Extracting DNA from blood sounds like a forensic practice we would see on TV shows, but what is its utility? While blood is one of the most commonly used samples to extract DNA, there are other sources from which DNA can be extracted. What is DNA? To begin with, let’s cover what DNA is and […]

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers not only to a single disease but to a wide range of conditions. Autistic people may present challenges with social, communication and behavioural skills. Whilst ASD can be very different for each person, there are some common characteristics that we can identify at different stages in life. In […]

During the past century, the scientific community has made significant discoveries which played a key role in deciphering the human genome: chromosomes were discovered to be the basis of inheritance; the DNA double helix was seen for the first time; the biological mechanism by which the cells read the information contained in the genes was […]

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited condition affecting the brain function in a progressive manner. This means that it can be transmitted from parents to children and that its onset may start quite unobserved, with slow and steady development affecting the patient.  Most commonly, Huntington’s symptoms appear in adults aged 35-44. If it develops before […]

Do you know your blood type? This is a question we should all be able to answer. It contains vital information for situations such as blood donations, transfusions or pregnancies. It is also very interesting to know how blood groups are inherited, a very common question asked in medical consultations. Do you want to know […]

Did you know that all human beings share 99.9% of their genetic information? This means our uniqueness lies in the remaining 0.1%, which varies between individuals and determines our physical characteristics (phenotype), as well as how we respond to environmental factors. Want to find out more? In this article we delve into the different types of […]

We want to emphasise how important prevention is as a tool in the fight against cancer, sharing Yolanda’s story with you, her experience is a perfect example of preventative medicine. “My name is Yolanda, I am 46 years old, I am married with 2 sons, who are 10 and 12. Thankfully my parents are alive […]

Did you know that we can pass on genetic disorders to our children, even if we do not suffer from them ourselves? In fact, we only need to be carriers to pass them down our offspring. In other words, even if we have not developed symptoms, if we are carriers, our children are at risk […]

Genetic tests for hereditary cancer are designed to confirm or rule out if you have hereditary genetic mutations that are risk factors for a particular type of cancer. But what are the benefits of knowing if you have this predisposition? This article explains it all in detail! What is cancer and where does it come […]