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New RNA-Based Tool Could Assess Preeclampsia Risk
New RNA-Based Tool Could Assess Preeclampsia Risk
Transcripts circulating in the blood provide real-time information about maternal, fetal, and placental health.
New RNA-Based Tool Could Assess Preeclampsia Risk
New RNA-Based Tool Could Assess Preeclampsia Risk

Transcripts circulating in the blood provide real-time information about maternal, fetal, and placental health.

Transcripts circulating in the blood provide real-time information about maternal, fetal, and placental health.

genetics & genomics

Study Tracks Geographical Gene Flow and Ancestry in the US
Shawna Williams | Sep 1, 2020 | 4 min read
The analysis adds new details to the picture of migration and mixing in a diverse country.
Infographic: Meet Your Ancient Ancestors and Relatives in Africa
Katarina Zimmer | Sep 1, 2020 | 7 min read
Modern human genomes and bones left behind from ancient hominins in Africa tell a complex story about the origins of our species.
Contributors
The Scientist | Sep 1, 2020 | 4 min read
Meet some of the people featured in the September 2020 issue of The Scientist.
Infographic: South America’s Early Prehistory
Shawna Williams | Sep 1, 2020 | 4 min read
Genetics and archaeology yield clues as to when humans first arrived on the continent and how these early settlers lived.
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Thousands of Coronavirus Infections Stemmed from a Biotech Event
Amanda Heidt | Aug 26, 2020 | 3 min read
Officials had initially linked 97 cases to a single conference held by Biogen in February in Boston, but a new study tracking viral genomes suggests the number may be as high as 20,000.
750 Million GM Mosquitoes Will Be Released in the Florida Keys
Lisa Winter | Aug 21, 2020 | 2 min read
There have been no reports of health or environmental harm in other locations where genetically modified mosquitoes have been introduced over the last decade.
DNA Could Thwart Trade of the World’s Most Trafficked Mammal
Diana Kwon | Aug 6, 2020 | 4 min read
Pangolins are poached for their scales and meat, leading researchers to develop a set of molecular tools to help track and mitigate the trade.
Tracking Pangolin Traffic Networks
The Scientist | Aug 6, 2020 | 1 min read
Working at bushmeat markets in Africa, researchers are trying to trace the trade networks of the mammals.
Microbial Signatures in Blood Are Associated with Various Cancers
Shawna Williams | Jul 13, 2020 | 2 min read
A study suggests the potential for a noninvasive diagnostic that could detect tumors early and differentiate between disease types.
Male Flies’ Y Chromosome May Contribute to Earlier Deaths
Jef Akst | Jul 13, 2020 | 2 min read
As male Drosophila grow old, selfish genetic elements that are abundant on the Y chromosome become more active, which appears to reduce longevity.
Native Americans Crossed the Pacific Long Before Europeans
Abby Olena, PhD | Jul 8, 2020 | 4 min read
Genetic evidence points to individuals from South America having possibly floated on a raft to Polynesian islands about 500 years before Europeans navigated there.
Gene Splicing Pioneer Dale Kaiser Dies
Ashley Yeager | Jun 29, 2020 | 5 min read
Working with a virus that infects bacteria, the Stanford University biochemist and developmental biologist helped to develop a way to stitch DNA together, a discovery that gave rise to genetic engineering.
gene, CRISPR, CRISPR-Cas9, gene editing, human embryo, chromosome, mutation, deletion
CRISPR Gene Editing Prompts Chaos in DNA of Human Embryos
Amanda Heidt | Jun 26, 2020 | 3 min read
Three studies identify unintended consequences of gene editing in human embryos, including large deletions and reshuffling of DNA.
Two Genetic Regions Linked with Severe COVID-19
Abby Olena, PhD | Jun 8, 2020 | 4 min read
In a genome-wide association study, variants in both the ABO blood group locus and a cluster of genes on human chromosome 3 are more common among COVID-19 patients with respiratory failure than in the general population.
SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Shares Sequence with a Human Protein
Abby Olena, PhD | Jun 1, 2020 | 3 min read
Eight amino acids are identical to part of the human epithelial sodium channel, leading researchers to suspect the virus might interfere with the channel’s function.
Left-Handed DNA Has a Biological Role Within a Dynamic Genetic Code
Rachel Brazil | Jun 1, 2020 | 10+ min read
Once considered an unimportant curiosity, Z-DNA is now recognized to provide an on-the-fly mechanism to regulate how an RNA transcript is edited.
Infographic: DNA Isn’t Always Right-Handed
Rachel Brazil | Jun 1, 2020 | 1 min read
When the nucleic acid spirals to the left, it takes on a zig-zag shape known as Z-DNA that appears to regulate RNA editing.
How a Pea Aphid Decides to Make Wings or Not
Viviane Callier | Jun 1, 2020 | 2 min read
Wing development in females is environmentally controlled, but in males, an insertion on the sex chromosome appears to dictate whether the insects grow wings, according to a study.
seattle coronavirus outbreak pandemic covid-19 sars-cov-2 genome wa1 washington transmission wuhan china
First US Outbreak of COVID-19 Seeded in Mid-February: Preprint
Kerry Grens | May 27, 2020 | 2 min read
A modeling study counters initial interpretations that the cluster began with someone who flew to Seattle in mid-January.
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