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NEWS ABOUT: genetic research

South Koreans Clone Beagles—and They Glow

(Newser) - South Korean scientists have cloned a group of four female beagles that glow red under ultraviolet light, the AP reports. The researchers inserted fluorescent genes during the cloning process, an achievement that could lead to advances in human medicine and science. “What’s significant in this work is not... More »

Bo's DNA Is No Secret to Scientists

Portuguese water dogs are top breed for genetic study

(Newser) - The Obama puppy may still be a bit of a mystery to a curious public, but his genetic code should be familiar to scientists: Portuguese water dogs are the top breed for genetic study, helping shed light on anything from how a dog’s size is determined to whether it’... More »

Gene Mutation Instigates Skin Cancer, Scientists Say

Sun exposure leads to certain gene mutation

(Newser) - Some 70% of melanoma skin cancers may initially be caused by a particular gene mutation resulting from overexposure to the sun, British scientists says, in a finding that could help create targeted melanoma drugs. Researchers had already seen that the BRAF gene was often damaged in cancer patients, but they... More »

Gene Discovery Lets Mice Gorge on Carbs, Stay Thin

Tweaked mice can munch carbs without getting fat

(Newser) - Yet another breakthrough for mice: Genetic researchers have found a way to allow them to eat all the carbs they want and not get fat, reports the Los Angeles Times. The scientists turned off a gene in the liver that plays a role in turning excess glucose into fatty acids.... More »

Obesity Genes Mainly Affect Your Brain

DNA behind appetites, tastes, and how likely we are to feel full: study

(Newser) - Overeating is all in your head, but you can blame that on your DNA, the Times of London reports. Of the seven gene variations connected with obesity, five affect the brain’s wiring, suggesting that an inherited tendency toward slimness has more to do with appetite and impulse control than... More »

Genetic Therapy Reverses Heart Disease in Mice

Trials in other animals have begun; humans would be up next

(Newser) - Damage to heart muscle can be stopped and maybe even reversed, but for now only in mice, the BBC reports. Blocking the activity of a specific type of genetic material that regulates gene expression, scientists found, avoided a type of cardiac scarring that leads to heart disease. "Heart function... More »

DNA Breakthrough IDs Genes That Boost Lung Cancer Risk

Localized variation could guide fight against disease

(Newser) - In a discovery that applies to both smokers and nonsmokers, researchers have identified two genetic variations that may increase the risk of lung cancer by some 60%, Reuters reports. A huge sample—15,000-plus subjects in 18 countries—yielded results that helped researchers locate the variations on the fifth chromosome,... More »

Baldness Gene Can Pass From Father to Son

Think your mom's dad's lush locks mean your 'do is safe? Maybe not.

(Newser) - The old idea that looking at the maternal grandfather's hairline to predict whether a man will go bald is about half right, genetic researchers have found. The female X chromosome carries one baldness gene, but two studies have identified another gene that can be inherited from Dad. Guys with both... More »

Sensitive Swiss Ban Plant Humiliation

Genetic research must not violate the dignity of wheat

(Newser) - Swiss scientists eager to carry out genetic experiments on plants can’t be rash—they must first consider the how their actions make that tulip feel. Government-backed ethicists studied the effects of such experimentation on plants’ dignity; they found that it was wrong to hurt plants for no reason, or... More »

Genome Project Is a Bust: Expert

$3B effort to pinpoint disease-causing genes too broad, Duke doc says

(Newser) - The idea behind mapping the human genome (and spending $3 billion to do so) was to uncover common gene variants that cause disease. But a Duke University geneticist says that natural selection has worked better than we thought, that there are no common variants but rather a multitude of rare... More »

Romans Left Conquered Peoples More Prone to HIV

Those in areas ruled by empire less likely to have key gene, scientists find

(Newser) - The Roman conquest of Europe may explain why populations living in the former empire are more vulnerable to HIV, French researchers say. A genetic variant that protects against the AIDS-causing virus is less prevalent in former Roman colonies such as England, France, Greece, and Spain, though some argue that a... More »

Broad Donates $400M for Gene Research

Record gift helps Harvard/MIT venture get to root of disease

(Newser) - Eli and Edythe Broad plan to donate $400 million more to the Massachusetts foundation they started 4 years ago to research the genetic causes of disease, the Boston Globe reports. “It's the biggest investment we've ever made,” said Broad, whose gift to the joint Harvard/MIT venture is the... More »

UK Approves Research on Human-Animal Embryos

Hybrids will be used for stem cell study

(Newser) - British legislators have voted to allow scientists to create hybrid human-animal embryos for stem cell research, the Daily Telegraph reports. The new laws will give British scientists more freedom to pursue hybrid research than those of any other country. The vote passed by a huge margin after supporters of the... More »

House Says No To Genetic Discrimination

Bush has pledged to sign bill; hoorays from docs and scientists

(Newser) - A long-suffering bill outlawing genetic discrimination by health insurers and in the workplace sailed through the House today, and President Bush has pledged to sign it into law, Reuters reports. The bill, forms of which have kicked around Washington for 13 years, forbids insurers from denying coverage based on genetic... More »

Lousy Figure? Blame Mom and Dad

Another reason to get mad at your parents: body shape is inherited

(Newser) - Still struggling to get that 36-24-36 figure? Science can’t help you, but it can explain why some girls are leaner than others, reports the Telegraph. Researchers have found a link between parental DNA and female muscle mass, which could explain “why many people will never obtain the perfect... More »

Scientists Discover New Diabetes Genes

Six variants each add risk for developing the disease

(Newser) - Scientists pooling data from European and US studies have identified six more genes associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, the Guardian reports. The study, published in Nature Genetics, found small but significant connections between the genes and the disease, with certain genetic variants linked to a 10-15%... More »

Schizophrenia Gene Find Surprises Scientists

Glitches vary from person to person

(Newser) - Scientists have tracked down the genetic roots of schizophrenia, but in a surprising twist researchers found that the genetic errors to blame often vary from person to person, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The discovery suggests that multiple glitches in the genetic code are behind schizophrenia, with the exact combination unique... More »

Africans Have Most Diverse DNA

Testing confirms man evolved on continent before migrating

(Newser) - A pair of wide-ranging genetic studies, published yesterday in the journal Nature, back up the idea that humanity first evolved in Africa before migrating elsewhere, Reuters reports. DNA testing of African Americans and European Americans found that people with African roots had much more genetic diversity. Other tests discovered that... More »

Want to Meet the Smell of Your Dreams?

New dating agency plans to use genetics to find right chemistry

(Newser) - The nose knows. A new dating agency aims to use research into body odor to match up singles who just sniff right to each other, the Economist reports. The founder of ScientificMatch.com is drawing on a ten-year-old study that found a genetic reason for why women found the smell... More »

Study Finds Mutated Genes Raise Autism Risk

Could be 'tip of the iceberg' of gene flaws linked to disorder

(Newser) - Researchers studying the DNA of autistic children have discovered a pair of genetic mutations that raise the risk of developing autism as high as a hundredfold, USA Today reports. The defects in chromosome 16 occur in just 1% of autistic kids, but that figure represents some 10,000 children. A... More »

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