#micro rna

Sneaky bamboo can control the genes of the pandas eating it, scientists discover

Scientists Convert Human Skin Cells Directly Into Brain Cells

Using a finely tuned cocktail of small molecules, researchers from Washington University in St. Louishave successfully converted adult skin cells into the major type of brain cell affected in the fatal neurodegenerative disorder Huntington’s disease. For the first time, this was achieved without the need to go through a stem cell intermediate, avoiding the production of other types of cell.…

Blood Test Has Potential to Catch Pancreatic Cancer Early

Pancreatic cancer could be identified in its early stages with a test that looks for genetic material in the blood, according to preliminary research from Denmark.

In the study, the researchers looked for tiny pieces of genetic material called microRNA in the blood of patients already diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, as well as in healthy people. Researchers found that certain combinations of microRNAs, or microRNA "signatures," could somewhat distinguish between people with and without the cancer.