RNA news stories on Newser

Women Better at Fighting Disease

Kevin Spak — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:54:01 CDT

Ever wonder why women tend to live longer than men? Well, it turns out the fairer sex is made of stronger stuff when it comes to fighting off disease and riding out shocks to their systems, according to a study published today from Ghent University in Belgium. Researchers found that...

Scientists Seek 'Frankenstein Spark'

Rob Quinn — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 03:44:13 CDT

Alien life may appear in a test tube on Earth long before it's found elsewhere—and by some standards, it's already here, researchers say. Multiple teams of scientists around the world are experimenting with genetic tools in an effort to create synthetic life, the New York Times finds. Having a...

'Potentially Huge' Treatment Blocks Cancer at Gene Level

Jane Yager — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 05:34:34 CDT

Scientists think they are onto a "potentially huge" breakthrough in the fight against cancer after successfully blocking cancer cells on a genetic level for the first time in humans. In clinical trials on cancer patients, the "game-changing" form of genetic therapy snipped in half the messenger RNA inside cancer cells...

HIV Genome Decoded, Raising Hopes for Treatment

Rob Quinn — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:15:02 CDT

The entire structure of the virus that causes AIDS has been decoded for the first time, a breakthrough that may eventually lead to effective treatments for the disease and others like it, Reuters reports. University of North Carolina researchers, using a new method they liken to zooming out on a...

Genetic Therapy Reverses Heart Disease in Mice

Katherine Thompson — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:52:02 CST

Damage to heart muscle can be stopped and maybe even reversed, but for now only in mice, the BBC reports. Blocking the activity of a specific type of genetic material that regulates gene expression, scientists found, avoided a type of cardiac scarring that leads to heart disease. "Heart function and...

RNA: Secret Weapon Against Disease

Matt Cantor — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:05:14 CST

RNA has long been seen as DNA’s little brother, a messenger between the human genome and cells’ protein factories. But studies point to a bigger role—ribonucleic acid can “turn off” certain genes, for example, fighting a range of health problems, the New York Times reports. “This is potentially the...

25 Biggest Scientific Discoveries

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 13:10:52 CDT

The invention of the wheel was pretty good. Fire, even better. But what has science done for us lately? USA Today lists the top 25 scientific discoveries; here are the top 10: Accelerating universe Human genome Climate accord