Genetics

Genetic analysis of remains from Belgium and France indicates that some of the last Neanderthals in north-western Europe lived in diverse, connected groups. The findings suggest inbreeding was not a major factor in their extinction around 40,000 years ago.

23. juni 2026 Rapporteret af AI

A US company plans to offer an unapproved gene therapy designed to boost levels of an anti-ageing protein called klotho. The treatment will be provided at clinics in Honduras, the Bahamas and Panama. It aims to bypass US regulatory requirements.

Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital report that mutations commonly associated with clonal blood-cell expansion and some blood cancers were enriched in microglia-like immune cells in Alzheimer’s brains and were also detectable in matched blood samples. The Cell study proposes that age- or injury-related weakening of the blood-brain barrier could allow mutated blood immune cells to enter the brain, potentially amplifying inflammation and contributing to neurodegeneration.

8. juni 2026 Rapporteret af AI

A major analysis of data from more than a million women has identified hundreds of genes tied to endometriosis. The research also connects the condition to inflammation, cholesterol regulation and gut bacteria changes.

A major analysis of genetic data has linked 127 gene locations to Alzheimer’s disease, including 48 previously unidentified ones. Researchers also flagged several genes as promising drug targets and highlighted changes in immune and nerve cells.

1. juni 2026 Rapporteret af AI

A federally funded mouse study has revealed that some inherited traits follow non-Mendelian patterns through epigenetic changes. The research identified hundreds of unexpected DNA methylation events across generations. It also documented the first known natural paramutation in a mammal.