Personalized cancer treatments based on testing drugs quickly leads to faster treatment, better outcomes

Functional precision medicine works to take the guesswork out of deciding which drug to try next for patients with cancers that don’t respond to standard treatments.

Diana Azzam, Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Florida International University • conversation
April 11, 2024 ~7 min

Newly discovered genetic variant that causes Parkinson’s disease clarifies why the condition develops and how to halt it

No treatments are currently available to cure Parkinson’s disease. Better understanding the genetic foundation of this condition can help researchers find ways to slow or halt its progression.

Matthew Farrer, Professor of Neurology, University of Florida • conversation
April 10, 2024 ~10 min


Could a couple of Thai otters have helped the UK’s otter population recover? Our study provides a hint

Research has revealed how British otters may have been able to recover from species loss in the 1950s with the help of otters from Asia.

Sarah du Plessis, PhD Candidate, Cardiff University • conversation
Feb. 27, 2024 ~6 min

DNA from stone age chewing gum sheds light on diet and disease in Scandinavia's ancient hunter-gatherers

Genetic analysis reveals one of the teenagers probably had advanced gum disease.

Emrah Kırdök, Assistant Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Mersin University • conversation
Jan. 18, 2024 ~7 min

Cambridge partners with AstraZeneca and Medical Research Council on new world-class functional genomics laboratory

The facility, based at the Milner Therapeutics Institute, will support the discovery of new medicines and diagnostics for chronic diseases by applying advanced

Cambridge University News • cambridge
Nov. 27, 2023 ~5 min

Search algorithm reveals nearly 200 new kinds of CRISPR systems

By analyzing bacterial data, researchers have discovered thousands of rare new CRISPR systems that have a range of functions and could enable gene editing, diagnostics, and more.

Allessandra DiCorato | Broad Institute • mit
Nov. 23, 2023 ~8 min

Cranberries can bounce, float and pollinate themselves: The saucy science of a Thanksgiving classic

Cranberries add color and acidity to Thanksgiving menus, but they also have many interesting botanical and genetic features.

Serina DeSalvio, Ph.D. Candidate in Genetics and Genomics, Texas A&M University • conversation
Nov. 9, 2023 ~9 min

Making genetic prediction models more inclusive

MIT computer scientists developed a way to calculate polygenic scores that makes them more accurate for people across diverse ancestries.

Anne Trafton | MIT News • mit
Oct. 26, 2023 ~9 min


Thousands of programmable DNA-cutters found in algae, snails, and other organisms

New research finds RNA-guided enzymes called Fanzors are widespread among eukaryotic organisms.

Jennifer Michalowski | McGovern Institute for Brain Research • mit
Oct. 13, 2023 ~6 min

A more effective experimental design for engineering a cell into a new state

By focusing on causal relationships in genome regulation, a new AI method could help scientists identify new immunotherapy techniques or regenerative therapies.

Adam Zewe | MIT News • mit
Oct. 2, 2023 ~8 min

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