Study suggests that the 3D “entanglement” of DNA may help drive evolutionary innovation

Octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish, collectively known as coleoid cephalopods, have evolved exceptionally large and elaborately structured nervous systems capable of complex behaviors such as problem-solving and rapid camouflage. A new study by scientists at The University of Vienna suggests that the origins of this complexity may lie not just in the genes themselves, but in how the genome is organized in 3D. The researchers found that ancient, extensive reorganization of the genome altered how DNA is arranged inside the cell. These shifts brought previously distant regions of DNA into contact, changing the way genes are regulated. Understanding this process could change how we think about how new traits emerge during evolution. The findings were published October 9, 2026 in the journal Nature Communications. The open-access article is titled “Genome Reorganisation and Expansion Shape 3D Genome Architecture and Define a Distinct Regulatory Landscape in Coleoid Cephalopods.”

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On October 9, 2026, the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (Alliance) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab (Tecentriq^®) in combination with fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin chemotherapy, for the adjuvant treatment of patients with stage III colon cancer with deficient DNA mismatch repair (dMMR). The approval is based on findings from the phase III Alliance ATOMIC (A021502) trial, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and conducted in partnership with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, and the German group Arbeitsgemeinschaft Internistische Onkologie (AIO). The study demonstrated that patients with stage III colon cancer whose tumors had mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) experienced significantly improved disease-free survival, a surrogate for overall survival, when atezolizumab was added to standard adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery.

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On October 8, 2026, CytoDyn Inc. (OTCQB: CYDY) (“CytoDyn” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage oncology company advancing leronlimab, a first-in-class humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the CCR5 receptor with therapeutic potential across multiple solid-tumor oncology indications, including metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC), announced that updated clinical data from its ongoing Phase 2 CLOVER study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT06699836), evaluating leronlimab in combination with trifluridine and tipiracil (“TAS-102”) plus bevacizumab in patients with previously treated mCRC, will be presented at the ESMO Congress 2026, taking place October 23–27, 2026, in Madrid, Spain.

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UC San Diego & colleagues’ research reveals how Polynesian seafaring shaped the genomes of island populations, offering new clues to health risks and medical discoveries in rarely studied communities; cover of Science

For centuries, Polynesian navigators crossed thousands of miles of open ocean, using their knowledge of stars, currents, birds, clouds, and the sea to settle islands across the Pacific. Now, a new University of California San Diego & colleagues’ study shows the history of voyaging is also reflected in the genomes of Polynesian populations today. Early Polynesians were master sailors who relied heavily on wind power to travel thousands of miles across the open ocean, turning back to paddles only when the wind completely died down.

Published October 8, 2026 in Science and featured on the journal’s cover, the study analyzes whole-genome sequences from 1,050 individuals across Polynesia. The findings offer genomic evidence of the extraordinary skill, knowledge, and achievement of Polynesian voyagers, whose mastery of long-distance ocean travel helped shape the genetic history of the Pacific. The open-access article is titled “Message in a Bottleneck: Nested Founder Effects from French Polynesia to Rapa Nui and Hawaiʻi.”

Using DNA to trace how Polynesian communities were formed, the study also shows that the same migration history may help explain why certain health-related genetic variants are more common in some island populations.

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Large-scale Dog Aging Project reveals how “jumping genes” underly differences in lifespan and disease risks across breeds

Across mammals, increased species size typically means a longer lifespan, ranging from only a couple of years for mice to almost 200 years for some whales. However, when we look within species, we often see the opposite—smaller individuals outliving younger individuals. And we see this in dogs. Dog lovers and owners have long experienced this exception, as larger dogs breeds tend to grow faster and die younger than smaller dogs. Therefore, scientists have been hard at work to explore and understand the underlying causes of these so-called “dog years,” that can shorten their companion time with people.

