Cancer is a disease of our genes, but resistance to therapy might go beyond cancer mutations. The DNA stays the same, but cancer cells outsmart the drugs by switching their gene activity.
Humans, and indeed pet dogs, are more than just products of genes – even before the moment of conception, environments play a vital role in shaping us.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi leaves many questions about the saga in a galaxy far, far away unanswered. Fortunately, biology may offer a insights on the Force, midi-chlorians, clones, and Rey’s lineage.
The rapid growth of genetic testing and data-gathering could revolutionize health and medicine if governments work to protect people against privacy and societal risks.
Epigenetics is consistent with the theory of evolution – in fact, Darwin predicted that tiny parcels might somehow provide a flow of information from experience to inheritance.
A field called epigenomics looks at chemical modifications that do not change our DNA sequence but can affect gene activity. What are the limitations, and can biomedicine use this to our advantage?
Overweight women have a higher risk of delivering biologically older babies who are are more susceptible to age-related conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes in later life.
We are seeing increasing numbers of young, slim children with type 2 diabetes. This means obesity and lifestyle factors may not be the whole story behind the disease’s rising rates.
A few cancers vanish without any medical treatment. Researchers are studying these ‘spontaneous regressions’ to see if they can lead to new cancer treatments.
Multiple hormones produced by the mother, placenta and the foetus drive and coordinate the amazing biological changes and development of the baby that occur with conception, foetal growth and birth.