• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Friday, October 3, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Health

Gene hunting: The power of precision medicine

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
January 30, 2020
in Health
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
IMAGE
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

MU researchers improve animal welfare by discovering genetic mutations that cause disease

IMAGE

Credit: MU News Bureau


COLUMBIA, Mo. – Humans and animals are made up of trillions of cells, and each cell contains DNA specific to that individual. Therefore, identifying DNA that causes genetic disorders gives researchers and clinicians a better understanding of how to treat inherited diseases and possibly prevent the diseases from being passed down to future generations.

Now, researchers at the University of Missouri have located a specific mutation in the gene responsible for causing Chédiak-Higashi syndrome, a rare condition that weakens the immune system and leaves the body more vulnerable to infections. In their new study, Leslie Lyons, a professor of comparative medicine at the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, and Reuben Buckley, a postdoctoral fellow, found the answer by creating a DNA map of a domestic cat with the syndrome.

“Different treatment options target different parts of the gene, so we needed to know which part of the gene was messed up in order to target therapies to the appropriate place,” Lyons said. “Similar to finding a specific address, we knew we had the right street but we needed to find the exact house, and modern DNA sequencing helped us find it.”

Collaborating with reproduction specialists at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Lyons worked with Smokey, a 16-year-old male cat who served as the last biomedical cat model for Chédiak-Higashi syndrome before passing away. Through in vitro fertilization, Lyons was able to use semen from Smokey to resurrect the previously extinct feline disease model. Learning if cats are genetic carriers of a certain disease can be useful so that breeders are aware of which cats to avoid breeding together in order to prevent their offspring from being affected.

Lyons’ research team is also studying genetic mutations that cause other diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease, a common inherited disorder that affects hundreds of thousands of people each year and can lead to kidney failure. She highlights the value of translational medicine in her research.

“All mammals tend to have very similar genes, so if we find out what causes a disease in cats, then whatever therapies can be used to help cats can potentially be translated to help humans suffering with the same disease,” Lyons said. “Likewise, human research can potentially be translated to help animals as well.”

In addition to translational medicine, Lyons’ research is also an example of precision medicine, or tailoring specific treatments for a patient according to their individual genetic makeup. Precision medicine will be a key component of the NextGen Precision Health Initiative by helping to accelerate medical breakthroughs for both patients in Missouri and beyond.

###

“Assisted reproduction mediated resurrection of a feline model for Chédiak-Higashi syndrome caused by a large duplication in LYST” was published in Scientific Reports. Funding for this project was provided by the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs/OD R24OD01092, the Winn Feline Foundation (W16-030), University of Missouri Gilbreath McLorn Endowment and donors to the 99 Lives Cat Genome Sequencing Project. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the funding agencies.

Editor’s note: Chédiak-Higashi Syndrome is pronounced “shed-EE-ack heh-GA-shee syndrome”

Media Contact
Brian Consiglio
[email protected]
573-882-9144

Original Source

https://news.missouri.edu/2020/gene-hunting-the-power-of-precision-medicine/

Related Journal Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56896-9

Tags: BiodiversityCell BiologyClinical TrialsDisease in the Developing WorldFertilityGene TherapyGenesGeneticsHealth CareMedicine/Health
Share12Tweet8Share2ShareShareShare2

Related Posts

Home-Based Early Medical Abortion Up to 12 Weeks: Safe, Effective, and on Par with Hospital Care

October 3, 2025

Alleviating ECT Anxiety Through Progressive Muscle Relaxation

October 2, 2025

Diabetic Patients in Upper Egypt: Adherence and Perception Insights

October 2, 2025

Movement Skills Boost Executive Function in Autistic Kids

October 2, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    New Study Reveals the Science Behind Exercise and Weight Loss

    92 shares
    Share 37 Tweet 23
  • New Study Indicates Children’s Risk of Long COVID Could Double Following a Second Infection – The Lancet Infectious Diseases

    83 shares
    Share 33 Tweet 21
  • Physicists Develop Visible Time Crystal for the First Time

    74 shares
    Share 30 Tweet 19
  • How Donor Human Milk Storage Impacts Gut Health in Preemies

    65 shares
    Share 26 Tweet 16

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Home-Based Early Medical Abortion Up to 12 Weeks: Safe, Effective, and on Par with Hospital Care

Stable Sodium-Ion Battery Cathode: K-rich Copper Hexacyanoferrate

Revolutionizing Lithium-Ion Battery Lifespan Predictions with AI

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 60 other subscribers
  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.