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Why do large dogs tend to live shorter lives than their smaller counterparts? According to a new study of nearly 900 dogs, the answer may be written into their epigenome. The findings reveal that larger and male dogs undergo accelerated molecular aging, with pronounced DNA methylation (DNAm) on the X chromosome and at transposable elements (TEs). Aging is a universal process, but its pace and biological mechanisms substantially differ between individuals and species. Domestic dogs offer a particularly useful model for understanding the biology of aging because their lifespans vary dramatically with body size. For example, smaller breeds can live nearly twice as long as larger breeds. Moreover, companion dogs also live in human environments, consume commercial diets, and receive routine medical care, making them a relevant translational model for studying how genetic background and environmental exposures shape aging. However, how intrinsic factors such as size and biological sex influence variation in dog aging and lifespan remains unclear. Previous research has demonstrated that DNAm is a useful indicator of biological aging, with “epigenetic clocks” offering a way to understand the factors that accelerate or decelerate biological aging.

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Researchers discovered the genetic switch that produces extra light-detecting cells that led to the ability to recognize more colors in flowers and other butterflies

Many insects see the world through hundreds of tiny lenses that are grouped together in a visual organ known as the compound eye. Behind each lens sits a cluster of eight light-detecting cells arranged in a pattern that scientists believe has existed for hundreds of millions of years.

Butterflies are the rare exception. They are equipped with nine light-detecting cells, which gives them the ability to visually navigate a much richer world of color, compared with insects such as flies, and allows them to locate nectar and potential mates.

University of California San Diego scientists in the School of Biological Sciences Associate Professor Michael Perry’s lab have discovered the genetic modification that gave butterflies this visual advantage.

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The detection of certain inherited gene variants can guide treatment and help uncover hereditary cancer risks in patients’ families

Bottom Line: Universal germline genetic testing of nearly 40,000 patients with solid tumors detected a substantial proportion of inherited gene variants that would have been missed by the standard germline testing approach that excludes those over age 50.

Journal in Which the Study was Published: Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). The article is titled “Universal Germline Genetic Testing After a Diagnosis of Cancer.”

Authors: First author Zsofia K. Stadler, MD, and senior author Luis A. Diaz, Jr., MD, FAACR are the two co-corresponding authors. At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Stadler serves as the clinical director of the Clinical Genetics Service, and Diaz is the head of Solid Tumor Oncology.

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Join us Nov. 1, Manassas, VA, for an inspiring gala

On October 6, 2026, the Indo US Organization for Rare Diseases (IndoUSrare), a 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization in the USA, and the Global Organisation for Rare Diseases (GORD) Foundation, a Section 8 not-for-profit company in India, announced the recipients of the 2026 Abbey Meyers Khushi Bridging RARE Awards: biopharma innovator Dr. Anish Bhatnagar, patient advocate and community leader Dr. Sumathi Iyengar, and population genetics pioneer Dr. Kumarasamy Thangaraj.

The honorees will be celebrated during the Bridging RARE Gala 2026 on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas, Virginia. The annual Gala brings together patients, advocates, researchers, clinicians, industry leaders, policymakers, and philanthropists. Named after rare disease advocacy pioneer Abbey Meyers, Founder and President Emeritus of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), and Khushi, representing hope and resilience, the award honors leaders who build bridges between science, policy, and global patient communities.

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Canavalia gladiata, commonly known as sword bean, is a leguminous crop with high seed protein content (26%–30%) and oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids. Despite its nutritional promise, the species has remained underutilized, largely because a complete genome and the genetic basis of its nutritional traits were lacking. Now, a research team from Yunnan University and BGI Research (Wuhan) has assembled the first gap-free telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome of C. gladiata, combined with integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling of developing seeds. The study was published September 13, 2026 in the Journal of Systematics and Evolution. The open-access article is titled “Telomere-to-Telomere Genome and Multi-Omics Analysis Provides Insights into the Genomic Evolution and Nutritional Composition of Canavalia gladiata.” “The previous genome assembly left centromeric and telomeric regions unresolved,” says Yi Wang, first author of the study. “These repetitive regions often hold key information about genome stability and phenotypic variation, so a T2T assembly was essential for functional genomics and breeding.”

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