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buccal swab brca brca1 brca2 genetic test cancer screening uspstf
New Guidelines Expand BRCA Screening
US Preventive Services Task Force recommends genetic testing for mutations in the cancer-related genes for more—but not all—women.
New Guidelines Expand BRCA Screening
New Guidelines Expand BRCA Screening

US Preventive Services Task Force recommends genetic testing for mutations in the cancer-related genes for more—but not all—women.

US Preventive Services Task Force recommends genetic testing for mutations in the cancer-related genes for more—but not all—women.

genetics & genomics

a DNA helix made of fruits and vegetables
Personalized Nutrition Companies’ Claims Overhyped: Scientists
Shawna Williams | Aug 21, 2019 | 8 min read
Services promising scientifically tailored supplements or advice abound. Experts say their claims are largely unfounded, although some solid evidence is beginning to emerge.
HIV virus
HIV-1 Genome Extracted from 1966 Tissue Sample
Nicoletta Lanese | Aug 19, 2019 | 2 min read
Scientists spent five years reconstructing what is now the oldest HIV-1 genome yet recovered.
Exercise Changes Our Gut Microbes, But How Isn’t Yet Clear
Ashley Yeager | Aug 15, 2019 | 5 min read
Physical activity, independent of diet, shifts the composition of bacteria in the intestines, spurring researchers to search for species that might provide benefits akin to working out.
sei proteins help protect flies from heat-induced seizures
Image of the Day: Seizure Proteins
Nicoletta Lanese | Aug 14, 2019 | 1 min read
The sei ion channel in fruit flies keeps their neuronal excitability in check.
sperm mouse sex selection ivf in vitro fertilization x y chromosome
Researchers Develop New Method for Sexing Sperm
Katarina Zimmer | Aug 13, 2019 | 4 min read
Scientists found they could sort mouse sperm prior to IVF by treating semen with a drug that selectively slows down X-bearing cells.
shinkai submersible
Elusive Asgard Archaea Finally Cultured in Lab
Nicoletta Lanese | Aug 12, 2019 | 3 min read
The 12-year-long endeavor reveals Prometheoarchaeum as a tentacled cell, living in a symbiotic relationship with methane-producing microbes.
arida1 pi3ka gene endometriosis uterine cancer uterus cell migration
Two Genes Conspire in Endometriosis and Cancer to Help Cells Migrate
Emma Yasinski | Aug 9, 2019 | 3 min read
The genes promote the migration of endothelial cells outside of the uterus, a characteristic of both endometriosis and endometrial cancers, a study of mice and human tissue finds.
Tardigrades May Have Made it to the Moon
Ashley Yeager | Aug 7, 2019 | 2 min read
An Israeli lunar lander carrying the tiny animals crashed into the moon in April, and now scientists are trying to determine if the creatures are still alive.
gene therapy approval used manipulated data
Some Data Backing Novartis Gene-Therapy Approval Manipulated: FDA
Nicoletta Lanese | Aug 7, 2019 | 2 min read
The agency is now evaluating the implications of the corrupted data behind Zolgensma and whether to “take action” against the pharmaceutical company.
mouse microbiome
Mouse Genetics Shape the Gut Microbiome More than Their Environment
Nicoletta Lanese | Aug 6, 2019 | 3 min read
Neither the maternal microbiome nor housing conditions appear to permanently alter which microbes remain in the animals.
Liane Russell geneticist
Geneticist Liane Russell Dies
Nicoletta Lanese | Jul 29, 2019 | 2 min read
She conducted innovative research in mutagenesis and teratogenesis related to radiation and chemical exposures, identifying risks to fetuses.
Japanese grass pufferfish (Takifugu niphobles) CT scan
Pufferfish Spines Shaped by Same Genes as Feathers and Fish Scales
Nicoletta Lanese | Jul 29, 2019 | 3 min read
To see if the spiky fish shares signaling pathways found in other organisms, scientists scooped up specimens during a mating frenzy on the shores of Japan.
retraction genetics studies articles papers medical rate plagiarism duplication fabrication
Genetics Articles Retracted at Higher Rate than Other Disciplines
Chia-Yi Hou | Jul 26, 2019 | 2 min read
A study estimates that 0.15 percent of genetics articles are retracted, most commonly for duplication and plagiarism.
Accuracy of Genotyping Chips Called into Question
Grace Browne | Jul 24, 2019 | 4 min read
Chips used by some direct-to-consumer genetic testing firms display a false positive rate of upwards of 85 percent when screening for rare variants, a new study finds.  
Unhatched Gulls Shake Their Shells to Warn Siblings of Danger
Nicoletta Lanese | Jul 23, 2019 | 2 min read
The unborn chicks translate auditory alarms from adult birds into quaking vibrations.
an illustration of the inside of a blood vessel with a buildup of plaque
Gene Mutation Could Explain Humans’ High Risk of Heart Attack
Shawna Williams | Jul 23, 2019 | 2 min read
Mutating a gene called CMAH in mice so it’s nonfunctional, as in humans, upped the animals’ chances of developing heart disease, a study finds.
University of Adelaide Investigates Ancient DNA Lab
Ashley Yeager | Jul 23, 2019 | 3 min read
An external consultant will review the work environment of the institution’s Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, led by evolutionary molecular biologist Alan Cooper.
rahul desikan als amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Neuroscientist Rahul Desikan Dies
Kerry Grens | Jul 19, 2019 | 2 min read
He developed an MRI-based map of the human cortex, discovered genetic risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases, and wrote about his struggles with ALS.
c elegans reproduction longevity gene TCER-1 health immune system genetics research model
C. elegans Healthier Without Longevity Gene
Chia-Yi Hou | Jul 17, 2019 | 2 min read
Worms with the reproduction-related TCER-1 gene deleted could fight off infection for longer and survived better when exposed to heat and radiation.
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