genetics

Mitochondrial diseases can be passed from mothers to their children in DNA.

A Baby With 3 Genetic Parents Seems Healthy, But Questions Remain

5:00am April 08, 2017

by Jill Neimark

A baby who was conceived through an experimental procedure designed to prevent a deadly disease appears to be healthy. But some potentially defective DNA remains. Will it affect his health long term?

Just because Dad is tall doesn't mean you'll be. And figuring out why is turning out to be a real challenge.

Which Genes Make You Taller? A Whole Bunch Of Them, It Turns Out

6:23pm February 01, 2017

by Richard Harris

You'd think it would be a simple matter of looking at a few genes from Mom and Dad. But scientists say they've already found more than 700 variants that affect height and are still counting.

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Science

New Gene-Editing Techniques Hold the Promise Of Altering The Fundamentals Of Life

1:33pm January 12, 2017

New Yorker writer Michael Specter discusses emerging biotechnologies that will make it possible to remove disease and change the characteristics of life by rewriting the genetic code in cells.

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The genes in mitochondria, which are the powerhouses in human cells, can cause fatal inherited disease. But replacing the bad genes may cause other health problems.

Unexpected Risks Found In Editing Genes To Prevent Inherited Disorders

5:00am January 01, 2017

by Jill Neimark

In 2016, scientists combined the genes of three people in an effort to make a baby free of an inherited disease. But the process doesn't wipe out all faulty mitochondria, and could pose new risks.

A camera trap from North Carolina shows an eastern coyote who seems to have some German shepherd genes.

Science

Closely Lurks The Hybrid Beast

12:00pm December 02, 2016

by Shawn Fitzmaurice

Lurking in the Eastern forests, from Mississippi to Maine, is a living hybrid. With the combined genetics of three distinct animals, it's a survivor, and a better predator. How is this animal a lot like you and me?

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Yes, getting exercise and eating right can significantly cut your risk of developing heart disease, a study finds, even if you inherited genes that predispose you to the illness.

DNA Is Not Destiny When It Comes To Heart Risk

4:01pm November 13, 2016

by Richard Harris

People with unlucky genes but good health habits were half as likely to develop heart disease as those who had an unhealthful lifestyle and genes that increased their heart risk, a study found.

Virginijus Siksnys' large research team at the Vilnius University Institute of Biotechnology in Lithuania.

Science Rewards Eureka Moments, Except When It Doesn't

5:31pm November 02, 2016

by Rae Ellen Bichell

An easier way to edit genes, called CRISPR-Cas9, is revolutionizing biomedical research. But as patents and big prizes hover, some contributors to the discovery aren't getting much credit.

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How A 'Sixth Sense' Helps Simone Biles Fly, And The Rest Of Us Walk

5:03pm September 21, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists are finally beginning to understand proprioception, a sense that tells us where our body is in space. Much of what they've learned comes from two girls with a rare genetic disorder.

Researchers tested a variety of medications to treat severe nosebleeds. But saline appears to work just as well.

Saline Nose Spray Might Help Tame Severe Nosebleeds

2:56pm September 06, 2016

by Nancy Shute

People with a rare genetic disorder that causes severe nosebleeds did better when they used saline nose spray. And that remedy should also help people with plain old nosebleeds.

By testing tumors, researchers hoped to identify women who could avoid chemotherapy without increasing their risk of a cancer recurrence.

Study Of Breast Cancer Treatment Reveals Paradox Of Precision Medicine

1:30pm August 25, 2016

by Richard Harris

A genetic test of breast cancer tumors helped identify women whose survival odds would not be greatly improved by chemotherapy. But that test isn't as precise as women and doctors might like.

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