Genetics | LocalHealthGuide

Scientists set out to map the world’s genomic diversity

“The goal is to collect, organize and make accessible a representation of all the genetic variation that exist in humans, big, small, common and rare,” said Evan Eichler, a professor of genome sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle and one of the organizers of the project.

April 20, 2022 Biotechnology / Genetics

When it comes to the rarest of diseases, the diagnosis isn’t the answer – it’s just the starting point

Major advances in the precision and speed of gene sequencing technology followed by dramatic reductions in the costs of testing – have radically changed how medical genetics clinics function. But while sequencing can provide confirmation of a suspected, well-understood condition, it frequently results in a situation like that faced by the Smiths, where the testing result shows an incredibly rare disorder with little known about it.

March 14, 2022 Genetics / University of Washington

UW scientists create ‘roadmap’ tracing the course of embryo cell development

This “roadmap” of mouse embryogenesis will help researchers understand the molecular programs that control how different specialized cell types emerge from less differentiated cells as an embryo grows and develops.

1024px Mark and Scott Kelly at the Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas

January 3, 2022 Genetics

5 things research from twins taught us about health, behaviour and what makes us unique

The first major insight is that genes and environments almost always combine to influence our life trajectory. Sometimes the largest factor is genetics (think genetic disorders). Sometimes it’s environment (think infections). Mostly, it’s somewhere in between.

September 24, 2021 Genetics / Prostate Cancer / University of Washington

Men should check their genes for prostate cancer risk, UW researchers say.

Approximately 1 in 10 men with advanced prostate cancer carries an inherited gene mutation, according to UW researchers.

September 10, 2021 Genetics / University of Washington

UW scientists to study effects of variations in the human genome

Researchers seek to determine how variations in the DNA sequences in the human genome affect how cells’ function and, ultimately, how these variants influence human health and disease.

Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a cell heavily infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (yellow), isolated from a patient sample. The black area in the image is extracellular space between the cells. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. Credit: NIAID

June 7, 2021 Coronavirus / Genetics

How virus detectives trace the origins of an outbreak – and why it’s so tricky

In the case of COVID-19, bats are an obvious first place to look.

May 24, 2021 Dialysis / Fitness / Genetics / Weight Loss

Looking at our early human ancestors for insights into modern diseases

Our ancestors’ environment and diets, and the limits of our biology, have led to adaptations that have improved human survival through natural selection. But we remain prone to illness and disease anyway.

April 29, 2021 Coronavirus / Genetics

Why variants are most likely to blame for India’s COVID surge

B.1.617, or what has been called the “Indian double mutation”, had two mutations linked to increased transmissibility and an ability to evade the immune system.