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Wellcome Sanger Institute

·October 8, 2025·8 min read

Why Older Fathers Pass on More Harmful Mutations to Their Kids

Groundbreaking research has revealed that as men age, harmful genetic mutations in sperm not only accumulate but are also favored during sperm production, giving them a reproductive advantage. Using ultra-accurate DNA sequencing, scientists found that sperm from older men were significantly more likely to carry disease-causing mutations, including those linked to neurodevelopmental disorders and cancer.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·June 11, 2025·7 min read

New Map Reveals First Steps of Protein Clumping in Alzheimer’s

Scientists have mapped how over 140,000 mutations affect the formation of amyloid beta fibrils, offering an unprecedented look at early events in Alzheimer’s disease. By combining DNA synthesis, genetically engineered yeast, and machine learning, they built a detailed energy landscape of the protein’s transition state—an elusive moment before plaque formation begins.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 18, 2025·7 min read

Parents’ Age, Ancestry, and Habits Shape New DNA Mutations

A massive genomic study has revealed that parental age, ancestry, and smoking habits subtly influence the number of new genetic mutations (de novo mutations) passed from parents to children. By analyzing whole-genome data from 10,000 parent-child trios, researchers found that most variation in mutation rates comes from parental age, especially the father’s.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·September 23, 2024·6 min read

80% of Developmental Disorders Linked to Known Recessive Genes

The largest and most diverse study on recessive genetic changes in developmental disorders reveals that over 80% of cases caused by recessive variants are linked to known genes. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 30,000 families and found that a shift in focus from gene discovery to interpreting changes in known genes could double diagnosis rates.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·December 6, 2023·5 min read

Cellular Atlas of Human Limb Development Created

Scientists have created a groundbreaking spatial cell atlas of the human limb, capturing the intricate process of human limb development. This work, part of the Human Cell Atlas initiative, marks a significant advancement in understanding the rapid and complex formation of human limbs.

Brain Cancer Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 13, 2022·7 min read

Increased Mutations in Children Can Be Traced Back to Mistakes in Father’s Sperm

Hypermutation in children may be linked to increased mutations in the sperm of the biological father, especially fathers who received certain forms of chemotherapy to treat cancer early in life.