Genetics and the great Faustian pact

Can science explain blue skin of Lord Krishna?

Religion interprets blue skin as the aura of a spiritual body; science considers it a rare genetic disorder 

Older than age

Paralysing gene

Pre-natal healing

Culprit gene found

It's mama's fault

Scientists suggest a disorder that causes periods of ecstasy and depression is passed on through mothers.

Mutation marauders

A new class of mutations, involving duplications instead of deletion or 'misspelling'and displaying queer patterns of transmission, might be …

Geneless and immoral

Yoshinori Ohsumi wins Nobel Prize for experiments on cell recycling system

Ohsumi’s experiments helped us understand that mutations in autophagy genes can cause diseases like cancer

Manipulating life

Biological molecules hold the key to understanding diverse life processes and to correct aberrations

Is it a gene defect?

Bubble baby

Roller-coaster riders inside cells

Specialised structures such as chromosomes were thought to float haphazardly in cells. Now, researchers believe tiny motors guide them on …

New for old

Replacement and alteration of defective genes is a milestone in gene therapy

Gene jitters

Agouti : the prolific gene

A gene that determines coat colours in mice and affects cellular calcium might hold valuable clues to understanding human ailments like obesity

The stress-maker

Influential matters

Heterochromatin, a gene regulator, could be crucial for curing genetic defects

Lethal maternal cells

Toxic Tales

Why we don't know what causes most birth defects

Birth defects are a major cause of infant hospitalisation and deaths in the first year of life

Breasting cancer

A pair of genes responsible for causing breast cancer have been nabbed

Inviting danger?

The bloodline