By screening the genomes of hundreds of people with autism and analyzing the effects of newly identified mutations in cultured neurons, researchers have clarified the disorder’s link to the SHANK2 gene.

A mathematical approach called ‘NEW biology,’ or network-enabled wisdom biology, aims to solve one of the biggest problems in disease research: isolating the key factors that drive diseases from a glut of information.

Researchers have identified the genetic root of severe mitochondrial disorders in infants whose cases couldn’t be solved by standard genetic testing, according to research published last week in Science Translational Medicine.

The genome-wide association study has been the favorite whipping post among some geneticists, but three new reviews come to its defense.

As the amount of genomics and other data rapidly grows, researchers are turning to cloud computing; commercial services for remote data storage and processing that allow even those with little infrastructure to handle big data.

The rise of whole-genome sequencing is likely to result in a deluge of lawsuits against doctors for misinterpreting disease risks, two lawyers caution in an essay in Slate.

Regions of the genome that contain the same genetic variants on both copies of a chromosome are more likely to contain autism-associated genes than other parts of the genome, according to a study published 14 October in Human Genetics.

In October, the autism science and advocacy organization Autism Speaks announced its plans to sequence whole genomes of 10,000 children with the disorder and their family members over the next two years.

By focusing on recessive mutations inherited from both parents, researchers have identified 50 new candidate genes for intellectual disability.

In a video interview at the 2011 Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C., Janine LaSalle makes a case for the importance of the methylome in autism research.