Life-long intelligence isn't just down to your genes

Researchers from Scotland have found around one-quarter of changes in intelligence observed from childhood to old age may be due to our genes. Although the researchers accept the finding is not statistically significant, it is the first to estimate the contribution of genetic variations to cognitive ageing....[Read More]

First genetic link to bone marrow cancer identified

Two new gene variants, which each increase the risk of bone marrow cancer by 30 percent, have been identified by scientists at the Institute for Cancer Research...[Read More]

Short people 'short' on genes

Short people can blame deleted sections of DNA for their diminutive stature, according to a study looking at variations in the genomes of over 12,000 children...[Read More]

Book Review: What's the Use of Race? Modern Governance and the Biology of Difference

The study of genetic diversity between ethnic groups can help explain the ways in which race influences our biology and susceptibility to disease. But what do we mean by 'race', exactly? These issues are considered in the collection of essays 'What's the use of race? Modern governance and the biology of difference', edited by Dr Ian Whitmarsh and Dr David Jones...[Read More]

Genetic regions linked to schizophrenia by two Chinese studies

Two Chinese genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genomic regions linked to the incidence of schizophrenia. The papers, published in Nature, are some of the first GWAS to look at Chinese as opposed to Western populations....[Read More]

Genetic variants linked to asthmatics' response to inhalers

Inheriting two copies of a genetic variant has been associated with reduced response to steroid inhalers in people with asthma. The finding could explain why around 40 percent people with asthma do not benefit from inhaled steroids, the most commonly prescribed medication for the condition....[Read More]

Racing ahead in the polls

Throughout 2011 the charity that publishes BioNews, the Progress Educational Trust, has been running a Wellcome Trust supported project entitled 'Genes, Ancestry and Racial Identity: Does It Matter Where Your Genes Come From?'. The project is now concluding with an online poll which we'd like to encourage all BioNews readers to complete...[Read More]

Blood pressure linked to genetic variations

Scientists have identified 29 regions of the genome associated with hypertension in people of European origin. Of these, 16 areas contained completely new genes, which had not been previously associated with the risk of developing high blood pressure....[Read More]

New genetic markers for heart disease discovered

An international research consortium has discovered 13 new genetic markers and confirmed ten previously identified markers associated with heart disease. The study, one of the world's largest, more than doubles the known genetic risk factors for coronary artery disease, a common cause of heart attacks and strokes....[Read More]

Evidence for a genetic link to lung cancer

Scientists have found evidence that there is a strong genetic link to lung cancer. The findings, from three teams in Iceland, France and the US, will help understanding of the genetic basis of the disease and the role tobacco plays in its development. Lung cancer is the...[Read More]

Direct-to-consumer genetic tests raise concerns

By Katy Sinclair: The recent explosion of genetic tests being marketed to consumers has led to calls for the market to be regulated, and for the clinical utility of the tests available to be validated. The increase in genome association studies has led to the discovery of genetic markers for...[Read More]

Gene test for prostate cancer shows promise

A cheap but powerful genetic test that can identify men with a high risk of developing prostate cancer - the commonest form of cancer in males - could soon be available according to US researchers. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that the screening...[Read More]

Novel approach finds genetic clues to schizophrenia

US researchers at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research last week reported the discovery of nine new genetic markers for schizophrenia. The study - published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - used a novel whole genome scanning method to identify sections of genetic code...[Read More]

Genome-wide Alzheimer's study to begin in UK

The largest genome-wide study of the genetic origins of Alzheimer's disease is set to begin, thanks to a £1.3 million grant from the UK's largest charity, the Wellcome Trust. The researchers in the study will look at DNA samples from 6,000 sufferers of late-onset Alzheimer's disease...[Read More]

Childhood asthma gene clue

A new gene variant has been found that leads to an increased risk of children developing asthma. A team at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London performed a 'genome-wide association' study, analysing 317,000 genetic variations (single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs) in 994 patients with childhood...[Read More]

Genetic clues to seven diseases uncovered

A team of UK scientists has published details of genetic variations associated with an increased risk of seven common illnesses. The Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC) has confirmed several previously reported genetic influences on disease, as well as identifying ten new variants. The research, reported...[Read More]

Breast cancer risk genes identified

An international team of researchers has identified five new genetic variations that affect a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. Four of the variants are linked to genes that could play a role in the disease process, say the scientists, who published their findings in the...[Read More]