Evolution has shaped the human race, with University of Queensland researchers finding signatures of natural selection in the genome that influence traits associated with fertility and heart function.
Reaching reproductive age is an important milestone, and for women this is usually marked by their first period. But for some young women, it never comes. In medical terms this is called primary amenorrhea, and one of the major causes is a congenital condition called Mayer–Rokitansky–Küster–Hauser (MRKH) syndrome.
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.
Virtually all human traits that vary between individuals have unknown genetic and non-genetic factors that contribute to the observed variation – they are called ‘complex traits’.
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.
