Genetics

Vanderbilt phylogeneticists examined the reasons why large-scale tree-of-life studies are producing contradictory results and have proposed a suite of novel techniques to resolve the contradictions. Read More

Samuel Friedman, a senior from Plymouth, Ma., majoring in molecular and cellular biology, recently won a Victoria Finnerty Undergraduate Travel Award from the Genetics Society of America. The award allowed Friedman to present his research at the 54th Annual Drosophila Research Conference in Washington, D.C. Read More

Diagnostic codes used for billing purposes effectively identify smokers in a general clinic population and can be used to adjust smoking status in genetic and epidemiologic studies. Read More

An international group of investigators has identified seven new genetic regions associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common cause of blindness in older individuals. Read More

Genetic testing has revolutionized the treatment of patients with HIV/AIDS. But it is not a panacea. Read More

A new study identifies interactions between genes and nutrients that may participate in determining levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. Read More

A rare genetic syndrome provides new clues to lung scarring (pulmonary fibrosis), a potentially deadly consequence of many lung diseases. Read More

An inherited lung disease does not appear to have earlier onset and increased severity – a phenomenon called genetic anticipation – in successive generations. Read More

An analysis of Amish populations revealed novel risk genes for late-onset Alzheimer disease. Read More

Is race a biological category written in our genes? Or are genomic scientists and biomedical researchers mistakenly using race to explain away health disparities among different population groups? Dorothy Roberts, the Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, will explore this issue in an upcoming Chancellor’s Lecture at Vanderbilt University. Read More

Inhibitory neurons that connect and regulate signaling in the brain (interneurons) may contribute to epilepsy and autism in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex. Read More

Study maps the genetic changes involved in the domestication of Aspergillus oryzae, one of the fungi used to make sake, soy sauce and miso. Read More

A study led by Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center investigators has identified a gene expression pattern that may explain why chemotherapy prior to surgery isn’t effective against some tumors and suggests new therapy options for patients with specific subtypes of breast cancer. Read More

An international study co-led by researchers at Vanderbilt University has uncovered six new “susceptibility loci,” chromosomal regions located in or near genes that may play a role in atrial fibrillation, the most commonly diagnosed heart condition. Read More

A rare genetic change adds support to the idea that altered dopamine signaling is a key risk factor for ADHD. Read More

Mutations in hundreds of genes involved in wiring the brain may contribute to the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Read More

Vanderbilt University is already doing genetic analyses of patients to help in developing a shortlist of effective drugs, says Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at its medical school. Read More

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center investigators have won two of the five global innovation grants awarded by the “GE Healthymagination Cancer Challenge.” Read More

(iStockphoto) It is now possible to receive a noninvasive prenatal test for Down syndrome that can be administered at 10 weeks of gestation and is reportedly 99 percent accurate. As technology advances and allows for genetic tests, such as MaterniT21, to be developed, what ethical considerations arise? This topic… Read More

Vanderbilt researchers are seeking genetic clues to explain why risk factors for AF are more prevalent in African-Americans but their incidence of the disease is lower than European-Americans. Read More