Science · 16 July 2026 · From issue 07
Many hidden genetic controls of gene activity had not been found before.
Peter Orchard, Thomas W. Blackwell et al., Cross-cohort analysis of expression and splicing quantitative trait loci in TOPMed, Science.
Genes are turned on and off by small differences in our DNA. Scientists studied over 14,000 samples of gene activity from blood, lung, and other body tissues. They found tens of thousands of extra, less obvious DNA links that control how genes turn on and off. When they matched these links to a huge health study covering 164 different traits, they found 10,611 matches. Most of those matches involved these newer, less obvious genetic links, not the well known ones.
Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 22 July 2026. Retraction record: none. DOI resolves at doi.org. Metadata record found (Science). Read the source
This screen checks process signals. It does not tell you the findings are true.