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The clearest snapshot of human genomic diversity ever taken

The human reference genome has always been a remarkable but flawed tool. A new "pangenome" aims to correct its oversights and omissions.

Homing in on the genetics of severe COVID in children

A trio of faulty genes fail to put the brakes on the immune system’s all-out assault on SARS-CoV-2, leading to the inflammatory overload characteristic of MIS-C.

How the intestine replaces and repairs itself

A new study suggests that stem cells are able to integrate cues from their surroundings and coordinate their behavior across tissue through networks of vasculature in their close vicinity.

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Building a human ‘pangenome’ to capture global genomic diversity

The human reference genome, the most widely used resource in human genetics, is getting a major update.

The genetic underpinnings of severe staph infections

A mutated gene may explain why some Staphylococcus aureus infections turn lethal, a finding with significant implications for people living with 5p- syndrome.

Titia de Lange elected to the Royal Society

She receives the honor for elucidating mechanisms of telomere protection and genome maintenance.

Kivanç Birsoy, expert on cancer cell metabolism, is promoted to associate professor 

Birsoy's groundbreaking research has highlighted key nutrients that cancer cells need to survive, while shedding light on debilitating mitochondrial diseases and rare genetic disorders.

The human genome is, at long last, complete

Even after 20 years of upgrades, eight percent of the human genome was still left unsequenced and unstudied. Until now.

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New comprehensive map of the portal to the cell’s nucleus

The findings, which may have implications for a wide range of human diseases, suggest that nuclear pore complexes vary in structure and function even within a single nucleus.

Llama antibodies could help fight SARS-CoV-2 variants

Scientists have identified hundreds of llama-derived antibodies that potentially could be developed into a COVID treatment. They hope such a drug would be potent against different variants of the coronavirus, including Omicron.

Stem cell memories may drive wound repair—and chronic disease

Epidermal stem cells that hail from the hair follicle retain memories of their journey to the skin's surface. Those memories are a boon for wound repair, but may also contribute to chronic diseases and cancer.

Study detects origins of Huntington's disease in two-week-old human embryos

The findings shed new light on the root causes of this disease, which leads to the degeneration of neurons in midlife.

Lonely flies, like many humans, eat more and sleep less

If COVID-19 lockdowns scrambled your sleep schedule and stretched your waistline, you're not alone. Fruit flies quarantined in test tubes sleep too little and eat too much after only one week of social isolation.

How cells draw on memories of past inflammation to respond to new threats

A new study uncovers a near-universal mechanism behind this phenomenon, known as inflammatory memory.

Putting the brakes on immune reactions

Helper T cells may play a dual role in the immune system, both encouraging and suppressing the process by which B cells mature.

New findings to boost IVF success rates

New research casts doubt on a genetic test used to screen would-be embryos for IVF implantation. The findings suggests that these embryos can develop into healthy babies regardless of whether or not they’ve been flagged as defective by the test.

Scientists release error-free genomes of 25 animals—with another 70,000 coming up

Scientists have launched an ambitious effort to produce high-quality reference genomes for all vertebrate species, from mammals to birds and reptiles. The result could be discoveries with implications for animal conservation as well as human health and disease.

A case for simplifying gene nomenclature across different organisms

Scientists call it oxytocin in humans, isotocin in fish, mesotocin in birds, and valitocin in sharks. But according to a new study, it’s all the same hormone—and high time we settled on just one name.


Paul Cohen, expert on fat, is promoted to associate professor

Cohen, a physician-scientist exploring obesity and metabolic disease, has conducted groundbreaking research on the complex inner workings of fat tissue.

Financial crashes, pandemics, Texas snow: How math could predict "black swan" events

Statistical modeling may one day help scientists anticipate and manage a wide range of extreme occurrences, according to a new study.

Why male mosquitoes leave humans alone

Unlike their female counterparts, male mosquitoes have no desire to bite us. But the hardware for host-seeking is hidden in the male mosquito brain, locked behind a simple genetic switch. 

Synthetic “micro lungs” could take COVID-19 research to the next level

Scientists have developed stem-cell technology to mass-produce tissue cultures resembling our breathing organs. These tissues offer a powerful model in which to study how SARS-CoV-2 wreaks havoc in the lungs and to screen for new drugs.

The blood may hold clues to some of COVID-19’s most mysterious symptoms

COVID-19 causes a host of diverse complications, from lung inflammation to blood clots, heart failure, and brain fog. A team of scientists believes these attributes may have a single culprit—and that findings from research on Alzheimer’s disease might give them a leg up in finding it.

What bats can teach us about COVID-19

Unlike most humans, bats are naturally resistant to coronavirus infection. Researchers are now searching their genomes for clues that might explain why SARS-CoV-2 can cause devastating disease in our own species.

Telomere shortening protects against cancer

Researchers have found the first evidence that telomere shortening is not just a sign of aging, but a key component of the body's cancer prevention system.

Conservation of resources is hardwired into the genetic code

A study of marine microbes reveals that conservation of nutrients is a fundamental property of cells in all living organisms, from plants to humans.

New atlas reveals the journey of human cells throughout development

The largest map of gene expression in over 4 million human cells charts the dynamic path to forming different organs.

How the immune system deals with the gut's plethora of microbes

New research suggests that our immune system may play an active role in shaping the digestive-tract flora, which is tightly linked to health and disease.

Rockefeller issues license for the development of novel anti-inflammatory drug

The novel compound, discovered in Jan L. Breslow’s lab and now licensed to Bridge Medicines, will be designed to treat immune-mediated diseases without harming the rest of the immune system.

Scientists discover mosquitoes’ unique blood-taste detectors

Female mosquitoes are armed with syringe-like stylets that begin to pump furiously only in the presence of blood. Scientists are now studying the specific neurons that line the stylet, and asking what mosquitoes taste when they bite us.
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