Gene editing could destroy herpes viruses living inside you
Almost all of us carry one form or another of the herpes virus, and the consequences can be far worse than the occasional cold sore. Herpes viruses also cause shingles and...
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How an Alberta researcher’s discovery of hepatitis C led to the Nobel Prize and saved lives
This year, the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was awarded to virologists Harvey J. Alter and Charles M. Rice and biochemist Michael Houghton for the discovery of the hepatitis C...
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This Gene Can Make Viruses Invisible to the Immune System — Up to a Point
Our immune system is great at protecting us from the germs that surround us everyday — but every machine has its kinks. One gene, which protects the body from autoimmune disorders (in...
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New SARS-CoV-2 Variant Spreading Rapidly in the UK
The significance of the variant remains unclear, but experts remain confident that it will not evade the protection offered by a COVID-19 vaccine. As public health officials worldwide mount vaccination...
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Coronavirus may dice heart muscle fibers into tiny snippets, remove cells’ DNA
The new coronavirus seems to slice heart muscle fibers into small, precisely sized fragments — at least when it infects heart cells in a lab dish, a new study reveals....
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First life on Earth may actually have been built from both RNA and DNA
Key building blocks of DNA and RNA can be made from the same raw materials. This finding suggests that instead of one or the other kick-starting life on Earth, both...
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Thirty years of DNA forensics: How DNA has revolutionized criminal investigations
DNA profiling methods have become faster, more sensitive, and more user-friendly since the first murderer was caught with help from genetic evidence The name Colin Pitchfork might not be as recognizable as...
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Your risk of severe COVID-19 may be affected by blood type, new genetic analysis suggests
People with blood type O may have a reduced risk of developing severe symptoms Genes associated with certain blood types may increase the risk of severe COVID-19 infections, leading to...
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What is RNA?
More than just DNA's lesser-known cousin, RNA plays a central role in turning genetic information into your body's proteins. This remarkable molecule also carries the genetic instructions for many viruses,...
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