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Clinical genetics news

A long‑standing mystery in the deadliest breast cancer just yielded 81 new treatment targets

Researchers have solved a long-standing mystery of how abnormal chromosomes drive cancer, identifying 81 new genes involved in aggressive breast cancer. The discovery expands understanding of the cellular processes behind ...

Genetic insights into a fluid-related brain condition in newborns

Early detection and treatment of congenital cerebral ventriculomegaly (CCV)—when a fetus's fluid-filled brain ventricles swell due to a condition called hydrocephalus—can help clinicians prevent developmental or neurological ...

New approach to gene correction for iron storage disease

Hereditary primary hemochromatosis is caused by a single faulty building block in a gene. This leads to iron overload, which can have serious consequences for organs and joints. In preclinical studies, researchers have already ...

Why does Parkinson's disease affect more men than women?

New research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 has discovered some of the genetic changes in brain cells that may help explain why more men than women develop Parkinson's disease.

National rare disease registry may improve care for patients

In Sweden, more than 500,000 individuals live with a rare condition. Globally, approximately 7,000 distinct rare diseases have been identified, the majority of which have a genetic etiology. Expertise regarding these diagnoses ...

Genetic testing changes care for pulmonary fibrosis patients

A new Mayo Clinic study shows that integrating telomere length evaluation and genetic testing into pulmonary care can significantly change how physicians diagnose and treat pulmonary fibrosis—in some cases even redirecting ...

Rare aging disorder links 'biological clock' to disease

Scientists have discovered a rare genetic condition that causes people to age at a much faster rate, offering fresh insights into the aging process. The study shows for the first time how a "biological clock" present in every ...

Gene discovery could help prevent stroke in young people

UVA Health stroke researchers have identified a distinct and temporary pattern of gene behavior during cervical artery dissections, a leading cause of stroke in young people. These unusual gene changes may help explain the ...

Reproduction affects health—and so does biological sex

Starting one's sex life and having children at a young age can run in the family. But can pregnancy have beneficial health effects, and do the partner's genes contribute to them? "We are just beginning to understand how pregnancy ...

What a 'silenced' chromosome can tell us about autoimmunity

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the most common form of lupus, is an autoimmune disorder that occurs more frequently in women. Having multiple X chromosomes has been associated with an increased risk of developing lupus; ...

Why pollution affects some asthma patients more than others

For many people with asthma, air-quality advisories are harbingers of worsening symptoms. But for reasons science has struggled to explain, the extent to which pollution exacerbates asthma varies widely from person to person.

Ménière's disease may begin early in inner ear development

By analyzing genetic data from nearly 2 million people, researchers have unlocked a new scientific understanding of Ménière's disease, a chronic and often debilitating inner ear disorder. A team from the Perelman School of ...

AI and polygenic scores improve breast cancer risk assessment

A risk model that combines a mammographic artificial intelligence (AI) risk score with polygenic and clinical risk scores more accurately identifies women at high risk of developing breast cancer than clinical risk scores ...