Fresh Science

CRISPR lets scientists directly edit the DNA of cells. While powerful, the technology can be challenging to apply: some edits to sites are less effective, with the underlying DNA remaining unchanged. But it’s a process or trial and error, costing researchers time and money as they search for the best site to manipulate the genome.…

The link between a specific gene and brain cell ageing may reveal valuable lessons for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, a Sydney scientist has found. Yee Lian Chew, a PhD candidate at The University of Sydney, found that when levels of the TAU gene in a worm model were either too low or too high,…

The discovery of a gene’s essential role in generating rare intestinal immune cells may hold hope for those with celiac disease or irritable bowel syndrome, say Melbourne scientists. Lucille Rankin and a team at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute discovered that the gene, T-bet, is important for the production of innate lymphoid cells, (ILCs)…

Placental stem cells may hold the key to early prevention and the possibility of a cure for cerebral palsy, Melbourne scientists have found Dr Tamara Yawno and her colleagues from Monash Institute of Medical Research have shown that stem cells derived from discarded placentas reduced brain injury in sheep with cerebral palsy (CP). “The project’s…