Science

Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered that senescent cells — non-dividing zombie cells — build up in the skin as we age and can influence the aging process in other parts of the body. Their latest study showed that transplanting aging skin cells in a preclinical model not only led to the spread of aging to other tissues, but also accelerated physical decline, impaired muscle function, and worsened brain health. This discovery suggests that senescent cells in the skin could cause wider systemic aging.

Scientists have unveiled a new version of the famous gene editing tool CRISPR, which can temporarily “pause” a specific gene instead of permanently turning it off. The original CRISPR system recognizes a specific DNA sequence and then cuts out that part of the DNA strand, permanently turning off the gene. Unfortunately, this technique involves risks, such as “off-target” cuts where the wrong genes are cut. Researchers at Vilnius University in Lithuania have now developed a new, more versatile genetic tool, the Type IV-A CRISPR system. A study published on October 29 in the journal Nature Communications describes how the system switches off genes in an unpredictable way and gives researchers more control over gene activity.

Researchers from Jackson Laboratory (JAX), MIT's Broad Institute, Harvard University, and Yale University have used artificial intelligence to develop thousands of new DNA switches that can precisely control the expression of a gene in various cell types.

Research has shed new light on how and why neural stem cells become less active as the brain ages. In the study, newly developed screens were used to identify genes that, when switched off, increase the activation of neural stem cells in old but not in young mice. The results could provide clues as to how to overcome the passivity of old neural stem cells or stimulate neurogenesis in younger brains that need to be repaired.

Researchers at the University of Maryland have developed a machine-learning-based method for diagnosing Parkinson's disease using sensors worn on the body. This innovation is intended to streamline the diagnostic process, make it less labor-intensive and more accurate.