Wray/Visscher Group

More targeted and effective treatments for some of the world’s most complex diseases in humans may be a step closer, thanks to research that better maps disease susceptibility to genes and DNA.

Humans might be the most resilient species on Earth, but until recently, no one could explain how a small population survives the incredibly harsh conditions of the Tibetan Plateau – a lofty, oxygen-starved environment that towers 4.5 km above sea level.

Massive banks of genetic information are being harnessed to shed new light on modifiable health risks that underlie common diseases.

University of Queensland researchers have pioneered a method to integrate data from multiple large-scale studies to assess risk factors such as body mass index (BMI) and cholesterol levels, and their association with diseases including type two diabetes and heart disease.

Identification of a gene associated with motor neuron disease in people of Chinese ancestry will improve researchers understanding of the condition

If you could take a test that would reveal the diseases you and your family might be more likely to get, would you want to do it? Rapid developments in gene testing technologies have sparked debate about whether healthy Australians should undergo genetic testing.

Professor Jian Yang, whose pioneering work has helped unravel the complexity of the human genome and genetic traits, has won the 2017 Prime Minister's Prize for Life Scientist of the Year.

An international research team has advanced our understanding of the genetic factors contributing to the risk of developing motor neurone disease (MND), a devastating disorder that kills two Australians each day.

Professor Yang, a statistical genomics researcher, received the Senior Researcher Award at the Queensland ASMR Gala Dinner in Brisbane on 2 June during ASMR Medical Research Week.