Health News

Study could help identify genes linked to aging process

To better understand the role of bacteria in health and disease, National Institutes of Health researchers fed fruit flies antibiotics and monitored the lifetime activity of hundreds of genes that scientists have traditionally thought control aging. To their surprise, the antibiotics not only extended the lives of the flies but also dramatically changed the activity […]

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COVID-19: Scientists identify human genes that fight infection

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys have identified a set of human genes that fight SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19. Knowing which genes help control viral infection can greatly assist researchers’ understanding of factors that affect disease severity and also suggest possible therapeutic options. The genes in question are related to interferons, the body’s […]

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New maps link thousands of genetic variants to disease genes

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified thousands of genetic variants that are associated with a wide range of diseases. But these studies often fall short of establishing what a genetic variant does to bring about a particular trait or disease. “The challenge has been that many of these variants are difficult to interpret,” said Jesse […]

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Microrna-29 molecule controls brain maturation in mammals

A team led by scientists at the UNC School of Medicine identified a molecule called microRNA-29 as a powerful controller of brain maturation in mammals. Deleting microRNA-29 in mice caused problems very similar to those seen in autism, epilepsy, and other neurodevelopmental conditions. The results, published in Cell Reports, illuminate an important process in the […]