Check out the latest Genomics Week In Brief – full of intriguing news and research from the genomics space!
Top stories from the past week:
- A team of researchers have identified new genetic drivers of oesophageal cancer (Gastroenterology).
- Ancient genomic data has revealed previously unknown facts about the ancestral diversity of the Machu Pichu region (Science Advances).
- A study has revealed 12 rare genetic variants associated with long QT syndrome – a condition associated with abnormal heart rhythm (Journal of the American Heart Association).
- A new form of immunotherapy, which uses IgE instead of IgG antibodies, has shown promising results in the first clinical trial of its kind (Nature Communications).
- A newly identified genetic variant could explain why black individuals are more susceptible to stroke. The findings could help to develop novel treatments (Journal of Clinical Investigation).
- The Myc protein, a common driver of cancer, also plays a key role in ageing, according to a recent study (Cell Reports).
- A new study has shown that the ability to improve running performance in response to training is influenced by genetic makeup (PLOS One).
- Positive results were seen in early trials of an epigenetic therapy to treat solid tumours (Clinical Cancer Research).
- microRNAs that regulate the number of sodium channels in neurons could be used to treat epilepsy (PNAS).
- A transcriptome-wide association study has revealed over 150 new genes associated with psoriasis (International Journal of Molecular Sciences).
- A newly-developed gene therapy could treat chronic pain by regulating transport of sodium ions, a key driver of pain (PNAS).
- A blood test, that combines genome-wide sequencing of cell-free DNA and machine learning, could lead to earlier detection of a range of cancers (Nature Genetics).
- A large-scale analysis has revealed that a H1N1 strain has passed between humans and pigs almost 400 times since 2009. The study also sheds light on the genetic diversity of swine flu (PLOS Pathogens).
In other news:
- A large-scale study into preeclampsia has begun, involving thousands of first-time UK mums. The study should shed light on risk factors for preeclampsia and other similar conditions, hopefully informing better treatment options (BBC).
- It has been reported this week that the number of people being hospitalised with life-threatening allergic reactions has more than doubled in the last two decades (The Guardian).
- And finally, this month is set to be the hottest ever recorded, according to climate scientists. The heat serves as a stark reminder of the realties of climate change (BBC).
Read last week’s Genomics Week in Brief here!
