Genetics

A simple tool allows researchers to track how different subpopulations of the Plasmodium knowlesi parasite are changing over time.

The O. swinhoana frog species is the first vertebrate known to retain descendant genes that now determine sex in mammals, birds, and fishes inherited from a common ancestor.

New national body established to further research insights, improve patient outcomes and create new economic opportunities for the biomedical technology industry.

An ‘eat-me’ signal displayed on cell surfaces requires activation of a lipid-scrambling protein by a nuclear protein fragment.

Many genetic variants have been found to have a linkage with genetic diseases, but the understanding of their functional roles in causing diseases are still limited. An international research team, including a biomedical scientist from City University of Hong Kong (CityU), has developed a high-throughput biological assay technique which enabled them to conduct a systematic analysis on the impact of nearly 100,000 genetic variants on the binding of transcription factors to DNA. Their findings provided valuable data for finding key biomarkers of type 2 diabetes for diagnostics and treatments. And they believe that the new technique can be applied to studies of variants associated with other genetic diseases.

Researchers from DGIST have now found a way to keep living, wet cells viable in an ultra-high-vacuum environment, using graphene, allowing—like never before—accurate high-resolution visualization of the undistorted molecular structure and distribution of lipids in cell membranes. This could enhance our bioimaging abilities considerably, improving our understanding of mechanisms underlying complex diseases such as cancers and Alzheimer’s

A brain enzyme activates dormant neural stem cells, revealing how defects in its gene could lead to neurodevelopmental disorders.

Cells replicate their genetic material and divide into two identical clones to perpetuate life. Some cells pause in the process with a single, undivided nucleus. When the cell resumes division after such a pause, the nucleus can become caught in the fissure, splitting violently, and killing both cells. But that is not always the case. Researchers from Hiroshima University in Japan are starting to understand how active nuclear displacement rescues cell death.

A joint research team co-led by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has developed a novel computational tool that can reconstruct and visualise three-dimensional (3D) shapes and temporal changes of cells, speeding up the analysing process from hundreds of hours by hand to a few hours by computer. Revolutionising the way biologists analyse image data, this tool can advance further studies in developmental and cell biology, such as the growth of cancer cells.

A transporter protein that regulates cell membrane cholesterol likely played an important role in vertebrate evolution, according to a review published by iCeMS researchers in the journal FEBS Letters.

Researchers baffled by an infant’s rare encephalitis case unusual in children found unheard-of mutations and a new way to examine the “immunity gene.”

Turning off gene-editing until it reaches cell cycle phases where more accurate repairs are likely to happen offers a promising fix to CRISPR-Cas9’s problem with unwanted genetic changes.

A research team, affiliated with South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has presented the whole-genome sequence and analyses of the endangered whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the largest extant fish on Earth.

A research team, affiliated with the Korea Genomics Center (KOGIC) at UNIST has released data from the initial phase of the Korean Genome Project (Korea1K), including information describing 1,094 whole genomes, along with 79 quantitative clinical traits.

A research team, affiliated with South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) established an advanced direct conversion strategy to generate iMNs from human fibroblasts in large-scale with high purity, thereby providing a cell source for treatment of SCI.

A repetitive DNA sequence that causes health risks when it malfunctions can now be watched inside living cells using a synthetic tool

Innovative research by scientists at Duke-NUS Medical School has shed light on the mysterious role of long non-coding RNAs in the development of pancreatic cancer and suggests potential new targets for precision cancer therapies.

A new apparatus improves how we study the effects of aiming high-field terahertz radiation at cells, with implications for regenerative medicine.

Marine biologists studying the genetic structure of the Humboldt squid population found it is vulnerable to overfishing by fleets on its migration path.

Scientists have found an ingredient that makes a vaccine more effective through an approach more often seen in materials science – testing molecules that self-assemble into larger structures.

Scientists found out why people with Zellweger syndrome also get sick with genetic disorders linked to dysfunctions of the cilia or the cell’s “antenna.”

A research team from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has developed a new Gene Expression Embedding frameworK (GEEK), which uses artificial intelligence technologies in machine learning and natural language processing to study the regulation of gene expression. In contrast to previous works that focused on one or a few regulatory mechanisms at a time, this new framework can study the joint effects of many mechanisms simultaneously. A research article describing this new study has been published in the renowned international science journal Nature Machine Intelligence. The framework may help study the causes of cancers and treatment methods.

Recurrent miscarriages (RM) cause frustration and trauma to couples who want to have a child. However, not all couples can find out about the underlying reasons because of medical constraints. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) of the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CU Medicine) has successfully developed a new genome sequencing test called ChromoSeq to identify the genetic defects for married couples, who suffered from RM. When compared with the conventional karyotyping analysis, ChromoSeq offers greater accuracy in detecting potential genetic abnormalities associated with RM in affected couples. The team conducted a study on the innovation and the findings were recently published in the international journal American Journal of Human Genetics.

Prognosis describes how serious a patient’s cancer is and his or her chance of survival. A genetic biomarker is a clinically useful tool to help estimate the state of the disease. A study, conducted by the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CU Medicine), has identified a gene called GPR18 which can be a biomarker to help form the prognosis for a patient in nine cancer types. The research team has also provided new insights into B-cells for a cancer patient’s prognosis. The findings were recently published in the international scientific journal Communications Biology - Nature.

Epstein-Barr virus rewires host epigenome to turn on latent genetic enhancers that activate proto-oncogenes, leading to tumorigenesis in stomach cancer

A method that involves infecting liver cells with mosquito-bred parasites could improve the study of malaria in India.

Scientists are looking for ways to make millions of molecule-sized robots swarm together so they can perform multiple tasks simultaneously.

A highly accurate machine learning tool could help doctors tailor individualized treatments for people with glioma brain tumours.

Singapore's National Supercomputing Centre fast track access for researchers involved in COVID-19 research. Applications are open from now until 23 September 2020.

A new compound with the potential to turn genes on and off could lead to new cancer and hereditary disease treatment strategies.