Genetic Pathway Specific to Sarcoma Identified

    Sarcomas are rare cancers that may occur within bone, muscle, and even cartilage. It makes up about 20% of cancer diagnoses among those under 20 years old. Sarcoma causing genes have been identified using a genomic map constructed by the researchers at Garvan Institute of Medical Research and UNSW, Sydney. In this study, to identify mesenchymal cancer pathways among cases and controls, they performed whole-genome germline sequencing and found a gene said to be clinically important, as well as a sarcoma specific pathway that was unknown. According to the head of the Genomic Cancer Medicine Laboratory, David Thomas, "These findings fill important gaps in the missing heritability of cancer." Research in sarcoma, specifically on heritable pathways, could better understand the development in this rare mesenchymal cancer and support families with a history of sarcoma through genetic testing for the disease.

Study Debunks 'Depression Genes' Hypotheses

For years, researchers have supposedly found that a certain group of genes play a key role in depression. This has not only lead to a lot of further research, but also given doctors and patients the hope that technology like CRISPR could simply cut these genes out for future offspring. These previous ideas of depression genes come with hypotheses about the future of the disease itself.

Several of the prior studies, at least 10, saw that a certain 18 genes were completely associated with depression. Unfortunately, new testing has proven that of the 18 specific genes that scientists have associated with depression, none of them play any larger role than every other random gene in the body. Though depression is indeed a heritable condition, it “is influenced by many many variants, and individually each of those has a minuscule effect." 

Looking closer at some studies, a particular gene SLC6A4 which directly deals with the transportation of serotonin was previously said to be very important with depression. Specifically, it was believed that a person with a short version of this gene was at a higher risk for developing depression than a person with a “normal” size SLC6A4. This is even more likely if the person was exposed to early life trauma. 

Another study was done with the participation of several DNA/chromosomal data sources such as 23andMe. They used the data from those types of websites in order to determine if any of the so called “associated genes” actually played a role in producing depression when combined with childhood trauma. This is said to be the largest depression study known to man. The researchers were actually surprised to find that those 18 genes are no more related to depression than any other gene. However, it is still believed that as a group, many genes participate in the development of depression. It is important to note that “genes associated with the disease, and what they do, can ultimately come up with more accurate "polygenic scores" to predict risk and still potentially develop drugs designed to counteract that risk.”

I think that this study is really interesting because it involves scientists disproving past hypotheses about this specific disease. More genes must be looked at to determine even the smallest roles in depression, yet I don’t think this disease will ever be completely abolished. Too many genes are involved to pinpoint a certain gene removal or drug that will get rid of all symptoms. This research is a big step in furthering the scientific knowledge of depression 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190402164517.htm

Is There a Gene for Procrastination?

Everyone has procrastinated something at some time or another. Whether it was reading a book, doing homework, or completing a task at work, but it just never gets done. Some people think it is just a bad habit. Others link procrastination to the word "lazy", but is that really so? Researcher, Daniel Gustavson of the University of Colorado - Boulder found that there may be a genetic reason for procrastination. Researchers came to a conclusion that procrastination and implusivity come from similar origins in our human evolution. They believe that our ancestors acted on impulse, because they were hunters and gatherers, and lived everyday like it was their last; which makes them believe procrastination stemmed from recent family evolution. To prove their findings they used twins as their subject of study, since 100% of their genes are the same. Identical twins and fraternal twins were given a test on impulse and procrastination, and as they expected, the results showed a genetic link between the two. In the future, scientists could use this information to help prevent procrastination if they can find the main reasons behind it and how we can develop techniques to over come it.


Personally,  I think if people start to find out that procrastination is linked to genetics (even if this is the case) then it will give them an even more reason to not complete tasks on time, almost use it as an excuse. I have always just though that procrastination stems from a person's work ethic in which they have instilled in themselves. Some people are motivated, while others are simply not. However, while reading this article, I found it pretty interesting that when the study was done with the twins, they found that procrastination was in fact heritable.