Genetic testing (i.e., identifying the risks of inheriting disease) has been widely heralded as a major breakthrough in disease prevention. Yet its adoption has been slowed by privacy issues. Polls have shown that Americans have been concerned about the possibility that employers and health insurers may use their personal genetic information to discriminate against them.Continue reading “New law prohibits discrimination based on genetic testing and family history”
Category Archives: genes
What is a weak gene?
Genetic variability (vary + liable – to or capable of change) is the ability, i.e. capability of a biological system – individual and population – that is changing over time. The base of the genetic variability is genetic variation of different biological systems in space.[1][2][3] Genetic variability is a measure of the tendency of individualContinue reading “What is a weak gene?”
Stanford-led Team Finds Non-African Human Populations Harbor Higher Mutational Loads
Stanford’s Carlos Bustamante and his colleagues analyzed the genomes and exomes of seven geographically divergent human populations — from Namibia, Congo, Algeria, Pakistan, Cambodia, Siberia, and Mexico — and found that while the number of deleterious alleles in each individual varies only a little, classes of deleterious alleles show different patterns across those populations. TheseContinue reading “Stanford-led Team Finds Non-African Human Populations Harbor Higher Mutational Loads”
SweGen: A whole-genome map of genetic variability in a cross-section of the Swedish population
Here we describe the SweGen dataset, a high-quality map of genetic variation in the Swedish population. This data represents a basic resource for clinical genetics laboratories as well as for sequencing-based association studies, by providing information on the frequencies of genetic variants in a cohort that is well matched to national patient cohorts. To selectContinue reading “SweGen: A whole-genome map of genetic variability in a cross-section of the Swedish population”
Rare Functional Variant in TM2D3 is Associated with Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease , Icelandic study
We performed an exome-wide association analysis in 1393 late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) cases and 8141 controls from the CHARGE consortium. We found that a rare variant (P155L) in TM2D3 was enriched in Icelanders (~0.5% versus <0.05% in other European populations). In 433 LOAD cases and 3903 controls from the Icelandic AGES sub-study, P155L was associatedContinue reading “Rare Functional Variant in TM2D3 is Associated with Late-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease , Icelandic study”
What makes the inherited genetic material beneficial?
[Ice Age Europeans had some serious drama going on, according to their genomes] By Sarah Kaplan Your Neanderthal DNA might actually be doing you some good But most human traits come from a complex combination of genes, making it a lot more difficult to figure out exactly what makes the inherited genetic material beneficial. “ForContinue reading “What makes the inherited genetic material beneficial?”
Genetic diversity to survive
Survival and adaptation Genetic diversity plays an important role in the survival and adaptability of a species.[6] When a population’s habitat changes, the population may have to adapt to survive; the ability of the population to adapt to the changing environment will determine their ability to cope with an environmental challenge.[7] Variation in the population’sContinue reading “Genetic diversity to survive”
Lung cancer, breath tests and DNA sequencing
Breath Tests for Cancer In addition, new screening tools such as genetic sequencing and breath tests for cancer metabolites are on the horizon and could further improve screening accuracy in individual patients. For example, advances in sensor technologies and breath collection methods are paving the way for breath tests that could separate patients with lungContinue reading “Lung cancer, breath tests and DNA sequencing”
Genes
Behaviour and genes
Jens Mowatt, I’m a brain that’s obsessed with brains. Written Mar 21, 2015 Behaviour isn’t stored in genes, structure is. However, a different structure can lead to a different function of cells, and consequently a different behaviour by the organism. In effect, your DNA just provides the building block for proteins. When an mRNA isContinue reading “Behaviour and genes”
Good genes when selecting a partner
Your complete DNA sequence will help shape the future of medicine Orange and rust specks in the iris, can be prone to depression Blue eyes. “Clinically speaking, people with blue or light-colored irises do tend to be more light-sensitive,” says Ruth Williams, MD, president-elect of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and an ophthalmologist at theContinue reading “Good genes when selecting a partner”
Is there a gene for aggression?
Do obese people have a higher or lower metabolic rate?
Several factors determine your basal metabolic rate: Your body size and composition. If you weigh more or have more muscle mass, you will burn more calories, even at rest. So people who weigh more are more likely to have a faster metabolic rate — not a slower one — because a portion of excess weightContinue reading “Do obese people have a higher or lower metabolic rate?”
Genes and Cancer
How faulty genes lead to cancer Our genes pick up mistakes that occur when cells divide. These mistakes are called faults or mutations and happen throughout our lives. They are caused by the natural processes in our cells, and by various other factors. These include Tobacco smoke Radiation Ultraviolet radiation from the sun Some substancesContinue reading “Genes and Cancer”