Category: Genetics

Neurons are not known for their regenerative powers. Some neurons are very slow to repair after injury, and some are never able to heal damage. This can lead to a devastating loss of function and mobility, depending on where the injury occurs. Scientists have long been trying to understand why some neurons can regenerate and…

There are many health problems that can be traced back to errors in the genetic code. There are also many potential benefits to genetic engineering outside of healthcare. Nature has already found ways to manipulate the genetic code, and scientists have been harnessing those methods so we can use them to our benefit. CRISPR is…

There is so much we don’t know about microbes, even while these organisms are the most numerous on the planet. A recent study called our understanding of microbial life ‘profoundly ignorant,’ and highlighted the fact that we can’t even say whether microbial biodiversity is increasing, decreasing, or staying the same. There are so many microbes,…

The causes of autism are still not well understood, although many genes have been identified that play a clear role in some cases of the developmental disorder. Scientists have now investigated the outcomes of mutations in a gene called CHD8 that has frequently been implicated in cases of ASD that are linked to genetics. This…

In the past few years, the H5N1 bird flu has led to the deaths of millions of wild and farmed birds around the world. It has caused major agricultural and economic losses, and the absence of so manu wild birds from the ecosystem will likely have ripple effects in nature. Bird flu is difficult to…

Researchers are encouraging relatives of people who have been diagnosed with celiac disease to get tested after a study revealed that a significant number of these relatives have undiagnosed cases of celiac themselves. The study has also suggested that screening guidelines for celiac disease should reflect these findings, and when new celiac patients are identified,…

In the early 1900s, Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda suggested that umami was a basic taste, like bitter, salty, sour, or sweet. It took about eight decades for the scientific community to officially recognize umami flavor sensations. Umami is described as a savory, broth-like flavor. Now researchers have evidence of this sixth basic taste, which is…

Researchers have identified a small change in the sequence of a particular gene that increases the likelihood of inflammation in carriers. This is because the genetic variant, which could be found in as much as 3 percent of the global population, increases a process called necroptosis, an especially explosive form of programmed cell death. This…

A recent study published in Nature Medicine examines a novel AI-driven app called SenseToKnow that can test to see if a child is on the autism spectrum. This app was created by researchers at Duke University and holds the potential to help parents and health care providers identify specific behavioral indicators that could help assess…

Kids are told to scrub behind their ears and between their toes, and for good reason. New research has investigated the skin microbiome of humans – the microbes that we carry around on our bodies – and they have found that the composition of the skin microbiome can vary considerably depending on the location, and…