Genetics & Genomics Archive — Page 6 of 15

A rise in a mother’s blood levels of serotonin — a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, memory and gastrointestinal function — is associated with some, but not all forms of autism in children. (illustration by Diana Duren with Adobe Stock)
July 29, 2024

Study sheds new light on autism, but there’s more work to be done

A target of their investigations is serotonin, a signaling molecule that is well known for its critical roles in regulating mood and which also plays an important role in the development of the brain and nervous system.

July 8, 2024

GeneMAP discovery platform will help define functions for ‘orphan’ metabolic proteins 

The combination of genomics and metabolism identified a long-sought mitochondrial choline transporter.

Sarah Tishkoff, PhD
July 2, 2024

Sarah Tishkoff named to receive the 2024 Vanderbilt Prize in Biomedical Science

Sarah Tishkoff, PhD, and her collaborators have created one of the world’s largest databases of African diversity derived from genetic samples from more than 9,000 people representing more than 200 diverse ethnic groups.

June 25, 2024

Gene variant may underlie diabetes disparities: study

The study was the largest ancestry-stratified, genetic estimation of the heritability of diabetic retinopathy conducted to date and included an unprecedented number of individuals of non-Hispanic African ancestry — more than 46,000.

(iStock)
June 19, 2024

Study of messenger RNA regulatory mechanism reveals cancer risk genes

The Vanderbilt study used RNA-sequencing data generated in multiple normal tissues, along with matched genotype data from the Genotype-Tissue Expression Project as well as large-scale genomic data for cancers of the breast, ovary, prostate, colorectum, lung and pancreas.

Graduate student Taralynn Mack, left, pipettes a sample while Alexander Bick, MD, graduate student Hannah Poisner, and Celestine Wanjalla, MD, PhD, look on.
June 4, 2024

Research raises hope for treating potentially lethal blood condition

Roughly 1 in 10 people over age 70 will develop CHIP, an explosive, clonal growth of abnormal blood cells that increases risk of blood cancers and death from cardiovascular, lung and liver disease.