variations linked to obesity are more likely to be heavier now than individuals with the same variants who were born before the recent obesity epidemic. Liam Wright of University College London and ...
Jun 18, 2026
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Gene tied to energy production in brain could lead to new treatment for cognitive disorders
Researchers in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo have discovered a connection between a specific gene and healthy brain function. "The hope is that this discovery could eventually ...
Jun 18, 2026
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How sleep and AQP4 gene variants may jointly shape early Alzheimer's brain changes
New research from Edith Cowan University has discovered an important link between genes and sleep habits, suggesting they work together to influence early brain and cognitive changes associated with Alzheimer's disease long ...
Jun 18, 2026
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Fat surrounding the aorta may play a key role in Marfan syndrome
A team led by researchers from the UAB and the network of biomedical research centers in cardiovascular diseases CIBERCV has demonstrated that the fatty tissue surrounding the aorta actively participates in the regulation ...
Jun 18, 2026
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Pakistani genomes reveal 34,000 knockouts that could explain why mouse-based drugs fail in humans
A comprehensive analysis of 173,303 genomes from Pakistan, published today in Nature, is upending how scientists understand human genetics and drug development. By identifying 34,000 people who are "human knockouts," with ...
Jun 17, 2026
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Autism-related genes may share common path during early brain development
Hundreds of genes have been linked to autism, yet the precise molecular and cellular mechanisms behind it remain largely unclear. A new study published in Nature, led by Gaia Novarino at the Institute of Science and Technology ...
Jun 17, 2026
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Newborn neurons routinely break then repair DNA during brain cortex formation, study reveals
Newborn nerve cells must squeeze through crowded, narrow spaces—through dense tissue, past other cells, and between fibers—to reach the areas where they form neural circuits in the brain cortex. In a study published in Nature, ...
Jun 17, 2026
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Gene mutations may explain some spontaneous spinal fluid leaks
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University and Johns Hopkins University have identified genetic mutations that may explain why some people develop a spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak in the spine. The ...
Jun 17, 2026
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Gene therapy shows promise for life-threatening inherited heart disease
A new gene therapy appears to be safe in patients diagnosed with Friedreich ataxia cardiomyopathy, a progressive and fatal inherited cardiac disease, according to a phase 1 clinical trial led by Weill Cornell Medicine researchers. ...
Jun 17, 2026
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Key Alzheimer's risk factor may behave differently in older Hispanic adults
Researchers at the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of USC analyzed brain imaging and clinical data from more than 17,000 participants across five ...
Jun 17, 2026
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Lymphatic dysfunction drives heart valve disease in Marfan syndrome patients
Dysfunction in the lymphatic system has been identified as a hidden driver of life-threatening heart valve disease in patients with Marfan syndrome, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study published in the Journal ...
Jun 17, 2026
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New open tool can facilitate the reuse of genomic data
The GCAT|Genomes for Life team, a strategic project of the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), has developed PolyGenie, a new tool designed to facilitate the exploration and reuse of genomic data by the research ...
Jun 17, 2026
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New pancreatic cancer strategy kills KRAS-mutant tumor cells and extends survival in mice
Researchers at the University of Cologne's Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC) have discovered a previously unknown mechanism that makes most pancreatic cancer cells susceptible to a form of programmed cell death. ...
Jun 16, 2026
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Large-scale genetic study uncovers new factors associated with a pregnancy-related liver disease
Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) affects approximately 0.2–2% of pregnant women and typically develops after 30 weeks of gestation. As the most common symptom is severe itching of the palms and the soles of the ...
Jun 16, 2026
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Genomics may improve diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders in Italy
A collaborative study used whole-genome sequencing to examine the genetic makeup of 110 children from Aosta Valley (Valle d'Aosta) with neurodevelopmental disorders and their parents. In a number of cases, researchers identified ...
Jun 16, 2026
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Large-scale population studies needed to reduce risks from newborn genome screening, investigators conclude
New research from large population studies provides invaluable evidence on genome screening of newborn babies to reduce risks from overdiagnosis. The authors conclude that further studies are needed before such screening ...
Jun 16, 2026
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People diagnosed with ADHD and autism more recently show lower genetic risk than earlier cases
The rise in the number of cases of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) always gets quite a bit of attention from both the public and the media. This has led to the rise of several ...
World's largest genetic study of 'moliness' helps unravel mysteries of melanoma
QIMR Berghofer scientists have uncovered hundreds of genes that play a role in the growth of both moles and melanoma, in a discovery that could lead to new ways of preventing and treating the deadliest form of skin cancer. ...
Jun 15, 2026
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Your gut talks to your liver: Study reveals how microbes influence liver function through DNA 'switches'
A study led by scientists from the A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (A*STAR GIS) has uncovered how the gut microbiome can influence gene activity in the liver by acting on short stretches of regulatory DNA that function ...
Jun 15, 2026
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Genetic marker may flag severe IBD earlier in some patients
In the largest genetic study of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) traits to date, researchers have identified a genetic marker associated with more severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease—the major forms of IBD.
Jun 15, 2026
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How a long, healthy lifespan may be passed down across generations
Understanding why some people stay healthy without developing disease until late in life (have an increased healthspan), whereas others become infirm at a much younger age, has important implications for the health of today's ...
Jun 15, 2026
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